The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility

Balablok

Bretislav Pojar's animated short explores the human phenomenon of resorting to violence over reason. The cubes live happily amongst themselves until one of them encounters a ball. War erupts and they fight until they all become the same again – this time in the form of hexagons. All is right in the world until one of them stumbles upon a triangle… Winner of the 1973 Grand Prix du Festival for Short Film at the International Film Festival in Cannes.

Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.

Details

Bretislav Pojar's animated short explores the human phenomenon of resorting to violence over reason. The cubes live happily amongst themselves until one of them encounters a ball. War erupts and they fight until they all become the same again – this time in the form of hexagons. All is right in the world until one of them stumbles upon a triangle… Winner of the 1973 Grand Prix du Festival for Short Film at the International Film Festival in Cannes.

  • director
    Bretislav Pojar
  • direction - assistance
    Francine Desbiens
    Clorinda Warny
  • backgrounds
    Yvon Mallette
  • camera
    Pierre Provost
  • music
    Maurice Blackburn
  • orchestration
    Pierre F. Brault
  • recording
    Roger Lamoureux
  • re-recording
    Michel Descombes
  • producer
    René Jodoin

Education

Ages 9 to 13

Notes

Discuss situations where everyone is expected to look/act the same (uniforms, public performances, church, etc). What happens if someone doesn’t follow the rules? When is it okay not to be the same as everyone else? Students can create projects on how they are unique. For older students, explore events in history where conformism/racism was taken to extremes. What are the ramifications of these events?

More educational content

Balablok
Purchase options
Licence Information
Already paid to see this film?
Licence Information
Download licence details
Personal & Single-Classroom Use

Who it’s for:

Individuals watching for personal use, and parents or teachers wishing to screen a film for a single class in Canada.

What it allows:

  • Private, personal viewing in Canada and worldwide.
  • Screening the film for a single class in Canada.
  • Downloading and watching offline.

What it does not allow:

  • Screenings or events for multiple classes, school boards, or campus-wide events.
  • Community, public or institutional screenings or events.

Bonus materials are not included with the downloaded film.

Institutional Use

Who it's for:

Organizations, government departments, businesses and non-profits. For other institutions seeking licensing options, please contact info@nfb.ca .

What it allows:

  • Internal screenings for employees, members or patrons.
  • Screenings open to the public on the organization’s premises, with no admission fee and outside the commercial cinema circuit.
Looking to host a one-time public screening instead?

Who it's for:

Public libraries, community groups, NGOs and other organizations wishing to host a one-time public screening in Canada with no admission fee.

How to request a screening:

Complete the “Request to screen an NFB film” form.

For any questions, email communityscreenings@nfb.ca.

Streaming restrictions

Films purchased as downloads (DTO) cannot be hosted on a streaming server without prior authorization.

To request permission to add these films to an institutional or educational streaming server, contact info@nfb.ca.