The Documentary Directed by Ally Pankiw was Commissioned by CBC and Produced by Dan Levy’s Not A Real Production Company and Elevation Pictures for ABC News Studios, and Presented by White Horse Pictures in Association With Epic Magazine
Set To Premiere on CBC and CBC Gem in Canada on Wednesday, Sept. 17, and on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in the U.S. and Disney+ Internationally on Sunday, Sept. 21
CBC and ABC News Studios announced today LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY, a feature-length documentary from director Ally Pankiw (I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror, The Great), will premiere in Canada on Wednesday, Sept. 17, on CBC and CBC Gem and on Sunday, Sept. 21, on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally (excluding Canada), following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY tells the untold story of the groundbreaking music festival featuring only women artists, started by iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and her team in the late 1990s, in opposition to systematic industry barriers that limited women from playing together on a concert bill and getting back-to-back airplay on the radio. The film is produced with the support of the original Lilith Fair founders – Sarah McLachlan, Terry McBride, Dan Fraser and Marty Diamond.
“I’m so filled with pride and nostalgia watching this film,” said Sarah McLachlan. “Ally and the team have beautifully captured the magic and strength of a community of women who came together and lifted each other up to create positive change in the world. I hope the film resonates with everyone and we can continue to strive to support and champion one another.”
LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY is inspired by the 2019 article, “Building a Mystery: An Oral History of Lilith Fair,” from Vanity Fair and Epic Magazine, written by Jessica Hopper with Sasha Geffen and Jenn Pelly. It draws from more than 600 hours of never-before-seen archival footage as well as new interviews and stories from fans, festival organizers, and artists. The documentary reunites and features interviews from original Lilith Fair artists Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Paula Cole, Jewel, Mýa, Natalie Merchant, Indigo Girls, and Emmylou Harris and a new generation of artists who have carried the torch including Brandi Carlile and Olivia Rodrigo, among others. As the film celebrates the festival’s groundbreaking legacy and impact, it also confronts the backlash that tried to diminish it and explores what Lilith means in today’s world.
“Lilith Fair holds a very special place in my heart,” said Dan Levy. “It was one of the first spaces where I remember feeling at home. The music, the sense of community, and the power of a group of women proving an entire industry wrong was a tremendous thing to experience. What Sarah built with that festival changed so much for so many people. And while it is now seen as an odds-defying success story, it was an uphill battle every step of the way. And there is a lot to be learned from that story. It's an honor to be working alongside Sarah on this and I am excited for everyone to understand just how revolutionary Lilith Fair really was.”
“I am so proud to be a part of this beautiful doc - especially at what feels like a fitting time to highlight a story of resistance and radical joy in the face of systems that try to keep women and diverse voices small,” said director Ally Pankiw. “The collaborative effort of this film and what it took to make it mirrors the incredible underdog story of Sarah and her team and how they fought for Lilith to succeed against all odds.”
Commissioned by CBC with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Group of Funds, LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY is directed by Ally Pankiw and produced by Dan Levy’s Not A Real Production Company and Elevation Pictures for ABC News Studios and presented by White Horse Pictures in association with Epic Magazine. The film is produced by Levy and Christina Piovesan. Executive producers are Cassidy Hartmann, Nicholas Ferrall, Jeanne Elfant Festa, and Nigel Sinclair for White Horse; Noah Segal for Elevation Pictures; Jessica Hopper; Arthur Spector, Joshuah Bearman and Joshua Davis for Epic Magazine; Ally Pankiw; Steve Cohen and Paula Froehle for Chicago Media Project; and Wayne Isaak. For ABC News Studios, Diane Sawyer, Claire Weinraub and Tess Scott Davidson are executive producers; and David Sloan is senior executive producer. 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.
Rachel McLean serves as supervising producer, and Isabel Merrell is co-executive producer. Ruti Prikhoji is Executive in Charge of Production for Elevation. The documentary is presented by Chicago Media Project and produced in association with Carlene C. Laughlin, Minderoo Pictures, the Elfant Festa Family and Sobey Road Entertainment. White Horse Pictures and Range Media Partners are acting as sales agents worldwide.
Lynne Stopkewich, Jessica Fraser and Dean English executive produce. The Manaaki Foundation, Barbara and Eric Dobkin, Malinda Wink, Christina Nolan and Rose Lizarraga will executive produce for Chicago Media Project; and Blue Skyzz Trust and Alexander Kellison will co-executive produce. For Sobey Road Entertainment, Andrew Trapani and Brian Nugent are executive producers, and David Sze and David Kirk are co-executive producers.
The film will launch the new season of CBC’s flagship documentary series THE PASSIONATE EYE.
In addition to the documentary premiere this fall, McLachlan will launch her first studio album of new music in over a decade, “Better Broken” (Concord Records), on Sept. 19. Produced by Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, boygenius) and Will Maclellan (Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers), “Better Broken” is a soul-searching reflection on the fortitude that comes from weathering life’s constant storms. McLachlan will also be touring with her band across Canada this fall. For more information, visit sarahmclachlan.com.
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.
About ABC News Studios
ABC News Studios is inspired by ABC News’ trusted reporting and is an award-winning, premium news and documentary original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture and news-adjacent stories. ABC News Studios’ original titles include critically acclaimed documentaries “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” “BRATS,” “Sound of the Police,” “The Lady Bird Diaries,” “Aftershock,” Emmy-nominated “Patrice: The Movie” and most recently, “Barbara Walters Tell Me Everything.” Other popular docuseries and documentaries include “Scamanda,” “The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer,” “Betrayal: A Father’s Secret,” “Sins of the Parents: The Crumbley Trials,” “Wild Crime,” “Mormon No More,” “The Randall Scandal: Love, Loathing, and Vanderpump” and “Jelly Roll: Save Me.”
About Elevation Pictures
Founded in 2013 with finance partner Teddy Schwarzman of Black Bear, Elevation Pictures has become Canada’s leading entertainment company specializing in distribution and production. Elevation is known for releasing commercial and critically acclaimed films, including Academy Award-winning films The Imitation Game, Room, The Father, Moonlight, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Anatomy of a Fall and Anora.
Elevation Pictures is also known for its strong slate of Canadian films, French Girl starring Vanessa Hudgens, BlackBerry starring Jay Baruchel, Irena’s Vow starring Sophie Nelisse and Elevation productions Alice, Darling starring Anna Kendrick, Infinity Pool starring Mia Goth. For more information, please visit elevationpictures.com
About White Horse Pictures
White Horse Pictures is a production company focused on high-quality, commercial content. White Horse’s documentaries include the Grammy-winning and Critics Choice Award-winning, BAFTA-nominated THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK – THE TOURING YEARS, and the critically acclaimed PAVAROTTI, directed by Ron Howard; the Emmy-Award-Winning, NAACP-nominated & Oscar-Shortlisted, THE APOLLO, directed by Roger Ross Williams; the six-time Emmy-nominated and Emmy-winning documentary, THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART, directed by Frank Marshall; as well as the two-time Emmy winning & six-time nominated, Peabody and P.G.A. nominated, LUCY AND DESI, directed by Amy Poehler; the Emmy-winning, THE BEACH BOYS, directed by Frank Marshall; and the two-time Emmy nominated, and Peabody Award-winning docuseries, STAX: SOULSVILLE USA, directed by Jamila Wignot.
Upcoming releases include SHARI & LAMB CHOP, directed by Lisa D’Apolito, BILLY PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT, directed by Paris Barclay, and WILDER, directed by Chris Smith. Additionally, Kennedy/Marshall Company and White Horse Pictures are producing an upcoming authorized Apple TV+ documentary on FLEETWOOD MAC, directed by Frank Marshall.
The principals’ previous credits include NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN, directed by Martin Scorsese, Grammy, Peabody Award, DuPont Award-winning, and was nominated for an Emmy; AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO, directed by Murray Lerner and Paul Crowder, Grammy and Emmy nominated; and the Oscar-winning, UNDEFEATED, directed by Dan Lindsay & TJ Martin; Emmy-winning GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD, directed by Martin Scorsese, and the Grammy-winning FOO FIGHTERS: BACK AND FORTH, directed by James Moll.
About Not A Real Production Company
NOT A REAL PRODUCTION COMPANY is a production company founded in 2022 by Emmy Award-winning multi-hyphenate Dan Levy. Levy’s focus is to produce content across multiple genres, building off the record-breaking success he achieved with SCHITT’S CREEK, which received an impressive total of 165 nominations throughout its history including 9 Emmy wins during its final season breaking major records and becoming the most-awarded comedy series in a single year. The company’s first series, THE BIG BRUNCH, debuted in 2022 on MAX, with Levy as the creator, host, and judge alongside Chef Sohla El-Waylly and restaurateur Will Guidara. Levy's directorial debut GOOD GRIEF, an original film that he wrote, produced, and starred in alongside Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel, was released on Netflix in January 2024. The company produced a short film, DECADES OF CONFUSION, for the luxury fashion house LOEWE. The company is producing LILITH FAIR: BUILDING AMYSTERY, a documentary about Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan’s 1990s all-female music festival Lilith Fair. Not a Real Production Company has several projects in various stages of development under a multi-year overall film and television deal with Netflix. Next up is a comedy series, co-created, executive produced, and showrun by Levy. Levy will also star in the series alongside Taylor Ortega and Laurie Metcalf.
Media Contacts:
Canada:
CBC PR
Tanya Koivusalo | tanya.koivusalo@cbc.ca
Frances Bedford | frances.bedford@cbc.ca
USA and International:
ABC News Media Relations
Lauri Hogan | lauri.l.hogan@abc.com
Sydney Tretter | sydney.tretter@abc.com
Sarah Jautz | sarah.jautz@abc.com
Frank PR
Clare Anne Darragh | Clareanne@frankpublicity.com
Stephanie Davidson | Stephanie@frankpublicity.com
JC Diaz | JC@frankpublicity.com
Sarah McLachlan:
Canada:
Cristina Fernandes | cristina@listenharder.com
USA:
Allison Elbl | aelbl@shorefire.com
Alexa Price | aprice@shorefire.com
-- CBC | ABC --
