Hi, this is Daniel Garber at the Movies for culturalmining.com and CIUT 89.5 FM.

You’ve probably heard of Cleopatra. She was a beautiful and sensual temptress who seduced two roman leaders before tragically killing herself in a fit of passion with an asp to her breast. Or… was she a brilliant leader, a skilled tactician, a multilingual scholar, and the most powerful woman of her era? What is the truth and what are the myths about this Ptolomaic pharaoh and how can we tell the difference in our search for the real Cleopatra?

Searching for Cleopatra is a new documentary about this Egyptian titan. It talks to historians and scholars and captures recent archaeological finds that cast new light on her story. It’s directed by Susan Teskey, known for her work as a producer for The Fifth Estate. Searching for Cleopatra premiers on the Nature of Things on Jan 8, on CBC and CBC Gem. The Nature of Things is celebrating it’s 60^th season, and has been hosted by noted environmentalist David Suzuki since 1979.

I spoke with Susan Teskey in Toronto, and David Suzuki in Vancouver via Zoom.