Local overview
The French language, whether spoken here in Quebec or elsewhere in the Francophonie, is immeasurably rich. The new Savoir Média documentary series directed by Jean Roy (On the men’s side) thus offers a total immersion in Quebec French and auscultation in different forms, whether it is spoken, threatened, taught, celebrated, protected or shared. Presented by the author, playwright and host Rébecca Déraspe, Grave accent understands our language from the arrival of the first European settlers to its most recent developments. In this regard, why do we say lunch, dinner and supper in the provinces while in France we say breakfast, lunch and dinner? Why, too, have the multiple accents and pronunciations transformed in different ways over time?
The program, thanks to the linguistics and teaching experts met, also highlights the potential challenges that stand on the road to French in Quebec, Canada and North America, as well as its current advances. Note thatGrave accent managed to glean various opinions which allow us to paint a fairly complete portrait of the situation, from English-speaking Montrealers to newcomers including members of the Office québécois de la langue française.
Soon to be broadcast on APTN Lumi, In the field addresses the daily lives of front-line health and social services workers in Indigenous communities. In fact, the documentary series takes us directly alongside them so that we can understand the demands, but also the beauty of their profession, which they – or they in this case, since they are mainly women – operate both in the most remote regions and in the largest cities with unfailing commitment.
As for the docu-reality Black Life: Untold Stories for CBC, he celebrates and reports on the experiences of Afro-descendants in Canada which help overcome preconceived ideas about their history. Note that one of the episodes, Northern Beats, was directed by Quebecer Will Prosper. He returns to the epic of Canadian hip-hop by interviewing Maestro Fresh Wes and Michie Mee. PK Subban and Michaëlle Jean, among others, are also part of the production team.
Aimed at a younger audience, the fiction series Basketball follows the inseparable Jemima and Jacob, both 13 years old, united by their passion for basketball and their skin color. Despite very strong bonds, they must however face extremely different family values… Will their opposing world views then take over their friendship, which is shaken up?
Grave accent
Media information, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. from October 18
In the field
APTN Lumi, from October 16
Black Life: Untold Stories
CBC Gem, starting October 18
Basketball
TV5Unis, from October 16
Overview of American productions
The documentary series by Kahlil Hudson, Alex Jablonski and David Nordstrom for HBO Navajo Police: Class 57 traces the one-year journey of young police recruits from the Navajo nation in a unique academy. The future of this community, long neglected by the American authorities, depends in part on the success of this training…
The United States, the country of greatness and decadence par excellence, has, for one and only time, been the scene of a murder trial where “demonic possession” was invoked by the defense. Several decades after the events, and as startling as it may seem, Netflix is devoting a documentary to it, The Devil on Trialjust in time for Halloween.
Prolific documentarian Ken Burns finally takes an interest in American bison, present on his land for some 10,000 years, in his recent film for PBS. As evidenced by the stories recounted in The American Buffalothe destiny of the animal would be intimately linked to that of people, particularly indigenous people, and it is far from having escaped its last breath.
Navajo Police: Class 57
HBO and Crave, starting October 17 at 9 p.m.
The Devil on Trial
Netflix, from October 17
The American Buffalo
PBS, starting October 16