The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has announced a raft of animation projects, including a short about a cannibal, a French co-production and program to expose Inuit artists to animation.
U.K. animator Elizabeth Hobbs is working on a 10-minute film, THE TRUE STORY OF SAWNEY BEANE, about Scotland's legendary cannibal Sawney Beane and his aged mum, Betty. Rendered under camera in charcoal and watercolor, animation began in August and will continue through December 2004 on this international co-pro between the English program of Animation Studio in Montreal and Red Kite Animation of Edinburgh. The film is produced by Katja Anderson (Red Kite) and Michael Fukushima (NFB) for fall 2005.
Animation is underway on the French animation and Youth Studio's first Ontario production. In this experimental film, filmmaker Jean Detheux and musician Jean Derome explore the relationship between images and music, trading animated fragments and sound bites to create a unique work somewhere between the Surrealists' cadavre exquis collages and dangerous liaisons. Produced by Marcel Jean, the film is expected in winter 2005.
This past spring, the NFB and the Inuit Broadcasting Corp. teamed up to give youngsters in the Baffin Island community of Iqaluit an unforgettable hands-on film experience, conducting workshops in both traditional and computer animation techniques. Exec producer Michael Scott is now searching for partners for the project's next phase, which will see NFB animators returning to Iqaluit and other northern communities to offer advanced adult workshops. The goal of this English program with Prairie Centre in Winnipeg is introducing a new generation of to animation.
Now in its 65th year, the NFB has produced more than 10,000 films and other audiovisual works, and won more than 4,000 awards, including 10 Oscars. As Canada's public film producer, the NFB produces and distributes distinctive, culturally diverse, challenging and relevant audiovisual works that provide Canada and the world with a unique Canadian perspective. To purchase NFB releases or for more information, visit www.nfb.ca or call (800) 267-7710.
