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Bullying & Discrimination (50)
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Available in English Options
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Apples and OrangesLynne Fernie 2003 17 minThis short documentary with interspersed animated vignettes is designed to raise children's awareness of the harmful effects of homophobia and gender-related bullying. In the course of a lively in-class discussion, children's paintings magically dissolve into two short animated stories. In Anta's Revenge, Anta finds out that creativity, not revenge, is the best way to deal with a school bully. Defying Gravity tells the story of two skateboarders whose friendship is tested when one of them finds out the other is gay. The animated stories in this video will help elementary school students explore name calling and bullying. The video can assist children aged 8-12 in learning about families, differences and respect. -
Asthma TechJonathan Ng 2006 7 minIn this animated short, young Winston, who suffers from chronic asthma, isn’t able to participate in the everyday activities of his peers and classmates. He copes with the predicament through his vivid imagination, with paper and crayons. On one particularly rainy afternoon, Winston discovers that the magic of imagination has the power to transform and empower, and his skills and talents save the day.
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. -
Assholes - A TheoryJohn Walker 2019 1 h 20 minSome grapple with the challenge of treating other human beings decently. Others are just… assholes, claims Professor Aaron James in his New York Times bestselling book, Assholes: A Theory. This intellectually provocative film takes a playful approach to uncovering why asshole behaviour is on the rise in the workplace, in government, and at home.
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BalablokBretislav Pojar 1972 7 minBretislav Pojar's animated short explores the human phenomenon of resorting to violence over reason. The cubes live happily amongst themselves until one of them encounters a ball. War erupts and they fight until they all become the same again – this time in the form of hexagons. All is right in the world until one of them stumbles upon a triangle… Winner of the 1973 Grand Prix du Festival for Short Film at the International Film Festival in Cannes.
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Bravery in the FieldGiles Walker 1979 28 minThis dramatic film introduces us to Tommy, a World War II veteran who rooms alone, waiting for his pension cheque to arrive, passing the time in the evenings with his cronies in the Legion Hall. Lennie can claim only a third of Tommy's years, but he prowls the same area of town, and the two have more in common than either of them realizes. Both their lives lack a sense of place and purpose. The story occurs early in November and leads up to an event that provides one of Tommy's few remaining moments of glory, the annual veterans' Remembrance Day parade.
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The Boxing Girls of KabulAriel Nasr 2011 52 minIn this feature documentary, a remarkable group of young Afghan women dream of representing their country as boxers at the 2012 Olympics, embarking on a journey of both personal and political transformation.
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Black History Month 2015 Virtual Classroom: The Power of Mentoring, Diversity and Dreaming BigDan Thornhill 2015 1 h 3 minOn February 19, 2015, the NFB, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Heritage Toronto connected students from across Canada with four talented Black professionals for a one-of-a-kind virtual conversation. Streamed live from the Daniels Spectrum auditorium in the multicultural neighbourhood of Regent Park, Toronto, the virtual classroom explored the topic of achieving one’s career goals while giving back to the community. Featuring: TV anchor and three-time Olympian Rosey Edeh; Dr. Catherine Chandler-Crichlow, Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence in Financial Services Education; Layth Gafoor, sports and entertainment lawyer; and Dr. Teela Johnson, resident in family medicine. Discussion moderated by poet, playwright, and professor Dr. George Elliott Clarke. Special performances by Thompson Egbo-Egbo, Shawn Byfield, and Sean Mauricette, a.k.a. Subliminal.
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Bully DanceJanet Perlman 2000 10 minThis short animated film examines the roles of peer pressure, accountability and power struggles in bullying – a pervasive phenomenon.
When a bully picks on a smaller member of his group, the whole community becomes involved. The bully, they learn, is himself a victim at home. -
ChameleonStefan Anastasiu 1984 7 minAn animated allegory densely packed with fast-moving images, this film is about fear. A dissenter masks his true colors. Chameleon-like, he blends in with his surroundings. Because he lacks the courage to act on his beliefs, he cheats himself and others. He dies as he has lived, unnoticed.
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The Chinese ViolinJoe Chang 2002 8 minIn this animated short, a young girl and her father move from China to Canada, bringing only their Chinese violin along for the journey. As they face the challenge of starting fresh in a new place, the music of the violin connects them to the life they left behind and guides the girl towards a musical future.
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. -
Elbow RoomDiane Obomsawin 2002 8 minThis animated short tackles the subjects of personal space, conflict, and conflict resolution in the workplace. At the office, tempers flare as two coworkers who are sitting dangerously close find themselves bumping elbows and spilling ink. The film demonstrates four common approaches to interpersonal tensions: retreat, aggression, denial and - finally – negotiation. This film is part of the ShowPeace series of lively animated films about conflict resolution. This series has received support from UNICEF and Justice Canada.
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Fighting BackGary Toole 1984 24 minThe Cabbagetown Boxing Club in Toronto has produced many Olympic and world-class boxers. Fighting Back is the story of Asif Dar, an underweight immigrant who learned boxing in order to defend himself from neighbourhood bullies. The film traces the relationship between Asif Dar, who came to the club as a youngster, and his instructor, Ken Hamilton, a long-time foe of the violence traditionally associated with boxing.
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GuidelinesJean-François Caissy 2014 1 h 15 minThis feature documentary explores the world of adolescence in rural teenagers' interactions with various authority figures. Outside the classroom, though, the teens enjoy more control of their world; in this playground, they can test the limits of their temporary freedom. A work of patient observation relying mostly on uninterrupted long takes,Guidelines emphasizes the contrast between adult and adolescent, between the regulated classroom and the great outdoors, gradually revealing the interior drama of adolescence with its shifts from fragility to reckless abandon.
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GlassesBrian Duchscherer 2001 22 minIn this puppet animation we meet a little boy who lives in a lonely, blurry world. His near-sightedness brings humiliations in the schoolyard and in his Grade 1 class. A visit to the eye doctor brings things into focus, and his first pair of glasses changes everything!
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Hedgehog's HomeEva Cvijanovic 2017 10 minIn a lush and lively forest lives a hedgehog. He is respected and envied by the other animals. However, Hedgehog’s unwavering devotion to his home annoys a quartet of insatiable beasts. Together, they march off towards Hedgehog’s home and spark a tense and prickly standoff.
Exquisitely directed by Eva Cvijanović and based on the classic story by Branko Ćopić, a writer from the former Yugoslavia, Hedgehog’s Home is a warm and universal tale for young and old that reminds us there truly is no place like home. -
Ježeva kuća/ Hedgehog's Home (with English Subtitles)Eva Cvijanovic 2017 10 minBased on the story by Branko Ćopić, this animated short tells the tale of a hedgehog living in a lush and lively forest. He is respected and envied by the other animals. However, Hedgehog’s devotion to his home annoys a quartet of insatiable beasts. Together, they march off towards Hedgehog’s home and spark a tense and prickly standoff. (Serbo-croatian with English Subtitles)
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Harry Jerome : The Fastest Man on EarthIleana Pietrobruno 2011 10 minThis short film is a condensed version of our feature documentary Mighty Jerome, made especially for elementary and middle-school classes. Canadian athlete Harry Jerome overcame racism to reach the height of track-and-field success. When an injury ended his career, Jerome continued training and went on to achieve one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
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It's a Girl's WorldLynn Glazier 2004 52 minIt's a Girl's World takes us inside the tumultuous relationships of a clique of popular 10-year-old girls. Playground bullying captured on camera shows a disturbing picture of how these girls use their closest friendships to hurt each other--with shunning, whispering and mean looks--to win social power in the group. Meanwhile, their parents struggle through denial and disbelief as they become aware of the serious consequences of this behaviour. By comparison, the tragic story of a 14-year-old girl is a stark reminder that social bullying can spiral out of control. Believing she had no other choice, Dawn-Marie Wesley killed herself after enduring months of rumours and verbal threats. This documentary shatters the myth that social bullying among girls is an acceptable part of growing up.
This classroom version of It's a Girl's World is a stand-alone series of six modules with helpful on-screen text guides to assist with discussion and activities. It is intended to promote a classroom discussion around the nature of social conflict in friendships, especially among girls. Each 5-10 minute module explores a different facet of social bullying ranging from what the behaviour looks like, to the role of power and control, to the consequences for the bully, the victim and the bystander. -
InseparableDaniel Léger 2011 51 minIn their small country home in New Brunswick, Jean-Paul and Anne, who suffer respectively from physical and intellectual impairments, share an unwavering love for each other. Declarations of love, little gifts, jokes and affectionate nicknames highlight their deeply moving relationship, a relationship that transcends difference. Together, they look after Jean-Paul’s ailing parents. With great respect for those who confide in him, Daniel Léger presents love through the eyes of two people with disabilities, and in so doing, creates an inspiring lesson in happiness.
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In Other WordsJan Padgett 2001 27 minThis short documentary explores homophobic language and its consequences among teenagers. Name-calling and cruel language hurt, say the teens who speak in this video. Homophobic language is a common verbal put-down among young people, but many adults feel uncomfortable responding. This video is a tool for teachers, counsellors and youth groups to explore the origins of the words, how young people feel about them and how to overcome the pain they cause.
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Ice BreakersSandamini Rankaduwa 2019 15 minJosh Crooks is a promising teen hockey star in a sport where Black players like him are chronically underrepresented. Ice Breakers reveals the buried history of a pioneering Black hockey league in Atlantic Canada, as Crooks discovers that his unshakable passion is tied to a rich and remarkable heritage.
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Kali the Little VampireRegina Pessoa 2012 9 minThis animated short tells the story of Kali, a young vampire who suffers from not being able to live in the light. Living in the shadows and inspiring fear, he lives envious of other children who don’t even dream that he exists. One day, while once again watching young boys play beside the train tracks, he breaks from his isolation and discovers that because of who—and what—he is, he can make a difference in others’ lives. Narrated by Oscar winner Christopher Plummer.
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Land of the HeadsCédric Louis & Claude Barras 2009 6 minThis animated short tells the tale of a vampire forced go out every night to separate children from their heads. The reason? His vain wife wants to replace her wrinkled head with one that is young and pretty. What a horror! Especially since the lady of the house is never satisfied and the heads keep piling up on the floor. How will our reluctant vampire ever get out of this vicious cycle?
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Learning Peace: A Big School with a Big HeartTeresa MacInnes 2002 57 minLearning Peace: A Big School with a Big Heart chronicles a year at Annapolis East Elementary. A school where over 700 kids play, study, meet and--like kids everywhere--sometimes fight.
But thanks to an anti-violence program introduced in 1996 by principal Heather Harris, bullying and fighting have become a rarity.
Peace education has been fully integrated into the school curriculum. Meanwhile, a peer mediation program helps students settle disputes, good behaviour is rewarded at monthly assemblies, and a full-time counsellor devotes his days (lunch hours and breaks included) to helping kids address anger.
Over the course of a year, it becomes clear that peace is hard work--but well worth the effort. -
A Love That KillsAnnie O'Donoghue 1999 19 minA Love That Kills is a powerful documentary that tells the tragic story of Monica, a nineteen-year-old woman who was murdered by her former boyfriend. Monica's mother speaks passionately throughout the video, bravely telling viewers about her daughter's life and tragic death. She describes the helplessness she felt watching the emotional and economic abuse. She later discovered that physical battering was also part of the violence that Monica endured. In a parallel conversation, young people list the symptoms of partner abuse from male and female points of view. A Love That Kills helps to identify the warning signs of partner abuse, especially in young people, and the damage it causes emotionally and physically.
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Last ChancePaul Émile d'Entremont 2012 1 h 24 minThis feature documentary tells the stories of 5 asylum seekers who flee their native countries to escape homophobic violence. They face hurdles integrating into Canada, fear deportation and anxiously await a decision that will change their lives forever.
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Little Big GirlsHélène Choquette 2014 52 minIn this feature documentary, director Hélène Choquette sheds light on the phenomenon of early-onset puberty in girls. Today, it isn't unusual to see the earliest signs of puberty in girls younger than the age of 9, though this was not the case a few decades ago. A number of causes are suspected: could obesity and exposure to environmental contaminants, for instance, be to blame? The physical, psychological and psychosocial repercussions on young girls results in a disconnect between their physical and emotional maturity. Far from being a marginal issue, early-onset puberty is fast becoming a worldwide public health concern. Little Big Girls alerts us to the need to adapt, as a society, so as to minimize the impact of this phenomenon on our children.
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Mela's LunchSugith Varughese 1991 14 minThis short drama from the Playing Fair series recounts the shaky beginnings of a friendship between Allison and Mela, a girl who recently immigrated to Canada from India. Mela is trying hard to make friends and get used to her new surroundings, but Peter and other classmates make her feel unwelcome and out of place. Though Allison initially goes along with the group, the film shows that differences in skin color and country of origin need not be an obstacle to friendship or self-esteem.
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My Father, the KingMarie-France Guerrette Dempsey 2010 26 minHow does a man suddenly abandon his family in favour of an isolated life in a monastery? What is the legacy of Léonard's father's sudden departure? Mon père, le roi captures the painful memories of the son and ex-wife of a man turned “king” of a religious cult. Together with the filmmaker, they take to the road to visit the man who abandoned them 45 years ago. For Léonard, it is also a return to the prison where he spent part of his childhood, after having been abducted by his father.
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Mighty Jerome (Short Version)Charles Officer 2010 52 minIn 1959, at just 19, Harry Jerome was Canada's most promising track and field star on his way to the Olympics in Rome. By 1962, after suffering a gruesome leg injury, there was every reason to think that his racing days were over. But Jerome was not just a champion on the track; he was doubly determined off it. And so began his climb to what his coach, Bill Bowerman, called "the greatest comeback in track and field history."
Through years of unparalleled political turbulence, racial conflict and his own personal challenges, Harry Jerome kept his head down and ran, displaying strength of character and willful perseverance every bit as impressive as his record-setting athleticism.
Filmmaker Charles Officer uses gorgeous monochrome imagery, impassioned interviews and astonishing archival footage to tell the runner's triumphant story, from his early days in North Vancouver, through his three Olympics and his unequalled streak of records, to his sudden and tragically premature death. Family, friends and teammates recall a man who forever changed the Canadian sports landscape and made an indelible mark upon the world.
Compelling, surprising and urgently paced, Mighty Jerome will electrify sports fans, history buffs and all those with an appreciation for tales of courage and redemption.
