Tag Archives: APTN

Season 3 of Working It Out Together debuts May 31 on APTN

From a media release:

Working It Out Together returns to APTN for Season 3 with inspirational stories of Indigenous men and women who are at the forefront of a movement for positive change. Starting May 31, the half-hour show airs every Tuesday on APTN East and APTN HD at 10:30 p.m. ET, and on APTN w at 10:30 p.m. MT, and starting June 4, every Saturday on APTN n at 12:00 p.m. CT. It’s a 13-part documentary series, hosted by Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller, that goes deep into the colonial roots of the profound disparities facing Indigenous communities today; while celebrating a new face of Indigenous Canada – bold, confident and healthy, moving forward with the strength of tradition, family and community.

For Indigenous People, “Mino Bimaadziwin” – the “good life” – is embedded in traditional ways. Colonization tried to destroy this holistic approach to health, but strong family bonds and connections to tradition helped Indigenous communities to survive. Working It Out Together features stories of dance and art as healing practices, the revival of harvesting traditional food, the role of supportive communities in overcoming trauma and more.

Through engaging personal stories, sharp analysis and insightful commentary from honoured knowledge keepers, Working It Out Together, Season 3 goes beyond individual blame for health problems to celebrate strength and resilience. Inuit teachers educating their way and Mohawk midwives bringing birth back home are among the dynamic stories that highlight the “decolonization” of Indigenous bodies, minds and nations taking place beyond the headlines.

The series is accompanied by a digital magazine that celebrates remarkable Indigenous voices and talent. Acclaimed artists, filmmakers, scholars, athletes, activists, knowledge keepers and, of course, Waneek Horn-Miller, all join this virtual talking circle, shining the spotlight on what’s real and what’s next. WIOT Magazine is political, artful, poignant and funny. It’s a space to watch films by notable directors Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Shane Belcourt; explore works by award-winning visual artists Kent Monkman and Duane Linklater; read the words of renowned trailblazers Joseph Boyden and Pamela Palmater; and listen to inspiring audio accounts of residential school survivors and director of The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Ry Moran. WIOT Magazine is reconciliation in action. Most importantly, it shows the varied nuances of Indigenous People in Canada, past and present. And that’s something to celebrate.

Contributors to both the website and the television show include: James Jones, an Edmonton dancer from A Tribe Called Red who hosts powwow fit classes across Canada; Cindy Blackstock, President of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, in Ottawa; Wayne Rabbitskin, a healer and counsellor who focuses on addictions and violence against women from Oujé-Bougoumou, QC; and Rene Meshake, an Anishinaabe Elder based in Guelph, whose art preserves the traditions of his Native culture.

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CBC acquires broadcast rights to Seasons 3-5 of Blackstone

From a media release:

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.

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.

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Link: Edmonton’s Delmer and Marta premiere their own comedy on APTN

From Fish Griwkowsky of the Edmonton Journal:

Edmonton’s Delmer and Marta premiere their own comedy on APTN
It’s wisely said indigenous people’s issues are everyone’s issues, especially when it comes to taking care of our planet.

OK, but what about struggling to buy a bra — can that be anyone’s problem, too? According to the brand-new sitcom Delmer & Marta, it sure can. Especially if you’re a hoser named Delmer, exploring the uncharted land of cup sizes and straps in a hot panic. The comedy about a small-town TV station, shot in and around Edmonton, premieres at 10 p.m. Wednesday on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN 119). Continue reading. 

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Link: Is TV Becoming A Drag?

From Jim Bawden:

Is TV Becoming A Drag?
Is it just me or has TV become a drag? No, I’m perfectly serious about this after sampling the new series Delmer & Marta.

I mean every week I’m watching Mrs. Brown’s Boys (starring Brendan O’Connor) on BBC Canada. And there’s Dame Edna from times back who keeps making farewell tours.

And now it’s APTN’s Delmer & Marta which premieres Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Continue reading. 

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Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Cynthia Knight and Tracey Deer

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Women Behind Canadian TV: Cynthia Knight and Tracey Deer
The importance of telling diverse stories about underrepresented communities is nothing new to the women behind APTN’s Mohawk Girls. Cynthia Knight and Tracey Deer are going into their fourth season on the comedy series that features four twenty-something Mohawk women trying to find their place in the world. Deer, who was named one of Playback Magazine’s rising stars in Canadian Entertainment in 2008, was born and raised in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal where the show is set, and the documentary filmmaker directs all of the show’s episodes. Knight is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s TV Writers’ Program and serves as principal writer and showrunner. Continue reading.

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