Basé sur un conte folklorique juif adapté par John Lazarus, ce court métrage d’animation raconte la nouvelle vie d'un homme. Las de la vie quotidienne dans son village natal de Chelm, Shmendrik part en quête de connaissances, qui le mènent vers un nouveau Chelm, tellement identique au premier qu'il y retrouve même le caquètement familier des poules. Ce film illustre avec beaucoup de drôlerie notre tendance à fabuler sur ce que nous n'avons pas.
Based on a Jewish folk tale adapted by playwright John Lazarus, this animated short tells the story of Shmendrik, a simpleton living in a small Polish village. Weary of daily life in his native Chelm, Shmendrik sets out on a quest for knowledge that brings him to a new Chelm, a place eerily reminiscent of his old Chelm. An amusing take on our tendency to romanticize what we don't have.
Ce court métrage d'animation 2D raconte l'histoire d'un monstre qui rôde dans une maison, telle une ombre insaisissable venue troubler le sommeil d'un gamin et de ses deux sœurs. Avec une terrifiante habileté, il s'infiltre tour à tour dans leurs pensées pour réveiller leurs plus grandes peurs. Pour l'adolescente, la pire crainte serait de ne pas correspondre à l'idéal de beauté véhiculé par les médias.
D'où viennent ces monstres qui nourrissent leur sentiment d'insécurité? Pourquoi exercent-ils tant de pouvoir? Conçu pour de jeunes spectateurs, ce film d'animation plein d'humour favorisera les échanges sur l'origine des angoisses suscitées par l'image corporelle. Film sans paroles.
While the townspeople in the village square raucously celebrate Christmas, a homeless man rescues a discarded box from the garbage. The box turns out to be magical, and it takes him on a spiritual journey far more fantastic than any of the villagers are likely to experience.
In this animated short, Roch Carrier recounts the most mortifying moment of his childhood. At a time when all his friends worshipped Maurice "Rocket" Richard and wore his number 9 Canadiens hockey jersey, the boy was mistakenly sent a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey from Eaton's. Unable to convince his mother to send it back, he must face his friends wearing the colours of the opposing team. This short film, based on the book The Hockey Sweater, is an NFB classic that appeals to hockey lovers of all ages.
This animated short retells the classic tale of a pretty little girl, her grandmother and a conniving old wolf. Preserving all of its delight, innocence and anticipation, this children’s classic leaps from the storybook to the screen through the magic of animation.
This feature documentary by Jacques Godbout retraces the life of Hubert Aquin, one of Quebec's most brilliant writers. The film revolves around 2 episodes in Aquin's life: the dramatic events leading up to the publication of his first novel, and the anguish of the months preceding his suicide. (Aquin ended his life in 1977.) An unusual montage technique intercuts excerpts from a feature film in which he was the lead actor with the recollections of people who knew him well.
The NFB's 45th Oscar®-nominated film.
This short animation is a zany version of the classic fairy tale, with the leading role played by a mistreated, romantic penguin, with hilarious results. Cinderella Penguin loses her magic flipper as she runs to meet her midnight deadline, but all ends well when Prince Charming finds the right webbed foot and the nasty step-family is brought to heel.
This animated short by Evelyn Lambart is a visual adaptation of the famous Aesop fable "The Lion and the Mouse," in which a mouse proves to a lion that the weak and small may be of help to those much mightier than themselves.
This introspective short animation takes place In the village of Carcross, in the Tagish First Nation. Neighbourhood pillar Grandma Kay tell the local children the tale of how Crow brought fire to people. As the story unfolds, we also meet 12-year-old Tish, an introspective, talented girl who feels drawn to the elder. Here, past and present blend, myth and reality meet, and the metaphor of fire infuses all in a location that lies at the heart of this Native community’s spiritual and cultural memory.
This short animated film illustrates the fable in which the warm sun proves to the cold wind that persuasion is better than force when it comes to making a man remove his coat.
This animated short film is an interpretation of Earle Birney's poem “Trawna Tuh Belvul by Knayjim Psifik.” Using finely crafted cut-out animation, the film retells a memorable experience of the journey from Toronto to Belleville, Ontario.
Ages 9 to 18
English Language Arts - Children's Stories/Fables
Media Education - Film Animation
Warnings: Be mindful of certain anti-Semitic stereotypes that have been portrayed through art in the 20th century.
Based on a Yiddish folk tale, this animated short tells the story of Shmendrik, who lives in the Polish village of Chelm. Discussion and activities will vary depending on the age of the viewer. Some viewers may need to fully discuss what happened in the story, whereas other viewers will be ready to compare this story to folk tales from other cultures. Possible topics to discuss include: Why do stories sometimes make characters out to be complete fools? Is Shmendrik right in thinking that all villages are essentially the same?