About us

Parrhesia is Victoria Lean’s production company working in documentary, comedy and the intersections between. The namesake is borrowed from Ancient Greece and means more than freedom of speech, but speaking truth for common good, even at personal risk. Essentially, it’s the ancient way of saying ‘I’m sorry to offend you, BUT…”

With that spirit, Parrhesia makes unique fiction, unscripted, and hybrid film and television, featuring stories about science, nature and social issues. The company’s first feature, After the Last River (2015) was broadcast on CBC documentary channel and screened in dozens of festivals, winning 5 awards, including Best Canadian Feature at Planet in Focus.

She series produced/wrote/directed We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel) (Hot Docs 2022), which won four 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. Recently she produced/directed/wrote, The Climate Baby Dilemma (CBC,) winning a Golden Sheaf at the Yorkton Film Festival. Parrhesia has Telefilm and Hot-docs/Netflix development funding for its next feature.

The company developed and raised financing for I Like Movies, director Chandler Levack’s debut feature (TIFF’s Top Ten 2022). Victoria also produced Matt Johnson’s CSA-nominated comedy series Nirvanna the Band the Show (TIFF 2016).

Victoria served as a Consultant with Nordicity since 2007, across dozens of production industry reports. She was the first person to obtain a dual MFA Film Production and MBA in Arts & Media Management from York.