NFB
The NFB at the Rendez-vous de la francophonie
In 2025, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is celebrating a milestone: its 20th year of participation in the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. It’s been quite a journey, and showcasing the creativity of our extended Francophonie family continues to fill us with pride and joy. For this edition, we’re pleased to offer six programs of films celebrating our roots that will be available throughout Francophonie Month, from March 1 to 31. These programs of documentaries and animation are provided free of charge to any groups, organizations or institutions that would like to hold screenings, either in theatres or online, during this epic celebration of the Francophonie.
We invite you, once again this year, to mark the month of March on your calendars.
Six programs
1. The Roots of Acadian Music
- 12+
- 30 minutes
Exclusive to the Rendez-vous
Bursting with energy and catchy tunes, Trécarré: à la source du son de la Baie Sainte-Marie (Trécarré: Exploring the Saint Mary’s Bay Sound) takes us into the heart of an Acadian community where music has been a way of life for generations. Come hear the fiddle, banjo and guitar in this corner of Nova Scotia, where both the music and the French language have a distinctive lilt.
Includes a discussion guide. This program is available with English subtitles.
Program 2: Living with the Family You Choose
- 14+
- 75 minutes
In Cohabiter (Living Together), young people seeking roommates open up on camera. The film captures some fascinating conversations and paints a touching portrait of a generation that’s used to playing all of its identity cards. Cohabiter had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and is sure to spark discussions among your audience, your children or your friends. How would you describe yourself to a potential roommate? Who would you choose to share your living space with? What are your non-negotiable conditions? Do you think sharing a home will become an increasingly common practice in the future?
This program is available with English subtitles.
Program 3: Telling Stories with Words and Ima
- 16+
- 48 minutes
Animation and animators are at the very heart of the NFB. We think you’ll enjoy discovering these well-known or emerging artists of today and yesterday. This program demonstrates the power of animation to elicit the strongest and most personal emotions, from disappointment in love in Joséphine to the creative, poetic and dazzling frenzy of Misérable Miracle (Miserable Miracle). In Souvenirs de guerre, groundbreaking filmmaker Pierre Hébert uses the scratch-on-film technique to address the unspeakable anxiety brought about by the threat of war. Aphasie (Aphasia) puts us in the shoes of someone who can no longer express themselves with words. Also without words, Claude Cloutier’s Mauvaises herbes (Bad Seeds) cleverly connects a range of ideas through free-flowing images. In Le tableau (The Painting), made on the NFB’s famous Alexeïeff-Parker pinscreen, Michèle Lemieux meditates on the tragic fate of Queen Mariana of Austria and on violence against women.
This program is available dubbed in English.
Program 4: The Great Acadian Family
- 8+
- 33 minutes
Welcome to the great Acadian family! Come discover the talent of Acadian animators. Three shorts from the Ta parole est en jeu series reveals the history of French Canadians in the country’s Maritime provinces. Pimp ma botte (Pimp My Boat) features the beloved Chiac dialect while Le secret de Moustafa, L’escapade de Marco and Maille Maille (Stitches in Time) showcase the creativity of Acadian artists.
- Ta parole est en jeu – Les Acadiens de la Nouvelle-Écosse | Will Cyr
- Ta parole est en jeu – Les Acadiens de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard | Will Cyr
- Ta parole est en jeu – Les Acadiens du Nouveau-Brunswick | Will Cyr
- Pimp ma botte | Marc Daigle
- Le secret de Moustaf | Joline Robichaud
- L’escapade de Marco | Philippe Lanteigne
- Maille Maille | Anne-Marie Sirois
Program 5: Family Stories
- 6+
- 43 minutes
Moms, dads, grandparents and friends, too! Little kids and big kids alike will adore these animated shorts, each of which revolves around a member of the family.
Program 6: All Aboard!
- 10+
- 48 minutes
Sometimes we have to leave home, either by choice to go on a wonderful adventure or because circumstances force us to go. But what do we take with us? This program asks us to think about the situations different families find themselves in, both close to home and elsewhere in the world, and about the question of where our roots lie. In La maison du hérisson (Hedgehog’s Home), hedgehog loves his little forest home, but his friends are decidedly unimpressed. In Sur la route (Big Drive), four sisters dream about crossing the Prairies. Nul poisson où aller (No Fish Where to Go) explores friendships that endure displacement and intolerance while Boat People highlights the resilience of a family that leaves Vietnam. To round out the program, the exquisite animated film Un gage d’amour (Two Apples) tells a story of love and hope across borders.
This program is available in English or with English subtitles.
Public screenings
STEP 1: Select one or more of the available programs.
STEP 2: Complete the online registration form . We will send you a digital file (MP4), along with promotional material to help you support your event.
STEP 3: Prior to the screening, test the film with your equipment to ensure it is in the correct format.
STEP 4: You are responsible for organizing and promoting your activity. Feel free to contact us for advice if needed.
STEP 5: After the screening, email audience attendance numbers to rvf@nfb.ca. This data helps us ensure we are remaining true to our mandate of offering documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences across the country.
Personal viewings online
In addition to public screenings, the general public will have online access to a variety of hand-picked films starting March 1 on a page dedicated to the Rendez-vous de la francophonie on NFB.ca.
Finally, all year long, l’espace francophonie on NFB.ca pays tribute to NFB productions from Canadian French artists outside of Québec.
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