Highway to the Arctic

Tears in the Arctic(ko)

In the Arctic, the sun never sets in the summer while in the winter, this icy, northernmost area is enveloped in darkness. A place where aurora lights cascade from above and exotic creatures live in the bitter cold. However, the ice in the Arctic is melting away today. Tears in the Arctic sheds light on the dire problems that our planet is facing as the inhabitants, wildlife and environment in the Arctic are under siege. The plight of the Inuit is covered to show how the natural way of things may come to a screeching halt with catastrophic consequences for our planet. The changing situation for the wildlife and people who inhabit the Arctic are documented in detail. Are people taking notice of the warning signs of climate change that could lead to disastrous results?

City on Fire(en)

Comedian James Mullinger discovers vibrancy and growth in his new home town of Saint John, New Brunswick.

How to Build an Igloo(en)

This classic short film shows how to make an igloo using only snow and a knife. Two Inuit men in Canada’s Far North choose the site, cut and place snow blocks and create an entrance--a shelter completed in one-and-a-half hours. The commentary explains that the interior warmth and the wind outside cement the snow blocks firmly together. As the short winter day darkens, the two builders move their caribou sleeping robes and extra skins indoors, confident of spending a snug night in the midst of the Arctic cold!

Twisted(en)

In Thorold, Ontario in the summer of 1996, a movie legend was made when a real-life tornado hit a drive-in theatre during a screening of Twister. But how much truth really lies inside this tale of life (or weather) imitating art?

Keď zima k riekam prichádzav(sk)

Greenland, 1932(en)

Danish documentary filmed in Greenland. Shows a lot of Greenlanders, skiing, hunting for birds, seals and whales, and ice fishing. Filmed by Dr. Leif Folke.

Netsilik Eskimo Series, I: At the Autumn River Camp(en)

It is late autumn and the Eskimos travel through soft snow and build karmaks, shelters with snow walls and a roof of skins, in the river valley. The geese are gone but some musk-ox are seen. The man makes a toy sleigh from the jawbones of a caribou and hitches it to a puppy. Next day the women gather stocks of moss for the lamp and the fire. The men fish through the ice with spears. The woman cooks fish while the men cache the surplus. Then the family eats in the karmak. The men build an igloo and the household goods are moved in. They begin the complicated task of making a sleigh, using the skins from the tent, frozen fish, caribou antlers and sealskin thong. The woman works at a parka, using more caribou skin, and the children play. Now the sled is ready to load and soon the family is heading downriver to the coast.

Netsilik Eskimo Series, II: At the Caribou Crossing Place(en)

The time is early autumn. The woman wakes and dresses the boy. He practices with his sling while she spreads a caribou skin to dry. The boy picks berries and then the men come in their kayak with another caribou. This is skinned, and soon night falls. In the morning, one man leaves with his bow while the other makes a fishing mannick, a bait of caribou meat. The woman works at the skins, this time cleaning sinews and hanging them to dry. The man repairs his arrows and then sets a snare for a gull. The child stones the snared gull and then plays hunter, using some antlers for a target. His father makes him a spinning top. Two men arrive at the camp and the four build from stones a long row of manlike figures, inukshult, down toward the water. They wait for caribou and then chase them toward the stone figures and so into the water where other men in kayaks spear them. The dead animals are floated ashore and skinned.

Netsilik Eskimo Series, III: At the Spring Sea Ice Camp(en)

Two Eskimo families travel across the wide sea ice. Before night falls they build small igloos and we see the construction in detail. The next day a polar bear is seen basking in the warming sun. A woman lights her seal oil lamp, carefully forming the wick from moss. The man repairs his snow goggles. Another man arrives dragging a polar bear skin. The boy has made a bear-shaped figure from snow and practices throwing his spear. Then he tries his bow. Now, with her teeth, the woman crimps the sole of a sealskin boot she is making. The men are hunting seal through the sea-ice in the bleak windy weather. The wind disturbs the "tell-tales," made of eider down or a hair loop on a bone, that signal when a seal rises to breathe. A hunter strikes, kills and drags his catch up and away. At the igloo the woman scrapes at a polar bear skin and a man repairs a sled. In the warming weather the igloo is topped with furs and a snow shelter is built to hide the sled from the sun.

Netsilik Eskimos, V: At the Winter Sea Ice Camp(en)

In late winter when the cold is severe, the people and dogs are glad to stop their trek and make camp. In the blue dusk the men probe the snow and then cut building blocks while the women shovel a site. Soon all are under cover, and in the wavering light of the stone lamp they sleep, their breath rising coldly. In the light of day the men test and refurbish their spears, harness dogs to the sled and strike out on the sea ice. Each man, with a dog or two, explores the white waste, seeking scent of a seal's breathing hole. When a dog noses the snow, the man probes for the hole and, when he finds it, suspends a single looped hair to signal when the seal rises to breathe. Then he waits, motionless, to make his strike. He kills, and the others gather to taste the warm liver of his catch. Then, as night comes, the vigil goes on.

Netsilik Eskimos, VI: Building a Kayak(en)

Now it is July - summer. The run-off is in full spate and open water shows offshore. Ice cakes melt on the shingle. On the bay are ducks. It is time to build a kayak, a task shared by two men. They gather materials: valuable scraps of wood, bone, seal skins and sinews. Now there is much cutting, fitting, joining and binding. The woman helps by cutting additional thongs, scraping skins, providing food. She must also amuse the child who seems left out by the single-minded work of the men. Then the work breaks and a man harpoons a fish in a tide pool; all share the pleasure of fresh food.

Netsilik Eskimos, VIII: Jigging for Lake Trout(en)

More signs of winter's end as more wildlife returns. The family makes an excursion for fresh fish from a lake. They build a karmak and move in the furs, cooking troughs, etc. The woman sets up her lamp, spreads the furs and attends to the children. There are signs of returning wildlife. The man moves out on the lake ice and chips a hole for fishing. He baits his hook and lowers it jigging the line to attract the fish. Crouched by the hole, he persists with his purpose and takes some fish, as does his wife who has joined him. Both remain at the hole through a severe blizzard. Please note that this is an archival film that makes use of the word “Eskimo,” an outdated and offensive term. While the origin of the word is a matter of some contention, it is no longer used in Canada. This film is therefore a time capsule of a bygone era, presented in its original version. The NFB apologizes for the offence caused.

Alex Colville: The Splendour of Order(en)

A view of the life and works of the late Alex Colville, the celebrated Canadian painter. Shows the influence on his life and works of his experience as an artist during World War II, and of his relationship with his wife, Rhoda. Friends and critics speak of the construction and sense of menace in his work, and Colville comments on his sense of order, goodness, and contingency.

The Road to Patriation(en)

This feature documentary retraces the century of haggling by successive federal and provincial governments to agree on a formula to bring home the Canadian Constitution from England. This film concentrates on the politicking and lobbying that finally led to its patriation in 1982. Five prime ministers had failed before Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau took up the challenge in the early 1970s. Principal players in this documentary are federal Minister of Justice Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister Trudeau, 10 provincial premiers and a host of journalists, politicians, lawyers, and diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic.

That Never Happened: Canada's First National Internment Operations(en)

The documentary tells the little known story of thousands of Ukrainian and Eastern Europeans that were interned in Canadian camps during the First World War.

The Living Stone(en)

The Living Stone is a 1958 Canadian short documentary film directed by John Feeney about Inuit art. It shows the inspiration behind Inuit sculpture. The Inuit approach to the work is to release the image the artist sees imprisoned in the rough stone. The film centres on an old legend about the carving of the image of a sea spirit to bring food to a hungry camp. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak(en)

This documentary shows how an Inuit artist's drawings are transferred to stone, printed and sold. Kenojuak Ashevak became the first woman involved with the printmaking co-operative in Cape Dorset. This film was nominated for the 1963 Documentary Short Subject Oscar.

The Disunited States of Canada(fr)

Secessionnist movements in Canada outside Quebec.

Ron Taylor: Dr. Baseball(en)

Ron Taylor: Dr. Baseball tells the story of the Major League pitcher who won two world championships and after a USO tour through Vietnam, devoted himself to medicine.

After the Ballot(fr)

After the Ballot is a full-length documentary portraying the gruelling everyday life of two Members of Quebec's National Assembly who, although at opposite ends of the political spectrum, share the fact that their sole power lies in their convictions. One is Daniel Turp, the PQ Member for Mercier. The other is Charlotte L'Écuyer, Liberal MNA for Pontiac. The film aptly illustrates that ordinary MNAs have very little authority since the real power is held by ministers who are subject to the ups and downs of a globalized economy. Meanwhile, their fellow citizens keep asking for the impossible…

Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill(en)

In a night of killer comedy, Bill Burr hosts a showcase of his most raucous stand-up comic pals as they riff on everything from COVID to Michael Jackson.

Pixie(en)

To avenge her mother's death, Pixie masterminds a heist but must flee across Ireland from gangsters, take on the patriarchy, and choose her own destiny.

(re)kindle(pt)

Ana and Helen, two divorced women, were close friends as teenagers. Today, amidst the corona virus pandemic and in quarantine, they get in touch after 20 years via internet. Through video conference calls, memories, sensations and emotions reflourishes.

People(fr)

People is a film shot behind closed doors in a workshop/house on the outskirts of Paris and features a dozen characters. It is based on an interweaving of scenes of moaning and sex. The house is the characters' common space, but the question of ownership is distended, they don't all inhabit it in the same way. As the sequences progress, we don't find the same characters but the same interdependent relationships. Through the alternation between lament and sexuality, physical and verbal communication are put on the same level. The film then deconstructs, through its repetitive structure, our relational myths.

C(r)ook(de)

A killer for the Russian Mafia in Vienna wants to retire and write a book about his passion - cooking. The mafia godfather suspects treason.

Fortune Salon(ko)

Tae-rang is gifted clairvoyant who runs a posh fortune telling salon in Cheongdam, Seoul. She helps guide her elite clients on matters of love and life altering choices. Yet fate has it that Tae-rang's personal life is always cursed. All the men that Tae-rang has shown interest have become harmed in one way or another. As a child, Tae-rang's mother, also a clairvoyant, told Tae-rang that she is destined to meet a man born May 16, 1978 at 11 pm before she turns 28. One day, Seung-won, a former horse jockey now a maintenance worker for horses, spots a 10,000 Won bill on the street and attempts to pick it up. This is when he is hit by a car driven by Tae-rang. It turns out Ki-su was born on May 16, 1978 at 11 pm ...

Spider(en)

A young man tries to make things right again in his relationship after he and his girlfriend get in a fight.

Love & Gelato(en)

Lina is about to graduate high school and has her sights set on her future at MIT. But when her mom gets sick, she encourages Lina to follow in her footsteps and have “the summer of a lifetime” in Rome. Using her mom’s old diary as a guide, she explores the romantic and magical city, where she just might find love... and gelato, of course.

Minions: Home Makeover(en)

A social worker is coming to Gru's house to check if it's suitable for children. Margo, Edith, Agnes and the Minions must take care of the situation.

A Walk in Time - The Adventure Continues(it)

The back-in-time misadventures of Walter and Ascanio are not finished. The defective time-travel machine will bring them from prehistory all the way to outer space, in a funny, light-hearted trip across the time.

Natale in India(it)

Destinies intertwined for two antithetical people who meet during a trip to India, where lots of misunderstandings and funny situations will take place.

Barbie as Rapunzel(en)

Long, long ago, in a time of magic and dragons, there lived a girl named Rapunzel who had the most beautiful radiant hair the world had ever seen. But Rapunzel's life was far from wonderful. She lived as a servant to Gothel, a jealous, scheming witch who kept her hidden deep in a forbidding forest, guarded by the enormous dragon Hugo and surrounded by an enchanted glass wall. However, in a twist of fate, Rapunzel's discovery of a magic paintbrush leads her on a journey that will unravel a web of deception, bring peace to two feuding kingdoms, and ultimately lead her to love with the help of Penelope, the least intimidating of dragons!

The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice(ru)

After heroically defeating both the Snow Queen and the Snow King, Gerda still cannot find peace. Her dream is to find her parents who were once taken away from them by the North Wind and finally reunite the family. Thus, Gerda and her friends embark on an exiting journey to find her parents and encounter new challenges along the way: they discover an ancient magical artifact of the trolls, the Stone of Fire and Ice. From that moment on, things don't go according to the initial plan...Will Gerda be able to tame the mighty forces of the magical elements and get her family back? The answer will be reveled in 2016. This is a story which encompasses everything you love about Wizart: kindness, bravery, friendship, mystery, love of one's family, and a happy ending, of course!

John Wick: Chapter 4(en)

With the price on his head ever increasing, John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials(en)

Thomas and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

I'm Your Man(de)

Alma is a scientist coerced into participating in an extraordinary study in order to obtain research funds for her work. For three weeks, she has to live with a humanoid robot tailored to her character and needs, whose artificial intelligence is designed to be the perfect life partner for her. Enter Tom, a machine in human form in a class of its own, created solely to make her happy.

Emerald Green(de)

Emerald Green is the stunning conclusion to Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, picking up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

All About Sex(en)

Three friends in their mid-20s struggle to navigate their professional and personal lives, colliding head on with the messy, hilarious and dreadful growing pangs of adulthood.

Rocky Mountain Christmas(en)

Sarah Davis heads to her uncle’s struggling ranch to escape New York and the spotlight from a recent breakup. Returning home for the first time since her aunt passed, complications arise when Graham, an entitled Hollywood star, arrives at the ranch to prepare for his next film. As Sarah and Graham start to bond, Sarah may get more for Christmas than she bargained for.

Letters to God(en)

A young boy fighting cancer writes letters to God, touching lives in his neighborhood and inspiring hope among everyone he comes in contact. An unsuspecting substitute postman, with a troubled life of his own, becomes entangled in the boy's journey and his family by reading the letters. They inspire him to seek a better life for himself and his own son he's lost through his alcohol addiction.