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Legends, Myths, and Tales (40)
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Bone MotherDale Hayward & Sylvie Trouvé 2018 8 minWho dares to disturb the devil’s grandmother and enter her slumbering house of bones? Who is foolish enough to betray this immortal nature-spirit? Baba Yaga holds the answers you need, but are they the answers you seek? Tread carefully, for your ambitious schemes could come back to haunt you… -
The Bear and the MouseF.W. Remmler & Ingmar Remmler 1966 7 minA variation on a fable by Aesop ("The Lion and the Mouse") in which a mouse aids a mighty lion who had once spared his life. This children's film casts real animals – with a big brown bear in the role of the lion, and proves that little friends can prove to be great friends indeed.
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Onions and GarlicEva Szasz 1978 4 minThis animated short tells a humourous Hebrew folk tale about a man's venture to introduce onions to a far away kingdom and a disreputable man's attempt to exploit that.
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The ErlKingBen Zelkowicz 2002 5 minThis animated short is a visual representation of Goethe's poem, The ErlKing that uses sand-on-glass animation set to the music of Franz Schubert. The moving images, resembling woodcuts, capture the haunting, nightmarish quality of the tale of the ErlKing who steals and kills a little boy.
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The Fox and the ChickadeeEvan DeRushie 2012 7 minThis charming stop-motion animated fable tells the story of a starving fox, who stumbles upon a lone chickadee caught in a farmer’s trap. Despite his hapless predicament, the chickadee turns the tables by proposing a plan that would provide the fox with food for the whole winter, rather than just a snack. He promises the fox a feast, but there’s a catch: he’ll need the chickadee’s help to get it.
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HunguNicolas Brault 2008 9 minUnder the African sun, a child walks in the desert with his kin. Death is prowling, but a mother's soul resurrected by music will return strength and life to the child when he becomes a man. Inspired by the grace and raw beauty of African rock paintings, Nicolas Brault paints a story without borders, with the humanity and elegance of a universal narrator.
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How Death Came to EarthIshu Patel 1971 14 minA legend from India, interpreted by a filmmaker from that country. It is a story of gods and men, of suns and moons and Earth, interpreted with an animation style and a richness of colour and design as arresting to the eye as the story and the music are to the ear. Sometimes the illustrations are painted on cells, sometimes the figures are cut-outs moving across shining backgrounds, but always the pace is gentle, inevitable.
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IcarusPaul Bochner 1974 7 minThis short animation artfully revisits the Greek myth of Icarus. The son of the master craftsman Daedalus, creator of the Labyrinth, Icarus attempts to escape the island of Crete by means of a pair of wings constructed by his father. Upon receiving these wings, made from feathers and wax, he is told to fly neither too low, where the sea’s dampness would clog his wings, nor too high, where the sun’s heat would melt them -- precious advice the hubristic Icarus tragically won’t heed.
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The Lost Town of SwitezKamil Polak 2010 19 minIn 19th-century Poland, a traveller loses his way in the forest one stormy night. He witnesses the last days of a medieval town under attack by ruthless warriors. The grandiose tale of The Lost Town of Switez is carried along by the music of Irina Bogdanovitch. Kamil Polak has used advanced computer-assisted animation techniques to create a rich visual universe inspired by religious iconography and Polish romantic painting. The film was screened at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival.
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Little Red Riding HoodRhoda Leyer 1969 5 minThis animated short retells the classic tale of a pretty little girl, her grandmother and a conniving old wolf. Preserving all of its delight, innocence and anticipation, this children’s classic leaps from the storybook to the screen through the magic of animation.
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The Lion and the MouseEvelyn Lambart 1976 4 minThis animated short by Evelyn Lambart is a visual adaptation of the famous Aesop fable "The Lion and the Mouse," in which a mouse proves to a lion that the weak and small may be of help to those much mightier than themselves.
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The Legend of the Flying Canoe (La Chasse-galerie)Robert Doucet 1996 10 minNew Year's Eve, late 1800s. A group of loggers in an isolated lumber camp yearn to celebrate with their loved ones, but the river is frozen. If the men want to see their families, their only choice is to make a pact with the Devil to ride in a flying canoe. Original music and animation preserve the spirit of this Quebec legend.
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Lights for GitaMichel Vo 2001 7 minThis animated short, based on the book by Rachna Gilmore, is the story of Gita, an 8-year-old girl who can't wait to celebrate Divali - the Hindu festival of lights - in her new home in Canada. But it's nothing like New Delhi, where she comes from. The weather is cold and grey and a terrible ice storm cuts off the power, ruining her plans for a party. Obviously, a Divali celebration now is impossible. Or is it? As Gita experiences the glittering beauty of the icy streets outside, the traditional festival of lights comes alive in a sparkling new way.
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. -
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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Mind Me Good Now!Chris Cormier & Derek Cummings 2005 8 minIn this animated short 2 children, Tina and Dalby, disobey their mama with almost tragic consequences. Having strayed away from home, they run afoul of a local "cocoya," a wicked spirit that loves to eat little boys! But through Tina's resourcefulness and cunning, the cocoya is vanquished and the children run back to mama's forgiving arms.
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. -
The Magic of AnansiJamie Mason 2001 6 minThis animated short tells the story of Anansi, a little spider who is tired of being snubbed by other the jungle animals, especially Mr. Tiger. As Anansi plots and schemes to change things, he realizes he can't gain respect by putting others down.
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. -
NarcissusNorman McLaren 1983 21 minIn this short film by Norman McLaren, dancers enact the Greek tragedy of Narcissus, the beautiful youth whose excessive self-love condemned him to a trapped existence. Skillfully merging film, dance and music, the film is a compendium of the techniques McLaren acquired over a lifetime of experimentation.
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The North Wind and the Sun: A Fable by AesopRhoda Leyer & Les Drew 1972 2 minThis short animated film illustrates the fable in which the warm sun proves to the cold wind that persuasion is better than force when it comes to making a man remove his coat.
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An Old BoxPaul Driessen 1975 9 minWhile the townspeople in the village square raucously celebrate Christmas, a homeless man rescues a discarded box from the garbage. The box turns out to be magical, and it takes him on a spiritual journey far more fantastic than any of the villagers are likely to experience.
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OedipusPaul Driessen 2011 13 minIn this animated short parodying the Greek myth, director Paul Driessen offers a backwards tragicomic version of the classic tale. Oedipus is Driessen at his absurdist best.
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ParadiseIshu Patel 1984 15 minIn this short animation film, a magnificent bird performs for the Emperor inside a glittering palace. Its plumage is a blaze of colour. A blackbird, watching enviously, strives to acquire what he so desperately covets, only to discover that a golden cage can’t compete with the open skies.
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The PhoenixGayle Thomas 1990 10 minThe ancient myth of the phoenix, the legendary bird with the amazing power of self-regeneration, is reborn with a modern twist. In this animated adaptation of a story by Sylvia Townsend Warner, we follow Lord Strawberry's search for the fabled bird. He finds it in the deserts of Arabia and brings it home to his aviary. Upon Lord Stawberry's death, however, the phoenix ends up as a sideshow in a fairground. This spirited satire of human foibles, with its timely message about our treatment of nature's creatures, will appeal to young people and adults alike.
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Submerge: Kami No YuCindy Mochizuki 2003 1 minThis short animation film is a “water poem,” set in a Japanese ofuro hot bath. It explores water as a medium and repository for collective stories and was created in a hybrid new media form using animation, video and split screens.
Produced as part of the first edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. Theme was "Water and Our Relationship to It". -
SyrinxRyan Larkin 1965 2 minBorrowing from classical mythology, this very short film illustrates the story of Syrinx, the nymph who attempts to escape the goat-god Pan’s amorous advances by fleeing to a nearby river for help, only to be transformed into hollow reeds. Syrinx is the first film by Ryan Larkin, an Oscar®-nominated director who began his animation career in Norman McLaren’s student group. The technique employed is charcoal sketches on paper; the accompanying music is Claude Debussy’s “Syrinx” for solo flute.
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A Sufi TaleGayle Thomas 1980 8 minThis animated film is based on an old Persian parable. The inhabitants of a village learn to overcome their fear of the unknown. The benefit of their new-found knowledge is demonstrated. The black-and-white images are reminiscent of German wood-cuts. No dialogue.
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A Single TearAmy Lockhart 2004 1 minThis short animation film is an “epic” adventure and a magical environmental fairy tale. Amy Lockhart uses cutouts, drawings and collage (captured and manipulated as digital multi-plane animation) to conjure up her whimsical world.
Produced as part of the second edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship. -
Sleeping BettyClaude Cloutier 2007 9 minIn this animated short, Sleeping Betty is stuck in bed, victim to a strange bout of narcolepsy. The King calls on his subjects to rescue her and they all respond to the call: Uncle Henry VIII, Aunt Victoria, an oddly emotional alien, a funky witch and a handsome prince. But will a kiss really be enough to wake the sleeping princess? The film, drawn in ink, is a classic example of the anachronistic and playful world of Claude Cloutier.
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The TwitchAl Sens 1973 13 minThis short animation is a tale of intolerance about a kingdom in which tolerance is severely lacking. Each person espouses opinions that clearly run counter to the interests of others. The illustrations and dialogue are light and amusing, but the moral of the story is weighty: unless we tolerate individual differences—even the king's nervous twitch—peace may only come when all are behind bars.
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The Town Mouse and the Country MouseEvelyn Lambart 1980 5 minIn this animated short, Evelyn Lambart uses her well-known style of animation – paper figures and brightly colored backgrounds – to revisit Aesop’s tale of 2 mice with vastly different lifestyles. Ultimately, the film suggests it is far better to live simply and in peace than to live in luxury amidst danger.
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The Trout That Stole the RainbowEva Szasz 1982 8 minIn this short animation, the world loses its colours when a trout, obsessed by the beauty of the rainbow, steals it from the sky. A vibrant, beautifully illustrated fable about how the rainbow trout got its name.
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The Three WishesSheldon Cohen 2006 3 minThis lively short animation is based on the traditional folk tale of the same name. A poor couple try to decide which of their dreams should come true after being granted special powers, but what they realize is that they should be thankful for what they already have. The story is adapted by Toronto children's author Aubrey Davis and set to a lively Klezmer soundtrack by the musical group Beyond the Pale.
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The True Story of Sawney BeaneElizabeth Hobbs 2005 10 minIn 16th-century Scotland, young Sawney Beane yearns to itch and scratch and buccaneer. So he bids farewell to his parents and their life of honest toil.
Forty years on, Mr. Beane croaks his dying wish to Betty, his wife. "Go and find our lost son." And so Betty strikes off on her quest across the land, with the family savings in a hankie and a secret suspicion in her heart.
The True Story of Sawney Beane reveals what really happened to the infamous Scottish cannibal. Not only was he the vilest felon in the kingdom of King James VI, he was also a son, beloved of Betty. The story, brought to life with charcoal and soft washes of colour, is written and animated by filmmaker Elizabeth Hobbs. It is narrated in actress Sheila Donald's rich brogue and scored by Normand Roger.
Technique: charcoal and watercolour on paper. -
Ti-Jean in the Land of IronRaymond Garceau 1958 23 minNo challenge is too great for 10-year-old Ti-Jean. As in his other exploits, he proves equal to every situation. Working his boat passage, flying an aircraft, saving a mine from disaster—all are in day's work for him before he mounts his white horse and rides off in search of new adventures.
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Ti-Jean Goes LumberingJean Palardy 1953 15 minTen-year-old Ti-Jean's feats dwarf those of even the strongest lumberjack as he fells timber, cuts, carries and piles heavy logs, and comes out the victor in every contest. This short French-Canadian folk tale portrays typical life and work in a winter logging camp.
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Two ApplesBahram Javahery 2022 9 minWhen a young woman leaves her homeland in search of a better future, she brings with her a single memento from her past: a ripe apple studded with fragrant cloves. A true labour of love, Bahram Javahery’s animated film is infused with longing and the tender perfume of hope.
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Ti-Jean Goes WestRaymond Garceau 1957 23 minPart comic adventure, part travelogue, this short film features the folkloric character of Ti-Jean, a French-Canadian kid endowed with magic powers. He travels west, drawing upon his superhuman strength to save a farmer’s crops. In their day (the 1950s) the Ti-Jean films were among the NFB’s most popular titles.
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The Tender Tale of Cinderella PenguinJanet Perlman 1981 9 minThis short animation is a zany version of the classic fairy tale, with the leading role played by a mistreated, romantic penguin, with hilarious results. Cinderella Penguin loses her magic flipper as she runs to meet her midnight deadline, but all ends well when Prince Charming finds the right webbed foot and the nasty step-family is brought to heel.
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Village of IdiotsEugene Fedorenko & Rose Newlove 1999 12 minBased on a Jewish folk tale adapted by playwright John Lazarus, this animated short tells the story of Shmendrik, a simpleton living in a small Polish village. Weary of daily life in his native Chelm, Shmendrik sets out on a quest for knowledge that brings him to a new Chelm, a place eerily reminiscent of his old Chelm. An amusing take on our tendency to romanticize what we don't have.
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The WandererGeorge Ungar 1988 11 minThis animation short is an adaptation of Michel Tremblay's short story "The Devil and the Mushroom." A tale of supernatural power, greed and violence, it involves a sinister stranger who single-handedly transforms a quiet village into the scene of a phantasmagoric nightmare.
