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Portraits (10)
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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. -
Beaver People1928 13 minA short silent film about famous conservationist Grey Owl (born Archibald Belaney) and his wife, Anahareo, who had a special talent for interacting with beavers. Note: The beavers in the film may be Grey Owl's pets, Jellyroll and Rawhide.
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Canaries to ClydesdalesEugene Boyko 1977 27 minThis documentary follows two country veterinarians through their daily rounds, from sterile clinic to farm paddock. Thirty thousand miles of house calls a year is routine for doctors Vic Demetrick and Reg Maidment, whose patients include just about any creature that hops, trots, swims or flies.
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Cries from the DeepJacques Gagné 1981 1 h 36 minThis documentary records the journey undertaken by Jacques Cousteau, his 24-member team, and an NFB film crew to explore the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, one of the world's richest fishing areas. They discover shipwrecks, film icebergs and observe beluga whales, humpback whales and harp seals. The film also includes a fascinating sequence showing Calypso divers freeing a calf whale entrapped in a fishing net.
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The DogwalkerRosie Dransfeld 2007 1 h 16 minThis feature-length, cinéma-vérité documentary presents a moving account of one man’s battle to reconstruct a shattered identity. Michael Borowski is an amateur playwright, rambling philosopher, and survivor of childhood brain injury. He is also a neighbourhood dog walker, using his daily walks to meditate on life. Get to know Michael and the four-legged friends who provide him with companionship and comfort.
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The DogwalkerRosie Dransfeld 2007 50 minA happy gang of dogs heads into the woods. Leading the pack is Michael Borowski - amateur playwright, rambling philosopher and survivor of childhood brain injury.
The Dogwalker is a remarkable cinéma-vérité portrait, a moving account of one man's battle to reconstruct a shattered identity - and a winning meditation on Zen and the art of dogwalking.
"I'm the alpha,"Michael says, untanglling the leashes. Meet The Dogwalker. Take a walk with the master. -
The Lady and the OwlWilliam Canning 1975 27 minThis short documentary introduces us to the McKeevers, who care for injured owls. They live in the country and have built special cages for different purposes and species. There are many ways of being wounded, yet many ways of being cured
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The Man Who Digs for FishJack Long 1979 13 minFrank Jenkinson, eighty-two, has been digging for fish for twenty-five years. His unorthodox conservationist practices have increased the numbers of the salmon population in the Jarvis Inlet from a modest 500 to 25 000. Using a spade and accompanied by his dog, Frank wades up and down the stream, digging for the newly hatched salmon that lie buried in the gravel. Without his intervention they risk dying before reaching maturity.
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The Man Who Talks with WolvesCarlos Ferrand 2001 52 minIn the wilderness of northern Quebec, Michel and Louise Pageau devote their lives to caring for injured wild animals and returning them to their natural habitat. Some animals simply cannot make it in the wild any more, so the Pageaus opened a shelter - the Pageau Refuge - for animals that cannot be released.
Michel Pageau has been interested in animals since childhood. A former trapper and hunter, he has a gift for making contact with wild creatures. Pageau feels a particular connection with wolves - and for several years he has maintained a friendship with a number of them, based on mutual trust. Their level of communication is astonishing. When Michel calls, the wolves respond. At one point, Michel is distressed because their rapport seems to have broken down. Ché-Cché, the head of the pack, will not let him approach. Can Michel rebuild their relationship?
With stunning images and poetic narration, The Man Who Talks with Wolves takes us into a mysterious world where the line between human and beast becomes blurred. -
Secretariat's Jockey, Ron TurcottePhil Comeau 2013 1 h 14 minThis feature-length documentary tells the story of jockey Ron Turcotte, who, along with his legendary horse Secretariat, won the prestigious American Triple Crown in 1973. Follow along as we witness Turcotte’s rise to fame, the fall in 1978 that left him a paraplegic and his emotional journey back to the people and places that marked his life. This is a road movie that delves deep into the thrilling and dangerous world of horseracing, featuring never-before-seen footage of Secretariat and appearances by Triple Crown winners Steve Cauthen and Jean Cruguet.
