Prairie Dog Film + Television announced today that CBC has acquired the broadcast rights to air seasons three, four, and five of the hit drama,Blackstone. CBC previously broadcast seasons one and two as part of the network’s 2015 National Aboriginal History Month programming. Broadcast and digital platform details for the remaining seasons will be announced at a later date.
“The CBC’s reinvestment in Blackstone is a true testament to our cast and crew, and to the unfiltered and compelling storytelling that has become a benchmark of the show”, says showrunner and director, Ron E. Scott. “We are so grateful for the CBC’s platform as a means to expose more Canadians to Blackstone and to the true-to-life issues that are explored through its storylines.”
Known for its “ripped from the headlines” approach to storytelling, the Blackstoneseries is a fictional yet authentic drama series that explores the raw and real dynamics of family, power and politics on a First Nation reserve. Told through the entertaining and all-too-real storyworld of Blackstone, the series delves into prevalent and present day issues affecting Aboriginal communities, including: the missing and murdered Aboriginal women epidemic in Canada, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, oil and gas exploration on reserves and the devastating effects of the residential schools. While the portrayal can be dark, Blackstone is both the story of a community plagued by corruption, violence and injustice, and the inspiring story of the undying hope and resilience of people fighting for a better life in the midst of adversity.
Blackstone’s award-winning, predominantly Aboriginal cast includes: Carmen Moore, Eric Schweig, Michelle Thrush, Nathaniel Arcand, Steven Cree Molison, Tantoo Cardinal, Andrea Menard, Glen Gould, Justin Rain, Cheri Maracle, Jessica Matten, Ray G. Thunderchild, and Georgina Lightning, with appearance by Jennifer Podemski, Garry Chalk, and John Cassini.
Blackstone is produced by Prairie Dog Film + Television, with Ron E. Scott as Showrunner & Director, Jesse Szymanski as Co-Executive Producer, and Damon Vignale as Writer/Producer. The series currently broadcasts in Canada on APTN, in the United States on Hulu and HuluPlus, in New Zealand on Maori Television, and in Australia on SBS/NITV. Blackstone has been nominated for 86 awards, including its most recent nomination for Best Dramatic Series in the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards.
Blackstone is produced in association with Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), the Canada Media Fund, with the assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Media Fund, with the participation of Rogers Cable Network Fund, and with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
