What’s Coming to CBC Gem (June 2025)

Mark National Indigenous History Month with the INDIGENOUS STORIES COLLECTION, including a short doc celebrating a special graduation season for a James Smith First Nation family, GRADUATION DAY (now streaming); an Ininimowin-language version of Tanya Talaga’s docuseries, THE KNOWING (May 30); documentaries AITAMAAKO’TAMISSKAPI NATOSI: BEFORE THE SUN (June 1), following the thrilling Indian Relay horse race, and BRING THEM HOME / AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA (June 1), narrated by Academy Award® nominee Lily Gladstone and chronicling a decades-long initiative to bring wild buffalo back to the Blackfeet Reservation; Season 2 of competition series BEARS’ LAIR (June 1), as 18 Indigenous entrepreneurs pitch their business plans; DELTA DAWN (June 1), the winner of the Hot Docs Best Canadian Short Documentary Award about Indigenous wrestling sensation Dawn Murphy; Season 2 of crime drama TRIBAL (June 1); feature film ROSIE, a cross-cultural family drama (June 6); and this year’s INDSPIRE AWARDS (June 21), honouring Indigenous excellence

Pride season kicks off in June with the PRIDE COLLECTION, including ANIMAL PRIDE from CBC’s The Nature of Things (May 29); Season 4 of CBC Arts’ Canadian Screen Award-winning series HERE & QUEER (May 30); Seasons 1 & 2 of Tig Notaro’s semi-autobiographical comedy series ONE MISSISSIPPI (June 6 & 27); BULLETPROOF: A LESBIAN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE PLOT (June 13), a look at queer representation in media; feature film SOFT (June 13) following a missing persons investigation; six-part historical documentary series PRIDE (June 15); documentary LARRY (THEY/THEM) (June 18), a portrait of LGBTQ+ community icon and photographer Laurence Philomène; documentary series TRANSLATIONS (June 18), exploring the lives of five trans individuals and five supporters from different parts of Nova Scotia; two-part romantic drama MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT (June 20); and matchmaking comedy series SETTLE DOWN (June 20)

CBC News Special CBC IN ANTARCTICA (June 8), hosted by international climate correspondent Susan Ormiston, offers the full story of 2025’s historic Canadian expedition aboard the HMCS Margaret Brooke

Season 1 of Golden Globe-winning drama THE AFFAIR, starring Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson, premieres on CBC Gem on June 6; and Season 2 of French-Canadian comedy PARIS PARIS launches June 13

New documentaries include INBOUND (now streaming), exploring the connection between Canada’s rise as a global basketball powerhouse and the country’s multicultural identity, and featuring NBA MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; documentary Channel’s SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS (June 1), about the profound impact of Indigenous masks on an iconic art movement; and new offerings from THE NATURE OF THINGS and ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN

CBC Kids original series MITTENS & PANTS (June 16) returns for a third season of adorable adventures in Kibble Corners

CBC Gem is Canada’s streaming service, offering more than 6500 hours of live and on-demand Canadian programming and a curated selection of acclaimed, best-in-class content from around the world, including more than 800 documentaries, 500 hours of ad-free content for kids and tweens, and a collection of over 200 Canadian feature films. CBC Gem is available free as an app for iOS and Android devices and online at CBCGem.ca, and on TV screens via Roku, Samsung, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, LG, Google Chromecast, Android TV and Xbox.

CBC NEWS SPECIALS

CBC IN ANTARCTICA
Begins streaming Sunday, June 8 (also available on CBC News Network and CBC News streaming channels on June 7 and 8, and on CBC News YouTube beginning June 5)
The full story of 2025’s historic Canadian expedition to Antarctica, aboard the HMCS Margaret Brooke. Guided by CBC News international climate correspondent Susan Ormiston, audiences are invited to take an inside look at the science exploring retreating glaciers, towering icebergs, and a melting ice sheet – the largest in the world – and witness how geopolitical pressures challenge Antarctica to remain neutral, preserved for science and peace. Join us for CBC IN ANTARCTICA – a one-hour special with stunning vistas, curious penguins and dramatic real-time navigation through ice entombed channels with the Royal Canadian Navy and a team of dedicated Canadian scientists.

INDIGENOUS STORIES COLLECTION

GRADUATION DAY (CBC Short Docs, 12min, directed by Tasha Hubbard and Charlene Moore)
Now Streaming
James Smith First Nation has had its share of hard times in the past year, so this year’s graduation will be special. But one of the graduates, 18-year-old Sage Stonesand, will be sharing the graduation spotlight with someone unexpected: his 63-year-old grandmother, Connie Stonesand. This short documentary  follows Connie and Sage on their graduation days as they celebrate each other’s achievements and are celebrated by their loved ones.

ᑭᐢᑫᓂᑕᒧᐧᐃᐣ(THE KNOWING) (4×60, Documentary) Ininimowin-language version
Begins streaming Wednesday, May 30
THE KNOWING is a four-part narrative docuseries that follows journalist Tanya Talaga and her family’s eight-decade long search for family matriarch Annie Carpenter, revealing a story deeply intertwined with Canada’s Indian residential school system. This series is now available entirely in Ininìmowin, thanks to James Bay Cree speakers Martha Sutherland, Brian Nakogee, Madeline Scott, Leona Spence, Stella Schimmens, and from Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, Simon Bird. This version, ᑭᐢᑫᓂᑕᒧᐧᐃᐣ (THE KNOWING), honours the languages and voices of the place where Annie Carpenter was born, Peetabeck, or, Fort Albany First Nation. Based on the book by Tanya Talaga, THE KNOWING is written and directed by Talaga and Courtney Montour. The English version of THE KNOWING is also available to stream now on CBC Gem.

AITAMAAKO’TAMISSKAPI NATOSI: BEFORE THE SUN (89min, Documentary, directed by Banchi Hanuse)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
An intimate and thrilling portrait of a young Siksika woman Logan Red Crow and the deep bonds between her father and family in the golden plains of Blackfoot Territory as she prepares for one of the most dangerous horse races in the world…the Indian Relay.

BEARS’ LAIR Season 2 (9×30, Reality, Sparkly Frog Clan Productions Inc., Canada)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
BEARS’ LAIR is a compelling Indigenous-produced business competition series, blending education, mentorship, and high-stakes entrepreneurship into an inspiring reality TV format. Since its first season debut in September 2022, the show has gained widespread recognition, showcasing the talent, resilience, and innovation of Indigenous entrepreneurs. The second season features 18 talented Indigenous business owners, each pitching their ventures to “The Bear,” 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.

BRING THEM HOME / AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA (Documentary, 86min, directed by Ivan MacDonald)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
BRING THEM HOME/AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA chronicles a decades-long initiative by members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to bring wild buffalo (Blackfeet: iinnii) back to the Blackfeet Reservation. A thriving wild buffalo population would not only reconnect Blackfeet with a central part of their heritage, spirituality and identity, but would provide economic opportunities and healing for the community. Along the way, however, the initiative faces obstacles from ranchers who see the buffalo as a threat to the cattle ranches that dominate the land and are a legacy of colonization.

BRING THEM HOME examines the deeply meaningful role that buffalo played in Blackfeet life prior to the arrival of settlers who nearly eradicated wild buffalo in an effort to eradicate the Blackfeet people. For Blackfeet, the buffalo are seen not only as fundamental to a healthy ecosystem, but as spiritual relatives. Their removal from the land meant the loss of the Blackfeet way of life, the trauma of which still reverberates today. Narrated by Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon, Certain Women).

DELTA DAWN (23min, Short Doc, directed by Asia Youngman)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
DELTA DAWN explores the early life and career of Indigenous wrestling sensation Dawn Murphy aka “Princess Delta Dawn” who rose to fame in the 1980s and early 1990s as well as her present-day life in Prince George, BC. After competing in the pro-wrestling circuit in Canada, Dawn rose to international success at the age of 17 and became the first Indigenous woman and the first Canadian woman to compete in Japan.

TRIBAL Season 2 (10×60, Drama, Prairie Dog Film & Television, Alberta, Canada)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
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.

ROSIE (90min, Drama, written and directed by Gail Maurice)
Begins streaming Friday, June 6
Rosie (Keris Hope Hill) is an Indigenous, English-speaking, sweet, and headstrong little girl and her mother has just died. A children’s services agent brings her to her only living relative, her Francophone aunt Frédèrique (Mélanie Bray). “Fred” doesn’t have a solid foundation on which to raise a child. She is unprepared — she’s working at an adult entertainment shop and threatened with eviction — and is at first unwilling to take on caring for her adopted sister’s young daughter.

INDSPIRE AWARDS (60min, Special)
Begins streaming Saturday, June 21
The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people. After 31 years, the Indspire Awards have honoured over 400 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement across Turtle Island and beyond. Their stories are shared in a nationally broadcast and streamed celebration that showcases the diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Learn more about the 2025 recipients.

ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN: RETURN OF THE SPIRIT HORSES (Documentary, directed by Derek Sands and Taye Alvis)
Begins streaming Saturday, June 21
RETURN OF THE SPIRIT HORSES follows an Indigenous filmmaker as he reconnects with the stories of his youth through the once nearly extinct Ojibwe Spirit Horses, now revitalizing in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Guided by his father, a Residential School Survivor of Walpole Island, and joined by Indigenous students learning from an Elder, and community members, they unravel their history and the deep, personal bond they share with the horses which once rode freely.

PRIDE COLLECTION

THE NATURE OF THINGS: ANIMAL PRIDE (44 min, Documentary)
Begins streaming Thursday, May 29
Through a journey of scientific discovery, naturalist Connel Bradwell explores how homosexuality and unique gender expressions are common throughout the natural world, yet we hardly ever hear about it. He challenges mainstream biology’s blindspot for queer animal behaviour, and celebrates the wild, wonderful, and downright sexy side of nature. This is Nature’s coming out story.

HERE & QUEER Season 4 (10×10, CBC Arts)
Begins streaming Friday, May 30
HERE & QUEER is an interview series hosted by Peter Knegt that celebrates and amplifies the work of some of our greatest LGBTQ artists through unfiltered conversations.

For Season 4, Peter spoke with Vivek Shraya & Christopher Sherman, Jordan Tannahill, Fay & Fluffy, Joel Kim Booster, Robby Hoffman, Joshua Oppenheimer, Rachel Morrison, Fabian Stumm, J Stevens and Sook-Yin Lee.

ONE MISSISSIPPI Seasons 1 & 2 (12×30, Comedy, Amazon Studios/FX Productions/3 Arts Entertainment/Pig Newton, USA)
Season 1 begins streaming Friday, June 6
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.

Season 2 begins streaming Friday, June 27
Love is in the air when we pick up with Tig, Bill and Remy, living together again in Mississippi. It’s a season of new relationships for each of them, all of which test their status quo…as well as family boundaries.

BULLETPROOF: A LESBIAN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE PLOT (105min, Documentary, directed by Regan Latimer)
Begins streaming Friday, June 13
Exclusive Canadian Premiere
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.

SOFT (87min, Drama, written and directed by Joseph Amenta)
Begins streaming Friday, June 13
Over the summer break, three adolescent friends become enraptured in the queer nightlife scene before a missing persons investigation pulls them back into the reality they chose to leave behind.

PRIDE (6×60, Documentary, FX Networks, USA)
Begins streaming Sunday, June 15
PRIDE is a six-part documentary series chronicling the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America from the 1950s until today. Seven renowned LGBTQ+ directors explore heroic and heartbreaking stories that define us as a nation. 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.

LARRY (THEY/THEM) (103min, Documentary, directed by Catherine Legault)
Begins streaming Wednesday, June 18
Exclusive Canadian Premiere
Young non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène has emerged as one of the most original and inspiring voices of their generation and an LGBTQ+ community icon. Exploring the artist’s intimate world and creative process, LARRY (they/them) paints a luminous and engaging portrait of the complex, often misunderstood multiplicity of trans and non-binary identities and experiences.

TRANSLATIONS (6×30, Documentary Series, Rusty Tractor Productions, Canada)
Begins streaming Wednesday, June 18
Explores the lives of a diverse group of trans individuals and their advocates as they connect at a beautiful, remote retreat in Nova Scotia. A round-robin series of conversations introduces us to five very different pairs in a stunning location: a queer mom and her 13-year-old trans daughter, a queer Iranian man and his trans female fiancé; a married couple with two kids, a dog, and a picket fence living their best life in small-town Nova Scotia; a pair of Black drag kings who’ve helped each other through their transitions since their high school days; and a Catholic university Gender & Sexual Diversity Advisor and her young trans charge from a northern Alberta Mennonite community – all articulate the complexity, humanity and humour of their experiences.

MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT (2×60, Drama, Kudos Productions, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, June 20
A high-impact two-part drama, MAN IN AN ORANGE SHIRT is a dynamic portrayal of gay romance detailing two budding relationships, sixty years apart, and the shame and secrecy that surrounds them. Adam embarks on a tentative romance but is plagued by internalised guilt and shame. As the story unfolds, his doting grandmother Flora, played by legend of stage and screen Vanessa Redgrave, struggles to come to terms with his lifestyle. Adam’s relationship is almost derailed by the consequences of a forbidden romance his grandfather had during the Second World War, and the emotional connection it still has to Flora and, in turn, Adam himself. The story is beautifully and delicately told, with care and nuance, making this sumptuous drama engaging and affecting. Winner of Best Mini Series at the 2018
International Emmy Awards.

SETTLE DOWN (6×30, Comedy, Border2Border Entertainment, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, June 20
Mason is a matchmaker with an impressive success rate, and the creator and host of “Well Versed”: a wildly popular podcast for which listeners get answers to questions on sex, dating, and relationships.  If he could just follow his own advice, he’d have the man of his dreams. Unfortunately, Mason has no such luck — his personal life is a tragic disaster. A crazy ex fiancé, crazy client cases…To top it all off, he can’t stop meddling in his friends’ love lives. Can Mason stop getting in his own way before he taints his budding love empire past the point of no return? Along for the ride are his best friends: Georgia, who refuses to admit she has commitment issues; and Ben, who is riddled with anxiety when it comes to the dating front. They help one another navigate the wild world of 2SLGBTQ+ dating, despite a truck-load of friction along the way. Each episode we meet a new client that Mason must match, while balancing his own messy private life. These clients and their stories reflect various topics about queer dating, love, and sex.

ACCLAIMED SERIES

THE AFFAIR Season 1 (10×60, Drama, Sheleg/Higlewater/Showtime Networks, USA)
Begins streaming Friday, June 6
At once deeply observed and intriguingly elusive, THE AFFAIR explores the emotional effects of an extramarital relationship. Noah is a New York City schoolteacher and novelist who is happily married, but resents his dependence on his wealthy father-in-law. Alison is a young waitress trying to piece her life and marriage back together in the wake of a tragedy. The provocative drama unfolds when Alison and Noah meet in Montauk at the end of Long Island. Starring Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson. Winner of Best Drama Television Series and Best Performance by an Actress in a
Television Series (Ruth Wilson) at the 2015 Golden Globes.

PARIS PARIS Season 2 (13×30, Comedy, Zazie Films, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, June 13
In this second season of the comedic series PARIS PARIS, the tunnel that once connected two Paris’, now connects three. While the tunnel between Paris, France and Paris, Ontario helped Philippe get through his midlife crisis, the discovery of Paris, Texas allows Jenny to find meaning in her own life. Jenny’s journey begins after she discovers her husband’s affair with a younger woman. The betrayal violently shakes the foundation of their relationship, but also her own sense of self. It’s with this deep need to find meaning and reconnect with herself that Jenny takes the tunnel to Texas to discover what the universe has in store for her.

DOCUMENTARIES

INBOUND (50min, Victory Creative Group, NBA)
Streaming now
Documenting the connection between Canada’s rise as a global basketball powerhouse and the country’s multicultural identity. The film examines how Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s multiculturalism policy in the early 1970s brought an influx of immigrants to Canada whose children and grandchildren are now becoming professional basketball players. Features superstars such as Toronto Raptors alumnus Vince Carter and current player Chris Boucher, as well as RJ Barrett, NBA MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jamal Murray, among others.

SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS (88min, directed by Neil Diamond) a documentary Channel original
Begins streaming Sunday, June 1
SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS is a feature documentary that traces the storied journey of Indigenous masks from the far reaches of Turtle Island (North America) into the hands of European Surrealists, influencing the work and worldview of some of the most well-known modern artists and writers of all time including Max Ernst, André Breton, Roberto Matta and Joan Miró – all while following the dramatic quest to return a mask that was brutally stolen from the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw people on Canada’s northwest coast over a century ago. Part caper, part road trip, part spiritual journey, So Surreal: Behind the Masks follows Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond (Reel Injun, Red Fever) as he travels coast-to-coast and across the Atlantic and back, gradually piecing together this groundbreaking global story of influence, reconnection and restitution.

THE NATURE OF THINGS – DAD BODS
Begins streaming Thursday, June 5
What really happens to a man when he becomes a father? DAD BODS, hosted by Anthony Morgan, explores fatherhood from all angles – physically, chemically and mentally – in the search for clues to men’s evolution in the journey of fatherhood.

THE NATURE OF THINGS – IMPLOSION: The Titanic Sub Disaster
Begins streaming Friday, June 13
The story of Stockton Rush, a man driven unrelentingly towards the goal to explore the greatest depths of the ocean, and enable wealthy adventurers to see the remains of Titanic. A goal that would eventually kill him, and four others.

ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN: PISUWIN: HOPE MAKERS (60min, directed by François Savoie)
Begins streaming Friday, June 20
PISUWIN – HOPE MAKERS captures the story of the first-ever Wolastoq ballet. Igor Dobrovolskiy, a Ukrainian ballet choreographer who emigrated to N.B. in 2001, and Possesom Paul, a professional Powwow dancer from the Wolastook Nation outside of Fredericton, join forces to create Pisuwin. The duo convinces multi-award winning musician Jeremy Dutcher to write the musical score and they assemble a team of Indigenous artists. This documentary takes us on a journey from the first meeting, through rehearsals, set building, costume design and construction, to the hard work involved in creating a classical ballet, right to the world premiere in Fredericton, N.B.

SEARCHING FOR WINNETOU (44min, CBC Docs, directed by Drew Hayden Taylor, written by Paul Kemp)
Begins streaming Saturday, June 21
Searching for Winnetou looks at the fine line between appreciation and appropriation of Indigenous traditions. Ojibway author and humourist, Drew Hayden Taylor, explores the roots of the German obsession with Native North Americans.

ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN: BEN’S ANIMALS (60min, directed by Evan Beloff)
Begins streaming Saturday, June 28
BEN’S ANIMALS follows the story of Benjamin Lachapelle, a 21-year-old Canadian artist with autism, and his devoted mother Julie, each activists in their own right. Driven by concerns about animal extinction and climate change, Benjamin’s art gathers steam as he finds audiences around the country and becomes a beacon of hope, not only for the autism community but also as a powerful message to our broader society. Ben’s mother Julie is torn between nurturing Ben’s independence and protecting him from societal neglect. Together they rally around the adoption of Bill C-22, the first federal benefit of its kind, underscoring a need for a national strategy around autism and the urgency of the disability poverty crisis. BEN’S ANIMALS becomes a poignant tale of determination, love, and the ongoing fight for a better future, illustrating the personal and collective struggles against societal indifference while delving into the delicate balance of Julie’s concerns for her son’s well-being. And as Ben’s shows us, this all takes the work of many ants. A lot of Pace-Ants and Persevere-Ants!

LIFESTYLE & UNSCRIPTED

CHATEAU DIY Season 8 (14×60, Lifestyle, Spark Media, UK)
Begins streaming Wednesday, June 4
With the latest seasons narrated by Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh, Château DIY follows courageous château-owners as they tackle monumental reno projects and transform worn-yet-wonderful castles across France.

From first-time buyers to seasoned homeowners with grand expansion plans, every episode focuses on three unique transformation stories and restoration trials, tales, and tribulations. And—from overgrown gardens and sagging floors to turrets in desperate need of repair—this escapist fantasy serves up extreme highs, devastating lows, and jaw-dropping fairytale reveals every time.

KIDS & TWEENS

MITTENS & PANTS Season 3 (45×7, Kids, Windy Isle Entertainment)
Begins streaming Monday, June 16
Join Mittens and Pants for new adventures! Play a game of Kittenball in the new stadium, enjoy a magic show, a hot air balloon ride, sail on a pirate ship, or just sit back and watch it all on the GBC (the Guinea Pig Broadcasting Network). Mittens and Pants, Season 3 is bigger, better, and cuter than ever.
THE BEST OF CBC

The Canadian streaming home of hit CBC original series including THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW, HEARTLAND, KIM’S CONVENIENCE, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, SCHITT’S CREEK and WORKIN’ MOMS, plus BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, BLACKBERRY, BONES OF CROWS, MR. D, PRETTY HARD CASES, THE PORTER, RUN THE BURBS, SKYMED, SON OF A CRITCH, SORT OF, STILL STANDING and TALLBOYZ, and classic CBC hits like BEING ERICA.

Source: CBC Gem

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.