Celebrating Pride and Indigenous Voices
CBC's Top 5 picks for June
Kick things off with the new season of Bears' Lair, where Indigenous entrepreneurs pitch their big ideas for a shot at success, and dive into the gripping crime drama Tribal.
Explore queer media representation with the eye-opening documentary Bulletproof: A Lesbian's Guide to Surviving the Plot, and laugh along with Tig Notaro in the sharp and heartfelt comedy One Mississippi.
Then, take a deep dive into LGBTQ+ history with the compelling documentary Pride.
Discover these titles and more in CBC's Top 5 for June, your must-watch list for Pride and National Indigenous History Month.
Move over Dragons, you are in the Bears' Lair now. This Indigenous-produced business series blends education, mentorship, and high-stakes entrepreneurship into an inspiring competition. This season features 18 talented Indigenous business owners, each pitching their ventures to "The Bears", a panel of respected Indigenous business leaders. Alongside guest judges, these industry experts provide valuable insights, while a cumulative $160,000 in prize money is awarded each season.
Tribal - New Season Watch Free June 1 on CBC Gem
In an effort to protect themselves from media backlash, the Justice Department forms a task force to investigate the largest scandal in the city's history, a tomb full of murdered Indigenous bodies. Crime continues to escalate while Sam and Buke try to uncover who's responsible for the tomb. A white poacher is found hanged on a reserve, an Indigenous teen goes missing following a protest at a railroad blockade, and a vigilante group forms to fight back against police violence. The traumatic effects from the discovery of the tomb and the memory of Buke's shooting collide, affecting Sam and Buke's relationship and putting the future of the Tribal partnership in jeopardy.
In Bulletproof: A Lesbian's Guide to Surviving the Plot, filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, immersive and personal look at queer representation on television and media's power to shape how we see ourselves. Witty, fast-paced and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns first hand that representation done well has the power to transform.
A dark comedy, loosely inspired by Tig Notaro's life, One Mississippi follows Tig as she deals with the complex reentry into her childhood hometown of Bay Saint Lucille, Mississippi, to deal with the unexpected death of her mother, the interminable life of the party, Caroline. Reeling from her own recently declining health, Tig struggles to find her footing with the loss of the one person who actually understood her, with help from her older but not always wiser brother, Remy, and her emotionally distant stepfather, Bill. A surprise visit from Tig's girlfriend, Brooke, only compounds the reality of how out of place Tig is in a world without her mother.
This powerful six-part documentary series chronicles the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America from the 1950s through the 2000s, as seven renowned LGBTQ+ directors explore heroic and heartbreaking stories. The limited series spans the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the "Culture Wars" of the 1990s and beyond, exploring the queer legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the battle over marriage equality.
Looking for more unforgettable stories and bold entertainment? Dive into the Indigenous Stories Collection and the Pride Collection on CBC Gem, packed with powerful films and must-see documentaries that inform, inspire, and entertain. Check out Indigenous docs from the Absolutely Canadian series on CBC Gem.
Craving a soundtrack to match the vibe? Tune into CBC Listen for five incredible Indigenous playlists, featuring everything from traditional beats to hip hop and electric powwow. And if you're in the mood for the ultimate coming out party, the Pride playlist has you covered.
Photos courtesy of CBC.