Community connections at the heart of NFB films
In his short documentary The Tournament, produced by the National Film Board of Canada’s North West Studio, director Sam Vint captures the emotion and excitement of a youth sledge hockey tournament. Taking place over a weekend, the 22-minute film offers a glimpse into the world of para sports and the communities brought together by sledge hockey.
“This isn’t a film about disability,” Vint told the NFB, “but rather a film about adaptability, mindset, attitude, being resilient, using teamwork, competitive spirit and determination. It’s a great example of diversity and inclusion.”
As Canada’s public producer and distributor, the NFB prides itself on elevating diverse voices. Thousands of NFB films, including recent festival selections and previous award winners, are available to stream for free online on nfb.ca.
NFB projects are artist-driven, allowing directors to identify and explore issues that matter to their communities.
“(Filmmakers) are the biggest advocates for the subjects of their films,” said John Christou, director of operations for the English program at the NFB. “We let them take the lead.” While a host of crew members contribute to the success of a film, Christou noted that the director usually has the strongest anchor to the issue at its heart.
Take The Tournament — it follows Vint’s son, eight-yearold Isaac, and his team, the Manitoba Sledgehammers. As the parent of a child with a disability — Isaac has spina bifida — Vint was deeply embedded in the para sports community before conceptualizing the film and is, therefore, able to convey the ways in which sledge hockey can be a lifeline for fellow parents.
“In the stands, parents are helping each other with advice,” Vint told the NFB. “We compare doctors, treatments, the services we receive, as well as how to travel, and so on.”
Community connections are essential in documentary filmmaking, which requires audiences to bond with the people they see on screen, Christou explained. “It really comes down to the fact that when you see a person, see a group of people, who are experiencing the story … it creates a connection on a different level,” he said.
But it takes sensitivity to ensure that these bonds are never forged at the expense of a film’s subjects. Working with filmmakers who are representatives of their communities as well as observers is one way in which the NFB seeks to prevent harm. “When a documentary is made in a community, especially when the director is from that community, it’s not (an excavation),” said Christou.
Closer to home, Albertabased filmmaker Nisreen Baker offers a window into St. Albert’s Arab community in her 52-minute documentary Things Arab Men Say. During an afternoon at Jamal’s Eden Barber Shop, audiences hear from Jay, Ghassan, Faisal, Adnan, Falah, Bashar and Ramey as they discuss what it means to be an Arab in Canada — and, specifically, in this corner of Alberta.
The following five films will also be available to stream for free on the NFB website starting in June:
Love, Scott, a featurelength documentary written, directed and narrated by Calgary-born filmmaker Laura Marie Wayne. An Official Selection for the Hot Docs and BFI Flare festivals in 2018, Love, Scott chronicles three years in the life of gay musician Scott Jones, who was left paralyzed by a brutal attack.
The Road Forward ,a musical documentary from Métis-dene writer and director Marie Clements. A 2017 Dreamspeakers International Film Festival award winner, The Road Forward also earned Clements the Best Director prize at the 2017 San Francisco American Indian Film Festival. With interviews and musical performances, the film draws poignant parallels between the origins of the Indian Nationalism movement in the 1930s and present-day First Nations activism.
Now is the Time, a short documentary written and directed by Haida filmmaker Christopher Auchter. An Official Selection at eight festivals, including the San Francisco American Indian Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019, and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival in 2020, Now is the Time looks back to 1969, when a new totem pole was raised on Haida Gwaii — the first in nearly a century.
Gun Killers, a short documentary from writer and director Jason Young. An Official Selection at the 2019 Calgary International Film Festival, Gun Killers follows retired blacksmiths John and Nancy Little and the secret work they do after dark.
I am Skylar, a short documentary about a 14-year-old trans girl from Cape Breton and the supportive family that surrounds her. Directed by Rachel Bower, I am Skylar was named Best Atlantic Short Documentary at the FIN Atlantic International Film Festival.
These films, made by and for Canadians, were created to reflect our interests and experiences, Christou pointed out. It’s essential that Canadians have free access to NFB content: “It’s theirs,” he said.
Visit www.nfb.ca to discover a wealth of Canadian documentaries, films and animated movies.