Black History Month
This February, immerse yourself in a curated selection of programs that explore the diverse richness of Black experiences, showcase far-reaching achievements and chronicle the enduring fight for freedom and equality.
Union Street
Razed in the late 1960s, Hogan's Alley was once the heart of a thriving Black community in Vancouver, known for its restaurants and speakeasies. In this beautiful portrait, filmmaker Jamila Pomeroy reveals how a new generation is trying to reclaim its former glory and carve out new spaces for community in the city.
I Am Not Your Negro
Based on renowned writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin’s final unfinished manuscript, Raoul Peck’s Oscar-nominated documentary is an unflinching examination of race relations in America that connects the past of the civil rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter.
Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul
In 1960s Toronto, an underground music scene emerged from a group of Jamaicans who brought Caribbean vibes and rhythms to their new home. This is the story of how they made an indelible mark on Canadian music and culture, told through the life of beloved Jamaican Canadian singer Jay Douglas.
The Photograph
A photograph of his great-grandfather sends filmmaker Sherman De Jesus to New York to discover the legacy of James Van Der Zee, a Black photographer whose images captured the people of Harlem and their proud, resilient spirit. De Jesus explores how that spirit is still alive today.
Hardwood
This Oscar-nominated documentary follows the personal journey of Vancouver-born director Hubert Davis, the son of former Harlem Globetrotter Mel Davis, who delves into his father's past to find a new direction in his own life.
Toni Morrison: Black Matters
The first Black writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Toni Morrison exposed the fault lines of racial prejudice at the foundations of American society. The resonance of her work is explored through her seminal novel, Beloved, and the stories of writers, activists and historians.
BLK: An Origin Story
From the Jamaican Maroons who helped to build Halifax to the free Black Californians who settled in British Columbia, this four-part series shares the rich untold history of Black Canadians and the invaluable contributions they've made to the country.
Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History
In this landmark BBC series, David Olusoga presents a history of Britain with Black people written back in its pages, from the African Romans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall in the 3rd century AD to the Black trumpeter of the Tudor courts and the three African kings who stood up to Empire.
The Porter
Set in the roaring 1920s in Montreal, this sizzling drama inspired by real events tells the story of railway porters who established North America’s first Black labour union. The story follows Zeke, Junior and the women in their lives as they hustle, dream and pursue their ambitions amidst the fight for civil rights.
