ABOUT US

Conquering Lion Pictures is a dynamic, independent Canadian production company under the leadership of partners Damon D’Oliveira and Clement Virgo. 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, Pusan 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. CLP launched their most recent feature film, BROTHER, based on the critically-acclaimed novel by David Chariandy at TIFF 2022. CLP has several TV projects in development including THAT LONELY SECTION OF HELL, which was recently acquired by HBO USA, as well as an adaptation of Esi Edugyan’s HALF-BLOOD BLUES which is in development with the CBC.

CLEMENT VIRGO
FOUNDER & PARTNER

Clement Virgo is one of Canada’s most esteemed directors, known for his exceptional work in film and television. Most recently, 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 company, Conquering Lion Pictures, he has created critically acclaimed films (RUDE, Lie With Me, Poor Boy’s Game, Brother) that have earned international recognition.

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 and currently serves as the Chair 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 inaugural Amplify BIPOC & Canadian Trailblazer Award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

CAITLIN GRABHAM
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT

Caitlin Grabham is the Head of Development 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 on 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.

SOBIKA GANESH
CREATIVE EXECUTIVE

Sobika Ganesh started her film career in the well-oiled engines of production offices like THE EXPANSE and WOMEN TALKING. Drawn to the adrenaline, she transitioned to on-set roles on THE FIRE INSIDE and THE MADNESS. These early experiences sharpened her understanding on the levels of collaboration and intuition necessary for filmmaking. Now, as Creative Executive at Conquering Lion Pictures, she aids in the development of 6-8 ongoing projects at a time. Independently, her first short film BID (2023) screened at the Toronto Indie Film Festival , IFFSA, and New York New Filmmakers Festival. She has also produced music videos for many rising South Asian artists which have hit over 250K in views on Youtube. Her latest short film, STATIC (2024), is currently on the festival circuit, having screened at Oscar-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival, Indie Short Fest and Goa Short Film Festival.