Howie Shia’s NFB animated short BAM debuts on NFB.ca, July 20. Also featured July 23 in graffiti/film installation at Yonge-Dundas Square during Toronto’s UNITY Festival.
PRESS RELEASE
14/07/2016
July 14, 2016 – Toronto – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Acclaimed Canadian animator Howie Shia’s National Film Board of Canada short BAM begins streaming free-of-charge at NFB.ca starting July 20.
The online premiere of BAM coincides with the film’s featured role at Toronto’s four-day UNITY Festival, which also kicks off July 20. BAM will be the inspiration for multi-disciplinary installation THE BAM WALL at UNITY’s graffiti wall at Yonge-Dundas Square on July 23, with local graffiti artists painting onto stills from BAM from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a free public screening of the film beginning at 8 p.m.―with Howie Shia in attendance.
A study in rage, BAM tells the story of an unassuming young boxer struggling to understand the disturbing consequences of his explosive temper. A dark, urban soundtrack combines with gritty, hand-drawn animation to create a brutal portrait of a classical hero floundering in a modern city haunted by primordial gods.
Howie’s previous work includes the 2006 NFB short Flutter, the first work from outside Asia to receive the prestigious Open Entries Grand Prize at the Tokyo Anime Awards.
Produced by Maral Mohammadian and Michael Fukushima for the NFB’s Oscar-winning Animation Studio, BAM was one of the first NFB films produced entirely in 4K Ultra HD. The five-minute short also features the talents of Howie’s brothers, hip-hop artist Leo Shia (a.k.a. LEO37) and composer Tim Shia, who composed the film’s musical score and did the sound edit.
BAM premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Animated Short at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards.
Organized by UNITY Charity, the UNITY Festival (July 20–23) uses the arts to empower youth with the confidence and skills for success.
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UNITY Festival
Yonge-Dundas Square
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About the NFB
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a leader in exploring animation as an artform, a storytelling medium and innovative content for emerging platforms. It produces trailblazing animated works both in its Montreal studios and across the country, and it works with many of the world’s leading creators on international co-productions. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including seven Oscars for NFB animation and seven grand prizes at the Annecy festival. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.