CBC Short Docs *Just released
Biker Bob’s Posthumous Adventure
Who is Biker Bob? And why does a bottle full of his ashes keep washing up on the beaches of Vancouver Island? When Bethany and Caleb Harding were walking along China Beach on Vancouver Island in 2016, the last thing they expected to find was a message in a bottle. It said, “Biker Bob. If you find me, turn me loose.” Also in the bottle: Bob’s ashes. On the back of the message, another note was scribbled in newer ink: “It seems like Bob was the type of guy who enjoyed a drink. I took him out for a beer, you should do the same.” Throughout 2016, the bottle washed ashore (at least) three times. Each time, a different person took Bob out for for a celebratory pint, then tossed him back to sea. But who was Biker Bob? And how did he end up travelling the West Coast in a bottle? Biker Bob’s Posthumous Adventure follows the bizarre mystery of Biker Bob and his afterlife visits across Vancouver Island. It’s a truly remarkable story, with twists and turns – about a man on a motorcycle, a group of strangers who became friends and the enduring power of love.
CBC Short Docs *Just released
OshKiKiShiKaw: A New Day
12 year-old identical twins Tapwewin (Truth) and Pawaken (Totem) have never cut their hair. In Cree culture, and in many Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, hair represents our sacred connection to AsKi, the Earth. Growing one’s hair is a manifestation of the growth of spirit. Jules Koostachin, the twins’ mom — and documentary filmmaker — learned of a sacred coming-of-age ceremony when she was in her early 20s. An Elder told her that when boys hit puberty, a ceremony around the cutting of hair is a right of passage that supports and uplifts youth as they transition into the next phase of their lives. For Jules, it’s important that her children understand the importance of ceremony. Jules’ mother Rita is a residential school survivor, who was taken away from a lot of her culture. When Jules became a parent, she wanted to make sure her children had a strong sense of identity and culture, and know their customs and protocol.
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CBC Docs POV *Repeat
Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit
Friday, February 15 2019 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service
It’s ‘Best in Show’ with claws. Meet the feline & human stars on the highly competitive cat show circuit. Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit follows a season in the lives of two top cat fanciers, Shirley McCollow and Kim Langille, and their prize-winning felines, Oh La La the fluffy Red Persian and Bobby the white Turkish Angora. Both are vying to be the year’s ‘Best Cat’. It’s a competitive world in the Canadian Cat Association. As Kim notes, “If you’re not number one, you’re the first loser.”
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The Passionate Eye *Canadian broadcast premiere
Escape from Dubai: Mystery of the Missing Princess
Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network and the CBC Gem streaming service (repeats Sunday, February 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and Wednesday February 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network)
Escape from Dubai: Mystery of the Missing Princess investigates the sensational disappearance of Princess Latifa Al Maktoum, daughter of the extremely wealthy ruler of Dubai. In February 2018, the 32-year-old princess attempted a daring escape from the United Arab Emirates. After recording a 40-minute video testimonial claiming her powerful family was holding her against her will, Sheikha Latifa fled by boat with the help of her long-time friend, originally from Finland, along with a French former spy. But the plan was foiled by armed special forces and she was seized from the US-flagged boat in international waters.
With access to those closest to Latifa and the crew who aided her escape attempt, the film examines the mystery of the missing princess while digging deeper into the realities of life under the regime that runs Dubai, an emirate ruled with absolute authority by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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The Nature of Things *Broadcast premiere
Something in the Air
Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service.
For a Canadian family living in Beijing, putting on face-masks to guard against smog is part of the morning routine. In China, air pollution causes more than 3,000 premature deaths every day. Cities across Asia and Europe – including London and Paris – now have to ban downtown traffic to manage their “Airpocalypse” days. But what about here at home? The answer may not be as reassuring as we would like.
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Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service
Justice for Jassi (Bob McKeown)
A young woman from BC was killed during a visit to India in the year 2000. Her mother and uncle allegedly planned it because she married a poor Indian rickshaw driver, instead of the wealthy Canadian they’d chosen for her. Now, 19 years after the murder, Jassi’s Sidhu’s uncle and mother have finally been extradited to India to stand trial. Bob
Mckeown presents the latest twists and turns on a story he’s investigated for years.
The Children of Sainte-Justine (Pasquale Turbide)
The children were sick, with cancer. Their parents knew there was little chance of survival. so when one of Canada’s leading hospitals offered what they believed was a glimmer of hope in the form of a study involving a combination of drugs never tried before on children, they jumped at it. But there were no miracles, and within a short time, Health Canada shut down the study, saying it threatened the safety and rights of the patients. What happened to the children of Sainte-Justine?
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Credit Card Scam: Is your stolen identity for sale on the dark web?
Friday, February 22, 2019 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service
Marketplace has obtained a secret list, revealing the names and identities of almost 3000 Canadians targeted by a phone scam that promises to lower your credit card interest rate. The end game: stealing your identity so they can sell and trade it on the dark net and to other fraudsters.
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CBC Docs POV *Broadcast premiere
Mr Jane and Finch
Friday, February 22, 2019 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service
Mr Jane and Finch follows the journey of 80-year-old community activist Winston LaRose, and his quest to become a councillor. LaRose believes he can upset the status quo by throwing his hat into the political ring. When Doug Ford drastically changes things by cutting the number of city councillors, LaRose must fight to keep his disintegrating team together, inspire a non-voting demographic, and empower the people of his beloved Jane and Finch community.
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The Passionate Eye *Repeat
How to Stay Young
Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network and the CBC Gem streaming service (repeats Sunday, February 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and Wednesday February 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network)
Scientific breakthroughs are redefining how we think about aging and more than ever, there is hope that we can overcome our greatest enemy – the process of biological decline. How to Stay Young investigates the latest research around the world that could put the brakes on the aging process.
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documentary Channel *Canadian broadcast premiere
Game Changers
Saturday, February 23 @ 9pm ET/PT (repeats Sunday March 3 at 4pm ET)
Game Changers follows legendary quizmaster Alex Trebek, a familiar face to most viewers as the host of Jeopardy!, as he sets out to explore the influence of game shows and discover why they continue to endure as an integral part of our entertainment culture. This quest brings him face-to-face with some of the legendary hosts of our times such as Monty Hall (in his last television interview), Alan Thicke, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Peter Marshall, Tom Kennedy, Regis Philbin, Drew Carey, Howie Mandel, Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Trebek spent more than 30 years as the host of Jeopardy! and holds the Guinness World Record as the host of the most number of television game show episodes. He calls upon his encyclopedic knowledge to guide viewers through the seven decades of game show history, from their start in radio, through the scandals of the 1950s, their creative development of the 1960s, into their peak of popularity during the 1970s and on to today where everything old is new again. Trebek also takes us behind the scenes on taping day at Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune for an exclusive backstage glimpse of these long-running shows.
Canadians can watch Game Changers for free in February during documentary Channel’s Free Preview month.
