August 30, 2016 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
New this fall on NFB.ca: more than 60 new films can be viewed free of charge as of now, including several recent documentaries that have won awards in Canada and abroad, by renowned filmmakers such as Alanis Obomsawin, Paul Cowan, William D. MacGillivray and Justin Simms. The films deal with a range of subjects that are relevant to the lives and concerns of Canadians: refugees and war zones, homophobia and human rights, environmental issues, the living conditions of Indigenous peoples, the challenges of adolescence, the evolution of urban and rural communities, and much more. The entire selection is grouped together at nfb.ca/new and is almost fully accessible from anywhere in the world. More new free films will be added weekly in the fall.
A different selection of new free films, comprising 50 recent titles, is available in French at ONF.ca (38 titles are available in both French and English on ONF.ca and NFB.ca).
Featured highlights: a few suggestions from NFB collection curator Albert Ohayon
Danny, by Justin Simms and William D. MacGillivray (NFB, 2014, 84 min)
A fascinating portrait of Danny Williams, Newfoundland’s premier from 2003 to 2010, and his fight to transform the province from a have-not into a have. The film also covers the battle between the premier and Stephen Harper, which thrust Williams into the spotlight and earned him a good deal of praise.
Island Green, by Millefiore Clarkes (NFB, 2013, 25 min)
Is the rising rate of cancers and respiratory illness in Prince Edward Island linked to its agricultural industry? This short film looks at alternate ways of growing food.
The Coca-Cola Case, by German Gutierrez and Carmen Garcia (Argus Films/NFB, 2009, 85 min)
Did multinational giant Coca-Cola hire hitmen to assassinate Colombian workers who tried to set up a union? This investigative documentary attempts to shed light on a sordid affair. Received a Special Mention for the Documentary award at the International Environmental Film Festival (FIFE) in Paris.
Award-winning filmmaker Paul Cowan (Paris 1919; The Kid Who Couldn’t Miss) had unprecedented access to the United Nations in making this film about U.N. Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where all hell had broken loose.
The People of the Kattawapiskak River, by Alanis Obomsawin (NFB, 2012, 70 min)
Legendary Indigenous filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin explores the experiences of a Cree community in Northern Ontario, where living conditions resemble those of a country in the developing world. Delving deeper than the shock news reports, Obomsawin introduces us to the people and their lives.
Last Chance, by Paul Émile d’Entremont (NFB, 2012, 85 min)
An absorbing documentary about five people from countries around the world who seek asylum in Canada to escape homophobic violence. Winner of two awards in 2012: in Moncton (FICFA – International Francophone Film Festival in Acadie) and in Halifax (Atlantic Film Festival).
Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada, by Karen Cho (NFB, 2012, 87 min)
This powerful film sheds light on the struggle for women’s rights in Canada, showing that we have come a long way—and that there’s still a long way to go. Winner of the Whistler Film Festival’s World Documentary award.
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Jennifer Mair
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About the NFB
The NFB is Canada’s public producer of award-winning creative documentaries, auteur animation, and groundbreaking interactive stories, installations and participatory experiences. NFB producers are deeply embedded in communities across the country, working with talented artists and creators in production studios from St. John’s to Vancouver, on projects that stand out for their excellence in storytelling, their innovation, and their social resonance. NFB productions have won over 5,000 awards, including 15 Canadian Screen Awards, 17 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. To access many of these works, visit NFB.ca or download the NFB’s apps for mobile devices and connected TV.
