Montreal – Vibrant new NFB productions will be launched in August: Audrey Nantel-Gagnon’s short Fire-Jo-Ball will be online as of August 2 and the documentary series Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land, by Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan, will have its premiere on nfb.ca on August 23, the day after a special launch event in Toronto.
The month of August is also packed with cultural and social happenings, and nfb.ca is a great place to explore current events, like the Pride celebrations, with themed channels and blog posts prepared by our collection experts.
The summer is a great time to travel and explore different parts of Canada, and themed channels have been created especially for the occasion. Experience a range of films highlighting the distinctive and diverse nature of different regions of the country
In total, nfb.ca now features more than 6,500 films and a collection of more than 100 interactive works.
NEW ONLINE RELEASES
Starting August 2
Fire-Jo-Ball by Audrey Nantel-Gagnon (2023, NFB) – ONLINE LAUNCH
Short documentary (16 min 54 s)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/fire-jo-ball
- Walking the line between fact and fiction, Fire-Jo-Ball shines the spotlight on Jo-Ann, a 57-year-old bartender who dreams of being a singer and actress. The film will be launched online on August 2, the birthday of Marjo, an inspirational singer for both Quebecers and Jo-Ann, the film’s main character, who dazzles when she’s under the spell of her spirited music. The first professional film by Lévis-born filmmaker Audrey Nantel-Gagnon, this documentary short was screened at numerous festivals in Canada and Europe and was a winner at Montreal’s Fantasia festival.
Starting August 23
Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land by Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan (2024, NFB) – PREMIERE
Documentary series (5 x 15 min)
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/sounds-pressure
At the height of the golden age of reggae, some of Jamaica’s brightest stars left their homeland behind to shine their light in an unlikely hub of Caribbean creativity: Toronto. Through rare archives and infectious beats, this captivating five-part anthology series takes you from Kingston to Kensington Market to see and hear how reggae made roots in Canada against all odds. Toronto’s Paradise Theatre will also host a special screening and launch event on August 22. Details
SPECIAL PROGRAMMING – CULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS
THEMED CHANNELS AND BLOG POSTS
To mark Pride celebrations across the country, including Public Service Pride Week, August 19–23
- Blog post by collection curator Camilo Martín-Flórez:
- “Three Landmark 2SLGBTQIA+ Films from the NFB’s Vault”
This post looks back at a trio of acclaimed films that pushed the boundaries of 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema in Canada: Albert Nerenberg’s Escape to Canada (2005), about same-sex marriage; David Adkin’s Out: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Youth (1993); and Fernand Bélanger and Dagmar Teufel’s Passiflora (1985), an experimental portrait of Montreal’s “otherness.”
- “Three Landmark 2SLGBTQIA+ Films from the NFB’s Vault”
- Films for Pride Channel
FILMS FROM ACROSS CANADA
Collection curator Camilo Martín-Flórez highlights films from every province and territory in two blog posts introducing various themed channels:
- Canada as Seen by NFB Filmmakers: Films from Across the Country (Part 1)
- Canada as Seen by NFB Filmmakers: Films from Across the Country (Part 2)
Learn more about the NFB’s filmmakers and their works: