Absolutely Canadian brings local films and documentaries to your screen

Celebrating community stories inthe Ottawa-Gatineau region, Absolutely Canadianshowcases the best documentaryprograms, short dramas andcomediescreated byindependent producers/directors andstudent filmmakersfrom Carleton University andAlgonquin College.

Didn't get a chance to watch the local broadcast on CBC Television?Absolutely Canadianis available free and on demand on CBC Gem.

The Art in Nature

This program focuses on the works of four Ottawa-based artists who bring teachings and beauty of the natural world to life. PhotographerMeryl McMasterguides us through a contemplative look at her Mtis history. Gillian King weaves the art of printmaking and plant dyeing into full-sized abstract paintings that interact with her body.

Whitney Lewis Smith takes us deep into her imagination as she reconstructs seemingly impossible ecological scenes captured on glass plate negatives. Arpi demonstrates the wisdom that nature teaches us in cultivating a culture of beauty on our streets, in our homes and in our minds. This project is a collaboration with CBC Arts, CBC Ottawa and local independent producer/director Nicholas Castel.

You canwatch it now on CBC Gem.

Ottawa Reel Shorts

A compilation of short, scripted films and documentariesfrom student and emerging filmmakers in the Ottawa area. This year's compilation brings together stories exploring themes ofendurance,entrepreneurship, creativity and identity.

Short films include:Black Apron, Honourun, Rematriate: Passing the Seeds,Found Me andCurly Hair, Don't Care

You can watch it now on CBC Gem.

Foxy

A drama, documentary and musical all in one? Directors Trista Suke and Ellis Poleyko follow Trista's experience struggling with alopecia, a hair loss condition. An eccentric memoir intertwined with interview segments of people living with the condition, Foxy shines a light on mental health and society's unachievable beauty standards.

You canwatch it now on CBC Gem.

• Q&A | FOXY director Trista Suke on why alopecia doesn't define her

Creatorland- The Documentary

This documentary is a women-led production following the lives of Ottawa creators and inventors, from fashion designers to tech start ups. Creatorland- The Documentaryis about why they do what they do. Learn the unfiltered truth about the challenges these individuals face, and what gives them the unwavering will to succeed.

You canwatch it now on CBC Gem.

Blue Roses: Remembering the Hidden Homeless

This one-hour documentary sheds light on the hidden homeless population in our community and stories about front-line workers who care for Ottawa's inner city rooming house residents experiencing poverty, addiction and mental illness.

You can watch it now on CBC Gem.

Stories from the Land: Corn SoupandThe Last Fishermen

Stories from the Land, a podcast dedicated to Indigenous storytelling,has been adapted into a documentary seriesby Wanderer Entertainment Inc. for CBC Short Docs. Watch a sneak peek of the series onAbsolutely Canadian with this special Ontario broadcast featuring the short filmsCornSoup, from Fort Erie, and The Last Fishermen,from Rainy Lake in Fort Frances.

You can watch it now on CBC Gem.