March 2012
111 posts
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WatchSmall Smoke at Blaze Creek (1971) by Michael Scott Forest fire in mountainous British Columbia, as experienced by the men who must try to quench it from the air and at close quarters on the ground. This film affords a close, vivid view of the result: a whole mountainside turned into a searing holocaust until nothing remains but waste.
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WatchA Song for Tibet (1991) by Anne Henderson Filmed in the Indian Himalayas and in Canada, A Song for Tibet tells the dramatic story of the efforts by Tibetans in exile, including the Dalai Lama, to save their homeland and preserve their heritage against overwhelming odds.
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WatchRiding the Tornado (1986) by Bob Lower This doc 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.
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WatchLabour Front (1943) by NFB This newsreel on the mobilization of manpower during World War II shows how the workers on production lines produced a tremendous volume of materials for the Allied war effort. It points out that after the war these workers expect to find the opportunities of peace.
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WatchFor Angela (1993) by Nancy Trites Botkin & Daniel Prouty This short film portrays the experiences of Rhonda Gordon and her daughter, Angela, when a simple bus ride changes their lives in an unforeseeable way. When they are harassed by three boys, Rhonda finds the courage to take a unique and powerful stance against ignorance and prejudice.
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WatchIn the Labyrinth (1979) by Roman Kroitor, Colin Low & Hugh O’Connor A film without commentary in which multiple images, sometimes complementary, sometimes contrasting, draw the viewer through the different stages of a labyrinth. The tone of the film moves from great joy to wrenching sorrow; from stark simplicity to ceremonial pomp.
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WatchPatricia’s Moving Picture (1978) by Bonnie Sherr Klein This short doc tells the true story of Patricia Garner, a woman reluctantly approaching middle age sandwiched between changing social values and the loss of her family role.
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WatchWilliam Shatner Sings O Canada (2011)
by Jacob Medjuck
When William Shatner gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canada’s Governor General, he shows appreciation as only Shatner can. In this short film, the most famous space cadet in showbiz takes helm of our heritage and treats us to a memorable rendition of Canada’s national anthem.
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WatchDiscordia (2004) by Ben Addelman & Samir Mallal On September 9, 2002, a scheduled appearance by former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked heated debate at Montreal’s Concordia University. By the end of the day, the “Concordia riot” had made international news, from CNN to Al-Jazeera.
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WatchStrangers at the Door (1977) by John Howe This drama tells the harrowing story of an immigrant family in the New World. On arrival in Canada, their hopes for a better life were dashed when immigration officials refused to grant entry to their daughter. During a routine medical examination it was found that Kasia had contracted an infectious eye disease. She is separated from her family and sent...
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WatchThe Hungry Squid (2002) by John Weldon This animated short spins a tall tale about young Dorothy and her myriad troubles: absentee parents, bad hair and a menagerie that devours her homework. But when her pet squid rampages through town and people finally realize that the homework-eating creatures aren’t a figment of her imagination, Dorothy realizes that it’s time to get the situation...
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WatchPaul Tomkowicz: Street-railway Switchman (1953) by Roman Kroitor In this film, Paul Tomkowicz, Polish-born Canadian, talks about his job and his life in Canada. He compares his new life in the city of Winnipeg to the life he knew in Poland, marvelling at the freedom Canadians enjoy.
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WatchThe Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson’s Bay Company (1972) by Martin DeFalco & Willie Dunn The Hudson’s Bay Company’s 300th anniversary celebration was no occasion for joy among the people whose lives were tied to the trading stores. This film, narrated by George Manuel, president of the National Indian Brotherhood, presents the view of spokesmen for...
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Highrise: One Millionth Tower →
remediosthebeauty:
Help me vote for Highrise: One Millionth Tower! Up for Favourite Website Awards. One Millionth Tower is an open-source HTML5/WebGL, 3D virtual environment that re-images the dilapidated urban highrise neighbourhood.
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What A Day!: Multiliteracies Assignment: NFB and... →
jenniflowerr:
The National Film Board of Canada is a great media resource for teachers in the English classroom. The site (www.nfb.ca) includes over 13,000 Canadian productions which can be used for multiple purposes. For example, films can be used to teach construction and de-construction of content,…
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How Many Frames in a Year?
trevver:
As a cinephile who will celebrate his 11,111th minute of existence just over a year from now, I appreciate this Happy New Year message from Norman McLaren… the NFB’s King of Animation.
Courtesy of Letters of Note and Amir Avni
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