Canadian Crossing

2022 CFL Week 17 preview

For the first time since the revenge games weekend, the CFL is back to 4 games in a weekend. Every game is out west this week so Brit Dort will need some help.

The primary prairie teams start out the week in Winnipeg as the first half of the Friday night doubleheader. Saskatchewan needs to focus on being the crossover team.

The Ottawa RedBlacks might need a nap before playing the nightcap in Vancouver against the Lions. ESPN2 will carry this game in the United States. The conclusion of the first game might be part of the coverage since 2½ hours is not enough of a window for a CFL game.

Trevor Harris knows his way to Commonwealth Stadium as Montréal will be in Edmonton for a Saturday afternoon encounter. The Elks home losing streak stands at 14 games, tied for the worst in CFL history.

Toronto goes west to Calgary to complete the Alberta doubleheader in the game in prime time in the east on Saturday night.

Hamilton gets a well-deserved break to end the month.

ESPN2

Friday
Ottawa @ BC, 10:30p

TSN

Friday
Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg, 8p
Ottawa @ BC, 10:30p
Saturday
Montréal @ Edmonton, 4p
Toronto @ Calgary, 7p

Bye week: Hamilton

The Edmonton Elks are going for a very bad record: most consecutive CFL home losses. The Elks are now at 14 home losses dating back to 2019. The Montréal Alouettes stand in the way in the early Saturday game.

Edmonton is tied with the Ottawa Rough Riders for their streak during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

The current Ottawa incarnation has a worse scenario in contrast with the Elks. The RedBlacks now have lost 21 of the last 22 at home. The RedBlacks last home win was over a year ago on September 28, 2021 with a 34-24 win over Edmonton. The previous home win was June 20, 2019 with a 44-41 win over Saskatchewan. That victory gave Ottawa a 2-0 mark to start 2019 and only won 1 other game the rest of the season.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have the opposite issue. The Ticats are 4-3 at home but 0-7 on the road.

2022 CFL Week 16 preview

The Alouettes proved the second half could be very different in its key home game with Hamilton. The Tiger-Cats had a lot of poor penalties and some questionable play calls. Dane Evans is in a lot better shape but this might be too late for Hamilton this season.

This was the first game Montréal won after a bye this year, now 1-2.

42 points off turnovers: all you need to know about this game. The Argonauts took advantage of RedBlacks mistakes to blow out Ottawa for the second time in 3 weeks in the nation's capital. Both teams had a bye in between.

There is a slim chance of 3 teams coming out of the East for the 2022 playoffs. Very slim.

2022 CFL Week 15 preview

The Calgary Stampeders made a statement in Vancouver after the BC Lions won the first 2 games in Calgary by a combined 3 points. The Stampeders ended up with a better point differential in the season series but the Lions have the tiebreaker to potentially host the West semifinal.

Jake Maier continues to do well as the Calgary quarterback. The Stampeders played much better defence.

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

For the first time since 2018, the BC Lions are in the CFL playoffs. The Lions clinched that berth before kickoff with losses by Hamilton and Ottawa. Calgary also clinched a playoff berth with its win and the losses by those East teams.

The Toronto Argonauts clinched its playoff berth with the win over Ottawa.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are edging closer to being the crossover team. Even though Calgary and Saskatchewan have not played, the Stampeders are 3 games ahead with 4 games to play. The Roughriders are 2 games up on the Elks with 4 games to play and have the tiebreaker. Saskatchewan is 2 games ahead over the Tiger-Cats with 4 games to play but has to finish with a better record.

The Montréal Alouettes might feel the same about finishing second. The Alouettes are 2 games behind Toronto with a tiebreaker to be determined. Montréal is 2½ games lead over the Tiger-Cats and with the tiebreaker.

The best battle is for second in the West with the BC Lions ½ game ahead of Calgary and the Lions have the tiebreaker.

Canada observes the initial National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The BC Lions have a lot planned for Orange Shirt Day today in Vancouver. This is the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The Lions will have its Indigenous-themed logo on their helmets. Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit artist Corrine Hunt designed the logo.

We saw the logo on the T-shirts and having them on the helmet will be wonderful. ESPN2 will have the game in the States, which might be a coincidence. Either way, the coverage is a happy coincidence.

Going to miss this guy! Massive part of our Habs on TSN team! So happy my guy @JohnLuTSNMtl gets to go back home to Winnipeg for the Jets gig. @djpoulin20 said he will step up his suit game in John’s absence. Much love buddy ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ObkCywRQX0

— Bryan Mudryk (@BryanMudryk) September 27, 2022

John Lu has been covering Montréal for TSN for a very long time. Lu is the last piece of the puzzle for the Winnipeg Jets coverage on TSN3. Lu replaces Sara Orlesky, who joined the Winnipeg Jets as a senior host/producer.

Lu, who is from Winnipeg, will also cover the CFL in Winnipeg. His CFL Winnipeg debut could be tonight in the Manitoba capital.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Duane Forde had the weekend off as he was inducted into the University of Western Ontario Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Forde for that honour. Rod Smith and Matt Dunigan did road trips with John Lu in Montréal on Friday and Claire Hanna in Ottawa on Saturday.

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor were with Farhan Lalji in the late Saturday game in Vancouver.

Dave Naylor was in for Matt Dunigan on the CFL on TSN panel.

logo credit: CFL
photo credit: BC Lions/CFL
Twitter capture: @BryanMudryk

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early October 2022

We are hitting the homestretch of a summer and early fall of Canadian films seen on CBC on Saturday nights. The NHL season starts October 12 so there are 2 more weeks of the Canadian films on CBC.

The October 1 primary films are Indigenous tales with sports as a theme but very different stories. The final film of the night is just sports related.

The October 8 films spotlight Black talent and hockey with a documentary and fictional story. The documentary gets repeated in the late-night slot.

CBC has some good timing given the NHL season will start soon as well as the Legacy Awards from The Black Academy last Sunday.

This shows out the variety you can find in Canadian films, even ones on the CBC on a Saturday night.

Some of these Canadian films may have been featured recently on CBC. The films should also be available on CBC Gem. All times are local, adding 30 minutes in Newfoundland.

Here is the schedule for early October 2022.

October 1

9p Indian Horse (2017)
11p The Grizzlies (2018)
1a Goalie (2019)

October 8

9p Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future (2015)
11p Across the Line (2015)
1a Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future (2015)

Canadian film review: Indian Horse

Canadian film review: The Grizzlies

Canadian film review: Goalie

Indian Horse is a heart wrenching film to watch but tells a valuable story about suffering in residential schools. Americans can find the film on Netflix. The Grizzlies could have been a lame idea about sports overcoming adversity. Yet the presentation and realistic portrayal makes this a more meaningful film.

Goalie is the portrayal of Terry Sawchuk by Mark O'Brien.

The Black Academy will have an awards show on CBC in 2022

Canadian film review: Across the Line

Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future is a documentary new to us about the contributions of Black athletes in hockey. We have reviewed the interesting if inconsistent Across the Line film featuring the real life brothers Stephan James and Shamier Anderson.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late September 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early September 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2022

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in late spring and early summer 2022

The Canadian films run through October 8, the Saturday before the start of the NHL season.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Enjoy the Canadian films!!

logo credit: CBC
photo credit: The Grizzlies; Across the Line

Canadian film case study: Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the most well-known Canadian films in recent memories. Brooklyn qualifies as a Canadian film, being a co-production between the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. Given the worldwide praise toward the film, touting Brooklyn as a Canadian film success makes sense.

Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) essentially is in Ireland. Moves to America aka New York City aka Brooklyn in 1951. Goes back to Ireland. Will she go back to Brooklyn?

This is a cursory look at the plot. Love enters into the equation. Being homesick enters into view. Ronan is American-born and Irish-raised and was perfectly suited for the role.

If you wonder why she keeps going back and forth, that is not the best approach to this film. Just know some of the story is in the United States. Some of the story is in Ireland. None of the story is in Canada.

The story is more about romance and the "what if" questions involved in romantic stories.

John Crowley directed the film with the screenplay from Nick Hornby based on the Colm Tóibín novel Brooklyn.

The major players in Brooklyn are either British or Irish. Further down on the callsheet is Jessica Paré, the most famous Canadian in the film. Other Canadians in the cast include Emily Bett Rickards, Ellen David, and Christian de la Cortina.

The New York portions of Brooklyn were filmed mostly in Montréal with Ireland serving as Ireland.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late April 2020

Canadian film review: Room

Room was a Canadian film in part because of the book of the same name by Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue. Brooklyn stems from a book by an Irish author.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Ronan is the primary reason to see the film with a marvelous performance. Brooklyn is a pleasant film you will likely enjoy. Don't be surprised if you forget most of the film about a month after you saw the film.

Brooklyn received 3 Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actress for Ronan. The film won Canadian Screen Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Musical Score.

video credit: YouTube/Rotten Tomatoes Trailers
photo credit: Brooklyn film

Canada drops all COVID-19 measures at borders as of October 1

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announces the lifting of #COVID19 border measures, including vaccination & testing requirements for all travellers & mandatory use of ArriveCan app. Mask requirements on trains & planes will also be lifted. The changes take effect Oct 1.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/pT8Garg9Ed

— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) September 26, 2022

The news has been leaked for a few days but is now official: Getting into Canada will be a lot easier as a travel destination when the month changes to October.

The ArriveCAN app will be optional when the change is made.

This had been a great concern especially for border cities whose officials were concerned because American travelers were much less likely to cross into Canada, especially for cross border shopping. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made things easier for Canadians to shop within the U.S. on quick cross border trips but not the other way around.

Travelers won't have to submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website or provide proof of vaccination. There are other provisions that will be dropped.

Canada to finally lift pre-arrival COVID-19 tests for air and land border crossings

U.S. to open border to fully vaccinated travelers starting today

The restrictions led to actions such as the service of the Windsor Tunnel Bus to be suspended. You have an international border, the busiest crossing between the countries. Greyhound went to Windsor before the pandemic but now Greyhound doesn't go to Canada (outside of Toronto and Vancouver from the United States). You couldn't cross on foot on the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel.

We hope the Tunnel Bus and other suspended service will return shortly after the government's announcement this morning.

For those who criticise us for not being critical enough of the prime minister, well, you should read our border crossings coverage. We appreciate the overall diligence of the Trudeau Government on COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic. We do feel the government has carried on good policies far too long.

Where to visit Canada in 2022

This change affects the sports world in that unvaccinated athletes can travel to Canada as of October 1. The Toronto Blue Jays had to deal with that in terms of visiting MLB players and in the acquisition of the previously unvaccinated Whit Merrifield from Kansas City. The Blue Jays host Boston on October 1-2. The team might not play any home playoff games in the opening round, depending on the playoff seeding.

This is more relevant to the NHL teams that won't have to worry about unvaccinated players playing in Canada.

Ideally, people would be vaccinated in coming to Canada. The issue was that the good intentions produced a policy that made traveling to Canada not worth the hassle.

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

The obvious time to make the change would be heading into a travel summer. Hopefully, people can make travel plans to Canada in the beautiful fall and for those who enjoy winter. Our look at where to visit Canada in 2023 is going to be a lot brighter.

Twitter capture: @CPAC_TV
photo credit: me

2022 CFL Week 16 preview

Another small week in the CFL where this time most of the West gets to rest while the East gets to shine.

The lone Friday night game has the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the final meeting with the Montréal Alouettes, this time in La Belle Province.

The winner gets the tiebreaker that may prove rather important. ESPN2, in a rare sighting in the fall, will carry this game in the United States.

Toronto goes east to Ottawa in the Saturday evening opener.

The BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders finish their home-and-home series with a trip to Vancouver in the prime time spot out on the West Coast.

Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg get to rest up on an early fall weekend.

ESPN2

Friday
Hamilton @ Montréal, 7:30p

TSN

Friday
Hamilton @ Montréal, 7:30p
Saturday
Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p
Calgary @ BC, 10p

Bye week: Edmonton, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg

Saskatchewan blew a 10-0 lead yet regained the lead 24-23 with 68 seconds left. The Elks hadn't won in Regina since 2015 in over 2,500 days. Edmonton hadn't defeated a divisional opponent since beating Calgary on the road on Labour Day 2021.

Sergio Castillo kicked a 47-yard field goal to give Edmonton a 26-24 lead with 28 seconds left for the victory.

Despite Edmonton's home woes, the team is now 4-4 on the road in 2022.

The Roughriders are 2 games ahead of the Elks with 4 games left for each team and have the tiebreaker, despite the loss last Friday.

2022 CFL Week 15 preview

Everyone had a good laugh about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers return to Hamilton, site of the 2021 Grey Cup where Winnipeg won its second straight Grey Cup. Sure Dane Evans was back in the starting lineup as the Tiger-Cats quarterback. Winnipeg figured to easily trounce Hamilton.

Evans did throw 25-for-32 for 327 yards and a career-high 5 passing touchdowns. The Tiger-Cats scored 24 points to blow open the game for Hamilton in the second quarter.

The Blue Bombers now have 2 losses this season, both to East Division teams.

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

The BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders are almost certainly headed for a CFL playoff game in 2022. The Lions had a ½ game lead going into last week's tilt in Calgary. Nathan Rourke had led BC to a 1-point victory earlier in Calgary. Vernon Adams Jr. showed why the Lions traded a 1st-round draft pick for him.

Adams went 25-for-32 for 294 passing yards and added 32 rushing yards in his first start in orange.

Jake Maier might wonder if his coach Dave Dickenson will lean toward Bo Levi Mitchell. An overtime loss is still a loss.

The Lions have the tiebreaker over the Stampeders with the final game between the teams Saturday night in Vancouver. BC only has 3 more points than Calgary in the first 2 games. That theoretical West semifinal will be a game to remember.

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

Calgary linebacker Cameron Judge will sit out this week's game in Vancouver after punching BC Lions receiver Lucky Whitehead on the field following the game at McMahon Stadium.

I can’t thank @saraorlesky (aka the 🐐) enough for showing me the ropes of sideline reporting the last few months.🏈To say she will be missed, is an understatement! One of the most beautiful people inside & out! (Only makes sense we end up twinning on our last game together) pic.twitter.com/foAq8i8wgn

— Brit Dort (@britdortCTV) September 5, 2022

Brit Dort essentially took over for Claire Hanna at CTV Regina (Channel 2 CKCK-TV) as Hanna went to Ottawa. Even when Sara Orlesky was still on the TSN staff, we noted the absence of sideline reporters out west for the CFL on TSN.

Ryan Rishaug (Edmonton) has been on other TSN duties. Farhan Lalji is in Vancouver and he has worked extra duty on play by play (only in Vancouver) and in Toronto as host of the CFL on TSN panel.

Dort is new and can only cover so much territory: Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, and Edmonton is a large beat for just one person. Matthew Scianitti covers Toronto and Hamilton but they are close to each other. Hanna came out from Ottawa to help out this past week in Calgary.

Your humble narrator likes Donnovan Bennett, host of The Waggle official CFL podcast. Yet I haven't listened too much to the podcast of late. Sara Orlesky did make an appearance on The Waggle. If the CFL had a working app, that would be an easy way to listen. 

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor worked with Brit Dort in Regina on Friday and with Claire Hanna in Calgary on Saturday. Rod Smith and Duane Forde with Matthew Scianitti were at the Hall of Fame Game in Hamilton.

The Canadian Football Hall of Fame has always been in Hamilton since 1972 but moved into Tim Hortons Field in 2016.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @britdortCTV

2022 NHL preseason schedule

There are 2 kinds of NHL fans: those who count the seconds until preseason and the others who are like, "September already?"

The NHL preseason schedule is that sign that real hockey games are coming quite soon.

Good news for the the people of Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick, winners of Kraft Hockeyville in 2020 and 2021, respectively. These communities will finally get their preseason game.

Both communities will get the Montréal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators. The teams will face off in nearby communities: Gander, NF at the Steele Community Centre on October 6 and nearby Bouctouche, NB at the J.K. Irving Centre on October 8.

The games are on TVA Sports. Rogers Sportsnet isn't carrying the games.

The Canadian teams generally play each other with the grand exception of the Seattle Kraken, a random Habs home game with New Jersey, Vancouver hosting Gary Bettman's second favourite desert team, and a home-and-home with Toronto and Detroit.

There will be preseason games in non-NHL cities: CAA Arena in Belleville, ON with the Battle of Ontario on September 30 and Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, BC with Edmonton and Vancouver on October 5.

Montréal played a preseason game at the Centre Videotron in Québec City in the before (COVID-19) time. That tradition has not returned.

2021 NHL preseason schedule

2019 NHL preseason schedule

September 24

Ottawa @ Toronto, 1p/7p+

September 25

Winnipeg @ Edmonton, 6p
Calgary @ Vancouver, 7p+
Vancouver @ Calgary, 8p+

September 26

New Jersey @ Montréal, 7p
Edmonton @ Seattle, 10p

September 27

Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 8p
Calgary @ Seattle, 10p

September 28

Montréal @ Toronto, 7p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 9p

September 29

Winnipeg @ Montréal, 7p
Seattle @ Vancouver, 9:30p

September 30

Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p (Belleville, ON)
Calgary @ Edmonton, 9p

October 1

Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p
Edmonton @ Winnipeg, 8p
Vancouver @ Seattle, 9:30p

October 3

Toronto @ Montréal, 7p
Seattle @ Calgary, 9p
Vancouver @ Edmonton, 9p

October 4

Ottawa @ Montréal, 7p

October 5

Calgary @ Winnipeg, 8p
Edmonton @ Vancouver, 10p (Abbotsford, BC)

October 6

Ottawa @ Montréal, 6p (Gander, NL)

October 7

Toronto @ Detroit, 7:30p
Winnipeg @ Calgary, 9p
Seattle @ Edmonton, 9p
Arizona @ Vancouver, 10p

October 8

Montréal @ Ottawa, 6:30p (Bouctouche, NB)
Detroit @ Toronto, 7p

+ split squad games; All times EDT.

Rogers Sportsnet may or may not have posted a full preseason schedule. They have to consider Toronto Blue Jays potential postseason games. Will update as needed.

September 24 Ottawa @ Toronto, 1p/7p+
September 25 Calgary @ Vancouver, 7p+
September 28 Montréal @ Toronto, 7p
September 29 Seattle @ Vancouver, 9:30p
September 30 Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p (Belleville, ON)
October 1 Vancouver @ Seattle, 9:30p
October 3 Vancouver @ Edmonton, 9p

TSN issued its full preseason schedule.

September 25 Winnipeg @ Edmonton, 6p (TSN3)
September 26 New Jersey @ Montréal, 7p (TSN2)
September 27 Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 8p (TSN3, TSN5)
September 29 Winnipeg @ Montréal, 7p (TSN2, TSN3)
October 1 Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p (TSN5); Edmonton @ Winnipeg, 8p (TSN3)
October 3 Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (TSN2, TSN4)
October 4 Ottawa @ Montréal, 7p (TSN2)
October 7 Toronto @ Detroit, 7:30p (TSN4)
October 8 Detroit @ Toronto, 7p (TSN4)

The NHL Network will have preseason games involving Canadian teams. Most of that coverage will be tape delayed. The above feeds will indicate whether a Canadian feed could be used. ESPN+ will also have select NHL preseason games.

There will be a new Winnipeg Jets TV voice to replace Dennis Beyak.

We will update TV schedules as needed. 

2022 NHL Stanley Cup notebook: Edmonton Oilers out in 4

2022 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs scoreboard

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

The regular season for Canadian NHL teams starts on October 12 with Toronto at Montréal followed by Vancouver at Edmonton on Rogers Sportsnet.

photo credit: Kraft Hockeyville/NHL

Canadian film case study: Cairo Time

Cairo Time is a fish out of water in a romantic story of sorts. Juliette Grant (American actor Patricia Clarkson) is in Cairo to meet her husband Mark (Tom McCamus). Mark is away on a project with the United Nations. Mark's assistant Tareq Khalifa (English actor Alexander Siddig) picks Juliette from the airport and becomes her connection to Cairo.

Juliette is not used to the ways of Egypt. Men follow her because she wears Western dress. She talks about her children being grown so she has more time.

The setup is for eventual romance with Juliette and Tareq but takes its time in the 90-minute film. Juliette gets time to bond with Kathryn (Spanish actor Elena Anaya).

She learns shukran, thank you in Arabic, and uses that throughout the film. Juliette accidentally ends up at a men's only cafe.

Clarkson and Cairo are the primary reasons to see the film. Clarkson is so gifted, a true actor's actor. Writer/director Ruba Nadda showcases the beauty, warts and all, of Cairo.

The romance in the film is extremely subtle; this is not a typical romantic film. The story is about Juliette and discovery and frustration and waiting. She alternates between bonding with Tareq and the women she encounters in her journeys.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The Canadian content appears limited to brief screen time for McCamus and writer/director Ruba Nadda.

Cairo Time is a lovely film about a woman of a certain age who tries to figure out what is next for her in her life. A timeless story in a beautiful setting. The pace is relaxed even a bit slow yet highly enjoyable.

Cairo Time won Best Canadian Film at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

video credit: YouTube/Mongrel Media
photo credit: Cairo Time

2022 TIFF wrapup

Announcing the winner of the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, presented by @canadagoose: TO KILL A TIGER dir. @NishaPahuja. #TIFF22 pic.twitter.com/l6PBgrS42M

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 18, 2022

The Toronto International Film Festival gave us a surprise winner for the Best Canadian Feature Film for the second year in a row. The very experimental film Ste. Anne won last year and To Kill a Tiger from Nisha Pahuja won in 2022.

There was a significant realm of Canadian film on display in Toronto over the last 10 days. Rich Strike had 80-1 odds entering the 2022 Kentucky Derby, better odds than To Kill A Tiger had to win Best Canadian Feature Film.

Viking from Stéphane Lafleur received Special Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film. You might recall that Scarborough received Special Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film in 2021.

To Kill a Tiger is the first Canadian film in name only to win this award since When Jews Were Funny from Alan Zweig in 2013. We also cite Cairo Time from Ruba Nadda in 2009, a film we are reviewing for tomorrow.

The story is about India. The subject matter is significant and relevant, just not in this category.

We sat through The World Before Her from Nisha Pahuja in 2012. That was one of the most boring documentaries your humble narrator has ever watched. Hopefully, To Kill a Tiger is more interesting.

We thought the 2022 version of TIFF was a return to normal but this does not apply to the Best Canadian First Feature Film, which has not been awarded since 2019. TIFF has not said whether the award is closed or will be open at a later date.

The festival is acknowledging Canadian films with other awards, such as the Platform Prize to Riceboy Sleeps from Anthony Shim.

Something You Said Last Night from Luis De Filippis won the Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award, given to a film that centres youth and social change.

Black Ice from Hubert Davis won the TIFF 2022 People's Choice Documentary Award. 752 Is Not a Number from Babak Payami took 2nd runner-up.

Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On from Madison Thomas won Special Mention for Best Feature from an Emerging BIPOC Filmmaker.

Women Talking from Sarah Polley, which somehow is not a Canadian film, did win 1st runner-up in the TIFF 2022 People's Choice Award behind some guy named Steven Spielberg.

Announcing the winner of the #TIFF22 Platform Prize: RICEBOY SLEEPS dir. Anthony Shim. pic.twitter.com/nzxoJlf2c0

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 18, 2022

We're not suggesting the Best Canadian Feature Film award be a populist acknowledgment, such as the win for Antigone in 2019, where that film ended up as the Canadian entry for the Academy Awards. Inconvenient Indian was the logical pick in 2020 and ran into issues not of TIFF's doing. Ste. Anne from Rhayne Vermette, the 2021 winner, hasn't played in a theatre outside of a film festival. The award should go to Canadian films that encourage love for Canadian film.

No one who sees To Kill A Tiger will know the film is Canadian unless they stay for the credits. Women Talking is more Canadian in content and that isn't a Canadian film.

There were plenty of great Canadian films in this year's festival that deserved more recognition. Consider bringing back the Best Canadian First Feature Film to encourage first-time directors.

The Canadian Screen Awards offers up the John Dunning Best First Feature Award. Hard to imagine TIFF wants to be upstaged by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

Announcing the winner of the #TIFF22 People’s Choice Documentary Award: BLACK ICE dir. Hubert Davis pic.twitter.com/T6i8VmYmt4

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 18, 2022

2022 TIFF preview

2022 TIFF Canadian film preview

We are critical that CBC Radio shows don't do enough on Canadian film. TIFF is an exception. Here are some recent shows that look into Canadian film at 2022 TIFF. Excerpts are from Q with Tom Power unless otherwise noted.

Emily Hampshire discussed her new Canadian film The End of Sex.

Chandler Levack on her debut feature film I Like Movies.

Canadian director Patricia Rozema on chairing the 2022 TIFF Platform jury.

Actor Lamar Johnson on centreing and celebrating Scarborough in the new film Brother (with Talia Schlanger).

Matt Galloway sat down with Nisha Pahuja to talk about To Kill a Tiger on The Current.

Canadian film review: Black Bodies

Eternal Spring gets the nod from Canada for Best International Feature Film

The video comes from TIFF 2022 celebrating Canadian film, which we do appreciate.

2022 TIFF Rising Stars

Canadian film review: Inconvenient Indian

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

TIFF Rising Stars

We profiled the 2022 class of TIFF Rising Stars. Here is the list from all the years.

2011 Sarah Allen, Katie Boland, Sarah Gadon, Keon Mohajeri

2012 Tatiana Maslany, Connor Jessup, Charlotte Sullivan, Charlie Carrick

2013 Megan Park, Johnathan Sousa, Evelyne Brochu, Cara Gee

2014 Shannon Kook, Sophie Desmarais, Alexandre Landry, Julia Sarah Stone

2015 Deragh Campbell, Stephan James, Aliocha Schneider, Karelle Tremblay

2016 Jared Abrahamson, Grace Glowicki, Mylène Mackay, Sophie Nélisse

2017 Daniel Doheny, Mary Galloway, Théodore Pellerin, Ellen Wong

2018 Devery Jacobs, Lamar Johnson, Michaela Kurimsky, Jess Salgueiro

2019 Kacey Rohl, Mikhail Ahooja, Nahéma Ricci, Shamier Anderson

2020 Madeleine Sims-Fewer

2021 Arooj Azeem, Emma Ferreira, Phillip Lewitski, Thomas Antony Olajide

2022 Natalia Aranguren, Isaiah Lehtinen, Carmen Madonia, Joshua Odjick

Best Canadian Feature Film

Best Canadian Feature Film
Year	Film	Director
2022	To Kill A Tiger	Nisha Pahuja
2021	Ste. Anne	Rhayne Vermette
2020	Inconvenient Indian	Michelle Latimer
2019	Antigone	Sophie Deraspe
2018	The Fireflies Are Gone	Sebastien Pilote
2017	Les Affamés	Robin Aubert
2016	Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves	Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie
2015	Closet Monster	Stephen Dunn
2014	Felix and Meira	Maxime Giroux
2013	When Jews Were Funny	Alan Zweig
2012	Laurence Anyways	Xavier Dolan
2011	Monsieur Lazhar	Philippe Falardeau
2010	Incendies	Denis Villeneuve
2009	Cairo Time	Ruba Nadda
2008	Lost Song	Rodrigue Jean
2007	My Winnipeg	Guy Maddin
2006	Manufactured Landscapes	Jennifer Baichwal
2005	C.R.A.Z.Y.	Jean-Marc Vallée
2004	It's All Gone Pete Tong	Michael Dowse
2003	Les Invasions Barbares	Denys Arcand
2002	Spider	David Cronenberg
2001	Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)	Zacharias Kunuk
2000	Waydowntown	Gary Burns
1999	The Five Senses	Jeremy Podeswa
1998	Nô	Robert Lepage
1997	The Sweet Hereafter	Atom Egoyan
	The Hanging Garden	Thom Fitzgerald
1996	Long's Day Journey Into The Night	David Wellington
1995	Live Bait	Bruce Sweeney
1994	Exotica	Atom Egoyan
1993	Kanehsatake: 270 Years Of Resistance	Alanis Obomsawin
1992	Requiem Pour Un Beau Sans-Coeur	Robert Morin
1991	The Adjuster	Atom Egoyan
1990	H	Darrell Wasyk
1989	Roadkill	Bruce McDonald
1988	The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick	Allan Goldstein
1987	Family Viewing	Atom Egoyan
1986	Le Déclin De L'empire Américain	Denys Arcand
1985	Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga Of Hal C. Banks	Donald Brittain
1984	La Femme De L'hôtel	Léa Pool
Best Canadian Feature Film (1991-present); Excellence in Canadian Production (1984-1990).

 

Best Canadian First Feature Film

Best Canadian First Feature Film
Year	Film	Director
2019	The Twentieth Century	Matthew Rankin
2018	Roads in February	Katherine Jerkovic
2017	Luk' Luk'l	Wayne Wapeemukwa
2016	Old Stone	Johnny Ma
2015	Sleeping Giant	Andrew Cividino
2014	Bang Bang Baby	Jeffrey St. Jules
2013	Asphalt Watches	Shayne Ehman, Seth Scriver
2012	Antiviral	Brandon Cronenberg
	Blackbird	Jason Buxton
2011	Edwin Boyd	Nathan Morlando
2010	The High Cost of Living	Deborah Chow
2009	The Wild Hunt	Alexandre Franchi
2008	Before Tomorrow	Marie-Hélène Cousineau
		Madeline Piujuq Ivalu
2007	Un Film Sans Fusil Continental	Stéphane Lafleur
2006	Sur La Trace D'igor Rizzi	Nöel Mitrani
2005	The Life And Hard Times Of Guy Terrifico	Louise Archambault, Michael Mabbott
2004	La Peau Blanche	Daniel Roby
2003	Love, Sex and Eating The Bones	Sudz Sutherland
2002	Marion Bridge	Wiebke Von Carolsfeld
2001	Inertia	Sean Garrity
2000	La Moitié Gauche Du Frigo	Philippe Falardeau
1999	Just Watch Me:	Catherine Annau
	Trudeau and The 70's Generation
1998	Last Night	Don McKellar
1997	Cube	Vincenzo Natali
As determined by the Toronto International Film Festival.

Twitter captures: @TIFF_NET (x3)
photo credit: Riceboy Sleeps
video credit: Toronto International Film Festival

2022 CFL Week 15 preview

The week starts out in a game where it is easy to be green as the Edmonton Elks travel to Regina to battle the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

That is the lone Friday night game.

Hamilton has a chance to rest up before hosting the top team from the West in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The late afternoon contest starts out the Saturday doubleheader.

The BC Lions start a home-and-home series with the Calgary Stampeders with a trip to Calgary in the later afternoon local start. The Lions took the exciting 41-40 win earlier in the year but that was with Nathan Rourke.

Montréal, Ottawa, and Toronto may swap recipes in lieu of playing football for the upcoming week.

TSN

Friday
Edmonton @ Saskatchewan, 9:30p
Saturday
Winnipeg @ Hamilton, 4p
BC @ Calgary, 7p

Bye week: Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto

The lack of a 2021 preseason and 2020 regular season led to lackluster offence. The CFL in 2022 has improved offence and point totals.

We saw on Saturday where Winnipeg scored 54 points on Saskatchewan in Manitoba and Calgary netted 56 points in Edmonton. The only team that topped that point total was the BC Lions scored 59 points in the opening week on Edmonton at Vancouver.

The Elks might be part of why point totals are up. Edmonton also lost 49-6 to Calgary and 46-14 to BC in 2022.

The Blue Bombers swept the first 2 against the Roughriders. The Stampeders swept the entire 4-game series with the Elks.

2022 CFL Week 14 preview: Revenge games

The Montréal Alouettes scored a win over a West team against the BC Lions at home. The Alouettes now have 3 of their 5 wins outside their division. The West is now 18-6 against the East in 2022.

Antonio Pipkin and Vernon Adams Jr. were not terribly effective for the Lions in their old home at Stade Molson. The Montréal defence got 6 turnovers. Adams gets the start in Calgary for BC.

2022 CFL Week 13 preview: Labour Day weekend

Saskatchewan is a ½ game ahead of 2nd-place Montréal in a potential CFL playoff crossover. The Roughriders have a 2½ game lead over Hamilton and Ottawa for that crossover possibility.

Saskatchewan could eliminate Edmonton from playoff contention with a win at home on Friday. The Roughriders have the tiebreaker edge with the Elks.

The Elks now have a CFL-tying record with 14 consecutive home losses. Their stretch ties the Ottawa Rough Riders during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.

Our hearts are broken for the communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon. pic.twitter.com/1L8mWfYdto

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) September 5, 2022

Nice for the Roughriders to weigh in on the tragedy in the province. Hopefully, the inquiry will answer some key questions as to what and why.

.@saraorlesky thanks @wpg_bluebombers fans for the last time 💙#CFLGameday pic.twitter.com/i9lrBVgzia

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 10, 2022

The Banjo Bowl telecast gave us a nice tribute to Sara Orlesky. Had not realised Orlesky had been doing all of this for 14½ years at TSN. Orlesky has also done a marvelous job of hosting the Winnipeg Jets games on TSN3 since the team returned to the NHL.

All those moments in the freezing weather. She was on the sidelines at the infamous 2013 CFL playoff game in Guelph where the wind stopped a Sean Whyte field goal in mid air.

They celebrated her career not because she was nice but also being very good, considerate, and professional to the people she interviewed. A corporate slogan says nobody doesn't like Sara Lee but that really applies to Sara Orlesky.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

Rod Smith had some flying kilometres with a Friday night in Montréal with Duane Forde and John Lu and late on Saturday in Edmonton with Matt Dunigan and Brit Dort. Marshall Ferguson came off the bench with Forde and Matthew Scianitti on Saturday afternoon in Ottawa. Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor worked the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg with the impressive Sara Orlesky.

Dave Naylor sat in for Matt Dunigan on the CFL on TSN panel.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter captures: @sskroughriders; @TSN_Sports

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late September 2022

The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival wraps up over the weekend. Someday, some of those films could end up on the Canadian films seen on CBC on Saturday nights.

The September 17 films are definitely not family-oriented. Human trafficking, foster care, and domestic assault are some of the themes in the pair of films.

The September 24 films have suspense and isolation in the first 2 films. Not much of either in the final film of the night.

This shows out the variety you can find in Canadian films, even ones on the CBC on a Saturday night.

Some of these Canadian films may have been featured recently on CBC. The films should also be available on CBC Gem. All times are local, adding 30 minutes in Newfoundland.

Here is the schedule for late September 2022.

September 17

9p Honey Bee (2018)
11p The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019)

September 24

9p Angelique's Isle (2017)
11p Two Lovers and A Bear (2016)
1a Paper Year (2018)

Canadian film review: Honey Bee

Canadian film review: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open

Julia Sarah Stone is a great reason to watch Honey Bee (aka Natalie). Her character tries to escape foster care to return to her old life. The film aims for a realistic portrayal.

The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open is a rather intense film that would benefit from a lack of commercials. Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Violet Nelson are engaging to watch.

Canadian film review: Two Lovers and A Bear

Canadian film case study: Paper Year/Jean of the Joneses

Angelique's Isle is based on a true story about newlyweds stranded for the winter on Isle Royale in Lake Superior in 1845. Tantoo Cardinal is in the supporting cast.

Two Lovers and A Bear was the last Canadian film that Tatiana Maslany did. Gordon Pinsent, an actual bear, and a decent story from Kim Nguyen. A good sense of isolation in the cold.

Paper Year is definitely a Canadian film in name only. The couple is the focus of the film and neither character is very interesting.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early September 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2022

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2022

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in late spring and early summer 2022

The Canadian films run through October 8, the Saturday before the start of the NHL season.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Enjoy the Canadian films!!

logo credit: CBC
photo credit: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open