Stories From the Land, a podcast dedicated to Indigenous storytelling, has been adapted into a documentary series by Wanderer Entertainment Inc. for CBC Short Docs. The four part series, narrated and hosted by Anishinaabe comedian Ryan McMahon, will premiere on the free CBC Gem streaming service on March 12, 2021.
Stories From The Land is a four part series of short documentaries that picks up where the podcast stream ends, and reaches across various communities to paint a picture of Indigenous identity. Each themed episode is a collection of documentary stories, interviews and landscapes woven together by an inspired visual tapestry featuring music by Mohawk musician DJ Shub.
“It’s exciting to be working with CBC Docs on a project like this,” said Ryan McMahon. “It’s also great to see the podcast develop into a new medium. These stories are love letters to the places we are from.”
Stories From The Land features four 22 minute episodes: Wiigwaasabak – The Tree of Life, filmed near Fort William First Nation; Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung, filmed near Manitou Rapids First Nation & Rainy River First Nations; Corn Soup, filmed in Fort Erie, Ontario; and The Last Fisherman, filmed in Fort Frances, Ontario on Rainy Lake.
The original Stories From the Land podcast series began in 2016 and is a collection of Indigenous stories over three seasons that features over 20 stories and storytellers.
Ryan McMahon, is an Anishinaabe creative that jokes, talks, yells and writes for a living. A critically acclaimed comedian, writer, and producer from Couchiching First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory, McMahon is also renowned for his podcast work. McMahon’s ‘Thunder Bay’ podcast, in partnership with Canadaland, was named in ‘Best of 2018’ lists by The Globe and Mail, CBC Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, New York Magazine, Vulture and The Atlantic.
Wanderer Entertainment Inc. is led by Wendell G. Collier, who acted as Series Producer for “Stories From the Land”. Wendell is an industry leader with over 15 years experience in the television and digital media landscape as a key-creative on projects for Discovery Canada, History Channel, CBC, Food Network, HGTV and more. His previous film “Sober House: A Sign of Change in Cree Nation” was featured at numerous festivals across North America and nominated for a Banff Rockie Award in 2020. Collier was born on the Southern Coast of Newfoundland in St. Alban’s (Bay d’Espoir), raised in Labrador & Northwestern Ontario, and is an off-reserve member of Miawapukek First Nation. He strives to create films that focus on current issues, cultural connections and have a positive impact on the representation of Indigenous people in media.
Stories From the Land was created with support from the Indigenous Screen Office/Netflix Indigenous Production Apprenticeship Program, the Canadian Media Fund, and CBC.
