Brian McKenna

Big Sugar

Brian McKenna

Documentary on the Political History of the Sugar Industry.

Newfoundland At Armageddon

Brian McKenna

Noël Burton, Alan Doyle

On July 1st, 1916, the Newfoundland Regiment took part in a massive First World War offensive on the Somme, led by the British, to liberate France and Belgium from the claws of the Germans. To commemorate its 100th anniversary, Brian McKenna’s latest feature documentary film Newfoundland at Armageddon tells the story of this epic tragedy. Using a technique that brings new meaning to reenactment, McKenna recruits descendants of soldiers who fought this battle, offering a unique opportunity to relive the experience of their ancestors in trenches built specifically for this moving and enlightening film.

Fire and Ice: The Rocket Richard Riot

Brian McKenna

Dennis O'Connor, Yvon Roy

In 1955, as the tight and hotly contested hockey season was coming to an end, the star of the Montreal Canadiens, Maurice Richard (aka The Rocket), was suspended by then president of the league Clarence Campbell, setting off a huge riot in the streets of Montreal and adding to the sparks of the political revolution in Quebec that led to the rise of the separatist movement.

A Savage Christmas: The Fall of Hong Kong

Brian McKenna

In the autumn of 1941, nearly 2,000 mostly inexperienced Canadian soldiers were sent to Hong Kong at the request of the British government which mistakenly thought that a symbolic show of strength would deter a Japanese attack on the colony. When the British colony of Hong Kong officially surrendered to Japan on Christmas Day of 1941, the surviving defenders became prisoners of war.

The Great War

Brian McKenna

Justin Trudeau

A historical recreation of Canada's role in World War I, cast by descendants of the people who participated in it.

Soldier's Revenge

David Worth

John Savage, María Socas

Frank Morgan risked his life for his country in the Vietnam War, but when he came home, no hero's welcome awaited him; instead he was branded a traitor. Nonetheless, he's about to make one more trip into hell to save the woman he loves and preserve her war-torn country.

The Secret World of Gold

Brian McKenna

In a wide-ranging look at the history and present of the barbarous relic, CBC's Brian McKenna and Ann-Marie MacDonald have gathered many perspectives (pro and con) on gold. The following documentary moves from historical shipwrecks to Nazi 'death gold' and England's war chest to recent years where widespread economic uncertainty has given the yellow metal a "new lustre in the world of high finance." Valued for its permanence, beauty and scarcity, people will lie, cheat, steal and kill in the name of gold; and the clip provides color on many of the market manipulations of the last few years.

Gary Carter Visits Japan

Brian McKenna

Gary Carter, Kenneth Welsh

Montreal Expos star catcher Gary Carter visits Japan to learn about the customs and traditions of baseball in the Far East. He also encounters other "foreign" baseball players he once played with in the MLB.