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Oil and Gas Industries (9)
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Black GoldAimée van Drimmelen 2011 1 minThis animated short employs hand-drawn animation layered over stop-motion sequences of moving ink on drumskins to create a striking, mournful portrait of the Alberta tar sands.
Produced as part of the 7th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. -
CarfaceClaude Cloutier 2015 4 minIn this animated short, a Chevrolet Bel Air 1957 offers an ironic take on the iconic American ballad “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)”. The Chevy’s bumper transforms into a pair of seductive lips, from which emerge the song’s reassuring lyrics, while a choir of cars performs a breathtaking dance number in the background.
A biting satire of our Big Oil-based civilization, Carface is a musical comedy of spectacular proportions, in which acclaimed animator and illustrator Claude Cloutier (The Trenches, Sleeping Betty) pokes at our contemporary insouciance about the environmental perils that threaten the planet. -
Fort Good HopeRon Orieux 1977 47 minShot during the Berger Inquiry into the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, this short documentary brings us the perspective of Canada’s First Nations communities. The majority feel that the pipeline would destroy their ancient hunting grounds and upset the balance of nature, and that Canada’s title to the land is far from settled. Though made in the late seventies, Fort Good Hope seems more relevant than ever, and raises important questions about northern development in general.
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Limit Is the SkyJulia Ivanova 2016 1 h 47 minThis documentary follows six young Canadians, including refugees from the Middle East and Africa, who come to Fort McMurray, the capital of the third-largest oil reserve in the world. “Fort Mac,” as it’s known, becomes a testing ground for these young dreamers as they struggle with their own perceptions of money, glory and self-worth amid plummeting oil prices, an unpredictable economy and, most recently, awe-inspiring wildfires.
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Pipelines, Power and DemocracyOlivier D. Asselin 2015 1 h 28 minPipelines, Power and Democracy is a striking documentary that follows the mobilization of ordinary people to thwart the ambitions of oil companies and halt, even if only temporarily, the advance of pipelines across Quebec. In the process, the film offers a sharp reminder that power can be accessible to all.
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Riding the TornadoBob Lower 1986 57 minThis documentary focuses on boom-and-bust economic cycles, most notably that of Alberta oil during the '70s and early '80s. When the bust hit after a drop in world oil prices, those business people who knew how to "ride a tornado" cut their losses and moved on, while others were left devastated. When Newfoundland was faced with a possible oil boom of its own in the mid-'80s, it took the lessons of Alberta to heart. Part 3 of the series, Reckoning: The Political Economy of Canada.
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Roughnecks: The Story of Oil DrillersGuy L. Coté 1960 21 minThe work of an oil-drilling crew. Audiences will relish this tale of tough roustabouts who bulldoze a wilderness in a push for liquid wealth.
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The Story of Oil1946 18 minThis short documentary depicts the production of oil in the Turner Valley, in Alberta, from the initial exploration through the use of the finished products. This film is an informative mid-century portrait of the substance that ran so much of the world's daily lives—and still does. Oil men are continually exploring the land with wells that may or may not provide the sought-after substance, while geologists, scientists, and laborers all band together to find oil wherever it may be.
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Worst Case ScenarioGlynis Whiting 2001 43 minThis documentary looks at the risks of a proposed sour gas well near Clearwater River, in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Farmers and landowners all share concerns. Residents opposed to the well fear a deadly hydrogen sulphide leak. Shell Canada says it must drill to meet energy needs. When mediation talks break down, both sides anxiously await a ruling from Alberta's Energy and Utilities Board.
