The Don Haig Award is an annual award, presented by the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival for distinguished achievement by a Canadian independent documentary film producer with a film in that year's festival program.[1] Despite the requirement to have a film in that year's festival lineup, however, the award is not presented for that specific film, but in consideration of the recipient's overall body of work.[1]
From 2017 to 2021 the recipient was empowered to choose an emerging female documentary filmmaker to receive a CA$5,000 career development grant.[2]
The award is named in memory of pioneering Canadian documentary producer Don Haig.
The award was originally presented in 2004, in partnership between the Don Haig Foundation and the Canadian Film Centre, before being transferred to Hot Docs in 2006. In some early years, the award jury also presented a special jury prize to a second filmmaker, although this has not happened since 2012.