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Strong NFB lineup at the 26th Festival du film de l’Outaouais. Six films selected and a workshop for emerging talent.

PRESS RELEASE
17/03/2025

March 17, 2025 – Montréal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The National Film Board of Canada is delighted to have six of its films selected at the 2025 Festival du film de l’Outaouais (FFO). The NFB is also taking part in the festival’s industry workshops, with executive producer Nathalie Cloutier from the French Documentary Unit giving a workshop on producing or co-producing with the NFB, on Friday, April 4, at 1:45 p.m. This will be an opportunity for the NFB to meet with emerging talent in the region. The 26th edition of the FFO takes place in Gatineau from April 3 to 11, 2025.

The NFB at the 2025 FFO

In the Shallows (En surface) by Arash Akhgari (animation, 4 min)
Friday, April 4, 6:30 p.m., Canadian Museum of History

Through a carefully choreographed collision of hand-made sculptural collages and ink and paint animation, In the Shallows, by first-time NFB filmmaker Arash Akhgari, takes us on a deep dive into the shallow and fragmented world of news, entertainment and ads, where we can easily drown in the dangerous allure of mass media intoxication.

Les enfants du large (Ghosts of the Sea) by Virginia Tangvald (documentary, 97 min)
Screening attended by Virginia Tangvald
Tuesday, April 8, 12:30 p.m., Cinéma 9 

While searching for clues about the death of her brother Thomas, who was lost at sea, the filmmaker embarks on a fascinating investigation into her family’s dark secrets. Calling into question the idyllic life of her father, legendary sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest dismantles the myth of absolute freedom. The film won the Prix du public TV5 at the 2024 Festival du nouveau cinéma and will be opening in theatres in Quebec on May 9, 2025.

Last fall, Tangvald published a novel entitled Les enfants du large, which has enjoyed success both in Quebec and in France. The book and the film complement and illuminate one another.

Note that Tangvald will also take part in an activity showcasing female directors on Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Les gens dans l’armoire (Society of Clothes) by Dahee Jeong (animation, 15 min)
Sunday, April 6, 4:30 p.m., Cinéma 9

In Society of Clothes, everyone exists only as clothes. They wander into the streets, bodiless and faceless, performing absurd daily tasks. The film has been selected to screen at eight festivals.

Ninan Auassat: Nous, les enfants (Ninan Auassat: We, the Children) by Kim O’Bomsawin (documentary, 93 min)
Screening attended by Kim O’Bomsawin
Monday, April 7, 7 p.m., Cinéma 9

Abenaki filmmaker Kim O’Bomsawin celebrates the power and vitality of Indigenous youth, who are given the opportunity to speak for themselves in this film. Ninan Auassat: We, the Children won awards at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) in 2024.

Maybe Elephants (Peut-être des éléphants) by Torill Kove (animation, 16 min 43 s)
Friday, April 4, 6:30 p.m., Canadian History Museum

Bursting with wit, a joyful colour palette and an energetic soundscape, Maybe Elephants is a vivid homage to the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s time spent immersed in Nairobi’s bustling culture in Kenya. The film has been selected for a plethora of festivals and won awards in South Korea, Norway, Vancouver, Montreal and Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (animation, 2 min 27 s)
Saturday, April 5, 6:30 p.m., Canadian History Museum

In Samaa, filmmaker Ehsan Gharib invites us into imagined captivity using striking, hand-painted animation and visceral drumming. The bird’s dramatic plight begs the question: Is freedom a state of being, or is it a state of mind? The film won the Dada National award at the 2024 Festival du nouveau cinema in Montreal.

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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.