To help you navigate this site, we've invited experts and media personalities to make recommendations and offer insights on NFB films.
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A Woman's TouchI love these films. I could invent a unifying thread that binds them together but I love them because they are distinct, each an expression of the unique imagination and artistry of the women who created them. From the meticulously hand-crafted Wild Life by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis, and Soup of the Day by Lynn Smith, to the dark and mysterious My Little Underground by Elise Simard and The End of Pinky by Claire Blanchet, to the hilarious ShowPeace piece Dinner For Two by Janet Perlman and the snappy Orange – done by Sylvie Trouvé in a span of a few weeks as part of the Hothouse mentorship program – they are whimsical and provocative, functional but fun. And they exemplify the kind of filmmaking that is nurtured in the NFB animation studios, where the idea, the medium and the personalities behind the film curl into a singular auteur expression. These filmmakers approach their work with care and courage and a spirit of experimentation that is exciting to witness. Their films are poetry, history, memoire, fable…. …did I mention I love these films? Maral Mohammadian Producer, Animation Studio -
René Jodoin (1920-2015)It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of NFB pioneer animator René Jodoin on January 22, 2015. René Jodoin was born in Hull on December 30, 1920. After graduating from the École des beaux-arts in 1943, he joined the National Film Board, working with Norman McLaren in the Animation Section. Jodoin was among the first generation of filmmakers hired by McLaren at the NFB. Of all the filmmakers in the group, he is undoubtedly the one who was most influenced by McLaren. His flair for innovation and his artisan’s perception of animation were in keeping with the McLaren legacy, as was his unique understanding of what constituted the role of the artist as a civil servant. Like McLaren, Jodoin considered himself an artist working in the interests of society, something that called for rigour but more importantly modesty and awareness of one’s responsibility to the public. As a result, while Jodoin’s work is essentially joyful, it also contains an underlying, yet not overbearing, didactic quality. Jodoin directed just over 10 films. His first was Alouette, co-directed with McLaren (1944). As an experimental filmmaker, he was fascinated by the principles of geometry, which he tackled with an amazing eye for effect. A case in point is his educational film, An Introduction to Jet Motors (1960). Although the subject may seem dry, Jodoin succeeds in making the internal functioning of the machine comprehensible by means of simple forms and choreographed movement. The ease of his style is evident in Dance Squared (1961), Notes on a Triangle (1966), Rectangle and Rectangles (1984), and A Matter of Form (1984), four films intended as introductions to geometry that display a captivating simplicity even though they are based on precise, scientific calculations. In 1966, Jodoin founded the French Program animation studio which he headed until 1977. During that time, he brought together a team of young filmmakers. Taking his cue from his apprenticeship with McLaren, he encouraged experimentation, craftsmanship and diversity. As a producer, he oversaw the making of such memorable films as Wind by Ron Tunis (1972), the Oscar® nominated Monsieur Pointu by André Leduc and Bernard Longpré (1975), and The Bronswik Affair by Robert Awad and André Leduc (1978). Jodoin was also a pioneer. In the early 1970s, he produced the Chansons Contemporaines series, which is now considered to be a precursor to the video clip. Computer-assisted animation experiments were also carried out under his direction, ultimately leading to the production of Hunger by Peter Foldès (1973) a film that won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and was also nominated for an Oscar®. Following his retirement from the NFB in 1985, René Jodoin began experimenting with filmmaking on his home computer. In 2001, the Government of Quebec awarded him the Prix Albert Tessier, given to individuals with outstanding careers in Quebec cinema. -
The NFB celebrates pinscreen animationDid you know that the National Film Board currently owns the world’s only working pinscreen? The pinscreen is a vertical screen fitted with retractable pins that, when lit from the side, cast varying shadows depending on their degree of retraction. The results are stunning animated images with the look of engravings or charcoal drawings. Invented by Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker in the 1930s, the rich legacy of the pinscreen was championed by Alexeieff’s daughter, Svetlana Alexeieff Rockwell, who passed away in January of 2015 at the age of 91. In honour of Svetlana Alexeieff Rockwell’s contributions to the veneration of this innovative and intricate animation technology, we are proud to present a selection of films created with the pinscreen from our collection. Covering a wide range of historical periods, the films in this playlist range from a classic Jacques Drouin meditation on symbolism (Mindscape) to the contemporary short animation Here and the Great Elsewhere by Michèle Lemieux, a film about humanity’s eternal quest for meaning. -
Maurice BlackburnIn 2014, the centennial of the birth of composer and sound designer Maurice Blackburn will provide an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work of this artist who made his mark in the worlds of symphony, opera and film scoring in Quebec and beyond Canada. Maurice Blackburn, son of a sales rep, was born in the suburb of Saint-Roch, Quebec, on May 22, 1914. His father was of Scottish descent while his mother was French-Canadian. Blackburn studied composition at Université Laval in Quebec City. In 1938, he received one of the Jean Lallemand prizes for his orchestral suite, Les Petites Rues du Vieux-Québec. In 1939, he obtained a scholarship from the Quebec government to study in Paris. However, due to the war, he ended up going to the New England Conservatory in Boston for two years. In 1940, he attended lectures given by Igor Stravinsky at Harvard University. In 1941, the NFB gave him his big break: at the request of ethnologist and screenwriter Marius Barbeau, Blackburn composed the score for the film Maple Sugar Time. His talent was recognized by the NFB and Blackburn accepted a permanent position at the Board, leaving Quebec for the NFB studios in Ottawa to work in music and sound montage. In 1943, on his birthday, he married writer and screenwriter Marthe Morissette, a resident of Quebec. Five years later their only daughter, Esther, was born; adding to her family's multiple talents, she became a science fiction writer. In the 1940s and 1950s, Blackburn won two other scholarships to study in Paris, one from the Quebec government and the other from the Royal Society of Canada. In 1968-1969, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him funding to complete his film Ciné-crime. He also planned to start Verbération, based on the poetry of writer Anne Hébert. An electroacoustic work completed in 1970, Verbération features the voices of Monique Mercure and Jean Perraud. Although Blackburn is known more for his work as a film score composer for the NFB (in the three genres of animation, documentary and fiction), the majority of his symphonies and operas were conducted by himself or others for radio and television at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Radio-Canada). Between 1938 and 1980, he composed more than 70 works including two opera buffa (comic operas). In 1956, the NFB’s headquarters moved to Montreal. Blackburn is the only composer in Quebec and Canada who worked in film right from the start of his career until his retirement, i.e. from 1942 until 1979. Blackburn was highly sought after by journalists during his lifetime and is considered to be one of Quebec’s, and Canada's, most important film score composers. More than 414 Blackburn titles are listed in SOCAN's repertoire. : titles from Ti-Coq and Mourir à tue-tête to Festin des Morts and À tout prendre—a Claude Jutra production—and most of the films made by producer and screenwriter Anne Claire Poirier at the NFB come to mind. Various events are being organized in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Montreal to celebrate Blackburn’s centennial, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the NFB. This includes events by the Canadian Music Centre, the CBC, the NFB, the Société québécoise de recherche en musique, the Cinémathèque québécoise in Montreal, the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, City Hall in Quebec City, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, as well as at Ciné Campus in Trois-Rivières. The Petits Chanteurs choir and orchestra in Trois-Rivières has already marked the occasion and the Vocalys choir is getting ready to do so in the fall, as are a number of magazines and newspapers. In 1983, after obtaining several scholarships, winning various competitions and completing his last soundtrack for the animated film Narcissus in cooperation with animator Norman McLaren, Blackburn was awarded the Albert-Tessier prize by the Quebec government. Maurice Blackburn died at Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal hospital on March 29, 1988. -
Tremplin Program - WinnersThis selection brings together the films made by the winners of the National Film Board of Canada's Tremplin program, produced with the collaboration of Radio-Canada. Introduced in 2005 by Studio Acadie, and joined the following year by the Ontario and West Studio, this Canada-wide competition is for emerging filmmakers from Canada's French-speaking minorities looking to make their first or second documentary. For more details, visit NFB.ca/tremplin. -
Michèle Cournoyer - The Art of MetamorphosisMichèle Cournoyer received a Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2017 in recognition of her exceptional career as a leading figure in Canadian and Quebecois animation. Her powerful films are a testament to minimalist, black and white storytelling, that often addresses difficult themes with a singular sense of finesse and humour. Born in 1943 in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, Michèle studied graphic arts, photography, and animation. In the 1970s, she personally directed several experimental and independent short films, while also acting as a decorator, artistic director, costume designer and screenwriter in several Quebec films, such as Gilles Carle's La mort d’un bûcheron (1973) and Mireille Dansereau's L’arrache-cœur (1979) . In 1989, she won the 9th Cinéaste Recherche contest hosted by the NFB French Animation Program, and went on to direct several other prestigious films, such as A Feather Tale (1992), which depicts a cruel game in which love is stripped of its golden glow, Accordion (2004), which was presented in competition at the Cannes Festival and deals with romantic relationships in the era of technological mediation, and her latest film Soif (2009), which deals with alcoholism. Michèle left the NFB in 2009 but her legacy and talent lives on in the playlist below, where we invite you to view her films. -
Extraordinary Ordinary PeopleFor Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation, the NFB is curating portraits of ordinary Canadians with extraordinary stories to tell. Mabel Robinson is a hairdresser in Hubbards, Nova Scotia. At 90 years old, this hairdressing pioneer is still styling up a storm. Kenojuak Ashevak is an Inuit artist. In stone and on sealskins, she recreates the curious creatures that inhabit her world. Ken Carter is a simple man with an epic dream: building a rocket-powered car to jump across the St. Lawrence River. Discover these extraordinary ordinary Canadians and many more in the following film playlist. -
Expo 67: 50+ Years LaterA selection by Albert OhayonWhenever you hear people talking about their experiences at Expo 67, it quickly becomes obvious they have very fond memories of the event. I still remember it like it was yesterday. How could I not? My family immigrated to Canada in early September 1967. We visited Expo 67 during our first few days in Montreal, so the universal exposition was my introduction to this great country. It was also an introduction to Canada for the 50 million other visitors who flocked there between April 27 and October 29--six months and two days to discover “Man and His World” (the Expo 67 theme), which consisted of 90 pavilions from 60 countries (including the USSR) and theme pavilions such as “Man the Explorer” and “Man the Provider.” Our country was front and centre at the world fair, with a Canadian pavilion as well as ones from Quebec, Ontario, Western Canada and the Atlantic Provinces, all welcoming the world. The NFB was also there from the beginning, shooting documentaries on the entire experience and offering visitors a special treat: a giant-screen exhibit known as The Labyrinth. We can’t go back in time (unfortunately), but we’ve compiled this playlist of six films to help you discover (or re-discover) this unique event (I got goosebumps when I saw the Monorail and the People Tree again). Enjoy. -
Annecy WinnersA selection by Albert OhayonThe Annecy International Animated Film Festival is underway in France, taking place June 12 to 17 this year. NFB films have won many awards at this important event – one of the most prestigious animation festivals in the world. Enjoy this rich playlist of some NFB shorts that have been honoured at Annecy over the years. -
Ottawa International Animation Festival Award WinnersA selection by Albert OhayonThe Ottawa International Animated Film Festival will take place from September 25th to 29th 2019. Once again, many important NFB productions will be screened there. NFB films have won many awards at this prestigious event – one of the most important animation festivals in the world. Enjoy this rich playlist of some NFB shorts that have been honoured in Ottawa over the years. -
True North SeriesTake an intimate look at the rise of 5 aspiring athletes in Ryan Sidhoo's nine part docu-series that captures the raw emotion of navigating today’s youth basketball machine. -
Remembering Pepita Ferrari (1952-2018)The National Film Board of Canada deeply mourns the loss of documentary filmmaker, producer and author Pepita Ferrari, who died on December 30 at her home in Lac Brome, at the age of 66. A past Executive Director and board member with the Documentary Organization of Canada, Pepita combined a lifelong passion for documentary storytelling and a deep interest in exploring the performing arts on film. Working with long-time partner Louis Piché, Pepita co-founded Films Piché Ferrari in 1989—a vital source of independent storytelling in Montreal. Pepita and Louis met at Ciné-Groupe when she worked with its animation department in 1987. By 1994, she would direct and co-produce her first documentary at the NFB, By Woman’s Hand, exploring the Beaver Hall Group of Canadian women painters. Three years later, she would direct another NFB documentary on women trailblazers: her film on 19th-century women travellers, The Petticoat Expeditions. Her final directorial project with the NFB was Source, a 2011 short portrait of Margie Gillis, produced in honour of Gillis’s Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. Her most ambitious work with the NFB began in 2007, when she was asked to direct the landmark web and film project Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary, exploring the creative process of over 30 leading documentary filmmakers, which had its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and was nominated for Best Arts Documentary Program or Series at the Gemini Awards. In addition to her leadership role at DOC, Pepita served as a board member at Cinema Politica, a programming jury member at RIDM, and was one of the founders of the Eastern Townships Film Festival, which had a special focus on bringing docs to Eastern Townships audiences. “Documentary filmmaking and the Quebec film community have lost a dear friend. As a writer, producer and filmmaker—and a generous mentor to emerging filmmakers—Pepita was a true champion of documentary cinema. Many of her works focused on the achievements of strong, pioneering women artists—and that is how we will remember Pepita Ferrari,” said NFB Commissioner Claude Joli-Coeur. Pepita’s landmark interactive doc Capturing Reality - companion to the feature film included in this playlist- is being relaunched online January 15. Visit NFB.ca in the coming days for more details. -
Portraits of soldiers in AfghanistanA unique chronicle of the Royal 22e Régiment Shot in March 2011, the film captures the experiences of the Van Doos, the soldiers of the Royal 22e Régiment, during their tour of duty in Afghanistan. This rare footage, together with the soldiers' comments, conveys the complexity of the issues on the ground and sheds light on a little-known reality. -
The 1960s: An Explosion of CreativityA selection by Albert OhayonThe 1960s was a period of great change at the National Film Board (NFB). Filmmakers had embraced direct cinema at the end of the previous decade and would continue to make classic films in this style throughout the 1960s. Animated films would start to win prizes around the world, and the NFB would try its hand at producing feature-length fiction for the first time. Television would play an ever increasing role in the broadcast of NFB films. As in the 1950s, many classic direct cinema films would be made for television. The seminal series Candid Eye would end its run in 1961, but the NFB would continue to produce great direct cinema films such as Colin Low’s The Hutterites for television. The production of feature-length fiction in both English and French came about when filmmakers used the techniques learned in shooting documentary and adapted them to dramatizing events of importance to Canadian society. Don Owen’s Nobody Waved Good-bye started off as a documentary on juvenile delinquency but along the way the filmmaker realized that fiction was the best way to tell this story and shot the film in this way. Experimental film and animated productions really came of age during this decade. NFB filmmakers were recognized around the world for unique styles that contrasted with what was available commercially at the time. Following in the footsteps of animation pioneer Norman McLaren, filmmakers such as Ryan Larkin and Arthur Lipsett gained international reputations for work that refused to conform to conventional filmmaking techniques, thus creating a new type of film. These filmmakers would inspire a generation of Hollywood greats such as Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas. The decade would end with the NFB’s filmmakers tackling society’s problems through the use of film in such series as Challenge for Change. -
The 1950s: Television and the Move to MontrealA selection by Albert OhayonThe National Film Board was affected by two major factors in the 1950s. The first was the advent of television to Canada. The second involved the move of its operational headquarters from Ottawa to Montreal. Both of these events greatly influenced the type of films produced at the NFB. In September 1952, the audiovisual landscape of Canada was greatly changed with the establishment of the first CBC television stations in Toronto and Montreal. The NFB would start to produce content exclusively for this new medium. The On the Spot series would be the NFB’s first foray into TV production. This series would consist of documentaries running 15 minutes on some aspect of life in Canada. The show was eventually expanded to half-an-hour before being replaced by Perspective, which was a mix of documentaries and dramatic productions on contemporary issues in Canada. This series would run until it was replaced by the seminal groundbreaking series of direct cinema documentaries, Candid Eye. Although by 1955, one-half of all production was for television, the NFB continued to make films for its other traditional markets, including documenting the Canadian visit by Princess Elizabeth in 1951 in Royal Journey, which was released to theatres throughout Canada and would eventually be seen by two million people in over 1,200 cinemas across the country. The move from Ottawa to Montreal was not supported by all concerned in the Federal Government. For one thing, one-quarter of the annual program was derived from sponsored films and since the agencies and departments were in Ottawa, it made sense to stay there. Eventually management realized that it made more sense for the NFB to “detach” itself from the ultra conservative public service in Ottawa. They felt that the best way for the NFB to reinvent itself was to remove itself from Ottawa, which would mean, in practical terms, more autonomy. The emergence of direct cinema and the creation of the French Unit and would go a long way in solidifying the NFB’s reputation as a creator of fascinating innovative documentaries. -
Norman McLaren: Hands-on AnimationA selection by Donald McWilliamsJohn Grierson was a complicated man, and he liked to keep people guessing or off-balance. He would make statements like “Art is a hammer” or “Art is a by-product of a job well-done.” But behind those utilitarian pronouncements was a deep love of the arts, particularly painting; and one must not forget that he hired young artists, musicians and writers for his various film units – people such as W.H. Auden, Benjamin Britten, Len Lye and Norman McLaren. In 1941, Grierson brought McLaren to Canada to the new NFB to make animated films related to the war effort, although he assured McLaren that they would not be “hard-sell.” In 1942, Sydney Newman suggested to Grierson that an animation department was needed to provide sequences for NFB documentaries. McLaren was asked to set one up. But there were no animators in Canada. McLaren went around the art schools. From both portfolios and interviews, he chose people he thought had animation potential. And McLaren chose wisely – Grant Munro, René Jodoin, George Dunning were amongst others. There was no money for production line animation à la Hollywood, which delighted McLaren. A central McLaren belief was that in film “how it moved was more important than what moved.” He encouraged his tyros to experiment, and many began working directly under the camera. And so was born an NFB tradition conviction – that animation should be personal, experimental and diverse in technique. To devote his time to his own films, McLaren handed over the direction of the animation studio to Jim Mackay at the end of the war in 1945. In 1967, the animation studio was split into two, one English, one French. The French unit was headed initially by René Jodoin, who continued the McLaren tradition of individualistic animation in a wide range of techniques. That tradition is still alive and well today in both studios and accounts for the enviable universal reputation of NFB animation. McLaren continued to make films until his retirement in 1984, always seeking the new and fearful of repeating himself. Even when repeating a technique, it was with a new wrinkle. For example, McLaren became famous for eschewing the use of the camera and working directly onto film. Sometimes, he would draw with pen and ink, sometimes paint, sometimes he etched into black emulsion-coated film. He also became a master of the optical printer (the film equivalent of Adobe After-Effects). On this machine, he created several films, including the great dance film, Pas de deux. McLaren made trick films with actors who performed with the freedom of cartoon characters. He was also an important pioneer of electronic music. In the late 1930s, he began drawing or scratching directly onto the optical soundtrack area of the film. The result was a new instrument. In time, he developed a system of cards with patterns on them which he photographed directly onto the soundtrack area. Synchromy and Mosaic are two striking examples of this way of making music. In all, McLaren made 60 films. UPDATE: Neighbours has been added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Registry.
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Michael P. Farkas
Top Picks from Michael P. FarkasIn recognition of Black History Month, Michael P. Farkas is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Dalton Higgins Top Picks from Ella Cooper -
Ariel Smith (nēhiyaw)
National Canadian Film DayIt was a pleasure to curate this programme of Indigenous-made NFB films, with support from the REEL CANADA team, in honour of the ninth annual National Canadian Film Day (NCFD). This year, NCFD is spotlighting films by First Nation, Inuit and Métis filmmakers from Canada. This curated programme includes several NFB titles that you will also find on REEL CANADA’S official 2022 NCFD spotlight list, along with a selection of other NFB films produced between 1968 and 1998, all of which hold historical, artistic and cultural significance in the canon of Indigenous cinema in Canada. These works and the filmmakers behind them forged a path for today's generation of Indigenous filmmakers. Indigenous filmmaking in Canada began at the NFB in 1968 with the formation of the “Indian Film Crew” and the release of Willie Dunn’s Ballad of Crowfoot – often referred to as Canada’s first music video. There are so many great titles to discover here. A personal favourite is the inimitable Clint Alberta’s Deep Inside Clint Star – an unforgettable meditation on sex, life, love, abuse and colonial oppression. These titles also demonstrate the great importance of narrative sovereignty for Indigenous media artists. When Indigenous stories are told by Indigenous filmmakers, the result is authentic, self-determined cultural expression and resonant stories that captivate diverse audiences. Enjoy! -
Adam Symansky
Donald Brittain: Writer, filmmaker, storyteller.Working with Brittain Working with Donald Brittain was an adventure. You never knew what each day would bring, and he was a man who believed in the gods of documentary. He knew that on the days when those gods were smiling down on him, magic would happen. But he was also a man who loved to play games. With his love of the military, he would assign rank to his crew and send them off to battle. He recognized the value of games in the creative process. He was a generous filmmaker and was confident enough to accept suggestions from anybody. It's not that he wouldn't be critical, but if you came up with a good idea, he'd use it. And give you full credit. Donald understood that documentary films are made in the cutting room. Every day, he'd go into the editing room and attempt to create structure for his vast amount of footage. And while he was open to suggestions, no one ever knew what direction he planned to take. In those days, all the cutting was done on actual negatives. He'd constantly be going back over his work, and with the most sincere apologies to his cutter, he would insert and remove frames up until the last minute to get the best possible film. Brittain was a diehard Canadian and that coloured all of his work. He knew every stop the CP line made from Montreal to Vancouver. He loved to tackle Canadian history, but only through biography. He wanted to mythologize Canada, and he understood that the best way to do that was through character. He also felt it was his responsibility to punch holes in self-inflated people. So much so that it became a running theme in his films. Writer first, filmmaker second Brittain was a writer first and a filmmaker second. While a shot was being set up, he'd wander off and mumble lines of narration under his breath. He was always trying to work out how to tie everything together, constantly writing the script in his head. He used to spend late nights in the office, working at his typewriter until the words came out just right. And they had to be his words. Heaven forbid he should open a thesaurus. And even though writing didn't always come easily to him, he was good at it. He could paint a scene with words to the extent that you could hear it, smell it. Filmmaking didn't come as naturally to him. In fact, it took 8 or 9 years at the Board before he made a good film. He was hired at the NFB to write the narration for the Canada at War series, and that's where he learned his craft. After that he made Fields of Sacrifice, which is just a brilliant set of poems. Once he got into the groove of making good films, he had a process that was all his own. He would do tons of research, but in the most bizarre way possible. He'd take out books having to do with the period he was filming, but never on the actual subject itself. He was after the surrounding aspects of the story, the historical context in which his story played out. The catch? He rarely did his own research. Rather, he had trusted colleagues and friends do it for him while he read the sports pages… or the comics. Personal favourites One of Brittain's favourite films was Volcano, not only because it got such a big reaction, but because he could identify with Malcolm Lowry. He understood alcoholism. Brittain drank. Sometimes he tried to hide it, but sometimes he was quite open about it. One time, he walked into his hotel room, pointed to a table in the entranceway that housed two bottles of scotch and said, "That's the sign of an alcoholic. You always want to have an unopened bottle, just in case." But while Volcano may have been his favourite, his two most beloved were Paperland and On Guard for Thee, although neither film enjoyed the critical or audience success he had hoped for. Paperland was his way of exacting revenge on an executive producer here at the NFB, while On Guard for Thee, he felt, said something profound about Canada. It was a cautionary tale about loving your police force too much and giving them too much power. As he says in the film, "When everything's secure, no man is safe." And that sentiment pretty much summed up his approach to life. Despite the many years, and many films Brittain directed for the NFB, he never took a job here. He felt if he was tenured, he'd be less creative. He loved baseball, cards and the track too much. He felt that if he had a salary, he would disappear easily into the sidelines of life and never make another film. He had seen it happen to his friends, and he didn't want to follow in that path. So instead, he trudged on and made film after film after film. And as film lovers, we're all the better for it. -
Gil Cardinal
The NFB and Indigenous Filmmaking Through The Years (Ages 15-17)Through its singular and long-standing commitment to Indigenous filmmaking, the National Film Board has been instrumental in providing Canadians a rich cultural resource and legacy: a comprehensive body of films inviting us all to share in the Indigenous experience. Films in This Playlist Include Foster Child Circle of the Sun You Are on Indian Land The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson’s Bay Company Is the Crown at War with Us? Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole The Ballad of Crowfoot -
Thomas Waugh, Ezra Winton, Michael Baker
Challenge for ChangeFor decades, the bulk of the controversial NFB classic film series Challenge for Change/Société nouvelle has been difficult to access. With the launch of the book Challenge for Change: Activist Documentary at the National Film Board of Canada, as well as this continually expanding online playlist, we, the editors of the book, are delighted to connect works such as The Ballad of Crowfoot, The Children of Fogo Island and VTR St-Jacques with literature that examines their artistry and politics. -
Tracy Paulotte
The Fondation Dynastie's top picks, a catalyst for talent in black communitiesIn recognition of Black History Month, The Dynastie Foundation is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Dalton Higgings Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
ByBlacks .com
Top picks from guest curator ByBlacks.comIn recognition of Black History Month, ByBlacks.com is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. At ByBlacks.com, we firmly celebrate Black Canadian history all year round, but February is a particularly important time to reach into the archives of our experience to gain perspective on where we’ve come, what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, and where do we go from here. See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Dalton Higgings Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
Ella Cooper
Top Picks from Ella CooperIn recognition of Black History Month, Ella Cooper is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. Ella Cooper, founder of Black Women Film Canada! See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Dalton Higgins Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
Dalton Higgins
Top Picks from Dalton HigginsIn recognition of Black History Month, Dalton Higgins is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of his top three favourite films from our Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas
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Canada’s Diverse Cultures (Ages 15-17)A selection by Albert OhayonThis playlist is designed to give viewers a glimpse into the immigrant experience in Canada through the eyes of those who lived it, including both the challenges and benefits of integration into mainstream Canadian culture. Films in This Playlist Include Shipbuilder Western Eyes Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada Ted Baryluk’s Grocery Strangers at the Door Earth to Mouth Speakers for the Dead Bronwen & Yaffa (Moving Towards Tolerance) Canada Vignettes: Faces -
The 1960s: An Explosion of CreativityA selection by Albert OhayonThe 1960s was a period of great change at the National Film Board (NFB). Filmmakers had embraced direct cinema at the end of the previous decade and would continue to make classic films in this style throughout the 1960s. Animated films would start to win prizes around the world, and the NFB would try its hand at producing feature-length fiction for the first time. Television would play an ever increasing role in the broadcast of NFB films. As in the 1950s, many classic direct cinema films would be made for television. The seminal series Candid Eye would end its run in 1961, but the NFB would continue to produce great direct cinema films such as Colin Low’s The Hutterites for television. The production of feature-length fiction in both English and French came about when filmmakers used the techniques learned in shooting documentary and adapted them to dramatizing events of importance to Canadian society. Don Owen’s Nobody Waved Good-bye started off as a documentary on juvenile delinquency but along the way the filmmaker realized that fiction was the best way to tell this story and shot the film in this way. Experimental film and animated productions really came of age during this decade. NFB filmmakers were recognized around the world for unique styles that contrasted with what was available commercially at the time. Following in the footsteps of animation pioneer Norman McLaren, filmmakers such as Ryan Larkin and Arthur Lipsett gained international reputations for work that refused to conform to conventional filmmaking techniques, thus creating a new type of film. These filmmakers would inspire a generation of Hollywood greats such as Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas. The decade would end with the NFB’s filmmakers tackling society’s problems through the use of film in such series as Challenge for Change.
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The 1950s: Television and the Move to MontrealA selection by Albert OhayonThe National Film Board was affected by two major factors in the 1950s. The first was the advent of television to Canada. The second involved the move of its operational headquarters from Ottawa to Montreal. Both of these events greatly influenced the type of films produced at the NFB. In September 1952, the audiovisual landscape of Canada was greatly changed with the establishment of the first CBC television stations in Toronto and Montreal. The NFB would start to produce content exclusively for this new medium. The On the Spot series would be the NFB’s first foray into TV production. This series would consist of documentaries running 15 minutes on some aspect of life in Canada. The show was eventually expanded to half-an-hour before being replaced by Perspective, which was a mix of documentaries and dramatic productions on contemporary issues in Canada. This series would run until it was replaced by the seminal groundbreaking series of direct cinema documentaries, Candid Eye. Although by 1955, one-half of all production was for television, the NFB continued to make films for its other traditional markets, including documenting the Canadian visit by Princess Elizabeth in 1951 in Royal Journey, which was released to theatres throughout Canada and would eventually be seen by two million people in over 1,200 cinemas across the country. The move from Ottawa to Montreal was not supported by all concerned in the Federal Government. For one thing, one-quarter of the annual program was derived from sponsored films and since the agencies and departments were in Ottawa, it made sense to stay there. Eventually management realized that it made more sense for the NFB to “detach” itself from the ultra conservative public service in Ottawa. They felt that the best way for the NFB to reinvent itself was to remove itself from Ottawa, which would mean, in practical terms, more autonomy. The emergence of direct cinema and the creation of the French Unit and would go a long way in solidifying the NFB’s reputation as a creator of fascinating innovative documentaries.
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Bill Mason: Beyond the wild, beyond the paddleA selection by Albert OhayonI never met Bill Mason in person. He left the National Film Board shortly after I arrived but I wish I had had the chance to talk to him about his magnificent films. My first contact with his work was the film Cry of the Wild, which I saw over 30 years ago at a movie theatre in Montreal. I remember the word of mouth for it was incredible. There were television ads promoting it, and all the kids in my neighbourhood were dying to see it. The film grossed over $5 million at the North American box office, and Mason would become known as one of the first environmental filmmakers. But Bill Mason is so much more than Cry of the Wild, even though it is the film that he is most often associated with. Born in Winnipeg, Mason worked as a commercial artist before joining the staff of Crawley films in Ottawa, where he contributed to the animated TV series Tales of the Wizard of Oz. In the early 1960s Mason photographed several sequences of an adaptation of Holling C. Holling's children's book Paddle to the Sea. The NFB saw this footage and invited Mason to make a film. The rest, as they say, is history. Mason worked at the NFB for 20 years (he would occasionally take a sabbatical to paint), creating a multitude of films that highlighted his love of the outdoors. These included the Path of the Paddle series, In Search of the Bowhead Whale and Blake. These films often starred himself, his wife and children and his good friend filmmaker Blake James. Mason would go out with his canoe and a portable camera and shoot for several weeks in some inaccessible part of Canada, emerging with spectacular footage. A perfectionist at heart, his films are all meticulously shot, edited and scored. He was not averse to using older footage if it fit his needs. His last film, Waterwalker, includes footage shot over a 12-year period mixed with newer material. Mason also wrote several books about the outdoors including Song of the Paddle to accompany his film of the same name. Anyone who has seen a Mason film can appreciate his ability to convey his great love of nature through his films. You escape the distractions of the city by simply watching one of his films and enjoying the beauty of the wild while being educated at the same time. What a refreshing change from the sterile documentaries of today that barely scratch the surface or seek to shock rather than inform. Mason's films are a celebration of nature devoid of preachy sermons. By the time he made his last film, Mason had decided to devote his energies full-time to his other passion, painting. The fact that his producers were not interested in distributing Waterwalker theatrically must have helped Mason make up his mind. The NFB wanted to sell the film to television, feeling it had a very limited potential in theatres. Mason felt otherwise, explaining that the big screen was the only place to enjoy this type of film. He left the NFB in 1984 and bought the theatrical distribution rights to Waterwalker. He rented a theatre in Ottawa and showed the film to packed houses. It was a huge hit, which led to screenings across the country. Sadly, Mason died of cancer at the young age of 59 on October 29, 1988. His films were such an important part of Canada's culture that Canada Post unveiled a stamp in his honour ten years later. He may be gone, but he lives on through his films, paintings and books. -
10 great films from the last decade that you may not have seenA selection by Albert OhayonWith the first decade of this century coming to an end, many people have decided to compile top 10 lists of just about everything under the sun. To change things around a bit, I thought it would be interesting to focus on 10 films that, for the most part, people have not heard of or seen. My formula for choosing these films is very unscientific: They are 10 films produced between 2000 and 2009 that I thoroughly enjoyed. Socially Responsible Films This decade has seen the NFB put an emphasis on films about the environment, as well as documenting many unique biographies of Canadians. It is in our mandate to make socially responsible films, something we have never shied away from over the last 70 years. We have produced our fair share of investigative films in which we ask difficult questions about important subjects, such as war, cloning, violence against women and children’s rights. A great example of this is War Hospital, which takes an unflinching look at a field hospital in Kenya treating victims of the bloody civil war in Sudan. There’s no narration, but there are some incredible images of dedicated medical workers who make a difference and restore dignity to people stuck in chaos. Environment Our concern for the environment is not new. We have been producing films on the planet’s delicate ecosystems since the 1940s. We continue to inform and present the facts as they are, while suggesting concrete solutions. We have made films on famous Canadians since the NFB was created, and this tradition continues. But we also create films on everyday Canadians making a difference. Salvation highlights the work of the Salvation Army in Toronto. Earth to Mouth shows the owners of a farm dedicated to growing Asian vegetables for the country’s kitchens. Okanagan Dreams focuses on young Quebeckers who go pick fruit in British Columbia. The Future Hopefully the next 10 years will bring many new and outstanding films that will make you think, that will promote discussion and change, and that will entertain you. Enjoy… -
Grant Munro O.C. (1923-2017)A selection by Albert OhayonIt is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of NFB pioneer animator Grant Munro. Born in Winnipeg in 1923, Grant Munro showed talent as a sculptor and flipbook maker while he was still a teenager. He attended the Musgrove School of Art and the Winnipeg School of Art, and earned an honours diploma from the Ontario College of Art in 1944. His teacher, the painter Franklin Carmichael, one of the illustrious Group of Seven, arranged to have Norman McLaren interview Munro’s class for a position in the Animation Unit at the National Film Board. Munro was hired, joining a group that included George Dunning and René Jodoin, both of whom went on to distinguished careers in animation. Quickly establishing himself as a fine animator of paper cut-outs, Munro worked on a number of musical shorts, notably The Three Blind Mice (1946), with Dunning and another neophyte, Bob Verrall. Soon afterward, Jodoin and Munro left the NFB for Mexico with hopes of making films and art there. When film work didn’t pan out, they returned to Ottawa and Munro took a job as a filmstrip artist for Crawley Films. By 1951, Munro was back at the Board, animating instructional films and acting for McLaren on a pixilation project that eventually became the Oscar-winning Neighbours (1952). This film would become arguably the most well-known NFB production of all time, boasting more than 77,000 theatrical bookings worldwide by 1987. In the late 1950s, Munro departed from the NFB again, this time to pursue an animation career in England. After working with Dunning (the future director of Yellow Submarine) for three years at TV Cartoons, Munro rejoined the NFB in 1961. He worked on My Financial Career, a funny take on the Stephen Leacock short story directed by Gerald Potterton (1962). It was nominated for an Oscar, as was Christmas Cracker (1963), a project with Norman McLaren, Jeff Hale and Gerald Potterton that also starred Munro. McLaren and Munro also collaborated on Canon in 1964. Munro made the trick film Toys in 1966 and the anti-smoking comedy Ashes of Doom in 1970, for which he once again played the leading role. He collaborated with McLaren again from 1976 to 1978, on the Animated Motion series, a five-part introduction to basic film animation techniques. He also directed several documentaries, including Boo Hoo (1975) and See You in the Funny Papers (1983). Munro retired from the NFB in 1988 and was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2008.
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Vistas Series (Ages 12-14)Vistas is a series of short films on the subject of nationhood. From Halifax to Vancouver, every production studio in the NFB's English Program participated in this project, resulting in 13 unique films from 13 Aboriginal filmmakers. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Vistas: Button Blanket Vistas: Crossing the Line Vistas: Dancers of the Grass Vistas: Ignition Vistas: Little Thunder Vistas - The Visit Vistas: Trapper Vistas: Wave a Red Flag -
Films for Halloween (Ages 12-14)We put together a collection of NFB films to spook you out for Halloween. Break out the candy and enjoy... though you may want to keep the lights on. Happy Halloween! Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include The Wanderer The Apprentice Madame Tutli-Putli The ErlKing Subservience The Brainwashers Drux Flux Hothouse 5 - Batmilk Afterlife Land of the Heads From Far Away The Burning Times To Be Syrinx Man: The Polluter Sleeping Betty Hothouse 11 - U.F.O. Scant Sanity Hothouse 10 - A Little Craving Shyness The Subject -
Short Films for the Holidays (Ages 9-11)The holidays are the perfect time to snuggle up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a good film. Here are a few films for you and your family to enjoy. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Noel Noel Christmas Cracker An Old Box Teach Me to Dance The Sweater The Great Toy Robbery The Pony The Energy Carol The Days Before Christmas The Story of Christmas -
Canada Day (Ages 12-14)This playlist celebrates Canadians and their stories in a playlist dedicated to our national holiday, Canada Day, which takes place on the first of July. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Finding Farley The Sweater Canada Vignette: The Log Driver’s Waltz Roses Sing on New Snow William Shatner Sings O Canada Bryan Adams: Bare Bones Momentum The Girl Who Hated Books Christopher Changes His Name Maq and the Spirit of the Woods -
Dance and NFB Films (Ages 12-14)Dance, in all its various forms, has long been a subject of NFB films. Using the camera in various ways, these works explore the possibilities of film to the fullest, offering us interpretations of this most precious art form. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Pas de deux Peggy Baker: Four Phrases Flamenco at 5:15 Lock Source Ballet Adagio ORA Narcissus -
Speak Up! (Ages 18+)This eclectic selection of films all have one thing in common—the power of the public voice. From short animation to documentary, these films all tackle this same topic in different, engaging ways. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Unheralded Speak It! From the Heart of Black Nova Scotia From Baghdad to Peace Country Bronwen and Yaffa (Moving Towards Tolerance) Through a Blue Lens Hannah’s Story Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada Redskins, Tricksters and Puppy Stew Trawna Tuh Belvul Encounter with Saul Alinksy, Part 2: Rama Indian Reserve You Are on Indian Land My Name is Kahentiiosta 24 Days in Brooks Democracy a la Maude Invasion of the Space Lobsters Tommy Douglas: Keeper of the Flame Action: The October Crisis of 1970 V.T.R. Rosedale Unwanted Soldiers Black Soul -
World War I Armistice (Ages 12-14)A selection by Albert OhayonThis playlist commemorates Remembrance Day and all the implications it entails, including the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers whose efforts allowed us to live in peace and security. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include John McCrae’s War: In Flanders Fields Fields of Sacrifice Front Lines – Faith and Hope Front Lines – Nurses at the Front Front Lines – The Life of a Soldier Front Lines – The Officer’s Role Front Lines – The Trenches George P. Vanier: Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General And We Knew How to Dance: Women in World War I Airplane Casualties Battle of Arras 3 Canadians Advance Near Cambrai 3 The Van Doos, One Hundred Years with the Royal 22e Regiment -
LGBTQIA2+ Playlist (Ages 15-17)The purpose of this playlist is to provide people within the LBGTQIA2+ community a way to see themselves represented on screen while introducing those outside the community to the issues faced every day. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Twitch Pepper I Still Love Them Last Chance Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives Open Secrets When Love is Gay Cure for Love John and Michael Doctors with Heart -
United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Ages 15-17)A selection by Albert OhayonThis playlist brings together films that promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities. Films in This Playlist Include Shameless: The ART of Disability John and Michael Bearing Witness: Luke Melchior Citizen Sam Petra’s Poem Toward Intimacy Between the Laughter My Friends Call Me Tony Two Sisters All About Kids A Child Unlike Any Other Acting Blind I’ll Find a Way -
The Role of the English Community in Quebec (Ages 18+)This playlist features some of the most important NFB films about Montreal’s English-speaking community. From documentaries on the history of this community to portraits of its world-renowned artists, these films paint a picture of a thriving culture in constant evolution. -
Human Rights (Ages 12-14)A selection by Albert OhayonThis playlist deals with the inalienable, fundamental rights that all persons are entitled to, regardless of race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, family status, or disability. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Fat Chance The Tree That Remembers The Colour of Beauty Every Child Last Chance Opre Roma: Gypsies in Canada Finding Dawn Status Quo: The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada Who Cares 19 Days -
100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (Ages 12-14)The battle of Vimy Ridge represents a turning point in the First World War, but the price of victory was steep. This playlist explores both the battle itself, and the tragic loss felt afterwards. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include The Trenches Vimy-Ridge Battle of Arras 3 -
Oscar WinnersHere is a list of Oscar-winning films produced by the NFB. Each of these nine films is remarkable in its own way and you can watch them all online for free. NFB filmmakers have won a few Academy Awards over the years - 12 to be exact. From the astounding Churchill's Island, a gruelling portrait of the Second World War and winner of the first documentary Oscar® ever, to Flamenco at 5:15, a visual and emotional thriller about the art of Flamenco dancing, to Ryan, Chris Landreth's intimate animated interview with the talented Ryan Larkin. Each of these films breaks down barriers and finds new and exciting ways to tell stories. Watch them now. -
How Do They...?Everybody loves a good "how-to" film. Here we've assembled a selection of short films demonstrating how to do everything from getting the centres in chocolates to recycling paper. And as an added bonus, we've included the timeless classic, How to Build an Igloo. -
David Bryant (Godspeed You! Black Emperor)A selection by David BryantIn Quiet Zone, David Bryant and Karl Lemieux take us deep into the world of those who suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. These “wave refugees” settled in West Virginia around the Green Bank observatory, in an area known as the National Radio Quiet Zone. Combining elements of documentary, film essay and experimental film, Quiet Zone defies genres, weaving together an unusual story in which sound and image distort reality to make the distress and suffering of these people palpable. Through the use of complex imagery and sound, mind-blowing cinematic moments are born – moments of grace during which viewers witness electromagnetic waves take shape in the environment, travel through walls and invade spaces with their powerful vibrations. Known for their work in the musical group Godspeed You! Black Emperor, David Bryant and Karl Lemieux produced a striking piece of sensory genius. To mark the film's launch on NFB.ca, musician, recordist and sound designer David Bryant shared with us some of his favourite NFB films, along with personal notes explaining his picks. Discover them below. -
Maurice BlackburnIn 2014, the centennial of the birth of composer and sound designer Maurice Blackburn will provide an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work of this artist who made his mark in the worlds of symphony, opera and film scoring in Quebec and beyond Canada. Maurice Blackburn, son of a sales rep, was born in the suburb of Saint-Roch, Quebec, on May 22, 1914. His father was of Scottish descent while his mother was French-Canadian. Blackburn studied composition at Université Laval in Quebec City. In 1938, he received one of the Jean Lallemand prizes for his orchestral suite, Les Petites Rues du Vieux-Québec. In 1939, he obtained a scholarship from the Quebec government to study in Paris. However, due to the war, he ended up going to the New England Conservatory in Boston for two years. In 1940, he attended lectures given by Igor Stravinsky at Harvard University. In 1941, the NFB gave him his big break: at the request of ethnologist and screenwriter Marius Barbeau, Blackburn composed the score for the film Maple Sugar Time. His talent was recognized by the NFB and Blackburn accepted a permanent position at the Board, leaving Quebec for the NFB studios in Ottawa to work in music and sound montage. In 1943, on his birthday, he married writer and screenwriter Marthe Morissette, a resident of Quebec. Five years later their only daughter, Esther, was born; adding to her family's multiple talents, she became a science fiction writer. In the 1940s and 1950s, Blackburn won two other scholarships to study in Paris, one from the Quebec government and the other from the Royal Society of Canada. In 1968-1969, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him funding to complete his film Ciné-crime. He also planned to start Verbération, based on the poetry of writer Anne Hébert. An electroacoustic work completed in 1970, Verbération features the voices of Monique Mercure and Jean Perraud. Although Blackburn is known more for his work as a film score composer for the NFB (in the three genres of animation, documentary and fiction), the majority of his symphonies and operas were conducted by himself or others for radio and television at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Radio-Canada). Between 1938 and 1980, he composed more than 70 works including two opera buffa (comic operas). In 1956, the NFB’s headquarters moved to Montreal. Blackburn is the only composer in Quebec and Canada who worked in film right from the start of his career until his retirement, i.e. from 1942 until 1979. Blackburn was highly sought after by journalists during his lifetime and is considered to be one of Quebec’s, and Canada's, most important film score composers. More than 414 Blackburn titles are listed in SOCAN's repertoire. : titles from Ti-Coq and Mourir à tue-tête to Festin des Morts and À tout prendre—a Claude Jutra production—and most of the films made by producer and screenwriter Anne Claire Poirier at the NFB come to mind. Various events are being organized in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Montreal to celebrate Blackburn’s centennial, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the NFB. This includes events by the Canadian Music Centre, the CBC, the NFB, the Société québécoise de recherche en musique, the Cinémathèque québécoise in Montreal, the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, City Hall in Quebec City, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, as well as at Ciné Campus in Trois-Rivières. The Petits Chanteurs choir and orchestra in Trois-Rivières has already marked the occasion and the Vocalys choir is getting ready to do so in the fall, as are a number of magazines and newspapers. In 1983, after obtaining several scholarships, winning various competitions and completing his last soundtrack for the animated film Narcissus in cooperation with animator Norman McLaren, Blackburn was awarded the Albert-Tessier prize by the Quebec government. Maurice Blackburn died at Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal hospital on March 29, 1988.