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
Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 6,500 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.