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DOC Institute

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DOC Institute

DOC Institute is the programming arm of DOC Ontario, the largest chapter in the Documentary Organization of Canada.

Learn about our upcoming events, workshops, and screenings on this page.

09/25/2026

Ready to take your documentary project to the next stage?
Applications for the 2027 Breakthrough 2.0 Development Lab open September 25.

08/21/2026

Meet Rama Rau

We’re thrilled to welcome Rama Rau as the lead mentor for the DOC Executive Accelerator (DEA) Lab.

Originally from Chennai, India, Rama is a Toronto-based writer, director, and producer with over 20 years of experience creating bold, female-centred stories across documentary, film, and television. Her work includes Netflix’s Virgin River, CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries, and Diggstown, alongside acclaimed films such as Honey Bee and Coven.

Her career has been recognized with the TIFF Irving Avrich Award, Hot Docs Don Haig Award, Golden Panda, and multiple Canadian Screen Award nominations.

For Rama, the DEA Lab is about more than creative development : it’s about building sustainable media companies, retaining IP, exploring alternative financing, and creating international opportunities for independent producers.

Through virtual sessions and in-person mentorship during TIFF and the Access Canada Summit, Rama will work alongside our inaugural cohort as they strengthen their slates, sharpen their global strategies, and unlock new co-production opportunities.

We can’t wait to see where this extraordinary cohort goes.

08/11/2026

Introducing the inaugural DOC Executive Accelerator (DEA) Lab cohort!

We’re thrilled to welcome five experienced and award-winning producers to the first-ever DEA Lab:

Émilie Martel Hannah Donegan Lisa Rideout ossob Hassan Raj Panikkar

Together, the cohort brings a breadth of perspectives, expertise and production experience that reflects the strength and diversity of Canada’s independent documentary sector. Their projects span a range of forms, subjects and creative approaches, with a shared focus on distinctive, ambitious storytelling.

Over the course of the Lab, participants will have opportunities to deepen their leadership and business skills, expand their national and international networks, and advance their company goals and projects toward new financing, partnership, and market opportunities. Their journey will continue through TIFF The Market and the Access Canada Summit, providing a platform to build meaningful industry connections, explore new opportunities, and carry the momentum of the Lab into the broader global documentary ecosystem.

We’re excited to support this exceptional group as they take their work to the next stage!

06/23/2026

FINAL ESSENTIALS BOOTCAMP WORKSHOP

There’s still time to register for our final Essentials Bootcamp led by award-winning director, writer, and producer Saman Malik.

In the final session, we will be joined by Rachel Browne who will be exploring real-world production challenges. We will also be exploring how to pitch and prepare documentary projects for audiences and the marketplace and more!

Click the link in our bio to register.

Our members, as well as BIPOC TV & Film and OYA Black Arts Coalition (OBAC) members get $50 off.

06/08/2026

Week 2/4 of our Essentials Bootcamp with starts this Wednesday!

In this virtual series you will learn all the documentary producing essentials that every early year producer needs to know.

👉🏿 swipe to see the itinerary.

‼️ Discount for , and Doc members.

🔗 Click the link in our bio to register.

06/05/2026

We are pleased to share that Doc Institute will be leading a Canadian delegation to Sheffield DocFest June 10 - June 15, 2026.

A group of six selected alumni of the Breakthrough labs from across the regions will attend the UK’s leading documentary festival and participate in one of the key international markets for documentary projects. The filmmakers will connect with industry decision makers and stakeholders to push their projects forward.

Congratulations to delegates Ty Tufts, Mylène Augustin, Rose Gutierrez, Karen Chapman, Obediya Jones-Darrell and Gunjun Menon

A special thank you to our funders and sponsors CMF, Telefilm, Ontario Arts Council and Sheffield DocFest.

06/02/2026

There’s still time to register for our Essentials Bootcamp with starting tomorrow.

In this virtual 4-part series, you will learn all the documentary producing essentials that every early year producer needs to know.

👉🏿 swipe to see the itinerary for the four weeks.

🔗 Click the link in our bio to register.

02/03/2026

📍 Happening Tomorrow

Truth Matters is back for its final installment with a thought-provoking panel on the tension between journalistic integrity and the spread of fake news. This discussion will explore key issues, such as the future of political documentaries, the rise of hostile rhetoric, and the growing conflict between journalistic standards and the flexibility of documentary storytelling.

Doors open at 6:30pm

There will be a cash bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

🔗Click the link in our linktree to register on Eventbrite!

01/27/2026

🗓️ Wednesday, February 4, 2026
📍CSI - 192 Spadina, Toronto

DOC Institute’s Truth Matters returns for its final installment with a thought-provoking panel on the tension between journalistic integrity and the spread of fake news. This discussion will explore key issues such as the future of political documentaries, the rise of hostile rhetoric, and the growing conflict between journalistic standards and the flexibility of documentary storytelling.

There will be a cash bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

🔗 Click the link in our linktree to register on Eventbrite.

12/03/2025

📅 December 11, 2025

Join us for Doc Honours, our annual gathering of Canada’s leading doc filmmakers, industry professionals, and community partners.
We will be honouring two outstanding members of the Canadian documentary community as we present the 2025 Rogers-DOC Luminary Award to Producer Justine Pimlott and the DOC Vanguard Award to Nicole Bazuin.

The evening will also feature complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and a live DJ set with Alister Johnson.

📍 967 College St., Toronto — Society Clubhouse
⏰ Doors open, 7:30 PM
Click the link in our bio to register on Eventbrite!

See you there! 🥂

Address

460 College Street Suite 201
Toronto, ON
M6G1A1

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://docinstitute.com/

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