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The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie: NFB productions even more accessible to francophone communities and francophiles across Canada.

PRESS RELEASE
24/02/2021

February 24, 2021 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada

The National Film Board of Canada will be participating in the annual Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF) for the 16th year in a row, from March 1 to 31, 2021. Offered in a hybrid format, the latest edition of the RVF will honour the inspiring people and culture of the Acadian region of Canada. The NFB has created seven programs of documentary and animation for all ages, and will be making them available to francophone and francophile audiences in venues across the country or online, depending on the health restrictions in place. So far, more than 85 cities—a record—are taking part in this massive celebration of Canada’s Francophonie, with screenings in every province and territory, from Newfoundland to British Columbia to the Yukon, and over 350 screenings currently scheduled, as registrations continue to come in. In addition, many libraries and organizations will be promoting the NFB.ca/rvf page, where the complete program will be available. All films are available with English subtitles. This cultural event includes the online exclusive presentation—for the entire duration of the RVF—of Acadian filmmaker Monique LeBlanc’s Plus haut que les flammes (Higher Than Flames Will Go, Program 1), a moving film adaptation of Louise Dupré’s poem of the same title, which won a 2011 Governor General’s Award. For the first time, the NFB’s offering also includes an interactive work: Parlement: l’expérience virtuelle (Parliament: The Virtual Experience, Program 5) by Émilie F. Grenier, David Drury, Dpt., and Stéphane Poirier, a virtual visit to a historic building that’s a powerful symbol of Canadian democracy and bilingualism.

The programming features some key films from the NFB’s Canadian Francophonie Studio – Acadie, including Paul Bossé’s Kacho Komplo (Program 4), about the famous student bar at Université de Moncton; Herménégilde Chiasson’s Le grand Jack (Jack Kerouac’s Road: A Franco-American Odyssey), about American author Jack Kerouac, who had French-Canadian roots, and Stephanie David’s Le goût des belvas (Bittersweet Blues), which sensitively links family memories and the evolution of Acadian French (both featured in Program 2). The programming also shines a spotlight on resilience and Acadian cultural resistance, drawing connections with other peoples with strong and proud cultures, such as the Haitian people, in Will Prosper’s film Kenbe la, jusqu’à la victoire (Kenbe la, Until We Win, Program 3); or the Innu, in Carl Grégoire and Spencer St-Onge’s Innu-Aimun – La langue innue (Innu-Aimun: The Innu Language, Program 4). Two selections of youth-oriented shorts, made up of NFB classics and films with specifically Acadian topics, round out the NFB’s 2021 RVF programming.

The NFB at RVF 2021: seven programs to view at home

  • Get details about all seven programs here.
  • The screening schedule—for venues or online—is available at RVF.ca, under the Calendar tab.
  • You can also watch all seven programs on NFB.ca/rvf for the entire duration of the RVF, which coincides with Francophonie Month (March 1 to 31).

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Related Products

Electronic Press Kits | Images, trailers, synopses: Higher Than Flames Will Go | Kenbe la, Until We Win | Parliament: The Virtual Experience

French version here | Version française ici.

Media Relations

  • Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

  • 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.