Ashes of Doom

Using the comic device of trained laboratory mice, this animated short examines the insidious nature of addiction to cigarette smoking, how it can begin in young people, and how difficult it is to quit.

This short animation about the perils of tobacco smoking takes us to the kingdom of King Size, a land where "no smoking" is illegal. Here, intoxication dangers and health risks linked to cigarettes are blissfully ignored, and non-smokers are unwelcome. A humorous invitation for young people not to start smoking, or if they have, to relinquish the hazardous habit.

In this short animation, a perceptive young boy attending his uncle's birthday party notices the unfortunate results of the man’s smoking habit. The film is part of an anti-smoking campaign produced by the NFB with the participation of Health and Welfare Canada.

In this animated short, a young man continues to fabricate elaborate scenarios in order to let fate decide whether he should keep smoking.

This film is part of an anti-smoking campaign aimed at children, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, with the participation of Health and Welfare Canada.

In this very short animation, it is the 2 children in the center ring who prove to be the most courageous circus performers of them all. The film is part of an anti-smoking campaign produced by the NFB with the participation of Health and Welfare Canada.

Kaj Pindal's animated short from the late 1970s features a canine narcotics officer who burns out after sampling a little too much product. Driven by his love of cannabis, a street dog displays incredible promise for the drug squad when he chases down a local dealer. He makes headlines worldwide as he takes on smugglers and crime lords. But when his drug habit and his work inevitably collide, a clear message emerges: dogs and cannabis don't mix.

The NFB's 21st Oscar®-nominated film.

This colourful short animation traces the insecure protagonist's path to tobacco addiction after he discovers, as a teengaer, that smoking can make him "cool". His addiction follows him well into adulthood, until the scare of lung cancer forces him to face his demons. This funny yet cautionary tale is told by the protagonist as he sits on a psychiatrist's couch, his recollections amusingly illustrated in colourful vignettes of his past. Both entertaining and visually rich, the film is a deterrent against smoking drawn in typical '60s modernist/pop-art style.

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 head with one that is young and pretty. What a horror! Especially since the lady of the house is never satisfied and the heads keep piling up on the floor. How will our reluctant vampire ever get out of this vicious cycle?

A clip to discourage smoking.

A clip to discourage smoking.

This short documentary follows Jimmy Quinlan, one of the estimated 5000 men and women who lived in the streets and alleys of Montreal in the late 1970s. The film casts a harsh light on the realities of life on the street, as Jimmy battles his addictions; sobriety is a goal he's tried to achieve before and will probably have to try again. In and out of shelters, Jimmy's life is anything but stable, but his unique personality shines through in this affecting portrait.