ABOUT US

Conquering Lion Pictures is an independent Canadian production company, led by partners Damon D’Oliveira and Clement Virgo, with more than a 30-year track record of bringing underrepresented stories to audiences through culturally resonant film and television. Their first feature film, RUDE, premiered at Cannes in 1995 and went on to play over 35 festivals worldwide including TIFF and Sundance. In 2019, RUDE was presented again as part of the Locarno Film Festival’s Blacklight Retrospective, showcasing seminal Black cinema of the 20th century. Other feature films including POOR BOY’S GAME and LIE WITH ME, which played top tier festivals including Berlinale, Busan and TIFF.

 In 2015, CLP premiered its six-part CBC/BET adaptation of The Book of Negroes to record breaking numbers in Canada and to huge audiences in the US. A co-production with South Africa, the mini-series received 12 Canadian Screen Awards, U.S. Critics’ Choice Television Awards nominations for Best Limited Series and Best Actress in a Limited Series (Aunjanue Ellis), and won the NAACP Award for Best Writing in a TV Movie or Miniseries for Virgo and Lawrence Hill. It was also a finalist for the 2016 Peabody Awards. Feature film BROTHER, based on the critically-acclaimed novel by David Chariandy, starred Emmy-nominated Lamar Johnson and Aaron Pierre. The film premiered at TIFF 2022 and won 2 NAACP Awards for Best International Film and Best Independent Film, as well as 12 Canadian Screen Awards. Their recent film, STEAL AWAY, premiered at TIFF 2024.

CLEMENT VIRGO
FOUNDER & PARTNER

Clement Virgo is one of Canada’s most esteemed directors, known for his exceptional work in film and television. Clement directed and Executive Produced Netflix's The Madness, starring Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo, which soared to the #1 spot as the most-watched series on Netflix in North America. His additional notable television directing credits include The Wire (HBO), Billions (Showtime), Empire (Fox), Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix) and Greenleaf (OWN), where Virgo also served as an Executive Producer alongside Oprah Winfrey for its 5-season run. 

As a co-founder of the Black Screen Office and a board member of the Canadian Film Centre, Virgo has made significant contributions to the industry through his directing and writing work.

DAMON D’OLIVEIRA
FOUNDER & PARTNER

Damon D’Oliveira is a veteran producer behind some of Canada’s most acclaimed films and television. His impressive portfolio includes Steal Away (in post), Brother, Queen of My Dreams, The Grizzlies, Wildhood, What We Have and RUDE (Cannes 1995). Damon’s career has focused on  amplifying content centering racialized and LGBTQIA2S+ voices.

A champion of diversity both on and off screen, Damon’s impact extends beyond his productions. He is a co-founder of Canada’s Black Screen Office, Chair Emeritus of the Canadian Media Producers Association, as well as a Board Member of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Damon became a member of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2022. Additional accolades include the 2022 Indie Screen Award for Best Established Producer in Canada and the Amplify BIPOC & Canadian Trailblazer Award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

CAITLIN GRABHAM
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION

Caitlin Grabham is the Head of Development & Production at Conquering Lion Pictures, overseeing their slate of film and television projects. She was an Associate Producer on their award-winning 2022 film Brother and an Executive Producer their upcoming feature Steal Away.

Caitlin’s first feature film, FIRECRACKERS, premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, where she received the CMPA’s Kevin Tierney Emerging Producer Award. The film went on to screen at over 30 festivals and win multiple awards, including two Canadian Screen Awards. It was released theatrically in Canada and the USA to rave reviews, and was a New York Times Critics’ Pick. Her most recent short, MOTHERLAND, has won three Oscar-qualifying awards including the Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short at TIFF, the Canadian Screen Award for Best Live Action Short and the Drama Jury Prize at Apsen Shortsfest. Caitlin was also a participant in the 2024 EAVE Producers Workshop.