Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka are joined by TVO's slate of documentary and podcast people to recommend the best docs for the holidays. Like what you heard? Tell us what you think on Twitter @ColinEllis81 and @Namshine And check out some links to our recommendations from this episode below: Oscar Peterson: Black + White: https://www.crave.ca/en/tv-shows/oscar-peterson-black-white Apollo 11: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81078076 Framing Britney Spears:...

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 Nam: The Autobiography of Malcolm X - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92057.The_Autobiography_of_Malcolm_X  Thrilla in Manila - https://youtu.be/rEtCq6X7fUI Manning marble: Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention -...

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.

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 acceptance - a sign of changing times and attitudes. They join On Docs to discuss their films and the intersections of faith, culture, and sexuality. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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 phone number is 1-866-925-4419. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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.

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.

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 country and its people. She speaks to Colin Ellis about a side of Afghanistan we don't hear about very often, and what she's been doing to help Afghan refugees. For more information: https://ayedi.ca/ccap/ https://idrf.ca/project/afghanistan/ See...

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 women's rights to a country now in the hands of the Taliban. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and the diverse stories they tell? Make a donation today at www.tvo.org/supportpods to support TVO’s On Docs podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 as their power, so that's why Commander X is such a controversial figure. Director Gary Lang joins On Docs to talk about "The Face of Anonymous," which follows Commander X who was once part of a notorious hacktivist group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

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 2019, every single major beauty pageant in America was won by a Black woman. What changed? Director Jen Holness joins On Docs to talk about "Subjects of Desire," which explores how Black women have redefined beauty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 programming. And the show's aim went even higher with an integrated cast and a goal of educating America's Black children. Director Marilyn Agrelo joins the podcast to talk about her documentary, "Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street," and explore Sesame Street's...

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 joins On Docs to talk about her film, "Through the Night," which visits a 24-hour daycare in New York run by Dolores "Nunu" and Patrick Hogan that lets kids stay the night as their parents work the night shift. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Drake, as he arrives in Vancouver from Uganda and sets out on a new life. But while he's able to be out and proud, Drake starts to experience racism and economic disparity - two huge challenges that his sponsors struggle to help him overcome. See...

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 Jankovic, TVO's Executive Producer of Documentaries, to discuss the best of the best in documentaries this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 in HBO's documentary "Tina," the name was about the only positive aspect of her relationship with him. Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka dig into the documentary and what it uncovers about Turner's life and career, and the power of reclaiming a name. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

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 up a dialogue about how we see race in our society. Colin Ellis digs into the conversation with them, and asks why this question is so divisive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 help us explore "More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story" is Guy Aoki from the Media Action Network for Asian Americans. We discuss Hollywood's historic lack of Asian representation, and why it's more important than ever to fix it with the rise of anti-Asian...

"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 the podcast is Shad, creator of Netflix's "Hip-Hop Evolution," to talk about the new doc with Colin Ellis and new co-host Nam Kiwanuka. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. But when they met resistance, the pair were forced to park the idea until Gallagher's father was diagnosed with COVID-19. "Dispatches from a Field Hospital" explores the experience both the patients and anxious family members as they try to communicate with one...

"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 John Ware. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.