Let´s Celebrate La Francophonie
Free NFB Screenings
From March 1 to 31, the NFB gives audiences across Canada the chance to join in the celebration during Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie by viewing NFB films. The NFB has five programs this year, a rich and diversified selection of films that places the spotlight on the Francophone culture throughout Canada. Aimed at children, teens and adults, these five programs share a common theme: they all illustrate a willingness to change.
To attend screenings, consult the RVF calendar, later in February. In the meanwhile, check out the films available all year long at L’espace francophonie, on the NFB website.
Five programs
program 1
- 75 min
- General public, ages 8+
The Huge Gap between Dreams and Reality
Filmed from the perspective of its young subjects, with top billing given to French, the language of classical dance for centuries, A Delicate Balance takes an introspective look at the hopes and dreams of ballet dancers on the verge of adolescence.
program 2
- 75 min
- General public
Inspiring Stories and Inspired People
In this program of two films produced at the Canadian Francophonie Studio – Acadie, happiness is contagious, and the protagonists have great respect for the environment.
program 3
- 55 min
- General public, ages 6+
Little Lessons Lead to Big Things
This program consists of animated films and one documentary short that evoke the world of children, be it in their families or in their communities. These formative environments shape the citizens of tomorrow, and the films in this program offer unique examples of the life-learning process, in a spirit of knowledge transfer and continuity, both of which are important traits for any social group.
program 4
- 73 min
- General public, ages 12+
When Awareness Sparks Action
In these four films, we follow the journeys of four protagonists who have a realization that prompts them to take action and make a positive mark on their community, be it in Manitoba, in Ontario, in New Brunswick or in an Indigenous community in Quebec.
program 5
- 77 min
- This program contains mature language
French Spoken Loud and Clear
There are many ways in which French can be part of a community. In this program, French is spoken loud and clear through the language of theatre, the language of feminism and the language of the deaf.
Organizing Public Screenings
A word from the Commissioner
© Photo: Stephan Ballard, NFB
The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF) is a special time to celebrate French-language cultural expression and the diversity of the Canadian communities in which it originates. This is why the National Film Board of Canada is joining in the RVF festivities for the 15th consecutive year, offering Francophone and Francophile audiences across the country five programs of documentary and animated films whose shared theme is the willingness to change.
Enjoy the films!
Claude Joli-Coeur
Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
THE NFB AT THE RVF SINCE 2006
The NFB has been taking part in the RVF since 2006 through a series of free screenings in venues across the country, from coast to coast, from the Great Lakes to the Arctic, offering a programming lineup that changes from year to year. This commitment is also part of the NFB’s responsibility as a Canadian public institution that serves the public. Another concrete example of this support is the NFB’s Canadian Francophonie Studio, which produces French-language works by filmmakers from Canada’s francophone minority communities, bringing a wide variety of French-Canadian voices and perspectives to the screen. Established in 2013 after the merger of the two NFB French-language studios outside of Quebec (Studio Acadie and Studio Ontario et Ouest), it now has two production centres that are firmly grounded in their communities: one in Toronto, for Central and Western Canada, and the other in Moncton, for Acadie. The NFB thus provides a French-language presence throughout Canada and allows both experienced and emerging filmmakers to share their points of view and cultural wealth. They include Claude Guilmain, with High Wire (2019), in which Jean Chrétien discusses the reasons for Canada’s refusal to invade Iraq in 2003; Ginette Pellerin, with Antonine Maillet – The Possibilities Are Endless (2009), a portrait of the great Acadian writer; Phil Comeau, Renée Blanchar, Rodolphe Caron, and Anne-Marie Rocher; and the filmmakers who’ve participated in 10 editions of the Tremplin competition for emerging directors—organized in collaboration with Radio-Canada—which has produced hits such as A Sunday at 105 by Daniel Léger (2007). And in its various Quebec studios, the NFB produces dozens of original French-language works every year that enrich the RVF’s programming—an array of documentaries, animated films, and interactive and immersive productions, including recent titles by Luc Bourdon (The Devil’s Share, 2017) and Theodore Ushev (Blind Vaysha, 2016).
In addition to its annual involvement in the RVF, the NFB also screens works that highlight French-Canadian culture at film festivals and, through the NFB Film Club, public libraries. All events combined, the NFB held 237 public screenings in Canada’s francophone minority communities in 2018–2019. Ultimately, these works only become truly meaningful through the kind of audience interaction made possible by events like the RVF. And what better way to bring to light the diverse origins, vast cultural wealth, and multifaceted experiences of Canada’s francophonie.
Enjoy the films!
