February 26, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The NFB returns to the Festival REGARD with five short films, including two in official competition: Eisha Marjara’s documentary Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen?, making its Quebec premiere, and Ehsan Gharib’s animated film Samaa. Red River Michif/Métis filmmaker Amanda Strong’s animated film Inkwo for When the Starving Return will also get its Quebec premiere at REGARD. Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin is attending the festival for a workshop-screening for her new film, My Friend the Green Horse, being held at a local school.

One of North America’s most important short film festivals, REGARD will take place in Saguenay from March 19 to 23, 2025.

Official competition

Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen? by Eisha Marjara (Compass Productions/9466-7565 Québec/NFB, documentary, 24 min 6 s) – QUEBEC PREMIERE

• In this deeply personal short doc by Quebec director Eisha Marjara, dieting together seems like fun for two sisters—until their project takes a dark turn. The film had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, where it won the Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary.

Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (NFB, animation, 2 min 27 s)

• A caged bird, yearning to fly, finds release through the transcendent power of music and movement. Revelling in the magic and mechanics of cinema, Iranian-born Ehsan Gharib crafts a striking, hand-painted animated short on the themes of freedom and ecstasy. The film won an award at the Festival du nouveau cinéma in Montreal.

Focus Competition: Indigenous perspectives and Youth Competition

Inkwo for When the Starving Return by Amanda Strong (Spotted Fawn Productions/NFB, animation, 19 min) – QUEBEC PREMIERE

• Dove, a gender-shifting warrior, uses their Indigenous medicine (Inkwo) to protect their community from an unburied swarm of terrifying creatures. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was selected as part of Canada’s Top Ten at TIFF and at the Sundance Festival.

Youth Competition

Maybe Elephants by Torill Kove (Mikrofilm/NFB, animation, 16 min 43 s)

• Three rebellious teenage daughters, a restless mother, a father struggling with potatoes, and maybe some elephants, find themselves in Nairobi. What could possibly go wrong? This award-winning film from Oscar winner Torill Kove was screened at the Annecy Festival and was named to Canada’s Top Ten at TIFF.

Indigenous youth perspectives workshop-screening

My Friend the Green Horse by Alanis Obomsawin (NFB, animation and live action, 11 min 20 s)

• Often feeling alone in her waking life, the young Alanis Obomsawin found friendship with the Green Horse, a benevolent being she visited regularly in her dreams. Together with other animal spirits, the Green Horse guided Alanis to realize the immensity of the gift of life and the power of kindness. The filmmaker will attend the workshop-screening.

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French version here | Version française ici.