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CBC
14 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Old NFB head office in Montreal to get new lease on life with mixed-use development
The former home of the National Film Board on Côte-de-Liesse Road in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough has sat vacant since 2019, but that could soon change. The Canada Lands Company unveiled its plans for the site on Thursday, which includes transforming the area —equivalent in size to approximately six football fields — into a mixed-use residential, commercial and cultural hub. Christopher Sweetnam-Holmes, the Crown corporation's senior director of real estate for Quebec and the Atlantic, said after 30 months of consultations with the public, the project has changed to better answer the community's needs. Issues raised by the community, Sweetnam-Holmes said, included a need for more housing, stores within walking distance and more parks for kids to play in. "So first, we're going to insert 700 units of new residential housing, of which half will be non-market housing," Sweetnam-Holmes said. "So that means social housing, affordable housing, non-profit housing. Then, we're going to repurpose 80 per cent of the buildings on the site, only demolishing 20 per cent." The plans include room for retail and office space, as well as more green space including a big community park centre in the middle of the housing development. And to preserve the legacy of the NFB, Sweetnam-Holmes said there will be a place "where art gets made" and people can take part in cultural activities. Also, the future Côte-de-Liesse REM station, which is slated to open later this year, is less than a kilometre away. Sweetnam-Holmes is hopeful the project will be transformative. "I think it's going to bring a lot of new life," Sweetnam-Holmes said. "Because you're going to have all these new people, you're going to have kids, you're going to have people working here, it's going to become like this really dynamic place." In an interview with CBC, Robert Shearmur, a professor of urban planning at McGill University, struck an optimistic tone when discussing the project. WATCH | What is co-op housing and can it help alleviate housing crisis: How co-operatives could become a hack to Canada's housing crisis 17 days ago Duration 5:18 People who live in them say they offer an attractive, low-cost alternative as the price of renting and buying property rises. Here's how housing co-ops work and why we might start hearing more about them in Canada. He said the Canada Lands Company has a good track record when it comes to listening to communities and coming up with good development ideas and proposals. He did, however, raise a few areas of concern. "These are all wonderful ideas if they work," he said, but added they need to be properly scaled. "There's a very small residential area right next to it. So, for a population of, let's say a couple of thousand people, how much culture, how much community space do you need or would be used?" Shearmur asked. The same question applies to retail and office space. Shearmur said he doesn't believe the population size will necessarily warrant having a big grocery store and people will likely have to do their weekly shopping elsewhere. Which brings us to the issue of cars and where to park them. In its current form, the site will have 350 indoor parking spots for residential use, 180 indoor and 60 outdoor spots for commercial use. Shearmur said that might not be enough. "Unless people happen to work along the REM line, getting to work ... typically requires a car," he said. "I suspect that housing units will be more difficult to sell without at least one space per unit." Meanwhile, housing advocates worry about how affordable the new units will be. " The market prices right now are crazy if you look at the prices in Montreal, and even in Quebec," said FRAPRU coordinator Catherine Lussier. "Even if you go below the market, how much below the market?" Even at 80 per cent, Lussier said tenants risk being priced out. Meanwhile, Sweetnam-Holmes said its impossible at the moment to know what the rents might look like. "All that we know is that they will meet the standards of both the City of Montreal and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) in terms of what they define as affordable housing," he said. According to the CMHC website, "housing is considered affordable if it costs less than 30 per cent of a household's before-tax income." Later this year, Canada Lands Company will start taking proposals from developers who want to make the vision a reality. It says the first residents could start moving in in 2028.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Major redevelopment planned for former NFB head office in Montreal
A site once home to Canada's most iconic documentaries and animated films is set for a dramatic transformation. A site once home to Canada's most iconic documentaries and animated films is set for a dramatic transformation. Canada Lands Company (CLC), the federal Crown corporation that acquired the former National Film Board (NFB) headquarters on Côte-de-Liesse Boulevard, unveiled its master plan for a complete redevelopment of the roughly five-hectare property in the Saint-Laurent borough. The vision is a new urban neighbourhood blending housing, green space, culture, and commerce while preserving the site's cinematic legacy. 'We want to keep the DNA of what the NFB is and what people love about it,' said Christopher Sweetnam-Holmes, senior director of real estate at Canada Lands Company. 'This project is about respecting that legacy, while meeting the community's needs today — for housing, for parks, and for local services.' The site, which spans nearly 49,000 square metres (roughly the size of six football fields) is set to be redeveloped over the next several years. The latest version of the plan was presented to the public at an open house Thursday. The proposed mixed-use neighbourhood includes 700 residential units, half of which are expected to be below-market or affordable housing. CLC's Marcelo Gomez-Wiuckstern said it's a direct response to one of the most common themes to emerge from community consultations. 'We had several open houses — about 600 people came through — and the need for affordable housing came up again and again,' said the company's vice-president of corporate communications and public affairs. Developers said the goal is to create an inclusive, accessible living environment with an emphasis on meeting the needs of the existing community, especially for vulnerable residents. 'There are a lot of people in this neighbourhood who are immigrants and who currently live in unsatisfactory housing,' said Sweetnam-Holmes. 'We want to build something that responds to that — that integrates people instead of pushing them out.' To help achieve that goal, the self-funded federal agency said it's working with community groups and non-profit housing developers as planning moves forward. In addition to housing, about 35 per cent of the site will be reserved for commercial and office use. The plan includes local shops and workspaces aimed at supporting innovation and small business growth. Cultural preservation is another core element, which is why the company plans on preserving 80 per cent of the site's existing buildings — a decision that helps reduce the project's carbon footprint, while also honouring the NFB's long history in the space. 'Some of the spaces, including one of the theatres, will remain as-is, so people can still screen films there,' said Sweetnam-Holmes. 'It's important to maintain that connection to what this site meant for Montreal and for Canadian film.' The future neighbourhood will also feature significant green space. More than 8,860 square metres — between 18 to 20 per cent of the total site — is slated to become public parks and landscaped areas. Right now, much of the property is paved over or dominated by grey infrastructure. But project leaders said their goal is to build something sustainable and inviting. If the plans are approved by the City of Montreal, construction could begin as early as 2026. Full completion is expected within six to seven years. For Canada Lands Company, the project represents a rare opportunity to reshape a major urban site with both history and potential. 'We're trying to create a place that tells a new story,' said Gomez-Wiuckstern. 'But one that still remembers where it came from and celebrates its history.'
Winnipeg Free Press
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sweet bite of life
Animated documentaries are hardly new. The 2008 Oscar-nominated film Waltz with Bashir was a fine early example, a dark and compelling depiction of the 1982 war in Lebanon from the vantage point of director Ari Folman, whose fractured memories of the event suggest a PTSD-induced defence mechanism. Folman's animation was dramatic, dark and surreal, but it also served to put a indelible pictures to events that were largely erased from history. Endless Cookie Ontario Inc. The film bounces between Shamattawa in northern Manitoba and Toronto in the 1980s and '90s. A 'toon documentary in the mould of Endless Cookie, however, is something that feels new. Directed by half-brothers Seth and Peter Scriver, it's a freewheeling trip that bounces between the First Nations community of Shamattawa in northern Manitoba and Toronto in the 1980s and '90s, specifically zeroing in on the funky downtown neighbourhood of Kensington Market. Seth Scriver, who made the animated 2013 road movie Asphalt Watches, was inspired to make the film by his older brother Peter, whom Seth describes as one of the best storytellers in the world. The best storytellers don't always stay strictly true. So it is here, where we see Seth securing funding money from the NFG (it stands not for 'No f—-ing good,' Seth says). The NFB — National Film Board — did not finance the film. The cartoon Seth flies to Shamattawa and attempts to lay down the requisite clean audio track of Peter's various reminiscences. But because Peter shares a house with nine kids and a couple of dozen dogs, clean audio is a dream akin to world peace … or a Maple Leafs Stanley Cup win in our time. They abandon clean audio and a planned two-year timeline and go with the flow. The constant interruptions by the kids become part of the film's loosey-goosey texture. Indeed, the interruptions occasionally play front and centre, allowing Peter's offspring to shine on their own. Endless Cookie Ontario Inc. Peter Scriver travelled to Shamattawa to interview his brother Peter, but getting clean audio was impossible. The process of making the film, almost entirely animated by Seth, ultimately takes nine years. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. The key to understanding the film rests in the Kensington Market, where the brothers' dad operated a funky second-hand shop. This would seem to be the source of the film's hippy esthetic, not just pertaining to animation (reminiscent of underground comic artist Kim Deitch), but to the whole narrative thread, which proceeds in the desultory manner of a stoner on a constantly interrupted mission. And yet, a discipline is at work here. The Scrivers touch on serious themes, especially pertaining to injustices done to Indigenous people, but the tone stays philosophical, funny and affectionate. The two main locales, Shamattawa and Kensington Market, could not be more different. One is remote, one is urban, but they reflect off each other in interesting ways. Each has a cavalcade of colourful characters and each yields a stream of oft-hilarious stories. If a harmony exists between those two places, the film suggests, there is hope for the entire country. Endless Cookie Ontario Inc. It took nine years for Peter Scriver to animate the feature. Randall KingReporter In a way, Randall King was born into the entertainment beat. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
12 Canada-Based Animation Talents Pushing Boundaries at Home and Abroad
Canada continues to be a powerhouse in the world of animation, with its filmmakers consistently pushing the boundaries of storytelling and visual artistry. At the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, several Canadian talents are showcasing their latest works, reflecting the country's diverse and innovative animation scene. Below, we profile 12 of the most exciting animation talents working in Canada today. We stress that this is not necessarily a list of Canadian talents, but rather of artists who ply their trade in Canada, one of the most welcoming industries to foreigners in the world. More from Variety Preserving the Past and Powering the Future of Canadian Animation: Inside the NFB and Telefilm's Industry-Leading Support Strategies Immersive Domes, Checkered-Eared Rabbits and a New Platform: Hungary to Showcase 111 Years of Animation as Annecy Country of Honor Animation and Heart: The Directors of Gkids Pick-Up 'Little Amélie' Reflect on Collaborative Spirit in Bringing 'The Character of Rain' to Screen Alex Boya Alex Boya is a Bulgarian-born, Montreal-based animator renowned for his surreal, hand-drawn storytelling. A graduate of Concordia University's Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, Boya gained early recognition with NFB shorts like 'Focus' (2014) and 'Turbine' (2018). His latest work, 'Bread Will Walk,' is an experimental short that premiered at Cannes' Directors' Fortnight and is now set to compete at Annecy. The film, voiced entirely by Jay Baruchel, follows a sister fleeing with her bread-turned-zombie brother through a society consumed by hunger. Crafted as a continuous shot blending anatomical illustration, digital collage and textured ink, it critiques overconsumption and dehumanization. Andrea Dorfman Dorfman is a Halifax-based filmmaker, animator and illustrator whose work spans short and feature-length films. Known for blending heartfelt storytelling with hand-crafted visuals, she's directed award-winning films like 'Flawed' and 'The Girls of Meru.' At Annecy this year, she presents two animated shorts: 'Hairy Legs,' in official competition, and the poignant 'How to Be at Home,' a viral hit created in collaboration with poet Tanya Davis that demonstrates a real talent for pairing visuals with spoken word. She also directs music videos and illustrates, showcasing her creative voice across several diverse mediums. Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski are the visionary duo behind Clyde Henry Productions, a Montreal-based studio acclaimed for its surreal stop-motion artistry. Their breakout film, 'Madame Tutli-Putli' (2007), garnered an Academy Award nomination and won the Canal+ Grand Prize at Cannes. In 2025, they return with 'The Girl Who Cried Pearls,' a 15-minute animated short selected for competition at Annecy. The film weaves a dark fairy tale about a girl whose tears transform into pearls, exploring themes of grief, greed and transformation. Continuing their tradition of blending tactile puppetry with digital innovation, Lavis and Szczerbowski reaffirm their status as pioneers in contemporary animation. Colin Ludvic Racicot Colin Ludvic Racicot is a Canadian animator and filmmaker based in Montreal, celebrated for his emotionally resonant storytelling and distinctive visual style. A graduate of Concordia University's Film Production program, Racicot has been directing short films since 2010. His latest animated short, 'Where Rabbits Come From,' is a 15-minute, dialogue-free film that explores a widowed rabbit father's efforts to bring wonder into his daughter's life within a dystopian world. The film garnered significant critical acclaim, winning best animated short at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards and qualifying for the 2025 Oscars. Dale Hayward, Sylvie Trouvé Hayward and Trouvé are the co-founders of Montreal-based Sea Creature, a studio specializing in stop-motion animation. Their work blends traditional craftsmanship with digital innovation, as showcased in their award-winning short film 'Bone Mother' (2018). The duo met while working at Cuppa Coffee Studios in Toronto and later moved to Montreal to pursue independent projects. In 2020, they launched See Learn Academy, an educational platform dedicated to teaching animation fundamentals through stop-motion techniques. Their collaborative approach continues to influence the animation community both in Canada and internationally. Their recent work, 'Hanging By a Thread,' plays in this year's Commissioned Films competition. Eric San AKA Kid Koala Eric San, known professionally as Kid Koala, is a Canadian artist celebrated for his innovative fusion of music, animation and storytelling. While he initially gained acclaim as a scratch DJ and composer, his recent venture into animation has garnered significant attention, scoring him an Annecy selection of his debut feature 'Space Cadet' at this year's festival. The dialogue-free feature, based on his 2011 graphic novel, premiered at Berlin earlier this year. It explores themes of love, loss and intergenerational connection through the story of a young astronaut and her guardian robot. Kid Koala's unique approach to animation is also evident in his live multimedia performances like Nufonia Must Fall and The Storyville Mosquito, where he combines puppetry, live music and real-time filmmaking to create immersive experiences. Justice Rutikara Justice Rutikara is a Rwandan-born, Quebec-based animator and filmmaker whose work explores memory, identity and resilience. His 2024 animated short 'Ibuka, Justice' recounts his family's escape from the 1994 Rwandan genocide through poetic 2D animation and firsthand testimony. The film premiered at RIDM and DOK Leipzig, and is screening in Annecy's Perspectives section. Rutikara, who studied international studies at Université de Montréal, has also worked in theater and fiction film. His concept of 'harmonic chaos' drives his storytelling, blending emotional depth with formal experimentation to amplify underrepresented Afro-Quebec and diasporic voices. Marie Valade Marie Valade is a Quebec-based animator and Concordia University alumna known for her intimate, body-centered storytelling. Her 2021 short film 'Boobs' ('Lolos') uses rotoscoping and cut-out animation to explore a woman's evolving relationship with her breasts. The film premiered at Annecy, won the National Dada Prize at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, and was named to TIFF's Canada's Top Ten. It also earned nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards and Quebec Cinema Awards. In 2019, Valade was named co-director of Festival Stop Motion Montréal and she is an alum of the NFB's Hothouse program, continuing to champion bold, feminist voices in animation. Seth Scriver, Pete Scriver Seth and Pete Scriver are Canadian half-brothers and co-directors of the animated documentary 'Endless Cookie,' screening at this year's festival. Seth, a Toronto-based animator and illustrator, previously co-directed 'Asphalt Watches,' which won Best Canadian First Feature at TIFF 2013. Pete, a Cree storyteller and former chief of Shamattawa First Nation in Manitoba, brings his lived experiences to the film. 'Endless Cookie' blends lo-fi animation with real-life audio to explore their familial bond, cultural identity and shared history. Premiering at Sundance and screening at Hot Docs and Annecy, the film has been praised for its humor, warmth and innovative storytelling. Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Standout Canadian Titles in Annecy's Official 2025 Lineup
Canada arrives at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival with a slate that is as diverse in tone and subject matter as it is rich in innovation. From searing political features to whimsical short films, Canadian creators once again prove they are major players in the global animation arena. Here's a closer look at some of the high-profile Canadian titles and co-productions in the official selection at this year's festival. FEATURE FILMS – OFFICIAL COMPETITION More from Variety Preserving the Past and Powering the Future of Canadian Animation: Inside the NFB and Telefilm's Industry-Leading Support Strategies Immersive Domes, Checkered-Eared Rabbits and a New Platform: Hungary to Showcase 111 Years of Animation as Annecy Country of Honor Animation and Heart: The Directors of Gkids Pick-Up 'Little Amélie' Reflect on Collaborative Spirit in Bringing 'The Character of Rain' to Screen 'Allah Is Not Obliged,' Zaven Najjar (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg) Based on Ahmadou Kourouma's celebrated novel, this animated adaptation by Zaven Najjar is a bold and harrowing account of a child soldier's journey through West Africa's brutal civil wars. Blending animation with documentary-style narration, Najjar crafts a visually arresting and emotionally resonant exploration of violence, survival and lost innocence. 'Death Does Not Exist,' Félix Dufour-Laperrière Following his acclaimed 'Archipelago,' Dufour-Laperrière returns with another poetic, philosophically rich feature. 'Death Does Not Exist' is less a narrative film and more an existential meditation, layering hand-drawn textures and voiceovers into a lyrical journey through memory, loss and metaphysical wonder. FEATURE FILMS – CONTRECHAMP COMPETITION 'Endless Cookie,' Seth Scriver, Pete Scriver The Scriver brothers dive into absurdist territory with 'Endless Cookie,' a surreal, offbeat tale that plays like a stoner parable for late-stage capitalism. Their crudely charming animation style belies sharp social commentary, as a group of misfits chase after a never-ending dessert. 'Space Cadet' – Eric San aka Kid Koala Musician and multimedia artist Kid Koala ventures into feature-length animation with 'Space Cadet,' based on his 2011 graphic novel. This dialogue-free sci-fi story is narrated through music and motion, as a young girl astronaut navigates space and solitude. The film is deeply atmospheric, combining handmade aesthetics with an emotive, electronic score to craft a meditative journey about separation and connection. SHORT FILM COMPETITION 'Bread Will Walk,' Alex Boya Alex Boya's signature style, precise draftsmanship blended with chaotic surrealism, is on full display in this nightmarish parable featuring the voice work of Jay Baruchel. 'Bread Will Walk' blurs the line between grotesque comedy and cautionary tale as sentient bread zombies trudge through a broken world. 'Fusion,' Richard Reeves Known for using direct-on-film animation, Richard Reeves returns with 'Fusion,' a kinetic, abstract short scored by a pulsating jazz composition. Every frame is a painted rhythm, forming a hypnotic experience that's more musical than narrative. Reeves continues to push boundaries with meditative control and explosive energy. 'Hairy Legs,' Andrea Dorfman Dorfman, known for her feminist lens and handmade style, delivers an empowering short that's playful yet poignant. 'Hairy Legs' is a colorful ode to body autonomy, presenting one woman's decision to embrace her natural self in a society obsessed with grooming. 'The Girl Who Cried Pearls,' Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski This hauntingly beautiful fable from the Clyde Henry duo blends stop-motion, puppetry and gothic design into a dark fairytale. Following a girl who cries pearls and the boy who secretly falls in love with her, the story is rich with symbolic depth, tackling themes of exploitation, desire and transformation. Lavis and Szczerbowski have crafted one of the year's most visually arresting animated shorts, and this title should get lots of awards recognition as the year progresses. 'The Gnawer of Rocks,' Louise Flaherty An Inuit tale reimagined through atmospheric animation, 'The Gnawer of Rocks' is both a cultural preservation and a chilling tale. Flaherty's work stands out for its minimalistic style and narrative restraint, letting the stark beauty of Arctic folklore speak for itself. PERSPECTIVES 'Bloody Mess,' Megan Wennberg A raw, satirical take on menstrual stigma, 'Bloody Mess' turns a taboo into animated liberation, balancing personal anecdotes with educational bite. It's advocacy through absurdism: accessible, memorable and necessary. 'Ibuka, Justice,' Justice Rutikara This powerful documentary revisits the Rwandan genocide through the lens of Canadian survivors and justice seekers. Rutikara uses spare visuals and voice-driven storytelling to navigate trauma, remembrance and the pursuit of reconciliation. YOUNG AUDIENCES 'The Great Annual Party of the Creatures of the Moon,' Francis Desharnais A joyful, whimsical entry for younger viewers, Desharnais's film celebrates difference and community through a lunar festival attended by eccentric monsters. With charming visuals and a celebratory tone, the film offers a gentle allegory on inclusion and self-acceptance. GRADUATION FILMS 'Passageways,' Geneviève Tremblay, Milla Cummings From emerging talents Tremblay and Cummings comes a dreamlike, nonlinear short exploring themes of identity and change. Fluid transitions and morphing landscapes evoke an emotional liminality, capturing the essence of growing up and moving on. A strong debut with visual and emotional sophistication. COMMISSIONED FILMS CNESST 'Hanging by a Thread,' Dale Hayward, Pierre Dalpé A compelling safety PSA, 'Hanging by a Thread' uses stop-motion to dramatize the fragility of workplace well-being. Hayward and Dalpé bring their tactile expertise to an urgent public issue, wrapping advocacy in captivating visuals that demand attention. 'South of Midnight,' Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski This atmospheric teaser for the upcoming video game 'South of Midnight' brings Lavis and Szczerbowski's moody craftsmanship into the gaming world. Blending Southern Gothic imagery with meticulous stop-motion, the spot sets a tone of eerie beauty and narrative intrigue. Trailer: 22nd Sommets du cinéma d'animation de Montréal, Daniel Gies A vibrant, energetic showcase, Gies' trailer captures the spirit of Montreal's leading animation festival with flair, combining dynamic movement with a celebration of artistic diversity. Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
