Industry Pulse BSO Delegation to IDFA 2026 Applications Open Global Market Accelerator: Content London 2026 Spotlight Black Curlers? Absolutely! Meet Chris Sharpe and Cool Sweepings From an Underground University to the World Stage: Nauzanin Knight's The Forbidden University |
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BSO is pleased to announce that Jamal Burger and Laurie Townshend will be heading to the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) this November! Jamal and Laurie are among eight emerging and mid-career Canadian documentary filmmakers selected to participate in a delegation led by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC). The delegation offers an opportunity to showcase their projects, connect with international industry decision-makers, and build relationships that can open doors to new collaborations and global opportunities. We're excited for Jamal and Laurie and look forward to seeing the connections and opportunities that come out of their time in Amsterdam! This initiative is supported by Global Affairs Canada, Telefilm Canada, and the Indigenous Screen Office. |
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BSO is inviting Black Canadian producers to join its delegation to Content London 2026, taking place November 30 to December 3 in London, England. Through BSO’s Global Market Accelerator, selected producers will bring their film or TV projects to one of the world’s leading international content markets, attended by more than 3,000 content executives. Participants receive: Content London accreditation, BSO delegation programming and workshops, pre-market orientation, and travel and accommodation support. Eligibility: Applicants must identify as Black, be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and be available to travel from November 29 to December 4, 2026. They must also have a narrative or documentary film or TV project with at least 20% of its budget financed (excluding tax credits and producer investment), along with a financing plan. Deadline: October 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT |
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Black Curlers? Absolutely! Meet Chris Sharpe and Cool Sweepings You can't miss Chris Sharpe. With his fluorescent green toque, colourful glasses and larger-than-life personality, the Winnipeg producer is as memorable as the stories he's determined to tell. And his latest? A Black curling comedy. Yes, curling! Cool Sweepings, an eight-episode comedy series created and produced by Chris through Black Film Space Manitoba, premieres October 30 on Bell Fibe TV1. |
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The series follows a Jamaican Canadian teenager who, despite knowing nothing about curling, enters the sport with his friends in a desperate attempt to save his family's curling rink. Chris has been part of the BSO community through Prime Time, the BSO Symposium, Content London and TIFF. We've had a front-row seat to his energy, ambition and determination to bring more Black stories to the screen. And we're delighted to celebrate this latest achievement. Meet Chris, discover the story behind Cool Sweepings and find out why we're cheering him on. |
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Watch Cool Sweepings Premieres October 30, 2026, on Bell Fibe TV1. |
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From an Underground University to the World Stage: Nauzanin Knight's The Forbidden University
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Five years in the making, an award-winning documentary tells an extraordinary story of courage, resilience and the fight for education. Canadian filmmaker Nauzanin Knight has brought a remarkable true story to the screen. The Forbidden University follows members of Iran's Bahá'í community who risked arrest and imprisonment to create an underground university after being denied access to higher education.
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Written, directed and produced by Knight, with actor Penn Badgley and Oscar-nominated visual effects artist Habib Zargarpour as executive producers, the film combines powerful personal testimony with striking visual effects and dramatic recreations. BSO has been proud to support Nauzanin's filmmaking journey through international industry delegations and professional development opportunities. Now, after five years of determination and creative ambition, her documentary is earning awards, reaching international audiences and finding its way into educational institutions across North America.
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Photo credit: MH Photography, 2026 |
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Join Nauzanin for a Special Red-Carpet Screening Thursday, November 26, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts The screening will be followed by a Q&A and panel discussion featuring the filmmakers and four documentary participants. Explore the film: Congratulations to Nauzanin and the entire filmmaking team on this achievement! |
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