New provocative TVO Original challenges the boundaries between journalism and filmmaking

Toronto, ON, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new feature documentary delves into ethical and moral challenges through a friendship between a foreign correspondent and a young Somali refugee. Premiering Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 9 pm ET on TVO and streaming on TVO.org, YouTube and NFB.ca (starting November 1), TVO Original The Perfect Story considers the boundary between journalism and filmmaking. Which stories get told in the media and why? Who should tell them?

Co-produced with Frequent Flyer Films and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), the film follows the decade-long relationship between Canadian journalist Michelle Shephard and Ismael Abdulle, a young Somali refugee who had his hand and foot cut off by the terrorist group al-Shabab. Their story begins in 2010, when they met during one of Michelle’s reporting trips to Mogadishu. Her articles about Ismael sparked a movement within the Somali diaspora that helped him find refuge in Harstad, Norway. For nearly a decade, Ismael embraced his new home, learning to speak Norwegian fluently and attempting to adapt to his new country. When Ismael goes back to Mogadishu, an unexpected turn of events forces Michelle to defy one of journalism’s golden rules: “Report the story. Don’t become part of it.”

“This film is an extraordinary achievement that weaves together the urgent and compelling stories of a young man’s struggle to survive and thrive in a hostile and dangerous place,” said John Ferri, VP of Programming and Content at TVO. “The evolving relationship between a young man, and the reporter who tells the world of his plight and who is ultimately forced to turn the camera on herself, leads us all to the perfect story.”

“Covering Ismael’s story for more than a decade has been an incredible, challenging and humbling experience that has made me ask tough questions of myself and our profession,” says Michelle Shephard. “I hope viewers can walk away with their own questions and continue the conversation about the stories we tell and why.” 

Michelle Shephard is the recipient of three National Newspaper Awards, earned over two decades of foreign reporting at the Toronto Star, as well as the Michener Award, one of the highest honours in Canadian journalism. Recently a story editor on TVO’s award-winning podcast Unascertained, Shephard’s filmmaking credits include the Emmy-nominated feature, Guantanamo’s Child and The Way Out. She was also the creative content producer on the award-winning NFB co-production, Uyghurs: Prisoners of the Absurd.

TVO Original The Perfect Story is launching this fall with screenings in Calgary on September 24 and in Toronto on October 5 ahead of its October 18 premiere with TVO.  

LIVE SCREENING DETAILS:

Calgary
The Perfect Story will have its world premiere on Saturday, September 24 at 4:45 p.m. at the Calgary International Film Festival, with director Michelle Shephard in attendance for a live Q&A.

Toronto
The film will open Hot Docs’ Doc Soup series, with an in-person screening on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, followed by a special curated panel led by guest host Adrienne Arsenault, CBC News’ chief correspondent and host of The National, and featuring Michelle Shephard, film subject and associate producer Sahal Abdulle, and Toronto immigration lawyer Hadayt Nazami. A second screening and Q+A with Michelle Shephard and Sahal Abdulle will take place on Thursday, October 6 at 9:15 p.m. Tickets are now available to Doc Soup subscribers as well as the general public. Doc Soup subscribers will also be able to view The Perfect Story online from Thursday, October 6 to Sunday, October 9 on the watch.hotdocs.ca portal.

Watch TVO Original The Perfect Story on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 9 pm ET on TVO and stream it anytime on TVO.org, YouTube and smart TV services. Catch it on your mobile device with the TVO Today app, available for iOS and Android users. The Perfect Story will also stream free to all Canadians on NFB.ca starting November 1. 
 
Press kit: 
The Perfect Story by Michelle Shephard (74 min.)
mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-perfect-story

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ABOUT FREQUENT FLYER FILMS
Frequent Flyer Films is a Toronto-based production company dedicated to challenging character-driven films that tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. Founders Bryn Hughes, an award-winning producer and veteran journalist and filmmaker Michelle Shephard, came together in 2018 to create Frequent Flyer Films, bringing with them two decades of experience working in some of the most difficult terrains in the world, with a keen eye to powerful and thought-provoking storytelling.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA (NFB)
The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.

ABOUT TVO
TVO inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through video, audio, games, courses, newsletters and articles, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. Funded primarily by the Province of Ontario, TVO is a registered charity supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. For more information, visit TVO.me, TVO.org and TVOkids.com. 

Smart TV streaming services: LG, Samsung, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android

Media contacts:

Jennifer Knox
Unit Publicist, Frequent Flyer Films 
[email protected] 

Jennifer Mair
Publicist
C.: 416-436-0105
[email protected] | @NFB_Jennifer

Paulo Senra
Director of Corporate Communications
TVO
[email protected]

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