A diverse range of new films streaming on nfb.ca this May. This spring, be sure to visit our thematic channels celebrating Asian Heritage Month, Canadian Jewish Heritage Month and more.

Canada News Centre
16 May 2022, 21:40 GMT+10

May 2, 2022 - Montreal - National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

This May, nfb.ca will be streaming more films than ever free of charge. To mark Asian and Jewish heritage months, the selection of productions from NFB studios across the country includes two channels that shine a spotlight on the rich heritage of these communities in Canada. The lineup also includes Richard Suicide's Centre-Sud Chronicles and Samuel Cantin's The Turtle Syndrome, both part of the second edition of the Comic Strip Chronicles; Kitra Cahana's poignant documentary short Perfecting the Art of Longing; and films honouring the winners of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. This wide-ranging offer joins the more than 5,500 titles already available on nfb.ca, along with our collection of some one hundred interactive works, almost all of which are available for free online viewing.

Starting May 2 - Marking Asian Heritage Month

Asian Communities in Canada channel: nfb.ca/channels/asian-heritage-month

This curated selection of nearly 30 short and feature-length documentaries and animated films from the NFB's collection celebrates the culture, arts, history and countless social contributions of Canadians of Asian descent. Launching online on May 2, Julia Kwan's feature-length documentary Everything Will Be captures a significant moment of time in Vancouver's Chinatown, with the influx of condos and new, non-Chinese businesses. The film follows a year in the life of several Chinatown denizens, including a 90-year-old Chinese newspaper street vendor and a second-generation tea shop owner, as they navigate this community in flux. Other must-see films include Baljit Sangra's Because We Are Girls and Karen Lam's Sandra Oh, Inspiration.

Marking Canadian Jewish Heritage Month

Channel: nfb.ca/channels/canadian-jewish-heritage-month

This selection of over 20 recent and older animated and documentary films-including Joe Balass's Baghdad Twist, Eleonore Goldberg's My Yiddish Papi and Robin Neinstein's Congratulations, Mr. Levy-celebrates the important contributions of Canadians of Jewish descent to the social, economic, political and cultural fabric of Canada, saluting the courage and strength they've shown throughout history.

In mid-May, be sure to read a blog post by NFB English collection curator Albert Ohayon on the films The Jews of Winnipeg, by Bill Davies, and People of the Book, by Felix Lazarus.

Starting May 6

Comic Strip Chronicles: Centre-Sud Chronicles by Richard Suicide and The Turtle Syndrome by Samuel Cantin (2021, NFB's French Program Animation Studio)
Two animated shorts (2 x 4 min)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/chronicles-2021

These two highly entertaining films are part of the second edition of the Comic Strip Chronicles collection, which celebrates the strong affinity between comic books and animation.

In Montreal's Centre-Sud borough, an author finds inspiration by observing his ingenious neighbour, Piton. Centre-Sud Chronicles offers a wildly funny portrait of a district in the midst of a full-blown transformation. The film received an award at the Fantasia festival.

In The Turtle Syndrome, what could the illness afflicting Henri Castagnette be? Overwhelmed by anxiety, the young man puts his fate in the hands of the exuberant Dr. Von Strudel. Result: a frenzied and hilarious medical tale.

Th two films will be screened on Saturday, May 7, at the Films et table ronde entourant l'univers de la BD event (in French) organized by the NFB and the Montreal Comic Arts Festival.

On May 6, check out a blog post by the NFB's French collection curator, Marc St-Pierre, who will shed light on the connection between animated filmmaking at the NFB and comic books and their creators (in French).

Starting May 16 - Marking the International Day of Families

Perfecting the Art of Longing by Kitra Cahana (2021, NFB's Quebec and Atlantic Studio)
Short documentary (12 min 13 s)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/perfecting

Cut off from his loved ones due to the pandemic lockdown, a quadriplegic rabbi in a long-term-care facility in Montreal is filmed remotely by his daughter. Offering powerful meditations on love and hope, the film shows us what it means to be alive in a state of profound isolation. The film had its world premiere at Montreal's Festival du nouveau cinema (FNC) and was nominated for an Iris Award by Quebec Cinema.

Starting May 28 at 9 p.m. (EDT)

Seven shorts celebrate the 2022 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) laureates

For the 14th year, the NFB is bringing together acclaimed filmmakers to create short cinematic tributes to Canadian performing arts legends, as the GGPAA gets set to honour laureates at their Awards Gala, taking place May 28 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The short films will also be available on nfb.ca starting on that date at 9 p.m. Here are the titles: