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Co-presented with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership. Hello film! Free screenings at the NFB beginning Thursday, January 9. The NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre is now even more accessible.

PRESS RELEASE
20/12/2024

December 20, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Free films, first-come, first-wowed! After the Holidays, continue your family get-togethers or round up some friends and come see recent gems from the NFB collection on the big screen in Montreal. Starting Thursday, January 9, we’re presenting five free public screenings at the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles. No reservations required, but seating is limited. See you there! For full details, visit events.nfb.ca/hello-film-free-screenings-at-the-nfb.

Quick Facts

All screenings begin at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30). Each film will be shown in English and French, in their original version or with subtitles.

  • To mark World Day for War Orphans (January 6)

    Thursday, January 9: Unspoken Tears by Hélène Magny (2022, 75 min)

    This powerful documentary explores the psychological scars of war and highlights the importance of understanding in successfully integrating refugee children into Quebec’s schools.

    Preceded by the animated short Boat People by Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma (2023, 9 min 59 s)

  • To mark International Day of Italian Cuisine (January 17)

    Thursday, January 16: Theater of Life by Peter Svatek (2016, 94 min)

    For Expo Milano 2015, renowned chef Massimo Bottura invited 60 of his international confrères to join him in transforming food destined for the dumpster into delicious and nutritious meals for Italy’s hungriest residents.

    Preceded by the animated short Soup of the Day by Lynn Smith (2013, 3 min)

  • To mark Data Privacy Week (January 23–28)

    Thursday, January 23: Star Wars Kid: The Rise of the Digital Shadows by Mathieu Fournier (2022, 80 min)

    In this documentary on the first viral phenomenon of the digital age, Ghyslain Raza (the “Star Wars Kid”) breaks his silence and reflects on his story for the first time. In doing so, he also explores our collective experience living in an online world in which we have to make peace with our digital shadows.

    Preceded by the animated short Shop Class by Hart Snider (2018, 8 min)

  • Thursday, January 30: The Rose Family by Félix Rose (2020, 127 min 58 s)

    In October 1970, members of the Front de libération du Québec kidnapped minister Pierre Laporte, unleashing an unprecedented crisis in Quebec. Fifty years later, Félix Rose tries to understand what led his father and uncle to commit these acts.

    Preceded by the short film Hommage à Michel Brault by Alexandre Chartrand (2014, 10 min)

  • To mark Black History Month

    Thursday, February 6: Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story by Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee (2024, 98 min 50 s)

    A star is reborn. With an outsize stage presence that eclipsed R&B greats like Etta James and Little Richard, Black trans soul singer Jackie Shane was the real deal. After mysteriously vanishing from public view for almost 40 years, this little-known icon is given her ultimate due in this remarkable documentary portrait.

    Preceded by the short film Oscar by Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre (2016, 12 min)

To get to the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre

1500 Balmoral Street
Montreal
Place-des-Arts Metro

Accessible to persons with reduced mobility.

– 30 –

French version here | Version française ici.

Media Relations

  • About the NFB

    For more than 80 years, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has produced, distributed and preserved those stories, which now form a vast audiovisual collection—an important part of our cultural heritage that represents all Canadians.

    To tell these stories, the NFB works with filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds, from across the country. It harnesses their creativity to produce relevant and groundbreaking content for curious, engaged and diverse audiences. The NFB also collaborates with industry experts to foster innovation in every aspect of storytelling, from formats to distribution models.

    Every year, another 50 or so powerful new animated and documentary films are added to the NFB’s extensive collection of more than 14,000 titles, half of which are available to watch for free on nfb.ca.

    Through its mandate, its stature and its productions, the NFB contributes to Canada’s cultural identity and is helping to build the Canada of tomorrow.