#FIRSTLOOK: APTN LAUNCHES APTN LANGUAGES AND CN TOWER PARTNERSHIP

In honour of its 25th anniversary, APTN celebrates an incredible achievement on its mission to preserve and share Indigenous culture with the launch of North America’s first-ever national Indigenous language channel, APTN Languages this September.

This marks a significant milestone in APTN’s mission to enhance services and content for viewers by protecting and revitalizing Indigenous languages. Preservation of language is listed as a crucial element in Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Report. Of the 70 Indigenous languages spoken in Canada, 40 of these languages have 500 or fewer speakers, many of which are over 70 years old.

“This is a key moment in the history of Indigenous Peoples, and APTN has a fundamental role to play in protecting and revitalizing our languages,” said Monika Ille, APTN CEO. “We can think of no better way to celebrate our 25th anniversary than by using our platform to ensure the next generation will have access and exposure to their native dialects so we might preserve their histories and celebrate their cultures and traditions.”

To celebrate, APTN and the CN Tower are marrying a celebration of language and taste with an elevated Indigenous dining experience in the tower’s 360 Restaurant. This September, when diners order from Chef David Wolfman’s Indigenous menu, they’ll have the opportunity to learn a few traditional phrases in different Indigenous languages through APTN and the CN Tower’s interactive menu.

“The CN Tower is honoured to be a partner with APTN and to celebrate Indigenous languages across Canada,” said Peter George, Chief Operating Officer of the CN Tower. “Our menu, our collaboration in 360 Restaurant with Chef David Wolfman, and our ongoing collaboration with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, on whose treaty territory the CN Tower stands reflect our commitment to advancing reconciliation and providing opportunities to learn about and celebrate Indigenous peoples and cultures.”

This September, audiences can tune into APTN Languages to see programming in 12+ Indigenous languages including Cree, Inuktitut, Ojbwe, Mi’Kmaq, Syilx and more. Viewers will see familiar APTN favourites like Bears’ Lair, Skindigenous, Chuck and the First Peoples’ Kitchen and others.

#FIRSTLOOK: APTN SERIES “AMPLIFY” NEW SEASON TRAILER

Wolfwalker Productions is excited to announce the second season of original series AMPLIFY, produced by Shane Belcourt and Jason Ryle, premiering on APTN beginning on Friday, Oct. 13th at 7:30pm ET. This new season will expand from season one into additional locations across Canada and features an exciting roster of emerging and established Indigenous musicians. The series also has a strong focus on Indigenous talent behind the camera and features 12 Indigenous directors and is filmed with a 100% Indigenous production crew from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. For viewers who would like to watch the series prior to its television broadcast, new English episodes will also be available for streaming on APTN lumi starting on Friday, Oct. 6th.

AMPLIFY showcases the powerful diversity of Indigenous music in Canada. In each episode of this 13-part anthology series, we meet an Indigenous singer/songwriter as they explore the creation of a new song based on a personal source of inspiration. From songs in Indigenous languages to country and hip-hop, AMPLIFY takes a deep dive into the creative processes of these artists and their strong connections to their Indigenous cultures. Through their music, their cultures are amplified.

RELEASE:
English episodes air every Friday on APTN beginning on Friday, Oct. 13th, 2023.

SERIES CREATOR:
Shane Belcourt

SINGER/SONGWRITERS:
Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Armond Duck Chief
Beatrice Deer
Amanda Rheaume
Wolf Saga
Kristi Lane Sinclair
Jason Camp & The Posers
Zoey Roy
Tom Wilson
Thea May
Kris Harper
JB The First Lady
Sadie Buck

DIRECTORS
Carla Robinson
Trevor Solway
asinnajaq
Shane Belcourt
Jessie Anthony
Sean Stiller
Patrick Shannon
Candy Fox
Darlene Naponse
Conor McNally
Asia Youngman
Jonathan B. Elliott

PRODUCERS:
Shane Belcourt and Jason Ryle

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Claudia Skunk and Adam Phipps

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#FIRSTLOOK: NETFLIX, CBC AND APTN PARTNER ON NEW UNTITLED COMEDY

Netflix, CBC and APTN have announced they are commissioning a new untitled comedy series that will film in Nunavut (UNTITLED ARCTIC COMEDY), as part of Netflix’s ongoing committment to supporting production in Canada.

The show was created and will be written by Inuit film and television writer and producer Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Inuit filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril.

Logline: A young Inuk mother wants to build a new future for herself, but it won’t be easy in her small Arctic town where everyone knows your business.

Quotes from the Creators and Producers:

Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril: “This series is full of stories that come straight from our hearts and our funny bones. We’ve drawn from our experiences as Inuit women living, laughing, crying and living together while Native. We are so excited to work with all our incredible partners at CBC, Netflix and APTN, and we can’t wait to start filming!”

Miranda de Pencier: “I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Stacey and Alethea for our third project together and excited for audiences to see this hilarious, unexpected and essential series that Stacey and Alethea have created.”

Susan Coyne:“Stacey and Alethea have created a story that is very funny and clearly comes from the heart. I can’t wait to work with Stacey and Alethea to explore the lives, relationships, and emotional journeys of their amazing cast of characters.”

Sally Catto, General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports, CBC: “This vibrant comedy delivers an authentic perspective on personal journeys, friendship and community in the Arctic. We are excited to partner with Netflix and APTN to film in Nunavut and bring Stacey and Alethea’s deeply personal storytelling to audiences across Canada.”

Danielle Woodrow Director, Content – Canada and Tara Woodbury, Director, Content – Canada, Netflix: “As soon as we heard about this show, we knew we wanted to share it with our members around the world. Stacey and Alethea have created a very relatable and funny story that showcases the unique experience of living in Canada’s Arctic regions. We’re thrilled to be partnering with them and working with Miranda and the teams at CBC and APTN.”

APTN Spokesperson: “This show is a brilliant and heartfelt gem of a comedy from two of Canada’s most exciting creators. A very short time ago, it would have been impossible to imagine an Indigenous comedy shot in the Arctic, with massive national and international reach,” says Adam Garnet Jones, director of TV content and special events at APTN. “It’s a dream come true for APTN to help bring this story to audiences across Turtle Island and around the world. We know audiences are going to fall in love with the show’s characters, and the production industry in Nunavut is going to receive a huge boost in a way it never has before.”

Executive Producers: Stacey Aglok MacDonald (Qanurli, Grizzlies), Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Angry Inuk, Grizzlies), Miranda de Pencier (Anne With an E, Beginners, The Grizzlies), Susan Coyne (Mozart In the Jungle, Daisy Jones & The Six, Slings & Arrows), Garry Campbell (The Kids in the Hall, Less Than Kind)

Production Companies: Northwood Entertainment, Red Marrow Media