October 18, 2022 – Moncton – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The NFB will have a strong presence at the Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA), with two world premiere documentary screenings of films by Acadian directors: Phil Comeau’s L’Ordre secret (The Secret Order) and Georges Hannan’s Croque-mort. C’est beau la vie ! (Undertaker for Life!). Lynn Smith’s animated short What Rhymes with Toxic (Ce qui rime avec toxique) will also be presented. Several members of the NFB’s management, production and marketing teams will be available in person to meet with members of the public and francophone media-arts creators. The 36th edition of FICFA runs from November 10 to 18, 2022, in greater Moncton.

Films

L’Ordre secret (The Secret Order) by Phil Comeau (85 min) – WORLD PREMIERE
Produced by Christine Aubé for the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio in Moncton, in collaboration with Unis TV
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-secret-order

• Phil Comeau shines a spotlight on the Ordre de Jacques-Cartier, a powerful secret society that operated from 1926 to 1965, infiltrating every sector of Canadian society. The Secret Order paints a gripping portrait of the social and political struggles of Canadian francophone-minority communities.
• World premiere on Monday, November 14, at 8 p.m. at Moncton’s Capitol Theatre, followed by a reception that will be open to the audience at the screening, with the director and members of the film crew in attendance.
• During the event, which is being presented in partnership with Unis TV, audience members can see and learn about some intriguing objects that belonged to the Ordre de Jacques-Cartier.

Croque-mort. C’est beau la vie ! (Undertaker for Life!) by Georges Hannan (52 min) – WORLD PREMIERE
Produced by Christine Aubé for the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio in Moncton
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/undertaker-for-life

• Undertakers are anything but gloomy; they’re funny, generous and dedicated. We would gladly go on vacation with them, but sadly, they never seem to have any dead time.
• World premiere on Sunday, November 13, at the Cineplex Cinema in Dieppe at 3 p.m., followed by a reception that will be open to the audience at the screening, with the director and members of the film crew in attendance.

What Rhymes with Toxic (Ce qui rime avec toxique) by Lynn Smith (5 min)
Produced by Maral Mohammadian for the NFB’s English Program Animation and Interactive Studio and Lynn Smith
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/what-rhymes-with-toxic

• Chemical sludge is spilling into the lake. One turtle, in her desperate hour, summons up the courage to leave her home and speak truth to power. A film animated directly under the camera using gouache paint and collage.
• Screening on Thursday, November 17, at Théâtre l’Escaouette at 9 p.m. (Screening 32, Animation Program).

Activities

• Claude Joli-Coeur, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson, along with Julie Roy, Director General, Programming – Creation, Distribution and Marketing, will be at the festival to attend screenings and other NFB activities at FICFA.
• The NFB and FRIC (Front des réalisateurs indépendants du Canada) meet-and-greet will be held on Saturday, November 12, at 5 p.m., on the first floor of the Aberdeen Cultural Centre. The event will be an opportunity to highlight the work of Canadian Francophonie media-arts creators, and to mark the end of Claude Joli-Coeur’s term as head of the NFB in November.
• Individual meetings between NFB staff and francophone creators from the Atlantic region will be held on Sunday, November 13. The following will be in attendance:
  • Nathalie Cloutier, Executive Producer, Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio;
  • Christine Noël, Executive Producer, French Program Animation Studio;
  • Louis-Richard Tremblay, Executive Producer, Interactive Studio;
  • Karine Sévigny, Marketing Manager;
  • Émilie Nguyen Ngoc, Strategist, Social Media.

Please note that these NFB staff members will also be present at the November 12 NFB and FRIC meet-and-greet.

Award

The NFB will present the La Vague ACIC-ONF award for best Acadian short film, which includes a prize of $5,000 in post-production services, at the awards ceremony on Thursday, November 17.

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French version here | Version française ici.