About
Taylor Olson (he/they) is a Canadian Screen Award-nominated filmmaker & two time ACTRA Award winner based in Kjipuktuk/ Halifax, N.S. A bisexual artist living with a history of eating disorders and C-PTSD, Taylor loves to explore stories that question and challenge our perspectives around mental health, queerness, status, disability, body image, acceptance, and found family.
Taylor’s feature film directorial debut Bone Cage (2020) was released to critical acclaim; sweeping the awards at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and earning over 30 additional accolades at festivals around the globe. Bone Cage appeared in competition at Camerimage, competed in the Forward Future section of the Beijing International Film Festival, and toured numerous US festivals before being nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards for Adapted Screenplay & Supporting Actress.
Olson's sophomore feature film Look At Me (2024) premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival 2024. The film is currently on the festival circuit having travelled across the US; Olson most recently won Best Performance at the Canadian Film Festival. The film will be released by Northern Banner in early 2025.
Olson has released two seasons of his first short-form comedy series King & Pawn, a 5 x 15-20 min series for Bell FibeTV1 which has won awards at a number of festivals including the NYC Web Fest and Digital Media Fest. The third season is currently in post production as a full format 6 x 30 minute series for the Trailer Park Boys streaming service Swearnet.
Recently, Olson directed six episodes of This Hour Has 22 Minutes on CBC, and co-created/directed the short-form dramedy series 2GETHER 4EVER? for Bell FibeTV1 alongside partner Koumbie.
Olson's third feature Unseen (2025) which has partnered with streaming broadcaster Crave and distributor Vortex was shot in the spring of 2024 and is now in post production. He also has a number of series concepts and pilot scripts in development ranging from absurd workplace comedies to introspective one-hour dramas.
Taylor, alongside their company Afro Viking Pictures with Koumbie, is committed to being a part of creating a Canadian culture of kindness, courage, and inclusion & is looking to work, collaborate, experiment, and play as often and with as much enthusiasm and joy as possible.
AfroViking Pictures
Afro Viking Pictures Inc. is a production company run by Taylor Olson and Koumbie focused on promoting a Canadian culture of kindness, courage, and inclusion. Since its formation in 2016, Afro Viking Pictures has produced and co-produced multiple award-winning short films, features, and short-form series (I Hate You & King & Pawn).
Olson’s feature film directorial debut Bone Cage has been released to critical acclaim; sweeping the awards at the Atlantic International Film Festival and earning over thirty additional accolades at festivals around the globe before being nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards for Adapted Screenplay & Supporting Actress. His sophomore feature, Look At Me recently wrapped post-production, and his third feature Unseen is greenlit to shoot next spring.
Koumbie recently directed their first feature film B y s t a n d e r s which was co-written by her and Taylor Olson, produced by Terry Greenlaw, led to Olson winning an ACTRA Maritimes award & winning the Best Screenplay award at the Atlantic International Film Festival.
A list of films produced/co-produced by Afro Viking Pictures: