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Manitoba as Seen by NFB Filmmakers
This selection of films from Manitoba spans 90+ years and takes viewers on a deep dive into the lives and experiences of the province’s distinctive communities.
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Modern GooseKarsten Wall 2022 22 minAble to navigate by reading the Earth’s magnetic field, at home on land, air and water, geese straddle the territory between ancient instincts and the contemporary world. Combining beauty, humour and profound empathy, director Karsten Wall’s exquisitely observed film essay embeds in the daily life of these iconic animals to reveal a deeper message of continuity and connection. -
Our People Will Be HealedAlanis Obomsawin 2017 1 h 36 minOur People Will Be Healed, Alanis Obomsawin’s 50th film, reveals how a Cree community in Manitoba has been enriched through the power of education. The Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Education Resource Centre in Norway House, north of Winnipeg, receives a level of funding that few other Indigenous institutions enjoy. Its teachers help their students to develop their abilities and their sense of pride.
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First Stories - Nganawendaanan Nde'ing (I Keep Them in My Heart)Shannon Letandre 2006 6 minIn this short documentary, filmmaker Shannon Letandre examines the importance of traditional knowledge and how it can be shared from generation to generation. First Stories is an emerging filmmaker program for Indigenous youth which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Produced in association with CBC, APTN, SCN, SaskFilm and MANITOBA FILM & SOUND.
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On Strike: The Winnipeg General Strike, 1919Joe MacDonald & Clare Johnstone Gilsig 1991 19 minThe dramatic story of the Winnipeg General Strike in 1919 told through the recollections of the men and women who were there. This presentation traces the events leading up to the strike; the issues, the personalities and the divisions among the people of Winnipeg. It culminates with the riot of June 21, 1919 in which death and serious injury resulted.
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Ted Baryluk's GroceryJohn Paskievich & Michael Mirus 1982 10 minThis short documentary profiles Ukrainian-Canadian Ted Baryluk, whose grocery store has been a fixture in Winnipeg's North End for over 20 years. In this photo study, Ted talks about his store, the customers who have come and gone and the social changes his multicultural neighbourhood has seen. But most of all he wonders what will become of his store after he retires. He hopes his daughter will take over, but she wants to move away. The film is a wistful rendering of a shopkeeper's relationship with his daughter and a fascinating portrait of a neighbourhood and its inhabitants.
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Some Natives of ChurchillCynthia Scott 1973 27 minThis short documentary zooms in on Churchill, Manitoba, on the western curve of Hudson Bay. The town boomed for a while after it became the railhead seaport for the shipment of Prairie grain. It also changed the way of life of the First Nations and Inuit population. "Four levels of government," says one, "and the town's biggest industry is the liquor store." In this film, local inhabitants say what they think of the changes and why they decided to stay when others moved on.
Please note that this is an archival film that makes use of the word “Eskimo,” an outdated and offensive term. While the origin of the word is a matter of some contention, it is no longer used in Canada. The term was formally rejected by the Inuit Circumpolar Council in 1980 and has subsequently not been in use at the NFB for decades. This film is therefore a time-capsule of a bygone era, presented in its original version. The NFB apologizes for the offence caused. -
John Hirsch: A Portrait of a Man and a TheatreMort Ransen 1965 28 minJohn Hirsch's infectious enthusiasm led to the creation of the Manitoba Theatre Centre. This film is about his passion for theatre and its contribution to the city of Winnipeg.
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Winnipeg Ballet1953 15 minFred Davis goes backstage at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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Listen to the PrairiesGudrun Parker 1945 21 minThis short documentary follows Manitoba's annual Musical Festival, profiling several of the young people whose talents made the festival a leading event in the Canada of the mid-20th century. Featuring boys' and girls' choirs, violin and piano solos, an excerpt from Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, and songs by a soprano and a contralto, the film is an idyllic and melodic portrait the prairies of over half a century ago.
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Beaver Family1931 14 minA short silent film portraying Grey Owl, the famous conservationist, and a family of beavers who would come when he called and take food from his hand without the slightest fear. The film is set in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba. The story of Grey Owl's life was the subject of a 1999 feature film starring Pierce Brosnan.
