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

The Company of Strangers

In this feature film, 7 elderly women find themselves stranded when their bus breaks down in the wilderness. With only their wits, memories and some roasted frogs' legs to sustain them, this remarkable group of strangers share their life stories and turn a potential crisis into a magical time of humour, spirit and camaraderie. Featuring non-professional actors and unscripted dialogue, this film dissolves the barrier between fiction and reality, weaving a heart-warming tale of friendship and courage.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.

Details

In this feature film, 7 elderly women find themselves stranded when their bus breaks down in the wilderness. With only their wits, memories and some roasted frogs' legs to sustain them, this remarkable group of strangers share their life stories and turn a potential crisis into a magical time of humour, spirit and camaraderie. Featuring non-professional actors and unscripted dialogue, this film dissolves the barrier between fiction and reality, weaving a heart-warming tale of friendship and courage.

Women Seniors Sexuality and Reproduction All subjects
Captivating Fiction films All channels
  • director
    Cynthia Scott
  • producer
    David Wilson
  • editing
    David Wilson
  • executive producer
    Colin Neale
    Rina Fraticelli
    Peter Katadotis
  • script
    Gloria Demers
  • photography
    David De Volpi
    Roger Martin
  • sound
    Jacques Drouin
  • sound editing
    André Galbrand
    Danuta Klis
  • re-recording
    Hans Peter Strobl
    Adrian Croll
  • music
    Marie Bernard
  • cast
    Alice Diabo
    Constance Garneau
    Winifred Holden
    Cissy Meddings
    Mary Meigs
    Catherine Roche
    Michelle Sweeney
    Beth Webber

Education

Ages 15 to 17
School subjects
Arts Education - Visual Arts English Language Arts - CanLit Family Studies/Home Economics - Feminism Health/Personal Development - Human Growth and Development
Write a portrait of one character in film describing her personality and episodes that reveal it. Imagine her past. Group discussion — film explores what general concerns of women? Group discussion — how to shorten this film if you had to? Cut landscape or conversation? Why? Invite older people to class for discussion of characters’ behaviour in relation to age. What is it like to be older, and what is important?

More educational content

The Company of Strangers
Purchase options
Also available
DVD
Licence information
Already paid to see this film?
Licensing information
Download-to-own (DTO) licence detail
Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

You may download this film for private, personal or classroom use only. Public screenings and institutional (non-educational institutions) uses are not permitted.

Download films in standard or high definition. (Please note that bonus materials are not available for DTO films.)

Institutional licence

To purchase an institutional licence or to buy a film that is not available for DTO or VOD on the platform, please contact us.

The institutional price includes the rights to screen the film in institutional settings and at free public screenings.

Additional instructions

DTO films cannot be hosted on a streaming server. To add DTO films to an institutional or educational streaming server, please contact a sales agent to discuss pricing.

You can copy each file up to 5 (five) times, onto various devices.

Explore