NITV - Programs and Schedules

TV.Cynic · August 14, 2025, 6:00am

Extraordinary Animals

Sunday, 24 August at 7.30pm & 8.00pm on NITV and SBS On Demand

Episode Five:

Aggressive behaviour is not limited to the most obvious culprits. Exploring some surprising behaviour and illustrating that forceful strategies can be necessary for survival, this episode features koalas, fairy penguins, peacock mantis shrimps, cockatoos and clownfish.

Episode Six:

In nature, being flamboyant can mean anything from using extravagant behaviour to entice a mate or warn off predators – to camouflaging yourself when hunting. One thing is for certain, all the animals in this episode employ this characteristic in a different way, proving that in the wild, standing out can be the ultimate strategy for survival. Featuring royal penguins, nudibranchs, rainbow stag beetles, fiddler crabs peacock spiders and lionfish.

Tassie Tiger On The Rocks

Sunday, 24 August at 8.30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand

The Tasmanian Tiger twists and turns, depending on how it’s seen. In stunning landscapes across Australia where Thylacines once roamed, people from wide-ranging traditions share their experiences: First Nations artists, rangers and custodians, biologists, bone hunters and archaeologists. Multiple insights combine to throw light on Australia’s most wanted animal.

Karla Grant Presents: My Mother, My Son

NITV Production

Monday, 25 August at 8.30pm on NITV

The story of an Aboriginal mother and daughter [Mona & Kymmy], both victims of the stolen generation, who embark on a journey to regain custody of Kymmy’s young son Rowland. They are determined to shed the baggage from their past and take control of their own lives and by so doing break the cycle of dispossession, broken families and broken homes.

Casketeers: Life and Death Across the Globe

Wednesday, 27 August at 7.35pm on NITV

Episode Three: Canada

Francis and Kaiora revel in the opportunity to take part in a long house ceremony, Francis tries his hand at traditional canoeing and the terrible travesty of the Canadian residential school system hits hard.

First Nations Bedtime Stories - Season 5 Episode 2

Friday, 29 August at 9.20pm on NITV

Nyingarn Koorda Djinanginy

Nyingarn Koorda Djinanginy is a story about a little nyingarn (echidna) who wanted a friend but was too spiky for all the other animals. A yonga (kangaroo), karda (goanna) and weitj (emu) all ran away from the nyingarn. It wasn’t until the nyingarn found another nyingarn and they both became friends, that they lived happily ever after. This story is about knowing your worth and not trying to impress people who don’t appreciate you. Aunty Marie encourages Steven and Ivy to be accepting and kind to people no matter where they come from or what they look like.

JohnsonTV · August 18, 2025, 9:39am

yellow_sock · August 18, 2025, 11:48am

Next Monday (25 August), NITV is airing an Australian TV movie - Call Me Mum. It initially aired on SBS in 2006 (or 2007), and was up for a few acting awards at the then AFI Awards. Catherine McClements was nominated for Best Lead Actress for her role, while Vicki Saylor won Best Supporting Actress (with Lynnette Curran nominated in the same category).

TV.Cynic · August 21, 2025, 6:14am

Extraordinary Animals

Sunday, 31 August at 7.30pm & 8.00pm on NITV and SBS On Demand

Episode Seven:

Australia is a “hot spot” for deceitful animal behaviour. In this episode, we study the sneaky habits of firebirds, cuttlefish, green ant hunters and kangaroos.

Episode Eight:

Eccentricity abounds in one of the planet’s most isolated and unique ecosystems – with a myriad of behaviours and appearances that, on the surface, might seem a little odd.

Camels and the Pitjantjara

Sunday, 31 August at 8.30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand

"From the 1920s onwards, when motor vehicles displaced camels as a mode of supply in central Australia, camels gradually went feral. As this film shows, however, in the 1960s, the Pitjantjara were making good use of camels to facilitate their travels and connections with other areas. This remarkable film, shot in 1968 (released in 1969) follows a group of Pitjantjara men, led by “Captain”, a veteran cameleer, who travel out from their base at Areyonga Settlement, to capture a wild camel, tame it and add it to their domestic herds.

Karla Grant Presents: Coniston Muster

NITV Production

Monday, 1 September at 8.30pm on NITV

Superbly photographed over a relatively short period of six weeks, the film introduces us to Coniston Station – an 840 square mile property, northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. It is an arid area of red semi-desert and can sustain only about four head of cattle per square mile.

The Head Stockman at the station was Coniston Johnny, who had spent his working life with cattle, on many stations. This film documents episodes in Coniston’s annual cattle muster, and Johnny talks about the skills that Aboriginal stockmen bring to the work, compared with white men.

Casketeers: Life and Death Across the Globe

Wednesday, 3 September at 7.35pm on NITV

Episode Four: Japan

Francis is amazed by the cutting-edge technology that exists in the burial industry; Kaiora is challenged by the preparation of her favourite food and both are confronted with the reality of their own death.

Dreaming Big

NITV Production

Friday, 5 September at 7.30pm on NITV

Episode One:

Join athletes Landen & Kaiden Smales, and Meg Day as they carve it up at the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles in iconic Bells Beach. With their sights set high, we follow Landen & Kaiden back to their home breaks on the Sunshine Coast where we witness a brotherly rivalry like no other. Meanwhile Meg chases swells along the rugged South Australian coast when she isn’t working on the family farm. These three are riding more than just waves—they’re riding a movement, representing their Mob and dreaming bigger than ever.

TV.Cynic · August 28, 2025, 6:57am

EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS SERIES

EPISODE 9
Sunday 7 September 7.30pm

Featuring some surprising behaviour, this episode delves into surprising behaviours of some of Australia’s most unlikely romantics. With some incredible connections that enhance their species’ survival, these animals go above and beyond in the name of ‘love’. Featuring Shingleback Lizards, Weedy Sea Dragons, Eastern Ospreys, Brown Boobys, Frogs and even Corals.

EPISODE 10
Sunday 7 September 8.00pm

Many scientists believe curiosity is a key driving force in evolution –leading to both physical and behavioural adaptations and driving the development of new environments. This episode features some surprisingly intelligent and uniquely curious animals – Australian Sea Lions, Parrots, Numbats, Portia Spiders, Brushtail Possums and Sea Snakes.

FINKE: THERE AND BACK

Sunday 7 September 8.30pm

For the riders, the spectators and the town of Alice Springs, the Finke Desert Race is more than a race. Finke: There and Back delves below the surface to uncover what makes them tick, what drives them to put their lives on the line when they strap their helmets on. Paraplegic Isaac Elliott is attempting to complete the race that he started a decade earlier. Scruff Hamill, who lives in a shed full of bikes in Sydney, makes the trip to tick off a bucket list event. Meanwhile, the factory race teams at the head of the field fight for pride and to be named King of the Desert.

Karla Grant Presents:CROOK HAT AND CAMPHOO

Monday 8 September 8.30pm

Crook Hat and Camphoo are Alyawarr elders, from central Australia, who are concerned about the survival of traditional skills and culture.

Casketeers: Life and Death Across the Globe

EPISODE 5 – INDIA PART 1
Wednesday 10 September 7.35pm

Francis and Kaiora take on the sensory overload of India, braving the streets of Delhi in a tuktuk, experience new ways to use a vibrator and receive the spiritual blessings of the Ganges in Haridwar.

Dreaming Big

EPISODE 2 – CAR RACING
Friday 12 September 7.30pm

It’s race day in Ipswich and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Rising stars Kade Davey and Karlai Warner go head-to-head in a brutal endurance race that tests more than just their speed. Between heart-pounding laps, we meet the families who fuel their drive and peek inside their intense training routines. Karlai is not just any racer—she’s the only female First Nations driver on the track, representing both grit and trailblazing determination. Together, she and Kade race for Racing Together, the only all-Indigenous racing team in existence, adding cultural pride and historic significance to every lap. But as the race draws to a dramatic close, not everything goes to plan.

JohnsonTV · August 30, 2025, 11:55pm

The Sun-Herald / Sunday Age article on Dreaming Big

TV.Cynic · September 3, 2025, 6:37am

Going Places with Ernie Dingo - Season 7

In 2026 Going Places with Ernie Dingo also returns with Mark Coles Smith and Brooke Blurton amongst some of the guests who visit some of Australia’s most significant landmarks, exploring local secrets, diverse inhabitants and the history of a majestic environment.

Colleano Heart

A circus family’s hidden legacy unfolds as descendants reunite across continents, uncovering their Aboriginal ancestry, global stardom, and the extraordinary secrets they kept to survive. Their story is brought to life through the Colleano family’s remarkable home funded movies, never-before seen footage, family interviews and archival recordings.

Through the wisdom of their Aboriginal matriarch, the Colleano family outmanoeuvred 1900’s oppression and racism to rise to the highest echelons of international circus stardom, at the expense of concealing their Indigenous identity. Becoming part of the Hidden Generation - their descendants are compelled to peel back the layers of secrecy to reveal their true origins.

TV.Cynic · September 4, 2025, 6:19am

LIKE MY BROTHER

SPORTEMBER FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES

Sunday 14 September 8.30pm

Four talented Tiwi Island Indigenous girls dream of AFLW stardom, and with the support of their community, face the social and physical obstacles standing in their way. This is an inspirational story of human endurance, ancient resilience and the power of sport to act as a force for change.

Filmed over 6 years, the documentary explores the different worlds that the girls must traverse from the remote Tiwi Islands to mainland Australia as they are selected by the Essendon Football Club for their talent and unique style of play. Navigating the competitive world of professional football while dealing with the weight of cultural expectations, distance and financial barriers, the girls encounter triumphs and disappointments before defining success on their own terms to become an inspiration for the next generation of their community.

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS - CROOK HAT AND THE KULUNADA

Monday 15 September 8.30pm

Stories of the water serpent, Kulunada, which inhabits a permanent waterhole in the arid desert country of central Australia.

Casketeers: Life and Death Across the Globe - EPISODE 6 – INDIA PART 1

Wednesday 17 September 7.35pm

In Varanasi, Francis and Kaiora confront Hindu death practices on the banks of the Ganges, view the wonder of the Taj Mahal and get up close and personal with some rescue elephants.

Dreaming Big

EPISODE 3 – CLIMBING

Friday 19 September 7.30pm

Scaling cliffs and conquering walls, Ethan Naylor and Kyle Heuston Conner are climbing their way to greatness. We follow these two legends from the epic cliffs on Country to the state-of-the-art climbing gyms on the Sunshine Coast where they take on an intense indoor competition. Kyle’s journey is one of resilience— making a comeback from chronic fatigue, he pushes past limitations to chase his goals. Will he find the strength to rise to the top? Ethan, an athlete who is positively ready for any climb! Big dreams are within reach for these athletes, and their journey is proof that with courage and commitment, the sky’s the limit.

TV.Cynic · September 5, 2025, 5:13am

Screenshot

Watch the Record-breaking Koori Knockout 2025 LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on NITV and SBS On Demand

Experience the biggest annual First Nations sporting event live and direct from Kamilaroi Country on October 5 & 6

National Indigenous Television (NITV) will broadcast the Koori Knockout 2025 live and exclusive this October Long Weekend, with full day match coverage of the finals LIVE and direct from the Riverside Sporting Complex in Tamworth NSW on Sunday October 5 and Monday October 6 from 9:00am AEST on NITV and SBS On Demand.

With supporting multiplatform coverage across the entire weekend, this will be NITV’s 16th broadcast of this iconic rugby league tournament, a staple in the calendar of many First Nations peoples, with the event now in its 53rd year. This year also sees the biggest competition in the event’s history with a record 170 teams lining up to compete in 2025.

NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout is one of the biggest Indigenous gatherings in Australia and has grown to be one of the largest Indigenous sporting events in the world. Hosted by reigning champions and eight-time winners Walgett Aboriginal Connection (WAC) – equalled only by the eight-time winning Redfern All Blacks – the tournament promises intense competition across men’s, women’s, and junior divisions, as well as a vibrant cultural program that showcases the passion within communities and honours First Nations peoples in Australia.

The Knockout has traditionally attracted NRL and NSW Cup scouts after developing a huge reputation for highlighting the immense talent and resilience of Indigenous rugby league players. Big name stars including Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Josh Addo-Carr and Greg Inglis were all Knockout players before playing NRL.

NITV’s commentary team this year includes journalists Dan Conifer, a Ngemba-Muruwari man, and Bidjigal man Brad Cooke. They’ll be joined by NITV’s Over the Black Dot host and proud Anaiwan man Dean Widders, dual International Timana Tahu, Bo de la Cruz, a proud descendant of the Gudjula and Erubian people and multi award-winning touch, rugby union and rugby league player, as well as former NRL player and Dunghutti man, Beau Champion.

NITV’s comprehensive live coverage of the finals will deliver all the excitement of the games, showcasing the skill, passion, and spirit that define the Koori Knockout. As the event continues to grow, this broadcast ensures that audiences nationwide stay connected to one of Australia’s most significant Indigenous sporting and cultural festivals. Not just showcasing world-class rugby league action, it also highlights culture, community, and pride, fostering understanding and respect for Indigenous history and traditions.

Rugby League great, Dean Widders, said: “The Koori Knockout 2025 is already locked in as the biggest Knockout in history with the most team nominations ever. With so many amazing teams, and some of rugby league’s greatest players representing their families and communities, it is an event you can’t miss. I’m so proud of our team at NITV who do an amazing job of bringing it all to life on the television screen. I can’t wait!”.

NITV’s Head of Indigenous Commissions and Production, Dena Curtis, said : “NITV is proud to bring the Koori Knockout to audiences across the country for another year. This iconic tournament is more than a game – it’s a celebration of culture, community, and the incredible talent within First Nations rugby league. For 53 years, the Knockout has united generations and showcased NSW Rugby League talent. This year marks our 16th broadcast as the biggest competition in its history reaches new heights with a record 170 teams playing in this year’s event. We’re excited to share every moment of the Finals action and the stories that make this event one of the most significant Indigenous sporting and cultural gatherings in Australia.”

The Koori Knockout will be hosted at Riverside Sporting Complex, live from Tamworth in Kamilaroi Country, in New South Wales. The event is also known as the 2025 Aboriginal Affairs NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout.

In supporting coverage, Over the Black Dot’s episode on Tuesday, September 30 at 9:30pm on NITV will preview the Knockout. The episode will detail the teams and big-name players in the lead up to the weekend and will be available to stream for free on SBS On Demand after broadcast.

NITV News’ Nula will broadcast live from the Koori Knockout on Friday, October 3 at 3pm on SBS and 5.30pm on NITV.

KOORI KNOCKOUT 2025 coverage overview:

Thursday 2 October at 7:30pm: Koori Knockout 2025 Men’s Draw from Tamworth Capitol Theatre available on NITV FACEBOOK LIVE and SBS On Demand..
Friday 3 and Saturday 4 October: Results from the day will be published on NITV online.
Sunday 5 October from 9am: Koori Knockout 2025 men’s, women’s and juniorsmatches live from Tamworth Riverside Sporting Complex on NITV and SBS On Demand.
Monday 6 October from 9am: Koori Knockout 2025 men’s, women’s and junior’s finals live from Tamworth Riverside Sporting Complex on NITV and SBS On Demand.
SBS On Demand will replay match highlights on Sunday and Monday.
Highlights packages across all NITV digital and social platforms across the entire weekend
Bespoke community coverage and stories across all NITV digital and social platforms across the entire weekend
Select individual match replays and highlights will be available to stream for free on SBS On Demand and NITV’s YouTube page after broadcast.

TV.Cynic · September 11, 2025, 6:01am

STYLEBENDER

Sunday 21 September 8:30 pm

STYLEBENDER is an intimate look at Israel Adesanya, the Nigerian-born, New Zealand-based MMA champion, which goes beyond the octagon and delves deep into an unlikely fighter’s journey. Exploring Israel’s experiences of masculinity, bullying, mental health and the healing power of dance, the film is a poignant examination of the complex, electrifying and sometimes controversial figure known as ‘The Last Stylebender.’

The film had its an international premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. The film was shot over a five-year period and features unprecedented access to the UFC World Middleweight Champion and his team.

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS - BUFFALO LEGENDS

Monday 22 September 8:30 pm

‘The Legends’ were a group of men who formed the Buffaloes Football Club and championed fair play on and off the sporting field. Many of the men came out of Darwin’s notorious Kahlin Compound where they had been placed because the law classified them as half-castes and removed them from their mothers. The law, however, allowed them to play football and by the 1930s they were playing it better than anyone else in Darwin.

BUFFALO LEGENDS allows the descendants of the original Legends to tell us, with their own in-your-face humour and candour, how multiculturalism was established in Darwin long before the word was invented … and why it is still worth fighting for.

HOME, LAND & SEA - Season 2

Wednesday 24 September

7.30pm EPISODE 1 – TUHOE TUAWHENUA TRUST
The Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust is committed to finding ways to ensure that Ruatahuna is a thriving community, through their commercial ventures and regular wananga reconnecting people.

8.00pm EPISODE 2 – GRAVITY FISHING
Nate Smith is on a journey to change the way Aotearoa approaches commercial fishing.

Dreaming Big

Friday 26 September 7.30pm

EPISODE 4 – FLAT TRACK RACING

For cousins Jayden and Riley Holder, flat track racing is in their blood. With their tight-knit family cheering them on, they keep turning up no matter the obstacles. Win after win, these boys are just getting started. This season, Jayden is stepping up into the next category of bike, taking on a whole new level of competition. Will he be ready for the challenge? Meanwhile, Riley is the young gun of the track—still learning, but already hungrier than ever. This race is the ultimate test of their courage and preparation.

JohnsonTV · September 16, 2025, 9:13pm

Promo

TV.Cynic · September 18, 2025, 6:12am

I AM JOE FRAZIER

Sunday 28 September 8.30pm

I AM JOE FRAZIER is a feature documentary that celebrates the life of an extraordinary athlete, a world champion whose prowess in the ring forged a legacy that will last forever. Featuring newly commissioned, cinematically filmed interviews with boxing stars and insiders, as well as Joe’s friends and associates, and meticulously sourced archival content from world-class sports and boxing archives, the film charts the rise of a humble yet uniquely driven perfectionist who overcame extraordinary odds to triumphantly emerge from the long shadow of Ali to become the Boxing Heavyweight World Champion and redefine greatness in his own image.

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS - BLACK MAGIC

Monday 29 September 8.30pm

Although about top Aboriginal sportsmen, BLACK MAGIC is more than a film about sport. It is an account of the creative use of sport made by the Noongar people of Western Australia’s south-west to advance their people’s standing.

Denied access to other areas of social life like most Aboriginal communities at the time, the Noongars, from as early as 1920, channelled the natural talent of their young people into the arena of competitive sport, notably running, boxing and football. Competitive sport, as filmmaker Paul Roberts notes, is 'an open gate, a universal rite of passage, an opportunity to achieve recognition and acceptance.

HOME, LAND & SEA - Season 2

EPISODE 3 – KAI ROTORUA

Wednesday 1 October 7.30pm

Kai Rotorua is an organisation that connects people toPapatūānuku and growing kūmara is their main tool. When their volunteers decided to grow the kūmara for Rotorua’s Matariki Umu Kohukohu Whetū, they began a learning journey that includes, planting, tending, harvesting and even restoring a traditional ana kūmara, not used for hundreds of years.

EPISODE 4 – TORERE MACADAMIA

Wednesday 1 October 8.00pm

Tōrere Macadamia’s pioneering Vanessa Hayes and her whanau, traverse thirty years of trials, tribulations and triumph to become world leaders in the industry. And they bring in more Māori growers, through the Mataatua Macadamia Collective.

Dreaming Big

EPISODE 5 – BOXING

Friday 3 October 7.30pm

From the elite training grounds of the AIS in Canberra to the roaring arenas of the Youth World Boxing Championships in the USA, Linkyn MacMillan and Georgia Lawson are throwing punches and breaking barriers. Representing their communities and their Country, these two boxers leave everything in the ring. It’s a high-stakes moment—this competition is not just big, it’s global. A milestone on the road to the LA Olympics, it’s a proving ground that will shape their future. Their families, and their extended family from Boxing Australia all travel the distance with them. Do Linkyn and Georgia have what it takes to go all the way?

TV.Cynic · September 25, 2025, 6:11am

WILFRED BUCK

FILM FESTIVAL COLLECTION

Sunday 5 October 8.30pm

Seamlessly moving between earth and stars past and present, Wilfred Buck is a hybrid feature documentary that looks to one man’s life to tell a story that spans generations. Our guide is the charismatic and irreverent Wilfred Buck, a Cree elder and ceremonial leader who came to his calling through a harrowing history of displacement, racism, and addiction in 1960s Canada. Adapted from his memoir, and blending verité, archive and stylized re-enactments, the film charts colonization’s attempts to extinguish Indigenous ways of knowing – and what it means to reconnect with and regain ancient teachings that are as relevant today as ever.

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS

FINDING FAMILY

Monday 6 October 8.30pm

We all love storytellers. Honouring and listening to First Nations people from this land is a shared experience that we value. “The idea that an individual person grows in their reconciliation with their past and present and how that affects their future was the catalyst to produce this film,”Ema said.

The producer knew and sought interested film creatives who were equally interested to hear the heart of people, and waited for the ‘storyteller’ to emerge. The crew did not know Keith Truscott’s full story until the interview was filmed. It allowed Keith to express feelings and emotions in an honest and open way.

Keith said, he was “honoured for people to hear my story of resolving my past, and I am looking to help support the next generation as they find their sense of belonging. One of the jobs of community is to bring the ‘outsider’ to become the ‘insider’ where wholeness and healing occurs.”

HOME, LAND & SEA - Season 2

Wednesday 8 October 7.30pm

EPISODE 5 – MANAKI WHITEBAIT

Will commercialising an endangered species bring it back from the brink? Manāki Whitebait has set out to revitalise Aotearoa’s declining whitebait population, shaking up the entire commercial whitebaiting industry in the process.

EPISODE 6 – OHIWA TRUFFLES

Wednesday 8 October 8.00pm

Expensive and gourmet – truffles are fast becoming the crop du jour for entrepreneurial Māori. Ōpōtiki growers Matiu Hudson and Annette Munday are leaders in truffle farming and they encourage and support new growers, including Te Moana a Toi Truffle Collective ,to get into this burgeoning business.

Dreaming Big

EPISODE 6 – KARATE AND SOCCER

Friday 10 October 7.30pm

Meet sisters Jessie-Rose and Julianna-Bree, two young athletes chasing different dreams but driven by the same fierce passion. Jessie-Rose dominates in karate, while Julianna-Bree kicks goals on the soccer field. Supported by their proud Mum and Dad, these girls are proving that with hard work and heart, you can dream big and make it happen—together.

TV.Cynic · October 2, 2025, 6:22am

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS

KEEPING COUNTRY STRONG

Monday 13 October 8.30pm

Across vast Indigenous Protected Areas, Indigenous Rangers are fighting the world’s biggest environmental challenges.

HOME, LAND & SEA SERIES 2

EPISODE 7 – Wi Pere Trust

Wednesday 15 October 7.30pm

In this episode, we explore the Wi Pere Trust, established in1899, by Wirimu (Wi) Pere in reaction to the potential loss of his whanau’s lands.

EPISODE 8 – Oku Tea & Roa Kombucha

Wednesday 15 October 8.00pm

In this episode of Home, Land and Sea, we delve into two family-owned ventures committed to providing natural products for community wellness and healthier living.

TV.Cynic · October 9, 2025, 7:15am

COUNTRY TO COUTURE

Monday 20 October 8.30pm

Country to Couture is where culture and couture collide. Born from the remote textile design movement and aligned with the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair since 2016, this event is a dynamic platform for First Nations designers to present collections that are bold, innovative, and grounded in culture.

HOME, LAND & SEA SERIES 2

EPISODE 9 – Nga Wairiki Ngati

Wednesday 22 October 7.30pm

After Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa received their treaty settlement, their goal was to provide sustainable business for the iwi. Buying Te Hou dairy and beef farm was quickly followed by forestry within their rohe and then further diversifying into strawberry growing. All three businesses are creating jobs, wealth and opportunities for the entire iwi.

EPISODE 10 – Whakaki

Wednesday 22 October 8.00pm

The final episode of season two, Home, Land & Sea focuses on the collaborative efforts to rejuvenate the Lake at the small east coast town of Whakaki led by the local Trevor Waikawa.

SEEDS

Thursday 23 October 9.30pm

Ziggy, a social media influencer, is hired to promote a seemingly eco-friendly campaign celebrating “nature.” However, she soon uncovers a dark corporate conspiracy to exploit Indigenous knowledge, erase cultural practices, and patent ancient seeds for profit. Realising the campaign is a sham, Ziggy finds herself hunted by corporate forces. To protect her heritage, Ziggy must reconnect with her Mohawk community, language, and ancestral lands. She rediscovers her strength, transforming from a brand ambassador into a fierce protector of her culture. The story culminates in Ziggy planting seeds of resistance, resilience, and renewal for the future, safeguarding Indigenous heritage against corporate greed.

TV.Cynic · October 16, 2025, 6:17am

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS

YELLOW FELLA

Monday 27 October 8.30pm

Directed by acclaimed Indigenous Filmmaker Ivan Sen (Limbo, Beneath the Clouds, Mystery Road). Yellow Fella is a portrait of the late Balang Tom E. Lewis who as a young man in 1978 was chosen by director Fred Schepisi to star in The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith. The life of the character he played was hauntingly close to his own – a restless young man of mixed heritage, struggling between two cultures to find his own identity.

First Nations Bedtime Stories Season 4

Wednesday 31 October 8:50pm

Every year Common Ground works with different First Nations communities to film five non-secret Dreaming stories, told by Elders and Knowledge Custodians. Sharing and strengthening these stories for future generations, and providing a way for all people to connect with the oldest continuing cultures on Earth, these stories display a rich source of valuable knowledge and wisdom.

Episode One:The Three Brothers

In this episode two brothers fall in love with the same migay (girl). One brother chooses jealousy and anger, which has disastrous consequences for all three brothers. This story teaches us the importance of respecting the Lore of Yindyamarra – the Lore of Respect.

TV.Cynic · October 23, 2025, 6:12am

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS

Genocide In The Wildflower Stat

Monday 3 November 8.30pm

Genocide in the Wildflower State is a documentary about a violent, state-run system of eugenics, racial absorption, and social assimilation in the twentieth century, in Western Australia.

Survivors of the Stolen Generations give vivid and at times heartbreaking testimony of cruel isolation, abuse and humiliation in the system. Their accounts in Genocide in the Wildflower State are supported by evidence from state records, public archives and historical scholarship.

TV.Cynic · October 30, 2025, 5:03am

KARLA GRANT PRESENTS

Blown Away
FINAL EPISODE

Monday 11 November 8.30pm

Cyclone Tracy was one of the worst natural disasters in Australia’s history, virtually wiping the city of Darwin from the map. Now 40 years later, previously untold stories reveal compelling new perspectives on the devastating storm, the controversial mass evacuation and the troubled reconstruction, investigating the socio-political effects on Darwin and its residents.

Extraordinary archival footage, immersive animation and in-depth interviews tell a powerful story revealing the legacy and myths of Cyclone Tracy including the coming of age of Darwin, the heroism of Darwinians, and the politicisation of the rebuild. The failure of most official records of the disaster to mention Indigenous people is addressed with stories from Aboriginal people who lived through the storm, and accounts of traditional Aboriginal beliefs that explain the Cyclone and resulting devastation from a cultural standpoint.

RESERVATION DOGS

SEASON 2 PREMIERE

Thursday 13 November 8.30pm
Episode 1 – THE CURSE
As the town recovers from the tornado aftermath, Willie Jack tries to reverse a curse.

9.00pm
Episode 2 – RUN
Elora and Jackie’s road trip takes a turn for the worse.

TV.Cynic · November 6, 2025, 5:34am

DOCUMENTARY - TRANS AND PREGNANT

Monday 8.30pm 17 November

Trans and Pregnant is a compelling documentary that follows Frankie, a trans man, and his partner Rāwā on a transformative journey to parenthood. Instead of adopting or pursuing surrogacy, Frankie will carry their child. This documentary delves into the physical, emotional, and societal challenges they face as they break traditional gender norms. With vulnerability and resilience, Trans and Pregnant offers a raw and honest look at the intersections of identity, family, and love, ultimately questioning what it truly means to become a parent in a world that is still learning to accept all forms of life and love.

Scheduled on NITV to mark Transgender Awareness Week 13-19 November and Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.

FACTUAL SERIES - WATER WORLDS

Tuesday November 18

Water Worlds explores our planet’s fragile aquatic ecosystems through Indigenous eyes. Narrated in Cree by internationally renowned Cree actor, Tantoo Cardinal, Water worlds will use the Two-Eyed teaching - Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing combined with Western science and knowledge.

Episode 1 - 7:30pm
WE ARE THE KEEPERS

Divers from the Haida Nation work to protect the endangered Northern Abalone.

Episode 2 - 8:00pm
THROUGH THE VEINS OF MOTHER EARTH

In the traditional unseated territories of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe people you will find the largest underground freshwater cave system in Canada.

RESERVATION DOGS SERIES 2

Thursday November 20

Series 2 Episode 3 8.30pm ROOFING
Bear gets a job.

Series 2 Episode 4 9.00pm MABEL
The village comes together to send Mabel on her journey.

TV.Cynic · November 13, 2025, 7:59am

AMERICAN BUFFALO

Sunday 23 November 8.30pm

Episode 1: BLOOD MEMORY: PART ONE

The dramatic story of America’s national mammal, which sustained the lives of Native peoples for untold generations, being driven to the brink of extinction, before an unlikely collection of people rescues it from disappearing forever. Ken Burns recounts the tragic collision of two opposing views of the natural world––and the unforgettable characters who pointed the nation in a different direction.

WATER WORLDS

Tuesday November 25

Episode 3
7:30pm URBAN WATERS
Creek and streams play an important role in our environment. Stream keepers in Metro Vancouver are working hard to maintain and restore them.

Episode 4
8:00pm TURTLES OF TURTLE ISLAND
We explore the role turtles play in our environment, and the Indigenous-led initiatives to preserve them.

RESERVATION DOGS SERIES 2

Thursday November 20

8.30pm Episode 5 WIDE NET
The Aunties let loose while at their yearly IHS conference.

9.00pm Episode 6 DECOLONATIVIZATION
Two influencers attempt to bring the younger generation together at the NARDS Youth Summit.

DEADLY FUNNY 2025

Friday 28 November 9.30pm

Hosted by Kevin Kropinyeri, Deadly Funny 2025 is a cheeky, loud, black and proud celebration of fresh and funny new First Nations talent from around the country.

For 19 years the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Deadly Funny competition – Australia’s only dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander comedy competition – has travelled far and wide to uncover bold, brilliant comedians and master yarn-spinners from the oldest culture on earth.

Deadly Funny 2025 sees the top eight compete for the Deadly Funny crown. Catch these rising stars before they take the comedy world by storm!

The 2025 Deadly Funny national finalists are:
Daniel Newchurch (Guuranda, SA), Dhinawan (Meeanjin, QLD), Errolyn Strang (Woolyungah, NSW), Kimberley Benjamin (Rubibi, WA), Matthew Bonson (Garramilla, NT), Ngaire Pigram (Rubibi, WA), Teresa Moore (Naarm, VIC) and Yindyamarra
Johnson (Wagga Wagga, NSW).

With special guest appearances from Kalah Lovegrove (Ngarrindjeri, SA), Janti Blair (Butchulla, QLD), and proud Boonwurrung men Jaeden and Marbee Williams.