Saturday, January 30, 2021

Psychological horror, witches, slow-burn sci-fi, vampire Nic Cage, & more coming to Shudder (and Shudder Canada) in February 2021.

Editor's Note: This article uses content from multiple sources and blog posts... the Editor of @StreamOnABudget takes no credit for this post, all credit goes to the author(s) of the post at the sources following this article. 

FEBRUARY 2021 U.S. HIGHLIGHTS
titles also available on Shudder Canada, UK and ANZ as noted



NEW SHUDDER ORIGINAL/EXCLUSIVE MOVIES

A NIGHTMARE WAKES — premieres February 4
While composing her famous novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley descends into an opium-fueled fever dream while carrying on a torrid love affair with Percy Shelley. As she writes, the characters of her novel come to life and begin to plague her relationship with Percy. Before long, she must choose between true love and her literary masterpiece.

An unsettlingly intimate portrayal of a brilliant artist at her most troubled, A NIGHTMARE WAKES traces the tortured birth of a timeless masterwork and the rightful ascension of its creator to stand alongside her creation.

Starring Alix Wilton Regan (The Wife), Giullian Yao Gioiello (Scream: The TV Series, Marvel’s Iron Fist), Philippe Bowgen (The Mick), as well as Lee Garrett, Claire Glassford, and Shannon Spangler. Written and directed by Nora Unkel. A Shudder Original (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ) Trailer: https://youtu.be/RV8B0egYHAE

AFTER MIDNIGHT — premieres February 11
Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival
Ten years into his small-town, storybook romance with Abby (Brea Grant, Lucky), Hank (Jeremy Gardner, The Battery) suddenly wakes up to an empty home. With nothing but a cryptic note to explain why she left, Hank’s charmed life begins to fall apart. To make matters worse, Abby’s disappearance seems to trigger the arrival of a ferocious creature that crawls out of the old grove on the edge of his property. Directed by Jeremy Gardner (The Battery) and Christian Stella (Tex Montana Will Survive). A Shudder Exclusive. (US only.) Trailer: https://youtu.be/YHX96WSOsGU

SHOOK — premieres February 18
When Mia, a social media star, becomes the target of an online terror campaign, she has to solve a series of tests to prevent people she cares about from getting murdered. But is it real? Or is it just a game at her expense? Starring Daisye Tutor (Guest House), Emily Goss (Snapshots), Nicola Posener (The Bold and the Beautiful), Octavius J. Johnson (Sleepless), Stephanie Simbari (Here and Now) and Grant Rosenmeyer (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). Directed by Jennifer Harrington (Housekeeping). A Shudder Original. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

THE DARK AND THE WICKED — premieres February 25
Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival
On a secluded farm, a man is bedridden and fighting through his final breaths while his wife (Julie Oliver-Touchstone,Preacher) slowly succumbs to overwhelming grief. Siblings Louise (Marin Ireland, Hell or High Water) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr., The Death of Dick Long) return home to help, but it doesn’t take long for them to see that something’s wrong with mom—something more than her heavy sorrow. Gradually, they begin to suffer a darkness similar to their mother’s, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that an evil entity is taking over their family. Directed by Bryan Bertino (The Strangers). A Shudder Exclusive. (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ) Trailer: https://youtu.be/kcntHs-HUzQ

NEW SERIES / NEW SEASONS

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES Season 2 —New episodes every Saturday
Matthew (Emmy-nominated Matthew Goode, Downton Abbey) and Diana (Teresa Palmer, Hacksaw Ridge) have hidden in time in the fascinating and treacherous world of Elizabethan London where they must find a powerful witch to help Diana master her magic and search for the elusive Book of Life. In the present day however, their enemies have not forgotten them. Returning for Season 2: Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), Valarie Pettiford (Half & Half), Lindsay Duncan (The Honourable Woman), Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve), Aiysha Hart (Line of Duty), Daniel Ezra (All American) Aisling Loftus (War & Peace), Trevor Eve (Waking the Dead), Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Malin Buska (The Girl King), and Gregg Chillin (Da Vinci’s Demons). A SUNDANCE NOW/SHUDDER ORIGINAL SERIES. (Also available on Shudder Canada) Trailer: https://youtu.be/_3yMVR1LUfc

NEW SHUDDER SPECIALS

JOE BOB PUT A SPELL ON YOU — Friday, February 12 at 9pm ET
Love is in the air for the first-ever Last Drive-In Valentine’s Day special! Joe Bob Briggs hosts a double feature of two unusual films about the power (and horror) of love. Dim the lights, pour a glass of bubbly—Dom Perignon or Lone Star, your choice—and join us on the Shudder TV feed for the live premiere Friday, February 12, or watch on demand beginning Sunday, February 14.

ALL NEW TITLES FOR FEBRUARY

February 1
AUDREY ROSE (Director: Robert Wise)
In this haunting, psychological horror directed by a true master of the genre, a happily married couple find their lives thrown into frightening disruption when a stranger appears at their door claiming that their adopted 12-year-old daughter contains the reincarnated spirit of his little girl. Starring Marsha Mason, Anthony Hopkins, John Beck, Susan Swift. (Also available on Shudder Canada)

Infographic for what's coming to Shudder in Canada.

THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC (1981) (Director: Liliek Sudjio)
A woman is accused of being a witch and thrown to her death over a cliff. A strange man rescues
her, nurses her back to health, and tells her that she must master black magic in order to exact
vengeance on her tormentors. Starring Suzzana, Alan Nuari, Siska Widawati, WD Mochtar (Also available on Shudder Canada, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

Note: This 1981 Indonesian horror classic was the inspiration for Kimo Stamboel’s The Queen of Black Magic, a Shudder Original premiering January 28.

VAMPIRE’S KISS (Director: Robert Bierman)
After a night of passionate lovemaking in which he is bitten on the neck, a troubled literary editor becomes convinced that he is a vampire and begins to live the role. Audiences in 1989 may not have been ready for Nicolas Cage’s unleashed, expressionistic performance (some in 2021 aren’t either), but the film has become an essential watch among Cage connoisseurs. Starring Nicolas Cage, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jennifer Beals, Kasi Lemmons (Also available on Shudder Canada)

February 2
HEAD COUNT (Director: Elle Callahan)
Newcomer Evan joins a group of teens on a getaway in Joshua Tree. While exchanging ghost stories around the campfire, Evan reads aloud a mysterious chant from an internet site. From that moment, someone—or something—is among them. As unsettling, inexplicable events become more frequent, Evan realizes this summoned shape-shifting creature is targeting them to fulfill a deadly ritual. Starring Isaac W. Jay, Ashleigh Morghan, Bevin Bru, Billy Meade, Hunter Peterson, Chelcie May (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

February 4
A NIGHTMARE WAKES (see above for details)

February 6
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES episode 205 (see above for details)

February 8
NIGHT TIDE (Director: Curtis Harrington)
In this eerie ‘60s thriller from the director of Queen of Blood, Johnny begins dating a woman who thinks she may be a mermaid. Encounters with a witchy woman and the fact that her exes both drowned slowly convince Johnny that staying with her may be dangerous. Fans of mysterious, mid-century horror like Cat People, The Seventh Victim and Carnival of Soulsshouldn’t miss this uniquely moving fright flick, which drew on underground filmmaking styles to create an experience decades ahead of its time. Starring Dennis Hopper, Linda Lawson, Gavin Muir (Also available on Shudder Canada)

THE “WHISPERING CORRIDORS” TRILOGY

A new teacher’s arrival initiates a gruesome series of events at a private school in this acclaimed series of hit horror films based on high school urban legends in South Korea.

WHISPERING CORRIDORS (Director: Ki Hyeong Park)
In this dread-filled debut, a former student returns as a teacher. When she strikes up a new friendship with two students, the bodies begin piling up and ghosts haunt the hallways. Starring Choi Kang-hee, Kim Gyu-ri, Kim Roe-ha (Also available on Shudder Canada)

MEMENTO MORI (Director: Kim Tae Young)
Young student Soh Min-ah finds a diary kept by two senior students, a lesbian couple ostracized for their relationship. When one of the students kills herself, the diary causes Soh Min-ah to experience strange visions and supernatural occurrences as the guilty parties get their comeuppance. Starring Kim Gyu-ri, Park Yeh-jin, Lee Yeong-jin (Also available on Shudder Canada)

WISHING STAIRS (Director: Jae Yeon Yoon)
When best friends Jin-sung and So-hee are driven apart by a ballet competition, Jin-sung visits a magic staircase which grants wishes to those who step on it and asks to win the contest. But when her wish leads to So-hee’s death, Jin-sung returns to the stairs to try to undo her deadly deeds. (In Korean with English Subtitles). Starring Song Ji-hyo, Park Han-byeol (Also available on Shudder Canada)

February 9
CARMILLA (Director: Emily Harris)
Isolated from the outside world, fifteen-year-old Lara lives in seclusion on a vast country estate with her father and strict governess, Miss Fontaine. When a mysterious carriage crash brings a young girl into their home to recuperate, Lara immediately becomes enchanted by this strange visitor who arouses her curiosity and awakens her burgeoning desires. Inspired by the 1872 Gothic vampire novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Starring Tobias Menzies, Jessica Raine, Greg Wise, Hannah Rae, Devrim Lingnau (Also available on Shudder Canada)

THE STRANGE COLOR OF YOUR BODY’S TEARS (Directors: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani)
This visually stunning Belgian giallo homage follows a man who returns home from a trip, only to find his wife missing. Seeking answers, Dan visits his nasty neighbors who draw him into a surreal mystery that gets stranger and stranger. Is there a conspiracy at work? How many secret passages does the building have? And where is Dan’s wife? Starring Klaus Tange, Ursula Bedena, Joe Koener (Also available on Shudder Canada)

February 11
AFTER MIDNIGHT (see above for details)

February 12
JOE BOB PUT A SPELL ON YOU (see above for details)

February 13
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES episode 206 (see above for details)

February 15
BASKET CASE (Director: Frank Henenlotter)
Siamese twins, separated at an early age, avenge their separation by killing the doctors responsible. Starring Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner (Also available on Shudder Canada)

THE NINTH CONFIGURATION (Director: William Peter Blatty)
A troubled psychiatrist takes command of a military asylum filled with insane soldiers in this creepy only-in-the-’70s oddity written and directed by the writer of The Exorcist. When Kane arrives at an army castle to cure the inhabitants, he bonds with an astronaut who snapped before a mission. But as the two men examine their demons, it becomes clear Kane may be more in need of help than his patients. Blatty’s unsettling mix of psychological horror and Altman-meets-Joseph Heller-esque comedy has fascinated die-hard cult cinema fans since its release in 1980. Starring Stacey Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders (Also available on Shudder Canada)

OUTCAST (Director: Colm McCarthy)
Mary harbors a dark history but must confront her past when a hunter with magical powers is assigned to capture her and kill her son. As the terrifying cat-and-mouse game continues, a deadly fear takes hold as locals begin to die at the hands of an unknown creature. Combining dark arts with street-level realism, Outcast is an underseen UK chiller from the director of The Girl with All the Gifts. Starring James Nesbitt, Kate Dickie, James Cosmo, Niall Bruton (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

February 18
SHOOK (see above for details)

February 20
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES episode 207 (see above for details)

February 22
ONE MISSED CALL (Director: Takashi Miike)
Student Yoko receives a phone message from her future self, ending with her own death scream. Two days later, she dies in a horrific accident. As the mysterious phone curse spreads, claiming more young lives, Yoko’s friend Yumi joins forces with detective Hiroshi, whose sister met the same gruesome fate. But can they unravel the mystery before the clock runs out on the next victim–Yumi herself? Starring Ko Shibasaki, Shin’ichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiish (Also available on Shudder Canada, and Shudder UK)

OPEN 24 HOURS (Director: Padraig Reynolds)
A delusional woman who set her brutal serial killer boyfriend on fire has just been released from a mental hospital. Her vulnerable demeanor helps her get a job at an all-night gas station. However, left alone to her own devices, her paranoia and hallucinations return with furious consequences. Starring Vanessa Grasse, Brendan Fletcher, Emily Tennant (Also available on Shudder Canada)

PSYCHOMANIA (Director: Don Sharp)
In this beloved ‘70s mind-blower, a motorcycle gang burst from their graves to crush a world of psychedelic hippie pleasures under the wheels of black leather occult mayhem. Starring George Sanders, Beryl Reid, Nicky Henson (Also available on Shudder Canada)

February 25
THE DARK AND THE WICKED (see above for details)

February 27
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES episode 208 (see above for details)

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Sources used for this article:
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Watch Shudder TV's free linear streams online here: https://www.shudder.com/shudder-tv

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Shudder is available on a wide range of devices, including Amazon FireTVAmazon Firestick Lite, and more. Canadian shoppers looking for the latest generation of Amazon Fire TV Edition TVs and devices, buy one today on Amazon.ca and help support @StreamOnABudget.

Shudder is available on Roku in Canada (Search 'Shudder' on your Roku TV or Roku device). 
Visit the official website help page for downloads and more info about compatible devices.

Canadian shoppers looking for the latest generation of Roku TVs and devices, buy one today on Amazon.ca and help support @StreamOnABudget.


Thursday, January 28, 2021

Affordable Deals and Specials on Streaming Devices On Sale Now on Amazon.ca

Looking for a new streaming device? Check out these great deals on now on Amazon.ca!



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  • Advanced wireless receiver for 4X the range
  • Voice remote with TV power & volume
  • 150,000 plus movies and TV episodes
  • Power input: 5V – 1A. Power consumption is <3W (typical) when streaming 4K UHD video


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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

DistroTV Emerges as Largest, Independent Streaming Service in the Streaming Market in Canada, UK and the US.

The Independent Streaming Network is Now Home to 150+ Channels

NEWS RELEASE BY DISTROTV



San Bruno, CA | January 27, 2021 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

DistroTV, the independent, free streaming network for globally-minded audiences, today announced that it is now home to more than 150 live streaming channels. This marks the network’s emergence as the largest, independent, free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platform on the market. DistroTV operates under parent company DistroScale and caters its growing, multicultural content lineup to a diverse line up of passionate viewers in the US, Canada, and the UK.

“We are proud to emerge as the largest, independent provider of free, ad-supported streaming content to our growing and diverse viewer audience,” said Navdeep Saini, founder and CEO of DistroScale, parent company to DistroTV. “As an emerging FAST network and one of the few remaining independent streaming services, our mission remains to cultivate content that covers a broad spectrum of diverse topics that will spark our viewers’ unique passions and interests.”

DistroTV is a natural extension to DistroScale’s long-standing expertise in video platforms and advertising. DistroTV provides today’s brands an opportunity to build a direct-to-consumer relationship with DistroScale and its network partners. Since its launch in 2019, DistroTV has seen rapid growth concerning its breadth of content and global audience figures. In the last six months, viewership quadrupled and total watch time multiplied eight times over. The streaming platform focuses on building a robust network that delivers news, entertainment, music, sports, and lifestyle programming to audiences globally.

DistroTV has built a strong programming lineup of popular film and television channels, including Reelz, Law&Crime, Qello Concerts by Stingray, Magellan TV, People TV, and TD Ameritrade, among others. Additional independent channels include some of the following: Kweli TV, which spotlights the rich history and global diversity of the Black community; Canela TV, featuring Spanish programming; Latido Music, the leading channel for Latin music; BritAsia Live for British Asians around the globe; Filmeraa, short-form movies and television in Indian and Korean; Venus TV, which features popular Bollywood movies, culture, and more.

“Over the past decade, Brit Asia TV has become the leading voice for British Asians in the U.K. but we know that there is a high demand for our programming outside of the country,” said Tony Shergill, CEO, Brit Asia TV. “With DistroTV, we’re reaching a wider audience in the U.S. and Canada and creating excitement for our programming with new audiences, which is an important part of our growth strategy.”

“Music is universal and something that people are turning to for enjoyment and escape, especially during these times” said Mathieu Péloquin, Senior Vice-President Marketing and Communications of Stingray. “DistroTV is a part of our strategy to build a network of partners to live stream or offer our programming on demand ensuring that we’re growing and reaching new audiences.”

To become a viewer, visit https://www.distro.tv or install DistroTV on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS or Android.

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About DistroTV 
DistroTV is the largest, independent, free, ad-supported streaming television service on the market. Launched in 2019 by parent company DistroScale, the platform caters to a multicultural, rapidly expanding, globally-minded audience of passionate viewers in the US, Canada, and UK. Satisfying the growing demand for premium video content in multiple languages, DistroTV delivers premium video content from producers globally across North America, the UK, Bollywood, Latin America, China, Southeast Asia, and growing. With more than 150 channels plus thousands of Video on Demand (VOD) shows, DistroTV cultivates content that covers a broad spectrum of topics to connect with people’s passion points around Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports, News, Documentaries and International Content in live, linear and video-on-demand formats. DistroTV is available on the web, as well as through Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and iOS and Android devices. 

About DistroScale 
DistroTV is the first direct-to-consumer offering from DistroScale, a technology company founded in 2013 and known for providing a global clientele of thousands of media properties with the industry’s most comprehensive video platform for web, apps, and streaming. DistroScale is an all-in-one solution providing infrastructure, content delivery, curation, analytics and a full suite of monetization options. Video enabled by DistroScale reaches more than 250 million visitors per month. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. To become a DistroTV viewer, visit www.distro.tv. More information on DistroScale & DistroTV is available at www.distroscale.com.

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Contact Details
Kite Hill PR
Mackenzie Gavel
+1 631-739-5716
mackenzie@kitehillpr.com

Company Website
https://www.distro.tv

###

DistroTV is available on a wide range of devices, including Amazon FireTVAmazon Firestick Lite, and more. Canadian shoppers looking for the latest generation of Amazon Fire TV Edition TVs and devices, buy one today on Amazon.ca and help support @StreamOnABudget.

Distro TV is available on Roku (Search 'Distro TV' on your Roku TV or Roku device). 
Visit the official website help page for more info about compatible devices.

Canadian shoppers looking for the latest generation of Roku TVs and devices, buy one today on Amazon.ca and help support @StreamOnABudget.


Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Cinedigm Channels Featured in the Launch of TCL’s North American Linear Service

Los Angeles, CA (January 26, 2021) -- Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) today announced that it has partnered with TCL, one of the world’s best-selling electronics brands, to include all of its streaming channels in TCL’s launch of a linear service on select TVs in North America. The service is scheduled to launch on February 10, 2021.

Since being introduced in North America in 2014, TCL is now the second largest TV brand in the United States. That success is largely due to their innovation, vertical integration and strong relationships with OS and content partners. 



The Cinedigm channels included in this launch will be: 
  • BAMBU - The best in Chinese cinema and TV.
  • Bloody Disgusting - The #1 horror destination featuring an assortment of celebrated cult favorites, original series, and exclusive content.
  • The Bob Ross Channel – Official channel dedicated to the work of iconic painter Bob Ross.
  • Comedy Dynamics - The tastemaker for comedy featuring standup performances by Jim Gaffigan, Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, Marc Maron and many more.
  • CONtv - The destination for cult and retro film and TV series.
  • CONtv Anime - 24x7 anime.
  • Docurama - Award-winning true-life documentaries, films and TV series. An eclectic mix of thought-provoking entertainment.
  • Dove Channel - Family movies and iconic TV series including Heartland, Andy Griffith Show, and The Lucy Show.
  • MyTime Movie Network - Dedicated to the movies we love- heartstopping thrillers, date night romcoms, heartwarming holiday favorites, and original programming.
  • So…Real - British and Australian lifestyle and reality TV series, including ‘Gordon Behind Bars’ and ‘Only Way is Essex,’ from All3 Media
  • Whistle TV - Sports and lifestyle entertainment for today’s fan.
“It is strategically important for us to partner with all major television manufacturers as we pave the way for our channels to be as widely available as possible," said Tony Huidor, Cinedigm’s General Manager of Digital Networks. “As one of the largest manufacturers of televisions in the US by market share, we are pleased to be part of TCL’s new streaming service which will bring our channels to a whole new base of television viewers.”

### 

About Cinedigm

For more than twenty years, Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe by providing premium content, streaming channels and technology services to the world’s largest media, technology and retail companies.

Cinedigm uses, and will continue to use, its website, press releases, SEC filings, and various social media channels, including Twitter (https://twitter.com/cinedigm), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/cinedigm/), Facebook (https://facebook.com/Cinedigm), StockTwits (https://stocktwits.com/CinedigmCorp) and the Company website (www.cinedigm.com) as additional means of disclosing public information to investors, the media and others interested in the Company. It is possible that certain information that the Company posts on its website, disseminated in press releases, SEC filings, and on social media could be deemed to be material information, and the Company encourages investors, the media and others interested in the Company to review the business and financial information that the Company posts on its website, disseminates in press releases, SEC filings and on the social media channels identified above, as such information could be deemed to be material information. For more information, visit http://www.cinedigm.com.

Monday, January 25, 2021

New to CBC Gem in February 2021

A collection inspired by BLACK HISTORY MONTH launches February 1, including the critically acclaimed sketch comedy SHERMAN’S SHOWCASE (Feb. 1), HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE (Feb. 1), HIP HOP: SONGS THAT SHOOK AMERICA (Feb. 1), and the exclusive Canadian premiere of the critically acclaimed BBC film ANTHONY (Feb. 5)


Anthology series 21 BLACK FUTURES from CBC Arts and Obsidian Theatre launches in three parts (Feb. 12, Feb. 19 and Feb. 26), featuring 21 monodramas from 21 multigenerational Black playwrights across the country, directed by 21 Black directors and performed by 21 Black actors


New international dramas include the exclusive Canadian premiere of acclaimed historical drama BELGRAVIA (Feb. 14) and Season 3 of the beloved British series CALL THE MIDWIFE (Feb. 5)


 Canadian films new to CBC Gem this month include OLD STONE (Feb. 19), 2018 Berlin International Film Festival Nominee for ‘Best Debut Film’ LEMONADE (Feb. 19) and 2012 TIFF Co-Winner of the ‘Best Canadian First Feature’ BLACKBIRD (Feb. 26)


CBC’s winter 2021 slate of original programming, including more than 20 new and returning Canadian series reflecting a diverse range of storytelling and perspectives, is streaming now on CBC Gem





BLACK HISTORY MONTH COLLECTION
Begins streaming Monday, February 1


HIP HOP: THE SONGS THAT SHOOK AMERICA (Documentary, Music, 6X60, Jigsaw, USA)

Begins streaming Monday, February 1


From executive producers Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, Shawn Gee and Alex Gibney, each episode of this new documentary series focuses on a groundbreaking song pivotal to the evolution of American music and culture.


“The show is frequently terrific, and it works best when it’s diving headlong into the granular details of a song’s origins and compositional history”

Jack Hamilton, Slate


“They approach their topic with the wisdom of musicologists, the storytelling prowess of raconteurs, and the intensity of true nerds” Troy Patterson, The New Yorker

SHERMAN’S SHOWCASE (Comedy, 8x30, Radical Media, USA)

Begins streaming Monday, February 1

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


This groundbreaking, wickedly funny mockumentary series travels through time via music and clips drawn from the 40-year library of a legendary (fictional) music and variety show. Cameos include John Legend, Tiffany Haddish, Mary J Blige and more.


“Sherman’s Showcase is above all – and most importantly – just plain funny” 

Tambay Obenson, IndieWire


“A pure jolt of stylized nostalgia, from its affectionate sendups of soul, R&B

and hip-hop to its candy-colored sets with their abstract cutouts, traversed by roller-skating dancers”Mike Hale, The New York Times


HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE (Documentary, 1x112, directed by Yoruba Richen, Executive produced by 15-Time Grammy Winner Alicia Keys and produced by Yap Films, Canada & USA)

Begins streaming Monday, February 1


HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE tells the inspiring story of how six iconic African American female entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll,

Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier – challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes, and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.


GIANTS OF AFRICA (Documentary, 1x80, directed by Hubert Davis, Canada)

Begins streaming Monday, February 1


A behind-the-scenes look at a basketball youth program set up in Africa by the General

Manager of the NBA's Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri.


“The low-key style and the simplicity of its storytelling make the film all the more powerful”Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star


“Inspiring”Pat Mullen, POV Magazine


ANTHONY (Made-for-Television Film, Drama, 1x90, directed by Terry McDonough, UK)

Begins streaming Friday, February 5

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


In July 2005, Anthony Walker was murdered by two white racists in an unprovoked attack in Liverpool. He was just 18 years old. ANTHONY tells the story of how this talented young Black man’s life may have turned out.


5/5 “Beautiful, harrowing”; “Every scene of happiness hollows out your heart a little more - it is an incredibly evocative replication of the grief bereavement brings”

Lucy Mangan, The Guardian


4/5 “Powerful stuff and unlike anything I've seen before”

Ben Dowell, The Times (UK)


NANCY’S PRO TIPS (4x10, directed by Aïcha Diop, 2021)

Begins streaming Friday, February 19


Once a month Nancy Falaise closes the doors to her Montreal salon to lead a workshop for young Black girls eager to learn how to care for their natural hair. Falaise was featured in Nancy’s Workshop from CBC Short Docs, and this new four-part series shares haircare tips from her workshops that didn’t make the final cut.  


21 BLACK FUTURES PART 1-3 (CBC Arts and Obsidian Theatre Anthology Series) 

Begins streaming Friday, February 12, 19 & 26


21 BLACK FUTURES is an anthology of 21 filmed monodramas, commissioned from 21 multigenerational Black playwrights across the country, directed by 21 Black directors and performed by 21 Black actors. Aligned with Black History Month and Obsidian Theatre’s 21st anniversary, each episode of 21 Black Futures will respond to the question, “What is the future of Blackness?”. 



INTERNATIONAL DRAMAS


BELGRAVIA Season 1 (6x60, Carnival Film & Television Limited, UK)

Begins streaming Sunday, February 14; also broadcasting  on CBC TV beginning February 14

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


When a long-buried secret is unearthed it threatens the reputation and inheritance of many, sending shockwaves through the sophisticated society of London’s Belgravia. Pride and loyalty will be tested, as lives hang in the balance. Named in The New York Times’ Best TV Shows of 2020 list.


Highlighted in Vanity Fair’s Five New Juicy Costume Dramas to Add Glamour to Your Quarantine


“Belgravia is an entertainment, first and foremost – and a cracking good one at that – but it also serves as a biting critique of the unearned shame spurred by prejudice that severs our connection from those we love”Matt Fagerholm, RogerEbert.com


CALL THE MIDWIFE Season 3 (8x60, Neal Street Productions, UK)

Begins streaming Friday, February 5


The plot follows newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee, as well as the work of midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent and part of an Anglican religious order, coping with the medical problems in the deprived Poplar district of London's desperately poor East End in the 1950s.


“Family-friendly, heartwarming and gently humorous” Morwenna Ferrier, The Telegraph


“A bittersweet story of matriarchal community life, full of colourful characters, convincing period detail and warm humour” –The Daily Telegraph


“Call the Midwife has got ‘hit’ written all over it”Mirror



 LIFESTYLE


RACHEL KHOO: MY SWEDISH KITCHEN Season 1 (8x30, Splay One, UK)

Begins streaming Friday, February 5

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


Follow Rachel Khoo as she travels throughout Sweden to explore the nature-led lifestyle that has influenced food culture before returning to her countryside cabin to cook her own versions of classic Swedish meals.


GRAND DESIGNS: NEW ZEALAND Season 2 (8x60, Imagination Television, Fremantle Australia)

Begins streaming Friday, February 26

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


GRAND DESIGNS features striking architecture, brilliant personal documentary, outstanding design and engaging stories, as celebrated architect, designer, urbanist and philosopher Chris Moller meets the brave Kiwis building their own extraordinary homes all over the country, following them from start to finish.



CANADIAN FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES 


SWEET DADDY SIKI (1x73, directed by Harvey Glazer, Canada)

Begins streaming Friday, February 5


Reginald "Sweet Daddy" Siki is a professional wrestling icon, successful country music singer, and household name. This is his story, told by wrestling icons, celebrities, fascinating historians, family, friends, and the legend himself.


MET WHILE INCARCERATED (1x78, directed by Catherine Legge, Canada)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12


The provocative and touching love story of three successful, strong, intelligent women who've shocked themselves and their loved ones by falling for a man who is in prison for a violent crime.


FINDING SALLY (1x78, directed by Tamara Mariam Dawit, Canada)

Begins streaming Friday, February 19


A personal investigation into the mysterious life of the director’s aunt Sally, an Ethiopian aristocrat-turned-communist-rebel who disappeared during the Ethiopian Revolution.



LOVE IS COMPLICATED COLLECTION


ANOTHER KIND OF WEDDING (Comedy, Romance, 1x86, directed by Pat Kiely)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12


Matthew and Louisa are about to celebrate the biggest day of their lives, but their wedding becomes the perfect venue for their dysfunctional families to confront what tore them apart in the first place: Louisa is marrying her brother's ex-girlfriend while separated parents are brought together in the same place at the same time, meaning fireworks are bound to go off.


LOVESICK (Documentary, 1x52, directed by Ann S. Kim and Priya Giri Desai, USA & India)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12


Dr. Suniti Solomon discovered the first case of HIV in India, in 1986. Since then, she has fought to destigmatize the illness and to give her patients dignity and hope. She is a matchmaker who uses science to bring couples together.


“Solomon and her team play Cupid, working to bridge the gaps

between social norms and unspeakable taboos”Anisha Jhaveri, NBC News


LOVE ME AS I AM (Documentary, 1x52, Southern Pictures Pty Ltd, Australia)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12

*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*


Relationship counselor Liz Dore works with neurologically diverse young people and people with developmental disabilities as they navigate the world of dating.


“Throughout it all though, Dore holds the group together, and, like the filmmakers, treads lightly and with humour and grace”; “[this is] a slice of lives to which we might not otherwise be privy” – Kylie Northover, The Sydney Morning Herald



CANADIAN SHORT DOCUMENTARIES 


UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE (1x20, directed by Tiffany Hsiung, Toronto, ON)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12


With his industry on lockdown and no end in sight, Toronto chef Luke Donato tries to keep his culinary passion alive during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if it means teaching a group of misfits online.


SAKHI-PITIYAHTE (BRIGHT LIGHT COMES FORTH FROM IT) (1x20, directed by Carr Sappier, Tobique First Nation, NB)

Begins streaming Friday, February 12


Inspired by the landscapes of the Wolastoqey community of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), the film captures the importance of nature, culture, and storytelling during the COVID-19 pandemic.



CANADIAN FEATURE FILMS 


LEMONADE (Drama, 1x88, directed by Ioana Uricaru)

Begins streaming Friday, February 19


Mara, a young Romanian woman, moves to the U.S. with her nine-year-old son to marry an American she has met only a few months ago. The film follows her through a series of revealing encounters during one day, from her problems of babysitting, her unplanned and uncomfortable meeting with a U.S. immigration official, to dealing with the police about her son she had to leave in a motel room, and the bank issue for a loan with her husband.


“An engaging and harrowingly topical drama” Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter


OLD STONE (Drama, Thriller, 1x80, directed by Johnny Ma)

Begins streaming Friday, February 19

Lao Shi fights for justice after a drunk passenger grabs the steering wheel, causing an accident that put a person into a coma. Because the victim's family is destitute, Lao Shi pays the hospital bills and the insurance company refuses to cover the costs because of a technicality. Now Lao Shi needs the testimony of his passenger, who angrily refuses to cooperate. On his quest to find who's responsible for his plight, Lao Shi ends up becoming a perpetrator himself.


“Chinese-Canadian helmer-scribe Johnny Ma makes a remarkably mature debut” Maggie Lee, Variety


BLACKBIRD (Drama, 1x103, directed by Jason Buxton)

Begins streaming Friday, February 26


The film stars Connor Jessup as a socially isolated and bullied goth teenager who befriends his "puck bunny" classmate (Alexia Fast), but is falsely accused of plotting a school shooting after he makes a threat against her boyfriend in an online chat session.  The film garnered two nominations at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards, for Best Original Screenplay (Buxton) and Best Editing (Kimberlee McTaggart). The film was also a co-winner for the Best Canadian First Feature Film award at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.


The Toronto Star noted “Connor Jessup’s finely modulated performance”



THE BEST OF CBC:


Past and current seasons of CBC series including BURDEN OF TRUTH THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW, FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, HEARTLAND, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, STILL STANDING, TALLBOYZ, KIM’S CONVENIENCE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, and SCHITT’S CREEK; and classic CBC hits like THE KIDS IN THE HALL and BEING ERICA.


COMING IN MARCH:

  • BAD BANKS SEASON 1

  • LADHOOD SEASON 1

  • STORIES FROM THE LAND (SHORT SERIES)


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CBC Gem is Canada’s streaming service, offering more than 5000 hours of live and on-demand Canadian programming and a curated selection of acclaimed, best-in-class content from around the world, including more than 750 documentaries, 400 hours of ad-free content for kids and tweens, and a collection of over 120 Canadian feature films. CBC Gem is available free as an app for iOS and Android devices and online at cbcgem.ca, and on TV screens via Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. 

 

For screening links or more information about any of the following titles, please contact Gareth Bush (gareth.bush@cbc.ca). Note: This schedule is subject to change.


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CBC TV is now available on Roku in Canada (Search 'CBC TV' on your Roku TV or Roku device). CBC Gem is available on a wide range of devices, including Amazon FireTVAmazon Firestick Lite, and more. Visit the official website help page for more info about compatible devices.

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