Peter D. Findlay

In 20 years as an independent writer/director/producer, Peter Findlay has worked extensively with a variety of Canadian and international broadcasters, including CBC, CTV, TVO, History TV, Discovery, PBS, and ZDF/Arte, among others. From 1990 to 2000, Findlay worked as a staff producer at the CBC’s “The National Magazine” and “The Fifth Estate”. He was also a contract director/producer at CTV’s “W5” in 2000/2001. The winner of multiple awards for documentary production - including a Gemini Award for best sports documentary program, 4 awards at Worldfest-Houston, a selection to the Economist Film Project, and a Canadian Science Writers award – Findlay’s most recent documentary, “Company Town”, also won best Canadian film, best-in-festival, and the Miguel Cifuentes Radical Change Award in 2020 at the Canadian Labour International Film Festival. It was also nominated for four 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, including best documentary director and best documentary program. An alumnus of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and member of the Directors Guild of Canada, Findlay also sits on the national board of the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and the DOC Institute. Findlay has taught film and television production at Sheridan and Durham Colleges, as well as being a frequent guest lecturer at Fanshawe College. Most recently, Findlay has been collaborating and working with Cree storyteller and filmmaker Lewis Cardinal on a series of Indigenous-themed documentaries and series.

• Board of Directors - Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC)
• Board of Directors – The DOC Institute
• Directors Guild of Canada
• Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (+ 2022 Canadian Screen Award jury member)
• Past member, Board of Directors (+ Emerging Filmmaker Incubator producer & Chair of Finance, Governance and Staffing committee) - Durham Region International Film Festival
• Past member, Canadian Media Guild
• PADI – certified deep water diver
• Past participant – Canada World Youth, Mali exchange

• Countdown to Zero, 1999, a documentary special on the build-up to the Y2K panic of 2000 when many futurists predicted a complete breakdown of the digital infrastructure – for the National Magazine.
• Running on MMT, 1998, an examination of the convergence of new NAFTA trade rules and the public health hazards of a fuel additive that was banned in California but allowed in Canada under international trade laws – for the National Magazine.
• The War Against Big Tobacco, 1997, an investigative examination of the case against the tobacco industry and its willful hiding of its knowledge of the health effects of cigarettes – for the National Magazine.
• The Paper King, 1996, a profile of media baron Conrad Black and his rise to control of the Southam Newspaper chain – for the National Magazine.
• The Court of Last Resort, 1995, the story of the mysterious death of an inmate at the hands of guards in the Kingston Penitentiary – for the Fifth Estate.
• The Ultimate Response, 1994, an investigative report on the strip searching of female prisoners at the notorious Prison for Women by male guards – as associated producer for the Fifth Estate.
• All in Their Heads, 1993, an examination of an outbreak of “multiple chemical sensitivity” at Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax that affected dozens of staff members and divided the medical community – as associate producer for The Fifth Estate.

• Kitcikisik: Great Sky, 2024/25, producing/writing/show-running, this 13 x 30 min. documentary series on Cree astronomy and cosmology, based on the work of Elder and Knowledge Keeper Wilfred Buck with Red Earth Blue Sky Productions – for APTN – IN PRE-PRODUCTION.
• Manito asinî: The Journey of the Creator’s Stone, 2023/25, feature documentary, on the theft of one of the most sacred Indigenous objects by missionaries and the centuries-long battle to return it home – with Red Earth Blue Sky P and support from the Indigenous Screen Office, the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre, and the Barry and Laurie Green Family Charitable Trust) – IN DEVELOPMENT.
• Carry the Bundle, 2022-current, limited series, on the Cardinal family of Sucker Creek First Nation, Treaty 8 Territory, told through the eyes of storyteller and filmmaker Lewis Cardinal. Epic in scope and to be shot across Turtle Island as it follows the historical spread of the Cardinals from the territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and New France to the foothills of the Rockies and north – with Red Earth Blue Sky productions and support from the Indigenous Screen Office, APTN, and the Edmonton Screen Industries Office – IN DEVELOPMENT.
• Company Town, 2020, directed & executive produced, this one-hour documentary with Nomad Films on the massive downsizing of the Oshawa General Motors plant and the devastating impact on the local community after 100 years of vehicle production – for CBC-TV’s “POV”.
• The Shadow of Gold, 2019, field director, (Nevada shooting) for a feature documentary for Kensington Communications exploring the impact of gold mining and the gold trade on our economy, environment and conflicts – for TVO, ARTE France, and CANAL D.
• The Arctic Rose, 2019, researched and wrote the script, for an episode of the investigative docu-drama series “Disasters at Sea” – for Discovery Canada & the Smithsonian Channel.
• Real Vikings: The Age of Invasion, 2016/17, directed & wrote, a historical documentary tracing the path of destruction through northern Europe by the Norsemen of the Dark Ages – shot on location in Denmark, Germany, France, and the UK - for History TV & History US.
• Gridlock, 2013, director/writer, for a one-hour documentary with 90th Parallel Productions on the increasing challenge of traffic congestion and efforts develop alternatives to creeping gridlock in the urban environment – for Rogers TV.
• Inside Topkapi Palace Museum, 2012, directed, this historical look at the secrets of the one-time palace of the Ottoman sultans, part of the series “Museum Secrets” – shot on location in Istanbul – for History TV.
• Mighty Ships, 2011/17, directed multiple episodes, of Discovery Channel’s hit documentary series on some of the world’s most fascinating ships – shot on location in Antarctica, the Aegean Sea, the Caribbean, the South China Seas, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Norwegian Sea – for Discovery Channel International.
• In the Name of the Lord, 2011, researched, directed & wrote, this investigative examination of a sexual abuse case in Atlanta, Georgia of an evangelical preacher as part of the series “Sex Scandals in Religion” with Cogent-Benger Productions – for Vision TV.
• Raw Opium: Pain, Pleasure, Profits, 2009/10, researched, directed & wrote, this feature length documentary for Kensington Communications on the story of heroin and the failure of the “war on drugs” – shot on location in Tajikistan, India, Portugal, France, Washington, DC, and Vancouver, Canada - for TVO, ARTE, ZDF, and SBS Australia.
• Stonecutters Bridge, 2008, directed, this inside look at the building of one of the largest stay-cable in the world in Hong Kong – shot on location in HK and mainland China – for Discovery Channel International.
• Who Do You Think You Are?, 2006, directed & wrote, two episodes of an investigative genealogical series featuring profiles of social activist Avi Lewis and the family story of Margaret Trudeau, former wife of Pierre Elliot Trudeau – and mother of current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – shot on location in Montreal, Ottawa, New York and Singapore – for CBC-TV.
• Jungle Fever, 2004, researched, directed & wrote, this story of the massive BRE-X gold mining fraud in Indonesia and the trail of financial ruin left in its wake – for History TV.
• The War in the Woods, 2003, researched, directed & wrote, the story of the building of Alaska Highway through the Yukon during WWII as part of the series “Turning Points of History” – for History TV.
• The Olympians, 2002, director & writer, for a special one-hour episode on Canada’s storied history in figure skating for a sports documentary series leading into the 2002 Winter Olympics – for CBC-TV.
• Justin, 2002, director & writer, on this one-hour profile of Justin Trudeau on the cusp of entering into federal politics, as he toured the backcountry of Western Canada spreading awareness of avalanches in the wake of his brother’s death in a tragic skiing accident – for W5, CTV.
• Immovable Maude: The Life and Times of Maude Barlow, 2001, researcher, director & writer, for this feature profile of anti-globalization activist Maude Barlow – for CBC-TV.
• A Life Forgotten, 2001, producer, director & writer, on the story of Canadian football hall-of-famer Terry Evanshen’s near brush with death, and his heroic recovery from a catastrophic brain injury – for W5, CTV.