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Available in English Options
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Country Fairs1962 27 minFor farm folk it is a day of judgment, for town folk a day of fun, in the Eastern Townships of Québec. Drum majorettes and cattle shows, pipes and drums and homemade pickles--the country fair has something for everyone, and in this film the probing camera is everywhere to capture its essence to the full. -
Ghosts of the SeaVirginia Tangvald 2024 1 h 37 minWhile searching for clues about the death of her brother, who was lost at sea, Virginia Tangvald embarks on a fascinating investigation into her family’s dark secrets. Calling into question the idyllic life of her father, legendary sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest dismantles the myth of absolute freedom and offers the hope that a toxic cycle has been broken.
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La QuébécoiseLes Nirenberg 1972 27 minThe French-Canadian woman is no longer without legal rights and career opportunities. Speaking of the struggle to bring about change, the evolving role of women in Québec society, and the challenges still ahead are Senator Thérèse Casgrain, Judge Réjane Colas, a nun, a Playboy bunny, and several feminists.
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The Tribal MindTorben Schioler 1994 51 minSouth Africa isn't the only society where racial and tribal identity have profoundly marked the way people live together--it's just one very striking example. Against a backdrop of ongoing violence, a new breed of South Africans are rising above old tribal reflexes as they struggle towards real democracy. Initiatives in South Africa may well provide models to the larger world where old tribal politics of narrow self-interest continue to wreak havoc. But is the rest of the world prepared to relinquish its own tribes? Is there enough time? Some scenes contain explicit language. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Man Against a FungusMaurice Constant 1955 38 minThis film dramatically portrays a struggle that is waged annually in wheat-growing areas--man against the wheat rust fungus. Views of the destruction caused during rust epidemics emphasize the urgency with which plant pathologists are endeavoring to breed resistant wheats and, eventually, to annihilate the blight. Animation, time-lapse photography and cinephotomicrography illustrate the life cycle of the fungus and the complex alternation of generations which poses one of the chief problems.
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Une Job Steady ... Un Bon BossIan McLaren 1972 27 minAsk any French-Canadian who tells the funniest stories, and he'll say with a chuckle, Yvon Deschamps. Now big box-office, Deschamps grew up in Montréal's inner city where, he says, mothers didn't speak, they just hit. Here he is, on and off stage, quipping, haranguing with irreverent wit--the very embodiment of Québecois humour and its unique slant on life.
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The Bomb Under the WorldWerner Volkmer 1994 51 minAn ornately decorated elephant leads a parade through an Indian village. A religious holiday? No, a promotional campaign for soap. Consumer society is coming, and India's growing population is looking westward, demanding the same goods and a similar living standard. And why shouldn't they? But what are the broader consequences of Western-style consumerism taking hold in large developing countries?
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Afghan ChroniclesDominic Morissette 2007 52 minThis feature documentary looks at democracy, freedom of speech and nation rebuilding in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. With a radio station and 2 magazines - one of them aimed at women - the press agency Killid Media is a real media phenomenon. As it follows the distribution of these popular magazines across Kabul, this film shows the struggles within this changing society and paints a touching picture of a land that is a work in progress, dreaming of a better future.
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Le Devoir, Part 1: 1910-1945, Do What You MustHugues Poulin & Jean-V. Dufresne 1973 27 min"Fais ce que dois" (Do what you must) was the motto Henri Bourassa gave to the newspaper he founded in 1910. An attitude of vigorous independence has characterized the Montréal daily ever since. This film and the following one examine Le Devoir's influence over the years, how it has interpreted and treated local, national and world issues--the wartime conscription question, for example. Interviewed in Part 1 is the founder's daughter, Anne Bourassa.
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United States of AfricaYanick Létourneau 2011 1 h 15 minAfrican hip hop pioneer Didier Awadi is on a quest to craft an album that pays tribute to the great black revolutionary leaders and their struggle to realize a dream: a united, independent Africa. In this epic musical and political journey, Awadi visits some 40 countries to collaborate with hip hop activist artists, including Smockey (Burkina Faso), M-1 of Dead Prez (United States) and ZuluBoy (South Africa).
Featuring a score by Ghislain Poirier, as well as Awadi’s own songs, United States of Africa draws the viewer into one artist’s profound meditation on the power of music and the impact of political engagement—both individual and collective. A hopeful and compelling portrait of a continent whose politically aware youth is refusing to accept the role of victim, the film is a call for Africans to rise up, take a stand and take control of their continent and their destiny. -
Le Devoir, Part 2: 1945-1973, The Quiet RevolutionHugues Poulin & Jean-V. Dufresne 1973 26 minThe Duplessis years, labour violence, the far-reaching policies of Jean Lesage, the B&B Commission, the emergence of the Parti Québécois, the FLQ and the October Crisis of 1970--these were tense times fraught with change. Commenting on their significance and on Le Devoir's involvement is a roster of eminent spokesmen: political leaders, historians, writers, journalists, and Le Devoir's renowned editor-publisher, Claude Ryan.
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Your Country, My CountryMarquise Lepage 1993 6 minEnglish version of a film about a friendship between two ten-year-old Montréal schoolkids. She is black and serious, he is white and rather nonchalant, and they look at life in different ways!
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Wandering Spirit Survival SchoolMarvin Midwicki , Les Holdway , … 1978 27 minThis school, organized by concerned parents, broke with tradition by introducing subjects that are of particular relevance to its pupils. Traditional Indigenous stories, traditions, languages and crafts balance the program of academic subjects required by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The experience of the children at Wandering Spirit is contrasted with the very different life experienced by their parents, educated in the old residential schools.
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Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada - Episode 2 - LanguageDan Moscrip 1999 27 minThrough interviews with new Canadians and supporting dramatizations, episode 2 looks at the trials and successes of newcomers struggling to learn one or both of Canada's official languages. Language, immigrants stress, is of major importance since the ability to communicate in English and/or French affects employment, social integration and acceptance. Without the necessary language skills, immigrants with academic or professional credentials often find themselves doing menial jobs. In some cases, newcomers are exploited by members of their own ethnic community. Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada is a 4-part series that reveals the challenges faced by immigrants who leave all they know to make a new home in Canada. The aim of this series, as the title suggests, is for viewers to walk that symbolic mile in the others' shoes and to more readily show understanding and tolerance of the immigrant experience in Canada.
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Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada - Episode 3 - DiscriminationDan Moscrip 1999 27 minCanada espouses the concept of a cultural mosaic, where ethnic and cultural diversity is respected. In episode 3, immigrant Canadians share their experience of this mosaic, presenting realities that do not always coincide with official policy. Many newcomers, especially visible minorities, encounter discrimination in imployment, housing and social acceptance. This film also addresses the experiences of refugees seeking asylum in Canada. Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada is a 4-part series that reveals the challenges faced by immigrants who leave all they know to make a new home in Canada. The aim of this series, as the title suggests, is for viewers to walk that symbolic mile in the others' shoes and to more readily show understanding and tolerance of the immigrant experience in Canada.
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Eye Witness No. 601953 10 minTomorrow's Officers: At Le Collège Militaire Royal de St-Jean, young recruits become mentally and physically equipped to assume future military leadership. This Unseen World: Photomicrography and time-lapse sequences reveal some of the strange growth processes under the water and soil surface. Scientists Uncover Prehistoric Alberta: In the Badlands of Alberta, paleontologists dig for the fossilized remains of prehistoric monsters that once roamed this area.
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Sing a Little1951 9 minPuppet animation illustrates three songs sung by Alan Mills in his CBC studio: The Farmer's Cursed Wife, Barbara Allen, and Jack the Sailor.
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Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada - Episode 4 - EmploymentDan Moscrip 1999 27 minThis final segment looks at the challenges newcomers face finding employment. The problem of having credentials recognized in a new country is explored. Immigrants with job training and skills cannot always work in their field of expertise since Canadian professional associations may not recognize their qualifications. An added difficulty surrounding employment arises from traditional gender roles where the man is expected to be the bread winner. Newcomers may have to adjust to new roles that disrupt family life. The problem posed by lack of job experience in Canada is also addressed. Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada is a 4-part series that reveals the challenges faced by immigrants who leave all they know to make a new home in Canada. The aim of this series, as the title suggests, is for viewers to walk that symbolic mile in the others' shoes and to more readily show understanding and tolerance of the immigrant experience in Canada.
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Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada - Episode 1 - IdentityDan Moscrip 1999 26 minThis episode puts a human face on the immigrant experience. Newcomers tell us why they have come to Canada and talk about how this move has affected their sense of identity. Families also discuss the conflicts between generations that immigration can cause. Walk a Mile: The Immigrant Experience in Canada is a 4-part series that reveals the challenges faced by immigrants who leave all they know to make a new home in Canada. The aim of this series, as the title suggests, is for viewers to walk that symbolic mile in the others' shoes and to more readily show understanding and tolerance of the immigrant experience in Canada.
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BloomFanie Pelletier 2022 1 h 24 minThrough moments in the lives of three groups of girls, images gleaned from the web and live streams of young women around the world, Bloom delves into the world of today's teenage girls. We delicately observe a hyper-connected but lonely generation inhabited by great lucidity, an inner struggle with self-image obsession, and a need for self-affirmation in the face of a complex sense of alienation.
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The Lost Garden: The Life and Cinema of Alice Guy-BlachéMarquise Lepage 1995 52 minThis feature documentary is a portrait of Alice Guy-Blaché, one of cinema's most fearless pioneers. A filmmaker before the word even existed, Guy-Blaché made her first film at the end of the last century, when cinema was still brand-new. After directing, producing and writing more than 700 films, she slipped into oblivion. This film rescues her brave and shining memory.
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Cano, Notes on a Collective ExperienceJacques Ménard 1979 1 h 29 minPortrait of a group of rock musicians living in Ontario who sing in both English and French. They live and create collectively. The film shows them on the road, on stage, in hotel rooms and in the recording studio. What differentiates them from other musicians is their strong sense of sharing, whether it be of the limelight, their talent, their creativity, or their income. The star system does not exist for them.
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Speaking Our PeaceTerre Nash & Bonnie Sherr Klein 1985 55 minFilmed in Canada, Britain and the U.S.S.R., this hour-long documentary focuses on local and international peace initiatives by women. Featured in the film are Rosalie Bertell, Marion Dewar, Muriel Duckworth, Ursula M. Franklin, Darlene Keju, Margaret Laurence, Solanges Vincent and Kathleen Wallace-Deering. In interviews and in encounters with Soviet women, they outline their views on war and peace. The film includes scenes of women in mass demonstrations at Litton Systems Canada and at Greenham Common in England, as well as footage of ordinary citizens who must live with the health and environmental problems caused by uranium mining and nuclear weapons testing.
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Johnny OsbourneGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 18 minBefore gaining international recognition as the “Dancehall Godfather,” legendary singer Johnny Osbourne was at the forefront of a revolution that transformed Toronto into one of the most influential reggae communities in the world.
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Roy & YvonneGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minRoy Panton and Yvonne Harrison made history as one of the first Jamaican ska duos. Decades after going their separate ways, the pair rekindle their magic—this time, 3,000 kilometres north, in Scarborough, Ontario.
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Nana McLeanGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minAgainst the changing face of Toronto’s Little Jamaica, where she established some of the city’s landmark reggae record stores, singer Nana McLean challenges outdated stereotypes and establishes her reputation as the queen of Reggae in Canada.
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Jerry Brown’s Summer RecordsGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minJerry Brown’s Summer Records was one of the first recording studios to give Canadian reggae artists a voice. Four decades later, never-before-seen footage lets us meet the man behind the mixer for the very first time.
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Leroy SibblesGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 17 minIn Trench Town—the birthplace of reggae—Leroy Sibbles rose to stardom as the lead singer of The Heptones and the undisputed king of the reggae bassline. Then, at the height of his career, he left it all behind to create a new legacy for himself in Toronto.
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A Quiet WaveBarry Perles 1971 20 minFor some people it is the later years that release the passion and confidence for self-expression in the arts. This film shows one of them, Cecil Richards, close to his seventieth year, who spends his time working alone at his Lakefield, Ontario, retreat, in what he calls the "honest" media of sculpture--wood, clay, stone and bronze. For anyone interested in the nature of an artist and his inspiration, here is a relaxed, absorbing study.
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The SaddlemakerGrant Crabtree 1961 16 minFrom Alberta's cowboy country, a story of a young girl's first love, a saddle. Every saddle that leaves Felmer Eamor's shop becomes a proud possession. In this film you sympathize with a fourteen-year-old girl's wish to have such a saddle, and the bluff she pulls to get it.
