Animation
100 Ghosts
A woman awakes to mysterious sounds—and confronts an astonishing surreal world summoned forth by her innermost fears.
Produced as part of the 13th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.
100 Miles
Are we there yet? When the kids act up in the back seat, a family road trip gets knocked hilariously off course.
Produced as part of the 13th edition of …
4 North A
A woman sits in a hospital room, alone with her dying father. As the din of hospital noises pushes her to confront her inevitable loss, she escapes into a series …
Affairs of the Art
How many obsessions can one family have? In Joanna Quinn and Les Mills’ Affairs of the Art, we reconnect with Beryl, the working-class heroine who not only reveals her …
Alchemists
This short animation is a visual fantasy, a gripping tale that is "larger-than-life" in its themes: life, death and rebirth; creation and destruction; permanence and impermanence, spontaneity and control. Bold …
All We Need Is War
ALL MEN ARE CREMATED EQUAL. An ode to what can happen when Man plays God.
Alter Egos
In this award-winning animation-documentary, we meet two unusual artists. Ryan Larkin was once a brilliant filmmaker who ended up on the streets in Montreal. Chris Landreth is a rising star …
Altötting
“You know, when I was a boy, I fell in love with the Virgin Mary. It happened in a little Bavarian town called Altötting.” Mesmerizing, haunting, and deeply personal, Altötting …
Animal Behaviour
Dealing with what comes naturally isn’t easy, especially for animals. In Animal Behaviour, the latest animated short from the Oscar®-winning team of Alison Snowden and David Fine (Bob’s …
Animate Everything!
Spaceships soar into space. Dots dance on a page. Rocks and twigs transform into expressive faces. Kids can easily create this kind of magic themselves, and all they require are …
Antagonia
This short animation film takes place in a topsy-turvy land of ice, water and sky. What does the penguin think about on the barren ice floes? How can a cataclysm …
Aphasia
Propelled by a jarring, lyrical aesthetic, Aphasia pulls viewers into a disconcerting sensory experience. This striking and unsettling debut professional animated short by Marielle Dalpé is a deeply moving foray …
The Apprentice
In this animated short from Richard Condie (The Big Snit), an old fool meets a young fool at a crossroads in the 14th century. The old fool stays …
Arctic Song
In this six-minute short, Inuit artist, storyteller and co-director Germaine Arnattaujuq (Arnaktauyok) depicts Inuit creation stories in all their glory. Arctic Song tells stories of how the land, sea and …
Around Is Around
The second of the two 3-D films--the first is Now Is the Time--commissioned by the British Film Institute to Norman McLaren for the Festival of Britain. It photographs moving …
An Artist
In this short animation, a girl is so carried away by her love of music that she forgets about her household chores. Her father tells her to finish the dishes. …
Assembly
This experimental short animation is inspired by the NFB's Studio D (1975-1994), a production department aimed at creating filmmaking opportunities for women in Canada. Featuring a rhythmic soundscape and paint-on-glass …
Asthma Tech
In this animated short, young Winston, who suffers from chronic asthma, isn’t able to participate in the everyday activities of his peers and classmates. He copes with the predicament through …
BAM
A modern adaptation of the myth of Hercules, BAM tells the story of a young boxer struggling to negotiate between his shy, bookish nature and a divinely violent temper. Where …
BANG
In a frenzied attempt to break the isolation, a man drums his head against the wall, unleashing a battery of brightly hued hallucinations.
Produced as part of the 13th edition …
Bad Seeds
Bad Seeds takes us to a bizarre world populated by carnivorous plants that can change shapes the way a chameleon changes colours. The veteran director of
Baek-il
The Korean legend of Ungnyeo, a bear reborn as a woman, becomes a percussive and mesmerizing riff on the themes of transformation and quarantine.
Produced as part of the 13th …
Banquet of the Concubine
In the year 746, during the Tang Dynasty, a banquet is given in the Imperial City in honour of Emperor Li’s favourite concubine. An unsatisfied craving, suspected infidelity and fevered …
The Barewolf
The werewolves that live in this secluded place are particularly savage: when not attacking anything that moves, they spend their time arguing and fighting. Driven by instinct, one young werewolf …
The Basketball Game
This animated short tells the story of an epic basketball game between kids attending Jewish camp and students of a notorious local Holocaust denier. Nine-year-old Hart is attending Jewish summer …
Be Cool
2/3 OF US DON’T KNOW WE’RE ASSHOLES. An unapologetic poke at the self-consumed selfie culture.
Bead Game
In this animated short, thousands of beads are arranged and manipulated, assuming shapes of creatures both mythical and real. They continually devour, merge, and absorb one another in explosions of …
Big Drive
This short animation film tells the story of a family road trip across the Canadian prairies set in the 1970s. In an era before in-car movies and video games, 4 …
Big Mouth
This animated short tells the story of Trudy, a little girl who is equal parts truthful and rude. A bright-minded and quick-witted child, Trudy has an unfiltered and deeply curious …
Big bang
This film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised./br> This animated short film recounts a 23-year-old woman’s quest to achieve her first orgasm. Along the way, …
Blind Vaysha
This short film tells the story of Vaysha, a young girl born with one green eye and one brown eye. But colour isn’t the only thing that’s different about Vaysha’s …
Blood
WE BLEED FOR WHAT? Made with the filmmaker’s blood, a testament to the ideals that we fight and die for.
Blood Manifesto
In this short animation, Theodore Ushev signs a violent, brutal and troubling political statement in his own blood and narrates it in his own gravelly voice. All over the world, …
Boat People
As a child in Vietnam, Thao’s mother often rescued ants from bowls of sugar water. Years later they would return the favour. Boat People is an animated documentary that uses …
Bob's Birthday
When Margaret plans a celebration for her husband Bob, she underestimates the sudden impact of middle age on his mood. A witty, offbeat animated portrait of a frustrated dentist wrestling …
Bone Mother
A vain and arrogant youth dares to enter Baba Yaga’s living house of bones. What emerges will forever fill our nights with terror.
Bonifacio in Summertime
Bonifacio in Summertime is an animated film for the whole family, a colourful tale that continues the adventures of Princess Molly and her three best friends. During her summer vacation, …
The Bread
Cathon bakes Iris a very special kind of bread for her birthday, and pretty soon the two friends have gone down the rabbit hole, in search of the origins of …
Bus Story
A woman signs up to drive a school bus. But her idyllic view of the job is sorely tested when she meets her surly boss—nicknamed “Killer”—and discovers that the pretty …
By Winds and Tides
Exploring the conscious, the unconscious and the self, By Winds and Tides takes a deep experimental dive into the birth of an idea—how it takes shape, how it is released. …
Bydlo
An allegory of mankind heading for disaster, this animated short is a tragic vision inspired by the 4th movement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Drawing on the …
CODA
This short animation draws on advanced digital technologies to offer a new vision of dance in cinema. With motion capture (MoCap) and particle processing, designers Denis Poulin and Martine Époque …
The Camera
Cathon has borrowed her aunt’s camera and wants to take some nice pictures of Iris. But she discovers that her best friend isn’t particularly photogenic. The two pals explore how …
The Cannonball Woman
Madeleine the human cannonball puts on a spectacular travelling show with her husband. But at home, every day seems to unfold just like the one before it. The Cannonball Woman …
Carface
In this animated short, a Chevrolet Bel Air 1957 offers an ironic take on the iconic American ballad “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)”. The Chevy’s bumper transforms …
Cat Meets Dog
A mysterious invitation of a romantic nature kicks off this adventure of parallel lives and parallel worlds. Acclaimed animator Paul Driessen’s latest short is a wandering tale of desire and …
Caterpillarplasty
Fusing elements of Kafka and Kubrick, Caterpillarplasty is a prescient, grotesque sci-fi satire that lifts plastic surgery to another level. A powerful and sardonic take on a social obsession with …
Centre-Sud Chronicles
From his shabby apartment in Montreal’s Centre-Sud borough, a writer finds inspiration in observing his neighbour Piton, who navigates poverty with some incredible ingenuity. Through this wildly funny pseudo-scientific allegory, …
A Change of Scenery
Meet Annie, a woman who, despite being caught up in the circus of everyday life, finds her balance. Using live-action footage and traditional animation, filmmaker Anita Lebeau takes us on …
Charles
Charles knows he’s not like other kids. Every day at school, he’s reminded that his life isn’t like that of his classmates. Every day at home, he sees that he …
The Chinese Violin
In this animated short, a young girl and her father move from China to Canada, bringing only their Chinese violin along for the journey. As they face the challenge of …
Christopher Changes His Name
This animated short for children tells the story of Christopher, a little boy who didn't want to be called Christopher anymore. Such a common name! When Aunty Gail from Trinidad …
Christopher, Please Clean Up Your Room!
This short animated film stars Christopher, a terrific kid with one major problem… he's messy! His shoes smell funky, his fish bowl stinks, and even the cockroaches can't stand it. …
Circuit marine
"Dans la grande chaîne alimentaire de la vie, où il fallait que nous passions... ", aurait pu chanter un Raymond Lévesque facétieux, s'il s'était inspiré de Circuit marine, petite fantaisie …
The Circus
In the vestibule of a hospital room, a young boy waits to see his dying mother. The clamor and spiralling movements of bodies around him intensify, forming a grotesque circus—a …
The Clock
Cathon has found something wonderful in the recycling bin—a birdsong clock. But Iris isn’t totally on board with her friend’s taste, so she seeks a compromise. She wonders how people …
The Clockmakers
The Clockmakers travels inside a mysterious mechanism made up of revolving gearwheels, triangles and lines. In this whirling world, dozens of tiny gymnasts leap and somersault through the air, setting …
Collector
A pair of unlikely travellers encounter a young man on the highway who seems to have forgotten that he can be seen. Collector explores the concept of semi-private spaces and …
The Commute
The distinctive three-note chime of the Toronto subway kicks off a zippy tale of bike theft and survival in an unfamiliar new town.
Produced as part of the 13th edition …
Concerto Grosso Modo
This short animation is a playful introduction to musical notation. Music notes, suddenly infused with life, begin building a score. Working like ants, they assemble one by one the many …
The Conquerors
In this animated short, a young couple washed onto a strange, inhospitable shore, attempts to transform the land into an Eden. Through great effort they prosper, learning to conquer nature …
A Cow's Tale
Does technology make our lives easier?
Audrey works away at her computer and she encounters a problem. Nothing seems to help: neither a co-worker's advice, nor the user manual, nor …
Crossing the Line
Filmmaker Tracey Deer's short film turns the politics and conflicts of a playground sandbox into an allegory for the way nations treat one another, and the borders seem to do …
The Danish Poet
This short animation follows Kasper, a poet whose creative well has run dry, on a holiday to Norway to meet the famous writer Sigrid Undset. Kasper attempts to answer some …
The Day Is Listening
A man loves a woman; both of them love literature. Through the imagery of Félix Dufour-Laperrière and the poetry of Hélène Dorion, this film delicately depicts the murmur of its …
Deep Threat
Zlatko Grgic's short animated film depicts how humans evolved from the sea and the problems that ensued. Using humour, he shows how industry leads to waste and pollution, which in …
Detention
This ultra-short film proves that walls are real and borders are imaginary with an animated critique of long-term detention for minors in immigration centres.
Deyzangeroo
“Deyzangeroo” is a ritual performed in the Iranian port city of Bushehr. Influenced by the city’s colonial rule by the British and Portuguese, and the African slaves that followed, it …
Dominoes
Dominoes animates the tiles of this age-old game to illustrate an oddly shaped domino's struggle to belong. Set to tunes inspired by Brazil's chorinho music, the film gives a new …
Drux Flux
Part figurative, part abstract, Drux Flux is an animated short comprised of fast-flowing images showing modern people crushed by industry. Inspired by One-Dimensional Man, by philosopher Herbert Marcuse, the …
Edmond Was a Donkey
This animated short about social conformity tells the story of Edmond - a very "different" sort of guy. When his co-workers jokingly crown him with a pair of donkey ears, …
Embraced
Standing before an open window, a woman gazes at black clouds darkening the horizon. She loves two men—the one who shares her present, and the one who marked her past. …
The End of Pinky
The End of Pinky revolves around three fallen angels seeking companionship and humanity in the shadows of Montreal’s red-light district. In the film’s mythic, magically realized world, coolly handsome thief …
Fair Phyllis
Fair Phyllis affirms to all women 'You're not alone!' in the craziness of busy, multi-tasking lives--what with the demands of career, the kids or just trying to get a moment …
The Fake Calendar
A neon glimpse into a personal world within an urban landscape. From FOMO to JOMO, The Fake Calendar is an artist’s expression of how people come up with interesting and …
The Fishing Rod
Cathon has a new best friend—Ruben the goldfish. Iris’s latest hobby is fishing. A fine kettle of fish to be sure. The fishing rod is an amazing piece of gear, …
Flawed
Flawed is nothing less than a beautiful gift from Andrea Dorfman's vivid imagination, a charming little film about very big ideas. Dorfman has the uncanny ability to transform the intensely …
Flowing Home (Như một dòng sông)
Two sisters grow up in Vietnam and are separated by the war between North and South. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, Thao, in her teens, must leave the …
The Flying Sailor
Two ships collide in a harbour, an explosion shatters a city, and a sailor is blasted skyward. With ears ringing, blood pulsing and guts heaving, he soars high above the …
The Formation of Clouds
Childhood is a private, fragile terrain in which the marks of our explorations are inscribed. A delicate, sensitive evocation of burgeoning desire, The Formation of Clouds follows the steps of …
Forming Game
This animated short from Malcolm Sutherland is an engaging dance of shapes and sounds. The "game" is played by opening the box, unfolding the board and placing shapes on it …
The Fox and the Chickadee
A starving fox discovers a lone chickadee caught in a farmer’s trap. The hapless chickadee turns the tables by proposing a plan that would provide the fox with food for …
Freaks of Nurture
Freaks of Nurture is an animated short about a neurotic mother-daughter relationship inspired by the filmmaker’s own unorthodox upbringing with her single-parent mom, who is also a foster parent and …
Free Love
This animated short presents two friends who meet in a Paris café – one single, the other in an open relationship. As they catch up on each other's lives, it …
The French Fries
Iris is about to greedily devour her lunch—a mountain of fries—and her friend gives her a lecture. In Cathon’s opinion, fries are not a balanced meal. And yet they’re in …
The Friends of Kwan Ming
This animated short tells the story of Kwan Ming, a man who left China to live and work in the New World. Once at destination, Kwan Ming and three traveling …
From Far Away
This short animation tells the story of Saoussan, a young girl struggling to adjust to life in Canada after being uprooted from her wartorn homeland. She has come to seek …
From Naughty to Nice
This short film, featuring the work of the internationally-renowned Old Trout Puppet Workshop, is a playful cautionary tale about the consequences of selfishness and greed. The film’s greedy boy-king, Santa …
From the Big Bang to Tuesday Morning
Propelled by Claude Cloutier’s signature drawing style and absurdist humour, this animated short offers an overview of the evolution of life on Earth from rock to human, with some surprising …
The Garden of Ecos
In this animated short, animals and plants are living peacefully together in a large garden until predators attack and ravage their habitat, stealing food and destroying plants. This creates an …
Gertie
GERTIE THE DINOSAUR (1914) is considered the first-ever character animation film, created by pioneering American cartoonist, animator, and impresario, Winsor McCay. In the film, Gertie interacts with her surroundings but …
The Girl Who Hated Books
This animated short about literacy introduces us to Meena, a young girl who hates books even though her parents love to read. Books are everywhere in Meena's house, in cupboards, …
The Girl With the Red Beret
A girl takes a wild ride on the metro in Montreal. Travelling from station to station, she encounters an array of colourful characters in a bizarre musical journey that’s peppered …
The Glasses
Cathon proudly shows off her new glasses. Iris is at a loss for words—she’s speechless with admiration. Where do eyeglasses even come from, and how did people first get them …
Gloria Victoria
Gloria Victoria unfolds on the still-smouldering rubble of a furious 20th century, propelled by the exalting “invasion” theme from Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony (No. 7). Resembling a military march with bolero …
The Great Malaise
In the voiceover for this animated short, a young woman attempts to describe herself, casting her life in the ideal light that society expects. The film’s imagery, however, tells a …
HA'Aki
In this short abstract-impressionist film the animation and music were made simultaneously in an organic process of symbiotic creativity. Filmmaker Iriz Pääbo tells the highly subjective story of a complete …
HARVEY
A short film adapted from the graphic novel of the same name, HARVEY depicts a young boy who candidly recalls the spring day when his world turned upside down. Filled …
HIDE
Two brothers entertain themselves with a game of hide and seek. As one counts, the other hides in a small cabinet. Seconds pass... then minutes... years... and decades. HIDE is …
The Hangman at Home
The animated film invites you into five interwoven stories featuring people caught in a pivotal moment: they are fragile, playful, terrified, contemplative, confused, curious. We watch their intimate deeds in …
The Head Vanishes
In this poetic short, animator Franck Dion (Edmond was a Donkey) invites us to share the journey of Jacqueline, an elderly woman living with degenerative dementia. Jacqueline isn’t …
Hedgehog's Home
Winner of over 35 international awards, Hedgehog's Home is an animated film by Eva Cvijanović. Based on the classic story by Branko Ćopić, a writer from the former Yugoslavia, it …
Here and the Great Elsewhere
This abstract yet compelling philosophical tale uses the Alexeïeff-Parker pinscreen as a metaphor for the particles that make up the universe. Through 4 tableaux that explore her character’s thoughts, filmmaker …
Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life
Once Jennie had everything. The terrier had two food bowls, two pillows, and for cold weather, a red wool sweater. She even had a master who loved her. But Jennie …
Hipster Headdress
This ultra-short film is an unapologetic confrontation of cultural appropriation and everything that's wrong with hipsters in headdresses. The takeaway? Just don't do it.
Hollow Land
This animated short is a story about the eternal search for home. Hollow Land begins, as all such searches must, with the dream of utopia. Solomon and Berta are two …
The Hot Dog
Hot dogs and the beach: a classic pairing! Between a sea voyage and hot-dog eating competitions, Iris once again amazes us with the quantity of condiments she’s able to ingest …
How People Got Fire
This introspective short animation takes place In the village of Carcross, in the Tagish First Nation. Neighbourhood pillar Grandma Kay tell the local children the tale of how Crow brought …
Hungu
Under the African sun, a child walks in the desert with his kin. Death is prowling, but a mother's soul resurrected by music will return strength and life to the …
I Don't Feel Anything Anymore
He’s a magician. She’s a firefighter. Isolating themselves from the chaos of a world in turmoil, the two lovers live in a crane basket high in the sky, where they …
I Like Girls
In this animated short from Diane Obomsawin, four women reveal the nitty-gritty about their first loves, sharing funny and intimate tales of one-sided infatuation, mutual attraction, erotic moments, and fumbling …
I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors
This short animation is director Ann Marie Fleming’s animated adaptation of Bernice Eisenstein’s acclaimed illustrated memoir. Using the healing power of humour, the film probes the taboos around a very …
I'm OK
It is 1915, Expressionist artist Oskar Kokoschka’s tempestuous love affair with Alma Mahler ends dramatically and he volunteers to fight in the First World War. This animated film explores Kokoschka’s …
I, Barnabé
I, Barnabé takes a luminous look at a desperate man’s existential crisis. During a night of stormy drunkenness, he receives a visit from a mysterious bird and is forced to …
If I Was God...
In this short animated film, a Grade 7 boy’s mind starts to wander while dissecting a frog in Biology class. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself charged …
Impossible Figures and other stories I
An ominous ticking sound triggers a massive explosion. A swarm of objects and figures scatters unforgivably. In the aftermath, only a few souls remain, including an elegant elderly woman. Wandering …
Impromptu
Impromptu reminds us of the redemptive power of food, wine, music and love, as seen through the eyes of a modern man. While preparing yet another gourmet dinner for his …
In Deep Waters
From the moment they are conceived, twin babies forge a close bond in their mother’s womb. But when one twin dies in utero, the surviving twin is left with a …
In Pieces
Paule Baillargeon is 37 years old, 11 years old, 65 years old. . . In this film composed of fragments, she tells her story: the story of a woman, a …
Inspector Street
This short animation begins with a newspaper, discarded on a public bench, whose headlines warn of unusual phenomena. A gust of wind animates the paper's pages, conjuring strange and fantastical …
Islet
Combining figurative abstraction with magic realism, this animated short depicts a world in which whales fall out of the sky and fish turn into balloons. It is a black and …
It's a Dog's Life
This short animation features Fifi the dog, who fantasizes about interstellar travel as an escape from his day-to-day existence as the family scapegoat. While doing whatever it takes to please …
Itch
Itch is an abstract expression of what it feels like to experience an eczema flare-up.
Produced as part of the 9th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.
Jaime Lo, Small and Shy
In this animated short, Jaime Lo's father is sent to Hong Kong for a year-long work assignment. A shy Chinese-Canadian girl, Jaime Lo must use her creativity to cope with …
Jutra
This semi-animated documentary is a creative, colourful portrait of the great Quebec filmmaker Claude Jutra, director of Mon oncle Antoine and star and co-director, with Norman McLaren, of A Chairy …
Kali the Little Vampire
This animated short tells the story of Kali, a young vampire who suffers from not being able to live in the light. Living in the shadows and inspiring fear, he …
Kaspar (Inspired by the Life of Kaspar Hauser)
This animated short by Diane Obomsawin tells the story of Kaspar, a young man who discovers life - and light - after spending his entire life in a dark cave …
Land of the Heads
This animated short tells the tale of a vampire forced go out every night to separate children from their heads. The reason? His vain wife wants to replace her wrinkled …
The Law of Expansion
THEY FIGHT YOU AND THEN YOU WIN. THEY FIGHT YOU AND THEN YOU WIN. An anti-violence statement in reaction to the police brutality that fuelled Quebec’s Red Square student movement.
The Lightbulb
Iris believes that every time you turn the lights on or off in a room, it costs 25 cents. Cathon sets her straight, and then explains where the light in …
Lights for Gita
This animated short, based on the book by Rachna Gilmore, is the story of Gita, an 8-year-old girl who can't wait to celebrate Divali - the Hindu festival of lights …
Lipsett Diaries
This animated short by Theodore Ushev depicts the maelstrom of anguish that tormented Arthur Lipsett, a famed Canadian experimental filmmaker who died at the age of 49. His descent into …
Lo 100to
When Delia announces a breakup on group chat, she’s bombarded with inappropriate and comic remarks from her Salvadoran family.
Produced as part of the 13th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse …
Loon Dreaming
This animated short makes us see the world through the eyes of a loon. We dive down deep into the waters in pursuit of fish, launch skyward from the water …
The Lost Town of Switez
In 19th-century Poland, a traveller loses his way in the forest one stormy night. He witnesses the last days of a medieval town under attack by ruthless warriors. The grandiose …
Louise
This animated short is an ode to Louise, a fiercely independent 96-year old inspired by animator Anita Lebeau's grandmother. Speaking in her own voice, Louise takes us through a day …
Léon in Wintertime
In this short puppet animation we meet Léon, an 8-year-old adopted bear suffering from an identity crisis. The distraught cub runs away from home in wintertime and embarks on many …
Mabel's Saga
This short animation celebrates menopause through the story of Mabel. She’s juggling work, teenagers and an elderly mom. Now she’s got hot flashes and chin hairs! Before you can say …
MacPherson
This animated film by Martine Chartrand (Black Soul) recounts the friendship between a young Félix Leclerc and Frank Randolph Macpherson, a Jamaican chemical engineer and university graduate who …
The Magic of Anansi
This animated short tells the story of Anansi, a little spider who is tired of being snubbed by other the jungle animals, especially Mr. Tiger. As Anansi plots and schemes …
Mamie
Mamie lives in Gaspésie in a house that faces away from the sea. Her granddaughter wonders: “Why isn’t Mamie interested in me or her other grandchildren? Why won’t she give …
Mamori
Mamori transports us into a black-and-white universe of fluid shapes, dappled and striated with shadows and light, where the texture of the visuals and of the celluloid itself have been …
The Man Who Slept
A young woman shares her life with a sleeping ghost. She lives in the denial of a loss that has left her all alone. This vibrantly textured animated film is …
Manivald
Manivald, a fox, is turning 33. Overeducated, unemployed and generally uninspired, he lives with his overbearing, retired mother and spends his days learning piano while she makes his coffee and …
Maq and the Spirit of the Woods
This animated short tells the story of Maq, a Mi'kmaq boy who realizes his potential with the help of inconspicuous mentors. When an elder in the community offers him a …
Mary & Myself
Mary & Myself is a story within a story, a meta-narrative about two Chinese-Canadian women making their theatrical debut playing “comfort women” in The Vagina Monologues. Fusing activism and performance, …
Masturbation: A Short Story of a Great Taboo
This film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised. History as it was never taught in school. This animated short looks back at the surprising story of …
Me and My Moulton
A seven-year-old girl whose parents are hopelessly unconventional modern architects envies other normal Norwegian families of the sixties. There is unexpected drama the summer she and her sisters ask her …
The Microwave
Iris and Cathon are shocked to discover how big and heavy the first microwave oven was. Turns out that inventing it involved melting a bar of chocolate.
Mind Me Good Now!
In this animated short 2 children, Tina and Dalby, disobey their mama with almost tragic consequences. Having strayed away from home, they run afoul of a local "cocoya," a wicked …
Minotaur
In this short animation, the archetypal hero takes a journey through seven stages: birth, childhood, mission, labyrinth, monster, battle and death/rebirth. Through purely abstract, moving images, the corresponding emotional states …
Miserable Miracle
Directed by Japanese filmmaker Ryo Orikasa, the animated short Miserable Miracle was inspired by Henri Michaux’s book of poetry and drawings of the same name. Masterful in both vision and …
Modern Alchemy
Strength. Challenges. Courage. Modern Alchemy depicts a quest for self-knowledge that revolves around resilience, reconstruction and rebirth. A succession of colours, each more vibrant than the last, in which one …
Molly in Springtime
It’s carnival in Balthasarville and the scoundrel Bonifacio is scheming to overthrow Léon and become King Quack. But he’s outsmarted by Molly Gingerbread and her friend Hedgehog, who manage to …
Monsieur Pointu
This animated short about virtuoso stage entertainer Monsieur Pointu (Paul Cormier) is screen magic at its best. Here, the man and his violin are literally taken apart - head, feet, …
Monsieur Pug
Who is Monsieur Pug? Why, a dog with bad cholesterol and high blood pressure! And a dog who loves his pie and ice cream. Who relaxes by making origami. In …
Moon Man
Moon Man is an animated short inspired by the song “Moon Man Newfie,” composed and sung by Canadian music legend Stompin' Tom Connors. It tells the story of folk hero …
The Mountain of SGaana
In The Mountain of SGaana, Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter spins a magical tale of a young man who is stolen away to the spirit world, and the young woman …
Muybridge's Strings
Can time be made to stand still? Can it be reversed? Koji Yamamura’s Muybridge's Strings is a meditation on this theme, contrasting the worlds of the photographer Eadweard Muybridge—who in …
My Heart Attack
This animated short from Sheldon Cohen (The Sweater) tells the true story of a "nice Jewish boy with Buddhist inclinations" who suffers a heart attack. At the crossroads …
My Little Underground
In this autobiographical animated short, Elise Simard crafts the story of a young girl seeking self-discovery and rebirth. Drifting between real and imagined events, the film uses time-lapse photography with …
My Yiddish Papi
A young woman decides not to answer a phone call from her grandfather, unaware that it will be his last. When he dies, she is overwhelmed with guilt and regret …
Mystery of the Secret Room
This animated short introduces us to Grace, a 10-year-old girl who uses her creative superpowers to navigate the emotional landscape of her mother's depression. It's an inspiring portrait of family, …
Nadine
From out of nowhere, the most beautiful girl in the world sits at the table across from me at the library. Is this a stroke of good luck or bad? …
The Necktie
A mixture of puppet and hand-drawn animation, The Necktie is the story of Valentin and his quest to find meaning in his life. Stuck in a dead-end job, he has …
No Fish Where to Go
In this modern tale about the consequences of war, a little girl is forced to leave home with her family. Her painful exodus is illuminated only by the friendship of …
No Objects
Textures, repetition, vibrations, oscillations and sounds: the image is heard. Scratched and scarred photos form a cascading avalanche of shapes, a choreography of people performing repetitive tasks, their silhouettes etched …
The Noodles
Iris loves noodles so much she could eat them morning, noon, and night. Cathon prefers using them to make little gifts for her friend. Any idea where noodles actually come …
Norman McLaren: Animated Musician
Not only did Norman McLaren create his own film imagery, he also made his own music by drawing, etching and photographing patterns directly onto the sound track area of the …
Not So Different
A fable set in the Land of Same, where the law of the land is SAMENESS. Everyone has to behave the same, wear the same clothes, live in the same …
Now Is the Time
Along with Around Is Around, one of two 3-D films commissioned by the British Film Institute for the Festival of Britain. Photographed paper cutouts and images drawn directly on …
Nunavut Animation Lab: I Am But a Little Woman
Inspired by an Inuit poem first assigned to paper in 1927, this animated short evokes the beauty and power of nature, as well as the bond between mother and daughter. …
Nunavut Animation Lab: Lumaajuuq
This animated short by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril tells a tragic and twisted story about the dangers of revenge. A cruel mother mistreats her son, feeding him dog meat and forcing him …
Nunavut Animation Lab: Qalupalik
This animated short tells the story of Qalupalik, a part-human sea monster that lives deep in the Arctic Ocean and preys on children who do not listen to their parents …
Nunavut Animation Lab: The Bear Facts
In this animated short, a self-important colonial explorer emerges from a sailing ship and plants a flag on the Arctic ice, as a bemused Inuit hunter looks on. Then the …
O Canada
This very short stereoscopic film by Evelyn Lambart uses drawings to suggest movement across Canada’s ever-changing countryside.
ORA
ORA is a stunning meeting between the artistic worlds of choreographer José Navas and filmmaker Philippe Baylaucq. It is the first film to use 3D thermal imaging, producing visuals like …
Observer
Smartphones cannot feel, smell or taste, yet they are not without their own senses. Using raw data from the low-level sensors of a cell phone, this film offers a unique …
Oedipus
In this animated short parodying the Greek myth, director Paul Driessen offers a backwards tragicomic version of the classic tale. Oedipus is Driessen at his absurdist best.
Old Dog
Old Dog shows how elderly dogs' lives are improved by technology - from diapers for amputees to doggie strollers - through animated vignettes. The soundtrack consists of an older man …
Oma's Quilt
This animated short tells the story of Oma, who is moving from her house on Maple Street where she lived most of her life to a senior's residence where she …
Oscar
Brilliantly mixing animated sequences and archival footage, Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre paints a touching portrait of virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson. As with her previous films (McLaren’s Negative and Jutra), Saint-Pierre …
Overdose
In this short animation, we meet a young boy leads such a regimented life that he has no more time just to be a kid. Between school, tennis lessons, swimming …
The Painting
Animated on the Alexeïeff-Parker pinscreen, the film revisits the tragic fate of Queen Mariana of Austria and her 1652 portrait by Velázquez.
Panoramic Chronicle
Ride the commuter train with this animated short that questions what goes on it the hearts of minds of the train's silent passengers. Filmmakers Lewis Trondheim and Jean Matthieu Tanguy …
The Pants
Iris wants to help out by doing Cathon’s laundry, but accidentally shrinks her friend’s favourite pair of pants. When were trousers first worn? And is it true that women were …
Paula
Inspired by a real-life news item, this animated short paints a pulsating portrait of a mixed-use, working-class neighbourhood where young families cross paths with prostitutes, their interactions leaving unpredictable ripples …
Peggy Baker: Four Phrases
Built around an intimate interview with the acclaimed Canadian dancer and choreographer, Peggy Baker Four Phrases is an artful animation and documentary hybrid that travels through a variety of techniques …
Petra's Poem
In this short film, Toronto artist Petra Tolley, who has Down syndrome, performs a soliloquy that encapsulates her distinctive take on the social self. Drawing from her emotional experiences, she …
The Phone
Iris has finally acquired a cell phone—her first. Cathon would love to help her learn how to use it, but Iris insists on figuring it out all by herself. How …
The Physics of Sorrow
The Physics of Sorrow tracks an unknown man’s life as he sifts through memories of his youth in Bulgaria through to his increasingly rootless and melancholic adulthood in Canada.
Click …
Pilots on the Way Home
Having suffered the loss of their plane, three pilots inexplicably find themselves stranded in the middle of the desert. While following the perilous and unpredictable course that will ultimately lead …
Pirouette
If we are what we eat, then we are having an identity crisis. Because food's journey from farm to plate is a strange one. An old woman has a simple …
Playhouse
This film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised. How does porn fuel sexual fantasies? For some, the most powerful images are those that flirt with completely …
Poppety in the Fall
In this animated short, a terrible curse deprives Balthasar’s kingdom of its stories. Taking the unicorn’s horn back into The Belly of the Earth is the solution. Poppety will lead …
Private Eyes
This 3D stereoscopic animation tells the story of Matthew, a boy who is never afraid of the dark. Since he's been in darkness all his life, Matthew has eyes where …
The Procession
After Catherine’s fatal car accident, she speaks from the beyond to her grieving husband, Philip, who must endure the family ritual of the funeral. The Procession is an elegant poem …
Protest
MOST OF US DON’T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING THIS MUCH. POV into an ultimate act of protest: self-immolation. What compels someone to go this far?
Pumpkins and Old Lace
This short animation tells the story of a photographer who’s hunting the perfect “Granny or Grandpa” poster face for an adult diaper company. Camera in hand, he approaches a retirement …
Rains
As a sudden downpour lashes the city, all seek shelter. Just for a moment, time expands into immobility. Human activity slows down and almost stops. Some wait in a bus …
Rainy Days
An elderly Japanese man boards a ferry bound for an unknown island. As he looks out over the water, the falling rain triggers a string of memories, including of a …
Reflection
Composed of real-life images that have been manipulated, this immersive experience explores the urban environment, using abstraction to examine the power of reflection in our surroundings
Robes of War
This animated short is a lyrical exploration of the impact of war on women, their bodies and their families. Bringing a feminist sensibility to a contemporary issue, it looks at …
Romance
While on an airplane, a traveller's spirit plunges into a dream world. Here, under the influence of the unknown, the logic of his desires prevails, and a romantic saga takes …
Rose & Violet
The animated short film Rose & Violet tells the story of two Conjoined twin sisters who are recruited as star acrobats in the world’s biggest circus. They seem bound for …
Roses Sing on New Snow
In this animated short, based on a story by Paul Yee, Maylin cooks mouth-watering meals at her father's restaurant in Chinatown, but her father and brothers take all the credit. …
Runaway
Cordell Barker, director of the Oscar®-nominated films The Cat Came Back and Strange Invaders, is back with Runaway. Set to the rousing music of Ben Charest (Triplets …
A Sea Turtle Story
This animated short chronicles the life cycle of the critically endangered sea turtle. Capturing the beauty of the ecosystems that sea turtles inhabit, the film is ideal for all audiences, …
Sext Apes
YOUR PHONE IS HAVING MORE SEX THAN YOU. A bleak picture of sex in the digital age.
Sexy Laundry
How can the flames of desire be rekindled after 25 years of married life? Izabela Plucinska’s erotic comedy, made entirely through the use of modelling clay, delves into the private …
Shaman
This animated short tells the story of a ferocious polar bear turned to stone by an Inuk shaman. The tale is based on emerging filmmaker Echo Henoche's favourite legend, as …
Shannon Amen
Shannon Amen unearths the passionate and pained expressions of a young woman overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety as she struggles to reconcile her sexual identity with her religious faith. A …
Shop Class
This film follows the trials and tribulations of 14 year old Hart Snider. Instead of the home economics class he wanted to take, he finds himself taking Industrial Arts from …
Simulated Life
REALITY IS A CHOICE. An unapologetic poke at the burgeoning age of virtual reality.
The Skates
At the local ice rink, Iris tries out her grandpa’s old skates while a quizzical Cathon looks on. Have you ever wondered what skates looked like before metalblades were developed?
Skin for Skin
Skin for Skin is a dark allegory of greed and spiritual reckoning set during the early days of the fur trade.
In 1823, the Governor of the largest fur-trading company …
Society of Clothes
When morning arrives in Society of Clothes, a shirt and a pair of pants step outside the closet, transforming into a human figure. In this world, everyone exists only as …
Soif
A woman plays out her existence on the screen of her life. Alcohol is the essence of her being. She imbibes her youth and becomes completely absorbed by the desire …
Solid Ground
Solid Ground is a poetic and sound-rich travelogue—a personal journal that reveals the thoughts of an expatriate returning to her native land. Employing the rarely used monotype animation technique, Solid …
Soup of the Day
Set to a rollicking doo-wop song by Canadian songwriter Alexander “Zander” Ary, this animated short tells the amusing story of the dilemma a husband and wife face every time they …
Spare Change
This animation short by Ryan Larkin (Walking, Street Musique, etc.) recounts some “comical experiences” Larkin had during his many years as a panhandler in Montreal. It tells …
The Spine
In this animated short, Oscar® winner Chris Landreth returns with a poignant story of redemption that takes us into the relationship between a man and a woman trapped in a …
The Stamp
Iris wants to send her grandfather a birthday card. Touching, right? But Cathon doesn't want her friend to raid her collection looking for a stamp. Did someone really once pay …
Stories We Tell
Stories We Tell is an inspired, genre-twisting film by Oscar®-nominated director Sarah Polley, and produced by Anita Lee for the NFB. Her playful investigation into the elusive truth buried within …
The Storm
A doctor as well as a filmmaker, Monica Kidd finds signs of hope in an uncertain pandemic universe. With The Storm, she collaborates with animator Duncan Major, employing sparsely …
Subconscious Password
In the middle of a crowded bar, Charles is feeling increasingly desperate. The cause of his misery is his old friend... you know... what’s-his-name... Directed by Chris Landreth, the filmmaker …
The Subject
An animator dissects his own body, extracting memories, emotions and fears that will nurture his work. As he cuts into his skin with a scalpel, various symbolic objects recalling his …
A Sufi Tale
This animated film is based on an old Persian parable. The inhabitants of a village learn to overcome their fear of the unknown. The benefit of their new-found knowledge is …
Survival of the Fittest
FEELS GOOD TO BE KIND. A reminder that there is power in small acts of kindness.
Sweet Childhood
In this animated short, cartoonist Zviane comes across an old audiocassette while packing up before a move. Just the sight of the tape plunges her back into her childhood fantasies …
Sweet Jesus
This film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised. What happens when masturbation has its “come to Jesus” moment? This animated short takes a light and humorous …
The Swimsuit
Iris and Cathon are at the beach, and they both have new swimsuits. Cathon makes fun of her friend’s choice of beachwear. You’ll learn a lot about the origins of …
Taa Tam
Taa Tam of the Maha Tribe knew music before music even existed... or so this imaginary legend goes. He saw rhythm everywhere: in the flutter of the leaf, in the …
Terra
Animator Alan Pakarnyk uses radiant colour and simple composition in a seemingly random kaleidoscope of motion to depict nature at work. Sweeping the viewer through a whirlwind cycle of the …
The Tesla World Light
New York, 1905. Visionary inventor Nikola Tesla makes one last appeal to J.P. Morgan, his onetime benefactor. Inspired by real events, this electrifying short is a spectacular burst of image …
Thanadoula
Layering real-life details with an otherworldly magic, Thanadoula recounts the story of an end-of-life doula brought to her calling through the loss of her beloved sister.
Third Page from the Sun
Heralding the “end of paper,” this experimental animated short is an abstract exploration of a number of big issues, from the ephemerality of the digital age to the practice of …
Threads
In her latest animated short, Academy Award®-winning director Torill Kove explores the beauty and complexity of parental love, the bonds that we form over time, and the ways in which …
The Tooth
In this brilliant yet simple animated short, Quebec cartoonist Guy Delisle brings us the story of a young boy, a lost tooth, and an MIA tooth fairy. During increasingly difficult …
Tower Bawher
This animated short by Theodore Ushev is like a whirlwind tour of Russian constructivist art and is filled with visual references to artists of the era, including Vertov, Stenberg, Rodchenko, …
The Treasure of the Grotoceans
Octopus-like puppets cut from foam rubber are the central characters in this delightful underwater fantasy with its message about ecology and conservation. Two Grotoceans sent on a special mission find …
The Trembling Veil of Bones
In this animated short, a lone clockmaker named Bones sits inside a darkened studio filled with the sounds of ticking clocks. He parcels out his time in teaspoons and shadow, …
The Trenches
This animated short by Claude Cloutier is a pictorial account of an attack on Canadian soldiers during WWI. On the edge of the battlefield, recruits are dreading the order to …
Turbine
A war pilot crash-lands through his apartment window. When his wife returns from work, she discovers that her husband’s face has been replaced by an airplane turbine. He’s also fallen …
Turquoise Fish
This film discusses topics of sex and masturbation; viewer discretion is advised. A young woman recalls a kooky ritual involving masturbation that she’d invented as a child. A candid and …
The Turtle Syndrome
What could the illness afflicting Henri Castagnette be? Filled with anxiety, the young man puts his fate in the hands of the off-puttingly exuberant Dr. Von Strudel. In The Turtle …
Twirligig
A stereoscopic animated film based on the techniques used by McLaren in Now Is the Time. Both the sound and the visuals were hand-drawn directly upon the film.
Two Apples
When a young woman leaves her homeland in search of a better future, she brings with her a single memento from her past: a ripe apple studded with fragrant cloves. …
Tying Your Own Shoes
This short animated documentary offers an intimate glimpse into the exceptional mindsets and emotional lives of four adult artists with Down Syndrome. An artful, four-way essay about ability, film explores …
Tzaritza
This animated short by Theodore Ushev combines warmth, humour and magic in a story about a young girl who misses her grandmother. When Lili finds a tzaritza (magic shell) along …
Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days
Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days is about the special relationship between Regina Pessoa and her uncle. The film is a testament to her love for this eccentric, who was …
Vive la rose
Based on the last recording by one of Newfoundland's foremost traditional music performers, Emile Benoit's tender delivery of the 18th century French song is the heart of Vive la rose. …
Wapos Bay: A Mother's Earth
In episode 14 from the Wapos Bay series, a school project sets Raven on a confusing search for her identity. She finally figures it out – with help from her …
Wapos Bay: A Time to Learn
In episode 5 from the Wapos Bay series, missing sled dogs and a pile of homework are just a few of the things Talon has to deal with before setting …
Wapos Bay: Dance Dance
In episode 18 from the Wapos Bay series, T-Bear faces a dilemma. He wants to follow his heart and dance, but can he do it without disappointing Jacob, who wants …
Wapos Bay: Going for the Gold
In this episode from the Wapos Bay series, a talking dog comes to Talon in a dream, urging him to go for gold in golf at the Indigenous Games. Uncle …
Wapos Bay: Journey Through Fear
In episode 2 from the Wapos Bay series, Aboriginal Day festivities are getting underway, but there's even more cause for excitement in Wapos Bay. T-Bear unexpectedly spends the night in …
Wapos Bay: Lights, Camera, Action!
In this episode from the Wapos Bay series, film star Adam Beach mentors T-Bear and Talon as they make videos celebrating Treaty Days in Wapos Bay. Raven feels left out …
Wapos Bay: Long Goodbyes
In this feature animation film, Talon and Raven learn that their dad, Alphonse, has taken a job in the big city and their family will have to move away from …
Wapos Bay: Raiders of the Lost Art
In episode 19 from the Wapos Bay series, the boys find ancient rock paintings, and then decide to capture the modern painters who are spraying up the town with graffiti. …
Wapos Bay: Raven Power
In this episode from the Wapos Bay series, Raven wants the men to realize how much they underappreciate the town's women. The women go on a week-long retreat, and only …
Wapos Bay: Something to Remember
In episode 4 from the Wapos Bay series, the pressure is on as T-Bear is handed the task of commemorating Wapos Bay's military veterans, and Raven is struggling to express …
Wapos Bay: The Elements
In episode 6 from the Wapos Bay series, the survival skills of Talon, T-Bear, Raven and Mushom are tested by an unexpected storm. The children are helping grandfather Mushom set …
Wapos Bay: There's No "I" in Hockey
In this first episode from the Wapos Bay series, Talon and his cousin T-Bear play on the same hockey team, but their relationship becomes strained when they both try to …
Wapos Bay: They Dance at Night
In episode 3 from the Wapos Bay series, Talon, Raven and T-Bear learn what can happen when they forget to respect tradition. Raven can't resist whistling at the glimmering northern …
Waseteg
Waseteg is the story of a young Mi'kmaq girl whose name means “the light from the dawn.” Sadly, her mother dies while giving birth and, though her father works very …
We Drink Too Much
WE DRINK TOO MUCH. An unapologetic take on the vicious cycle of earning too little and consuming too much.
We Eat Shit
WE EAT SHIT. An unapologetic warning about how complacent we can be.
The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer
This short animation presents the haunting story of two brothers who share the scars, though not the memories, of an untold history that has driven them to existential extremes. Combining …
What Rhymes with Toxic
Chemical sludge is spilling into the lake. For the city councillor responsible, it’s just a big nuisance. For the wildlife, it’s a catastrophe. One turtle, in her desperate hour, summons …
Wild Life
The NFB’s 72nd Oscar®-nominated film.
In 1909, a dapper young remittance man is sent from England to Alberta to attempt ranching. However, his affection for badminton, bird watching and liquor …
Window Horses
This feature-length animated film centres around the story of Rosie Ming, a young Canadian poet invited to perform at a Poetry Festival in Shiraz, Iran. Rosie lives in Vancouver with …
The Wobble Incident
The Wobble Incident is an erratic journey through layers of cinematic illusion. When the First Sound rings out in a silent cartoon world, two characters experience momentous change as their …
The World's Largest Studio
Larger than Universal's and Paramount's combined, Hengdian World Studios features 12 motion picture shooting sites spanning different periods of Chinese history. Since 1996, the company has invested over 240 million …
XO RAD Magical
XO Rad Magical is a personal lyrical poem about the daily struggle of living with schizophrenia. This psychedelic and hypnotic film shows that there is beauty in the brains of …
Zeb's Spider
When the superstitious Zeb finds a spider in her apartment, she must do everything in her power to keep the unwanted guest’s appetite satisfied, or risk being eaten herself. This …