The Treepot Film Festival was a series of 10 screenings of Ottawa-based and Canadian independent short films, documentaries, music videos and feature films curated by Jith Paul. Over 150 films were featured at these screenings which took place between 2011 and 2014 at independent cinemas and parks in the Ottawa area. The screenings were expanded to include a locally produced feature film in 2013 (Thirteen Downs), a collaborative feature film/web series (Treepot Cliffhanger) and a crowd-funded film in 2014 (A Clean Slate).

Although the Treepot screenings were successful and well-received, Jith felt it was time to take the initiative further. He envisioned a more formal, sustainable structure that could amplify independent filmmakers and bring their work to broader audiences. That vision became the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival (OCan), a federally incorporated non-profit corporation founded in 2015. Since then, OCan has presented Canadian films of all genres and lengths from filmmakers across the country, offering both in-person and online screenings to reach audiences nationwide.

Jith’s time on the OCan board came to an end in 2024, ten years after its inception, as the festival shifted its focus and brought in new voices to lead it into its next decade.

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Treepot 1: The OG, 2011.09.22, Mayfair Theatre
Treepot 2: Electric Boogaloo, 2012.03.29, Bytowne Cinema
Treepot 3: Under the Stars, 2012.08.10, Dundonald Park
Treepot 4: 10-4, 2012.10.04, Bytowne Cinema
Treepot Double Bill, 2013.02.23, Algonquin Commons Theatre
Treepot 5: Indie Koala Invation, 2013.07.20, Dondonald Park
Treepot 6 The Real Deal: Films by Women & Pumped Up Flix, 2014.02.08, Alumni Auditorium, University of Ottawa
Treepot Cliffhanger, 2014.06.25, Mayfair Theatre
Treepot 7: Summer Shorts in the Park, 2014.08.15, Dundonald Park / Dial M for Mulligan 2014.08.22, HUB Ottawa
A Clean Slate premiere, 2014.09.13, Club SAW