About this series
A three-part (1978–1986) documentary on former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre-Elliott Trudeau, a staunch federalist, and former Quebec Premier René Lévesque, a committed separatist, tracing their parallel political careers from their family and educational backgrounds to their eventual fall from power.
All films — in order
1
The Champions, Part 1: Unlikely Warriors
In Part 1 of this 3-part documentary series, director Donald Brittain chronicles the early years of Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque. From their university days in the 1950s to 1967 when Lévesque left the Liberal Party and Trudeau became the federal Minister of Justice, Brittain attempts to get at the heart of what makes these men so fascinating.
2
The Champions, Part 2: Trappings of Power
Part 2 of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque covers the years between 1967 and 1977, a colourful decade that saw Trudeau win three federal elections, the 1970 October Crisis and the sweeping rise to power of the Parti Québécois.
3
The Champions, Part 3: The Final Battle
The final instalment of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque spans the decade between 1976 and 1986. The film reveals the turbulent, behind-the-scenes drama during the Quebec referendum and the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. In doing so, it also traces both Trudeau's and Lévesque's fall from power.
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