Canadian Heritage Film Festival Event - NFB Classic Animated Shorts, February 20, 2005

Grandmas and Grandpas, Mums and Dads, treat your little ones to the movie theatre experience. Show them cartoons on the BIG SCREEN. Let them share the experience with other children. The Canadian Heritage Film Festival has a program specially selected for the young at heart. And it’s free!

9am – 10am

Program 1 —intended for ages 2 to 6

Four Seasons in the Life of Ludovic
A lovable teddy bear is the star of these 4 short films made using puppet animation.

Winter: The Snow Gift
Snow. A wintry wind. In a thatched cottage that is home to a family of teddy bears, the young cub Ludovic dreams of tobogganing with his friends. "No," his parents tell him, "you're too little." Ludovic feels a bit lonely. But his dreams and imaginings are powerful: he invents wonderful games to share with his new best friend, a doll that has miraculously come to life. Wrapped in the music of Daniel Lavoie, this charming, tender tale by Co Hoedeman evokes the cosy relationship between a child and a favourite toy, offering a glimpse into the magic and mystery of childhood.

Spring: A Crocodile in My Garden
This film explores the world of play. Magical thinking governs Ludovic's world. It is springtime. Ludovic, in his garden, reigns over his menagerie of paper animals and their jungle home. In his improvised Africa, Ludovic goes from one surprise to another until the animals help themselves to the surprise brought by his mother. When they refuse to obey him, Ludovic doesn't want to play anymore. He bangs the door and pouts. But children's fights don't last. Reconciliation is not far off, especially when there is a snack to be shared by everyone.

(short break)

Summer: Visiting Grandpa
It is summer and Ludovic is invited to spend a few days at Grandpa's farm. The little teddy bear is delighted to see his grandfather again but is saddened at the thought that Grandma is no longer with them. Grandpa must be feeling very sad because he has kept all her things in her sitting room. Ludovic is fascinated by this room filled with mementos. After a moment's hesitation, he decides to go in. He sees Grandma's portrait and hugs it. He keeps returning to her sitting room and, little by little, grows accustomed to the loss of his grandmother. Her portrait come to life for him. He is able to kiss her, hug her, and feel her warm embrace. He puts on her favourite music, and they dance together for a last waltz. This film is a touching tale about the closeness and understanding between a grandfather and his little grandson who gradually learn to accept the death of the beloved grandmother. Daniel Lavoie's score heightens the emotional effect of the film.

Fall: Magic in the Air
It's autumn in all its glory and Ludovic is playing in the park. To his joy, a teddy bear a little older than himself comes toward him. Ludovic happily thinks: "He wants to play with me!" But the big teddy bear knocks him down and runs away. Ludovic's troubles are not over yet. He will fall victim to the bully once again before he is rescued by a smiling little girl teddy bear. Her kind gesture suddenly transforms Ludovic's world. He and his new friend plan how to outsmart the bully. The whole park joins in their conspiracy: the leaves on the trees, the swings, and even the sand castle! When you have a friend, anything is possible! The little teddy bear's heart is filled with joy as he leaves the park only to meet up again with the bully. “He looks sad,” thinks Ludovic and generously lends him his brand new kite. The bully is bowled over. The magic is still working. What a fantastical day it has been! This is a story full of charm and freshness about the magic of friendship between a child and his new friend. Daniel Lavoie's music enhances the images and imparts a magical quality to the film.

Intermission

10:15am - 11am

Program 2 —intended for ages 5 to 9

Talespinners
With appealing characters and dynamic story lines, these films explore a range of themes that spark young imaginations and encourage positive attitudes.

The Friends of Kwan Ming
Kwan Ming makes three friends on his journey from China to the New World. Once the men arrive, they all look for work but find nothing. When opportunities finally arise, Kwan Ming lets his friends have the best jobs: tailor, shoemaker, and baker. Kwan takes a lowly position as helper to a mean store owner. His cruel boss makes three impossible demands: that Kwan Ming find him a woolen suit that never tears, boots that never wear out, and bread that won't go stale. Kwan Ming's generosity of spirit pays off when his friends come to his aid.

From Far Away
This touching story tells of Saoussan, a young girl struggling to adjust to a new world after being uprooted from her wartorn homeland. She has come to seek a quieter and safer life in Canada, although memories of war and death linger, and she must cope with a new language and culture. From Far Away speaks to the power within us all to adapt like Saoussan and to welcome a newcomer.

Lights for Gita
Eight-year-old Gita can't wait to celebrate Divali, the Hindu festival of lights, in her new home. But it's nothing like New Delhi, where she comes from. The weather is cold and grey and a terrible ice storm cuts off the power, ruining her plans for a party. Obviously, a Divali celebration now is impossible. Or is it? As Gita experiences the glittering beauty of the icy streets outside, the traditional festival of lights comes alive in a sparkling new way.

(short break)

Roses Sing on New Snow
Maylin cooks mouth-watering meals at her father's restaurant in Chinatown, but her father and brothers take all the credit. When a dignitary from China arrives for a sumptuous banquet, Maylin’s father serves him her special dish, Roses Sing on New Snow. The visitor is so impressed that he demands the recipe be served to the Emperor! After her brothers fail miserably at recreating it, the father must call for his daughter. Maylin demonstrates as the dignitary follows every step. After tasting his own cooking, the man realizes he cannot duplicate the dish. The chef is the most important ingredient of all! Maylin finally receives the credit she deserves for her inspired fusion of Old and New World cuisine.

Christopher, Please Clean Up Your Room
Christopher is a terrific kid. He's cool, he's nice, and he's smart. But he has one big problem—he's messy! His shoes smell funky, his fish bowl stinks, even the cockroaches can't stand it. In the chaos of Christopher's room, his fish rise up from their scummy bowl in protest. They enlist the help of a fastidious, well-connected cockroach. Together, the fish and the roaches hatch a plan that will change Christopher's life and his cleaning habits forever.

The Magic of Anansi
Anansi the spider is tired of being looked down on by all the jungle animals--just because his webs don't catch bugs. The fearsome Mr. Tiger promises to respect the little spider if he brings him Mr. Snake, the world's grumpiest creature. After much wily scheming and plotting, Anansi delivers a humiliated Mr. Snake to Mr. Tiger. Only then does he realize that Mr. Tiger's respect comes at too high a price. Anansi doesn't want to make anyone miserable, not even Mr. Snake Anansi stands up to Mr. Tiger and, in the end, this is what wins him the respect of the other creatures.

Intermission

11:15–noon

Program 3, Program 4, OR Program 5 will be projected depending on the ages of young people in the audience.

Program 3 —suitable for ages 9 to 15

Whimsy
Oscar-nominated animation

The Romance of Transportation in Canada
Light-hearted animated whimsy about a down-to-earth subject: how this country's vast distances and great obstacles were overcome. The whole story of transportation is told with tongue-in-cheek seriousness, from the intrepid trail blazers of long ago to the aircraft of today and tomorrow.

The Drag
A colour cartoon about tobacco addiction and the difficulty of breaking the habit. This case history of a chain smoker--told on a psychiatrist's couch, with the patient's recollections amusingly illustrated--explains the whole psychology of the smoking habit and the part that cigarette advertising plays in making it stick. The film has an entertaining appeal for young people.

The Family That Dwelt Apart
Cartoon animation of a story by E.B. White, first published in the New Yorker magazine. This is a tall Yankee tale about a family of seven fisherfolk who are living quite happily as the sole inhabitants of a small island in Barnetuck Bay until word somehow gets to the mainland that they are in distress. What happens when rescue attempts are launched makes an amusing story, illustrated with wit and verve by the film animation.

Program 4 —for ages 4 to 8

Going Cuckoo for Mr. Edgar + Circuit Marine. Mr. Edgar's life runs like clockwork—which is not surprising since he's a cuckoo in a cuckoo clock.

Cuckoo, Mr. Edgar!
This charming and amusing animated short for young children offers a timely lesson about the joys of fatherly love. Mr. Edgar's life runs like clockwork. Not only is he very punctual, he is also compulsively neat and tidy. But one stormy evening, his little world is turned upside down. A branch hit by lightning falls to the ground, dislodging a nest, and three eggs plop uninvited into Mr. Edgar's living room. In no time at all, they hatch into a trio of rambunctious baby birds. It's a crash course in fatherhood for our confirmed bachelor. The hungry little birds take up all his time and attention... but eventually worm their way into his affections.

Operation Cuckoo
A moving and amusing animated short that shows tiny tots the many joys of friendship.
Mr. Edgar, the mechanical cuckoo, putters happily around in his cuckoo clock, keeping it in tiptop condition while waiting for his adopted fledglings to return in the spring. But their joyous reunion is followed by a terrible catastrophe: one of the clock's gears has fallen off! Without it, there's no tick-tock, and no cuckoo! Mr. Edgar has to get it back, an impossible task without the help of his new friend Loulou, a brave and resourceful firefly. She risks her life to help Mr. Edgar and he, in turn, saves her from a sticky situation. He then gives her a lovely surprise. Good friends know how to please those they love.

Circuit Marine
"All you need is food," the Beatles could have sung if they had been inspired by this film, a whimsical fantasy about our cruel, carnivorous world. To be eaten or not to be eaten: that is the question for a ginger cat, a goldfish, and a colourful parrot. A tender-hearted pirate tries to get them all to live happily together along with his hungry crew. We can only wonder who will be the next meal on this ship of food. As the ship pitches and rolls to a sprightly gypsy tune, the cat relentlessly pursues the goldfish, and even the parrot gets into the act. But who is predator and who is prey? Everyone ends up down someone's gullet. Isabelle Favez's colourful and humorous film is a tasteful reminder that we're all links in the food chain.

11:15–noon: Program 5 —for ages 3 to 5

Peep and the Big Wide World
A series of three ten-minute films. Peep the chicken, Chirp the robin, and Quack the duck embark on their travels and meet a cat, a ladybug, a turtle, and a frog who speaks from both sides of his mouth. Narrated by Peter Ustinov.

Frequent breaks allow for snack and pee breaks, and for new arrivals to enter.

NFB Classic Animated Shorts