The Luneburg Doc Fest made an announcement Wednesday afternoon that their founder Pamela Segger passed away on January 22 following a prolonged battle with illness at the age of 50.

The post indicated that despite the major loss to the festival team, they are continuing to plan for this year’s upcoming festival which is considered a part of Segger’s legacy.

During her tenure as Executive Director over the last decade, Segger elevated the festival in stature by spearheading and championing several pivotal initiatives for the local documentary film community. Notably, she played a crucial role in establishing the Breakthrough Program under the Documentary Organization of Canada, providing a launching pad for filmmakers from Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour backgrounds to kickstart their careers in filmmaking. Additionally, she pioneered the LDF Delegation, an annual initiative guiding regional documentary filmmakers to prominent national and international markets and festivals.

In 2023 Segger received Screen Nova Scotia’s Lifetime Achievement Award.