Toronto, Aug. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Starting September 3 at 9 pm ET on TVO and tvo.org, TVO presents the World Broadcast Premiere of TVO Original Inside Kenk. This intriguing half-hour documentary delves into the complex mind of Igor Kenk, one of Canada’s most notorious bike thieves, and catches up to him a decade after his exploits captured headlines across the country and around the world.

“Inside Kenk offers a thought-provoking portrait of this larger-than-life character, inviting viewers to get a deeper understanding of why he so thoroughly captured the public’s attention,” says John Ferri, TVO Vice President Current Affairs and Documentaries. “TVO Originals like Inside Kenk provide different perspectives on issues that matter; and this film does a great job of placing this story into the context of a neighbourhood and a city in flux.”

Before higher-end businesses and shifting demographics began changing the streetscape, Kenk’s cluttered bicycle clinic blended into Toronto’s pre-gentrified Trinity Bellwoods neighbourhood on Queen Street West. Kenk’s name would be the first to come up whenever someone’s bike was stolen, and his shop brazenly sold stolen bikes back to their original owners.

By 2008, the public and the police had had enough and Kenk was arrested and jailed. After his release from jail, Kenk sold his shop and disappeared. Ten years later in Switzerland, Kenk reflects on his past and his new life, pronouncing the world has not seen the last of him. Directed by Jason Gilmore and produced by Alex Jansen, the film uses archival footage, animation and recently captured interviews to tell Kenk’s story.

"We first started following Igor Kenk because we were fascinated by his intriguing, though sometimes contradictory philosophies, and how he stood as a symbol of old-world ethos at the centre a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood” says Jason Gilmore. “Following up with him 10 years later, we were equally fascinated to see where life had taken him.”

Inside Kenk will also air on TVO September 5 at 10 pm, September 7 at 10:30 pm, and will be available to stream anytime across Canada on tvo.org.

Offering further context, interested viewers can also check out KENK: Interactive Comic Book (www.insidekenk.ca), available later in August, to expand the backstory of Igor Kenk. Developed in the style of the best-selling graphic novel KENK: A Graphic Portrait, users can read the comic book linearly, tap to bring individual comic book panels to life through animation, or jump directly into the original underlying documentary source materials to learn more.

About TVO
As the technological extension of Ontario’s public education system, TVO’s vision is to create a better world through the power of learning. TVO provides learning opportunities for Ontarians through impactful educational products, in-depth current affairs, thought-provoking documentaries, and award-winning TVOkids resources both inside and outside the classroom. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and is a registered charity supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Where to find TVO

Media contact:

Paul Ginis
Branding and Public Relations Associate
416.484.2600 x 2445

pginis@tvo.org

Paul Ginis
TVO
416.484.2600 ext. 2445
pginis@tvo.org