– An innovative storytelling project where the documentary subjects become the filmmakers, Season 2 features Canadian teens living with differences –
– All episodes of Season 2 begin streaming Friday, June 7 on the free CBC Gem streaming service, offering more than 750 documentary titles –
“I will not stop fighting until people with disabilities can go wherever they want freely and have the same human rights as everybody else.”
– Jadine, Season 2 participant
“Making sure that people know that a facial difference is not an illness is one of the big things I want people to know. I’m exactly like you.”
– Taryn, Season 2 participant
TORONTO (May 23, 2019) – The second season of the powerful youth-driven documentary series, Red Button, will be available to stream exclusively on CBC Gem beginning Friday, June 7. The six-part, half-hour series takes an innovative approach to storytelling where young documentary subjects turn the camera on themselves to break down misconceptions, prejudices, or stereotypes they face. Following a successful debut season in 2018, the second season invites viewers inside the lives of teens living with differences, who do not normally see themselves represented on screen.
"As Canada's leader in documentary programming, we are committed to reflecting more of the country we serve through innovative storytelling." said Jennifer Dettman, Executive Director, Unscripted, CBC. We're incredibly grateful to these young filmmakers who are opening up their lives to the country and sharing their deeply personal stories with us."
“I’m very proud of this season’s six remarkable storytellers,” said Robert Cohen, CEO and Executive Producer, Media Headquarters. “They take us into their worlds and into their hearts with unflinching honesty, bravery and flair — and that’s what makes Red Button so special. Through their unfiltered lens, viewers get access to very personal and important stories about living with differences.”
In Season 2 of Red Button, viewers meet:
Jadine, a bright and motivated writer who uses a wheelchair, who attends an independence camp away from her parents for the first time.
Taryn, an overachiever who wants to prove to others that having a facial difference will never stop her.
Tosconni, a transgender male suffering from depression and anxiety, who leaves home in hopes of finding himself.
Abbigail, a young caregiver to her twin brother Andrew who lives with Tourette Syndrome and a mood disorder.
Holly, an aspiring artist suffering from symptoms of psychosis, continually chasing an evasive medical diagnosis.
Damion, a young man left with physical and emotional scars from childhood cancer treatment, who finds solace and friendship in a support dog.
The storytellers of Red Button are given a smartphone, lightweight audio and camera gear, and a one-on-one media production workshop to learn the basics of filmmaking. With guidance from professional filmmakers, they record all aspects of their lives from their point of view. Once the episodes are shot, the footage is handed over to producers and editors. The most poignant and captivating moments are woven together into powerful narratives. The result is a beautiful combination of raw, unfiltered reality and sophisticated storytelling that spark conversations about a variety of topics including mental health, physical disabilities, and inclusion.
CBC Gem offers more than 4000 hours of live and on-demand programming including more than 750 documentary titles. The streaming service also offers the ability to live stream CBC TV at any time with access to 14 CBC channels and their local newscasts across the country. CBC Gem is available for free as an App for iOS and Android devices and online at cbcgem.ca.
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About Media Headquarters
Media Headquarters is a leading Canadian television and digital media production company founded by executive producer Robert Cohen. The company is recognized worldwide for producing popular and innovative original content. Media Headquarters’ productions have earned dozens of international awards and the company has been recognized by Realscreen’s ‘Global 100’ List celebrating the world’s best non-fiction producers for seven years in a row. Media Headquarters specializes in the creation of documentary, reality, competition, lifestyle and scripted programming. For more information visit www.mediahqs.ca.
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. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, 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.
For more information please contact:
Amy Doary, ADPR
amy@adpr.ca
416.71.6079
Sarah Goddard, publicist, CBC
sarah.goddard@cbc.ca
416.205.2983
