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Games and Sports (18)
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... and a Broom FactoryChad Hannah 1970 12 minThis short documentary introduces us to the Massaro family of Thunder Bay, Ontario, and highlights some of the activities they partake in: roller hockey, drag-racing, flying, gymnastics, hunting, shooting, fishing... and even hand-making brooms. This film was made by students of the Thunder Bay Community Film/VTR project, a collaboration between the Challenge for Change program and Town Talk, a citizen's group from the Lakehead. -
British Empire and Commonwealth GamesJack Olsen 1954 11 minThis short documentary presents highlights of the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. In Vancouver, top-ranking athletes from the far corners of the British Commonwealth competed for new records. The film records outstanding feats in racing, jumping, pole-vaulting, swimming as well as the "miracle mile" duel between John Landy and Roger Bannister.
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Carts of DarknessMurray Siple 2008 59 minMurray Siple's feature-length documentary follows a group of homeless men who have combined bottle picking with the extreme sport of racing shopping carts down the steep hills of North Vancouver. This subculture shows that street life is much more than the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media.
The film takes a deep look into the lives of the men who race carts, the adversity they face and the appeal of cart racing despite the risk. Shot in high-definition and featuring tracks from Black Mountain, Ladyhawk, Vetiver, Bison, and Alan Boyd of Little Sparta. -
CoachesPaul Cowan 1976 57 minCoaches is about four people preparing their teams for the Pre-Olympics. Their distinctive approaches emerge during the fights, the good times, and those critical post-game sessions when feelings are raw or jubilant. It is a film about human growth.
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The Devil's ToyClaude Jutra 1969 15 minThis short 1969 documentary dedicated "to all victims of intolerance” depicts the dawn of skateboarding in Montreal. A new activity frowned upon by police and adults, skateboarding gave youngsters a thrilling sensation of speed and freedom. This film - the first Canadian documentary ever made about the sport - captures the exuberance of boys and girls having the time of their lives in free-wheeling downhill locomotion.
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Eye Witness No. 461952 11 minThese vignettes from 1952 covered various aspects of life in Canada and were shown in theatres across the country. Subjects included a floating laboratory ship from the National Research Council, a visit by a group of Canadian veterans revisiting Normandy plus events at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens.
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Going the DistancePaul Cowan 1979 1 h 29 minThis feature-length documentary chronicles the efforts of 8 athletes, both in their home countries before the August 1978 Commonwealth Games and during competition itself. The film was the official film of the 11th Commonwealth Games, held in Edmonton, Canada.
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The Great Chess MovieGilles Carle & Camille Coudari 1982 1 h 19 minIn this Gilles Carle feature documentary on the game of chess, the international chess match is cast as a classic Western shoot-out. Three chess greats dominate the film: Russia's Anatoly Karpov; Viktor Korchnoi, a Russian defector; and American Bobby Fischer. Chess aficionados Camille Coudari and Fernando Arrabal analyze the personalities and strategies of the players and comment on the interplay of politics and chess.
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I'll Go AgainPaul Cowan 1977 41 minThis documentary by director Paul Cowan is about four athletes and a team that competed in the 1976 Olympics. They had trained courageously to be among those who would mount the podium to receive a medal. None of them did, but was it worth the effort? I'll Go Again answers the question.
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The Moccasin GameFrank Corcoran 1983 13 minThis film looks at the ritual, tradition and legend of the moccasin game, an ancient and popular form of gambling said to have originated with the Sioux. A tournament held at the Sioux Valley Reservation near Brandon, Manitoba, brings together Sioux from both Canada and the United States to compete for high stakes in what is believed to be the oldest sleight-of-hand game in the world.
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Nelli KimGeorges Dufaux & Pierre Bernier 1978 28 minA member of the Soviet Union's women's gymnastic team at the 1976 Olympic Games, Nelli Kim was seventeen when she won two gold medals for her superb performance on the horse vault and for the floor exercises. The slow-motion camera highlights the best moments of her performance. It also shows the person behind the athlete, and the nervousness that is generated by the presence of a new star, Nadia Comeneci of Romania.
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Northern GamesKen Buck 1981 25 minThis documentary short depicts the traditional games of the Inuit as they are practised 800 km north of the Arctic Circle by youth in competition from communities across the North. The film describes the skills required to play them, the traditions behind the games, and the spirit of co-operation, as opposed to hard competition, that inspires the participants.
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Of Sport and Men1961 58 minThis feature documentary is all about sports. Here, sport is seen as a lesson in courage and discipline, and a peculiar form of beauty. The film covers 5 great sporting events. Part 1 covers the Tour de France bicycle race, the sports car race at Sebring, Florida, and the Spanish bullring. Part 2 covers British soccer and Canadian hockey.
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Spirit of the GameAnnie Fraziér Henry 2003 47 minIn this short documentary, award-winning filmmaker Annie Frazier Henry follows an elite handful of Indigenous athletes from British Columbia for two years as they make their way to the 2002 North American Indigenous Games in Winnipeg. Over 6,000 young sportsmen and women from across Canada and the US compete in the games, and this film serves as a tribute to their hard work, dedication, and achievements.
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Stories from Our Land Vol. 2 - Strength, Flexibility, and EnduranceAllen Auksaq 2013 10 minThis short film explores why Inuit games were more than just fun to pass the time; it required the athletes to be in peak physical condition to perform these ancient feats of strength. Stories from Our Land 2.0 is the latest edition of the NFB's Indigenous short film inititiative. This edition helped four Inuit youth hone the creative skills and tell their stories, offering viewers insightful perspectives on life in Nunavut.
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Sports and Seasons1946 9 minScenes of Canadian children at play throughout the year show how they suit their sports to this country's changing seasons.
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Springboard to the SunJean Dansereau 1964 27 minAt the 4th Pan-American Games at São Paulo, Brazil, gymnastic teams from North, South and Central America demonstrate a perfection of grace, form and strength that will inspire every audience to fresh appreciation of gymnastics. The film shows events in which Canadian teams competed and in which Wilhelm Weiler won a gold medal for Canada.
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Tuktu and the Trials of StrengthLaurence Hyde 1967 14 minIn this short docu-fiction film, strong and hardy Inuit hunters demonstrate and test their strength in boxing, tug-of-war, and other strenuous activities. We see and hear the drum dance, a demonstration of Inuit poetry and rhythm.
