Experiencing Interruptions?

BLK: An Origin Story (3 Epic Migrations, 1 People)

Black people in Canada? Hell yeah.
We’ve been here since the 1600s, and our story has never really been told.
Descendants of The Black Loyalists, Jamaican Maroons and The Black Refugees represent Canada’s largest Black population today. Their incredible story begins in Nova Scotia in the 1700s
and challenges our understanding of what should be considered a distinct society. There is so much more to Canadian Black history than the Underground Railroad. BLK: An Origin Story weaves narratives from across Canada, the United States, and the globe – creating a magnificent tapestry that illustrates the invaluable contribution Black Canadians have made that has been
ignored for too long.

  • Jennifer Holness
    Director
  • Jennifer Holness
    Writer
  • Jennifer Holness
    Producer
  • Sudz Sutherland
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    45 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 10, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    2,072,426 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Canadian Screen Awards, 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Direction, Documentary Series - Jennifer Holness
  • Canadian Screen Awards, 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Writing, Documentary - Sudz Sutherland
  • Canadian Screen Awards, 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Photography, Documentary or Factual - Ricardo Diaz
  • Canadian Screen Awards, 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Picture Editing, Documentary - Avrïl Jacobson
  • Canadian Screen Awards, 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    Best Original Music, Documentary - Tom Third
Distribution Information
  • Corus
    Distributor
    Country: Canada
Director Biography - Jennifer Holness

Jen Holness is a happy workaholic. She writes, produces, and directs. She is the first Black woman in Canada to win a CSA (Gemini) for writing and is the 2021 Indiescreen Producer of the Year award-winner. She was also awarded the prestigious WIFT Award of Creative Excellence in March 2022. Jen was featured in The Hollywood Reporter-Cannes Issue as one of the 40 Most Influential Women in International Film. Her most recent docuseries, BLK: An Origin Story, which she created and produced, won 5 Canadian Screen Awards and Jen was awarded Best Direction, Documentary Series. 

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

BLK: An Origin Story is a groundbreaking series that looks at Black Canadian history and answers the question: where did the first Black Canadians come from?

Black folks were and are original, and that has not been recognized, supported and uplifted in the way it should be. BLK looks at the first Black people who were a part of founding Canada. I think the world is going to be shocked at the erasure of Black Canadian stories.They are going to learn that Canada, while an incredible country, has some of the same fundamental issues that we associate with the U.S. or even the UK. There is systematic and structural racism. The value Black people bring to the table hasn’t been recognized or understood, so we want to change the narrative. We want to change the narrative about the Black stories in Canada.

BLK: An Origin Story is coming from a post-George Floyd world. The lens in which people will look at this story is different. BLK is helping to change our understanding of Black history in Canada and the Americas. It is also providing space for healing, especially to young Black folks who are growing up, trying to feel like they belong somewhere. They, too, need to believe that their stories matter, and BLK provides that.

I was invited to submit BLK: An Origin Story by the incredibly talented, Shailene Garnett.