Streaming August 2022 on CBC Gem

Acclaimed series coming to CBC Gem in August include the 13-time Prix Gémeaux-nominated second season of C’EST COMME ÇA QUE JE T’AIME (HAPPILY MARRIED) (August 1); and the exclusive Canadian premieres of scripted reality/comedy BOBBY & HARRIET GET MARRIED (August 5) that follows stand-up comedians Bobby Mair and Harriet Kemsley as they plan their big day; thrilling drama NO RETURN (August 12) starring beloved British actress/singer Sheridan Smith; 1990s-set Spanish-language sci-fi drama PARAÍSO (August 19); and British lifestyle/reality series HIGHLIFE (August 22), following the experiences, successes, and stories of young, influential and trailblazing West African Brits living in London

Canadian features from CBC Films making their CBC Gem and Canadian network premieres on CBC include THROUGH BLACK SPRUCE (August 20) from Don McKellar and starring Tanaya Beatty and Brandon Oakes, and SPLINTERS (August 27) from acclaimed director Thom Fitzgerald who returns to queer rural Nova Scotia

Emancipation Day collection (August 1) featuring an unprecedented two-part, two-hour special featuring inspiring performances from Jully Black, Zaki Ibrahim, Shad, Measha Brueggergosman and Red Sky Performance

CBC Sports brings audiences all the action from the world of high performance sports this month with live coverage of the Commonwealth Games (July 28 – August 8), the CEBL Playoffs (starting August 7), Championship weekend (August 13-14) and Men’s Volleyball World Championships (starting August 27)

ACCLAIMED SERIES

• C’EST COMME ÇA QUE JE T’AIME (HAPPILY MARRIED) Season 2 (10×60, Comedy, Productions Casablanca Inc., 2022, Canada)
  Begins streaming Monday, August 1
  Summer 1975. The Delisle and Paquette families once again drive their kids to summer camp. They have three weeks to regain control of the criminal empire they left on hold during the school year. Huguette Delisle (Marilyn Castonguay, L’Affaire Dumont) is the new kingpin of Sainte-Foy. Eager to get her eye of the tiger back, she intends for her Organization to take a decisively feminist approach for the International Year of the Woman. Of course, nothing goes as planned. Huguette, Gaétan (François Létourneau, Cheech), Serge (Patrice Robitaille, Les Beaux Malaises) and Micheline (Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, Patrick Senécal Présente) quickly realize that their adventures the previous summer did nothing to solve their marital problems. And as they try to defend their empire all the way to Montreal, they finally understand something: bombs and guns can kill, but nothing is more dangerous than a broken heart.

• BOBBY & HARRIET GET MARRIED (6×30, Comedy, Rockerdale Studios, 2019, UK)
  *Canadian Exclusive Premiere*
  Begins streaming Friday, August 5
  One Christmas Eve, Bobby (Bobby Mair) proposed to Harriet (Harriet Kemsley). Remarkably, she said yes. BOBBY & HARRIET GET MARRIED is a reality sitcom – a constructed version of the real events that take place in the lead-up to (and on) their special day, from blazing rows over the guest list to the collision of an unhinged Canadian nomad and his somewhat more refined future mother-in-law. Mair and Kemsley play heightened versions of their own selfish, neurotic selves: her – the clumsy, awkward, painfully British product of an all-girls school; him – a balls-out Canadian with more confidence than good ideas and quick to anger. Audiences will see the crippling neuroses of a real comedy couple played out before them, with cameos from the couple’s real life friends like Katherine Ryan and Romesh Ranganathan.

• NO RETURN (4×60, Drama, Red Production Company, 2022, UK)
  *Canadian Exclusive Premiere*
  Begins streaming Friday, August 12
  A fun family holiday in a seemingly idyllic Turkish beachfront resort quickly turns into every parent’s worst nightmare, when British teenager, Noah (Louis Ashbourne Serkis, The Kid Who Would Be King), is arrested for a serious crime that he denies. With their son locked up in a Turkish jail, Kathy (Sheridan Smith, Cilla) and Martin (Michael Jibson, The Essex Serpent) must attempt to navigate an unfamiliar legal system and fight for their child’s freedom. But when Martin decides to take matters into his own hands, he’s entirely unaware that Kathy has already come up with a risky plan of her own.

• PARAÍSO (7×60, Drama/Sci-Fi, Moviestar + / Globomedia, 2021, Spain)
  *Canadian Exclusive Premiere*
  Begins streaming Friday, August 19
  Levante, 1992, the end of summer in a coastal town. Sandra (Júlia Frigola, Ladrona de Bicicletas), Eva (Elena Gallardo, Dos Vidas) and Malena (Irina Bravo, High Seas), all 15 years old, disappear from a club without a trace. The police don’t seem to be looking in the right place, so Javi (Pau Gimeno, Amar Es Para Siempre), Sandra’s younger brother, starts his own investigation alongside Quino (León Martínez, Super Lopez) and Álvaro (Cristian López, La Chica De Nieve), his best friends, and Zeta (Héctor Gozalbo, Nada Será Igual. La Película), the class bully. Together, they discover that those who have his sister aren’t of this world. In parallel to Costa (Macarena García, Blancanieves [Snow White]), a tenacious Civil Guard officer, the gang will have to uncover these supernatural beings’ plans if they want to find the girls before it’s too late.

• HIGHLIFE (4×60, Reality/Lifestyle, Optomen Television Ltd., 2021, UK)
  *Canadian Exclusive Premiere*
  Begins streaming Monday, August 22
  This bold reality series follows the experiences, successes, and stories of a generation of young, influential and trailblazing West African Brits living in London. Set against a backdrop of extravagance and glamour, the series celebrates Black British culture. Featuring a cast of unique characters, HIGHLIFE presents a nuanced, entertaining and engaging look at each individual’s story and offers unprecedented access as they navigate entangled love lives, family dramas, cultural differences and career success.

• THE NEW WAVE OF STANDUP Season 2 (14×10, Comedy, Just For Laughs TV, 2021, Canada)
  Two new episodes begin streaming Friday, July 29
  Season 2 of THE NEW WAVE OF STANDUP features rising Canadian comics who bring their diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and unique comedy styles to the stage in 10-minute sets. Two new episodes (episodes 13 and 14) feature comedians Ajahnis Charley and Jarrett Campbell, respectively.

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DOCUMENTARY

• MI’KMA’KI (3×22, 1×10; directed by Wendell G. Collier, Wanderer Entertainment Inc., 2021, Canada)
  The first three episodes begin streaming Friday, August 19 (with the fourth episode to stream at a later date)
  This CBC Short Docs series celebrates the diversity of Indigenous peoples by bringing the viewer deep into the connections that Indigenous people have between land, culture and community; genetic research into the Beothuk that leads to a surprising conclusion; reviving the tradition of Birch Bark Canoe building; and an exploration of the concept of medicine.

• THE RIVER OF MY DREAMS: A PORTRAIT OF GORDON PINSENT (1×104, directed by Brigitte Berman, 2016, Canada)
  Begins streaming Saturday, August 20 on CBC Gem and on CBC TV at 1 a.m. (2 AT, 2:30 NT, 3 PT)
  Multi-award-winning actor Gordon Pinsent is one of Canada’s most beloved performers, directors and writers, and after an illustrious six-decade career, he shows no signs of slowing down. This feature documentary from Academy Award™-winning filmmaker Brigitte Berman is one of the first of its kind implementing motion capture on film, portraying Gordon Pinsent’s unique storytelling gifts as he relives his stories at the major crossroads of his life. He entertains with his special humour and moves the audience with his unflinching directness and honesty. Family, friends, and international industry heavyweights, further illuminate the inner drama of this extraordinary artist. In this way, life, creativity and art are interwoven to tell not only the story of Gordon Pinsent, but also a universal story about the human condition.

• DIANA: THE ULTIMATE TRUTH (1×60, directed by Pierre Thiebaut and Reece Watkinson, 2022, UK)
  *Canadian Exclusive Premiere*
  Begins streaming Wednesday, August 31
  Marking the 25th anniversary of the tragic car crash that killed her, this new ground-breaking documentary will examine the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Twenty five years on, many questions around what happened, and who is responsible, still remain. Featuring exclusive never-before-heard interviews, former Detective and award-winning Investigative Journalist Mark Williams-Thomas, will examine some of the theories that have emerged since Diana’s death and will set out to answer key questions: could Diana have actually survived the crash if she had been treated differently at the scene? And what impact did Diana’s explosive BBC interview have on the final years of her life? Did it set off a chain of events that actually led to her death?

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CANADIAN FILMS 

• LOUIS CYR: THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD (1×130, Drama/Biography, directed by Daniel Roby, 2013, Canada)
  Begins streaming Friday, August 5
  In the late 19th century, after years of delighting crowds with astounding feats of strength, Louis Cyr was considered the strongest man in the world. Based on his true story, this charming biopic recounts the many successes, heartbreaks and obstacles — both inside and out of the athletic arena — that Louis (Antoine Bertrand, Les Pays D’En Haut) faced on his climb from obscurity to international fame. Louis’ best friend recounts the story to the strongman’s estranged daughter — from Louis’ poverty-stricken childhood through the ups and downs of his circus career — and shares the fascinating life of this Québec hero.

• POGEY BEACH (1×94, Comedy, directed by Jeremy Larter, 2019, Canada)
  Begins streaming Friday, August 12
  POGEY BEACH follows the misadventures of recently arrived come-from-away Bethany Lockwood (Celia Koughan, Moonshine) on Pogey Beach and her immersion in a world of drinking, dune screwing, crib playing, and cash jobs. Bethany quickly finds herself being courted by both the King of Pogey Beach, Gary Gallant (Robbie Carruthers, Wharf Rats), and Lyle MacDonald (Ryan Cameron, Just Passing Through), spiritual pogey bum. Things turn sour when Bethany’s disapproving father (Dennis Trainor, Roadside Assistance) sicks the Pogey Narcs on the beach and threatens their whole way of life.

• MONKEY BEACH (1×105, Drama, directed by Loretta Todd, 2020, Canada)
  Begins streaming Saturday, August 13 on CBC Gem and on CBC TV at 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT, 11 PT)
  Lisa Hill (Grace Dove, The Revenant) has supernatural powers that foretell death and allow her to see mythical creatures and talk to dead people. But of course, she’d rather be “normal” so tries to party the visions away. At Monkey Beach, Lisa goes on a journey to the Land of the Dead where she realizes her powers are actually a gift. This is a story of both joy and tragedy, grief and survival, and a family on the edge of heartbreak. It is a rich celebration of life in the Native settlement of Kitamaat, on the coast of British Columbia. Based on Eden Robinson’s first award-winning novel.

• THROUGH BLACK SPRUCE (1×111, Drama, directed by Don McKellar, 2018, Canada)
  *Canadian Network Premiere*
  Begins streaming Saturday, August 20 on CBC Gem and on CBC TV at 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT, 11 PT)
  When beautiful Suzanne Bird disappears, her sister Annie (Tanaya Beatty, Yellowstone), a loner and hunter, is compelled to search for her, leaving behind their uncle Will (Brandon Oakes, Diggstown), a man haunted by loss. While Annie travels from Toronto to New York, from modelling studios to A-list parties, Will encounters dire troubles at home. Both eventually come to painful discoveries about the inescapable ties of family. Based on Joseph Boyden’s award-winning novel.

• SPLINTERS (1×94, Drama, directed by Thom Fitzgerald, 2018, Canada)
  *Canadian Network Premiere*
  Begins streaming Saturday, August 27 on CBC Gem and on CBC TV at 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT, 11 PT)
  Two decades after his inspired feature debut The Hanging Garden won best Canadian Feature at TIFF, Thom Fitzgerald again explores interconnections of sexual identity, family, and small-town Nova Scotia life, in this intimate drama about a young woman reassessing her relationship with her mother following the death of her father.

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EMANCIPATION DAY COLLECTION

• FREEUP! EMANCIPATION DAY 2022 (1×60, Emancipation Arts, 2022, Canada)
  Begins streaming Monday, August 1 and on CBC TV at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
  A celebration of Emancipation Day, this one-hour special was shot around Canada where Emancipation Day celebrations have been celebrated for years, including in St. Catharines, Owen Sound, Halifax and in Toronto’s Little Jamaica, as well as in St. Lawrence Hall, site of the 1851 North American Convention of Coloured Freemen, and the Buxton National Historic Site, an endpoint on the underground railroad. The special will also feature and honour Canadian Jazz Legend with Africville roots, Joe Sealy, as this year’s recipient of the Rosemary Sadlier award. The honour is named for Rosemary Sadlier, the president of the Ontario Black History Society from 1993 to 2015 who pushed for recognition of Black history through education and worked toward — and achieved — national recognition of Black History Month.

• FREEUP! FREEDOM TALKS (1×60, Emancipation Arts, 2022, Canada)
  Begins streaming Monday, August 1 and on CBC TV at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)Expanding from the FreeUp! Emancipation Day 2022 special, this one-hour program will be an energetic exploration of freedom featuring moving insights and roundtables punctuated by heartfelt performances from Jully Black, TiKA, and Measha Brueggergosman.

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CBC SPORTS

• COMMONWEALTH GAMES
  Begins live streaming Thursday, July 28 through to Monday, August 8 and CBC TV
  CBC Sports is the exclusive Canadian broadcast and streaming home of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, taking place from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England. Birmingham 2022 will feature 19 sports and eight para-sports as part of its program with upto 4,500 athletes taking part. A team of 275 athletes will represent Canada. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events, and these 2022 Games will showcase the largest para-sport program ever. In addition, for the first time in its history, the Games will feature more medal events for women (135) than men (133).

• CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
  Begins streaming Sunday, August 7 and CBC TV
  As part of its playoff coverage, CBC Sports will broadcast the quarterfinal games on Sunday, August 7, semifinal games on Friday, August 12, and the Championship game on Sunday, August 14. Peter Ruttgaizer will handle the play-by-play, alongside Joe Raso who will provide the in-game analysis. Toronto Raptors host Amy Audibert will serve as sideline reporter and CBC Sports’ Scott Russell and Andi Petrillo will split hosting duties.

• FIVB MEN’S VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
  Begins streaming Saturday, August 27 (Canada matches and Finals only)
  The FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2022 is the 20th edition of the International Volleyball Federation’s flagship event. The competition will be held in Poland and Slovenia from August 26 to September 11. 24 teams will compete across six pools of four, playing in a single round-robin format. The top two nations in each pool and the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the elimination round – making it much simpler for fans across the globe to keep track of the action.

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KIDS 

• TEEPEE TIME Season 3 (26×11, Pre-School, JerryCo Animation, 2019, Canada)
  Begins streaming Monday, August 1 in English and Mi’kmaq
  TEEPEE TIME is a collection of baby steps that children make as they uncover the mysteries of the world that surrounds them, like learning to read, making new friends, riding a bicycle…or planting jelly beans. Teepee is a rambunctious little tipi with an insatiable curiosity. Teepee wants to know everything, like who keeps stuffing paper into the mailbox? How do you turn off the sun? Or what tastes better, a spider or an earthworm – yuck! Follow TeePee as he takes audiences on a warm-hearted journey into the magical world of discovery and learning.

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THE BEST OF CBC

• Past and current seasons of CBC series including ARCTIC VETS, PRETTY HARD CASES, THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW, FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, HEARTLAND, SORT OF, THE PORTER, SKYMED, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, STILL STANDING, TALLBOYZ, KIM’S CONVENIENCE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, and SCHITT’S CREEK; and classic CBC hits like BEING ERICA.

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COMING IN SEPTEMBER

• FAKES
• THE LEGACY AWARDS
• DAS BOOT Season 3
• NOUGHTS & CROSSES Season 2
• OUR HOUSE
• ISLANDS
• JEREMY & JAZZY
• THE NEXT STEP Season 1
• MALORY TOWERS Season 2