THE DOCUMENTARY ORGANIZATION OF CANADA WELCOMES AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER AND INDUSTRY VETERAN SARAH SPRING AS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Toronto/Montreal -‐ Wednesday, December 16, 2020 ‐ Ina Fichman, Chair of the Board for the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) today announced the appointment of award-‐winning documentary producer and industry veteran Sarah Spring in the role of Executive Director, effective January 4, 2021. Spring assumes the role previously held by Michelle van Beusekom who will exit the organization at the end of the year, taking on an exciting new role as Senior Advisor at the Isuma Collective.
“On behalf of the Board, we are incredibly proud to welcome Sarah to the team as our newly appointed leader. Her reputation in the documentary field across Canada is impeccable and given how busy 2021 will be for the organization with the CBC license renewal, the NFB strategic plan and the implementation of BILL C-‐10, her leadership and vision will be invaluable,” said Ina Fichman, Chair of the Board, DOC. “I would also like to thank Michelle for the extraordinarily productive year we had and how gracefully she navigated COVID-‐19. With her incredible intellect and generous spirit, I know she will be successful in her new venture at the rapidly growing Isuma Collective.”
“DOC has built a resilient foundation for Canadian filmmakers over the past 37 years, and I am truly honoured to take on the role of Executive Director and to advocate on behalf of documentary creators,” said Sarah Spring, incoming Executive Director, DOC. “This past year has been so challenging, and we have experienced key changes within our industry. Mutual support has never been more important.
Together with the team, DOC Board, and membership across the country, we will ensure that Canadian documentary filmmakers continue to thrive.”
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About Sarah Spring
Sarah Spring has been actively involved in Canada’s vibrant film community for the past fifteen years. Known as a champion of independent filmmakers, Sarah is an award-‐winning producer with trusted relationships with Canada’s film institutions and broadcasters. She actively works towards a more inclusive industry and mentors many emerging womxn creators. Based in Montreal, Spring is Chair of the RIDM, sits on the Montréal Arts Council’s Cinema Committee, is the former Board Chair of DOC’s Quebec chapter, and sits on the Board of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators. She co-‐founded Parabola Films, whose most recent project No Ordinary Man was released to immense critical acclaim at TIFF, going on to pick up numerous awards including Best Canadian Film at Inside/Out Film Festival.
About DOC
The Documentary Organization of Canada / l’Association des documentaristes du Canada is the collective voice of diverse independent documentary filmmakers across Canada. DOC is a member-driven, not-for-profit association representing over 1000 directors, producers, and craftspeople in the Canadian documentary community. DOC advocates on behalf of its members to foster an environment conducive to documentary production and strives to strengthen the sector within the broader screen industry.