Love and friendship, cars and Keanu: this is February on SBS VICELAND

Plus, we enjoy biopic ‘I, Tonya’, follow the dream of an Iranian chef, and go trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois in the UK. All this and more, on SBS VICELAND this February.

Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 2’. Source: © Summit Entertainment/Ambi Distribution

I, Tonya

Margot Robbie in her star turn as Tonya Harding in ‘I, Tonya’. Source: Roadshow Films

This biographical drama starring Margot Robbie, Allison Janney and Sebastian Stan depicts the personal struggles and rise to fame of competitive ice skater Tonya Harding. When her ex-husband re-enters her life, her career begins to go off the rails. If you missed this film the first time round, it’s worth catching it now. The compelling story is honoured by the brilliant performances.

I, Tonya premieres at 9.25pm, Wednesday 1 February on SBS VICELAND.

Preserving Taste

Hanif at work in the kitchen in ‘Preserving Taste’. Source: SBS

Tehran-born Hanif is opening his first regional Iranian restaurant in San Francisco. After working as a cook in Berkley, Hanif aligned himself with farm to table gastronomy, maintaining food sustainability by using locally sourced produce. His mission with his own restaurant is to use seasonal Californian ingredients in his Northern Iranian recipes. This engaging warm-hearted documentary highlights the cooking (and life) lessons Hanif has learnt from family and friends, as he writes a new chapter of his American life.

Preserving Taste premieres at 10.15pm, Saturday 4 February on SBS VICELAND.

 

The Cars That Built The World – season 1

One of the beautiful cars featured in ‘The Cars That Built The World’. Source: SBS

The car is ubiquitous now, but this series goes back to explore over a century of innovation, in which rival engineers created a revolution in transportation. Their genius not only created the most transformative invention of the 20^th century, but spawned new industries and afforded people a special kind of freedom. Covering Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, Ford, Porsche, Rolls Royce and more, we hear the dramatic stories behind the biggest names in the auto industry.

Season 1 of The Cars That Built The World premieres at 6.40pm, Sunday 5 February on SBS VICELAND. Episodes air weekly.

Love Around The World

‘Love Around The World’. Source: SBS

Couple Anđela and Davor Rostuhar spent their honeymoon exploring the world looking for love stories, through the prism of different cultures, customs and beliefs. They recorded candid interviews with couples across 30 countries, not only in major metropolises, but in Amazonian forests, remote Himalayan villages, small Pacific countries and African slums. All were asked the same questions: how did they meet and fall in love? How would they describe their feeling now? What expectations do they have from their partners? And, finally, what is love?

In their love-fuelled portrait of humankind, the couple also question to what extent the idea of a romantic relationship is determined and filtered by specific contexts, including social, geographical and cultural variables. It’s a fascinating look at love.

Love Around The World premieres at 8.30pm, Tuesday 14 February on SBS VICELAND.

Keanu Reeves: Pop Messiah

‘Keanu Reeves: Pop Messiah’. Source: Yuzu Productions for ARTE

“He’s very humble, he’s very unpretentious. I think he’d rather be an actor than a movie star.” So says just one of the many people interviewed in this comprehensive archival look at the career of the incomparable Keanu Reeves. He’s crossed genres, and been in indie as well as blockbuster movies; he’s beloved by many around the world, but protects his privacy and values contemplation. Charting Reeves’ journey as an actor, in which we see clips from his films and TV talk-show appearances, as well as hear from Reeves now, this doco is for fans as well as those eager to learn more about the man and what drives him. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

Keanu Reeves: Pop Messiah premieres at 8.30pm, Saturday 18 February on SBS VICELAND.

For more Keanu, 2005 film Constantine will air straight after the documentary, at 9.30pm. Reeves plays John Constantine, an exorcist and demonologist who helps policewoman Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) prove her sister’s death was not a suicide. Constantine 2 is due to arrive in cinemas in 2024. And look out for John Wick: Chapter 4, set to release on 24 March. 

 

Handbag: The Untold Story of the Fag Hag

‘Handbag: The Untold Story of the Fag Hag’. Source: SBS

Self-proclaimed “fag hag” aka “handbag” Monica Davidson helms this hilarious and fierce documentary about the special kind of friendship between gay men and straight women. Her grandmother was a beard, her mother a disco diva and AIDS volunteer, and her teenage daughters handbags-in-training, so Davidson embarked on this personal crusade to find out more about the women who’ve always stood beside their gay friends, through thick and thin and a sea of sequins. Davidson and her posse also make a giant handbag float for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. This doco brings real heart and a lot of laughs.

Handbag: The Untold Story of the Fag Hag premieres at 8.30pm, Saturday 25 February on SBS VICELAND. 

Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois

‘Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois’. Source: SBS

TikTokker and train enthusiast Francis Bourgeois brings us this unique digital series from the UK. In a surprisingly heart-warming, eye-opening adventure, he spots trains with a different personality each week. Francis is joined rail-side by comedian Aisling Bea, footballer Jesse Lingard, Eurovision singer Sam Ryder, Love Island contestant Chloe Burrows and rapper AJ Tracey as he offers his unique perspective on the much misunderstood British pastime. The season wraps with a Christmas special, where he's joined by Olympic diver Tom Daley. 

Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois premieres at 8.30pm, Tuesday 28 February on SBS VICELAND, showing all six episodes back to back. You can also stream the show at SBS On Demand the same day, where the six episodes will be available separately, at 11–13 minutes each.

 

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