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Dinner's Ready?
Films that will make you want to sit down to eat!
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Wild Rice Harvest KenoraAlanis Obomsawin 1979 1 minWild rice is an important source of food and revenue for many Anishinaabe people, who sometimes travel hundreds of kilometres to harvest the grain in the region around Kenora, Ontario. Directed by Alanis Obomsawin as part of the Canada Vignettes series. -
The Art of EatingDouglas Jackson 1976 10 minThis short documentary highlights one of the biannual dinners at Club Prosper Montagné, a leading international gastronomic society. While elaborate dishes are served with great pomp, we meet Québec’s Chef of the year Marcel Kretz, who is coordinating the feast from the kitchen of Hotel La Sapinière, in the Laurentians.
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ZeaAndré Leduc & Jean-Jacques Leduc 1981 5 minA superb visual trick that will mystify its audience, this animated film transforms the commonplace into magic.
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ImpromptuBruce Alcock 2013 10 minThis short animation takes a look at the redemptive power of food, wine, music and love through the eyes of our protagonist, Chuck. A husband and father, Chuck is jovially cooking dinner and listening to Chopin when his wife Sylvie spontaneously invites a group of boisterous colleagues over for dinner. The festivities begin to spiral out of control, and Chuck must find his way through a planned diner à deux that has turned into pandemonium. Filmmaker Bruce Alcock follows the fine tradition of beloved food films such as Babette’s Feast, using the preparation of a meal as a vehicle for exploring the grand themes of love and life through simple yet evocative line drawings.
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Make Potato Chips?Don White 1997 4 minHow Do They Make Potato Chips? is one of a series of short and snappy videos that reveal the mysteries behind everyday things. Almost every child likes to eat potato chips and will love to learn how they're made. (Bet you can't watch this video just once!)
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Island GreenMillefiore Clarkes 2013 25 minThis short documentary takes a look at the changing face of PEI's agricultural industry. Once famous for its spuds and red mud, this tiny island province now has higher than average cancer and respiratory illness rates. Is there a link to industrialized farming? Rather than dwelling on PEI’s worrisome monocropping practices, Island Green dares to ask: What if PEI went entirely organic?
The stirring words of PEI-born poet Tanya Davis are coupled with beautiful imagery and poignant stories from the island’s small but growing community of organic farmers, reminding us that we can rob the land only so much before it robs us of the nourishment we need for life. Island Green is ultimately a story of hope and healthy promise. -
Put the Centres in Chocolates?Don White 1997 4 minHow Do They Put the Centres in Chocolates? is one of a series of short films that reveal the mysteries of how things are made. Viewers are taken on a visit to the factory to see how a whole variety of chocolate treats are produced.
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A Monk's SecretYves Étienne Massicotte 2009 27 minThis short documentary tells the story of a cheese—the famous Oka—and of the monks who make it. The Trappists in Oka, Quebec, began making the cheese around 1890, when a Trappist monk from France taught them the recipe, which dates back to the 11th century. Today, Brother Albéric continues to make the cheese at an abbey in Manitoba according to traditional methods and a secret recipe written in a mysterious notebook.
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The Fishing RodIris Boudreau & Francis Papillon 2019 2 minCathon has a new best friend—Ruben the goldfish. Iris’s latest hobby is fishing. A fine kettle of fish to be sure. The fishing rod is an amazing piece of gear, but where did it come from?
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Roses Sing on New SnowYuan Zhang 2002 7 minIn this animated short, based on a story by Paul Yee, Maylin cooks mouth-watering meals at her father's restaurant in Chinatown, but her father and brothers take all the credit. When a dignitary from China visits and tastes one her dishes, Maylin finally earns recognition.
This film is 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. -
The BreadCathon , Iris Boudreau , … 2019 2 minCathon bakes Iris a very special kind of bread for her birthday, and pretty soon the two friends have gone down the rabbit hole, in search of the origins of bread. They even tell the tale of a whole army sculpted from bread.
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Turning TidesMathieu D'Astous 2007 24 minIn this documentary short, summer trippers line up for the famous local fried clams and whole families dig for the white mollusc in the tangy air of the sandbars. But as the clams dwindle, so do these tableaux from Maritime culture. For commercial fishermen it's the end of a livelihood; for others, it's the death of a tradition. Can this really be the end of a resource that used to be as plentiful as the air we breathe? In French with English subtitles.
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Make Oatmeal Cookies?Winston Washington Moxam 1999 4 minThis short film reveals the story behind oatmeal cookies, from the farmer's field to fresh from the oven. Without words.
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Soup of the DayLynn Smith 2013 3 minThis animated short presents a dilemma faced by a couple every time they go out to eat. Will their culinary differences douse the flames of romance, or will love prevail? Set to a rollicking doo-wop song by Canadian songwriter Alexander (Zander) Ary, the film brings Lynn Smith's gouache paintings to life as she animates directly under the camera. This short is a tasty comic narrative that skips along an array of tantalizing dishes. Vocalists Susie Arioli and Zander Ary each bring a unique interpretation to this funny, charming song.
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Pierogi pincéKiarra Albina 2010 1 minAs a young woman finds herself lost in daydreams while clumsily performing the tradition of making pierogies, she invokes the presence of her grandmother, who guides her through the messy ritual. The film is a fusion of hand-drawn animation, folk art and stereoscopic drawings made in space, by Calgary illustrator and filmmaker Kiarra Albina.
Produced as part of the 6th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. -
Lady Fishbourne's Complete Guide to Better Table MannersJanet Perlman 1976 5 minThis short animation features four guests of curious demeanour who commit unforgivable acts at the dining table. Food flies everywhere while the guests prop their feet up and talk with their mouths full. Thankfully, Lady Fishbourne’s eating etiquette instructions will show these dinner party misfits the error of their ways.
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Rice HarvestNorma Bailey & Bob Lower 1980 11 minThis short documentary explores how the First Nations staple of wild rice is exported as a luxury food thanks in part to bush pilots. Follow the families of the Pauingassi band as they comb the reedy shores with brooms, paddles and baskets for manomim (wild rice).
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Au Chic Resto PopTahani Rached 1991 1 h 24 minThis feature-length film about poverty in Montreal is set against a soundtrack that includes rap, blues, rock, and country and western music. The film deals with the universal themes of hunger, hope and love and is named after an actual Montreal restaurant that's been serving those in need for over 25 years. In French with English subtitles.
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PirouetteTali 2002 9 minIf we are what we eat, then we are having an identity crisis. Because food's journey from farm to plate is a strange one. An old woman has a simple relationship with her animals: she loves them, kills them, eats them. In town, people are first fascinated, then repulsed, by the intimacy between the old woman and their food. A film without words.
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My Urban GardenPolly Bennell 1984 26 minIn this short film, Halifax gardener Carol Bowlby harvests a mouth-watering crop from her small backyard plot. In considering soil quality, lack of space and a short growing season challenges rather than obstacles, she offers a wealth of practical growing tips for urban gardeners. By heeding Bowlby's advice, bountiful organic gardens work equally well on apartment balconies, in small or large city lots or in a rural setting.
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Earth to MouthYung Chang 2002 41 minFilmed at the Wing Fong Farm in Ontario, this documentary follows the tilling, planting and harvesting of Asian vegetables destined for Chinese markets and restaurants. On 80 acres of land, Lau King-Fai, her son and a half-dozen migrant Mexican workers care for the plants. For Yeung Kwan, her son, the farm represents personal and financial independence. For his mother, it is an oasis of peace. For the Mexican workers, it provides jobs that help support their children back home.
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InfusionAmélie Gosselin 2010 17 minIn Acadie, the only “real” tea is King Cole, blended in New Brunswick for the past 100 years. Traditionally drunk with a spot of Carnation condensed milk, it recalls simpler days when people would take the time to stop and smell… the tea.
Infusion is a playful look at this tradition, its many symbols, and the memories it stirs. Some say a cup of tea promotes frank discussion and helps clear up misunderstandings; others swear they can read the future in the leaves left at the bottom. Perhaps there really is something magical about tea…
