Under-the-radar Canadian movies and TV of 2022 — and where to watch

This year, there was a veritable glut of impressive Canadian content. 

From Chandler Levack's I Like Movies, to the dreamlike Jehova's Witness drama You Can Live Forever, to Drake's Black Ice documentary, to Brothers, Bones of Crows, Riceboy Sleeps, Eternal Spring, When Morning Comes, Little Bird and seemingly a hundred more, but most of these titles from Canada's heavy hitters still aren't available to most audiences.

That's not to say there aren't any impressive Canadian releases from this year you can watch — some of them are just harder to find.

So CBC has compiled some of the year's best Canadian-made productions that are available to stream and screen, as well as where you can watch.

Rent on Apple TV

An understated coming-of-age flick if there ever was one, Altar Boy is the first feature effort by Filipino Canadian director Serville Poblete. Created alongside screenwriter, star and Poblete's real-life friend since elementary school, Mark Barcolcol, it follows 17-year-old Daniel — an overgrown altar server at his local church. He's balancing every adolescent stress you can think of: Struggling in school, fighting with his parents, managing crippling awkwardness around the cutest girl in class — it can feel a bit shallow in description. 

But it's a well-told character study that actually shines most in the performances that surround the lead. Shai Barcia, who plays Daniel's mother, is particularly impressive as she switches between shouting matches and quiet desperation at the kitchen table. Though there are rough edges, and the going can be a bit slow, it's worth the time. 

Stream on Crave

Though it's been almost a year since it premiered on streaming services, and even longer since it debuted at TIFF, Scarborough still stands as one of the best movies of 2022. Adapted from Catherine Hernandez's novel of the same name, it follows three children as they navigate a system seemingly designed to shut them out. Like Altar Boy, the film is slow — and long at 136 minutes — but the performances by the child actors are transcendent. 

Bing, Sylvie and Laura (played by young stars Liam Diaz, Mekiya Fox and Anna Claire Beitel) carry the story, but their parents — and their teacher, played by Aliya Kanani — are impressive as well. Even though Scarborough swept the Canadian Screen Awards earlier this year, it deserves a larger audience than it got. 

Screen in select theatres

Filmmaker Kathleen Jayme explores whatever happened to the Vancouver Grizzlies in a documentary (her fourth film about the team) that feels equal parts The Last Dance and American Vandal. Jayme, who reveals herself as a lifelong fan of the team that played in the city for six seasons before relocating to Memphis, is never too serious. She spends as much time playing one-on-one with mascot Grizz as she does uncovering big truths, but those reveals are all worth it. 

While it's not yet streaming (or even officially released), The Grizzlie Truth has a number of screenings in cities across Canada this week, including in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and more. Jayme manages to track down some stellar names in the Grizzlies' world — including president Stu Jackson, infamous draft pick Steve Francis and perhaps the most adorable pint-sized Memphis Grizzlies fan to ever live. The whole film just feels fun, but be warned: after watching, you'll likely be gunning for a return of the franchise, too. 

Stream on CBC Gem