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Rock Music (11)
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Bronwen & Yaffa (Moving Towards Tolerance)Peter d'Entremont 1996 27 minThis documentary presents two young women from Halifax who are organizing rock concerts to raise money for the group Eastcoast Against Racism. Bronwen and Yaffa believe that the universal language of music will help unite the community. At the same time, they struggle to renew their friendship with Scott, a former Ku Klux Klan member. This moving film is set against a vibrant soundtrack of punk and rap music. -
Bryan Adams: Bare BonesDavid Battistella 2010 5 minBryan Adams is one of world’s most enduringly popular singer/songwriters. He is most at home in his Vancouver studio, surrounded by his collection of vintage microphones and guitars. Adams calls it “a very analog space in a very digital world.” In this short documentary, we witness an intimate rendition of his song “One World, One Flame” and hear him speak of his audience-centred approach to performance: “I want it to be fun, I want it to be real.”
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Blue Rodeo: On the RoadMillefiore Clarkes 2014 6 minThis short film pays tribute to beloved Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo. They've been traveling the highways and back roads of Canada for almost 30 years, bringing their music to audiences far and wide, and building a passionate and dedicated fan base. The expressions on the faces in the crowd say it all: concert-goers are transported to moments in their lives that remain vital in their hearts. Blue Rodeo: On the Road follows this iconic band on the last leg of their 2014 tour, and revisits their early days through found footage. The film captures the essence of a band that is forever moving forward—and always finding inspiration for their songs in the landscapes and people of Canada.
This film was produced by the NFB in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2014 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. -
Cano, Notes on a Collective ExperienceJacques Ménard 1979 1 h 29 minPortrait of a group of rock musicians living in Ontario who sing in both English and French. They live and create collectively. The film shows them on the road, on stage, in hotel rooms and in the recording studio. What differentiates them from other musicians is their strong sense of sharing, whether it be of the limelight, their talent, their creativity, or their income. The star system does not exist for them.
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Family BandDavid Battistella 2008 7 minIn this short documentary about The Tragically Hip, director David Battistella uses a split-screen and acid-etched colours to distil the iconic Canadian band’s essence. After decades together, through hotels, highways, gigs and recording sessions, The Hip’s members have forged a powerful brotherhood. "These guys are my life partners, musically" says bass guitarist Gord Sinclair. The Hip's brand of straight-ahead rock and roll has catapulted the band to international stardom, and ensured them a place in Canadian musical history, but at heart, they remain a bunch of guys from Kingston, Ontario, making music together just for fun.
This film was produced for the 2008 Governor General's Performing Arts Award. -
Harmonium in CaliforniaRobert Fortier 1979 28 minThis short documentary follows Quebec band Harmonium as they tour California in the mid-'70s with then-Premier René Lévesque in an effort to promote the province as well as introduce the group to the world's biggest music market. Here, we follow the ups and downs of Harmonium's promotional efforts and hear some of their music.
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Inner RushChristopher Romeike 2012 6 minThis short film pays tribute to Rush, one of rock's most successful and popular bands of all-time. 'Humility' and 'rock and roll' don't usually appear together, yet the members of Rush (Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, and Alex Lifeson), reflect here on a career of making music built on craft, heart and an uncompromised commitment to push the limits - to always 'get better'.
Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2012 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. -
PassifloraFernand Bélanger & Dagmar Gueissaz-Teufel 1985 1 h 24 minMontreal, September 1984. Within a span of five days, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium hosts Pope John Paul II and Michael Jackson. A perfect opportunity to explore the impact of the media on the masses. With caustic irony, this film gives voice to people excluded by Church doctrine: the gay and lesbian community, and women who’ve had abortions or been abused. Beyond documentary, fiction or news report, Passiflora is above all a film that packs a punch, leaves a mark and makes an impression, happily blending analysis, animation, acting, humour and song.
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Rock-A-ByeJacques Bensimon 1973 49 minThe rock music scene of the early 1970s--the Rolling Stones, the Stampeders, Whiskey Howl, Alice Cooper--they're all here! Along with classic footage from concerts and recording sessions, Rock-A-Bye looks behind the scenes at record companies and radio studios. The stars also have their say. Ronnie Hawkins chats from the back seat of a Rolls, and Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin' Spoonful tells hilarious anecdotes of his rise to fame, which lasted only 18 months. The camera also goes into a small New York club where Muddy Waters sings and plays guitar, the bluesman who inspired so many great rock musicians. The film ends with Alice Cooper, the first shock rocker, singing "Dead Babies" with a doll and a hatchet. This classic, entertaining rockumentary captures an era!
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RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the WorldCatherine Bainbridge 2017 1 h 42 minRUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World tells the story of a profound, essential, and, until now, missing chapter in the history of American music: the Indigenous influence. Featuring music icons like Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Randy Castillo, RUMBLE will show how these talented Native musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.
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Soaring Highs and Brutal Lows: The Voices of Women in MetalMark Harwood 2015 1 h 33 minSoaring Highs and Brutal Lows celebrates the stories of eight female vocalists in the heavy metal genre. Through personal interviews, behind the scenes insights, and concert footage, these women describe in their own words, their choices, their lives, and the hardships and triumphs of being center stage in what is widely perceived as a male-dominated music scene.
