– 36 new English and French original programs are
added to 62 previously announced titles, for a total slate of 98
–
– Nearly three quarters of original programming hours come from
beloved returning series –
– Additional titles to be announced –
To tweet this release: https://thelede.ca/gx6sft
TORONTO, June 6, 2024
/CNW/ - Bell Media announced today its lineup of English and
French-language original content for 2024/25, totaling 98 titles
and 839 hours of premier original programming and supported
documentaries. The exciting slate celebrates homegrown stories from
well-known Canadian talent and pedigreed creatives. Nearly three
quarters of original programming hours are comprised of renewed
fan-favourites and returning franchises, leaning heavily on proven
success with audiences. The slate is set to expand with an
anticipated 300 additional hours to be announced throughout the
year.
"At the core of Bell Media's content strategy and vision is a
commitment to investing in bilingual, diverse content that not only
speaks to Canadians, but also resonates with audiences globally,"
said Sean Cohan, President,
Bell Media. "As a result of
collaborative relationships with our talented independent
production partners, our 2024/25 slate delivers an extraordinary
collection of entertainment that will delight audiences, build on
the success of our returning series, and excel across
platforms."
Among today's announcements:
- Crave announces super-sized cast for its first-ever original
animated series, SUPER TEAM CANADA, coming in early 2025! Will Arnett, Cobie
Smulders, Kevin McDonald,
Charles Demers, Brian Drummond, Ceara
Morgana, and Veena Sood, star
in the all-new comedy series about the exploits of six,
little-known Canadian superheroes, while Jay Baruchel guest stars,
and Bryan Adams performs the theme
song.
- Multilingual original programming continues to expand on Crave
with new docuseries THE REBUILD: INSIDE THE MONTREAL CANADIENS, a behind-the-scenes
look at the Canadiens' 2023-2024 season, and previously announced
series BON COP BAD COP and SO LONG, MARIANNE.
- BOA, Jada Shada Hudson,
Kandy Muse, Kerri Colby, Lawrence
Chaney, and Luxx Noir London revealed as the international
queens slaying at a Canadian winter retreat in SLAYCATION,
the brand-new format developed by Bell Media and World of Wonder
from the Drag Race universe and Blue Ant Studios, coming to Crave
this winter.
- Legendary comedian and actor Mark
McKinney embarks on a mission to uncover Canada's most fulfilling pastimes in new CTV
Original comedy series MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY.
- Newly announced Crave Originals include: from co-showrunners
Sasha Leigh Henry and Tania Thompson, and executive produced by
Graeme Manson, international drug
trafficking drama BAD TRIPS, inspired by true events;
lifestyle-reality series DRAG BRUNCH SAVED MY LIFE, starring
CANADA'S DRAG RACE Season 1 winner and ETALK correspondent
Priyanka; and new comedy special and accompanying documentary
DARCY & JER: NO REFUNDS.
- Following critical acclaim and ratings success, Crave renews
two of its most popular comedy series, LATE BLOOMER (Season
2) and THE TRADES (Season 2).
- After its recent Season 3 premiere, with new episodes rolling
out weekly, Crave confirms its smash-hit original series
SHORESY (Season 4) is set to return with six-episodes;
created by and starring Jared Keeso,
and produced by New Metric Media in association with Play Fun
Games, Season 4 goes into production this summer.
- More fan-favourite originals renewed include: SISTERS
(Season 2); and previously announced CANADA'S DRAG RACE (Season 5) and
CANADA'S DRAG RACE:
CANADA VS. THE WORLD (Season
2).
- CTV confirms new seasons of fan-favourite series THE
TRAITORS CANADA (Season 2),
SULLIVAN'S CROSSING (Season 3), SIGHT UNSEEN (Season
2), and BATTLE OF THE GENERATIONS (Season 2); which join the
previously announced renewals of award-winning series THE
AMAZING RACE CANADA (Season
10) and CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING (Season 4).
- For Bell Media's suite of Specialty Channels is new high-stakes
luxury renovation unscripted original series QUEEN OF THE
CASTLE with Canadian socialite Ann
Kaplan Mulholland and her husband Stephen Mulholland; the haunting new original
series REVIVAL, along with the return of
SURREALESTATE (Season 3); and the most-watched series on CTV
Comedy starring Paul Rabliauskas,
ACTING GOOD (Season 3).
- This fall, Noovo delivers fan-favourite series OCCUPATION
DOUBLE MEXIQUE, while Crave has its new spinoff, OD
TENTATIONS AU SOLEIL; the Québec adaptation of QUEL TALENT !; and the return of LES
TRAITRES (Season 2).
- Newly announced factual series include MY PET ATE WHAT?,
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WRECKERS, SHIPWRECK KINGS (working
title), THE LAST CAPTAINS, and TRUE CSI (working
title), while fan-favourites BUSH WRECK RESCUE, EAST
HARBOUR HEROES, HIGHWAY THRU HELL, PETS &
PICKERS, TIMBER TITANS, and Bell Media Studios' FORENSIC
FACTOR: A NEW ERA and THE MIGHTIEST are all set to
return to Bell Media Specialty Channels with new seasons.
- Bell Media Studios orders new seasons of CTV YOUR
MORNING, THE SOCIAL, ETALK, and THE GOOD STUFF
WITH MARY BERG.
Bell Media's New English and French-Language Original
Entertainment Production Slate Includes the Following, With
Additional Titles to Be Announced. For Returning Series,
Click Here.
New Series:
BAD TRIPS – Crave
BAD TRIPS is a six-episode limited drama set in the epic
summer of 2015 when Toronto was on
the come up. Porscha, a 19-year-old aching to break free from her
stifling suburban life, falls hard for a charismatic and connected
young hustler who introduces her to the city's creative players and
downtown party scene, where she meets a music editor at an
influential media company who offers her a free trip to
Sydney, Australia and an all
access pass to a world she craves to be a part of. But when the
trip turns out to be a front to smuggle 81 bricks of cocaine for
the cartel, Porscha is locked up in Sydney, trying to figure out how the hell she
landed in prison while desperately trying to get herself out.
(Blink49 Studios, Real Friends Media, The Donaldson Company,
Dreamchaser Entertainment)
BON COP BAD COP – Crave *previously
announced*
Drawing inspiration from the blockbuster films
Bon Cop, Bad Cop 1 and 2, the series
chronicles the escapades of Martin
Ward and David Bouchard
(portrayed by Colm Feore and
Patrick Huard), who are compelled to
unite once more for a police investigation set within an Indigenous
community. They team up with Joe, an Indigenous officer, and
Gabrielle, David's daughter, who prove to be as unconventional as
the original duo when they embark on an action-packed journey
across Canada. (Attraction, Panik
Fictions Inc)
DON'T EVEN – Crave *previously
announced*
A Crave and APTN original series, DON'T
EVEN is an urban Indigenous coming-of-age story that follows
two best friends – Violet and Harley – in late '90s Winnipeg as they grapple with their uncertain
futures. After humiliation at her high school grad, Violet wants to
make the most of the last summer before moving away for university,
as Harley distracts herself from the big dilemma of what's next. As
the lifelong BFFs bask in newfound freedom, and face adult life
choices, cracks begin to form in their once impenetrable bond.
Starring Leenah Robinson,
Victoria Turko, Joel Oulette, Gail
Maurice, and Jennifer
Podemski. (Pier 21, Frantic Films, Sekowan Media)
DOUBLE JEU – Crave (French language, available with
English subtitles) *previously announced*
Adam and
Mounir, two Maghrebi actors, are offered to take part in a
top-secret police mission where they will become double agents and
infiltrate various criminal circles. They can't pass up the chance
to play the role of a lifetime. (KOTV)
DRAG BRUNCH SAVED MY LIFE – Crave
Get ready to slay
and sauté with DRAG BRUNCH SAVED MY LIFE. World renowned
drag superstar Priyanka is no stranger to serving looks, delivering
gorgeous vocals, and keeping the world fed with content that
everyone eats right up. In a post-pandemic world where restaurants
are struggling to make ends meet – Priyanka, flanked by her haute
cuisine experts, event planning extraordinaires, and locally
"Pri-picked queens," embark on a mission to give restaurants a
second shot by helping them stage their very own drag brunch
production. (Sphere Media)
LA GUERRES DES MARIÉES – Canal Vie (French
language) *previously announced*
In this competition
series, each episode sees four competing couples attend each
other's weddings. Participants judge each event according to
specific criteria. Everyone has a different idea of their perfect
wedding day, but only one couple can win LA GUERRE DES MARIÉS and
win a honeymoon under the sun. (Sphère Média)
THE LAST CAPTAINS – Bell Media Specialty
Channel
THE LAST CAPTAINS is a new docuseries
following generational fishing families living in a remote
archipelago in the Gulf of the St.
Lawrence. While the fishermen chase big catches and paydays
on the water, the 400 residents in town are in the fight of their
lives to stave off Mother Nature and preserve their unique
community. (Big Time Decent)
MADE FOR TV WITH BOMAN
MARTINEZ-REID – Crave *previously
announced*
Premiering Friday, July
12 on Crave, the six-part, 30-minute scripted series created
by two-time Canadian Comedy Award winning comedian Natalie Metcalfe, follows trailblazing TikTok
star and Canadian content creator Boman
Martinez-Reid as he tries to make the jump from social media
personality to television star. Fusing elements of sitcoms,
mockumentaries, and reality shows, each episode follows
Martinez-Reid as he tackles a new genre of television with the help
of celebrity advisors and "real" people. His journey to find his
"genre" becomes both professional and personal, as he turns his
failures to successes, and finds friendships in the strangest of
places. (Alibi Entertainment)
MARCO LACHANCE – Noovo
(French language) *previously announced*
After winning a
competition in his youth, Marcho
Lanchance was destined to become a big music star.
Twenty-five years later, Marco has pursued another profession and
finds his life to be monotonous and downright depressing. His
unwavering positive nature demands that he take control of his
destiny. As Marco reconnects with his passion for music, will he be
able to overcome the obstacles life throws in his path?
(Comediaah)
MARK MCKINNEY NEEDS A HOBBY – CTV
MARK MCKINNEY
NEEDS A HOBBY, produced by Sphere Media, follows actor and
writer Mark McKinney (SUPERSTORE,
THE KIDS IN THE HALL) as he embarks on an epic quest to answer
perhaps the most pressing question of our age – who are we when
we're not working? Mark travels throughout North America to meet the world's most
audacious hobbyists, and the communities of like-minded obsessives
who nurture them, all to find that one, true, perfect hobby he can
claim as his own. (Sphere Media)
MY DEAD MOM – Crave *previously
announced*
In the seven-episode short-form comedy series,
MY DEAD MOM, Emmy had a list of things she wanted to do
after her mother died, like hike the Appalachian Trail, but three
years later, her grief is finally catching up with her. As she
questions her lipstick, and life, choices, her dead mother, Fern,
pops into her life to voice her opinions and tell her red really
isn't her colour. Even death hasn't stopped Fern from being
fabulous. Emmy is trying to live her best life, but how do you let
go of something that is so present? With sharp wit and aching
tenderness, MY DEAD MOM explores the complicated nature of
grief through mothers and daughters, and death. From creator
Wendy Litner, the series stars
Megan Follows and Lauren Collins. (LoCo Motion Pictures)
MY PET ATE WHAT? – Bell Media Specialty
Channel
Pets will devour anything. But once down the hatch,
unplanned "dinner" quickly becomes a danger, and that's when the
call goes out to Dr. Eugene
Gorodetsky, AKA Dr. G, a master of non-surgical "seek and
recover". From tongs to thongs, from carpet to keys, this
one-of-a-kid vet and his son, Ben, travel far and wide to pull
thousands of unbelievable items out of every type of pet imaginable
in this all new series from the producers of PETS & PICKERS.
(Tyson Media)
OD TENTATIONS AU SOLEIL – Crave (French language)
*previously announced*
OD TENTATIONS AU SOLEIL is
the ultimate version of the seduction game known as OCCUPATION
DOUBLE. Guys and girls with strong personalities flirt and seduce
to find their ideal partner. Each episode, the bachelors test their
compatibility with participants of the opposite sex through sensual
challenges, passionate escapades, and spicy activities. At the end
of the adventure, the couple who succeeds in convincing the other
contestants of their compatibility – walks away with a cash prize.
Filmed entirely in Mexico, this
8-episode series promises twists and turns, hot moments… and good
old-fashioned drama! (Productions J)
THE OFFICE MOVERS – Crave *previously
announced*
Starring Jae and Trey
Richards, THE OFFICE MOVERS is a six-episode,
half-hour comedy that follows the grim world of two underachieving,
second generation immigrant brothers in the Toronto moving industry. Reluctantly following
in his father's footsteps, Everett
Saunders (Jae) is the owner of Shazam Moving, an
office-moving company that's still coughing up blood after the
pandemic. Working alongside his brother, Eric (Trey), and a group
of employees who would not get hired anywhere else, Everett and his
team are hustling hard to secure a big enough contract to get
bought out by Northstar Logistics, an industry giant buying up
every active moving company in the region. Up against enemy moving
companies, the Saunders brothers face themselves, family, and the
unforgiving nature of the Toronto
office moving game to make a last ditch attempt to turn the company
around. (Counterfeit Pictures)
QUEEN OF THE CASTLE – Bell Media Specialty
Channel
QUEEN OF THE CASTLE takes viewers on a
journey into the world of high-stakes luxury renovation as Canadian
socialites Ann Kaplan Mulholland and
her husband Stephen transform a thousand-year-old English castle
into an extravagant retreat. With $25
million on the line, they have the daunting task of
navigating construction, staffing, local skepticism, and demanding
guests as old tradition meets modern chaos. (Blink49 Studios)
QUEL TALENT! – Noovo
(French language) *previously announced*
QUEL TALENT! Is the only talent contest that
imposes no age limits, talent restrictions, or cultural boundaries.
Artists with a variety of acts, from the grandiose to the absurd,
can win the hearts of a nation and of the judges, all of whom have
an impressive track record. (Sphère Média)
THE REBUILD: INSIDE THE MONTREAL CANADIENS – Crave
The Montréal
Canadiens played their 2023-24 season with the sole objective of
re-establishing the team as an NHL powerhouse. The docu-series
takes viewers up close with players, coaches, executives, and
diehard Habs fans, and tells the behind-the-scenes story of a great
sports organization undergoing profound change. (Fair Play)
LE RETOUR D'ANNA BRODEUR – Crave (French language,
available with English subtitles) *previously
announced*
After a ten-year voluntary exile in Paris, Anna
Brodeur returns to Québec under exceptional circumstances.
Her return causes a tidal wave of emotions among her loved ones.
Neither her mother Monique, who had almost come to forget about her
single daughter, nor her best friend Patrick, director of a public
relations agency, nor her ex-Antoine, knew where Anna was hiding.
After all those years of silence, Anna discovers that reconnecting
with those around her a bit twisted and rebuilding her life isn't
as simple as she hoped. (Sphère Média)
REVIVAL – Bell Media Specialty Channel
On one
miraculous day in a rural forested town, the recently deceased
suddenly rise from their graves. But this is no zombie story as the
"revived" appear and act just like they once were. And when local
Officer and single mother Dana
Cypress is unexpectedly thrown into the centre of a brutal
murder mystery of her own, she is left to make sense of the chaos
amidst a town gripped by fear and confusion where everyone, alive
or undead, is a suspect. (Blue Ice Pictures/Hemmings House)
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WRECKERS – Specialty *previously
announced*
When winter slams into the highways of the
American Rockies, heavy recovery specialists from four companies
race into action, working to clear wrecks and open roads. Whether
it's a raging fire or toxic spill, crews roll up ready to battle
the wreckage. They've got the equipment and the skills. But
with more than a million people depending on the route that crosses
these three states every day, the one thing they don't have, is
time. (Great Pacific Media)
SHIPWRECK KINGS (working title) – Bell Media Specialty
Channel
The new docuseries SHIPWRECK KINGS (working
title) follows Captain Jeff
MacKinnon, a third-generation salvager, and his highly
specialized team of divers, as they explore the countless
shipwrecks along the "Death Coast" of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The government shut
down salvaging more than 10 years ago – labeling Jeff a "pirate"
and threatening his family's legacy. After a hard battle, Captain
Jeff and his salvage company have won back the exclusive right to
once again traverse these dangerous waters and attempt to recover
the long-lost artifacts and treasure below. (Forté
Entertainment)
SLAYCATION – Crave *previously
announced*
A brand-new format, developed by Bell
Media, World of Wonder, and Blue Ant Studios, from the Drag Race
universe, SLAYCATION is a six-part unscripted series
from RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE producers World of Wonder, and Blue Ant
Studios, featuring six, fabulous, larger-than-life queens from
across the international DRAG RACE franchise, as they vacation
together at a Canadian winter retreat. With fun activities,
frivolity, and a hint of drama, their fish-out-of-water escapades
culminate in a drag-tastic performance for the local community.
Featuring BOA, Jada Shada Hudson,
Kandy Muse, Kerri Colby, Lawrence
Chaney, and Luxx Noir London. (Blue Ant Studios, World of
Wonder)
SO LONG, MARIANNE – Crave *previously
announced*
A Crave and NRK original series, SO
LONG, MARIANNE tells the legendary love story between
Canadian singer and poet, Leonard
Cohen, and an extraordinary Norwegian woman, Marianne Ihlen. It's an intimate tale of two
young people falling in love during a period of their life when
they are trying to figure out who they are, and their place in the
world, while one is becoming one of the most famous singers of all
time. Starring Alex Wolff,
Thea Sofie Loch Naess, Anna Torv,
Noah Taylor, Peter Stormare, and
Macha Grenon. (Redpoint Productions,
Tanweer Productions, Connect3)
THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER MURDER
PLOT – Bell Media Specialty Channel *previously
announced*
THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER MURDER
PLOT reveals the truth behind Wanda
Holloway's arrest in Texas
in 1991 for hiring a hitman to kill her daughter's cheerleading
rival. (Cream Productions)
SUPER TEAM CANADA –
Crave *previously announced*
From Will Arnett and Canadian comedy writers
Robert Cohen and Joel H. Cohen, and Atomic Cartoons, Crave's
first-ever adult animated series, SUPER TEAM CANADA focuses on the exploits of six,
little-known Canadian superheroes, trying to save the world from
evil giant robots, an unemployed octopus, and needy hardware store
clerks. The stakes are high for these stereotypically underdog
Canadian super-unknowns, who are called in as Earth's last resort
when all the other superheroes have been destroyed. Starring
Cobie Smulders, Kevin McDonald, Charles
Demers, Brian Drummond,
Ceara Morgana, and Veena Sood, with Will
Arnett. Jay Baruchel and Bryan
Adams, who wrote and performs the theme song, guest star.
(Thunderbird Entertainment's Atomic Cartoons, Electric Avenue)
TRUE CSI (working title) – Bell Media Specialty
Channel
In a murder investigation, every item detectives
come in contact with has the potential to lead them to the killer.
Physical evidence allows investigators to reconstruct a crime,
identify motive, or make or break an alibi, and these items are far
more valuable than testimony from suspects and witnesses. TRUE
CSI (working title) is a thrilling new true crime series
that uses a groundbreaking visual style to tell the story of a
murder investigation through the clues that caught the killer.
(Cineflix Productions)
New Documentaries and Specials:
ANY OTHER WAY: THE JACKIE SHANE STORY – Crave
*previously announced*
This documentary tells the tale of
the extraordinary life and mysterious disappearance of pioneering
soul singer and Black Transgender trailblazer, Jackie Shane. Her story is brought vibrantly to
life through intimate recorded conversations with Jackie, and
follows her family's journey to discover her legacy, and the voices
of those who were inspired by her tenacity to be herself. (Banger
Media)
THE ART OF DANCE – Crave *previously
announced*
In a world desperate for hope, THE ART OF
DANCE ignites inspiration and dares us to come alive by tracing
the evolutionary healing power of movement, music, culture, and
community. Innovative and immersive, this cinematic documentary
experience awakens our souls, through the beauty and courage of
some of the world's most celebrated dancers on a journey of
connection. (Hip Hop Films)
AUDIOPHILIA – ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF HI-FI – Crave
*previously announced*
From director Ron Mann, AUDIOPHILIA – ADVENTURES IN THE
WORLD OF HI-FI is the story about the love of listening to
music on the world's best stereo equipment. The film profiles the
inventors, designers, and major-league audiophiles, engaged in the
never-ending quest to find audio nirvana. The film is a deep dive
into the subculture of sonic obsessives around the world who seek
out esoteric electronics that are often visually stunning, and turn
their homes into audio sanctuaries. (Sphinx Productions)
BAM BAM: THE SISTER NANCY
STORY – Crave *previously announced*
BAM
BAM: THE SISTER NANCY STORY
chronicles the meteoric rise of the reggae anthem "Bam Bam" and its
status as the most sampled reggae vocal ever. Sister Nancy's
journey is marked by the discovery of a deception regarding her
royalties, yet she remains undeterred in the face of adversity.
Despite industry challenges, she continues to tour, spreading joy
through her music to packed audiences. Interviews with industry
figures like Janelle Monáe, Young Guru, and Pete Rock offer insight into Sister Nancy's
lasting impact on reggae and hip hop. This fun and entertaining
documentary celebrates Sister Nancy's resilience and unwavering
passion for performance, proving that good music transcends
obstacles and endures. (Oya Media Group)
BEAUTY KINGS – Crave *previously
announced*
Bodybuilding, spray-on abs and gender politics:
welcome to the world of BEAUTY KINGS, a documentary
exploring the transitioning nature of masculinity through the lives
of men from different countries as they compete in a leading
international male beauty pageant. Directed by Garry Tutte. Supervising Producer Sarah Fodey,
Consulting Producers Evan Wexler and Sarah Sahaigan. Featuring
Frankie Cena. (Morro Creative)
THE BONES – Crave *previously announced*
THE
BONES traverses the globe alongside paleontologists on a quest
to unearth dinosaur fossils that may hold the key to save humanity
from extinction. It's a race against time before the bones
disappear into the hands of fossil dealers, who stand to make
millions by selling them on the open market. A cinematic adventure
that reaches from the Mongolian Gobi Desert to the floor of a
Paris auction house, THE BONES
exposes the clash between science, post-colonial reckoning, and
hard-headed capitalism. (Intuitive Pictures Inc.)
DARCY & JER: NO REFUNDS – Crave
After 50,000 seats
sold across North America, Darcy
& Jer are filming their hit show, No Refunds! This married,
queer couple have created a duo stand up show like no other.
Celebrating and hilariously skewering themselves, relationships,
parenting, aging, and of course tackling mental health – Darcy and
Jer have brilliantly taken their viral videos with over a billion
views and turned their act into a 90-minute joy ride for fans.
(Busy Donkey Ltd, Counterfeit Pictures Production)
ÊTRE UN HILTON – Crave (French language, available
with English subtitles) *previously announced*
In
the Hilton family, boxing is handed down from father to son. Father
Hilton has an iron grip on his sons, Alex, Dave, and Mathew.
Marie-Claude Savard contacts Alex,
who hasn't been interviewed in 20 years. She discovers the father's
influence and, with Alex, traces the passage of time; how did these
boxing stars fall from grace? (Production Déferlentes)
GAI(E), TU NE SERAS PONT – Crave (French language)
*previously announced*
Through the shocking stories of
victims who have had to rebuild their lives after undergoing one or
more conversion therapies, the documentary exposes the outlawed and
archaic methods used to suppress difference. In certain religious
communities or even within certain families, practices such as
prayer, fasting, exorcism sessions, humiliation, and more are still
used in an attempt to "cure" homosexuality or trans-identity.
(Attraction)
LES GARS FAUT QU'ON SE PARLE ! – Crave (French
language)
LES GARS FAUT QU'ON SE PARLE ! explores mental health issues
affecting men and challenges societal taboos. Hosted by
Jean-Nicolas Verreault, the
documentary aims to understand men's needs and why they hesitate to
seek help. Through interviews with colleagues, individuals from
diverse backgrounds, and experts, the film seeks solutions to
address men's emotional well-being. (Trinome et filles)
MODERN WHORE – Crave *previously
announced*
From director Nicole
Bazuin, MODERN WHORE is a hybrid documentary that
reimagines popular depictions of sex work through the lived
experiences of writer, performer, and sex worker, Andrea Werhun. Based on her memoir Modern Whore,
Andrea grapples with social stigma and reclaims her narrative in a
series of funny, heartbreaking, and surprising stories. Directed by
Nicole Bazuin and Produced by
Lauren Grant, Nicole Bazuin and Andrea
Werhun. (Clique Pictures, Virgin Twins)
POSTNATURAL – Crave *previously
announced*
POSTNATURAL is a provocative feature
documentary that travels to the freaky frontiers of a new synthetic
biological age. Has "nature" ceased to exist? Mingling pop culture
with science and humour with horror, this visually inventive film
follows Richard Pell, founder of the
world's first Center for PostNatural History, and meets the
visionary scientists, artists, and storytellers who are engineering
new life forms and imagining a science-fictional future that few of
us can fathom. Directed by Brett
Story and co-directed Ben
Travers, POSTNATURAL is a timely epic that explores our
nostalgia for a world that was, while also finding beauty,
possibility, and risk in the weird world that could be. Produced by
Stuart Henderson. (90th
Parallel Productions)
RESIDENT ORCA – Crave *previously
announced*
RESIDENT ORCA tells the unfolding story of
a captive whale's fight for survival and freedom. After decades of
failed attempts to bring her home, an unlikely partnership between
Indigenous matriarchs, a billionaire philanthropist, killer whale
experts, and the aquarium's new owner take on the impossible task
of freeing Lolita, captured 53 years ago as a baby, only to spend
the rest of her life performing in the smallest killer whale tank
in North America. When Lolita
falls ill under troubling circumstances, her advocates are faced
with a painful question: is it too late to save her? (Everyday
Films)
RUSSELL PETERS – Crave *previously
announced*
The RUSSELL PETERS documentary tells the
story of his humble and adversarial beginnings in Brampton Ontario, to his current standing
today as one of the world's top international comedians. Directed
by Thyrone Tommy (Learn to Swim), and executive producers are
Randy Lennox and Kevin Barton. (Loft Entertainment)
SAINTE-JUSTINE : SALLE D'OPERATION – Crave (French
language) *previously announced*
This docu-series follows
healthcare staff as they accompany young patients on their journey
to surgery. SAINTE-JUSTINE EN
SALLE D'OP is above all a human and moving series. Although it
takes place in a cutting-edge medical environment, it is the human
stories that are at its heart. The anxiety of parents on the eve of
a major operation, the tension of the emergency room team, and the
pre- and post-operative elements will give viewers a sense of what
it's like to live through these experiences. Welcome to the
operating room! (Attraction)
SINGHS IN THE RING – Crave *previously
announced*
SINGHS IN THE RING is a feature
documentary based on the wildly colourful, outrageously animated,
pile-driving phenomenon of the Singh wrestling dynasty. Follow the
clock goes back to the infectiously fun 1970s era wrestling and the
emergence of a Punjabi immigrant now known as the legendary
Gama Singh of Stampede Wrestling,
and witness the continuation of that professional wrestling lineage
in current day with Gama's son, Raj. (Fennessey Films & Score G
Productions)
SMOKE & GIFTS: IT'S ALL GOING TO BREAK – Crave
*previously announced*
Filmmaker Stephen Chung pulls back the curtain on the
Toronto indie music scene through
his relationship with his friends in the trailblazing band, Broken
Social Scene. This unconventional POV documentary features Chung's
never-before-seen archival footage capturing a creatively rich era
in Toronto and paying tribute to
the power of indie music, friendship, and the artists who started
out in Toronto bars before
rocketing to global fame. (Fathom Film Group)
WILFRED BUCK – Crave
*previously announced*
WILFRED
BUCK is a hybrid feature documentary focusing on a
Cree elder and Indigenous star knowledge keeper. Weaving together
his harrowing past and his present life with sky stories, this
cinematic film explores colonization's attempts to extinguish
Indigenous ways of knowing, the values of interrelationship that
shape Indigenous science, and how this worldview paves a healthier
path forward for us and our planet. Directed by Lisa Jackson. Producers are Lisa Jackson, Alicia
Smith, and Lauren Grant.
Executive producers are David
Christensen, Nicholas de
Pencier, and Jennifer
Baichwal. (Door Number 3 in co-production with the National
Film Board)
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter:
@TheLede_ca
@CTV_PR
@CTV
@CraveCanada
@Noovo_ca
Facebook:
Facebook.com/CTV
Facebook.com/CraveCanada
Facebook.com/Noovo.ca
Instagram:
@TheLede_ca
@CTV_PR
@CTV
@CraveCanada
@Noovo.ca
About Bell Media Original Programming
Bell Media has
commissioned some of Canada's
most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with
the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series
commissioned by CTV include #1 Canadian drama TRANSPLANT;
record-breaking Canadian format THE AMAZING RACE CANADA; comedy series CHILDREN RUIN
EVERYTHING; dramas SULLIVAN'S CROSSING and SIGHT UNSEEN;
competition series THE TRAITORS CANADA; and the unscripted dating series
FARMING FOR LOVE. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty
and streaming platforms are CTV Life Channel's culinary series MARY
MAKES IT EASY with Mary Berg, and
food, travel, and adventure series EVOLVING VEGAN; CTV Comedy
Channel's ROAST BATTLE CANADA and
the scripted series ACTING GOOD. Crave Originals include hit series
LETTERKENNY and its official spinoff series SHORESY, CANADA'S DRAG RACE, and WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE
(EVEN JAY BARUCHEL), and LITTLE BIRD; docuseries DARK SIDE OF THE
RING; and acclaimed documentaries including KINGS OF COKE. Bell
Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. Learn
more at www.BellMedia.ca.
About Bell Media
Bell Media is Canada's leading media and entertainment
company with a portfolio of assets in premium video, audio,
out-of-home advertising, and digital. This includes Canada's most-watched television network, CTV;
the largest Canadian-owned video streamer, Crave, with a premium
add-on to include STARZ; a powerful suite of specialty channels;
the most-trusted news brand, CTV News; Canada's cross-platform sports leaders, TSN
and RDS; leading out-of-home advertising network, Astral; Québec's
fast-growing conventional French-language network, Noovo; the
country's leading radio and podcast app, iHeartRadio Canada; and a range of award-winning original
productions, brands, and services. As a content leader and partner
in Sphere Media, Montréal's Grande Studios, and Dome Productions,
one of North America's leading
production facilities providers, Bell Media is committed to keeping
Canadians entertained and informed.
Bell Media also offers best-in-class technology, marketing, and
analytics support through Bell Marketing Platform, an omnichannel
self-serve platform which includes Bell Analytics, Strategic
Audience Management (SAM), and Bell DSP, in addition to advanced
advertising solutions, including Linear Addressable TV, Addressable
Audio, and ads on Crave. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE:
BCE), Canada's largest
communications company. 1 Learn more at
BellMedia.ca.
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1
Based on total revenue and total combined customer connections.
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SOURCE Bell Media Inc.