CONQUERING LION
PICTURES
Conquering Lion Pictures is a dynamic, independent Canadian production company based in Toronto, Canada. Under the leadership of Damon D’Oliveira and Clement Virgo, Conquering Lion has earned a reputation for developing and producing innovative films for both theatrical and television markets.
CLP’s recent foray into miniseries television is The Book of Negroes, a six-part adaptation of the national bestselling novel by Lawrence Hill and winner of 12 Canadian Screen Awards 2016, a TV Critics Award and the NAACP Award for best mini-series. Co-written by Hill and Clement Virgo, The Book of Negroes had its world premiere as the Opening Night Selection at MIPCOM 2014 before debuting to record breaking numbers on CBC in Canada in January 2015. The Book of Negroes premiered on BET in the U.S. in February 2015 and stars Aunjanue Ellis, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lou Gossett Jr., Ben Chaplin, Jane Alexander, and Lyriq Bent.
High-impact both artistically and commercially, Conquering Lion has been selected for Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto International Film Festivals. Past credits include Poor Boy’s Game (2007), starring Danny Glover; Lie With Me (2005); and Rude (1995)
Clement Virgo
Clement Virgo is one of Canada’s foremost film directors. In 2015 he directed and co-wrote a six part miniseries adaptation of Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes which debuted to record-breaking numbers on the CBC in Canada and on BET in the U.S. and won twelve Canadian Screen Awards and was nominated for two U.S. Critics Choice Television Awards for Best Limited Series and Best Actress in a Limited Series (Aunjanue Ellis). Additional accolades include the 2015 Cablefax Award and C21 International Drama Award for Best Miniseries and four 2015 NAACP Image Award Nominations including Best Miniseries, Best Actor (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Best Actress (Ellis), and Best Writing (Virgo, Hill).
His TV directing credits include American Crime (ABC), The Wire (HBO), and the entire first season of the OWN network drama series Greenleaf (2016), on which he is also serving as Executive Producer with Oprah Winfrey. Virgo’s feature films include the 2007 boxing drama Poor Boy’s Game (Berlin, TIFF, AFF Audience Award), Lie with Me (2005 – Berlin, TIFF, Pusan), and Love Come Down (2000 –Berlin, Toronto). Virgo’s first feature Rude premiered at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard and went on to screen at numerous festivals around the world including Toronto, London and Sundance. Since 2010, Virgo has also presented a series of intimate annual talks to celebrate Black History Month in Toronto with such notable guests as Lee Daniels, Norman Jewison, Spike Lee, Pam Grier, John Singleton, and Chris Tucker.
Damon D’Oliveira
Damon D’Oliveira produced the miniseries, The Book of Negroes which debuted to record-breaking numbers on the CBC in Canada in 2015 and on BET in the US, winning 12 Canadian Screen Awards and earning two nominations for U.S. Critic’s Choice Television Awards, four NAACP Image Awards and was a finalist for the 2016 Peabody Award.
D’Oliveira has also produced some of Canada’s most innovative feature films including Rude (Cannes 1995), Lie with Me (Berlin 2006), and Poor Boy’s Game (Berlin 2007) by Clement Virgo along with Ce Qu’on A / What We Have (Winner of Best Feature prizes at Rendez-vous du Cinema Quebecois 2015, Inside Out 2015 and Barcelona Film Festival 2015), and the upcoming The Grizzlies starring Ben Schnetzer and Will Sasso.
Damon is an active member of A.C.E. – The Atelier de Cinema European, the Canadian Media Producer’s Association and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & TV. Currently he also sits on the board of Bell Media’s The Harold Greenerg FUND.