'I'm Just Here for the Riot': Vancouver directors to tackle 2011 Stanley Cup riot in ESPN documentary
Acclaimed Vancouver film directors Asia Youngman and Kathleen Jayme are collaborating on a forthcoming ESPN documentary about one of the darkest moments in the city's recent history.
Titled I'm Just Here for the Riot, the new entry in ESPN's 30 for 30 series will chronicle the aftermath of the Vancouver Canucks' 2011 Game 7 Stanley Cup Final loss to the Boston Bruins, with a particular interest in "questions about fandom, violence, and the shocking power of an angry crowd," according to ESPN.
"Taking a subject like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals and the ensuing riot – and using that event to tell an even bigger story about society – is what makes 30 for 30 so special,” said Marsha Cooke, vice-president and executive producer of the 30 for 30 series, in a statement announcing the film Friday.
Jayme's previous work has focused largely on a different local sports story: The short-lived and much-maligned, but still weirdly beloved Vancouver Grizzlies NBA franchise.
The most recent of her four films on the team, The Grizzlie Truth, premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival last year.
Youngman's previous work has not had sports as a central focus. Her 2019 film This Ink Runs Deep won Best Documentary Short at that year's Calgary International Film Festival for its portrayal of Indigenous artists reclaiming their cultures and identities through both traditional and contemporary tattoo practices.
Her most recent short film, n’xaxaitkw, premiered at last year's Toronto International Film Festival.
ESPN said the two Vancouver filmmakers brought a clear point of view to the topic of the 2011 Stanley Cup riot.
"They wanted to explain not just what happened, but why," Cooke said. "Why do we get so caught up in the emotions of winning and losing? Why do normal people sometimes run amok and do things they regret? And in a world dominated by cell phones and social media, why do we feel compelled to capture everything, no matter how destructive it might be? It is a story about regret and shame, but profoundly, it’s also about how you rebuild, forgive, and try to find something meaningful in the aftermath."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.