Montreal – April 16 is National Canadian Film Day. Of course, nfb.ca is all about Canadian films all the time, streaming free of charge. Throughout the month of April, viewers can explore three new documentaries on hard-hitting subjects, all made by women directors.
- In Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen?, director Eisha Marjara tackles her personal battle with anorexia.
- Seguridad, by Tamara Segura, sees the director explore her father’s troubled past and its connection to the Cuban Revolution.
- A Losing Game, from Jenny Cartwright, examines the ways in which the Quebec electoral system is dysfunctional—a topical film as an election campaign is in full swing.
The themed channel Our Planet in Focus will mark Earth Day, April 22, featuring over 60 films about the environment.
Remember, nfb.ca is home to more than 7,000 streaming films and a collection of over 100 interactive works.
Starting April 7
Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen? by Eisha Marjara (Compass Productions/9466-7565 Québec/NFB)
Documentary (24 min 6 s) / Press kit
- In this deeply personal short doc by Quebec director Eisha Marjara, dieting together seems like fun for two sisters—until their project takes a dark turn and Eisha, consumed by anorexia, is pushed to the very brink of death. The film sheds new light on the complex subject of eating disorders.
- To date the film has been selected to screen at nine festivals worldwide and won the prestigious Betty Youson Award for Best Canadian Short Documentary at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Starting April 15
Seguridad by Tamara Segura (2024, NFB)
Documentary (76 min) / Press kit
- Once dubbed “Cuba’s youngest soldier” in a militia publicity stunt, Newfoundland-based filmmaker Tamara Segura uncovers family secrets and portrays her troubled relationship with her father. A rare glimpse into the inner lives of Cubans in the post-revolutionary era.
- The film was selected to screen at Hot Docs and won an award at the Atlantic International Film Festival.
- English Collection Curator Camilo Martín-Flórez is publishing a new blog post on April 15. “The Latina-Canadian Gaze” shines a spotlight on the new wave of Latina-Canadian filmmakers who’ve directed NFB-produced films over the past decade, including Segura.
Starting April 24
A Losing Game by Jenny Cartwright (2025, NFB)
Documentary (98 min) / Press kit
- A Losing Game follows three people who ran for office in the 2022 Quebec provincial election, casting a critical eye on this system. For most, the race is over before it even begins. But, thanks to the way the electoral system is set up, the big losers are the rest of us.
- The doc had its world premiere as the opening film of the 2025 Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma.
Marking Earth Day, April 22
- Channel: Our Planet in Focus – NFB
This channel presents documentaries and animated films on environmental topics, selected from the many fascinating productions about these subjects in the NFB’s collection. Watch recent films like Kevin McMahon’s Borealis or classics like Bill Mason’s Cry of the Wild.
- French Collection Curator Marc St-Pierre’s latest blog post, available soon, takes a look at climate change as depicted in three compelling films. He examines perspectives drawn from Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s Metamorphosis (2018), Jennifer Abbott’s The Magnitude of All Things (2020) and Leanne Allison’s Losing Blue (2023).