Boat People
As a child in Vietnam, Thao’s mother often rescued ants from bowls of sugar water. Years later they would return the favour. Boat People is an animated documentary that uses a striking metaphor to trace one family’s flight across the turbulent waters of history.
Co-directed by Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma, the film employs a hybrid of traditional 2D animation, stop-motion multiplane, and 3D rendering to capture the unique aesthetic of Lam’s handmade paper textures and patterns.
Directed by: Theo Lam, Kjell Boersma
Hothouse 14: Amma
“Wash your hands. Turn off the lights. And don’t forget your prayers to Ganesh.” Having fun with comicbook motifs and plasticine, Akash Jones honours the no-nonsense second-generation immigrant mother who raised him, instilling habits that guide him to this day. Stop-motion animation that says, “Love ya Mom.”
Directed by: Akash Jones
BAM
BAM is a story of rage. In a dense inner city haunted by primordial gods, an unassuming young boxer struggles to understand the disturbing consequences of his explosive temper. A dark, urban soundtrack and gritty, hand-drawn animation paint a brutal portrait of a classical hero floundering in a contemporary world.
Directed by: Howie Shia
The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer
The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer is a visually haunting animated short film about two brothers who share the scars, though not the memories, of an untold history that has driven them to existential extremes. Combining high-speed camerawork, striking art direction and intricate animation sequences, acclaimed visual artist and filmmaker Randall Lloyd Okita crafts a poetic elegy to connectedness and survival.
Directed by: Randal Okita
Subconscious Password
In this short animation, Oscar®-winning director Chris Landreth uses a common social gaffe—forgetting somebody’s name—as the starting point for a mind-bending romp through the unconscious. Inspired by the classic TV game show Password, the film features a wealth of animated celebrity guests who try to prompt our beleaguered protagonist to remember his old pal's name. Finally, he realizes he must surrender to his predicament and jump head-first into his subconscious to find the answer.
Directed by: Chris Landreth
Hothouse 5: Git Gob
In this animated short from the Hothouse 5 series, two creatures wonder, What is a hole? They have different points of view. Their debate leads to an idea, an idea that changes the world. This is a story of practical magic. Produced as part of the 5th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.
Directed by: Phillip Eddols
Samaa
A caged bird flutters and flails in a struggle for freedom. But only by surrendering to the transcendent power of music and movement is the bird finally able to soar.
In Samaa, filmmaker Ehsan Gharib invites us into imagined captivity using striking, hand-painted animation and visceral drumming. The bird’s dramatic plight begs the question: Is freedom a state of being, or is it a state of mind?
Directed by: Ehsan Gharib
Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics
Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics dives deeply into the innate contrast between the Seven Deadly Sins (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Pride and Envy) and the Seven Sacred Teachings (Love, Respect, Wisdom, Courage, Truth, Honesty and Humility), as embodied in the life of a precocious Métis baby. Brought to life by Terril Calder’s darkly beautiful stop-motion animation, Baby Girl’s inner turmoil is laid bare with unflinching honesty. Convinced she’s soiled and destined for Hell, Baby Girl receives Anishinaabe Teachings from Nokomis that fill her with strength and pride, and affirm a path towards healing. Calder’s tour-de-force unearths a hauntingly familiar yet hopeful world that illuminates the bias of colonial systems.
Directed by: Terril Calder