العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolNATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA
:''There are other organizations with the acronym NFB.''
The 'National Film Board of Canada' (usually ''National Film Board'' or ''NFB'') is a Canadian public filmmaking organization established to produce and distribute films that inform Canadians and promote Canada around the world. Its name in French is 'Office national du film du Canada' or 'ONF'. The NFB is best known for its documentaries and animated short films, many of which have won Genie and Academy Awards. In total, the NFB has produced over 12,000 productions which have won over 5000 awards.[1] The NFB reports to the Parliament of Canada through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It has French and English production branches.
The organization's purpose and mission have been re-defined numerous times throughout its history. Currently, the NFB's mandate is defined by the Minister of Canadian Heritage:
The National Film Board has defined a list of primary and secondary goals to fulfill in order to meet its mandate, as well as a set of related activities that can be performed to meet those goals. Primary activities are:
★ create programming reflecting Canada's linguistic duality and cultural diversity
★ create programming of film and audiovisual works on subjects relevant to the general public or niche audiences
★ support innovative and experimental projects in new and interactive media
★ exploit the audiovisual heritage of the NFB
These are to be achieved through various programs, such as the Aboriginal Film Program, implementing a major bilingual website on the history of Canada, and incorporating Internet and interactive tools into filmmaking.
Secondary activities include:
★ broadcasting NFB films on national television networks and specialty services
★ developing and maintaining an e-commerce system to sell products directly to Canadian and international customers
★ developing and diversifying markets for NFB products
To achieve these goals, the NFB plans include: creating educational television markets by signing contracts with American school boards, colleges and universities, and granting them certain rights; developing in-flight markets by working with airlines and distributors specilizing in that field; and developing the CineRoute project, a cinema-on-demand service via the internet. The NFB plans to develop new territories, particularly China, Brazil and Mexico.
In 1938, the Government of Canada invited John Grierson, a British documentary film-maker, to study the state of the government's film production. To that date, the ''Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau'', established in 1918, had been the major Canadian film producer. The results of Grierson's report were included in the ''National Film Act'' of 1939, which led to the establishment of the NFB. In part, it was founded to create propaganda in support of the Second World War.
When Norman McLaren joined the organization in 1941, the NFB began production of animation. The NFB proved to be an organization that would give Canada a presence in the film world. The animation department eventually gained distinction, particularly with the pioneering work of McLaren, an internationally recognized experimental filmmaker. The NFB was a pioneer in several novel techniques such as pinscreen animation, but most of the Oscars and many other awards it won were done in traditional cell animation.
A revision of the National Film Act in 1950 removed any direct government intervention into the operation and administration of the NFB. National Film Board of Canada/Office national du film du Canada
In 1952, McLaren's ''Neighbours'' won an Oscar. An allegory about war and peace featuring two neighbours fighting over a flower, the short was considered too violent by some; it has garnered the label "one of the most controversial films the NFB ever made". A rather incomplete but still fascinating history of animation Further, the eight-minute film was politically motivated:
However, the version of ''Neighbours'' that ultimately won an Oscar was not the version McLaren had originally created. In order to make the film palatable for American and European audiences, McLaren was required to remove a scene in which the two men, fighting over the flower, murdered the other's wife and children. Neighbours
''Neighbours'' also popularized the form of character movement referred to as pixillation, a variant of stop motion.
With the creation of the ''Canadian Film Development Corporation'' (now known as Telefilm Canada) in 1967, the mandate for the National Film Board was refined. The Canadian Film Development Corporation would become responsible for promoting the development of the film industry Canadian Film Policy: History of Federal Initiatives , a role the NFB had never undertaken, and for which it was ill-suited.
In the mid-90s, the NFB absorbed a 32% cut to its operating budget, forcing it to lay off staff, close its film lab, sound stage (now privatized) as well as other departments. This has been followed by smaller budget cuts in recent years. The six-storey John Grierson Building at its Montreal headquarters has sat empty for several years – with staff now based solely in its adjacent Norman McLaren Building.
In 2006, the NFB marked the 65th anniversary of NFB animation with an international retrospective of restored Norman McLaren classics and the launch of the DVD box set, ''Norman McLaren - The Master's Edition''.
Upon its merger with the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau in 1941, the NFB's mandate expanded to include motion as well as still pictures, resulting in the creation of the Still Photography Division of the NFB.
From 1941 to 1984, the Division commissioned freelance photographers to document every aspect of life in Canada. These images were widely distributed through publication in various media.
In 1985, this Division officially became the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography.[2]
On May 17, 2007, Tom Perlmutter was named the NFB's 15th Commissioner, having served as its head of English Program since 2001. [1]
In addition to ''Neighbours'', many NFB productions have been criticised for their content, either for moral and social reasons, or because the production presents an unpopular interpretation of widely-held beliefs.
The 1982 film ''If You Love This Planet'', which won an Academy Award for best documentary short subject, was labelled foreign propaganda under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 in the United States.
''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'', also released in 1982, is one of the most controversial films produced by the NFB. Directed and produced by Paul Cowan, it questions the facts of fighter pilot Billy Bishop's accomplishments during World War I. Bishop, a highly-decorated military figure, is considered a Canadian icon — many books and films have been created about him, and a museum in Owen Sound, Ontario bears his name. The film specifically questions accounts of Bishop's solo mission to attack a German aerodrome on June 2, 1917, for which he was awarded a Victoria Cross, and suggests the event was imaginary and that Bishop exaggerated his own accomplishments. Canadian veteran's groups were outraged by the insinuation, and Cowan received many irate letters, "He got inundated by thousands of furious letters, rumblings in the Senate subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs, and demands that the government cut off funding to the NFB." Paul Cowan's inquisitive eye: war games porn stars and the Ghosts of Westray
H. Clifford Chadderton, Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps, created the film ''The Billy Bishop Controversy'' to counter the bias he and other veterans perceived in the NFB film. Released in 1986, it attempts to demonstrate that Cowan and the NFB did not properly research the historical records, and reached faulty conclusions about Bishop. ''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'' also led Chicago native, and Bishop fan, Albert Lowe to create a website (www.billybishop.net) devoted to the fighter pilot. Defender of home town hero on the net Lowe complained about the characterization of Bishop in the film, and commented that "That year Mr. Paul Cowan, with $514,007.00 of Canadian Taxpayer's money, did one of the foulest deeds possible without committing some form of violence." Air Marshal William Avery Bishop Originally released as a documentary, ''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'' is now listed as a docudrama in NFB documents.
Despite the problems and criticisms it may generate, the NFB does not avoid controversial topics, and sometimes encourages its artists to pursue such topics. Most of the controversial work currently produced by the NFB centres on polarized social and moral issues. During the height of the pro-rights and pro-life abortion debate of the 1980s, the NFB released the documentary film ''Abortion: Stories from North and South'' (1984). According to a synopsis by the American Friends Service Committee:
Another controversial NFB film, ''Out Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth'' (also referred to as ''Out'') from 1993, targets Canadian teens. The film promotes equality with respect to sexual orientation:
The film drew some attention from religious groups and social conservatives, who felt the taxpayer-funded NFB should not promote the so-called "lifestyle choice" of homosexuality among teens. Silvia Basmajian, the film's producer (and sister of the late,Canadian poet, Shaunt Basmajian ), was quoted by the Western Report as saying that "Mainly we're going to be selling it to schools. There's some resistance to it out there, so we'll have to work it in across the country, school board by school board." Legacy of Modern Art
The National Film Board produces works in various styles. It is most notable for documentaries, short films and animation. The government-funded organization has enjoyed success in part because it has had the freedom to pursue artistic endeavours with minimal government intervention.
★ Colin Low
★ William Greaves
★ Alanis Obomsawin
The following animators are the "Key Filmmakers" of the National Film Board of Canada Key Filmmakers :
★ Michèle Cournoyer
★ Jacques Drouin
★ Chris Hinton
★ Co Hoedeman
★ René Jodoin
★ Evelyn Lambart
★ Caroline Leaf
★ Norman McLaren
★ Ishu Patel
During the 1970s and early 1980s, the National Film Board produced a series of vignettes, some of which aired on CBC during commercial breaks. The vignettes became popular because of their cultural
depiction of Canada, and because they represented its changing state. Indeed, the vignette ''Faces'' was made to represent the increasing cultural and ethnic diversity of Canada.
The National Film Board maintains its head office in Ottawa. However, its operational headquarters are located in Saint-Laurent, a borough of Montreal; this is also its distribution centre, and where the bulk of production occurs. Interactive public access centres operate in downtown Toronto and Montreal. International distribution centres are also located in New York and Paris.
In addition to the English and French-language studios in its Montreal HQ, there are other centres throughout Canada. English-language production occurs at centres in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Halifax. French-language productions are also made in Toronto and Moncton. The NFB also offers support programs for independent filmmakers: in English, via the Filmmaker Assistance Program (FAP) and in French through its Aide du cinéma indépendant - Canada (ACIC) program.
The organization has a hierarchical structure headed by a ''Board of Trustees'', which is chaired by the ''Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson''. It is overseen by the ''Board of Trustees Secretariat and Legal Affairs''. Reporting to the Government Film Commissioner are various departments:
★ English Program
★ French Program
★ Distribution
★ Marketing & Communications
★ Technical Resources and Innovation
★ Administration
★ Human Resources
★ Planning, Evaluation, and Audit.
The NFB employs 490 full-time equivalent staff, with an annual budget of $70 million (for 2000-2004). Funding is derived primarily from government of Canada transfer payments, and also from its own revenue streams. These revenues are from print sales, film production services, rentals, and royalties, and total up to $10 million yearly; the NFB lists this as ''Respendable Revenues'' in its financial statements.
Over the years, the NFB has been internationally recognized with more than 4,500 film awards. The National Film Board Of Canada:Eyes of Canada Tribute to Canada at Annecy International Animated Film Festival
The NFB has received more than 90 Genie Awards. The following is an incomplete list:
''Winners'':
★ 1988: 10th Genie Awards, Best Animated Short: ''The Cat Came Back'', (Cordell Barker). This film is based upon the 1893 song ''And the Cat Came Back'' by Harry S. Miller.
★ 1986 Best Feature Length Documentary: ''Final Offer''
★ 1985: 7th Genie Awards, Best Animated Short: ''The Big Snit'', (Richard Condie and Michael J.F. Scott)
''Nominated'':
★ 1985: 7th Genie Awards, ''Paradise/Paradis'', (Ishu Patel)
★ 1982: 3rd Genie Awards, ''Top Priority'', (Ishu Patel)
The NFB has garnered a total of 69 Academy Award nominations. The first-ever Oscar for documentary went to the NFB production, ''Churchill's Island''. On January 23, 2007, the NFB received its 12th Academy Award for the animated short ''The Danish Poet'', directed by Torill Kove and co-produced with MikroFilm AS (Norway).
''Winners:''
★ 2007: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Danish Poet'', (Torill Kove)
★ 2005: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Ryan'', (Chris Landreth)
★ 1994: Academy Award for Animated Short Film,''Bob's Birthday'', (Alison Snowden and David Fine)
★ 1989: '' Academy Honorary Award'' - ''National Film Board'' Academy to Celebrate National Film Board of Canada Anniversary
★ 1983: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Flamenco at 5:15'', (Cynthia Scott)
★ 1982: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''If You Love This Planet'' (Terri Nash)
★ 1979: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Every Child'' (Eugene Fedorenko)
★ 1978: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Special Delivery'' (Eunice Macaulay and John Weldon)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''I'll Find a Way'' (Beverly Shaffer)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Sand Castle'' (Co Hoedeman)
★ 1952: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Neighbours'' (Norman McLaren)
★ 1941: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Churchill's Island'' (Stuart Legg)
''Nominated:'' (incomplete list)
★ 1988: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Cat Came Back'', (Cordell Barker). This film is based upon the 1893 song, ''And the Cat Came Back'' by Harry S. Miller.
★ 1985: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Big Snit,'' (Richard Condie and Michael Scott)
★ 1984: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Paradise/Paradis,'' (Ishu Patel)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Bead Game,'' (Ishu Patel)
★ 1976: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Street,'' (Caroline Leaf and Guy Glover)
★ 1975: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Monsieur Pointu,'' (René Jodoin, Bernard Longpré and André Leduc)
★ 1974: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Family That Dwelt Apart,'' (Yvon Mallette and Robert Verrall)
★ 1974: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Hunger,'' (Peter Foldès and René Jodoin)
★ 1971: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Evolution (documentary),'' (Michael Mills)
★ 1969: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Walking,'' (Ryan Larkin)
★ 1967: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' What On Earth!,'' (Robert Verrall and Wolf Koenig)
★ 1966: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Drag,'' (Wolf Koenig and Robert Verrall)
★ 1964: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Christmas Cracker,'' (Norman McLaren, Jeff Hale, Gerald Potterton and Grant Munro)
★ 1963: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''My Financial Career,'' (Gerald Potterton)
★ 1962: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''Very Nice, Very Nice'', (Arthur Lipsett)
★ 1957: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''City of Gold'', (Colin Low, Wolf Koenig)
★ 1957: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''A Chairy Tale'', (Norman McLaren, Claude Jutra)
★ 1952: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Romance of Transportation,'' (Colin Low)
★ The National Film Board's extensive library of short films, documentaries and animation has led to an enthusiastic fan base. Various festivals, film exhibits and university clubs host retrospectives and showings designed to promote the work of the NFB. National Film Board Retrospective The NFB now has over 30,000 members in its NFB Film Club, who receive info on NFB screenings and workshops, special prices on NFB videos and access to the Film Board's broadband service, CineRoute.
★ The NFB is a minority owner of Documentary Channel in Canada. NFB-branded series ''Retrovision'' appeared on VisionTV, along with the French-language ''Carnets ONF'' series on APTN. Moreover, in 1997 the American cable channel Cartoon Network created a weekly 30-minute show called ''O Canada'' specifically showcasing a compilation of NFB-produced works; however, the segment was discontinued in favour of ''Adult Swim''. O Canada: Canadian animators O Canada
★ The Scottish music act Boards of Canada takes its name from the NFB.
★ The Board's logo consists of a standing stylized figure (originally green) with its arms wide upward. The arms are met by an arch that mirrors them. The round head in between then resembles a pupil, making the entire symbol appear to be an eye with legs. Launched in 1969, the logo symbolized a vision of humanity and was called "Man Seeing / L'homme qui voit". It was designed by Georges Beaupré.[3] It was updated in 2002 by the firm of Paprika Communications.[4][5]
★ An episode of the cartoon ''The Simpsons'', "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)", has the Simpson family watching a Zorro movie whose production is credited to the National Film Board of Canada. Simpsons, Eh?
★
★ Cinema of Quebec
★ Cinema of Canada
1. About the NFB
2. "Photo Collections" in ''Project Naming'', the identification of Inuit portrayed in photographic collections at Library and Archives Canada
3. http://www.onf.ca/atonf/historique.php?idcat=43&position=0&v=h&lg=en&id=740 NFB History 1969
4. http://www.onf.ca/atonf/historique.php?idcat=43&position=0&v=h&lg=en&id=773 NFB history 2002
5. http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/officialgallery/?p=722 Canadian Design Resource
In the National Interest: A Chronicle of the National Film Board of Canada from 1949–1989, , Gary, Evans, University of Toronto Press, 1991, ISBN 0-8020-2784-9
★ NFB Official Web Site
★ NFB Animation Web Site
★ Across Cultures Web site
★ NFB Online Film Library - CineRoute
★ CITIZENShift - online media for social change
★ Historica: The Canadian Encyclopedia - National Film Board of Canada
★ ''A Chronology of Canadian Film and Television''
★ ''United Nations of animation - National Film Board of Canada''
★ ''O Canada: - Canadian animators''
★ National Film Board of Canada at the Big Cartoon DataBase
★
★ Across Cultures Web site - over 100 NFB films online (free)
★ Focus on Animation Web site - NFB animated shorts online (free)
★ ''Animation Greats'' -compilation of NFB animation
The current National Film Board of Canada logo
The 'National Film Board of Canada' (usually ''National Film Board'' or ''NFB'') is a Canadian public filmmaking organization established to produce and distribute films that inform Canadians and promote Canada around the world. Its name in French is 'Office national du film du Canada' or 'ONF'. The NFB is best known for its documentaries and animated short films, many of which have won Genie and Academy Awards. In total, the NFB has produced over 12,000 productions which have won over 5000 awards.[1] The NFB reports to the Parliament of Canada through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. It has French and English production branches.
Purpose
The organization's purpose and mission have been re-defined numerous times throughout its history. Currently, the NFB's mandate is defined by the Minister of Canadian Heritage:
''The overarching objective of the National Film Board is to produce and distribute audio-visual works which provoke discussion and debate on subjects of interest to Canadian audiences and foreign markets; which explore the creative potential of the audio-visual media; and which achieve recognition by Canadians and others for excellence, relevance and innovation.'' — Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage (2000)
The National Film Board has defined a list of primary and secondary goals to fulfill in order to meet its mandate, as well as a set of related activities that can be performed to meet those goals. Primary activities are:
★ create programming reflecting Canada's linguistic duality and cultural diversity
★ create programming of film and audiovisual works on subjects relevant to the general public or niche audiences
★ support innovative and experimental projects in new and interactive media
★ exploit the audiovisual heritage of the NFB
These are to be achieved through various programs, such as the Aboriginal Film Program, implementing a major bilingual website on the history of Canada, and incorporating Internet and interactive tools into filmmaking.
Secondary activities include:
★ broadcasting NFB films on national television networks and specialty services
★ developing and maintaining an e-commerce system to sell products directly to Canadian and international customers
★ developing and diversifying markets for NFB products
To achieve these goals, the NFB plans include: creating educational television markets by signing contracts with American school boards, colleges and universities, and granting them certain rights; developing in-flight markets by working with airlines and distributors specilizing in that field; and developing the CineRoute project, a cinema-on-demand service via the internet. The NFB plans to develop new territories, particularly China, Brazil and Mexico.
History
In 1938, the Government of Canada invited John Grierson, a British documentary film-maker, to study the state of the government's film production. To that date, the ''Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau'', established in 1918, had been the major Canadian film producer. The results of Grierson's report were included in the ''National Film Act'' of 1939, which led to the establishment of the NFB. In part, it was founded to create propaganda in support of the Second World War.
When Norman McLaren joined the organization in 1941, the NFB began production of animation. The NFB proved to be an organization that would give Canada a presence in the film world. The animation department eventually gained distinction, particularly with the pioneering work of McLaren, an internationally recognized experimental filmmaker. The NFB was a pioneer in several novel techniques such as pinscreen animation, but most of the Oscars and many other awards it won were done in traditional cell animation.
A revision of the National Film Act in 1950 removed any direct government intervention into the operation and administration of the NFB. National Film Board of Canada/Office national du film du Canada
In 1952, McLaren's ''Neighbours'' won an Oscar. An allegory about war and peace featuring two neighbours fighting over a flower, the short was considered too violent by some; it has garnered the label "one of the most controversial films the NFB ever made". A rather incomplete but still fascinating history of animation Further, the eight-minute film was politically motivated:
"I was inspired to make ''Neighbours'' by a stay of almost a year in the People's Republic of China. Although I only saw the beginnings of Mao's revolution, my faith in human nature was reinvigorated by it. Then I came back to Quebec and the Korean War began. (...) I decided to make a really strong film about anti-militarism and against war." — ''Norman McLaren'' Norman McLaren
However, the version of ''Neighbours'' that ultimately won an Oscar was not the version McLaren had originally created. In order to make the film palatable for American and European audiences, McLaren was required to remove a scene in which the two men, fighting over the flower, murdered the other's wife and children. Neighbours
''Neighbours'' also popularized the form of character movement referred to as pixillation, a variant of stop motion.
With the creation of the ''Canadian Film Development Corporation'' (now known as Telefilm Canada) in 1967, the mandate for the National Film Board was refined. The Canadian Film Development Corporation would become responsible for promoting the development of the film industry Canadian Film Policy: History of Federal Initiatives , a role the NFB had never undertaken, and for which it was ill-suited.
In the mid-90s, the NFB absorbed a 32% cut to its operating budget, forcing it to lay off staff, close its film lab, sound stage (now privatized) as well as other departments. This has been followed by smaller budget cuts in recent years. The six-storey John Grierson Building at its Montreal headquarters has sat empty for several years – with staff now based solely in its adjacent Norman McLaren Building.
In 2006, the NFB marked the 65th anniversary of NFB animation with an international retrospective of restored Norman McLaren classics and the launch of the DVD box set, ''Norman McLaren - The Master's Edition''.
Still Photography Division
Upon its merger with the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau in 1941, the NFB's mandate expanded to include motion as well as still pictures, resulting in the creation of the Still Photography Division of the NFB.
From 1941 to 1984, the Division commissioned freelance photographers to document every aspect of life in Canada. These images were widely distributed through publication in various media.
In 1985, this Division officially became the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography.[2]
Government Film Commissioner
On May 17, 2007, Tom Perlmutter was named the NFB's 15th Commissioner, having served as its head of English Program since 2001. [1]
Controversy
In addition to ''Neighbours'', many NFB productions have been criticised for their content, either for moral and social reasons, or because the production presents an unpopular interpretation of widely-held beliefs.
The 1982 film ''If You Love This Planet'', which won an Academy Award for best documentary short subject, was labelled foreign propaganda under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 in the United States.
''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'', also released in 1982, is one of the most controversial films produced by the NFB. Directed and produced by Paul Cowan, it questions the facts of fighter pilot Billy Bishop's accomplishments during World War I. Bishop, a highly-decorated military figure, is considered a Canadian icon — many books and films have been created about him, and a museum in Owen Sound, Ontario bears his name. The film specifically questions accounts of Bishop's solo mission to attack a German aerodrome on June 2, 1917, for which he was awarded a Victoria Cross, and suggests the event was imaginary and that Bishop exaggerated his own accomplishments. Canadian veteran's groups were outraged by the insinuation, and Cowan received many irate letters, "He got inundated by thousands of furious letters, rumblings in the Senate subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs, and demands that the government cut off funding to the NFB." Paul Cowan's inquisitive eye: war games porn stars and the Ghosts of Westray
H. Clifford Chadderton, Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps, created the film ''The Billy Bishop Controversy'' to counter the bias he and other veterans perceived in the NFB film. Released in 1986, it attempts to demonstrate that Cowan and the NFB did not properly research the historical records, and reached faulty conclusions about Bishop. ''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'' also led Chicago native, and Bishop fan, Albert Lowe to create a website (www.billybishop.net) devoted to the fighter pilot. Defender of home town hero on the net Lowe complained about the characterization of Bishop in the film, and commented that "That year Mr. Paul Cowan, with $514,007.00 of Canadian Taxpayer's money, did one of the foulest deeds possible without committing some form of violence." Air Marshal William Avery Bishop Originally released as a documentary, ''The Kid Who Couldn't Miss'' is now listed as a docudrama in NFB documents.
Despite the problems and criticisms it may generate, the NFB does not avoid controversial topics, and sometimes encourages its artists to pursue such topics. Most of the controversial work currently produced by the NFB centres on polarized social and moral issues. During the height of the pro-rights and pro-life abortion debate of the 1980s, the NFB released the documentary film ''Abortion: Stories from North and South'' (1984). According to a synopsis by the American Friends Service Committee:
"[It shows] that women of all races, religions and social classes have had - and always will have - abortions, whether society allows the right to abortion or not. The only issue is whether abortions will be safe or whether they will be dangerous to women's health." Films on Ireland
Another controversial NFB film, ''Out Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth'' (also referred to as ''Out'') from 1993, targets Canadian teens. The film promotes equality with respect to sexual orientation:
Delving into the emotional, societal and familial conflicts lesbian and gay youth often face, this film breaks the damaging silence surrounding sexual orientation and sexual differences. Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth
The film drew some attention from religious groups and social conservatives, who felt the taxpayer-funded NFB should not promote the so-called "lifestyle choice" of homosexuality among teens. Silvia Basmajian, the film's producer (and sister of the late,Canadian poet, Shaunt Basmajian ), was quoted by the Western Report as saying that "Mainly we're going to be selling it to schools. There's some resistance to it out there, so we'll have to work it in across the country, school board by school board." Legacy of Modern Art
Works
The NFB's Toronto office features the "Mediatheque," where visitors can watch up to 90 minutes of NFB productions, at private digital viewing stations.
The National Film Board produces works in various styles. It is most notable for documentaries, short films and animation. The government-funded organization has enjoyed success in part because it has had the freedom to pursue artistic endeavours with minimal government intervention.
Key filmmakers
★ Colin Low
★ William Greaves
★ Alanis Obomsawin
The following animators are the "Key Filmmakers" of the National Film Board of Canada Key Filmmakers :
★ Michèle Cournoyer
★ Jacques Drouin
★ Chris Hinton
★ Co Hoedeman
★ René Jodoin
★ Evelyn Lambart
★ Caroline Leaf
★ Norman McLaren
★ Ishu Patel
Canada Vignettes
During the 1970s and early 1980s, the National Film Board produced a series of vignettes, some of which aired on CBC during commercial breaks. The vignettes became popular because of their cultural
depiction of Canada, and because they represented its changing state. Indeed, the vignette ''Faces'' was made to represent the increasing cultural and ethnic diversity of Canada.
Operations
The National Film Board maintains its head office in Ottawa. However, its operational headquarters are located in Saint-Laurent, a borough of Montreal; this is also its distribution centre, and where the bulk of production occurs. Interactive public access centres operate in downtown Toronto and Montreal. International distribution centres are also located in New York and Paris.
In addition to the English and French-language studios in its Montreal HQ, there are other centres throughout Canada. English-language production occurs at centres in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Halifax. French-language productions are also made in Toronto and Moncton. The NFB also offers support programs for independent filmmakers: in English, via the Filmmaker Assistance Program (FAP) and in French through its Aide du cinéma indépendant - Canada (ACIC) program.
The organization has a hierarchical structure headed by a ''Board of Trustees'', which is chaired by the ''Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson''. It is overseen by the ''Board of Trustees Secretariat and Legal Affairs''. Reporting to the Government Film Commissioner are various departments:
★ English Program
★ French Program
★ Distribution
★ Marketing & Communications
★ Technical Resources and Innovation
★ Administration
★ Human Resources
★ Planning, Evaluation, and Audit.
The NFB employs 490 full-time equivalent staff, with an annual budget of $70 million (for 2000-2004). Funding is derived primarily from government of Canada transfer payments, and also from its own revenue streams. These revenues are from print sales, film production services, rentals, and royalties, and total up to $10 million yearly; the NFB lists this as ''Respendable Revenues'' in its financial statements.
Awards
Over the years, the NFB has been internationally recognized with more than 4,500 film awards. The National Film Board Of Canada:Eyes of Canada Tribute to Canada at Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Genie Awards
The NFB has received more than 90 Genie Awards. The following is an incomplete list:
''Winners'':
★ 1988: 10th Genie Awards, Best Animated Short: ''The Cat Came Back'', (Cordell Barker). This film is based upon the 1893 song ''And the Cat Came Back'' by Harry S. Miller.
★ 1986 Best Feature Length Documentary: ''Final Offer''
★ 1985: 7th Genie Awards, Best Animated Short: ''The Big Snit'', (Richard Condie and Michael J.F. Scott)
''Nominated'':
★ 1985: 7th Genie Awards, ''Paradise/Paradis'', (Ishu Patel)
★ 1982: 3rd Genie Awards, ''Top Priority'', (Ishu Patel)
Academy Awards
The NFB has garnered a total of 69 Academy Award nominations. The first-ever Oscar for documentary went to the NFB production, ''Churchill's Island''. On January 23, 2007, the NFB received its 12th Academy Award for the animated short ''The Danish Poet'', directed by Torill Kove and co-produced with MikroFilm AS (Norway).
''Winners:''
★ 2007: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Danish Poet'', (Torill Kove)
★ 2005: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Ryan'', (Chris Landreth)
★ 1994: Academy Award for Animated Short Film,''Bob's Birthday'', (Alison Snowden and David Fine)
★ 1989: '' Academy Honorary Award'' - ''National Film Board'' Academy to Celebrate National Film Board of Canada Anniversary
★ 1983: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Flamenco at 5:15'', (Cynthia Scott)
★ 1982: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''If You Love This Planet'' (Terri Nash)
★ 1979: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Every Child'' (Eugene Fedorenko)
★ 1978: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Special Delivery'' (Eunice Macaulay and John Weldon)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''I'll Find a Way'' (Beverly Shaffer)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Sand Castle'' (Co Hoedeman)
★ 1952: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Neighbours'' (Norman McLaren)
★ 1941: Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, ''Churchill's Island'' (Stuart Legg)
''Nominated:'' (incomplete list)
★ 1988: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Cat Came Back'', (Cordell Barker). This film is based upon the 1893 song, ''And the Cat Came Back'' by Harry S. Miller.
★ 1985: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''The Big Snit,'' (Richard Condie and Michael Scott)
★ 1984: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Paradise/Paradis,'' (Ishu Patel)
★ 1977: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Bead Game,'' (Ishu Patel)
★ 1976: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Street,'' (Caroline Leaf and Guy Glover)
★ 1975: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Monsieur Pointu,'' (René Jodoin, Bernard Longpré and André Leduc)
★ 1974: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Family That Dwelt Apart,'' (Yvon Mallette and Robert Verrall)
★ 1974: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Hunger,'' (Peter Foldès and René Jodoin)
★ 1971: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Evolution (documentary),'' (Michael Mills)
★ 1969: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' Walking,'' (Ryan Larkin)
★ 1967: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' What On Earth!,'' (Robert Verrall and Wolf Koenig)
★ 1966: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, '' The Drag,'' (Wolf Koenig and Robert Verrall)
★ 1964: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Christmas Cracker,'' (Norman McLaren, Jeff Hale, Gerald Potterton and Grant Munro)
★ 1963: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''My Financial Career,'' (Gerald Potterton)
★ 1962: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''Very Nice, Very Nice'', (Arthur Lipsett)
★ 1957: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''City of Gold'', (Colin Low, Wolf Koenig)
★ 1957: Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, ''A Chairy Tale'', (Norman McLaren, Claude Jutra)
★ 1952: Academy Award for Animated Short Film, ''Romance of Transportation,'' (Colin Low)
Other
★ The National Film Board's extensive library of short films, documentaries and animation has led to an enthusiastic fan base. Various festivals, film exhibits and university clubs host retrospectives and showings designed to promote the work of the NFB. National Film Board Retrospective The NFB now has over 30,000 members in its NFB Film Club, who receive info on NFB screenings and workshops, special prices on NFB videos and access to the Film Board's broadband service, CineRoute.
★ The NFB is a minority owner of Documentary Channel in Canada. NFB-branded series ''Retrovision'' appeared on VisionTV, along with the French-language ''Carnets ONF'' series on APTN. Moreover, in 1997 the American cable channel Cartoon Network created a weekly 30-minute show called ''O Canada'' specifically showcasing a compilation of NFB-produced works; however, the segment was discontinued in favour of ''Adult Swim''. O Canada: Canadian animators O Canada
★ The Scottish music act Boards of Canada takes its name from the NFB.
The old NFB logo.
★ The Board's logo consists of a standing stylized figure (originally green) with its arms wide upward. The arms are met by an arch that mirrors them. The round head in between then resembles a pupil, making the entire symbol appear to be an eye with legs. Launched in 1969, the logo symbolized a vision of humanity and was called "Man Seeing / L'homme qui voit". It was designed by Georges Beaupré.[3] It was updated in 2002 by the firm of Paprika Communications.[4][5]
★ An episode of the cartoon ''The Simpsons'', "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)", has the Simpson family watching a Zorro movie whose production is credited to the National Film Board of Canada. Simpsons, Eh?
See also
★
★ Cinema of Quebec
★ Cinema of Canada
References
1. About the NFB
2. "Photo Collections" in ''Project Naming'', the identification of Inuit portrayed in photographic collections at Library and Archives Canada
3. http://www.onf.ca/atonf/historique.php?idcat=43&position=0&v=h&lg=en&id=740 NFB History 1969
4. http://www.onf.ca/atonf/historique.php?idcat=43&position=0&v=h&lg=en&id=773 NFB history 2002
5. http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/officialgallery/?p=722 Canadian Design Resource
Further reading
In the National Interest: A Chronicle of the National Film Board of Canada from 1949–1989, , Gary, Evans, University of Toronto Press, 1991, ISBN 0-8020-2784-9
External links
NFB Web Sites
★ NFB Official Web Site
★ NFB Animation Web Site
★ Across Cultures Web site
★ NFB Online Film Library - CineRoute
★ CITIZENShift - online media for social change
Articles concerning the NFB
★ Historica: The Canadian Encyclopedia - National Film Board of Canada
★ ''A Chronology of Canadian Film and Television''
★ ''United Nations of animation - National Film Board of Canada''
★ ''O Canada: - Canadian animators''
★ National Film Board of Canada at the Big Cartoon DataBase
★
Films, shorts and animation
★ Across Cultures Web site - over 100 NFB films online (free)
★ Focus on Animation Web site - NFB animated shorts online (free)
★ ''Animation Greats'' -compilation of NFB animation
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
Featured Companies
| Golf Holidays International | |
| ITC Tours | |
| CHT Christian Holy Land Tours | |
| Vellinga's Travel Service |
Newest Companies
National Film Board of Canada Travel Deals
