About the NFB

NFB... What's that?

We're the National Film Board of Canada. And, like the name says, we make films.

How long have you been around?

For a long time. Since 1939, actually. Ask your parents -- or even your grandparents. They'll have seen some NFB films for sure.

What kinds of films do you make?

Right now, we're making mostly animation and documentaries. You've probably seen lots of animation on TV or at the movies. The idea is to take objects like drawings or puppets and makethem come to life through the magic of film. Drop by Mr. Edgar's Movie Club on the Cuckoo! Web site. When you're there, you can watch some of the first animated films made by the NFB.

 

As for documentaries, they're often made for adults and they're usually more serious. When we make a documentary, we choose an interesting subject and then look at it from all angles. That way people get to know more about it and understand it better.

 

We've also made some classic Canadian dramas. One of them, Mon oncle Antoine, directed by Claude Jutra, is recognized as one of the greatest Canadian films ever made.

So are the films you make any good?

We've made thousands of films, and some of them have been very successful. If you ever visit the NFB offices in Montreal you'll see tons of awards on display. We've won them at various festivals around the world. We also have a display of the most famous film awards in the world: Oscars! The NFB has won 10 of them.

Where can I see NFB Films?

It's easy! Ask at your local library. Most local libraries have lots of NFB videos and DVDs you can borrow. You can also find some of them at your local video store, and NFB films are often on TV. If you live near an NFB Theatre, drop in and ask about watching any of the films in our collection.

Do you do anything else?

As you can see tight now, the NFB is online too. The Animation and Youth Studio is spending a lot more time these days making Web sites. We think it's great way to hook up with people like you. Thousands of Web surfers visit us every week. If you visit www.nfb.ca, you'll find out all about what we're up to and the importance of the NFB to Canadian culture.