Skip to content
Accessibility
Sculpture and Woodcarving (8)
-
Aki'name (On the Wall)David Millar 1968 22 minWhen Canada was preparing to welcome the world to Expo 67 in Montreal, two artists who contributed their talents were Inuit stonecarvers Kumukluk Saggiak and Elijah Pudlat. They decorated a giant mural in the Canadian pavilion, Katimavik (the meeting place). This film shows the two carvers at work on their wall and also conveys some of their impressions of life in suburbia.
Please note that this is an archival film that makes use of the word “Eskimo,” an outdated and offensive term.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. -
Eskimo Arts and CraftsLaura Boulton 1943 18 minA doc about the Inuit art of Baffin Island. The film illustrates traditional leatherwork and carving, and the construction of a kayak.
-
Eye Witness No. 41Thomas Farley & Walford Hewitson 1952 11 minSabres at the Ready: At British training centres Canadian airmen and Sabre jet fighter aircraft join Royal Air Force and American squadrons in NATO defense preparations. Midnight Sculptors: Nightly, in the centre block of Canada's Parliament Buildings, William Oosterhoff and his crew of skilled artisans carve beautiful Canadian motifs on limestone walls and cornices. Crime Detection at the Double: Montréal's motorized crime detection laboratory aids police detective squads in the rapid apprehension of criminals.
-
Hands of HistoryLoretta Todd 1994 51 minIn this acclaimed 1994 documentary, Loretta Todd, a leading figure in Indigenous cinema in Canada, profiles four contemporary female artists—Doreen Jensen, Rena Point Bolton, Jane Ash Poitras and Joane Cardinal-Schubert—who seek to find a continuum from traditional to contemporary forms of expression. Each artist reveals her practice and journey in her own words. The film is a moving testimony to the vital role Indigenous women play in nurturing Indigenous cultures.
-
In Praise of HandsDonald Winkler 1974 27 minThis short documentary pays tribute to the craftsmen everywhere whose work adds color and richness to life. Filmed in the Canadian Arctic, Finland, India, Nigeria, Japan, Mexico, and Poland, it shows the special skills of artisans working at their crafts - stone sculpture, pottery, ceramics, weaving, dyeing, puppet making, embroidery. Each indigenous skill is a reflection of the culture of the country.
-
Jobs that Are Different1959 7 minTravelling Blacksmith: A glimpse of a vanishing trade in Nova Scotia--blacksmithing and horseshoeing. A House Full of Ships: Eugène Leclerc, French-Canadian craftsman, carves replicas of sailing ships. Gold in the Cariboo: Miner John McDougall works abandoned gold mines in the Cariboo district of British Columbia. No. 9 in the series.
-
ƛaʔuukʷiatḥ Dugout CanoeSteven Davies 2021 10 min
After working as a clearcut logger in what is now known as the Clayoquot Sound, master carver Joe Martin reconciles his past by revitalizing the ancestral knowledge and artistic practice of the traditional Tla-o-qui-aht dugout canoe.
-
Voices Across the WaterFritz Mueller 2022 1 h 24 minThere is a moment during the construction of a canoe when its true form is revealed. A hull drops into place. The elegant arc of a bow cuts forth. A similar process sometimes occurs in life, when a person finally discovers their true path.
The feature documentary Voices Across the Water follows two master boat builders as they practise their art and find a way back to balance and healing.
