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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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Nature and Wildlife (Ages 9-11)Animals, both wild and domestic, are endlessly fascinating. They amuse us, educate us, and often tug at our heart strings. No matter whether you like dogs, cats, horses, wolves, or whales, there’s an animal documentary just waiting for you. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Canaries to Clydesdales Caribou of Norther Canada Cry of the Wild Return of the Swift Fox Being Caribou The Great Buffalo Saga In Search of the Bowhead Whale Elk Island Horses of Suffield Where the Bay Becomes the Sea -
The NFB and Jazz (Ages 12-14)This playlist features jazz music that's sure to get you moving... or at least tapping your feet! It makes for an excellent introduction to this genre of music and opens the door to conversations about its origin and historical significance. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include Begone Dull Care Walking Street Musique Boogie Doodle Juke Bar Runaway Hen Hop Le Merle Toronto Jazz Oscar Short and Suite Show Girls Liberty Street Blues -
Welcome to Canada! (Ages 9-11)This playlist was designed to welcome all newcomers to Canada and offer a (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) glimpse of all the country has to offer, from it’s awe-inspiring landscapes to treasured stories that have been passed down for generations. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. Films in This Playlist Include The Railrodder The Boy and the Snow Goose Canada Vignettes: The Log Driver’s Waltz Cosmic Zoom A Day in the Pacific Rim Hothouse 8 – Meltdown The Juggler Juke-Bar Marianne’s Theatre Hothouse 8 – Orange The Rink The Ride Zea Sunday Sleeping Betty Islet Loon Dreaming Asthma Tech The Dingles Getting Started The Girl Who Hated Books How Dinosaurs Learned to Fly I Want a Dog Science, Please! Part 1 Science, Please! Part 2 The Underground Movie -
Canada's Role in the World (Ages 15-17)This playlist documents Canada’s role in the world as a military peacekeeping force and highlights other ways in which the country works towards building and supporting democracy. Films in This Playlist Include Good Morning, Kandahar Kosovo: Fragile Peace In God’s Command -
Canada’s Diverse Cultures (Ages 15-17)This 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: FacesA selection by Albert Ohayon -
United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Ages 15-17)This 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 WayA selection by Albert Ohayon -
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. -
The Capital ProjectThe Capital Project is a documentary about the inner workings of an eclectic local music scene, that examines the relationship between music, the artist, and the community.
It was inspired by the music scene that has been taking place in the Fredericton, New Brunswick over the last few years. Although small in population, the city is rich in musical talent across a wide range of genres including rock, punk, hip-hop, metal, country, pop, jazz, classical, and everything in-between. -
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. -
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.
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David Bryant (Godspeed You! Black Emperor)In 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.A selection by David Bryant
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. -
The 1976 Olympics: 40 Years LaterJuly 17 will mark the 40th anniversary of the opening of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. To celebrate this spectacular event, we’ve put together a playlist featuring some of the NFB films produced during these games, including the official Olympic film. From marathon running, gymnastics and cycling to a mammoth security operation involving the Canadian Armed Forces, these films have it all. So, sit back and enjoy a nostalgic view of that wonderful summer 40 years ago.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Myth BustersIt is said that truth always triumphs, but when it comes to certain hoaxes, long-held false beliefs and urban legends, there’s nothing quite like an illuminating doc to help set the record straight. This week on NFB.ca, we are highlighting 5 films that debunk popular myths. Was Christopher Columbus really the first to set foot in America? Are wolves really the ruthless beasts we make them to be? Watch and see. -
Views from the Top: The NFB and MountaineeringThis playlist features some of the most important NFB films about mountaineering. See you at the top of the mountain. -
The Shortest DayThe NFB joins the Shortest Day Short Film Celebration with this selection of ultra-short films for your viewing pleasure. Don`t blink or you will miss them! -
Grant Munro O.C. (1923-2017)It 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon
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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)This 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: FacesA selection by Albert Ohayon
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The 1960s: An Explosion of CreativityThe 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
The 1950s: Television and the Move to MontrealThe 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Bill Mason: Beyond the wild, beyond the paddleI 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
10 great films from the last decade that you may not have seenWith 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…A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Grant Munro O.C. (1923-2017)It 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon
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The NFB and Fogo Island, Newfoundland: A continuing storyFogo Island - Then and NowOn June 1, 2010, the NFB, along with the Shorefast Foundation and the Fogo Island Arts Corporation, will be celebrating the opening of a new e-cinema on Fogo Island in Newfoundland. This e-cinema (an all-digital community theatre) is the first theatre ever to exist on the island. It also marks the NFB's return to a community that 40 years ago, put the Challenge for Change program on the map.
Challenge for Change was a program that allowed communities to use film and video to incite social change. By recording people talking about the issues, and then playing those recordings back to the community, everyone was able to get a global view of what the problems were and work together towards resolving them.
The 9 films included in this playlist were part of the original Newfoundland Project, aka, The Fogo Island Project. They demonstrate, in a very concrete way, how the Challenge for Change program worked. The films were all directed by Colin Low, one of the founders of IMAX and one of the NFB and Canada's most famous documentary filmmakers.
Now, in 2010, more than 40 years later, the NFB is returning to the Island to honour a longstanding commitment to the community. In addition to the opening of the e-cinema, we are working with the Shorefast Foundation and the Fogo Island Arts Corporation to offer media literacy workshops to the island's youth, providing them with the opportunity to tell their own stories, in their own way.
We are also establishing a film residency partnership, offering artistic training to the Island's citizens in collaboration with 3 artist residents – Andrea Dorfman (Flawed), Bruce Alcock (Vive la Rose) and Yassine Ouhilal, who will be working with the NFB for the first time.
In much the same way that the NFB began its relationship with the residents of Fogo Island, it is now continuing that tradition, encouraging their passion for the arts while simultaneously using film and video to bring about change, both to the community and the economy.
Other films from the Fogo Island Project Andrew Britt at Shoal Bay Brian Earle on Merchants and Welfare Citizen Discussions Dan Roberts on Fishing Discussions on Welfare Fishermen's Meeting The Fogo Island Improvement Committee The Founding of the Cooperatives Jim Decker's Party McGraths at Home and Fishing The Mercer Family The Merchant and the Teacher Some Problems of Fogo The Songs of Chris Cobb The Story of the Up Top Thoughts on Fogo and Norway Tom Best on Co-operatives Two Cabinet Ministers William Wells Talks About the Island Learn more about Fogo Island and the Newfoundland Project Lunch with Colin Low (An interview with director Colin Low) The Shorefast Foundation Newfoundland Project (original poster and information sheet) The Children of Fogo Island (original poster and information sheet) Fogo Island Film and Community Development Project Colin Low, Fogo Island Communication experiment Fogo Island Project submitted by B. Nemtin and C. Low The Pegram Lectures, Colin Low Additional Resources Tales of Fogo Island Old Photos of Fogo Island (on Facebook) Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism (on Facebook) -
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. -
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. -
Comedy filmsIncluded amongst our collection of documentaries and auteur animations lies a small treasure trove of intensely funny films. These rare (and often hidden) gems shine when brought out into the light. Our comedy collection include works from the twisted minds of filmmakers like Richard Condie and Cordell Barker to the sheer slapstick genius of Buster Keaton; from emerging filmmakers like Philip Eddolls to seasoned pros and past recipients of the Governor General Performing Arts Awards like Eugene Levy. So sit back, swallow any liquids and hit the "play" button. Enjoy the laughs. -
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. -
Expo 67: 50+ Years LaterWhenever 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.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Winter Across Canada (Ages 12-14)This playlist offers a look at what winter in Canada means across the entire country, for in each region, the season brings with it different experiences. Films in This Playlist Include The Sweater HA’Aki The Sword of the Lord Ordeal by Ice Temples of Time Cree Hunters of Mistassini -
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. -
Naked Island - Public Service Alerts for a new eraProduced by the National Film Board, Naked Island brings together some of Canada’s most talented animators in a series of 14 super-short and incisive films that expose the dark underbelly of modern-day society. Blending the art of animation with the format of advertising, these filmmakers use wit and satire to address topics from global warming to politics to our obsession with technology. Ranging from Oscar® winners and nominees to emerging talent in animation and fine arts, these filmmakers make bold statements in a variety of styles to create ultimate anti-advertisements that encourage us to stop and think. -
5 Shorts Project - QuébecDiscover films from the very first edition of the 5 Shorts Project! This initiative, launched by the National Film Board of Canada and produced in conjunction with Quebec artist-run centers, brings forth short documentaries entirely shot in digital 4K. Innovative, surprising and thought-provoking, this first edition introduces us to work of 5 talented independent filmmakers. Between 3 and 6 minutes in length, the films were produced by Nathalie Cloutier (NFB) and Catherine Benoît of Spirafilm, a Quebec cooperative dedicated to independent cinema. Involvement with regional artist-run centers is a primordial aspect of the 5 Shorts Project. Active production hubs, these centers share the NFB's goal of fostering quality independent filmmaking while bringing together skilled artists from various disciplines. Enjoy! -
HothouseShort, surprising and always entertaining! Watch a collection of one-minute animated shorts from our Hothouse animation apprenticeship program, past and present. -
Comic Strip ChroniclesDiscover the creativity and wit of cartoonists-turned-filmmakers in our Comic Strip Chronicles, a collection of shorts that celebrates the strong affinity between two art forms: the comic strip and the animated film. -
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. -
5 Shorts Project - Abitibi-TémiscamingueWatch the third edition of films from our 5 Short Project, an NFB initiative that explores the short documentary genre by working with artist-run centres or production centres throughout the various regions of Quebec. The third edition of 5 Shorts Project features, for the first time, five female directors, two of whom hail from the Kitcisakik Anicinape Community. This year, Émilie Villeneuve (Granny and Mia), Evelyne Papatie (Children of the Nomad), Délia Gunn (Délia 9 to 5), Jessy Poulin (The Mental Load for Dummies), and Gabrielle Cornellier (Toes Heels Toes Heels) took up the challenge of creating a very short film for the web. These films—moving, funny, and powerful—have distinctive styles, and all take a direct, meaningful, and uninhibited look at the family, the community, and the world.