August 10, 2009

NFB TORONTO MEDIATHEQUE SUMMER SCREENINGS AND FREE FILMS ON DEMAND, ALL SUMMER LONG!

7PM, AUGUST 11, 12 AND 13

NOLLYWOOD BABYLON
Ben Addelman, Samir Mallal, 74 min

From the directors of Discordia and Bombay Calling, Nollywood Babylon is an electric vision of a modern African metropolis and a revealing look at the powerhouse that is Nigerian cinema. Unfazed by low budgets, enterprising filmmakers create a brash, inventive and wildly popular form of B-movie that has Nigerians Nollywood-obsessed. In these films, voodoo and magic infuse urban stories, reflecting the collision of traditional mysticism and modern culture that Nigerians experience every day.

"The enthusiasm of Nollywood Babylon is infectious." - Film Threat

Toronto Premiere and Official Selection Sundance 2009

$6/$4* (*Students, seniors, NFB and DOC members)

7PM, AUGUST 25, 26 AND 27

WATERLIFE
Kevin McMahon, 109 min

Filled with fascinating characters and stunning imagery, Waterlife follows Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean to tell the story of the last huge supply of fresh water on Earth. Narrated by Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip, this is an epic cinematic poem about the beauty of water and the dangers of taking it for granted. Music by Sam Roberts, Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Rós and Brian Eno.

"...a detailed, wondrous, educational film about the Great Lakes." - Sun Media

Screening in 35mm
Official Selection, Hot Docs 2009

Director Kevin McMahon will be in attendance on Aug 27.

$6/$4* (*Students, seniors, NFB and DOC members)

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OVER 5,000 FREE FILMS ON DEMAND, ALL SUMMER LONG!

Escape the heat and settle into a custom screening on our Digital Viewing Stations . Experience hard-hitting documentaries, innovative animations, new releases, archival footage, cinema classics and award-winners of every genre! Includes Oscar favourites The Danish Poet and Ryan, favourites like The Log Driver's Waltz and Project Grizzly, new releases such as Madame Tutli-Putli and Carts of Darkness, and thousands more!

For more information about our summer programs, visit us at NFB.ca/mediatheque , or at ONF.ca/mediatheque for French-language information.

NFB MEDIATHEQUE | 150 John St., Toronto | 416.973.3012 NFB.ca/mediatheque

A WORLD OF SHORTS - AUGUST 19 AT NFB TORONTO MEDIATHEQUE

A WORLD OF SHORTS
NATIONAL FILM BOARD TORONTO MEDIATHEQUE

7PM, AUGUST 19, 2009 - $6 OR $4 FOR STUDENTS, SENIORS, AND NFB MEMBERS

Raucous romps in the animal kingdom! Inter-departmental relations gone awry! And lovelorn (yet laughable) appeals to exes? Find out how these seemingly random scenarios become conduits for great comedy. The August edition of A WORLD OF SHORTS serves up a slate of side-splitting films catered to all things comedic. Live laugh track included!

EVENING PROGRAM

DANIELLE AND ANIKA
Chris Locke, Nathan Fielder | Canada, 2008 | 3 minutes

Some women only dream of having a love song written about them. Danielle and Anika – elusive ex-paramours of alterna-comics Chris Locke and Nathan Fielder – may (or may not) feel so lucky. Watch as Locke and Fielder painstakingly pour their hearts out in a last ditch effort to rekindle the, um, romance.

THE CATSITTER
Tim Hamilton | Canada, 2008 | 11 minutes

Mild mannered bachelor Bob is finally going to meet his out-of-town internet lady friend. Against his better judgment, he asks an unreliable tenant to watch his beloved cat. The weekend produces unexpected twists and comedy gold.

WALK THE DOG
James Dunnison| Canada 2007 | 5 minutes

While on a park stroll with her boyfriend, a woman (BEING ERICA’s Erin Karpluk) learns the simple - and simply outrageous - truth about cats and dogs.

CARPET DIEM
Trevor Anderson | Canada, 2008 | 2 minutes

When midlife crisis hits early, what’s a filmmaker to do? This first-person travelogue documents Trevor’s journey from the outskirts of anxiety to the centre of the candy-coated farce that is Hollywood.

SECTION 44
Daniel Wilson | United Kingdom, 2008 | 5 minutes

Richard is stopped in the street, hooded, and thrown into the back of a van. Under threat of torture by his interrogators, will he give up everything and everyone he loves in order to save himself? Sometimes, the truth hurts the funny bone!

THE LOST TRIBES OF NEW YORK CITY
Carolyn London | USA, 2009 | 3 minutes

Manhole covers, newspaper boxes, and street poles animate a diverse collection of NYC’s more overlooked citizens. Incredible spontaneous vocal performances, random comments, and grunts that would normally be stripped from the audio bring big laughs to life.

ABBIE CANCELLED
Jessica Burstein | USA, 2009 | 16 minutes

After their mutual friend Abbie cancels at the last second, two couples who have never met before endure the most comical and awkward dinner party ever! On the menu: squash casserole, gasoline, and a toffee-nosed hostess.

THE SURPRISE DEMISE OF FRANCIS COOPER’S MOTHER
Felix Massie | United Kingdom, 2008 | 8 minutes

Probability is calculated and strangers are connected by comedic tragedy in this witty and unabashed account of car crashes and cat-sitting.

TOLIBU DIBU DAUCHYU
Boris Despodov | Bulgaria 2008 | 5 minutes

Think you haven’t heard the Bulgarian pop song “Ken Lee”? Think again. Music idol contestant and subsequent YouTube sensation Valentina Hasan belts it out in this rollicking documentary ode to celeb culture gone awry.

THE WEBSITE IS DOWN: SALES GUY VS. WEB DUDE
Joshua Weinberg | USA, 2008 | 11 minutes

Ever wondered why those tech support representatives are so swamped? This mash-up of mostly true stories from the front lines of IT hell will certainly enlighten you.

CHILI & CHEESE
Joe Pingue | Canada, 2008 | 13 minutes

Convenience store clerk Desmond and his laid-back side-kick Mohamed are confounded by a night owl customer’s bizarre eating habits. Frustration and bad nutrition come to a head in the snack aisle.

The National Film Board of Canada Toronto Mediatheque is a state-of-the-art multimedia facility located at 150 John Street, in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. A centre for media literacy and a public access point for groundbreaking films from the NFB and around the world, the NFB Mediatheque's digital viewing stations, educational programming, screenings and special events have attracted more than 500,000 visitors since its doors opened in 2002. The Mediatheque connects Canadians with their shared past, present and future on film, bringing the community together to communicate, celebrate and create. For more information call 416-973-3012.