The Lens: Signing Off

From January 2006 to September 2009, The Lens was a weekly documentary series on CBC Newsworld featuring the work of independent Canadian filmmakers. The Lens presented 63 original Canadian documentaries; most of them commissions, many of them award-winners. Lens films were dramatic, character-driven stories that offered fresh insights into contemporary issues and ideas.

Lens-commissioned films won or were nominated for over 100 prizes, including The Peabody Award, Banff Rockie, Grand Prix Japan Prize, many Gemini Awards (including the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary), The Canada Award, CAB Golden Ribbon Awards, Golden Sheaf Awards (Yorkton), and honours from film festivals in Canada, the USA, UK, Japan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Abu Dhabi, South Africa and India.

Award-winning Lens documentaries include Saving Luna (winner of 24 awards), Braindamadj'd: Take II (winner of 12 awards), School of Secrets, Norm, Capturing a Short Life, The Boy Inside, Prince of Pot, Mad Cow Sacred Cow, My Big Fat Diet, God Only Knows and Flight from Darkness.

The Lens was nominated three times for a Gemini Award as "Best Documentary Series" (2007, 2008 & 2009) and the series won a 2007 Golden Sheaf Award (Yorkton) as "Best Documentary Series".

The Lens was preceded on CBC Newsworld by the documentary series Rough Cuts (1994 to 2006). Together The Lens and Rough Cuts presented around 175 independent Canadian documentaries.

Canadian documentaries continue to air on CBC Newsworld on The Passionate Eye, including several films originally commissioned for The Lens, such as 65_RedRoses and PeepMe.

Lens documentaries told stories about Canada, made by filmmakers from across Canada, reflecting a broad range of viewpoints and approaches. We salute the work of our many talented producers and directors. And we thank our devoted viewers for watching our films and for your passionate feedback.