Canamedia - Canadian Content Catalogue


	WATCH OUR PROGRAMMING ONLINE @ TIME BOMBS (1 X 60' HD) History/Social In the spring of 1957 at the height of the Cold War, 40 young Canadian soldiers were sent to Nevada on a top-secret mission - to serve as guinea pigs for the military in a nuclear test field. They played war games less than 1,000 meters away from detonated test bombs four times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima. Several veterans fell victim to radiation, and children were born with birth defects. Today, 50 years after being exposed to dangerous nuclear radiation, the few soldiers who survived are fighting for justice. TIME BOMBS turns a spotlight on this embarrassing and controversial page in military history, tracking down never-before-screened film records of American nuclear tests involving soldiers. In this real-life thriller, we follow Jim Huntley, the only veteran still in good health, as he puts his case to the government and confronts the politicians who are trying to dampen their efforts. As the controversy gains media attention, will policy makers listen to the plights of these veterans? THE BULLY'S MARK (1 X 60' HD) Social Documentary Many fantasize about returning to school to confront the kids who made life a living hell, but Erin Thomson actually did it. This doc follows Erin on an odyssey back to her old junior high to confront her bullies. Along the way, she meets modern-day victims, who, with the advent of all-too-pervasive technology, find themselves bullied 24-7. This is a disturbing look at a problem that all the anti-bullying programs on the planet have been unable to solve. Why are some kids bullies and some kids targets? And why are there so many silent bystanders? PORAMPO: PIRATES OF THE MALACCA STRAITS (1 X 60' or 1 X 90'HD) Social/Crime/International Affairs Would you put your life on the line to film a “killer” documentary? To ride on a mission with the porampo—pirates who take no prisoners? Porampo: Pirates of the Malacca Straits takes you on a journey deep inside the world of 21st century high seas piracy. This 52-minute HD documentary focuses on one of the world’s most dangerous waterways, where sailors are assaulted by AK-47 and grenade-wielding pirates who board with grappling hooks. Two merchant mariners travel through Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia in their quest to meet a gang of modern day pirates. An ex-pirate with the scars of grenades and knives tells his story. Along the way there are interviews with police, fishing villagers and ship’s crews. It all builds to the film’s pinnacle: a real nighttime pirate raid in a fast boat. STEALING MARY (1 X 60' HD) History/Crime/Anthropology STEALING MARY is a high-budget docu-drama telling the story of two skulls currently residing in a Scottish museum that sparked a modern-day forensic investigation into the 1819 murder of an Indian Chief and the brutal abduction of his wife, “Mary”. They were the last of the Beothuk of Newfoundland –an aboriginal race who painted themselves red and who inspired the English term “Red Indian”. Using CSI style filming, this is also a gripping “whodunit” special. BIGFOOT'S REFLECTIONS (1 X 60' HD or SD ) NEW 2007 Science/Anthropology Shot on location in high definition in the Northwest Pacific rain forests, Bigfoot’s Reflection is an hour long modern psychological and ecological POV exploration of the giant ape-man legend of North America from the perspective of those who choose to study it and guard its wild habitat. BFR examines the struggles of the few influential scientists (John Bindernagal, Robert Pyle), researchers (John Green, Bill Miller, John Kirk lll, Tomas Steenburg, Richard Noll) and Native American guide (Mel Skahan) who have committed themselves to the puzzling legend – even in the face of ridicule - as they strive to bring humanity and a scientific method to the pursuit of the elusive creature. HELLDRIVERS (1 X 60') NEW 2007 Social Documentary HELLDRIVERS takes us to the inner world of the traveling daredevil, performers of live car crashes and intense precision driving. Inside the 55-year career of Nova Scotia stuntdriver Paul Riddell, and his family, we uncover the helldriver secrets, fears, history and creativity. We feel the wild heart of this family and their devotion to a dangerous profession that has outlived its time. The Riddell family: Paul, wife Toby, and their children Derrick and Ashley, are virtually addicted to preserving the helldriver traditions. As the end draws near, will they turn their strength and courage to leaving it behind forever? KINGDOM OF WOMEN (1 X 60') NEW 2007 Social/Anthropology Doc High above the mountains in South Western China, where Yunnan and Sichuan border each other, lies the seldom-visited Lugu Lake. Along its banks, we find the Mosuo people who have continuously practiced the matriarchal systems for centuries. Whether out of volition, or of necessity, the Mosuo women have taken on leader ship in their society for the past two thousand years. In the Mosuo households, the eldest female dominates every aspect of the daily lives and are the principal, if not the sole providers for each household. There is no marriage contract in any real sense and the offspring resulting from these unions are taken and raised by the women and their clans. Secluded in their own corner of the world, life in this matrilineal society has remained tranquil because its people have held on to their religious beliefs; however, fears that the way of the Mosuo may die are now becoming real urgent concerns. In his interview, the Mosuo Lama, Yeshe Tsultim predicts a short-lived future for the Mosuo way of life. BATTLE OF THE HOCKEY ENFORCERS (1 X 120 ') NEW 2007 Live Sports Event Banned in Winnipeg, ejected from Philly, Hockey Enforcers took its Black & Blue debut to willing Prince George, BC, where it rocked everybody’s world. Thirty-one action-packed bouts, one bloodied but unbowed champ, one incredible rock ‘em sock ‘em event. And now the most talked about sports event of this century is available for television – featuring some of the most notorious goons in hockey history! BIGHORN SHOWDOWNS (1 X 60’) NEW 2007 Wildlife Bighorn Showdowns is an Alberta shot film on the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. It covers all the behaviors of the rutting season and shows close and exciting wild action as they engage in spectacular confrontations. FEATHERED FRIENDS (1 X 60’) NEW 2007 Wildlife Feathered Friends is a film on the rare and exciting behaviors of birds in western Canada. It covers many species from the hummingbirds to the golden eagles along with falconry and bird banding. SHEEP AND GRIZZLY COUNTRY (1 X 60’) NEW 2007 Wildlife Sheep and Grizzly Country is a two part film covering the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and the mountain grizzly bear. It contains very rare behaviours of these animals in some of the most rugged and beautiful country of the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and Alberta. JOURNEY HOME OF THE CHINOOK SALMON (1 X 60’ or 1 x 90’) NEW 2007 Wildlife Journey Home is the incredible story of the Chinook salmon on the Fraser River. Wildlife filmmaker, Leon Lorenz, dedicated eight spawning seasons to capture some of the rarest and most exciting scenes ever filmed on the spawning grounds of this magnificent fish. THE PUZZLING WORLD OF THE ENIGMA (1 X 60') NEW 2007 Shock Doc The Enigma is a musician/entertainer who is tattooed from head to toe like a puzzle, has horns surgically implanted under his skin and – along with playing music – performs amazing and odd human feats such as: swallowing a giant crucifix, pumping fluids into his stomach, inserting a power drill into his nose and more. He has been a member of The Jim Rose Circus and has appeared on the ‘X Files’. The Enigma, however, is not just a ‘circus freak’ making a living off of the morbid curiosity of the masses. He is an intelligent, insightful human being who is testing the boundaries of identity and social perception through his art and lifestyle. His music and his act are based on his personal views and ideologies and are more social commentary than carnival sideshow. This documentary looks beyond the ‘freak show’ at a person who is a true non-conformist in a time where individuality is being branded and sold to the masses as an off-the-shelf consumer product. THE BALLAD OF VICKI AND JAKE (1 X 60' or 1 X 90') NEW 2007 Social Documentary This gripping documentary tells the story of Vicki, a single mother struggling with addiction, and her young son, Jake. The film opens as Vicki and Jake are beginning a new chapter in their lives, moving from a homeless shelter into their own council house. Once they are in the new house Vicki makes plans to redecorate, Jake celebrates his twelfth birthday and visiting friends begin to form a small community. Yet however hard Vicki tries create a home for herself and her son, she is neither able to ignore old problems nor avoid new ones that arise. Shot with hard-headed honesty, The Ballad of Vicki and Jake combines uncompromising interviews, scenes of drug abuse and touching intimacy between a mother and son. It is a film of extremes, and as Vicki finds herself losing control the story shifts to the relationship between Vicki and the film-maker, neither of whom will give up their quest for a happy ending without a fight. BEYOND THE RED WALL – THE STORY OF FALUN GONG (1 X 60' IN HD ) NEW 2007 Social / Political Documentary In 1992 a new spiritual practice, called Falun Gong, began to spread throughout China and by 1999 had acquired over 70 million adherents. Fearing the popular practice, the Chinese government banned Falun Gong in 1999 and began harassing and jailing practitioners. To date, over 200,000 have been sent to Chinese jails and forced labour camps, many of them brutally tortured, and at least 2500 killed. In 2006, new reports have come from China alleging that thousands of imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners have had their corneas, kidneys and livers forcibly removed for sale by Chinese authorities. “Beyond the Red Wall” is a hard-hitting documentary special focusing on the movement and the persecution of these people by the Chinese authorities. It focuses on two Falun Gong practitioners – an internationally renowned painter, a Canadian citizen and resident of New York who was jailed and tortured for his beliefs, and a typically North American housewife who actively participates in and fights for Falun Gong. The film also includes never-seen-before torture footage, smuggled out of China. POPCORN WITH MAPLE SYRUP - FILM IN CANADA FROM EH TO ZED (1 X 60') NEW 2006 Popcorn with Maple Syrup is a spellbinding two-hour documentary uncovering the stories, scandals and little-known fascinating facts about Canadian movies. The first movie star in the world, the first three actresses to win Academy Awards,® the first performer in a nude scene, the first actress to kiss on-screen, the first nickelodeon—all were Canadian. From drive-ins to IMAX to Mike Myers to "The Barbarian Invasions," a rambunctious history of the Canadian movie industry, including some key triumphs and disappointments, unfolds in "Popcorn with Maple Syrup: Film in Canada from Eh to Zed." JUST PEOPLE IN LOVE (1 X 60') NEW 2006 Social Documentary Experience life and love among the self-proclaimed “Party Animals,” the disabled adults of JUST PEOPLE (IN LOVE). Director Vickie Russell spent six months with Just People, Inc., a unique support organization for independent-minded adults with disabilities. The result is an intimate home-movie-style introduction to their world – their humor, triumphs, failures and touching personal relationships. FACING GOLIATH (1 x 60’) NEW 2006 Social / Sports Documentary He’s in his fifties, he’s never been in shape, and he’s going blind. In one year, how much change can a man see in himself, before he no longer has the use of his sight? This story examines a young man’s realization that the strength of a determined heart is far more powerful than any muscular physique. Originally setting out to paint himself as the young hero, Sebastian began helping his middle-aged friend, Ray to confront the prospect of going blind by transforming him into a muscular superman. Sebastian believed his scheme would end with Ray inspired and awe struck, as Ray loyally watched his heroic trainer rise onward to national competitive victory. But after failing to reach his competitive goals, Sebastian witnesses Ray achieving more than anyone thought possible. Through taking hold of his emotional and physical condition, Ray journeys beyond his limitations to discover what is possible when you believe there are no limits. RAISED IN THE RING (1 x 60’) NEW 2006 Social / Sports Documentary Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a cultural tradition steeped in history and religious reverence. More importantly, to the rural poor it is a career and a way to improve their livelihood. This fascinating fly on the wall documentary reveals the lives of four aspiring kickboxers. Ranging from children aged twelve and fifteen, to an eighteen-year-old vying for a professional career in Bangkok, the doc follows them in their daily routines, their rigorous training regimens and their fights. During the doc, we come to understand the respect and dignity with which this form of fighting is regarded in today's Buddhist society. HOCKEY BRAWL: BATTLE ON THIN ICE (1 x 60’) NEW 2006 Social / Sports Documentary Brawl! follows two enthusiastic sports promoters as they set out to try and stage the world's first violent hockey prizefighting/boxing event, the "Battle of the Hockey Enforcers". Despite unbelievable set backs and press opposition, this cheeky documentary won the world’s richest pitch at the Banff Television Festival, has amazing production value and is being shown on Canada’s main commercial Network, CTV. It is a unique and fun P.O.V. story...with lots of real knockim, sockim action! THE SPIRIT OF HIROSHIMA 1 x 60’ History This documentary looks at the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima through the eyes of those who lived through it, and those who live there now. The film follows a family living in Hiroshima today as they take their two children to the 50^th year ceremony. Woven into their trip are the stories of three bomb survivors, illustrated with archival film footage from before and after the war. BEING OSAMA 1 x 60’ available for selected territories Social Being Osama is a documentary that follows six North American males all named Osama. This program examines how the perceptions of their characters in society have changed since September 11, 2001 . Being Osama is an exploration into how unrelated events can change the lives and destinies of a person all because of their name. IF A TREE FALLS 1 X 60’ French version available Social / Health Intimate, moving and insightful, If A Tree Falls is the powerful, first-person story of a filmmaker who is losing her hearing. She embarks on a documentary about her experience, but she’s torn between her need to make the film, and her fears about what will happen to her career when people find out she can’t hear. Finally, she reaches out to the hard-of-hearing community where she discovers a remarkable group of people who give her the strength to deal with her disability. UGANDA, HUNTERS IN THE JUNGLE 1 x 60’ Wildlife / Nature / Exposé ont> KENYA, TROUBLE IN PARADISE 1 x 60’ Wildlife / Nature / Exposé American conservationist Anne Kent Taylor leads an army of Rangers on dangerous anti-snaring patrols to rescue trapped wildlife and put a stop to insidious poachers to regain control of the world-famous Masai Mara reserve in Africa. MUMMERS AND MASKS 1 x 60’ Seasonal A one hour documentary Christmas special that revels in all the fun and music to be found with the ancient Mumming tradition. Set primarily in Ireland and the Canadian Maritimes, the story of Mummers is the story of masks and customs that pre-date Christianity. NEW YEARS AND THE HISTORY OF CALENDARS 1 X 60’ Seasonal Follows New Year's Day celebration back through the ages to its origin in ancient Egypt, Rome and China and then illustrates the evolution of calendars. VALENTINE’S DAY, A HISTORY OF LOVE AND LUST 1 X 60’ Seasonal This documentary takes a look at the evolution of Valentine's Day and the way its image has been influenced by changing views of Love and Lust. THANKSGIVING DAY 1 X 60’ Seasonal Traces this wholesome tradition back in time, by following the exploits of a young girl whisked away from her dinner table back to the first thanksgivings. THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS 1 X 60’ Seasonal From Santa Clause to Christmas Cards, this program traces our modern Yuletide traditions back to their earliest roots in Roman celebrations and pagan rituals. THE ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION OF HALLOWEEN 1 X 60’ Seasonal Tracks back through time to Halloween's earliest pagan rituals. Included are interviews of modern day witches and a discussion of the changing face of Halloween today. Amongst Canada's History Television's highest rated shows in October. MOTHER’S DAY 1 X 60’ Seasonal From its earliest roots as an anti-war day after the Civil War to the million mom's march on Washington DC, this documentary illustrates the ways Mother's have influenced our lives. EASTER: THE JESUS MYSTERY 1 X 60’ Seasonal This documentary asks the question, what light can recent historical finds shed on the commemoration of Jesus' last days. ST. PATRICK, THE APOSTLE OF IRELAND 1 x 60' Seasonal Exquisitely filmed on location in Ireland, this unique documentary delves beneath the myth and mystery of the man who would become celebrated the world over as a saint. Evocative music and revealing voice-over carries the viewer back in time from Patrick’s birth to his death. The film recreates Patrick’s physical struggle and spiritual transformation. THE INVISIBLE MACHINE 1 x 60' Science / technology Winner of the "Best Independent Documentary Award" at the Da Vinci Film & Video Festival The Newest Weapons of Mass Destruction. By unraveling the mystery of the Bell Island 'boom', this film reveals the frightening frontier of electromagnetic science. As the US military deploys electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons or e-bombs, we need to ask whether the bizarre events on Newfoundland's Bell Island in 1978 are related to early testing of these weapons and if so, what are the consequences of unleashing this powerful force today? EASTER ISLAND: EYES OF THE MOAI 1 x 60’ and 1 x 120' *Historical documentary- Shot in HD* Easter Island is the most remote inhabited place on our planet. For 1,500 years this isolation has acted as both a shelter for -- and a curse upon -- the island’s indigenous Rapa Nui people. Trapped on their 64 square miles of land, 4,000 kilometers from their nearest neighbour, the Rapa Nui eventually used up their limited resources only to see their tropical paradise transformed into a bleak rock, filled with chaos, warfare and cannibalism. This is the first documentary to focus on the rise and fall of the Rapa Nui people -- a story with a message that all too closely parallels the current situation facing the inhabitants of our Earth. THE GUINEA PIG CLUB 1 x 60' History / Medical V.F. BRÛLÉS DE GUERRE Through the eyes of the most painfully exclusive club in the world, this documentary tells the story of two pioneering plastic surgeons and their revolutionary approach to reconstructive surgery. Their radical holistic and surgical techniques brought back airmen so horribly burned and broken they believed they might as well be dead. Startling archival footage is interwoven with interviews with the airmen who reunited to tell their story, and that of the doctors who changed the face of history. THE MAN WHO SKIED DOWN EVEREST 1 x 90' Adventure / History In honour of the 50th Anniversary of the conquest of Mount Everest: This beautifully shot, Academy Award winning film features adventurer, poet and world champion skier Yuichiro Miura in his attempt to ski down Mount Everest from its summit. A tragic icefall claims 6 lives, but the journey continues. The team climb to the South Col, 350 metres from the top, where Miura, with only skis and a parachute, puts his life in the hands of the Gods. His heart-stopping descent made history. Contains rare on-the-spot interviews with Sir Edmund Hillary. Available in English, French, and Spanish Oscar Winner, Academy Award Best Documentary SECRET WAR: THE ODYSSEY OF THE SUFFIELD VOLUNTEERS 1 x 60' Exposé / History During the Second World War the Canadian Army conducted experiments on its own soldiers and volunteers that would have been called 'war crimes' had they been done to prisoners of war. Many of the men suffered after-effects in the decades following the war but could get no help from their government, which denied they had even been at the experimental test station in Suffield, Alberta. This is the story of four of those men. ALIEN OBSESSION 1 x 60' (16 mm film) Sci-fi culture / History A riveting account of one of the most fascinating cultural obsessions of our era: the media's obsession with the possibility of extraterrestrial life. From medieval sightings, to the top-secret air force base "area 51", to the flying saucer crash sites in New Mexico and the 50th anniversary reunion at Roswell, Alien Obsession is the first cultural documentary to seriously examine the media's obsession with UFOs and aliens. A Canamedia production for A & E Network THREADS OF HOPE 1 x 60' Social Shot on location in Chile, Donald Sutherland narrates this moving portrait of the Chilean women who defied Pinochet's dictatorship armed only with sewing needles and scraps of cloth from the clothes of their "disappeared" loved ones. Music by Sting. George Foster Peabody Award - Chicago Gold - Houston Silver - Int'l Emmy Nominee A Canamedia production DR. TELLER'S VERY LARGE BOMB 1 x 60’ cc *Historical / Science* A historical documentary that tells the dynamic story of Edward Teller, the Manhattan Project lead physicist who was already obsessively working on inventing the Hydrogen Bomb while everyone else at Los Alamos was trying to complete the atom bomb project. Teller was directly or indirectly responsible for much of the Cold War and armaments race that followed World War II, and continued to influence government policy all the way up to the Strategic Missile Initiative (Star Wars), an idea he first whispered in Ronald Reagan's ear back in 1983, and which continues to affect us today. Includes exclusive never-before-seen interviews with Dr.Teller. WHY GET MARRIED? 1 x 60’ cc *Social Documentary* With half of all marriages ending in divorce, someone should ask Why Get Married? Documentarian Anne Stirling takes a fresh look at the social, historical and emotional themes of marriage following her divorce. Searching for answers, Stirling figures if she asks enough questions of friends, family and historians she'll find the right answer to Why Get Married? Why Get Married is an upbeat and illuminating quest evolving from a series of candid interviews Stirling was able to capture over a three-year period as she traveled for between St. John's Newfoundland, Canada and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stirling talks to singles, gays, long-time marrieds divorced, never-marrieds, wedding planners and marriage experts trying to discover some wisdom and the answer to Why Get Married? This documentary is evocative and thought provoking. Based on a personal quest, the documentary nevertheless resonates with a powerful universal appeal.