Sarah Spring has been appointed executive director of Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC).

The award-winning doc producer (pictured) assumes the role Jan. 4, taking over from outgoing exec director Michelle van Beusekom, who is leaving the role after 10 months for a senior advisor position at the Isuma collective. Isuma produces and distributes Inuit-language drama and documentaries through community-based filmmaking from the Inuit point of view.

With 15 years of experience in the doc world, Spring’s most recent credits include the acclaimed feature-length doc No Ordinary Man, which she produced through her production banner Parabola Films. The project premiered at TIFF in September and also won the prize for best Canadian feature at Inside Out.

Spring joins the organization as the Canadian documentary sector gears up for a busy 2021, which will include CBC’s licence renewal hearing, the implementation of the NFB’s new strategic plan and potential passing of Bill C-10 into law.

DOC’s board chair Ina Fichman said Spring’s “leadership and vision will be invaluable” as the Canadian doc community navigates the challenges ahead. Earlier in the year, the 37-year-old organization released an expansive online guide for documentary filmmakers and producers working amidst the pandemic. The guide, titled, Documentary Production in the Era of COVID-19: Best Practices by and for Documentary Filmmakers, was created in partnership with the NFB, CBC and DGC.

Montreal-based Spring is also chair of the RIDM and sits on the board of Montréal Arts Council’s Cinema Committee. She is the former board chair of DOC’s Quebec chapter, in addition to sitting on the board of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators.