Engraved on a Nation

Engraved on a Nation is a documentary series originally airing on The Sports Network (TSN) and available on iTunes. The series, commissioned by Bell Media, celebrates the 100th Grey Cup with eight 60-minute documentaries demonstrating how one of the oldest trophies in professional sport has played an intrinsic role in shaping Canada’s history and national identity.

TSN unveiled the Engraved on a Nation documentary series at the Hot Docs International Film Festival on May 4, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario. The first documentary in the series, The 13th Man, directed by Larry Weinstein, premiered October 8, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN. Overall, more than 1.5 million Canadians tuned in to watch some or all of the broadcast on TSN, making it the most-watched documentary ever on TSN. The series will also air on CTV Television Network, CTV Two, and in French on Réseau des sports (RDS). It's also available on CraveTV.

The unique love affair between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fiercely loyal fans – known as the “13th man” – lives far beyond what happens on the field. On the cusp of winning the 97th Grey Cup, the Roughriders suffered a too many men on the field penalty, a 13th man, that triggered a dramatic defeat. The unprecedented twist in CFL history shattered an entire province and left millions of Canadians heartbroken. In the wake of the team’s Grey Cup defeat, the faithful fans in Riderville staunchly stood by the Roughriders – proving why they have forever been the team’s symbolic “13th man” on the field.

The revealing and emotional story of how gifted Ohio-born quarterback Chuck Ealey found refuge in Canada and the CFL in the face of racial intolerance in the United States. Ealey, who went undefeated at the quarterback position throughout high school and university, signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1972 and led his team to a Grey Cup victory in his rookie season – becoming the first African-American quarterback to win the CFL’s championship trophy. Along with giving him a place to play the game that he loved, Canada became the place Ealey chose to raise his family, and where he proudly remains rooted today. Ealey recounts his early struggles and successes while his daughter Jael tries to peel away at a reserved man to uncover missing pieces of his story.

Anthony Calvillo’s inspirational journey from the gang-ridden slums of east L.A. to la Belle Province, where he builds a family and emerges as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Canadian football history is examined in The Kid From La Puente. Narrated by Calvillo's younger brother Mario, this classic against-all-odds story examines how he pushed through repeated obstacles – on and off the field – to lead the Montreal Alouettes to its first Grey Cup in 25 years in 2002. For the first time ever, the three-time Grey Cup champion opens up about passing life’s hardest tests as a kid in La Puente to becoming a devoted family man in Montreal – earning the title of football’s all-time leading passer in the process.

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