Jia Rizvi

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Jia Rizvi, also known as Jia Wertz, is a Canadian filmmaker and fashion designer who founded Studio 15. Born on September 1, 1986 in Tripoli, Libya, she grew up with Indian and Pakistani heritage and later moved to Calgary, Canada. She studied fashion design at George Brown College in Toronto and filmmaking at the New York Film Academy, then spent about twenty years working in the fashion industry in Houston, San Francisco, and New York.

Rizvi’s debut documentary, Conviction, tells the true story of Jeffrey Deskovic, a 16-year-old who was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder. The film points to flaws in the American justice system and won a Digital Trends DEI award for its impact. She also co-hosts the true-crime podcast Speaking of Crime with John Gully.

Beyond filmmaking, Rizvi serves on the board of Youth Represent, an organization that supports marginalized youth affected by the criminal justice system. She has also been on the advisory board for Purdue University Northwest’s Center for Justice and Post-Exoneration Assistance and contributes to Forbes.

Her career began in fashion after she moved to the United States, and Studio 15 focuses on contemporary women’s fashion. Rizvi was inspired by stories of wrongful conviction, such as The Hurricane’s tale, and she became involved in advocacy after participating in discussions around Adnan Syed’s case following the Serial podcast. Conviction portrays Deskovic’s fight to prove his innocence and regain his freedom, highlighting how misidentification can upend a young life.