New Asian voices and stories on CBC Gem
Take a moment to celebrate Asian Heritage Month and check out these fantastic titles available to stream now for free on CBC Gem
hiccups & hookups
Vasudha, a recently separated single mother and Kay, her smart but confused teenage daughter move in with her commitment-phobic younger brother Akhil in the affluent Jayanagar neighbourhood in Bengaluru, India. Still reeling from her cheating husband, Vasudha is determined to find love, her brother must try to accommodate his new lifestyle to his new roommates and teenage Kay must figure out how to work with her flawed but loving family unit as they try to balance dating, relationships, and being there for each other.
Watch hiccups & hookups on CBC Gem
Bangla Surf Girls
Bangla Surf Girls is an immersive documentary that takes us into the heart of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. We witness the transformation of young girls who join a local surf club and dare to dream of freedom and escape from a life of drudgery and abuse. The documentary captures the raw emotions, the family dynamics, and the complex pressures of poverty. Balancing the freedom of the waves with the restrictive realities of their circumstances, we experience the thrill and struggle of coming of age in a developing country.
Watch Bangla Surf Girls on CBC Gem
Million Dollar Wedding Planner
Lelian Chew, wedding planner for the super-rich, takes on just 10 weddings a year at an average cost of a million dollars. For her clients, bespoke Cartier jewellery inspired by Meghan Markle, hundreds of thousands of dollars of flowers and multiple designer wedding dresses are nothing out of the ordinary But Lelian's job is also to navigate the clash between age-old Chinese marriage customs and the desires of the young and newly wealthy.
Watch Million Dollar Wedding Planner on CBC Gem
Miss S
An stylish and suspenseful new Mandarin-language version of Australia's Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries that follows the unlikely detective duo — Miss S and Inspector Luo Qiuheng — who solve cases in 1930s Shanghai.
pen15
PEN15 is middle school as it really happened, in all its cringe-worthy glory. Maya Erskine, and Anna Konkle, who are full-on adults, play fictionalized depictions of their younger selves. Both seasons 1 and 2 are now on Gem.
Dramaworld
A Fantasy rom-com that follows the adventures of a 20 year-old Claire Duncan, who, through a twist of fate and a touch of magic, gets sucked into her favourite Korean drama through her smartphone.
Hello (Again)
Created by Nathalie Younglai (Coroner) and Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience), Hello (Again) follows the complicated romance between chef Jayden and ER resident Avery. On a fateful day, Jayden and Avery bump into each other at a park and immediately fall hopelessly in love. Sparks fly... until they stop. Six months after their unceremonious breakup, a chance encounter will send Jayden back in time to the day that he and Avery met. Will Jayden learn to fix the mistakes of his past and win Avery back...or is history doomed to repeat itself?
Watch Hello (Again) on CBC Gem
The Lunchbox Dilemma
The Lunchbox Dilemma looks back on a common childhood experience for Asian Canadians, who'd hide, forget and discard the homemade lunches that their friends at school called "smelly" and "funny-looking." This playful and nostalgic three-part series sheds light on the shared experience of growing up in two different worlds.
Watch Lunchbox Dilemma on CBC Gem
Sing Me a Song
As the Internet finally arrives in tiny Bhutan, documentarian Thomas Balmès is there to witness its transformative impact on a young Buddhist monk whose initial trepidation gives way to profound engagement with the technology.
Watch Sing Me a Song on CBC Gem
Frick, I Love Nature
Host, Gordie Lucius goes on a grand adventure to learn everything he can about nature. Where did life come from? Why are animal's genitals so weird? Look out Attenborough, there's a new kid in town.
Watch Frick, I Love Nature on CBC Gem
Topline
Tala is a 16-year-old singer/songwriter living in the suburbs who keeps her musical talent and online alter ego a secret from her family. When one of her songs goes viral, she is invited to join a high-pressure music production team that creates hits for superstars. To do so she must disobey her recently-widowed father who wants her to follow Filipino tradition and be a nurse. Topline is a musical dramedy about the world of professional songwriters for young adults. It is a series about growing up, ambition, and finding the true value of your own voice.
But wait, there's more! Take a look at this collection of fantastic Asian-lead titles on CBC GEM: