January 13/15 10:13 am - Documentary to Air on Clara Hughes Big Ride

Posted by Editoress on 01/13/15
 

Bell Media has announced the debut of a new original documentary CLARA'S BIG RIDE as its anchor program for the fifth annual Bell Let's Talk Day. Premiering in primetime on Bell Let's Talk Day, Wednesday, January 28th, the one-hour documentary will be available on demand all day on CraveTV and CTV.ca, before airing at 7 p.m. ET/PT in super-simulcast on CTV and CTV Two and live-streamed on CTV GO.

CLARA'S BIG RIDE is a powerful documentary directed by multi-award winning filmmaker Larry Weinstein (Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, Our Man in Tehran, TSN's THE 13th MAN), chronicling an unprecedented 11,000 km bicycle journey across Canada by six-time Olympic medalist and Bell Let's Talk spokesperson Clara Hughes. Throughout the journey, Hughes spreads a hopeful message designed to break the silence surrounding mental illness and helps create a stigma-free Canada.

Viewers can catch an encore presentation of CLARA'S BIG RIDE on Wednesday, January 28th at 12 midnight ET on TSN2.

Part catalyst for change, part epic road movie, CLARA'S BIG RIDE is a rousing documentary that tackles the profound conversation on mental health and the stigma surrounding mental illness. Crossing every region of the country, the documentary features brave stories from Canadians whose lives are touched by Hughes' historic ride.

In the spring of 2014, Hughes embarked upon an exhilarating journey on her bicycle in an effort to unite Canadians in a much-needed conversation on mental health, and to spark positive changes in the way mental illness is perceived. The documentary recounts the epic 110-day journey through 105 communities and 235 events in varied and often extreme weather conditions.

"The ride was all about connecting with people and putting them on the podium - elevating every Canadian to take the stage and tell their own unique stories," said Hughes. "I'm honoured and humbled to invite Canadians in every corner of the country to relive this transformational journey, to share in the many voices and personal stories recounted in the doc. By talking, we can work toward creating a stigma-free Canada."

Over the course of the documentary, CLARA'S BIG RIDE captures the voices of a group of heroic young Canadians as they tell their stories of living with mental illness. These voices include: Stacey, a teacher from Lindsay, Ont.; Marisa, a Media Relations Coordinator from Montréal; Antigonish, N.S. student Dexter; University of Prince Edward Island student Alanna; Dorothy, who runs a community program called "Going Off, Growing Strong" in Nain, a remote town in Northern Labrador; Sally, a practicing artist from Dawson City; Royal Roads University student Megan in Victoria; Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Terry; and Pascale, an outspoken teen and mental health advocate.

"This epic road movie will leave viewers awestruck at Clara's tireless determination to tackle the sigma surrounding mental illness head on, while capturing  the magnificence and sheer beauty of this country," said Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media. "This moving documentary serves to keep the conversation going about mental illness, and to break down the stigma - the very essence of Bell Let's Talk."

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