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This is a picture of winter on the Canadian western prairies, when the full blast of Arctic cold strikes down upon those who live and work there. That life goes on almost without interruption is an example of human resourcefulness and adaptability, but there is no doubt of the peril ever-present in the extreme temperatures.

Carefully shot in black and white, All Things Were Now Overtaken by Silence is a meditation on the filming of a strange play: a fascinating monologue by actress, director, performance artist and political activist Jesusa Rodriguez of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz’s poem First I Dream.

French artist and author Jean Giraud is one of the most famous and influential comic strip illustrators and authors of all time. He achieved his greatest fame as Moebius - not so much a pseudonym as an alter ego. With his triple-split personality - Jean Giraud, Moebius, Gir - he succeeded in making his work accessible in popular comic strip series like Blueberry, in metaphysical fantasies like John Difool and, not least, to a broad public, with set designs for films such as The Fifth Element. In Moebius Redux - A Life in Pictures an exceptional artist tells his life's and work's story. Extraordinary views on Paris, Los Angeles and the Mexican desert build a visual link between his life and his artistic universe, accompanied by the electronic soundtrack composed by "Kraftwerk" legend Karl Bartos.

A woman walks into a New York gallery with a cache of unknown masterworks. Thus begins a story of art world greed, willfulness and a high-stakes con.

What if the Quebec healthcare system became a patient like any other? Overwhelmed, exhausted, it is collapsing. Once considered a source of national pride, it must now be hospitalized to diagnose the disease that is consuming it.

When Cartier wintered at Cap Rouge near Québec City in 1641, he claimed to have detected diamonds in the surrounding hills. Was he so very wrong? Three centuries later, 15,000 men have come to excavate the iron mountains of the Canadian tundra where the rust of those diamonds still sparkles.

This documentary focuses on immigrant teens between the ages of 12 and 17 who share the story of their migration and their adaption to life in Canada through theatre. Young but wise, these children describe their experiences with emotion and authenticity.

Toronto filmmaker Alan Zweig analyzes the phenomenon of record collecting.

Winters in the sparsely populated Yukon are long, cold and dark—a natural recipe for isolation. For newcomers like Alexandra Knowles, it can be hard to find friends. But anywhere there is a yarn store, there are knitters. And where there are knitters, there is a knitting circle, weaving together a circle of care, one stitch at a time—and reminding us of the simple ways that community is built on presence, storytelling and shared purpose.

The story of WWF villain, Luna Vachon. Raised by a family of wrestling legends, wrestling was her first love. Reaching the peak of her fame in the 90s, Luna’s biggest hurdle was challenging the mainstream wrestling industry and their view on women at that time She aimed to be the biggest, baddest wrestling villain that ever lived. But despite her successes, both her stage persona and reality started to blur. The guilt of abandoning her two sons to pursue her dream job, being diagnosed as bipolar, abuse, and addiction would prove too much. While the crowd yelled out ‘Lunatic’ to her in-ring heel character, little did they know a dark cloud of mental health struggles plagued her in real-life.

From the NFB: He is a young man; an optimist drawn to dark music and the themes of death and suffering. Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin has gained a reputation for his dedication, musicality and charisma. Combining documentary and animation, this short film captures his energy and passion, both in performance and in conversation.

This riveting music documentary traces the history of Jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson, from his early days as Montreal's teenage Boogie-Woogie sensation through his meteoric rise to international celebrity with Norman Granz and the ground-breaking Jazz at the Philharmonic and beyond. In this award-winning autobiographical portrait, legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson narrates his story, from his beginnings in smoke-filled Montreal clubs to hallmark performances with jazz greats. Concert footage includes an unforgettable combo -- Nat King Cole with Jazz at the Philharmonic and the Oscar Peterson Trio Wall reunion. Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie are interviewed, among others.

This documentary presents a fascinating study of the great and enduring principles of international relations. Through this close look at Canada and the American Civil War, and the relationship between Canada, Britain, the North and the South, we get a sense of the delicate balance between war and peace, and the diplomacy involved. Part 7 of the series Struggle for a Border: Canada's Relations with the United States.

This short documentary is about newcomers to Canada and what they eat. Funny, mouth-watering and visually delectable, it takes us into the specialty food shops where the ingredients are bought, and into the homes where the food is prepared and served in the traditional way.

NCR: Not Criminally Responsible tells the story of a troubled young man who stabbed a complete stranger 6 times in a crowded shopping mall while gripped by psychosis. Twelve years later, his victim, who miraculously survived, is terrified to learn that he's out, living in the community under supervision. He's applying for an absolute discharge, and if he succeeds, he'll no longer be required to take the anti-psychotic drugs that control his mental illness. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.

How does a nation survive being swallowed by the sea? Kiribati, on a low-lying Pacific atoll, will disappear within decades due to rising sea levels, population growth, and climate change. This exploration of how to migrate an entire nation with dignity interweaves personal stories of survival and resilience.

A musical documentary and tribute to Hugh Le Caine. The story of early electronic instruments, and the nearly forgotten Canadian music pioneer who created the first synthesizers. As told through interviews with three modern-day modular synth musicians.

Adam, a young Tanzanian boy persecuted because of his albinism, finds a kindred spirit in Peter, a Canadian man with the same condition. Together they embark on an unlikely journey that transcends cultures and continents.

Documentary essay, filmed during an Atlantic crossing aboard a cargo ship. A film about immensity and faith, about the uninterrupted movements of the waves and their power. And finally, perhaps most importantly, about the men aboard, witnesses and actors in this life between two shores, isolated in the middle of infinity. Transatlantic tells the story of the journey and daily life aboard and reveals the ship as a microcosm and a metaphor : a human island in the heart of a great elsewhere.

Big Giant Wave is an ode to music, the invisible abstract and fleeting sequence of sounds that creates in the brain the same reaction as chocolate, sex, or drugs.

The bones of the first animal superstar reveal long-buried secrets.

Damascus, Oregon, United States. Julie Keith finds a baffling message hidden in a pack of decorative items, a desperate plea for help, written by someone imprisoned in a Chinese labor camp called Masanjia…

From the gardens of Versailles to the Île-aux-Coudres, this documentary feature tells the story of Pierre Perrault's exceptional cinematic adventure. While simultaneously painting a portrait of the poet-filmmaker, the film contains a critical analysis of his work. To allow us to reflect on cinema and on man even further, an image hunter is himself hunted down to reveal his certainties and questions.

With a meticulous selection of interviews, performances and photos drawn from a vast and rich archival collection, Pauline Julien, Intimate and Political follows the iconic Quebec singer and eternally free spirit on a journey through key moments in the province’s history.

In this French Canadian film, the lives of teenagers are examined in fantasy sequences and through the use of documentary interviews. Prompted by the filmmaker, nine teenagers individually act out their secret dreams and, between times, talk about their world as they see it. The fantasy sequences make creative use of animation, unusual film-development techniques, and stills. Babette conceives of herself as an abbess defending her fortress, a convent; Michelle is transported in a dream of love where all time ceases; Philippe is the revolutionary, defeating all the institutions that plague him, and so on, through all their fantasies. All the actual preoccupations of youth are raised: authority, drugs, social conflict, sex. Jutra's style in "Wow" exhibits his innovative approach to storytelling and filmmaking, showcasing his talents as a director during that period. With English subtitles.

A documentary–concert film chronicling the life of Canadian singer, Céline Dion during her 2008–2009 Taking Chances World Tour.

An anthology film sequel to Meldrum and Rea's No Bummer Summer. A carefully curated dive into the idyllic-though-hedonistic ways of the boys of the summer.

Dr Gabor Maté has become one of the world’s most influential thinkers about addiction, trauma and childhood development on the back of books like In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, The Myth of Normal and When the Body Says No. He’s pioneered the idea of Compassionate Inquiry as a therapeutic approach, and worked for over a decade on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

This documentary takes a look at the reality that faces a last generation status Indian as she tries to hold on to her culture after the recent passing of her main native reference, her Grand-father. « Because of the Indian Act I am forced into letting go of who I am and accepting that I am probably the last Indian in my family lineage. Although I always had uncertainties and questions about my true belonging to the Mohawk culture and my ties to my community, I've never felt as culturally empty as I do now. Even if I always knew that I was a last generation Indian, I never felt that I needed to justify or explain who I was because my Grand-father was Mohawk, which in turn granted me that right. With his death, my heart and my roots seem to have slipped further away. » Last Call Indian begins where the life of Morris Bonspille ends.

After André Levesque missionnaire, Oksana Karpovych is back at the RIDM with her first feature, which she filmed in her native country, Ukraine. To take the pulse of the country, the filmmaker adopts one of documentary cinema’s most prolific sub-genres: the train film. Filmed entirely in the old, run-down, overcrowded passenger trains used by ordinary Ukrainians, the film captures conversations, observes the landscape, and accompanies several protagonists on their journey; they open our eyes to popular preoccupations in a country that seems perpetually anchored in its highly visible Soviet legacy. A fine lesson in listening and humanity.

Emerging from a desolate post-industrial site, an innovative new building brings hope for the future of construction and the planet.

This short film depicts how a small Canadian city, bearing the name of Stratford and by a river Avon, created its own renowned Shakespearean theatre. The film tells how the idea grew, how a famous British director, international stars and Canadian talent were recruited, and how the Stratford Shakespearean Festival finally became a triumphant reality.

Le serment d’Hippocrate follows the struggle of four immigrant doctors trying to find their place in the Quebec healthcare system. This film puts faces to the lives, journeys, and struggles of these unsung heroes who, nevertheless, had also taken the august Hippocratic Oath in their distant countries.

When COVID protocols impose restrictions on human interaction, Millefiore Clarkes seizes the opportunity to reflect on the nature of love itself, juxtaposing her own existential quest with those of a teenager grappling with identity and self-worth in a time of social distancing, and a woman who finds surprising new romance despite pandemic isolation.

With a unique blend of dramatic action and behind-the-scenes documentary footage, filmmaker John Walker shares the multi-layered story of British explorer Sir John Franklin and his crew of 128 men, who perished in the Arctic ice during an ill-fated attempt to discover the Northwest Passage, and John Rae, the Scottish doctor who in 1851, discovered their dismal fate. Rae's dark report, which described the crew’s madness and cannibalism, did not sit well with Sir John's widow, Lady Franklin, nor with many others in British society, including Charles Dickens. They waged a bitter public campaign to discredit Rae's version of events and mark an entire nation of northern Inuit with the label of murderous cannibals. A stunning face-to-face meeting between the great-great grandson of Charles Dickens and Tagak Curley, an honoured Inuit statesman who challenges the fraudulent history, vaults the story from the past into the present and we are witness to history in the making.

Originally performed in the unprecedented circumstances of 2020, Live At A Drive-In shows a band at the height of their potent creative vision and technical prowess. Under the summer stars, in a field surrounded by parked cars tuned into the broadcast dial, July Talk brought people together (but not too close!) at a time when impactful live music experiences were nearly impossible.

Pain Warriors examines the other side of the OPIOID CRISIS, that of under-treated pain among the patient populations of Canada and the USA.

Since the 1990s, the old Gaulin Manor has housed erstwhile residents of Saint-Hyacinthe psychiatric hospital. Some thirty inhabitants occupy this alternative lodging space, their salvation after the wave of deinstitutionalization that one day threw them into the streets with no resources. Profit rules, and so this motel at the world's end will be destroyed to fill the pockets of promoters. The film captures this turning of the page, where each lost character reshuffles their daily life in moving on to the next chapter. Lending an ear to these forgotten outcasts, Manor is careful in framing these shadowy figures, bringing them to life in the light of our attention.

An experimental exploration of modern life’s emptiness, examining how the spectacle, the death of community, and the rise of individualism have reshaped our world.

Young people wonder what their future profession should be. While the ambitions of some are brimming with ideas of grandeur, for others the horizon seems blurred and dizzying. In a series of sessions with a guidance counselor, they reveal their true selves.

Songs include "Vox" (Canadian and U.S. versions), "Steaming," "Ben's Song," "The Path of Thorns," "Into the Fire," "Possession" (Canadian and U.S. versions), "Hold On," "Good Enough," "I Will Remember You," "Building A Mystery," "Sweet Surrender," and "Adia."

A mysterious hum brings the filmmaker to the industrial complex of Zug Island to find its source and discover the effect on the people who live nearby.

The story of the first woman on earth, as she journeys through mythical landscapes in search of her soul-mate.

Demand full automation, demand a reduced work week, demand universal basic income, destroy the work ethic.

The Free Ones is a full-length documentary feature which shows us how four detainees are dealing with the end of their prison sentence, in a sawmill. Can a factory job help them to make the necessary transformation and become free men? Hidden from society’s view and through meetings with their instructors, psychotherapists and other participants, we accompany Samuel, Pierrot, Fred and Steve talk about their hopes and fears during this six-month transition period.

Glenn Gould: A Portrait is a biography of pianist and "explorer of sounds" Glenn Gould. The 105-minute program -- a montage of interviews, photographs, recording sessions, and concerts -- depicts the life and times of this late musician. Highlights of the film include pictures and scenes from Gould's life in Canada, as well as interviews with Geoffrey Payzant, broadcaster Margaret Pacsu, musician John Peter Lee Roberts, and music critic Paul Hume. Gould's personal views on animals (especially his affinity for skunks), his psychiatry, pacifism, and solitude are reflected on by family and friends.

Immersive experience where four users are invited to sit at one of the tables in the Okawari restaurant (both physical and virtual) to discover a wide variety of dishes, sides and drinks from the Japanese izakaya gastronomy. The purpose of the experience stems directly from the interactions of the users during their meal. Each experience will be totally unique and will depend on the participants' choices.

In the Bella Coola Valley, a haunting legend endures through generations as a filmmaker reckons with whether the stories of her ancestors can survive being held or if they were never meant to be captured.

They left the south because they were all out of other options. This is their last chance. And here in Iqaluit, far to the north, they have found solitude, potential redemption, and, most unexpectedly, a place that’s not easy to leave. Claude, Ramy, Patrick, Michel and Chaïd are now taxi drivers, endlessly cruising the ring road, the dozen-kilometre highway that holds all their hopes, dreams and fears. Beautifully photographed by Donat Chabot, this unique film by Sophie Fortier is deeply melancholic and affecting.

A many-faced view of humanity, of global man in all his forms and interests. Produced originally in 70 mm (with stereophonic sound) for showing at Man and His World, the Montréal fair that succeeded Expo 67, this film employs the multi-image technique. People of all places, origins, cultures, secular and religious, are here united and seen side by side, creating an impressive, inspiring and challenging portrait. The film's title appears in seven languages. Film without words.

Spontaneous portrait of an endearing and cheerful teenager living in balance between traditionalism and modernity. She presents her regalia to us and we share her pride in being Innu.

After 'A kingdom awaits you' and 'The return to the earth', the filmmaker Pierre Perrault concludes, with this documentary feature, his plea for the Abitibi region. The film gives the floor to Hauris Lalancette, farmer, colorful character, who has been fighting for almost half a century to save his kingdom in the Abitibi.