#FIRSTLOOK: TELEFILM CANADA, CANADA MEDIA FUND, INDIGENOUS SCREEN OFFICE AND NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

Telefilm Canada, alongside the Canada Media Fund (CMF), the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), are announcing a strategic partnership to strengthen the audiovisual sector’s understanding and reach of audiences by prioritizing and harmonizing the measurement and collection of audience data.

This new audience data initiative is one of the various projects brought forth by the table of leaders at federal organizations of the audiovisual sector (Telefilm, CMF, ISO and NFB). For more than a year, the federal audiovisual table has been working with the department of Canadian Heritage to modernize the Canadian audiovisual ecosystem marked by intense competition and questions of cultural sovereignty. This concerted audience-centred approach will inform more effective strategies for reaching audiences, increasing the impact of the richness and diversity of Canadian and Indigenous stories —whether in feature films, television, documentaries, or animated films— and ensuring its discoverability across digital platforms and cinemas.

Building on the Telefilm-led pan-Canadian consultation, which engaged over 50 active companies and key partners in the audiovisual sector, and resulted in the Exploring the Futures of Distribution – Strategic Visions for the Canadian Audiovisual Industry report, greater collaboration is essential to create a cooperative ecosystemic approach centred around audience.

“This joint initiative is a foundational step towards centering audiences around everything that we do, combining our expertise and audience-data to bridge the gap between our ecosystem’s value chains and audiences,” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “The continuity of our partnerships is paving the way for us to better support the cultural impact of Canadian and Indigenous cinema and position our stories where they belong – at the forefront of screens at home and abroad.”

“This is just the beginning of a major undertaking that will lead to a more concerted action with not only the funding agencies, but will also involve the audiovisual sector at large,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund. “By modernizing how we gather and share audience insights, we will ensure the viability of Canadian content in an era of rapid broadcast and digital change.”

“By strengthening our data collection and audience insights, we can better understand how Indigenous stories are discovered, shared and watched,” said Kerry Swanson, CEO of the Indigenous Screen Office. “This will allow us to amplify Indigenous voices, ensure equitable visibility in the marketplace, and connect these vital narratives with audiences across the country and the world.”

“This collaboration marks a turning point for Canada’s film ecosystem,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada. “By aligning our approaches, the production, promotion and distribution of Canadian films will be better positioned to reach Canadians and reflect the richness, diversity and creativity of our stories for years to come.”

Ongoing key partnerships among the agencies include:

Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada announce a three-year joint strategy to increase industry inclusivity
ISO to administer CMF’s $10m Indigenous Program in a new chapter for Indigenous screen content | Canada Media Fund
In a collaboration to equip Canadian producers with innovative technology and skills to drive viewership, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, and the National Film Board of Canada are joining founding sponsors to expand Magnify Digital’s Audience Development Pilot.

The collaboration of the four organizations to work towards a structured modernization of the Canadian audiovisual distribution landscape will involve many players in the audiovisual sector. More to come in the months ahead.

#FIRSTLOOK: NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA PRESENT MAY 2025 PROGRAMMING

Continue to Stream Canadian in May on nfb.ca! This month, explore two new documentaries from Yukon and British Columbia. Each in its own way offers an inspiring perspective:

In Saturday, by Jessica Hall, the filmmaker explores the joyful, creative life of her sister, who has an intellectual disability.

Incandescence, by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper, leads us to a new understanding of massive wildfires, a worldwide challenge.

May is also Asian Heritage Month in Canada, which will be celebrated with a rich themed channel. The NFB wants to highlight the importance of sharing the distinctive stories and important contributions of people from Asian communities across the country. This is all the more crucial in the wake of the terrible attack on Vancouver’s Filipino-Canadian community on April 26, Lapu-Lapu Day.

In addition, a blog post in conjunction with Mental Health Week (May 5–11) will explore animation filmmakers’ perspectives on the subject.

Is Montreal on your itinerary? Starting Thursday, May 8, stop by the Alanis Obomsawin Theatre in the Quartier des Spectacles to enjoy a few gems from the NFB’s collection on the big screen, at the Hello Film! series. Free films, first-come, first-wowed!

Remember, nfb.ca is home to more than 7,000 streaming films and a collection of over 100 interactive works.

NEW ONLINE RELEASES

Starting May 16

Saturday by Jessica Hall (2025, NFB)
Documentary (13 min 8 s) / Press kit

Filmmaker Jessica Hall’s sister Katherine manages her intellectual disability by leading an independent, creative and joyful life. Saturday documents her story. An inspiring tribute to a daughter and mother’s close and supportive relationship.
The film has been screened at a number of Canadian festivals, including the Available Light Film Festival in Whitehorse, where it was shot.

Starting May 26

Incandescence by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper (2024, NFB)
Documentary (105 min 22 s) / Press kit

Wildfires are burning with increasing intensity around the world. Following the rhythms of the seasons, the film is an immersive cinematic experience, weaving on-the-ground footage with extraordinary stories of survival and adaptation that transform our understanding of wildfire. From the flightpath of bees to an osprey’s aerial perspective, floating over the landscape: the Earth comes back.
The doc has been selected for festivals in Canada and the US, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. This spring, it played at sold-out screenings across British Columbia.
Incandescence will be shown in Montreal on Thursday, May 22,* as part of the Hello Film! series at the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre.

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

THEMED CHANNEL AND BLOG POSTS

Marking Asian Heritage Month

Channel: Asian-Canadian Perspectives

Watch close to 30 NFB animated films and documentaries that centre around Asian communities and stories told from Asian perspectives. The selection includes Eisha Marjara’s Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen?, which won the prestigious Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Celebrating the NFB’s 86th anniversary

English Collection Curator Camilo Martín-Flórez is publishing a new blog post on April 30.
“The NFB: 86 Years, 7,000+ Awards… and Counting!” celebrates the NFB’s anniversary on May 2 by taking a deep dive into its long list of awards—a staggering total of more than 7,000 honours received between 1941 and 2025!

Marking Mental Health Week (May 5–11)

French Collection Curator Marc St-Pierre will publish the blog post “An Animated Journey into Mental Health,” available soon.

In it, he explores a variety of perspectives on the subject, drawn from several animated films. A few examples: Zeb’s Spider by Alicia Eisen and Sophie Jarvis, The Great Malaise by Catherine Lepage, I Am Here by Eoin Duffy, The Head Vanishes by Franck Dion, Mystery of the Secret Room by Wanda Nolan, LOCA by Véronique Paquette, Lipsett Diaries by Theodore Ushev and Animal Behaviour by Alison Snowden and David Fine.

HELLO FILM! – FREE SCREENINGS IN MONTREAL

Free admission (reservations required)
Details: events.nfb.ca/hello-film-free-screenings-at-the-nfb

Each of the films below will be preceded by a short to open the program.

Marking Asian Heritage Month
Thursday, May 8, 2025, 7 p.m.: The Apology by Tiffany Hsiung (104 min)

The film follows three former “comfort women” who were among the 200,000 girls and young women kidnapped and forced into military sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

Marking the International Day of Families
Thursday, May 15, 2025, 7 p.m.: Seguridad by Tamara Segura (76 min)

Once dubbed “Cuba’s youngest soldier” in a militia publicity stunt, Tamara Segura uncovers family secrets and portrays her troubled relationship with her father.

Marking International Day for Biological Diversity
*Thursday, May 22, 2025, 7 p.m.: Incandescence by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper (105 min 22 s)

See the announcement about the film’s May 26 online premiere on nfb.ca.

Looking ahead to Father’s Day in June
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 7 p.m.: Sons by Justin Simms (70 min)

As Donald Trump is elected to a first term in 2016, a first-time dad wrestles with traditional methods of raising boys. How do we teach our boys to become better men?

The Hello Film! series will continue through July 31, with more films to discover or rediscover.

At the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre
1500 Balmoral Street
Montreal
Place-des-Arts Metro

Accessible to persons with reduced mobility.

#FIRSTLOOK: NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA CELEBRATE NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY AND EARTH DAY 2025

April 16, 2025 is National Canadian Film Day. Of course, nfb.ca is all about Canadian films all the time, streaming free of charge. Throughout the month of April, viewers can explore three new documentaries on hard-hitting subjects, all made by women directors.

•In Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen?,director Eisha Marjara tackles her personal battle with anorexia.

•Seguridad, by Tamara Segura, sees the director explore her father’s troubled past and its connection to the Cuban Revolution.

•A Losing Game, from Jenny Cartwright, examines the ways in which the Quebec electoral system is dysfunctional—a topical film as an election campaign is in full swing.

The themed channel Our Planet in Focus will mark Earth Day, April 22, featuring over 60 films about the environment.

Remember, nfb.ca is home to more than 7,000 streaming films and a collection of over 100 interactive works.

Starting April 7

Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen? by Eisha Marjara (Compass Productions/9466-7565 Québec/NFB)
Documentary (24 min 6 s)

•In this deeply personal short doc by Quebec director Eisha Marjara, dieting together seems like fun for two sisters—until their project takes a dark turn and Eisha, consumed by anorexia, is pushed to the very brink of death. The film sheds new light on the complex subject of eating disorders.

•To date the film has been selected to screen at nine festivals worldwide and won the prestigious Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Starting April 15

Seguridad by Tamara Segura (2024, NFB)
Documentary (76 min)

•Once dubbed “Cuba’s youngest soldier” in a militia publicity stunt, Newfoundland-based filmmaker Tamara Segura uncovers family secrets and portrays her troubled relationship with her father. A rare glimpse into the inner lives of Cubans in the post-revolutionary era.

•The film was selected to screen at Hot Docs and won an award at the Atlantic International Film Festival.

•English Collection Curator Camilo Martín-Flórez is publishing a new blog post on April 15. “The Latina-Canadian Gaze” shines a spotlight on the new wave of Latina-Canadian filmmakers who’ve directed NFB-produced films over the past decade, including Segura.

Starting April 24

A Losing Game by Jenny Cartwright (2025, NFB)
Documentary (98 min)

•A Losing Game follows three people who ran for office in the 2022 Quebec provincial election, casting a critical eye on this system. For most, the race is over before it even begins. But, thanks to the way the electoral system is set up, the big losers are the rest of us.

•The doc had its world premiere as the opening film of the 2025 Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma.

Marking Earth Day, April 22

•Channel: Our Planet in Focus – NFB
This channel presents documentaries and animated films on environmental topics, selected from the many fascinating productions about these subjects in the NFB’s collection. Watch recent films like Kevin McMahon’s Borealis or classics like Bill Mason’s Cry of the Wild.

•French Collection Curator Marc St-Pierre’s latest blog post, available soon, takes a look at climate change as depicted in three compelling films. He examines perspectives drawn from Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s Metamorphosis (2018), Jennifer Abbott’s The Magnitude of All Things (2020) and Leanne Allison’s Losing Blue (2023).

#TIFF: NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA PREMIERE FOUR TITLES AT 2022 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

As part of TIFF’s Canadian programming announcements, the National Film Board of Canada is bringing us four titles at the Festival this year!

Premiering in TIFF Docs

The Colour of Ink by Brian D. Johnson (105 min)

Produced by Brian D. Johnson for Sphinx Productions; Sherien Barsoum, Lea Marin and Kate Vollum for the NFB

• Working with ingredients foraged in the wild—weeds, berries, bark, flowers, rocks, rust—Toronto inkmaker Jason Logan makes ink from just about anything. Jason sends custom-made inks to an eclectic range of artists around the world, from a New Yorker cartoonist to a Japanese calligrapher.
• As the inks take on a life of their own, his playful alchemy paints a story of colour that reconnects us to the earth and returns us to a childlike sense of wonder.
• Brian D. Johnson is a Canadian writer, filmmaker and cultural commentator. He is best known for his three decades as film critic and senior arts writer at Maclean’s magazine, where he remains a Contributing Editor. In 2015 he produced and directed Al Purdy Was Here, a documentary feature about the legendary Canadian poet, which premiered at TIFF and was runner-up for the TIFF Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award.

Ever Deadly by Tanya Tagaq and Chelsea McMullan (90 min)

Produced by Lea Marin, Anita Lee and Kate Vollum for the Ontario Studio in Toronto.

Ever Deadly explores Tagaq’s transformation of sound with an eye to colonial fallout, natural freedom and Canadian history. We witness Tagaq’s intimate relationship with the Nuna—the Land—a living, breathing organism present in all forms of her improvised performances. 

This feature doc weaves concert footage with stunning sequences filmed on location in Nunavut, seamlessly bridging landscapes, stories and songs with pain, anger and triumph—all through the expressions of one of the most innovative musical performers of our time.

Tanya Tagaq is an improvisational singer, avant-garde composer and author from Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq), who now divides her time between Nunavut and Toronto. A member of the Order of Canada, a Polaris Music Prize and JUNO Award winner and recipient of multiple honorary doctorates, Tagaq is an original disruptor, a world-changing figure at the forefront of seismic social, political and environmental change.

Toronto filmmaker Chelsea McMullan creates documentary, experimental narrative, and hybrid films that explore the work of leading international artists. McMullan’s first documentary feature, My Prairie Home, about pioneering transgender musician Rae Spoon, screened at Sundance 2014 and was named Best Canadian Documentary at the Vancouver Film Critics Association Awards.

To Kill a Tiger by Nisha Pahuja (125 min)

Produced by Cornelia Principe and Nisha Pahuja for Notice Pictures; David Oppenheim for the NFB

In a small Indian village, Ranjit wakes up to find that his 13-year-old daughter has not returned from a family wedding. A few hours later, she’s found stumbling home. After being dragged into the woods, she was raped by three men. Ranjit goes to the police, and the men are arrested. But Ranjit’s relief is short-lived, as the villagers and their leaders launch a sustained campaign to force the family to drop the charges.

With tremendous access, the film follows Ranjit’s uphill battle to find justice for his child, charting the emotional journey of an ordinary man facing extraordinary circumstances. A father whose love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will reverberate for years to come.

Nisha Pahuja is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker based in Toronto and Bombay. Her credits include Diamond Road (2007 Gemini Award for Best Documentary Series), the NFB production Bollywood Bound (2001 Gemini nominee) and the award-winning The World Before Her (2012; Best Documentary, Tribeca Film Festival; Best Canadian Documentary, Hot Docs; TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten; Sundance Film Forward Program; Best Documentary nominee, CSAs; Emmy nominee).

Premiering in Short Cuts

The Flying Sailor by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (7 min 45 s)

Produced by David Christensen for the North West Studio in Edmonton

Two ships collide in a harbour, an explosion shatters a city, and a sailor is blasted skyward. With ears ringing, blood pulsing and guts heaving, he soars high above the mayhem and towards the great unknown.

Inspired by an incredible true story of a man who was blown two kilometres through the air by the Halifax Explosion, the animated short The Flying Sailor is at once a bold blend of comedy, suspense and philosophy and an exhilarating contemplation of the wonder and fragility of existence.

The Flying Sailor is making its North American premiere at TIFF following its world premiere at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, which took place June 13 to 18.

Calgary-based animators Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis met at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, where they studied film, video and animation. Each went on to create their own works with the NFB (Wendy Tilby’s Strings and Jan Padgett’s The Reluctant Deckhand, animated by Amanda Forbis) before co-directing When the Day Breaks, which received an Oscar nomination and more than 30 international awards, including the Palme d’Or at Cannes. In 2012, their animated short film Wild Life received an Academy Award nomination, among other honours.