Une voix de femme laisse des messages sur le répondeur de son amant. «Allô! Tu es là? Où es-tu?» demande-t-elle. À l'écran, un petit poisson est gobé par un gros poisson qui, à son tour, est gobé par un autre. À la fin du film, un poisson encore plus gros gobe le soleil.
Ce poème visuel, avec ses dessins à la main en noir et blanc, invite le spectateur à se perdre dans cette beauté singulière. Une sorte de carte routière de l'âme? Un voyage vers la nostalgie? Une tragédie qui se trame?
Ici, aucune signalisation routière. La lente dérive à travers des paysages surréalistes pousse le spectateur à créer son propre scénario. Le traitement visuel et la trame sonore forment un tout, un ensemble des plus troublants. La tension monte.
Bienvenue au Kentucky évoque une planète à la dérive. Où les eaux montent et où le chant de l'univers remplit le silence.
Get lost in this slightly surreal animated short composed of exquisite black-and-white illustrations. As we move through the landscape, we pass elaborate topiaries, dust-devil ballets, horses traversing the horizon, and wild reflections in the water. It's a lyrical film that carries you through a visually-rich tapestry of incredible hand-drawn images.
In this animated short, an aging bachelor is facing yet another lonely, rain-sodden Saturday. His psyche is shot, neurosis is setting in, and he's reached the end of his little black book. If he has any hopes of breaking his cycle of failure, he must first deal with his two alter egos, both intent on orchestrating his failure.
The main protagonist of this short, surreal film is a man obsessed with control. In an automated world drained of all emotion, he is tortured by vague longings. Will he be able to transcend his obsessions and fears?
This bilingual film features the Commissioner of Official Languages and two intermediate school students. The Commissioner explains, in English and in French, the Official Languages Act, his duties and the activities of his Office under the Act. A number of light-hearted situations simulated in the film demonstrate how individual efforts can put Canada's two official languages on an equal basis.
In this animation film, Norman McLaren imparts unusual activity to an old French-Canadian nonsense song. Simple white cut-outs on pastel backgrounds, many by Evelyn Lambart, provide lively illustrations. The folksong "Mon Merle" is sung in French by the Trio Lyrique of Montreal.
This short animation is bleak and apparently grim, but it is an assertive statement on self-determination and the fundamental need for both dark and light. This is the first professional film by Jo Meuris.
Produced as part of the first edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. Theme was "Water and Our Relationship to It".
Seeking shelter from a thunderstorm, a man sits in a pub watching the ice in his glass melt away. Howie Shia marries his graphic illustration style with subtle animation and a haunting soundtrack to conjure up anxiety and foreboding. He used pen and ink on tracing paper and later composited and coloured digitally.
Produced as part of the second edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.
When it comes to conflict, even chameleons won't change! Peace in the rain forest is disrupted when two chameleons literally get stuck in a conflict, with catastrophic results. Relationships are severed, opportunities are lost, innocent bystanders are harmed and violence seems imminent. Luckily for the lizards, a frog observing the fracas turns into exactly what they need - no, not a prince - a mediator.
Dinner for Two tackles conflict in a lively, humorous and provocative way. It shows that amidst the chaos that differences create, there are still paths to reconciliation.
This film is part of the ShowPeace series of lively animated films about conflict resolution. This series has received support from UNICEF and Justice Canada. For teaching guides, a parents' guide and recommended resources visit www.nfb.ca/showpeace
Technique: Cel animation
WARNING: This film discusses the topic of OCD. Viewer discretion is advised.
This feature documentary explores the daily lives of individuals living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a misunderstood anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts, nagging fears and ritualistic behaviour. From the outside, its sufferers have no physical disabilities and have every appearance of being as functional as the next person. But inside, a daily war is waged for survival.
This short documentary about the city of Moncton, NB, explores 2 tragic endings: the obliteration of a much-loved historic neighbourhood, and the illness and death of the filmmaker's father. What survives when buildings, trees and a loved one all vanish? In French with English subtitles.
This documentary was made as part of the Tremplin program, with the collaboration of Radio-Canada.
For every housed participant, another remains homeless. Wandering the empty corridors of his shelter, Valère reveals his struggle with HIV/AIDS, and his longing for a home of his own.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project.