CBC and ABC News Studios announced last week the new feature-length documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery will premiere in Canada on Sept. 17 on CBC and CBC Gem, and on Sept. 21 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and on Disney+ internationally (excluding Canada), following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
From Canadian director Ally Pankiw (I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror, The Great), Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery was commissioned by CBC with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Group of Funds. The documentary is produced by Dan Levy’s Not a Real Production Company and Elevation Pictures for ABC News Studios and is presented by White Horse Pictures in association with Epic Magazine.
“Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery tells the untold story of the groundbreaking music festival featuring only women artists, started by iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and her team in the late 1990s, in opposition to systematic industry barriers that limited women from playing together on a concert bill and getting back-to-back airplay on the radio,” a CBC press release reads.
The documentary is inspired by the 2019 article “Building a Mystery: An Oral History of Lilith Fair”, from Vanity Fair and Epic Magazine, written by Jessica Hopper with Sasha Geffen and Jenn Pelly. It draws from more than 600 hours of never-before-seen archival footage as well as new interviews and stories from fans, festival organizers and artists, the press release says.
The film has been produced with the support of the original Lilith Fair founders — McLachlan, Terry McBride, Dan Fraser and Marty Diamond. It reunites and features interviews with original Lilith Fair artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Paula Cole, Jewel, Mýa, Natalie Merchant, Indigo Girls and Emmylou Harris, and a new generation of artists including Brandi Carlile and Olivia Rodrigo, among others.
“I’m so filled with pride and nostalgia watching this film,” McLachlan said in the press release. “Ally and the team have beautifully captured the magic and strength of a community of women who came together and lifted each other up to create positive change in the world. I hope the film resonates with everyone and we can continue to strive to support and champion one another.”
“I am so proud to be a part of this beautiful doc — especially at what feels like a fitting time to highlight a story of resistance and radical joy in the face of systems that try to keep women and diverse voices small,” director Pankiw said. “The collaborative effort of this film and what it took to make it mirrors the incredible underdog story of Sarah and her team and how they fought for Lilith to succeed against all odds.”
“Lilith Fair holds a very special place in my heart,” producer Levy said. “It was one of the first spaces where I remember feeling at home. The music, the sense of community, and the power of a group of women proving an entire industry wrong was a tremendous thing to experience. What Sarah built with that festival changed so much for so many people. And while it is now seen as an odds-defying success story, it was an uphill battle every step of the way. And there is a lot to be learned from that story. It’s an honor to be working alongside Sarah on this and I am excited for everyone to understand just how revolutionary Lilith Fair really was.”
Photos of (l-r) Ally Pankiw, Sarah McLachlan and Dan Levy courtesy of CBC. Photo credits: Taylor James; Kharen Hill; Jose Mandojana.
