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Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre’s animated short doc Oscar streams free on NFB.ca starting today.

PRESS RELEASE
30/06/2017

June 30, 2017 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Oscar, Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre’s animated short documentary about the life of acclaimed jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, will be streaming free of charge on NFB.ca starting today. The film will also be screened this afternoon when the Oscar Peterson Award is presented at this year’s Montreal Jazz Festival, with the jazz great’s daughter, Céline Peterson, in attendance. As part of the festival’s programming lineup, Oscar will also be shown at Montreal’s Cinéma du Parc theatre, prior to the documentary features Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, by John Scheinfeld, and Bill Frisell, A Portrait, by Emma Franz. The French version of Oscar will be broadcast on the Télé-Québec television network and streamed in Télé-Québec’s “Zone vidéo.” The film was produced by Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre and Jocelyne Perrier for MJSTP Films and Marc Bertrand for the NFB, with the collaboration of Télé-Québec. Julie Roy is the executive producer.

Oscar had its world premiere at the LA Shorts Fest in 2016. It received the Audience Choice award (Program A) at the New York City Short Film Festival and the Animation award at the Yorkton Film Festival in Saskatchewan. The film has been screened at a number of festivals in Canada, Europe, Asia and the United States and was nominated for the best animated short film award at the 2016 Gala du cinéma québécois.

Oscar (12 min)

Oscar blends animated sequences and archival footage in its touching portrait of virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson at the twilight of an exceptional career, as he wistfully meditates on the price of fame and the impact of the artist’s life on relationships with family members. From his beginnings as a young prodigy in Montreal’s Little Burgundy district to his triumphs on the international stage, this animated documentary explores the profound solitude of an artist constantly on tour. Set to the tunes of Peterson’s sometimes catchy, sometimes melancholic compositions, the film tells a heartfelt story about a life in jazz.

To watch this film

Free online starting June 30

  • At NFB.ca
  • In Télé-Québec’s “Zone vidéo” (French version)

Screenings at the 2017 Montreal Jazz Festival

  • Presentation of this year’s Oscar Peterson Award to Christine Jensen

Friday, June 30, 3:00 p.m.
With Céline Peterson and NFB producer Marc Bertrand in attendance

  • At the Cinéma du Parc theatre

As the opening short for the feature film Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, by John Scheinfeld
Céline Peterson will attend the screening on Friday, June 30, at 6:50 p.m.
To view the schedule for other screenings:
http://cinemaduparc.com/en/film/chasing-trane-the-john-coltrane-documentary_en

As the opening short for the documentary feature Bill Frisell, A Portrait, by Emma Franz
Bill Frisell will attend the screening on Sunday, July 2, at 6:30 p.m.
To view the schedule for other screenings:
http://cinemaduparc.com/en/film/bill-frisell-a-portrait-fst-_en

On TV

  • On Télé-Québec on Saturday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 2, at 1:30 p.m., as part of the network’s Ciné-Mollo film series (French version, with the voice of Stanley Péan). Rebroadcast on Saturday, September 2, at 7:47 p.m. and Sunday, September 3, at 1:47 p.m.

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Related Products

Electronic Press Kit | Images, trailers, synopsis: Oscar

Associated Links

Oscar Peterson Award
Montreal Jazz Festival
Cinéma du Parc
Télé-Québec
MJSTP Films

Media Relations

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    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.