Telling Our Story

The territory of Akwesasne straddles the Canada-U.S. border. When Canadian authorities prohibited the duty-free cross-border passage of personal purchases - a right established by the Jay Treaty of 1794 - Kanien'kéhaka protesters blocked the international bridge between Ontario and New York State.

A 1969 documentary on the carving and raising of the first Haida totem pole in over a century becomes the springboard for a film that restores fullness and richness to the larger story of a nation’s resurgent identity.

Twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and reckless adolescence; forced to grow up fast and become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Oka Crisis, the turbulent Indigenous uprising that tore Quebec and Canada apart for 78 tense days in the summer of 1990.

In post-revolution Libya, a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. But as the country descends into civil war and the utopian hopes of the “Arab Spring” begin to fade, can they realise their dream? And is there even a country left to play for? Freedom Fields is a film about hope and sacrifice in a land where dreams seem a luxury. Through the eyes of these accidental activists we see the reality of a country in transition, where the personal stories of love, struggle and aspirations collide with History.

Explores the sensitive, and tense, relationship between life on an First Nations reservation and life in the outside world. When Native Canadian Silas Crow is forced to write a personal essay in order to get a much-desired job, he tells the story of the rape and murder of an Indian girl by a drunken thug. When the killer received a lenient two-year sentence for manslaughter, the First Nations community felt shock and anger—and tried desperately to deal with the after-effects of this lack of justice.

Stoney Point Natives assemble at Ipperwash Provincial Park for what began as a peaceful protest.

An Inuit youth trains to become a great archer in hopes of avenging the killing of his family – but the First Nations attackers were punishing a previous Inuit wrongdoing. Who will end the cycle of violence? THE WHITE ARCHER is an Inuit legend inspired the late James Houston’s beloved children’s book. In Canada’s High Arctic hamlet of Pond Inlet, his son John weaves outdoor adventure and local theatre into a story for all ages.

In a small Arctic town struggling with the highest suicide rate in North America, a group of Inuit students' lives are transformed when they are introduced to the sport of lacrosse.

The controversial right to bear arms is at the heart of American culture. It is so deeply ingrained that parents often pass down their love of guns to their children, and gun companies now market real rifles to kids as young as four - with blue ones for boys and pink for girls. This documentary sheds light on the world of young shooters, illuminating the beliefs, ambitions, and paranoia that motivate adults to put guns in the hands of children. Teaching kids to shoot is seen as a fun family experience and yet over 3000 children are injured or killed every year in accidental shootings. This documentary follows the stories of three American families tackling the difficult issues behind the American relationship with firearms and the compelling stories behind the horrifying statistics.

Carmen Aguirre and Tony Nardi star in a remarkable story of friends, lovers, seekers and thieves. Set at the intersection of the Latin American, First Nations and Italian communities, "Bella Ciao!" captures a struggle towards solidarity in East Vancouver's urban mix.

A young Ojibwa girl from 1770 marries a Scottish fur trader and leaves home for the shores of Georgian Bay. Although the union is beneficial for her tribe, it results in hardship and isolation for Ikwe. Values and customs clash until, finally, the events of a dream Ikwe once had unfold with tragic clarity.

Atikamekw Suns is based on the tragic true story of five young people from the Atikamekw First Nation community of Matawan, Quebec who were found dead in a truck in a river in 1977, and the apathy of the authorities investigating their deaths. The film chronicles the police force’s reluctance or inability to pinpoint whether this was a simple accident, or an act of racial hatred.

In the backdrop of a world on the brink, the Montford Point Marines rise, transcending not just enemy lines, but also the formidable barriers of racial segregation. Their journey, spanning from rural Virginia to the frontlines of World War II, the Korean War, and the jungles of Vietnam, is a reflection of their indomitable spirit and unyielding resolve. Confronting racial prejudices, the heartbreaks of war, and the turbulent transition to civilian life, these men never wavered in their commitment. "Integrating the Marine Corps" dives deep into the uncharted terrains of the Black experience in the early 20th century Marine Corps, illuminating stories often shadowed in history's corners. With cinematic finesse fit a global streaming audience, the film weaves these warriors deeply personal narratives into a rich tapestry, culminating in an epic saga of heroism, perseverance, and the enduring legacy of the American veteran.

The Roma, commonly referred to as Gypsies, have been both romanticized and vilified in popular culture. Dozens of Roma from 11 countries—including Holocaust survivors, historians, activists, and musicians--bring Romani history to life through poetry, music, and compelling first-hand accounts.

The Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people have seen their population dwindle and their culture threatened since coming into contact with non-Native Brazilians. Though promised dominion over their own rainforest territory, they have faced illegal incursions from environmentally destructive logging and mining, and, most recently, land-grabbing invasions spurred on by right-wing politicians like President Jair Bolsonaro. With deforestation escalating as a result, the stakes have become global.

Beyond Survival is a Canadian documentary television show hosted by survival expert Les Stroud.

Bruce Parry presents this five-part documentary series set in the spectacular wilderness of the Arctic, where he explores the dramatic changes its people are experiencing

The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation is a weekly Saturday morning show on CBS that showcases present-day change-makers from all over the world who are creating solutions to real needs. It is hosted by news correspondent and CBS Sunday Morning regular Mo Rocca. Each episode presents stories related to the process of innovation and also includes one story on The Henry Ford—its Archive of American Innovation, its unique visitor experiences and its unparalleled expertise. The intent is to stimulate curiosity and to inspire audiences with entertaining yet educational stories about yesterday and today’s visionaries and turning points that changed the course of history, as well as innovations and inventions that are changing the world today. The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation is produced in partnership by The Henry Ford and Litton Entertainment, a leading independent production and distribution company.

8th Fire: Aboriginal Peoples, Canada & the Way Forward is a Canadian broadcast documentary series, which aired in 2012. Featuring television, radio and web broadcasting components, the series focused on the changing nature of Canada's relationship with its First Nations communities. The television component aired as a four-part documentary series hosted by Wab Kinew as part of CBC Television's Doc Zone, while radio programming devoted to First Nations themes aired on a variety of CBC Radio series and the web component included content from a variety of contributors, including news coverage by other CBC News reporters and a series of short films by 20 First Nations, Inuit and Métis reporters and filmmakers. The series was a shortlisted nominee for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program, and for Best Cross-Platform Project, Non-Fiction, at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards.

The chaotic and violent struggle to control wealth and power in the North American fur trade in late 18th century Canada. Told from multiple perspectives, Frontier takes place in a world where business negotiations might be resolved with close-quarter hatchet fights, and where delicate relations between native tribes and Europeans can spark bloody conflicts.

1491: The Untold Story of the Americas before Columbus is based on the book “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus” by Charles C. Mann (Knopf, 2005). It brings to life the complexity, diversity and interconnectedness of Indigenous peoples in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus. Presented from an Indigenous-perspective the series is a journey along a timeline that dates from 20,000 years ago to 1491. The origins and history of ancient Indigenous societies in North, Central and South America are interpreted by leading Indigenous scholars and cultural leaders in the fields of archaeology, art history, ethnology, genetics, geology, and linguistics.

A challenging and stimulating view of one of history's most enigmatic periods, shining a light on the people and events that shaped the decade while illuminating the trends that helped design our future.

This five-part series traces the story of Asian Americans, spanning 150 years of immigration, racial politics, international relations, and cultural innovation. It is a timely, clear-eyed look at the vital role that Asian Americans have played in defining who we are as a nation. Their stories are a celebration of the grit and resilience of a people that reflects the experience of all Americans.

Host Padma Lakshmi takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today.

A relevant, emotional tale of how the US, as a nation, seized moments of crisis to create a better tomorrow. The series draws upon 300+ years of US history, from the Mayflower, the American Civil War to September 11.

Mathieu is a public writer in a poor neighbourhood of Montreal. In the past years, he discovered that his job is more about people than literature. He must first listen and then finds the right words for those who can’t write. Feeling the need to tell what his story, he wrote a first novel inspired by his experiences. The critics love it, but the book bothers his employer who immediately fires him. Mathieu wants to continue to help, but he feels more and more divided between the two worlds.

Modern history can be divided into two time frames: before 9/11 and after 9/11. This five-part docuseries is a cohesive chronicle of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., offering illuminating perspectives and personal stories of how the catastrophic events of that day changed the course of the nation.

As part of a racist government policy now known as the Sixties Scoop, Bezhig Little Bird is removed from her home in Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan and adopted into a Montréal Jewish family at the age of five, becoming Esther Rosenblum. Now in her 20s, Bezhig longs for the family she lost and is willing to sacrifice everything to find them.

Sweden is seen as one of the world's most gay-friendly nations. But the victories of the LGBTQ movement have run alongside another success story; The Sweden Democrats, a nationalist party with Nazi roots and a history of anti-gay politics, are now the second biggest party in the country. And they've started recruiting within the gay community. Being gay and a Sweden Democrat has long been taboo, but now, a new generation of conservative, openly gay men have started taking place on every political level-from the Swedish government to the European Parliament. These so-called homonationalists are anti-immigration, critical of Drag Story Hour, and want nothing to do with Pride. In "SD-bögar" ("Gay Sweden Democrats"), Erik Galli follows the Sweden Democrat's voters, columnists, and politicians-and members of Gays for Trump in the US-to understand a rising phenomenon: homonationalism.

A documentary series that charts the Haitian-American experience of Motown Maurice, a future cultural icon, featuring interviews from his past and present.