The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) Atlantic chapter has selected four filmmakers for the third annual DOC Atlantic Breakthrough Program.

The Atlantic Breakthrough Program is presented in association with the Documentary Organization of Canada, DOC Atlantic and the Lunenburg Doc Fest (LDF).

The 12-month program seeks to address inclusivity in the documentary industry by connecting emerging artists who identify as Black, Indigenous and persons of colour with experienced filmmakers.

This year’s selections for the DOC Atlantic Breakthrough Program are N.B.-based aspiring filmmaker Chan Polchies, Newfoundland-based videographer Jacob Dicks, P.E.I.-based artist Jahan Bloch and N.S. filmmaker Obediya Jones-Darrell.

The program began in July with a series of online workshops that honed the cohorts’ filmmaking, networking and pitching skills. Following the workshops, the participants will attend two pitching consultations, beginning in September and continuing through April 2025.

These coincide with marketing and pitching opportunities for the cohort at two major documentary festivals, including LDF, which runs from Sept. 18 to Sept. 22, and the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2025.

For these festivals, the participants will receive an artist fee and support for travel and accommodation.

The program is sponsored by Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, InnovationPEI and PictureNL.

Image courtesy of LDF; pictured (L-R) Chan Polchies, Jacob Dicks, Jahan Bloch and Obediya Jones-Darrell