Javed Rezayee is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Emmy judge, screenwriter, and memoirist. Through his company, Forty Girls Productions, he brings stories of resilience and inspiration to life—focusing on women’s rights, minority rights, and the fight for human dignity.
www.FortyGirlsProductions.com
Praise for Javed’s work:
“Javed puts his heart and soul into everything that he does. His talent, attention to detail, and understanding of story was crucial to the creation of the Oscar shortlisted documentary, Retrograde. Javed is a remarkable storyteller!”
Baktash Ahadi, Emmy-winning filmmaker
For the first time, the impersonal, and perhaps even unfriendly workplace became animated with Javed’s StorySlam! People began flocking to the storytelling events that Javed emceed with great panache and energy.
~ Binaifer Nowrojee, Director of Open Society Foundations
"Javed Rezayee is a terrific teacher whose diligence is reflected in his attention to details and the needs of his students in his presentations. We at the Cape Cod Writers Center were very pleased with his presentations at our 2025 conference, July 31-August 2, 2025.”
~ Nancy Rubin Stuart, Executive Director, Cape Cod Writers Center
“Javed's class on the "Secrets of Great Storytelling" was truly wonderful—clear, enthusiastic, and filled with pearls of wisdom.”
~ Kathy Aspden, television host for BOOKS AND THE WORLD, and president of the Cape Cod Writers Center
“It can be very difficult to edit or comment on people’s trauma. Javed provides a balance between exploratory, directive, and encouraging feedback while respecting and validating each writer’s experience.”
~ Jacqueline Regan, PhD., Department of Writing Studies, Montclaire State University
Film and Video Services
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Working shoulder-to-shoulder with the director, I help execute the story as well as possible by examing footage, reviewing cuts, producing archival, analyzing the context, and translating and subtitling.
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I translate from Farsi/Dari, Pashto into English using SRT producing software. My work has been called “impeccable” by the director of “Ayenda” documentary film for MSNBC.
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I make videos using DaVinci Resolve. My latest work include turning interview footage into YouTube stories for Green Card Voice’s “My City was a Jewel” documentary series about young Afghan refugees.
Teaching
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At GrubStreet in Seaport Boston, I teach FICTION and MEMOIR classes. I’m also a Developmental Editor and Screenwriter and work with clients individually to finish their novels, memoirs, and film scripts.
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At Tufts Ex-College, I teach the art of telling impactful story. Students, often seniors work on their true and personal stories in written and spoken forms. They learn how to use the power of story in professional and personal settings. At the end, we hold a “story slam” in which students perform their final projects for a crowd open to all. We serve reception and do potluck.
Corporate Storytelling
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INTERNAL storytelling for staff to bring them together and enhance efficiency.
EXTERNAL storytelling for the marketing team to engage clients with impactful stories to increase client acquisition and retainment. -
For office holidays and special events, I organize storytelling events for staff to entertain the organization and change organizational culture.
