On Docs

By TVO

What's On Docs about?

Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. They'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives and what it means to be human.

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On Docs episodes:

06.22.2023
The carpenter who helped the unhoused survive winter
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, carpenter Khaleel Seivwright found himself busy building shelters for unhoused people. He'd calculated that a person living in one of the structures he was making could act as a heat source. His tiny...
06.15.2023
Why are Chinatowns disappearing?
Whether it's in New York or Toronto, Chinatowns are being attacked by the forces of gentrification, development pressure, and much more. But communities are resisting this pressure to retain their intangible cultural heritage forged by the bonds of a shared...
06.08.2023
The Satanic Panic was Built on Lies
The Satanic Panic - a phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s - was a terrifying rollercoaster for all involved. Accusations of child sacrifice ruined lives as the public sought answers for why everyone suddenly seemed to have been victims of...
11.25.2022
Celebrating On Docs' 100th episode with Jane Jankovic
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka celebrate On Docs' 100th episode with Jane Jankovic, TVO's executive producer for documentaries, in a wide-ranging discussion about the evolution of the documentary genre. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.18.2022
The Worker's Cup
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be a spectacle, but in the spotlight is the country's use of migrant labour to build everything from stadiums to highways. Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka are joined by Michael Page, Human Rights...
11.11.2022
Scrap
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka speak with director Stacey Tenenbaum about "Scrap," the stuff that gets thrown into landfills and the title of her latest documentary on how we need to rethink our waste-filled consumer culture. They talk about photojournalists...
11.04.2022
Woodstock '99: A train wreck and dumpster fire rolled into one concert
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka watch HBO's "Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage" and Netflix's "Trainwreck: Woodstock '99," and discuss the disastrous concert that redefined a legendary music festival. Nam Kiwanuka clip from Woodstock '99 credit: MuchMusic/BCE Inc./YouTube Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give...
10.28.2022
Pray for our Sinners with Sinead O’ Shea
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka speak with filmmaker Sinead O'Shea about her latest documentary, "Pray for our Sinners," which explores the role of the Catholic Church in her hometown of Navan, Ireland. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.21.2022
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On
Colin Ellis speaks with legendary singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie about how a new documentary, "Carry It On," captures her life and career. Clips courtesy Eagle Vision & White Pine Pictures. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.14.2022
Dear Jackie with Henri Pardo
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka chat with director Henri Pardo about his new documentary, "Dear Jackie." The film explores how Montreal attempted to cast itself as a post-racial city after legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson played for the Royals, but,...
10.07.2022
The Perfect Story: Michelle Shephard and Sahal Abdulle
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka speak with Michelle Shephard and Sahal Abdulle about "The Perfect Story," a new documentary that examines what happens when cracks form in a journalist's story. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.20.2022
TRIPPING The Bruce
In this livestreamed conversation, Colin Ellis sits down with Mitch Azaria to talk about "TRIPPING The Bruce," which takes viewers on a tour of the northern coast of the Bruce Peninsula. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.13.2022
Disney, The American Dream, and Poverty
Abigail Disney thought about changing her name when she got married. While it's associated with Mickey Mouse and Marvel, the Happiest Place on Earth is also associated with poverty wages and trampling on workers' rights. Colin Ellis speaks with Disney...
05.06.2022
Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks
I'm Crushing Your Head! Not actually, but if you know the phrase then there's a good chance you know The Kids in the Hall. Colin Ellis sits down with director Reg Harkema to talk about his latest film which explores...
04.29.2022
One man's fight against The Monsanto Company
Months after Dewayne "Lee" Johnson was soaked from head to toe with a herbicide called Ranger Pro, he noticed lesions on his skin. What he'd developed was called non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form a cancer that's associated with glyphosate, the chemical...
04.22.2022
Music across generations: Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, and Ye
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka speak with culture writer Sumiko Wilson about three different artists from three different generations: Olivia Rodrigo, Charlie XCX, and Ye. They also discuss how documentaries are being used to explore the stories behind these artists. Clip...
04.15.2022
How student loans, mortgages, and debt destabilizes democracy
In a world of rising cost and debt, calls for relief are growing stronger. Colin Ellis speaks with filmmaker Astra Taylor about her 2021 documentary "You Are Not a Loan," which looks at the power debtors possess that can change...
04.08.2022
American Factory and the state of unions
In Canada, only 31% of workers are unionized, but that's higher than it was in 2019. So, what's with the rise? It might have something to do with a global pandemic that's put workers in constant danger. In this episode,...
04.01.2022
Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography
Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography gives viewers an inside look at carbon - which could both doom us and save us in the climate emergency. To better understand this often-misunderstood element, Colin Ellis speaks with Phil De Luna, program director for...
03.25.2022
It's time an animated doc wins Best Documentary Feature
Flee has been nominated for a trifecta of Oscars including Best Documentary Feature. In this episode, Colin Ellis speaks with Justin Chandler, co-host of Radio Free Krypton and TVO's Niagara-Hamilton Reporter on how this sub-genre of documentaries is evolving.See omnystudio.com/listener...
03.18.2022
We Need to Talk About Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby had an enormous impact on the culture of the United States. He was a comedian, an educator, and a father figure, but accusations of sexual misconduct by 60 women, and his subsequent conviction and then release from prison...
03.11.2022
The Tinder Swindler
Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka as they discuss the crimes of Simon Leviev, the subject of the Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler, and why his victims aren't to blame. Then Colin speaks with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre on how...
03.04.2022
Oscars 2022: Flee, Ascension, Attica, Summer of Soul, and Writing With Fire
Who's going to win the Oscar for Best Documentary this year? Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka are joined by Jane Jankovic to go through this year's Oscar picks and decide who is going to be the winner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
12.10.2021
Recommendations by TVOers
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka are joined by TVO's slate of documentary and podcast people to recommend the best docs for the holidays.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12.03.2021
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammed Ali
Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka take a deep dive into the friendship and eventual fallout between Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali in Netflix's new documentary about the two titans. Want to learn more? Check out these great recommendations from Colin and...
11.26.2021
Magic Shadows, Elwy Yost: A Life in Movies
Director Karen Shopsowitz and producer Meredith Usher join On Docs to discuss "Magic Shadows, Elwy Yost: A Life in Movies."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.19.2021
What happens when faith, family, and sexuality collide
The fear of rejection from coming out as gay is something that all of Sharon Lewis and Vinay Giridhar's subjects expressed while filming their latest documentaries, "With Wonder" and "Emergence: Out of the Shadows." While some faced alienation, many found...
11.12.2021
Are celebrity documentaries real documentaries?
Elamin Abdelmahmoud, host of CBC's Pop Chat, joins On Docs to discuss celebrity documentaries from pop stars Billie Eilish and Demi Lovato, and what we get out of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.05.2021
Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair
Alanis Obomsawin joins On Docs to discuss "Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair," which explores the importance of talking about residential schools. There is a national, 24-hour, Indian Residential School Crisis Line to provide support to former students and others affected. Their...
10.29.2021
Burning
Eva Orner joins On Docs to discuss her documentary, "Burning," which explores Australia's Black Summer and the alarms sounding on the climate crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.22.2021
Oscar Peterson: Black + White
Barry Avrich joins On Docs to discuss Oscar Peterson: Black + White, which explores Peterson's legacy as one of the greatest pianists of all time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.15.2021
Muslim in America: Legacy of Fear
Deeyah Khan joins On Docs to discuss Muslim in America: Legacy of Fear, which explores the discrimination faced by Muslims in a post-9/11 world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.08.2021
An Afghan-Canadian on the beauty of Afghanistan
Frishta Bastan was only a kid when the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001. Growing up in Canada, she heard stories about the country's rich culture and beauty from her parents. She fought back against stereotypes of the...
10.08.2021
Ghosts of Afghanistan
Journalist and filmmaker Julian Sher discusses the TVO Original documentary "Ghosts of Afghanistan" about the war in Afghanistan, 20 years after 9/11. Narrated by former Canadian war correspondent Graeme Smith, the doc looks at the failure to bring democracy, and...
10.01.2021
Welcome back to On Docs
Welcome back to On Docs, TVO's podcast about the stories documentaries tell. Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka as they explore fascinating films with the creators who bring them to life. New episodes start October 8th. Can’t get enough of documentaries...
05.28.2021
The Face of Anonymous
Anonymous. We may not know who they are, but we know what they've done. They've targeted the Church of Scientology, kept the internet on during the Arab Spring, and boosted the sales of Guy Fawkes masks. Their anonymity and ubiquity...
05.21.2021
Subjects of Desire
In 1968, while white women were burning their bras in protest of the Miss America beauty contest, Black women and men were protesting the fact that no one from their community had ever been able to participate. Fast forward to...
05.14.2021
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Sesame Street was created with a simple idea: Kids spend a lot of time watching television, so could that screen time be used to educate? It seems obvious now, but this is how the show created the template for educational...
05.07.2021
Through the Night
Many of us are accustomed to accessing goods and services at pretty much anytime of the day. For workers, who don't work nine-to-five, grabbing a late-night snack or visiting a hospital, this is just part of modern life. Loira Limbal...
04.30.2021
Someone Like Me
Canada is one of the only countries in the world with legislation that directly targets LGBTQ refugees for sponsorship. Directors Sean Horlor and Stephen J. Adams latest documentary "Someone Like Me" follows one of these newcomers, a young man named...
04.23.2021
And the Oscar for best documentary goes to!
In what's become an annual tradition, On Docs is taking a look at the Oscar nominees for best documentary. This year's nominees include: "Crip Camp," "Collective," "Time," The Mole Agent," and "My Octopus Teacher." Joining Colin and Nam is Jane...
04.16.2021
Reclaiming her name, Tina Turner
Tina Turner's name is synonymous with rock and roll, but what you might not know is that she was born as Anna Mae Bullock. Her stage name was given to her by legendary musician Ike Turner, but as we discover...
04.09.2021
Documenting the mixed-race experience
Richard B. Pierre and Gina Marie join On Docs to talk about the mixed-race experience through a question that many people they have been asked: "What are you?" It's a troubling question that makes them feel othered, but it opens...
04.02.2021
Mr. Miyagi and Hollywood's Asian Representation Problem
Mr. Miyagi's resolve to fight only when there was no other option cemented him as an 80's movie icon. Miyagi taught restraint and passivity, a stark contrast to White protagonists at the time who went around killing Asians. Here to...
03.26.2021
Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
"Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell" digs into the life of Christopher Wallace who would become the Notorious B.I.G., and unlike other documentaries on the hiphop artist, this doc focuses far more on his life than his death. Joining...
03.19.2021
Dispatches from a Field Hospital
In the spring of 2020, a field hospital was erected at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario. Filmmaker Matt Gallagher and producer Cornelia Principe were intrigued by it, and pitched a documentary about what it was like to be inside....
03.12.2021
John Ware: The Man, The Myth, The Reality
"John Ware Reclaimed" explores the history of one of Canada's most famous cowboys, and how his mythologization affected the perception of his story. Documentary filmmaker Cheryl Foggo joins Colin Ellis to explore the man, the myth, and the reality of...
03.05.2021
The History of Swear Words
Colin Ellis is joined this week by Word Bomb hosts Pippa Johnstone and Karina Palmitesta to review Netflix's "History of Swear Words," which digs into the etymological origins of your favourite curse words.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
02.26.2021
Reframing Britney Spears
Since 2008, Britney Spears has been living under a conservatorship, a legal arrangement where her father, Jamie, is a guardian over her life and her estate. But is she a prisoner? Joining Colin Ellis are executive producer of The New...
02.26.2021
Bearing witness to James Baldwin
James Baldwin was born in Harlem in 1924, but spent most of his life in France. There, he wrote observations of systemic racism in America. Filmmaker Raoul Peck's documentary "I Am Not Your Negro" traces Baldwin's journey back to the...

What's On Docs about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

On Docs episodes:

The carpenter who helped the unhoused survive winter

Why are Chinatowns disappearing?

The Satanic Panic was Built on Lies

Celebrating On Docs' 100th episode with Jane Jankovic

The Worker's Cup

Scrap

Woodstock '99: A train wreck and dumpster fire rolled into one concert

Pray for our Sinners with Sinead O’ Shea

Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On

Dear Jackie with Henri Pardo

The Perfect Story: Michelle Shephard and Sahal Abdulle

TRIPPING The Bruce

Disney, The American Dream, and Poverty

Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks

One man's fight against The Monsanto Company

Music across generations: Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, and Ye

How student loans, mortgages, and debt destabilizes democracy

American Factory and the state of unions

Carbon: The Unauthorized Biography

It's time an animated doc wins Best Documentary Feature

We Need to Talk About Bill Cosby

The Tinder Swindler

Oscars 2022: Flee, Ascension, Attica, Summer of Soul, and Writing With Fire

Recommendations by TVOers

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammed Ali

Magic Shadows, Elwy Yost: A Life in Movies

What happens when faith, family, and sexuality collide

Are celebrity documentaries real documentaries?

Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair

Burning

Oscar Peterson: Black + White

Muslim in America: Legacy of Fear

An Afghan-Canadian on the beauty of Afghanistan

Ghosts of Afghanistan

Welcome back to On Docs

The Face of Anonymous

Subjects of Desire

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

Through the Night

Someone Like Me

And the Oscar for best documentary goes to!

Reclaiming her name, Tina Turner

Documenting the mixed-race experience

Mr. Miyagi and Hollywood's Asian Representation Problem

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell

Dispatches from a Field Hospital

John Ware: The Man, The Myth, The Reality

The History of Swear Words

Reframing Britney Spears

Bearing witness to James Baldwin