Celebrate Indigenous storytelling this fall with APTN

Press Release

Celebrate Indigenous storytelling this fall with APTN

August 23, 2022

TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, Man. — APTN is coming in hot this fall with another powerful roster of Indigenous programs. Audiences can expect returning favourites as well as diverse new offerings in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages. From a new show that spotlights aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs to a beloved series that follows the escapades of some eccentric characters off of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, this season of programming is sure to captivate and inspire. 

APTN continues to share powerful and entertaining stories by, for and about Indigenous Peoples with viewers across Canada. Audiences can also enjoy unprecedented access to an extensive and ever-expanding catalogue of original programming on the network’s Indigenous-focused streaming service, APTN lumi. 

“APTN is excited to share poignant Indigenous stories, both new and old, with our audiences,” said Adam Garnet Jones, director of TV content and special events at APTN. “These stories highlight the innovation, resilience and vibrancy of our communities and we can’t wait for our viewers to connect with them.” 

The new season will roll out on APTN from September to January and will include the following programs: 

Reality series 

• New: Bears’ Lair – Season 1 (World Premiere Sept. 11, 2022)
  Bears’ Lair is an exciting new reality series that offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to 18 aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. Over the course of nine episodes, the contestants face off in a collaborative competition and pitch their best ideas to a panel of business moguls in hopes of winning the $100,000 grand prize. 
• Returning: Friday Night Thunder – Season 2 (World Premiere Sept. 11, 2022)
  Car racing at Ohsweken Speedway is a time-honoured and generational tradition among many families from Six Nations of the Grand River in southern Ontario. Friday Night Thunder explores the minds and lives of Indigenous racecar drivers and their families as they come together every week to compete in one of the most dangerous forms of grassroots dirt track racing. 
• Returning: Going Native – Season 2 (World Premiere Oct. 6, 2022)
  Celebrated humourist and author Drew Hayden Taylor explores a contemporary aspect of Indigenous life in each episode of Going Native. 

Nostalgia 

• Celebrating 50 years: The Beachcombers (Starting Oct. 3, 2022)
  The Beachcombers follows the adventures of a beachcomber named Nick and a scallywag named Relic, whose stock-in-trade is salvaging the giant cedar logs that come adrift near a small fishing hamlet off British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. APTN will broadcast a selection of episodes from the series across all of our channels. 

Explore the supernatural 

Get ready for all things supernatural every Wednesday on APTN. 

• New: Ghost Hunters of the Grand River – Season 1 (World Premiere Oct. 26, 2022)
  A group of First Nations ghost hunters investigates paranormal occurrences in unique locations. The team works together to gather evidence that will prove the existence of the spirit world and the afterlife. 
• Returning: Spirit Talker – Season 3 (World Premiere Oct. 26, 2022)
  Follow Mi’kmaq medium Shawn Leonard as he travels from coast to coast using his psychic abilities to connect the living with the dead and bring hope, healing and closure to Indigenous communities. 

Thrilling docuseries 

• Returning: Nations at War – Season 3 (World Premiere Oct. 6, 2022) 
  From the Battle at Maple Bay to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Nations at War presents a gripping account of the wars that shaped North America. With violent rivalries over trade, territory and resources, life on the continent has never been easy.
• Returning: Life Below Zero: Canada – Season 2 (APTN Premiere Oct. 6, 2022)
  From long, dark, frozen winters to sweltering, bug-infested summers, Life Below Zero: Canada captures the day-to-day trials of people living in unforgiving environments. Follow the cast as they survive in the coldest and most remote regions of Northern Canada. 

French-language content 

• New: Pour toi Flora – Season 1 (APTN Premiere Nov. 7, 2022)
  This series examines the bitter legacy of Quebec’s residential school system, the tremendous resilience of children who were uprooted and the traumas experienced by survivors and their loved ones. Inspired by real-life events, Pour toi Flora illustrates how Indigenous families can come together even after being torn apart.   

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation  

Sept. 30, 2022 will mark the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR). NDTR is a federal statutory holiday that encourages Canadians to pause and reflect on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools. To welcome this day of remembrance and raise awareness about its significance, APTN will offer 35 hours of special programming for NDTR. 

Content in honour of residential school survivors, their families and their communities will broadcast on APTN from 7 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2022 to 6 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2022. A specially curated collection titled “National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” will be available on APTN lumi from Sept. 26, 2022 to Oct. 10, 2022. This collection will feature a variety of programs that reflect on the experiences of residential school survivors and encourage audiences to continue on the path towards reconciliation.  

The full 35-hour lineup of special programming for NDTR will be available in September at www.aptntv.ca/ndtr and the fall TV schedule will be available at www.aptntv.ca/schedule. 

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About APTN
APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. Since then, the network has become a global leader in programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island and beyond. A respected non-profit and charitable broadcaster, APTN shares authentic stories in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages with over 10 million Canadian subscribers. APTN proudly features over 80% Canadian content and inspires audiences via multiple platforms, including its Indigenous-focused streaming service, APTN lumi.

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