Jennifer Holness
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Jennifer brings a fresh, authentic perspective to telling powerful, thought-provoking stories.
Jen loves to make documentary films and she recently directed her first feature documentary, Subjects of Desire, about Black women, and beauty. The film had its world premiere at SXSW, followed by Hot Docs where it was a top ten Audience favourite. The film will air on Starz in the US and TVO and Crave in Canada.
She is a co-producer of the feature doc, Stateless, with director Michele Stephenson (American Promise) for PBS/POV and the National Film Board. Stateless premiered digitally at Tribeca and at Hot Docs in 2020 where it won the festival's Special Jury Prize, followed by a Best feature doc award at Black Star.
She is the Executive Producer of Maya Annik Bedward feature doc, Black Zombie, that is in production with CBC's Doc Channel. Jen who is passionate about Black Canadian History (and redressing the lack of) is producing her first History Channel Series, BLK: An Origin Story. She will serve as series showrunner and a director with partner Sudz Sutherland.
She has also produced numerous TV documentaries, including Badge of Pride (CBC & PBS) Min Sook Lee's film about gay cops that has sold internationally from Israel to Europe. Brick By Brick (Omni), Yin Yin Jade Love (TVO), and Dolores: The Art of Art Modeling (Bravo!). Speakers For the Dead (CBC/NFB), which she co-directed with Sutherland, reveals a hidden Black history in Ontario. On the drama side, Jen creates, writes, and produces television series. This includes Shoot the Messenger (CBC, WGN/USA) and Guns (CBC). Jen received a shared Best Writing Canadian Screen Award for Guns, alongside four additional CSA wins and a Rose D'or international Nomination for best Drama.
Jen's feature film credits include, Home Again, that she co- wrote with partner Sudz Sutherland and produced. The film sold to the US and internationally and screened theatrically in the UK, Africa, and the Caribbean. It won the Planet Africa Film Fest-BAFTA Festival Choice Award along with a DGC nod for Best Direction for Sutherland. The film was also nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards, including a best supporting nod for Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) in his feature debut role.
She also co-wrote the story for and produced the feature, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones that also won 7 festival awards including the Best First Canadian Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for 3 Genies for Best Writing, Directing and Picture. My Father's Hands, a short film she produced won the HBO Award for Best Short film and received 5 Golden Sheaf Awards, including Best - Drama, Director, Script, Music and Actor and received a Gemini nomination for Best Short Film.
Jen has two dramatic feature film projects on her slate, including the German Canadian co-pro RipTide that she co-wrote. The film will star Malin Ackerman and Lyriq Bent and is being distributed by Mongrel Media. She is also producing 40 Acres, R.T Thorne's debut feature film that is slated for production in 2022.
She was recently awarded the CMPA's 2021 Indiescreen Established Producer of the year Award in recognition of her contribution to Canada's film industry and her incredible career achievements.
Along with her creative work, Jennifer is a dedicated advocate for diversity and mentorship. She is a founding member of the Black Screen Office, a national organization that advocates for creatives and producers in the screen-based industries. She has mentored/hired scores of African Canadians and diverse talent over the past decade and a half, both personally and through working with organizations like The Reel World Film Festival, Black Women Film! Through Their Eyes, The Toronto Black Film Festival, and the Montreal Black Film Festival.
Jen is co-chair of the newly founded the Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF) and the Ontario Creates Industry Board. Other board work includes the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), The Regent Park Film Festival, Women in View, Innoversity Creative Summit and CMPA's Prime Time.
Even when Jen is working, she enjoys keeping up with her three spectacular daughters!
Jen loves to make documentary films and she recently directed her first feature documentary, Subjects of Desire, about Black women, and beauty. The film had its world premiere at SXSW, followed by Hot Docs where it was a top ten Audience favourite. The film will air on Starz in the US and TVO and Crave in Canada.
She is a co-producer of the feature doc, Stateless, with director Michele Stephenson (American Promise) for PBS/POV and the National Film Board. Stateless premiered digitally at Tribeca and at Hot Docs in 2020 where it won the festival's Special Jury Prize, followed by a Best feature doc award at Black Star.
She is the Executive Producer of Maya Annik Bedward feature doc, Black Zombie, that is in production with CBC's Doc Channel. Jen who is passionate about Black Canadian History (and redressing the lack of) is producing her first History Channel Series, BLK: An Origin Story. She will serve as series showrunner and a director with partner Sudz Sutherland.
She has also produced numerous TV documentaries, including Badge of Pride (CBC & PBS) Min Sook Lee's film about gay cops that has sold internationally from Israel to Europe. Brick By Brick (Omni), Yin Yin Jade Love (TVO), and Dolores: The Art of Art Modeling (Bravo!). Speakers For the Dead (CBC/NFB), which she co-directed with Sutherland, reveals a hidden Black history in Ontario. On the drama side, Jen creates, writes, and produces television series. This includes Shoot the Messenger (CBC, WGN/USA) and Guns (CBC). Jen received a shared Best Writing Canadian Screen Award for Guns, alongside four additional CSA wins and a Rose D'or international Nomination for best Drama.
Jen's feature film credits include, Home Again, that she co- wrote with partner Sudz Sutherland and produced. The film sold to the US and internationally and screened theatrically in the UK, Africa, and the Caribbean. It won the Planet Africa Film Fest-BAFTA Festival Choice Award along with a DGC nod for Best Direction for Sutherland. The film was also nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards, including a best supporting nod for Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) in his feature debut role.
She also co-wrote the story for and produced the feature, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones that also won 7 festival awards including the Best First Canadian Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for 3 Genies for Best Writing, Directing and Picture. My Father's Hands, a short film she produced won the HBO Award for Best Short film and received 5 Golden Sheaf Awards, including Best - Drama, Director, Script, Music and Actor and received a Gemini nomination for Best Short Film.
Jen has two dramatic feature film projects on her slate, including the German Canadian co-pro RipTide that she co-wrote. The film will star Malin Ackerman and Lyriq Bent and is being distributed by Mongrel Media. She is also producing 40 Acres, R.T Thorne's debut feature film that is slated for production in 2022.
She was recently awarded the CMPA's 2021 Indiescreen Established Producer of the year Award in recognition of her contribution to Canada's film industry and her incredible career achievements.
Along with her creative work, Jennifer is a dedicated advocate for diversity and mentorship. She is a founding member of the Black Screen Office, a national organization that advocates for creatives and producers in the screen-based industries. She has mentored/hired scores of African Canadians and diverse talent over the past decade and a half, both personally and through working with organizations like The Reel World Film Festival, Black Women Film! Through Their Eyes, The Toronto Black Film Festival, and the Montreal Black Film Festival.
Jen is co-chair of the newly founded the Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF) and the Ontario Creates Industry Board. Other board work includes the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), The Regent Park Film Festival, Women in View, Innoversity Creative Summit and CMPA's Prime Time.
Even when Jen is working, she enjoys keeping up with her three spectacular daughters!
