TORONTO, Jan. 4, 2017 /CNW/ - Starting this year, TVO celebrates Ontario's and Canada's 150th anniversary with educational content designed to engage Ontarians in a discussion about what it means to be an Ontarian and a Canadian. TVO's multiplatform celebration includes stories and themes related to the immigrant experience, Aboriginal roots, contemporary Canadian identity, and Ontario's contribution to Confederation and to the world. Throughout 2017, sesquicentennial content will be marked with a special TVO-designed tribute logo for Canada/Ontario150.
"TVO is uniquely positioned to engage Ontarians in a discussion about what it means to be Canadian," said Lisa de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer of TVO. "As the digital public space for Ontario-perspective in-depth current affairs and the province's partner for digital learning, TVO has a history of providing content that both informs and enlightens Ontarians on the big issues of the day. There is no better occasion than Canada's special anniversary for Ontarians to engage in a province-wide dialogue about the issues, perspectives, and stories that matter most to our national identity in the present, and in the next 150 years."
TVO's flagship Ontario-perspective in-depth current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, explores 150 years of Ontario and its Aboriginal peoples, Ontario's firsts over the last 150 years, and Ontario's contribution to Confederation. Adults can also enjoy related Canadian and Ontario-focused documentaries on-air, and online on tvo.org, including: The Lay of the Land, a documentary that attempts to understand the challenges of living in Nunavut following colonialism; My First 150 Days a film that premieres at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and chronicles a Filipino family's reunion through immigration to Canada; and Village of Dreams which explores Canadian identity through the microcosm of Toronto's culturally-diverse business community, "Little India."
TVO's groundbreaking documentaries provide intelligent, in-depth exploration of issues that affect us – they lead us to challenge our assumptions, answer our questions, and pose new ones. In support of documentary filmmaking, TVO also invites audiences to celebrate what Ontario means to them with the seventh edition of its Short Doc Contest. The contest challenges aspiring documentary filmmakers to create a documentary by interpreting this year's theme, 'Celebrate Ontario 150' with untold stories –inspired by a special place in the province, noteworthy Ontarians, Ontario innovations or Ontario values. All submissions will be screened by leaders in Ontario's documentary filmmaking community. This year's People's Choice Award will be selected by the voting public and the jury will pick the top three winners. All winning films will air on TVO. Contest details are available on tvo.org/shortdoc.
TVOKids will premiere content that helps children explore Canada's 150th through our geography, history, and cultural diversity. Young learners can enjoy programs like: Canada Crew, a series that teaches kids about the people, places, and locations across the nation; Raven's Quest which takes school-aged kids on a journey through Indigenous culture with stories told by Aboriginal children; and The Mystery Files a program that helps kids grasp Canada's past – from the roots of the Vikings to the origins of Lacrosse, Hockey, and Basketball. Kids can enjoy these series on-air, and online on tvokids.com, throughout the summer, as part of TVOKids' Summer of Canada.
TVO's Canada/Ontario150 programming includes:
Adult Content
The Lay of the Land
World Premiere Fall 2017
TVO Commission
Award-winning filmmaker Alan Zweig takes his singular, probing style to Nunavut for The Lay of the Land, an examination of the attitudes many Canadians hold towards First Nations. With Inuk heavy-metal rocker Lucie Idlout as his guide, Alan hopes to defeat his own skepticism and gain some insights into this complex and often misunderstood issue.
My First 150 Days
Bloor Hot Docs Screening Event
My First 150 Days, a film which chronicles a Filipino family's reunion through immigration to Canada, makes its world premiere at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 6:30 pm. The screening is followed by a panel discussion with the cast and crew and will be hosted by The Agenda in the Summer host, Nam Kiwanuka. Tickets for the event are $10 and will be available on hotdocscinema.ca.
My First 150 Days
Broadcast Premiere Spring 2017
TVO Commission
The first few months in a new country can be difficult when you're learning a new culture, language, and setting down roots in an unfamiliar place. When she left her rural village in the Philippines for Canada nearly a decade ago, Melona felt the growing pains of immigration. Now, she is sponsoring her 26-year old daughter, 24-year old son, 14-year old daughter and the grandson of her eldest daughter to come to Canada. My First 150 Days follows the family's first 150 days in Ontario together, capturing their emotional journey of starting fresh in a new land.
Village of Dreams
World Premiere Summer 2017
TVO Commission
Village of Dreams explores Canadian identity through the microcosm of the diverse Toronto business community known as Gerrard India Bazaar or "Little India." Established by South Asian immigrants over 40-years ago, Little India grew to be one of the largest South Asian marketplaces in North America. A vibrant and colourful community, the film explores how it has evolved over the years, with new waves of neighbours settling in and questions from second-generation children starting to surface. An accompanying website, villageofdreams.ca, features a series of short documentaries that dives into the issues and themes of the Gerrard India Bazaar.
The 150 Doc Project
World Premiere Fall 2017
TVO Commission
The 150 Doc Project follows a family of 28 Syrian refugees who are the first of their kin to step foot on Canadian soil, privately sponsored by an eccentric lesbian couple in Prince Edward County, Ontario. The project includes a half-hour short film which follows the three teenage brothers as they try to adjust to their new lives while the scars of war, interlaced with the universal teenage angst of puberty, sexuality, a sense of belonging and identity. A one-hour documentary focuses on the lives the women of the family and their relationship to the community, and a dedicated website features video clips highlighting the women, sponsors, and other members of the community, a family tree, and video diaries from the family.
RE: Main Street
World Premiere Spring 2017
TVO Commission
RE: Main Street visits big cities and small towns across Ontario gathering and recording stories from the country's various 'Main Streets'. Travelling across the country in a 'storymobile' – a portable audio recording studio inside a teardrop trailer – the filmmakers interview community leaders, business owners, and residents to see what makes each Ontario town unique, as well as common. A series of 10 short films, each episode features a new location mixing archival photos with animation and interviews to tell each town's story.
Latkes, Ladoos and Laughs
World Premiere Fall 2017
TVO Commission
Latkes, Ladoos and Laughs looks at contemporary Canadian culture and identity through the eyes of a group of edgy Canadian comedians from diverse cultural backgrounds. The comedians bring to light insights into their individual cultures, families, and identities, using comedy to entertain audiences and give voice to their personal struggles. The comedians traverse the boundaries of political correctness and boldly explore provocative issues like terrorism, racism, politics, and sexuality to examine the complicated world that we live in.
Family Camera
World Premiere Fall 2017
TVO Commission
The family photo is one of the most universal pieces of imagery in the world, and yet, until very recently, its value as a historical and anthropological reflection of society has been left unrecognized. Family Camera analyzes how the identity of family in Canada has been captured and influenced by evolving photo technology, historical events, and social milestones. Examining photography through the ages, Family Camera looks at some of the first photos taken in Southern Ontario in the 1840s to today's Instagram images. On a companion website, users can view photos of Canada throughout the decades, learning about the technology behind them and sharing them on social media.
The Agenda with Steve Paikin
Monday to Friday 8 pm and 11 pm
Episodes starting in April 2017
TVO's flagship current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, will turn its unique in-depth Ontario-perspective to Ontario's anniversary, with episodes covering themes including: 'What did Ontario bring to Confederation?', '150 years of Ontario and its Aboriginal peoples', and 'Ontario firsts over 150 years'.
Kids' Content
Canada Crew
World Premiere Summer 2017
TVOKids Commission
Three puppet characters: a moose named Mo, a beaver named Bebe, and a goose named Gavin, take preschool audiences on a playful cross-country tour. The three introduce kids to the iconic people, cultures and geography, and sports and festivals which are unique to Canada. Kids can get hands-on with an accompanying website, using an interactive map of Canada to see where mountains, rivers, and major cities are located.
Raven's Quest
World Premiere Fall 2017
TVOKids Commission
Raven's Quest features first-person stories told by Indigenous children across the country. Geared towards school-aged kids, the series travels to the lush landscape of British Columbia to visit a Haida girl who demonstrates how to make a mini totem pole. In Nunavik, an Inuit boy explains the importance of the Inukshuk, and back in Eastern Canada a Mohawk boy on the Akwesasne reserve shares the origins of his favourite sport, Lacrosse. Kids can learn more about Aboriginal culture with an online game that takes them on a quest, unlocking and collecting precious treasures along the way.
The Mystery Files
Season 2 premieres Summer 2017
TVOKids Commission
The Mystery Files encourages kids in Grades 2-4 to delve into big ideas to find out why the world exists like it does. In Season 2, Kyla and E.B. dive into Canadian history, learning about the Vikings – the first Europeans to visit Canada – past incidents including, The Residential School System and the Komagata Maru, and the local roots of Lacrosse, Hockey and Basketball. An online game, Mystery Files HQ, allows players to act as agents along with E.B. and Kyla, and look for clues to solve mysteries about Canadian history.
Kid Diner
World Premiere Summer 2017
TVOKids Commission
Geared towards school-aged kids, hosts Aynalem and Xander cook with chefs in eateries across the country, from fine dining to street vendors, demonstrating different cooking styles, ingredients, and what it takes to create an amazing meal. Kids can learn more about where local food is grown, caught, and raised, as well as its nutritional value, on a complementary website.
Giver 150
World Premiere Summer 2017
TVOKids Commission
Encouraging children to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the community, Giver returns for a fourth season to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday. Designed for school-aged learners, Giver 150 brings kids together from across the country to build playgrounds, including the biggest park in the nation's capital, and learn about Canadian history along the way. In an online scavenger hunt game, kids can unlock each province in a map of the country, learning about Canadian culture and unique elements from each province and territory.
About TVO
As the technological extension of Ontario's public education system, TVO's vision is to create a better world through the power of learning. TVO provides learning opportunities for Ontarians through innovative educational products, in-depth current affairs, groundbreaking documentaries, and award-winning TVOKids resources both inside and outside the classroom. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and is a registered charity supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.
Where to find TVO
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SOURCE TVO
Media contact: Nicole Morrison, Public Relations Specialist, 416.484.2600 x2281, [email protected]
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