Degrassi Whatever It Takes to Premiere at TIFF

A new documentary chronicling the decadeslong influence of the Degrassi television franchise will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, organizers announced Wednesday. The first trailer for Degrassi Whatever It Takes, released by production companies WildBrain and Peacock Alley Entertainment, features interviews with creator Linda Schuyler, executive producer Stephen Stohn, prominent alumni including Aubrey Drake Graham, and multiple generations of cast members and superfans. The film is directed by Lisa Rideout and is a TIFF 50 Official Selection.

Degrassi Whatever It Takes traces the evolution of a franchise that began with The Kids of Degrassi Street in the late 1970s and expanded into Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, Degrassi: The Next Generation and, most recently, Degrassi: Next Class. The documentary explores how the series grew into a multimedia phenomenon that included novels, soundtracks and graphic novels, and how it became one of Canada’s most enduring cultural exports. It also examines the cost of that success for the young actors who navigated rapid fame.

The trailer opens on Drake, who rose to international stardom...