Absolutely Canadian brings local films and documentaries to your screen

Celebrating community stories inthe Greater Toronto Area,Absolutely Canadianshowcases the best documentaryprograms, short dramas andcomediescreated byindependent producers/directors andstudent filmmakersfrom Ryerson University and Sheridan College.

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

Toronto Stories: Ethiopian Musicians and Winston LaRose

This one-hour program will include two short documentaries highlighting Toronto community stories. Tizita and Mr. Jane and Finch - Winston LaRose are independent documentaries produced in collaboration with CBC Docs.

You canwatch it now on CBC Gem.

Tizita

Tizita explores how three exiled Ethiopian musicians are adjusting to life in Canada. The film follows three musicians en route to a gathering in a Toronto caf to play a "Tizita," a traditional Ethiopian ballad invoking nostalgic memories. This documentary sheds light onto the growing Canadian immigrant community and the broader meaning of art in the lives of those compelled to pursue it.

This independent documentary was produced by Fraser Ash at Rhombus Media and directed by Gezahegn Mekonnen Demissie. You can also read a blog written by director Gezahegn M. Demissie about the experience of living in exile here.

Mr. Jane and Finch - Winston LaRose

Since the 1960s, Jane and Finch has become home to many new immigrants, growing from a small community of 1,300 residents at the time to roughly 82,000 today. The current residents have not seen their economic opportunities or social services grow in tandem with the population.

Mr. Jane and Finch - Winston LaRoseprofiles the 81-year-old community activist, affectionately known as 'Mr. Jane and Finch,' as he runs for political office for the first time. This independent documentary was produced by Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George and directed by Ngardy Conteh George.

Toronto Reel Shorts

A compilation of short, scripted films and documentariesfrom independent producers/directors and student filmmakers in the Greater Toronto Area. This year's compilation brings together stories of community, comedy, identity and perseverance.

Short films include: Faces of Resilience - Lyle Thompson, On the Fence, The Fox &The Pigeon, MyLucky Something and Lessons Injustice

You canwatch 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

BEING BLACK IN TORONTO

BEING BLACK IN TORONTOfeatures 6 films from emerging directors in Toronto that came out of the Fabienne Colas Foundation's BEING BLACK IN CANADA, a mentorship, training and creation program entirely dedicated to Black filmmakers. Featured filmmakers: Adrian Wallace, Omolola Rachel Ajao, Sharine Taylor, Valerie Amponsah, Yasmin Evering-Kerr, and Yvano Antonio.

You canwatch it now on CBC Gem.

• Learn more about these 6 short films.

There's No Place Like This Place, Anyplace

Since Honest Ed's opened almost 70 years ago, it has served as a beacon in Toronto for diverse communities and has maintained its role as a meeting place for recent immigrants from all over the world. In 2013, the entire block that housed Honest Ed's, as well as an artists' colony called Mirvish Village, was sold to a luxury developer to be redeveloped into high-end apartments.

There's No Place Like This Place, Anyplace begins as the neighbourhood and community are at a tipping point. The documentary follows the transformation of the block and the stories of three people who must move: Itah, Gabor and Lulu, the filmmaker. It shows why this iconic block held such a special place in the hearts of so many people. This documentary was a collaboration with CBC Docs POV.

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.