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This March, celebrate International Women’s Day with the NFB. Two new documentaries and an animated film to watch online.

PRESS RELEASE
20/02/2026

February 20, 2026 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

This March, keep on streaming Canadian on the NFB’s platforms! We’re marking International Women’s Day on March 8, and we’ll have three new films—two documentaries and an animated short—streaming free across the country. All three of these moving, powerful films were directed or co-directed by women.

  • In Chase Joynt and Julietta Singh’s feature doc The Nest, centuries of forgotten matriarchs emerge to reveal untold stories of resistance and resilience.
  • In Yuqi Kang’s feature doc 7 Beats Per Minute, freediving champion Jessea Lu returns to the site of her near-death experience to face the traumas of her past and find a way back to connection.
  • Hayat Najm’s animated short The Sounds of Things Ablaze transforms a story about human atrocities into a poignant tribute to women who face adversity—one step at a time.

The NFB, which has received an award for its commitment to parity, also puts women’s perspectives front and centre on its themed channel. And let’s continue to celebrate cinema with Oscars night, coming up on March 15! Mark the occasion by watching Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski’s The Girl Who Cried Pearls, nominated for this year’s Best Animated Short. Last but not least, we’d like to highlight our selection of films to mark World Water Day on March 22.

And remember: on our online platform (nfb.ca and NFB Apps for mobile devices and TV) and YouTube, you’ll find more than 7,000 films available to stream free of charge.

To mark International Women’s Day, March 8

NEW RELEASE – Starting March 3 

The Nest by Chase Joynt and Julietta Singh (2025, NFB)
Documentary (89 min)/Press kit 

  • At the end of her mother’s life, decolonial writer Julietta Singh returns to say goodbye to her childhood home in Winnipeg. As she digs into the history of the house, she uncovers 140 years of forgotten matriarchs and political histories she never knew. Following its world premiere at Hot Docs in Toronto, the film screened in festivals across Canada and in the U.S., winning two awards. 

Strong Women channel: Strong Women – NFB 

  • Filmmakers, dancers, activists, musicians, mothers, warriors… Through their own lens, discover the rich stories of the women who run the world. This inspirational channel features many films, including the new release The Nest.

Platinum Parity Certification

NEW RELEASE – Starting March 12

7 Beats Per Minute by Yuqi Kang (2024, Intuitive Pictures/NFB)
Documentary (100 min)/Press kit

During a world-record attempt in 2018, freediving champion Jessea Lu blacked out and was lifeless for four minutes. Returning to the site of her near-death experience, the film parallels Jessea’s physical and mental journey back from the depths. It was selected to screen at over 15 festivals worldwide, including South by Southwest, and received five awards.

NEW RELEASE – Starting March 16

The Sounds of Things Ablaze by Hayat Najm (2025, NFB)
Animation (6 min 35 s)/Press kit

Told through animated charcoal drawings, this is a story of resilience about a woman still haunted by the horrors of war. For this first animated film by Lebanon-born, Montreal-based visual artist Hayat Najm, award-winning pianist Jean-Michel Blais composed and performed the original score. Selected to screen at festivals in Canada and abroad, the film received the award for Best Animation at the New York City Short Film Festival.

To mark Oscars night on March 15 

Oscars channel: Oscar® winners and nominees – NFB 

The Girl Who Cried Pearls by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski is in the running for this year’s Best Animated Short Film Oscar, the 79th Academy Award nomination for an NFB film. As you wait to see if it takes home Oscar gold, watch this short film and explore the other winners and nominees on the channel.

To mark World Water Day starting March 22

This selection of much-loved classics and recent releases, which includes more than 25 documentaries and animated films, puts the focus on water in all its forms. The feature-length film Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again by Lyana Patrick was recently added to the lineup.

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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 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, 7,000 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.