Paul Devlin is an American documentary filmmaker, producer, and cinematographer. His work focuses primarily on social issues and the struggles of people in conflict regions around the world.
Devlin was born in 1971 in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He attended Brown University where he double majored in American Civilization and Visual Art. After graduating in 1993, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in documentary filmmaking.
Devlin's first major film was his 1997 documentary, SlamNation, which followed the lives of four spoken-word poets as they toured the United States. The film won numerous awards and was broadcast on PBS in 2000. His follow-up film, Power Trip, followed the journey of a group of American businessmen attempting to bring electricity to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2004, Devlin released his third documentary, Rock the Bells, which explored the hip-hop culture in New York City. The film was co-executive produced by Chris Rock and won the Grand Jury Prize at the SXSW Film Festival.
Devlin has since directed two more films, both of which have been nominated for Emmy Awards. His 2008 film, Magic Trip, followed the story of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters as they embarked on their legendary psychedelic road trip. His most recent film, Pulse of a Nation, followed the journeys of three veterans of the Iraq War as they adjusted to life back home.
In addition to his film work, Devlin has produced and directed television documentaries for HBO, PBS, and National Geographic. He has also served as a cinematographer for films including The Cove and The Invisible War.
Devlin is currently based in New York City and continues to work on documentary projects around the world. He has been praised for his dedication to capturing stories that have the power to change the way we look at the world.
