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Category Television - Global Date 8/30/2006 |
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Global National’s Kevin Newman Hosts Unique Social Issues Documentary Series - “GLOBAL CURRENTS”
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| Original 12-Part Series Delivers Insight & Access To Canadian Stories And Personalities |
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(Vancouver) - Global Television, along with Global National’s Kevin Newman, is pleased to present “Global Currents”, a unique documentary series committed to revealing extraordinary perspectives and issues affecting all Canadians.
Launching September 23 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Global Television, each weekly one-hour, independently-produced documentary represents the talents of Canada’s best socio-political, environmental, humanist and scientific documentary filmmakers. Global Television will air twelve editions of "Global Currents" this fall, and another six in the spring of 2007.
“As a journalist, I’ve always been deeply passionate about the art of documentary story telling as a way of investigating and chronicling key issues,” says Kevin Newman, anchor and executive editor of Global National. This series provides viewers with rare footage and insightful narratives from some of the country's foremost documentary producers and filmmakers.”
"Global Currents" reflects a 'new journalism': character-driven stories about socially relevant issues important to all Canadians. Documentaries in this strand were selected for their original content and unique context while providing a distinctly Canadian point of view.
“The mission behind "Global Currents" series of documentaries is to give Canadian filmmakers a platform to illustrate and reveal important social issues to the rest of the country,” says Christine Shipton, vice-president of original programming at CanWest MediaWorks. “Global is proud to support this collection of original Canadian productions, and the complex art of documentary story-telling.”
"Global Currents" Premieres:
• September 23 - Greenpeace: Making a Stand
• September 30 - Health Care 911: The Plight of Immigrant Medical Doctors
• October 7 – Breaking Ranks
• October 14 – The Dads Who Fought Back
Greenpeace: Making a Stand is a compelling documentary based on Rex Weyler’s book, “Greenpeace: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World.” The documentary looks at the dramatic 35-year evolution of Greenpeace, from the early days of the environmental movement in the 1970s, to the front lines of a potentially dangerous campaign in Argentina.
Directed and produced by Leigh Badgley and co-produced by Bette Thompson, in association with Global Television Network and Omni Film Productions Ltd., the film follows the crusades of visionaries Rex Weyler and the late Bob Hunter as two founding members of Greenpeace.
With passion and humour, Weyler and Hunter describe how the environmental movement has changed over time, losing much of the daring edginess the organization has been known for. However, they discover that the original spirit and creativity can still be found in Argentina, where a number of young Greenpeace recruits are fighting to save the Chaco forest and homeland of the indigenous Wichi people. The successful campaign recently resulted in the Argentinean government handing over the title deed for the Pizarro Reserve to the Wichi Indians, preventing any more clear cutting of their forest.
Health Care 911: The Plight of Immigrant Medical Doctors examines why qualified and medically-trained new immigrants are not given the chance at healthcare positions in Canada. With at least 8,000 immigrant medical personnel living in Canada and only 18 positions available each year in British Columbia, the Vancouver-based film digs deep to find out how are these new Canadians coping with having to work in blue-collar jobs.
The film is directed by filmmaker Jiyar Gol and produced by Erin Mussolum and Michelle Welygan of Vancouver-based Artizan Productions Inc., who were also behind the award-winning Global Television documentary “Queens of Diamonds.”
Breaking Ranks provides exclusive access to American military deserters from the war in Iraq and examines the current phenomena of soldiers from the United States seeking refuge in Canada in their efforts to resist the war effort in Iraq. Also based in Vancouver, the film documents their experience as they face dire situations on both borders: if they are deported back to the US, they face one-to-five years prison time; if they stay, it may cause unprecedented tension in US-Canadian relations.
Filmed in verité style over the course of the refugee process, this provocative film combines the gripping personal stories of young soldiers with political, cultural and historical analysis of the issues their actions raise for Canadians and the world.
This documentary is directed by Vancouver-based Michelle Mason and produced by Trish Dolman and Leah Mallen of Screen Siren Pictures.
The Dads Who Fought Back is the story of two fathers’ struggle to spend more time with their children in custody battles against a system they feel has evolved into a deep and persistent gender bias against fathers. The film follows other men who are fighting to be heard, including activist groups such as “Fathers for Justice” who, for better or worse, draw attention to their cause with masquerade antics.
Entwined within their journey, the film critically examines the family court system, its proponents and adversaries, calling for a change to Canada’s divorce laws to let fathers have more access to their children.
The documentary is directed, produced and written by Victoria-based Andrew Koster of Rainshadow Media Ltd.
Other documentaries slated to run on Global Currents this fall include:
•Polygamy's Lost Boys – October 21
•The Stamp Fishery: Loss of a Dream – October 28
•Somba K’e – The Money Place – November 4
•DecAIDS: Anything is Possible – November 11
•100 Days of Freedom – November 18
•The Damage Done: A Drug War Odyssey – November 25
•Rich Nation – December 2
•Thin Ice – December 9
For more information on Global Currents including photos and video highlights from each documentary, please visit www.globaltv.com/globalcurrents.
*Broadcast schedules are subject to change.
Media contact:
Yvonne Chiang
Global Television
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