Media Room
PRESS ReLEASES
DOC bids farewell to outgoing executive director Sarah Spring
TORONTO – Tuesday, March 4th 2025 – The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) announces that its Executive Director, Sarah Spring will be leaving DOC on March 14th. A veteran documentary producer and advocate for the sector, Sarah led DOC through a period of growth and renewal emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic.
DOC Applauds Heritage Minister’s Plan For CBC/Radio-Canada
TORONTO – Friday, February 21st 2025 – The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) applauds the Minister of Canadian Heritage for her plan to transform CBC/Radio Canada. The proposed mandate, funding, and governance changes are a significant and necessary shift to ensure the longevity of this essential service…
DOC Mourns the Loss of Tracey Friesen
DOC is extremely saddened by the news that we have lost our dear friend and colleague Tracey Friesen to a swift and vicious cancer.
Tracey had deep roots within the documentary community, dating back to her many years as Executive Producer of the NFB’s Pacific Region Studio where she was involved in nearly 40 films and digital projects, including “Scared Sacred” and “Mighty Jerome”…
The Documentary Organization of Canada is profoundly alarmed by TVOntario’s Board of Directors’ recent unilateral decision to withdraw support for the documentary “Russians at War.”
Toronto International Film Festival, Wednesday September 11th 2024 –The Documentary Organization of Canada is profoundly alarmed by TVOntario’s Board of Directors’ recent unilateral decision to withdraw support for the documentary “Russians at War.”
This project, a Canadian-French co-production, was developed through a multi-year collaborative effort involving the filmmakers and TVO’s Documentary team…
Landmark CRTC decision sees new funds for Canadian and Indigenous content
TORONTO, June 4th 2024 – Statement by the Documentary Organization of Canada’s Executive Director, Sarah Spring in response to the CRTC’s first phase of implementation of the Online Streaming Act:
DOC Reveals Inaugural Cohort for new “Business Leap” program to grow production companies
TORONTO, January 11th 2024 – DOC with the support of the Canada Media Fund (CMF) is pleased to present the inaugural cohort of DOC’s new National program “DOC Business Leap”.
DOC Business Leap supports six production companies “Leap” to the next level by providing them with one year of tailored production accounting, legal advice, mentorship and therapy to facilitate sustainable, long-term company growth…
DOC releases latest “Getting Real” report.
Documentary series driving boom in Canadian documentary production amid dramatic drop in feature docs
TORONTO, Toronto International Film Festival, Thursday September 14th 2023 – DOC releases its 7th edition of “Getting Real”, presenting trends in the Canadian documentary production sector. “Getting Real 7” shows a strong appetite for home-grown documentaries and an increase in documentary production…
DOC Celebrates the Passing of Bill C-11
TORONTO, Thursday, April 27th, 2023 – DOC celebrates the passing of Bill C-11 in the Senate after important revisions in the House of Commons last month. After years of effort to update the broadcasting system and address the concerns of Canada’s production sector, Canadian MPs and Senators have finally agreed and Bill C-11 will now receive Royal Assent…
SODEC_LAB@ Hot Docs 2023: call for applications
QUEBEC, Tuesday, March 14, 2023 – DOC Quebec is proud to announce its first partnership with the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) as part of the SODEC_Lab @Hot Docs 2023…
Julie Roy’s appointment as ED and CEO of telefilm is great news for documentary creators, says Documentary Organization of Canada
TORONTO, Monday, March 13, 2023 – The Documentary Organization of Canada offers our warm congratulations to Julie Roy on her appointment as Telefilm’s new Executive Director and CEO…
DOC is thrilled at Heritage Minister solidarity with documentary filmmakers in rejecting key Senate Amendments to Bill C-11
TORONTO, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 – DOC is thrilled to see the Heritage Minister stand with documentary filmmakers and all Canadian content creators by disagreeing with two Senate Committee amendments to Bill C-11 that put our cultural autonomy at risk…
DOC LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO ASSESS
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACROSS THE DOCUMENTARY SECTOR
TORONTO, Monday September 20th 2022 – At the Toronto International Film Festival’s Industry Conference, the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) announced the launch of “Documentality”: an initiative that seeks to normalize conversations about mental health and well-being in our industry.…
DOC Teams up with Tënk for Docs From The Vault
TORONTO, January 27, 2022 – DOC in partnership with Tënk, is proud to present DOCs from the
Vault showcasing 11 documentaries from DOC filmmakers that have not yet premiered online…
DOC condemns silencing of Documentarian Journalist and Wet’suwet’en land defenders, demands unconditional release
TORONTO, November 22, 2021 – On November 19th, the RCMP arrested fifteen land defenders, allies and legal observers in
unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in northern British Columbia including documentary filmmaker
Michael Toledano and journalist Amber Bracken…
DOC Launches Copro Study
TORONTO, June 7, 2021 – the Documentary Organization of Canada is pleased to release its study Understanding the International Landscape for Canadian Documentaries: Treaty Coproduction, Promotion, and Sales…
DOC Launches DOC HUB
MONTREAL, May 10, 2021 – the Documentary Organization of Canada is pleased to release its virtual community space: DOC HUB…
BIPOC Membership Category Introduced
TORONTO, March 1, 2021 – DOC offers a two-year free membership to new members that identify as Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Colour…
DOC Welcomes Sarah Spring as the New Executive Director
TORONTO/MONTREAL, December 16, 2020 – Ina Fichman, Chair of the Board for the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) today announced the appointment…
DOC Launches Documentary Production in the Era of COVID-19
TORONTO, September 28, 2020 – The Documentary Organization of Canada is pleased to release its online guide Documentary Production in the Era COVID-19: Best Practices by and for Documentary Filmmakers…
DOC Releases COVID-19 Impact Survey Results
TORONTO/MONTREAL, June 3rd, 2020 – The heightened vulnerability of those working in Canada’s documentary sector as a result of the impacts of COVID-19 is revealed…
DOC IN THE NEWS
POV Magazine: Documentary Community Demands CBC Confront Alleged Islamophobia and Anti-Palestinian Racism
June 6, 2024
Over 700 members of Canada’s documentary community have signed an open letter to executives at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) requesting that Canada’s public broadcaster confront and address allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.
The Globe and Mail: Canadian documentaries soar at TIFF, but new report warns of huge financing challenges
September 20, 2023
Often overshadowed by their fictional narrative counterparts. Canadian documentaries enjoyed a sizeable spotlight at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
The Hollywood Reporter: Broadcasters Are Chasing Docu-Series Over Feature Documentaries, Says Canadian Report
September 12, 2023
The line between traditional point-of-view documentaries and reality TV series is blurring, warns the Documentary Organization of Canada in a new survey released at the Toronto Film Festival.
Canada Media Fund: DOC Mental Health in the Documentary Sector
July 7, 2023
In May 2023, Malikkah Rollins (Director of Industry and Education, DOC NYC) and Sarah Spring (Executive Director, Documentary Organization of Canada) hosted a session during the Hot Docs festival dedicated to DocuMentality, their recent report about the well-being and mental health of industry professionals working in the documentary sector.
News Archives
- February 1st, 2021: DOC Responds to NFB’s Strategic Plan with a Call for Increased Production Spending and Transparency , Pat Mullen, POV Magazine
- February 1st, 2021: On Documentary and CBC’s License Renewal, Barri Cohen, POV Magazine
- December 16, 2020: DOC Appoints Sarah Spring New Executive Director, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- December 16, 2020: Sarah Spring named executive director at Documentary Organization of Canada, Jordan Pinto, Realscreen
- December 11, 2020: Alanis Obomsawin Receives DOC Institute Honours, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- October 26, 2020: Documentary Organization of Canada Releases Guidelines for COVID-Era Production, Marc Glassman, IDA
- September 29, 2020: DOC releases best practices for filmmaking in the era of COVID-19, Playback Magazine
- September 28, 2020: DOC Releases Guide to Filmmaking Amid COVID-19, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- September 28, 2020: DOC releases best practices study for filmmaking “in the era of COVID-19″, Brendan Christie, Realscreen
- July 27, 2020: DOC Seeks Filmmaker Input for COVID-19 Survey, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- June 3, 2020: DOC report highlights ‘heightened vulnerability’ of documentary sector, Jordan Pinto, Realscreen
- June 3, 2020: DOC Releases Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Documentary Productions, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- May 20, 2020: Intuitive Pictures president Ina Fichman named DOC board of directors chair, Jillian Morgan, Realscreen
- May 19, 2020: Ina Fichman Named Chair of DOC Board of Directors, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
- April 30, 2020: POV Interview: DOC’s New Executive Director Michelle van Beusekom, Marc Glassman, POV Magazine
- April 1, 2020: COVID-19 Impacts on Canada’s Documentary Community, POV Magazine
- February 12, 2020: DOC Names Michelle van Beusekom as Executive Director, Patrick Mullen, POV Magazine
Media ContactS
Laura Dueñas
Communications Coordinator, Documentary Organization of Canada
laura@docorg.ca
Sarah Spring
Executive Director, Documentary Organization of Canada
sarah@docorg.ca
Office Telephone: 647-846-7638 x 005
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Executive Director of the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and a veteran producer and consultant, Sarah has been actively involved in Canada’s vibrant film community for almost twenty years. The company Sarah co-founded in 2010 with Selin Murat, Parabola Films, is a boutique production house known as a champion of independent cinema and innovative storytellers. Sarah was Chair of Montreal’s RIDM documentary festival and the Canadian Independent Film & Video Foundation; curated film funding via the Montreal Arts Council’s Cinema Committee, and is currently on the Board of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC (Black and People of Colour) Creators. In her role as Executive Director of DOC Sarah advocates toward an equitable, functional and inclusive film industry.
Documentary Organization of Canada
The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) is the collective voice of Canada’s independent documentary creators. DOC began in 1983 as the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (CIFC) to represent the interests of Canada’s growing community of indie doc filmmakers. Today DOC has over 1100 members across six chapters from coast to coast.
DOC’s National office leads on research and advocacy work that strengthens the ecosystem for documentary production while DOC chapters provide community support, professional development, and networking opportunities. DOC negotiates preferential professional rates and discounts for our members. Every day, we work to create conditions that will ensure that documentaries – and their creators – thrive.