NFB Pause | Alexandra Lemay

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 dog breeder. Self-deprecating and bursting with energy, the film reveals that no matter how grown-up we think we are, we never quite stop craving the love and support of a parent.

A mink walks into a fur store. Fantastic Mr. Fox meets The Shining in this stop-motion cautionary tale of what happens when we don’t think enough about what we buy.

Produced as part of the 10th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.

Randall Finnerty’s name appears in the credits of over a hundred NFB films. With a background in fine arts painting, Randall brings a unique expertise to his role as Technical Specialist in our Animation Studio. Learn more.

Travel back in time and discover some hidden gems with our French collection curator, Marc St-Pierre, as he discusses the wonders of our archive in the latest episode of #NFBPause!

Dealing with what comes naturally since the 1980's! #NFBPause looks at Animal Behaviour, the latest film from Oscar®-winners Alison Snowden and David Fine.

Voicemails get lost and found in space in this thoughtful commentary on the fractured act of communication and the spaces between people trying to express themselves.

Produced as part of the 10th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.

This animated short is the visual enactment of the year-long obstacle course run by a teacher trainee. Rich in humor and anecdote, it is a comedy of educational manners seen through the autobiographical and unflinching eye of the trainee-turned-filmmaker.

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, drawers and even piled up on the stairs. Still, she refuses to even open one up. But when her cat Max accidentally knocks down a huge stack, pandemonium ensues and nothing is ever the same again.

Part of the Talespinners collection, which uses vibrant animation to bring popular children’s stories from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen.

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 Groundreflects the personal experience of discovering different lands and feeling as though one were simultaneously at home and elsewhere. A film from the Alambic collection, a creative lab by the NFB’s French Program Animation Studio that’s designed for emerging filmmakers.

The NFB's 30th Oscar®-nominated film.

In this short animation, adapted from E.B. White's tall tale, we meet a family of seven who live happily in isolation on a small island in Barnetuck Bay. Somehow, word gets out that they are in distress and an ill-conceived rescue attempt makes for some unexpected adventures.

For more background information on this film, please visit the NFB.ca blog.

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 stop-motion cautionary tale examines the discomfort of the human experience when a superstitious outlook becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.