#FIRSTLOOK: “MICHELLE ROSS: UNKNOWN ICON” DOCUMENTARY TO PREMIERE ON CBC

Noble Television producers Frank Fiorito and Nabil Mehchi and Rane Films producer Sami Tesfazghi announced that the highly anticipated documentary MICHELLE ROSS: UNKNOWN ICON, directed by award-winning filmmaker Alison Duke (Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story) will premiere as part of CBC’s The Passionate Eye on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 9PM (9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem. A screening event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 7 at the Paradise Theatre in Toronto to celebrate the film and Michelle Ross’ legacy.

“At the heart of this film is a delicate balance between two worlds: Michelle’s family life and the queer community where she reigned as a performer,” said Alison Duke. “When someone is compelled to live their life in fragments, we need to ask why and confront the impact it has on all of us. For me, the film is a testament to the power of discovery, the resilience of the human spirit, and the courage to see beyond the masks we wear.”

Long before drag became a staple of pop culture, Michelle Ross made her indelible mark as a powerhouse – dominating and defining the Black queer drag scene in Toronto and beyond. To her community, she was a dazzling trailblazer; to her family, she was Earl Barrington Shaw — or simply “Barry.” It wasn’t until Michelle’s sudden death in 2021, when her brother was called to the coroner’s office and told, “Do you know who this is? This person is royalty,” that her family claims to have discovered the hidden life and legacy she had built.

That revelation shattered what Michelle Ross’ family thought they knew, revealing a legacy built in secret and carried by those who knew her best. Told through intimate interviews, archival footage, and the symbolic recreation of Michelle’s house as a miniature dollhouse, the film explores the emotional architecture of a person who lived between worlds.

The film is produced with the support of CMF, The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Manitoba Film & Music and Sodec and in collaboration with the CBC. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual, & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary; and Michelle McCree is Executive in Charge of Production, CBC Docs and The Passionate Eye.

About Noble Television
Noble Television is a Montreal-based production company known for creating bold, impactful unscripted content with global reach. Founded by Nabil Mehchi and Frank Fiorito — creators of the Emmy-nominated Interrupt This Program (CBC) — Noble’s recent works include Love Hurts: The Science of Heartbreak (CBC The Nature of Things), Rockie Award winner The Big Sex Talk (CBC Gem), Beau dans ma tête (Télé-Québec), and the upcoming feature documentary film Saigon Story: Two Shootings in the Forest Kingdom (NFB & TVO). Noble was recently honoured with a Diversity Leadership Award from the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers. Noble’s productions are currently streaming in over 10 countries.

About Sami Tesfazghi – Rane Films
Born in war-torn Eritrea, Sami Tesfazghi pursued his dream of film and television across Europe before settling in Canada, where he earned a BA from the University of Winnipeg. Starting as an intern at Inferno Pictures, he rose to lead development, contributing to films such as Cinema of Sleep, Percy, How It Ends, and the acclaimed series The Porter. With over a decade of experience, he launched Rane Films to champion underrepresented voices. Its first project, Michelle Ross: Unknown Icon, will debut on CBC this fall. Sami continues to develop original scripted series with Canadian broadcasters and major U.S. studios.

About Alison Duke
Alison Duke (aka “Golde”) is an award-winning documentary writer and director celebrated for fearless, socially resonant storytelling. Upcoming works include TV doc, ‘Michelle Ross: Unknown Icon’ and Season 2 of Amanda Parris’ acclaimed series ‘For the Culture.’ Duke broke into the industry with her debut feature, Raisin’ Kane: A Rapumentary (NFB), and has since directed many culturally relevant films, earning a reputation as one of Canada’s top documentarians and often referred to as the “Queen of Music Docs.” Her recent works include ‘Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story’ (Crave Original), which premiered at Tribeca 2024 and continues to tour internationally to acclaim, and ‘Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music’ (CBC/BBC), winner of the 2025 Canadian Screen Award (CSA) for Best History Documentary Program or Series and a Silver Award at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards. Duke also co-wrote and co-directed the five-part docu-series ‘Black Community Mixtapes,’ which garnered three Canadian Film Awards, and wrote and directed the short film’Promise Me,’ which won eight festival awards, including two Golden Sheafs. Beyond her films, Duke co-founded the OYA Black Arts Coalition, where she mentors the next generation of Black filmmakers. She is the recipient of the 2024 Hot Docs Don Haig Award and the 2019 WIFT-Toronto Crystal Award for Mentorship.

About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dëne Sųłıné, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dene Zhatıé, Eastern Cree, Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun and Tłı̨chǫ. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.