We saw some rather cool Canadian films in October and early November on CBC television in lieu of the NHL season thanks to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The selection lowered in quality as the schedule shifted (early) to the Christmas films.
The NHL started Wednesday scheduled for a 56-game season. Provided the season and playoffs go as expected, Canadian films won't return to Saturday nights until July 2021.
We got a few Canadian films this fall from previous Oscar nominations for what is now Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays, you could have seen Incendies; Rebelle; I Killed My Mother; Mommy; and Monsieur Lazhar. Interestingly, the Xavier Dolan films on the list didn't make the Top 5 cut for the Oscars.
Let's recap the entire list of Canadian films that ran on CBC from October to early January.
October 3: Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019); I'll Follow You Down (2013)
October 10: Clara (2018); The Animal Project (2013)
October 17: American Woman (2019); Mean Dreams (2016)
October 24: Red Snow (2019); Unclaimed (2016)
October 31: Incendies (2010); Rebelle (2012)
November 7: Trouble in the Garden (2018); I Killed My Mother (2009)
November 14: Mommy (2014); Monsieur Lazhar (2011)
November 21: The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017); Window Wonderland (2013)
November 28: Christmas Stars (2019); Country Christmas Album (2018)
December 5: Once Upon A Murdoch Christmas (2016); A Christmas Fury (2017)
December 12: A Heartland Christmas (2010); Rock n Roll Christmas (2019)
December 19: The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
December 26: Window Wonderland (2013); Across the Line (2015)
January 2: Race (2016); Milton's Secret (2016)
January 9: Ballerina (2016); The Adventure Club (2017); Dr. Cabbie (2014)
I have seen all 5 of the Oscar contending films listed above. My current streak does not include Telefilm Canada's Plan B 14 jours, 12 nuits but I have seen every Canadian entry dating back to The Barbarian Invasions | Les Invasions barbares at the 2004 Academy Awards.
I had previously seen Race; Across the Line; Mean Dreams; and Clara. I was very impressed with Trouble in the Garden, which I discovered from seeing the film on the schedule, and Disappearance at Clifton Hill.
I would be interested in seeing The Animal Project; Red Snow; and Unclaimed aka On the Farm. These films will be much more difficult to find.
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early January 2021
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late December 2020
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early December 2020
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late November 2020
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early November 2020
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late October 2020
CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early October 2020
A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in spring and summer 2020
The CBC makes more money showing Canadian films than Hockey Night in Canada since Rogers keeps all the money. CBC gets the limited 6 on-air promos but Rogers decides how and if those promos air.
CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
The Canadian films are available in Canada on CBC Gem.
logo credit: CBC
photo credit: Mean Dreams film
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