MONTREAL – The National Film Board is going mobile.
This week at MIPCOM in Cannes, Canada’s public producer and distributor will reveal three new series for mobile platforms. In addition, the NFB, the Ministry of Culture of Brazil and the Brazilian Producers’ Association will be announcing the winners of a joint Canada/Brazil animation and documentary development fund on October 11.
This new fund is the result of a far-ranging cultural co-operation program agreement signed by the NFB and the Ministry of Culture of Brazil in March 2006. The NFB and Ministry of Culture of Brazil are each contributing $50,000 to the fund, which will provide up to $25,000 per documentary or animation project.
"At the Cannes Film Festival last May, the National Film Board of Canada launched its global celebrations marking 65 years of groundbreaking NFB animation. At MIPCOM 2006, we’re back with a bold new line up of digital content – demonstrating that the tradition of innovation lives on at the NFB, where we’re working on tomorrow’s breakthroughs" said Jacques Bensimon, government film commissioner and NFB Chairperson, in a press release
With partner Film Australia, the NFB will be offering a sneak preview of two titles from their new series Confessions. This new collection of ten documentary and animation shorts bring intimate stories of secrets, lies, mysteries and revelations to the mobile phone market. Previewing at MIPCOM will be series titles Truth and Marree Man (working title).
At MIPTV/MILIA 2006, the NFB and partners announced the creation of a World Educational Consortium to produce archive-based educational media for mobile and new digital platforms. MIPCOM 2006 will see the launch of the Consortium’s first production: Connected, a series of eight 60-second movies designed for cell phone and iPod use by primary, high school and post-secondary students. In Connected, the stock shot collections of partners NFB, Discovery Channel, NHK and Film Australia are put to service to address crucial ethical questions provoked by modern science.
Also launching at MIPCOM 2006 is The Art of Seduction, a 10-part anthology of two-minute shorts, bringing the perspective of notable directors, prominent artists and popular personalities to a theme of universal interest. This compilation, presented by CHUM Television’s Bravo!FACT and co-produced by the NFB and marblemedia, represents phase 2 of the Shorts In Motion project.
NFB non-fiction highlights include the feature docs Bombay Calling, an inside look at India’s telemarketers, as well as The Dark Side of the White Lady, a Chilean filmmaker’s quest to uncover the truth on behalf of victims of Pinochet regime. It’s food autonomy vs. agribusiness in The Fight for True Farming, a feature-length doc that says it offers new farm solutions. Unspeakable, is a look at stuttering.
On the animation side, the NFB line up is headlined by two series. The 15-part Talespinners collection for kids brings together animation, acclaimed children’s authors and culturally diverse stories from around the globe. The perils of parenthood are the subject of the 13-part series of short vignettes, Tales From the Crib. Oscar nominee Torill Kove is back with The Danish Poet , while Florence Miailhe’s Conte de quartier garnered a Special Mention for originality and artistic quality at the Cannes Film Festival.
