NFB.ca is a Web site where you can watch films produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). We’re still testing the site and need your feedback. Please have a look around, watch some films and tell us what you think.
Back to top of pageYes! Private home viewing is absolutely free.
Back to top of pageYes. There are restrictions for public broadcast, educational and other uses. For more information, please contact the sales agent in your area.
Back to top of pageAt present, there are over 1700 productions on the site including:
The NFB has been breaking ground in socially engaged documentary, auteur animation and alternative drama for over 70 years. Along the way, we’ve crafted over 12,000 productions and received more than 5000 awards, including 12 Oscars® and more than 90 Genies. Our goal is to ensure that quality, Canadian-produced films are accessible to all Canadians.
If there’s an NFB film you want to see featured on the site, just let us know by filling in our Contact Form
Back to top of pageThere are three reasons an NFB film might not be on this site:
If there’s an NFB film you want to see online but isn’t here yet, send us your ideas through the Contact Form.
Back to top of pageSince 2002, all of our subtitling and closed captioning is done in lower case with French accents. Prior to that, there was no set standard and common practice varied from company to company. Unfortunately, we are unable to re-do the subtitles and closed captioning for these films. We included them on the site to ensure that people who are hard of hearing can enjoy the films as well and to make as much of our collection accessible to the public as possible.
Back to top of pageYes, you can now watch all the films on NFB.ca on your iPhone. For more information, click here.
Back to top of pageYou can e-mail the NFB’s Customer Service team from our Contact Us page or directly at download@nfb.ca.
Back to top of pageWe accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard and American Express. We are unable to accept cheques, money orders or online purchase orders.
Back to top of pageFilms range from $19.95 to $1.95. Prices depend on the duration of the film, its resolution (SD or HD) and release date.
Back to top of pageThe aspect ratio varies according to the original aspect ratio of the film. You can`t choose.
Back to top of pageNo.
Back to top of pageYes, many of our titles available via digital download are subtitled for the hearing impaired, and are supported by most media players. Refer to your player’s user manual to activate them. We have successfully tested our subtitles on the following players (using Mac OS 10.x and Windows XP, Vista and 7): QuickTime 7.6.5 and 10, iTunes 9 and 10, and VLC 1.0.5.
Back to top of pageYes. You can connect your computer to your TV via audio and video cables. For audio, use a Miniplug-to-RCA stereo audio cable to connect the headphone jack on your computer to the audio input on your TV or stereo (red for left audio channels and white for right audio channels). For video, if your computer has an S-video port, use an S-video cable to connect to the RCA jacks on your TV. If your TV and computer have VGA or DVI ports, you may be able to connect the display like a monitor. Check your TV and computer user manuals for more information.
Back to top of pageWe have successfully tested our films on the following phones:
No, most media player can`t decode 5:1 sound. As soon as it becomes widely available we will update our files.
Back to top of pageIf you forget your password, click here and follow the steps to generate a new password.
Back to top of pageGo to https://www.nfb.ca/member/private-profile/.
Back to top of pageWe don't keep your credit card information in our databases. If you want to use another credit card, enter the new card info when you submit your order.
Back to top of pageYou can change your e-mail address from this page.
Back to top of pageYour order history is available here.
Back to top of pageYour downloads are always accessible in your personal space. Click here to access your downloads.
Back to top of pageNo. Sharing your account is a violation of NFB.ca’s Terms of Use and will result in the termination of your account.
Back to top of pageFrom the film’s web page, click on the DOWNLOAD button to the right of the player. Then, choose your preferred format from the page that opens. The next page will allow you to log in or create your account. Fill out the payment information. You will receive an order confirmation on screen and by e-mail with links to access your file.
Back to top of pageSometimes a network or technical issue may prevent you from successfully completing the download of a film. In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact Customer Service for assistance at webmaster@nfb.ca.
Back to top of pageYour downloads are saved to your browser’s download folder by default. Your media player user manual should have specific instructions on how to upload the video files onto your portable device.
Back to top of pageMacintosh hardware:
PC hardware:
The NFB’s downloadable films will play on the following operating systems and players:
Other operating systems may work, although the NFB cannot offer support for them.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of the NFB.
Back to top of pageA standard feature-length film could take anywhere between 20 minutes and 3 hours to download.
The amount of time it takes to download a film will vary according to the file’s size and your Internet connection speed. A broadband connection is required to make purchases.
For example, a 45-minute standard definition film has an approximate file size of 600MB. With a 5 Mbit/s connection, you should experience download times of 3 to 5 minutes. With a 1 Mbit/s connection, the download should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
Please note that download speeds vary according to numerous factors, including your Internet service provider and the amount of network traffic.
Back to top of pageWe have encoded our downloadable films in MP4 format with H.264 encoding and AAC sound. Films with subtitles are encoded in TTX format.
Back to top of pageThe difference is mainly in image quality and size of the films.
The HD format is 720p.
The SD format is 480p.
The Mobile format is 320p.
Back to top of pageAnywhere between 10MB to 2G, depending on the length of the film and the format you choose.
Back to top of pageIf your downloaded film won’t play correctly, check the recommended operating system and player combinations. If you have the recommended combinations, please contact Customer Service at download@nfb.ca for support and/or a refund.
Back to top of pagePlease read the list of suggestions below, make any required changes and try logging in again.
If you continue to have trouble, please contact Customer Service at webmaster@nfb.ca.
Back to top of pageSometimes a network or technical issue may prevent you from successfully completing the download of a film.
In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact Customer Service for assistance at download@nfb.ca.
Back to top of pageWe recommend that you do this manually, using a USB flash drive or similar method.
Back to top of pageWe highly recommend enabling JavaScript because it is used by your web browser for several important features on NFB.ca.
Back to top of pageWe do not offer a printed catalogue, however, our Online DVD Store offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date listing of NFB DVD titles available.
Back to top of pageAbsolutely! It is totally safe to order online at the NFB. We have put in place appropriate physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and help prevent unauthorized access, to maintain data security, and to correctly use the information we collect online. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed 100% secure, as hackers worldwide have proven that no computer security system is entirely foolproof. At NFB.ca, however, we take every precaution to protect your information from theft, misuse and alteration.
Once we receive your transmission, we make our best effort to ensure its security on our systems. Any personal information you give us is kept in secure files. Access is limited to authorized employees who have a need to know. Any time we ask for a credit card number, we transmit that credit card number in an encrypted format directly to Scotia Bank. We use industry-standard, SSL (secure socket layer) encryption. But remember, you are ultimately responsible for the security of your credit card, NFB.ca ID and password. We do not assume responsibility for the unauthorized use of your credit card to buy NFB products online. Also, please keep in mind that your ID and password are the link to your file or account with us and the personal information it contains. Please take care when using and storing your ID and password. The NFB recommends that you do not divulge your password to anyone.
Back to top of pagePersonal information provided to the NFB will never be sold, rented or provided to third parties. Should we have to share information with a third party, such as in the case of a survey we commission, we will always tell you when asking for it and we will also tell you how we will use this personal information. It will be your choice to answer the survey or not. We will disclose information we maintain only when we are required to do so by law, for example, in response to a court order or a subpoena.
As a government institution under the Canadian Privacy Act, we must notify the Privacy Commissioner in writing of any disclosure of personal information before using that information for a purpose other than that for which it was obtained. This means we cannot share this information without prior permission.
Back to top of pageBy creating your profile and registering on our site, your personal information will have to be provided only once. On your next visit, our website will be able to recognize you and you will be able to proceed with your purchases quickly and securely.
Back to top of pageUsers should be aware that certain non-personal information and data may be automatically collected by the NFB through the operation of what are called "cookies."
Cookies are small text files that identify an individual computer’s browser entering a website. They track that browser’s movement through the site over several sessions. Using cookies, a website can recognize repeat users, facilitate a user’s access to and use of the site and learn from usage behaviour to allow content improvements.
The NFB uses cookies in some parts of our site. We use them to personalize your experience. Cookies are useful in some parts of our site to permit us to recognize you by name when you return to our site, save your password in password-protected areas, and enable you to use a shopping cart. We will not use them to track non-NFB usage. If you do not want a cookie placed on your computer by the NFB, it is your responsibility to disable cookies altogether by modifying the Preferences section of your browser (under Edit/Preferences/Advanced). Note that it is possible that some features of NFB sites may be unavailable to you if you choose this option. If you wish to accept cookies and wish to be informed of their appearance, you can turn on a warning prompt by modifying the cookie warning section in your browser.
Back to top of pagePublic viewing (institutional)
The audiovisual works available in this section are offered only for the purpose of free public performance(s) to educational institutions, government agencies, business entities, band councils, public libraries and social, professional, religious and cultural organizations. All orders to the general public should be placed in our Home Video Store.
Home viewing (consumer)
The audiovisual works available in this section are offered only to the general public for their private home-viewing use. All orders for educational institutions, libraries and other organizations should be placed in the NFB Resources Shop.
For institutions and organizations
If you represent an institution or an organization, you must first register in the online shop, identifying the institution with which you are associated. We will process your request and notify you when it has been approved.
Once you have been approved as an authorized user, you may shop online by signing on with the user ID and password created upon registration. To place your order, select Checkout from the Shopping Cart. From the shipping information panel, enter the address to which the order should be sent by selecting an existing address or creating a new address. Select Continue. The Payment and Billing information panel will display.
If you wish to pay by purchase order, select PO and enter your PO number. If you wish to pay by credit card, select an existing Credit Card or add a new credit card number. To enter a new credit card, select the card type and enter the corresponding credit card number and expiry date.
Select or create a new billing address and press Continue. An order summary will display all item, shipping and tax charges. After reviewing, you can select Place Order and your order will be processed and shipped.
For home consumers
Orders for your chosen items are placed by selecting Checkout from the Shopping Cart. If you have not already logged in and created your address and payment books, you will be asked to do so when placing an order.
From the shipping information panel, enter the address to which the order should be sent by choosing an existing address or creating a new address. Select Continue. The Payment and Billing information panel will display.
Select an existing credit card or add a new credit card. To create a new credit card, select the card type and enter the corresponding credit card number and expiry date.
Select or create a new billing address and select Continue. An order summary will display all item, shipping and tax charges. After reviewing, you can select Place Order and your order will be processed and shipped.
Back to top of pageInstitutional customers can pay by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Customers with an established, approved account may pay by purchase order. For more information on this option, please contact Sales and Customer Service.
Home consumers can pay by Visa, MasterCard and American Express. If you wish to call in or fax your credit card information and complete your purchase by phone, you can do so by contacting Sales and Customer Service.
Back to top of pageThe shipping address determines the applicable taxes. If you or your organization is exempt from certain taxes, please contact Sales and Customer Service so that we can make the appropriate changes to your account.
Back to top of pageIf you wish to cancel an order after it has been placed, please contact Sales and Customer Service as soon as possible. We cannot cancel an order once it has begun the shipping process. You will be asked for your name, e-mail address, order confirmation number (if available) and the product you want to cancel. The quantity of items ordered can also be changed.
Back to top of pageIt may occur that some titles from our collection are not available in our online shop. If you are having difficulty finding a title or are looking for a specific title, please contact Sales and Customer Service.
Back to top of pageShipping charges are explained in detail on the Shipping FAQ.
Back to top of pageDelivery delay including processing for most of Canada is one week, and two to three weeks for items not in inventory, unless otherwise specified. If you need specific information regarding the shipping of your order, please contact Sales and Customer Service.
Back to top of pageWe love to perform miracles for our customers. . . . But in order for that miracle to happen, you will need to contact Sales and Customer Service before placing your order online.
Back to top of pagePlease contact Sales and Customer Service so we can trace your order.
Back to top of pageOur unbeatable guarantee: If you are not completely satisfied with the quality of your purchase, you can return it for a full refund, exchange or credit within 30 days of shipment date. Before returning an item, please contact Sales and Customer Service.
Back to top of pageWe do not offer a preview service at the NFB, however if you contact Sales and Customer Service, our qualified personnel will be pleased to help you find the title that best suits your needs.
Back to top of pageFrom My Account, click on Personal Information. The Personal information panel displays. Change your personal information and click Submit.
Back to top of pageFrom My Account, click on Change Password. Enter and confirm your new password, and then click Submit.
Back to top of pagePlease contact Sales and Customer Service, providing your name, first name, user name and e-mail address. A temporary password will be sent to you by e-mail.
Back to top of pageYou must contact the appropriate NFB production office. Please select a studio from the English Program and French Program pages.
Back to top of pagePlease consult our Support programs page. You may also contact Telefilm Canada.
Back to top of pageThe NFB.ca blog is a place where we talk about NFB films and related topics of interest. The blog will highlight festivals, events and anything tied to the NFB collection. It’s a great place to keep informed about the latest films and features on the site.
Back to top of pageWe want to hear and share your perspective. We want NFB.ca to be a place for people of all ages and backgrounds to talk about our films and relevant topics. Your submissions to our site help us encourage dialogue, social debate and the democratic engagement of Canadian and international publics.
Back to top of pageAll comments to the blog are pre-moderated. This means we read them before they are published to make sure they adhere to our guidelines.
Moderating comments is the best way to enhance the quality of the site so that it’s accessible to everyone.
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make these decisions as carefully and consistently as we can.
Back to top of pageSimply fill out the comment form found at the end of the post you are responding to. Your comments will then be sent to us. Once your comment is approved, we will post it on the site.
Back to top of pageThe following won’t make the cut: personal attacks and defamatory statements, racist, sexist language, obscenity, profanity, illegally obtained information, invasion of privacy, commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, off-topic comments and posts in all CAPS (i.e., SHOUTING).
Back to top of pageComments are posted during business hours. We reserve the right to display comments in a variety of ways, including within the text of articles or in promotional materials.
Back to top of pagePlease note that by submitting your comments you acknowledge that the National Film Board has the right to reproduce, broadcast, distribute and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. You are granting us the non-exclusive and unrestricted right to use your content royalty-free.
Back to top of pageThe name you enter in the comment form will appear with your entry. While we encourage readers to use their names to carry on engaging, respectful conversations on the blog, it is your decision whether or not you use your real name.
However, we do ask that you don’t include personal information in comments, such as phone numbers, home and e-mail addresses.
Please keep in mind that once your comment is published, it may be found in search results on sites like Google and Yahoo.
Back to top of pageThe above provides a summary of the guidelines. For more details, read the NFB’s Submission conditions.
Back to top of pageYou’ll need to be equipped with the following:
We also recommend a broadband connection for optimal viewing.
If you have all the above system requirements installed and you’re still having trouble playing files, please let us know about it through the Contact Form.
Back to top of pagePort 1935 (rtmp), 80 et 81 (http).
Back to top of pageYou can easily share all the videos on NFB.ca by clicking the “Share This” button beside the film.
Back to top of pageUnder the “Share This” tab, you can grab the link to the video, embed the video in your blog or Web site or share it on your favourite social bookmarking site, such as Digg or del.icio.us.
Back to top of pageNo problem. Just edit the iframe code to suit your blog dimensions. So if your blog's main column is 500 pixels wide, change the width and height numbers accordingly. You’ll need to change the number in two places though:
<iframe src="http://www.nfb.ca/film/a_chairy_tale/embed/player"
width="516" height="337" </iframe><p style="
width:512px"><a href="http://www.nfb.ca/film/a_chairy_tale/" target="_blank">
<em>A Chairy Tale</em></a> by <a href="http://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/claude-
jutra/" title="more films by Claude Jutra" target="_blank">Claude Jutra</a>
& by <a href="http://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/norman-mclaren/" title="more films
by Norman McLaren" target="_blank">Norman McLaren</a>, <a href="http://www.nfb.
ca" target="_blank">National Film Board of Canada</a></p>
500px is 97% of 516px so the new height will be 97% of the old height (337) which is 327px.
Your new embed code should look like this:
<iframe src="http://www.nfb.ca/film/a_chairy_tale/embed/player"
width="500" height="327" </iframe><p style="
width:512px"><a href="http://www.nfb.ca/film/a_chairy_tale/" target="_blank">
<em>A Chairy Tale</em></a> by <a href="http://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/claude-
jutra/" title="more films by Claude Jutra" target="_blank">Claude Jutra</a>
& by <a href="http://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/norman-mclaren/" title="more films
by Norman McLaren" target="_blank">Norman McLaren</a>, <a href="http://www.nfb.
ca" target="_blank">National Film Board of Canada</a></p>
RSS means Really Simple Syndication. It’s a way for you to subscribe to our content without having to come back and check what’s new. All you need is an RSS reader like Bloglines or Google Reader. Find out more about RSS here.
Back to top of pageMake sure you have the latest iPhone software installed on your phone. The latest update addresses problems with streaming video on the iPhone which may affect the NFB App.
Back to top of pageMake sure you have the latest iPhone software installed on your phone. The latest update addresses problems with streaming video on the iPhone which may affect the NFB App.
Back to top of pageYes. You can also user Airplay to stream to your Apple TV.
Back to top of pageNo. It’s available for free all over the world.
Back to top of pageNo. There is no geo-blocking on the iPhone app or NFB.ca.
Back to top of pageWe do not have the rights to make the films available for download through this App.
Back to top of pageYes, please send us your suggestions – we will take them all into serious consideration for the next release.
Back to top of pageUsing the iPad’s volume control buttons should set the volume of the films without hassle. Making the controls appear when viewing a film in full screen mode (by tapping the screen) also reveals a volume slider within the app itself, but the normally the volume control buttons should suffice.
If you are able to view a film but there is no sound, it is possible the iPad’s side switch button is on “Mute.” In the last few iOS updates, Apple changed the purpose of this side switch button (the switch just to the side of the volume controls) back and forth. In some versions, the side switch button is a rotation “Lock"; in others it's a "Mute" button.
In the last version of the iOS (4.3) you may decide which purpose - Lock or Mute - the switch will serve. (See a tutorial here.)
In short, to hear sound on your NFB Films app, make sure to:
If this does not help, we will need more information on your current setup. Namely:
HD stands for High Definition, which is the highest quality of video available, with a resolution higher than traditional television or video.
We have a selection of films at NFB.ca that are available in HD. For a complete list of these titles, click here.
Our HD films have a native size of 1280 x 720. We stream them at exactly half that size (640 x 360) in order to preserve the crisp quality of HD. If you click on the full screen button on the bottom right corner of the player, you can see the whole image in full screen mode.
Yes, click the full screen button in the lower right corner of the player, then click the button right above it 'scaling off' to toggle scaling. Your preference will be saved for all HD videos you watch.
We recommend using the latest version of Flash. You probably already have it installed, but if you don’t, you can download it here.
Most computers manufactured since 2006 (either Mac or PC) are fast enough to fully enjoy the added quality of HD. If you’re having trouble, try quitting unused programs and closing extra browser windows. If you’re still having trouble, you can contact us here.
Yes.
Yes. All modern computer monitors have sufficient resolution to display HD video.
Yes. If you can connect your computer to your HDTV (using an HDMI adapter, for example) you will be able to enjoy our selection of HD films on your television.
3D images on the web are comprised of Anaglyph images - images that are made up of two color layers that are superimposed. Viewing these images through a pair of ColorCode 3D glasses produces a stereoscopic effect, as your brain fuses the image into a three dimensional scene.
Back to top of pageExcept for a pair of ColorCode glasses, no.
Back to top of pageThe 3D ColorCode glasses are available for free from our online store. Click here to order your pair.
Back to top of page