CiTR Documentaries

The shared downtown VPL building complex on Georgia Street is filled with shelves of books, laughing kids and an array of community programs. The complex is also home to a government tower, housing a prison-like detention facility; temporarily holding non-citizens en-route to holding cells underneath YVR airport or provincial jails.In Canada it is legal to detain non-citizens—including children—without formal trial or criminal charges. In this Orwellian exposé, you’ll hear lawyers and activists explore Vancouver’s detainment facilities in post-9/11 Vancouver.By Areeka Riaz

From the BBQ meat fights in the 1970s to the 105 Keefer Street fight today, youth have always been resisting legislated and social discrimination in Vancouver's Chinatown. The Young and The Resistant follows the stories of past and present youth organizers; Paul Yee, Ramona Mar, Yulanda Lui, and Amanda Wan. Though Chinatown has changed, there is one thing that connects these resistant youth across time. This doc was made possible by the Quan Lee Excellence Fund for Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies.By Rachel Lau

In a time and a place not far from our own; in an electoral campaign no one expected to remember, some founding myths about Canadian progressive politics are put to the test. This documentary follows the story of the candidate at the centre of an unlikely scandal, and raises some uncomfortable questions about the tenets of our secular democracy.By Zoe Power

On March 10th, 1959, Tibetans rose up in Lhasa to protect His Holiness the Dalai Lama from perceived threat. As a result, the Chinese Army—still in the process of colonizing Tibet—opened fire on innocent Tibetans, killing thousands. This audio documentary brings listeners outside Vancouver’s Chinese consulate, where Tibetan-Canadians gather every March 10th to honour those slain on Uprising Day in 1959 and to demand an end to human rights abuses inside Tibet today.by Rehmatullah Sheikh

In 2016, Ji-Youn made headlines after dropping out of UBC to start a non-profit advocating for better mental health services in post-secondary institutions. Many have heard her story, but few know where it’s at now. This audio documentary brings listeners up-to-date by exploring the public’s perception of Ji-Youn’s infallible courage and tenacity. Aftermath is a story about the harsh truth of mental health and Ji-Youn’s own, ongoing journey for inner well-being.By Sam Peng & Cheryl Liu

These days Metrotown is a hub of construction and new condos. While towers soar up to the sky, some tenants are receiving eviction notices on the grounds that landlords have acquired demolition or renovation permits. Despite the authority of these eviction notices, not all residents are accepting them without a fight. Julia Farry's "We Ain’t Going Nowhere" is a story of strength in numbers. It documents the ongoing push back from communities in Maple Ridge who are willing to take big risks to stop the demolition of their homes.by Julia Farry

A statue of an old man went missing one night from his usual place on a park bench in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver. Heart of Bronze investigates who did it and why. In this endearing story, romance prevails for those least expecting as listeners learn of an epic prank with a hidden, sweet purpose.by Nora Becker & Kenzie Hoffman

Policy #131 – Where are we Now? is a deep dive into the nitty-gritty of UBC’s sexual assault policy and its implementation. Producers Sam and Tintin wade through complicated bureaucratic and institutional roadblocks to investigate Policy #131. Through a collection of interviews with AMS executives and SASC employees they present a nuanced story of the policy’s challenges, successes, shortcomings and most importantly, what lies ahead.by Tintin Yang & Samantha McCabe

A desperate need for seasonal workers, coupled with dumps of powder and pumping parties have made Whistler a gap-year wet dream. However, there is one catch—finding a place to crash in Whistler is nearly impossible. In this audio doc a group of Danish girls take us on an intimate Whistler room-tour, and a Kiwi named Ben lets us in on how Whistler has become the ideal environment for scam and exploitation.By Sofie Hagland

No More Drug War covers a rally and march for the National Day of Action on the overdose crisis in Vancouver on Tuesday February 20, 2018. Participants called for the decriminalization of drugs and a transfer of government resources from enforcement of drug laws to treatment of health and addiction issues. By Ryan Patrick Jones

The popularity of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, reverberates thousands of miles away from Istanbul or Ankara. When the University of British Columbia held a commemoration event for Mustafa Kemal on the 79th anniversary of his passing, we set out to explore how the Turkish community remembers his legacy and perceives his reforms that have often split historians and critics. 'Democracy Watch' reporter Rehmatullah Sheikh also inquires about Turkey’s strengthening role in the region, made possible in part owing to an exclusive interview with the Consul General of Turkey in Vancouver.

"The Spy Store" produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon, is an investigation into spying and the mysterious Spy Store on the corner of Broadway and Burrard. A spy pen, lonely walking trips, late night delusions, parking headaches, and an undercover mission, this doc features Brit Bachmann, Ben Stephenson, and Liam Dolan. "The Spy Store" originally aired on CIVL, and was produced as part of the CIVL Mini-School, supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Josh Gabert-Doyon works with the radio program Cited (citedpodcast.com) and is @joshgd (https://twitter.com/JoshGD) on twitterMore info and other documentaries from CIVL's Mini School can be found at http://civl.ca/mini-school/

This documentary is about Canada’s reconciliation with its First Nations, told through the eyes of one woman in particular: Gunargie O’Sullivan a trans-generational survivor of the residential school system, raised by a non-indigenous family. Regaining contact with her native culture and her family as an adult, she now works as a broadcaster and an activist. We hear her tell her own story and include clips of her work and her family. Through these voices, we consider the progress of reconciliation and wonder how it’s genuinely possible while the crimes of colonialism continue.Produced by James Mainguy and Laurence Gatinel for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

These days Canadian music is in vogue. But Vancouver often doesn’t get its due recognition. In truth, Vancouver is not known for hip hop, but interviews with CiTR / The Beat alumni Flipout and Jay Swing reveal a story hidden in plain sight. Led by the infamous story of Rascalz' chart-topping single, Northern Touch, Vancity Wavs touches on the state of hip hop in Vancouver, where it's from and where it's going, brought to you from two people who were there.

In a young city like Vancouver, history is a hot commodity. The city’s heritage is easily forgotten under the din of new real estate developments and the sanitized image of a world-class city. While it was once a centre of the city’s late-night scene, the haunts of the Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood echo a history of anti-Asian racism that has lasted more than a hundred years. Some Stories about Chinatown’s Tunnels investigates reports of a tunnel network under Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood.Produced for CiTR Docs Season 2, by Josh Gabert-Doyon.

In a young city like Vancouver, history is a hot commodity. The city’s heritage is easily forgotten under the din of new real estate developments and the sanitized image of a world-class city. While it was once a centre of the city’s late-night scene, the haunts of the Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood echo a history of anti-Asian racism that has lasted more than a hundred years. Some Stories about Chinatown’s Tunnels investigates reports of a tunnel network under Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood.Produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

This documentary explores the challenges of international students, along with UBC’s drive to become more “international” and global minded. By breaking down a personal story of logistical struggles to reaching Canada, along with the administration’s view of these problems, the documentary establishes a necessity of becoming a diverse campus lying not in tolerance, but understanding difference. It features interviews of International Student Development officials, as well as the UBC Global Lounge team in hopes of reflecting what it means to be diverse and international-oriented at the UBC Vancouver campus.Produced by Maham Kamal Khanum for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

Universities are known to be a hotbed for debate and protest. However, UBC seems to have a complex relationship with activism. In 2013, a string of on-campus sexual assaults were a catalyst for feminist activism on campus. Three years later, an eerily similar situation arose, yet there was relative quiet in terms of student response. What causes this cycle of feminist activism and apathy at UBC, and can it ever be broken? Produced by Sydney Soldan for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

The death of Robin Williams sparked discussion about the seeming link between comedy and depression; but what role does stand-up play in catharsis and healing for Vancouver’s comedians?Produced by Nick Pannu for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

Delving into the murky, oblique domain of contemporary “free speech” movements, this documentary wrestles with the real-world implications of online culture wars. Using unofficial UBC student group the Free Speech Club as a case study, it aims to examine and understand the personal motivations behind modern right wing discourse. Who are the people engaged in an ideological war with progressives? Peeling back layers of internet irony and anonymity, we hear from victims of online harassment alongside self-confessed trolls and a former white supremacist.Produced by Cal Murray for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

For most, introducing ourselves becomes second nature early in life. Names are not things we think twice about. But if you ask anybody, their name probably has a meaning and a backstory. For some reason or another, these backstories have been neglected — collecting dust in the back of our brains. This documentary explores the family name of Vancouver-based artist, Joshua Badu, to uncover how much profundity a name can hold. Let’s sweep the dust off the story of “Badu” and ask: what’s in a name?Produced by Rachel Lau for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

Lhamo & the Princess is the story of an undefinable relationship that began in Lhasa, 60 years ago. In the last days of Tibet’s sovereignty, a young girl named Lhamo is chosen for a life of servitude. Under Tibet’s entrenched class system, Lhamo is bound to serve a local aristocrat. With reverence, she refers to this aristocrat not by name, but by the title “Princess.” Though beautiful, the princess is cruel. Lhamo resigns herself to a fate of belittlement and abuse, until a massive change redirects her course.Produced by Alex de Boer and Kunsang Kyirong for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

Join us for a conversation with Julian Napoleon who shares insight and stories of his experience on the land. Julian is a part of the working group for Indigenous food sovereignty, explaining what his role is and exploring what that means in his own world view through story.Produced by Mario Parent for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

Join us for a conversation with Julian Napoleon who shares insight and stories of his experience on the land. Julian is a part of the working group for Indigenous food sovereignty, explaining what his role is and exploring what that means in his own world view through story.Produced by Mario Parent for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

A few months ago, Oli Levy got a message from a stranger online. Somebody had been using his photos on Facebook, and using his friends photos as well. It was a parallel universe of internet profiles, all teenagers, following his life over the past 6 years. This is a story of stolen identity, teenage drama, and an online relationship gone wrong.Produced by Claire Smale and Josh Gabert-Doyon for CiTR Docs Season 2. Find more info here: http://www.citr.ca/radio/citr-documentaries/

In oral history and aural travelogue, broach the radio psyche! At any given time, you can conceive CiTR’s identity according to the audio-production it airs. Inextricable from the station’s programming are its “carts” — PSAs, promotions, advertisements — churned out by a rotating body of programmers, volunteers, and hobbyists. Host to accessible equipment and subcultural cache, CiTR has been a lightning rod, collecting the effulgence and psychic-runoff of UBC and Vancouver’s finest.The “carts” are a rich text, what Nardwuar the Human Serviette once called the “the life, the blood, the sweat, and the real expression of CiTR”. In montage, collage, and close listening, we can tease out a dialogue between CiTR and the outside world, encompassing satire, punk, noise art, and more. Featuring interviews with CiTR alumni, production professionals, artists, theorists, and the peanut gallery, this is but a brief adventure into the unfolding lineage of amateur radio art that is CiTR production. Brought to you in living stereophonic sound.This documentary was produced by Jonathan Kew. He is a section editor at Discorder Magazine, and hosts Kew it Up, Wednesdays 3-4PM on CiTR 101.9FM. He enjoys techno.

There exists the story of a Sasquatch who roamed Musqueam Territory in the area now commonly known as the UBC endowment lands.This radio documentary explores the story of this Sasquatch from a Musqueam perspective. We ask the question: are Indigenous peoples in the modern westernized landscape, merely a myth? If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it fall, is the story of its fall less real?This project was produced by J Peachy, a local community-engaged visual artist, and radio producer. He has produced independent radio that has broadcast on CJSF 90.1 FM, CFRO, Nuxalk Radio, CJMP. J Peachy created two shows on CJSF, has won local radio awards as well an NCRA Award Winner for a Homelessness Marathon Production during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

The UBC Thunderbirds are arguably the most decorated sports program in Canada. Last year, Blake Bill, former football coach for the Calgary Dinosaurs, led the ‘Birds to a thrilling Vanier Cup victory to bring the team back to relevance. But 33 years before that, coach Frank Smith developed the football program and built the team into a Western Canadian hegemon. This documentary explores his team’s rise from perennial boxing bags to 1982 and 1986 Vanier cup champions using audio from CiTR archives, interviews with key players, and coverage by the Ubyssey in the 80’s.Producer: Olamide OlaniyanOlamide is a third year UBC student double majoring in Economics and Political Science. He got involved at the station when he started his show, Soul Sandwich, and has since fallen in love. He is interested in the ways that we can tell sports stories and the ability athletics has to affect culture. This is his first dive into radio documentary.

This documentary tells a story about the early days of hip hop in Vancouver. One of the biggest hip hop events in Canadian history took place on September 7th and 8th, 1990 at UBC. Around 900 people came to the ballroom in UBC’s Student Union Building to watch rappers, dancers, street artists and DJs, duke it out at DJ Sound War.Rohit Joseph spoke with organizers and participants of the very first DJ Sound War, who shared their stories of this historic event. From the CiTR alumnus who organized the whole event, to the only woman to compete in the rap battle portion of the competition and win first place, the stories of the people behind DJ Sound War provide a glimpse into the beginning of the hip hop movement in Vancouver and the crucial role that CiTR played.

Obstacles and Outcomes is about producer Vanessa Colantonio’s journey through the Canadian health care system as a transwoman of colour. Her story is set against a back drop of archival radio clips from Queer FM documenting the trans experience in the health care system. As smooth as it has been, Vanessa’s own transition is contrasted with the pitfalls and struggles of trans activists to get trans healthcare to where it is today. Her narration is interspersed with interview clips and live recordings aired on CiTR’s long-running LGBTQ issues and current affairs program ‘Queer FM’, recorded and hosted by Heather Kitching.

Before airing her documentary, "Obstacles and Outcomes," Vanessa got on the phone with Madeline Taylor to talk about the process of creating this project. They talk about the importance of visibility for Trans people beyond the stages of transition, and some personal details from Vanessa's experience. Vanessa even received some news while they spoke.

Before airing her documentary, "Obstacles and Outcomes," Vanessa got on the phone with Madeline Taylor to talk about the process of creating this project. They talk about the importance of visibility for Trans people beyond the stages of transition, and some personal details from Vanessa's experience. Vanessa even received some news while they spoke.

For this Doc series, CiTR producers used digitized audio from our reel-to-reel and cassette tape archive to make documentaries about UBC and CiTR's history. "Inclusion of the Underrepresented: The Beginning of Diverse-Ability in Media" follows the story of three radio producers who use CiTR 101.9FM to make radio about accessibility and disability. We mix snippets from a 1985 radio piece made for CiTR, “Media Effects on Youth - Youth Focus Doc” into the narrative. We use these snippets to delve into the impact the production and consumption of media has on people with disabilities. Deepi, has a rare disability called Metatropic Dwarfism. Mollie and Katie, both UBC students, produce a weekly show called, All Access Pass. We explore what brought these producers to where they are, and the impact they have been able to make through CiTR, as well as the impact their experiences have had on them.

Rendez-vous de la Francophonie is an annual celebration of Canada’s membership in the Francophonie and promotes the French language and its numerous cultural expressions. It runs March 3-23 in 2016, in communities across Canada.CiTR is proud to present a documentary about Quebec sovereignty and the Francophone political identity in Canada from programmer Tristan Koster.To learn more about Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, check our their site here: http://www.ncra.ca/rvf

For this Doc series, CiTR producers used digitized audio from our reel-to-reel and cassette tape archive to make documentaries about UBC and CiTR's history. The fourth in our series, this is "Waiting for Godiva, Conversations about Sexism at UBC 1980-2013", produced by Eleanor Wearing.Throughout history, the university campus has served as a major site of controversy and discussion on topics of sexism. At UBC, student media such as CiTR Radio and the Ubyssey newspaper have provided essential coverage of these issues. This documentary uses this coverage to investigate how conversations about sexism and sexual violence have changed at UBC in the past thirty years, from 1980-2015. The first half of the documentary explores the history of the UBC Engineers’ “Lady Godiva Ride” in the 1980s, using historical audio from CiTR’s archives and interviews with UBC alumni. Following this, the documentary examines the Sauder frosh chant incident that happened at UBC in 2013, drawing on perspectives of UBC students, the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC), and archives from the student newspaper the Ubyssey.

Before airing her documentary, "Waiting for Godiva - Conversations about Sexism at UBC 1980 - 2013", Eleanor sat down with Madeline Taylor to talk about the process of making her doc. They chat about choices Eleanor made in the production of her doc, issues of rape culture, and the UBC administration's response to sexual assaults on campus.

For this Doc series, CiTR producers used digitized audio from our reel-to-reel and cassette tape archive to make documentaries about UBC and CiTR's history. The third in our series, this is "Queer Decade", produced by Heather Kitching.1995-2005 is the story of the queer rights movement in Vancouver, during the era when queers finally started winning their rights. From the 1995 Supreme Court of Canada decision that ruled that lesbians, gays and bisexuals were entitled to equality under the law to the 2005 House of Commons vote to legalize same sex marriage nationwide, Queer Decade touches on key events in B.C.’s queer activist history, such as the Little Sister’s court case and the Surrey School Board book ban. It also comments on the queer community’s growth from a relatively white, middle class movement, to a more diverse and spiritually mature collective. The documentary features interviews with key activists and politicians who helped move queer rights forward. It also includes queer anthems from the era, and archived recordings from CiTR’s Queer FM, including tape from British Columbia’s first legal same-sex wedding.

After the production of her documentary Queer Decade (aired on January 28th at 4pm), Madeline Taylor and Heather had a conversation about her experience of documenting this time in Canadian queer politics.

Before airing his documentary "Grunge", we got Roger Allen on the phone to talk about what the Vancouver grunge scene of the early 90's meant to him. We chatted about what the term grunge means, how the scene impacted him as youth, and why it is important to tell this story now.

For this Doc series, CiTR producers used digitized audio from our reel-to-reel and cassette tape archive to make documentaries about UBC and CiTR's history. This is the second in our series: Grunge was identified as a mixing of heavy metal and punk to create a slower and more complicated sound than earlier versions of punk but retained the same lyrical themes. Vancouver in the early to mid-eighties was hugely influential with bands like D.O.A. and the Young Canadians. By the early nineties the focus had shifted to the new Seattle grunge scene. Vancouver punks and non punks identified with grunge, experiencing a city is similar to Seattle in geography, climate and size. CiTR presented many big concerts in Vancouver. The digitized promos and interviews in the CiTR archive for grunge bands tell the story of Vancouver during this influential period.

For this Doc series, CiTR producers used digitized tape from our reel-to-reel and cassette tape archive to make documentaries about UBC and CiTR's history. We are making 10, this is first one to air: The Peace Movement, by Christine Kim.The peace movement was an active campaign promoting total nuclear disarmament during a period in history where the two most powerful nations in the world seemed to be just one step away from blowing each other up, and subsequently the rest of the world. In the last decade of the Cold War, during the 1980s, the peace movement in Vancouver, BC, gained an unprecedented amount of traction. However, support for the movement was short-lived as peace activists dwindled in numbers moving into the 1990s and beyond. In fact, sentiments ferociously opposed to the existence of nuclear weapons today are far and few between. What were the factors that caused the peace movement in Vancouver to fail? Is the legacy it leaves behind one that supports the value of political activism as a powerful agent for change?