Camp out with 5 great summer films

Camping in the summertime is a rite of passage. Or at least it should be. Some of my greatest childhood memories come from camping trips we used to take across Canada and the US as a family. And now, with the news that entry into Canada’s national parks will remain free for those under 17, there’s really no excuse.

Whether you like drive-up camping, canoe camping, glamping, or staying in a cottage, Canada has so much to offer in terms of the great outdoors. Over 450,000 square kilometres, to be exact. Within that, you’ll find mountains, lakes, oceans, woods, wildlife and so much more.

These 5 films explore different parts of the country, and different ways to enjoy them.

Pukaskwa National Park

Checking into Pukaskwa National Park means you’re about to enter 700 square miles of untouched wilderness. Who better to explore this beautiful terrain with than the one and only Bill Mason?

The landscape of the park was formed over 10,000 years ago by glaciers, as they broke apart and away, leaving traces of their existence on the scratch-covered rocks lining the beaches. This film, though only 17 minutes long, gives you a great overview of everything you’ll find in the park, from the old-growth forests to the 300 miles of open water.

The incredible thing about Pukaskwa is the variety of life you’ll find in a relatively small area. There’s both desert and arctic vegetation – neither realizing they each belong far, far away. And the park has something for everyone, as Mason is eager to point out. From quiet forests to beautiful waterfalls, from white water rivers to death-defying suspension bridges, it’s the perfect place to pitch your tent and enjoy nature’s bounty.

But perhaps the most important take-away from this film is something Mason says about the park, that to really appreciate it, we all need to slow down, and open our eyes. Good life tip in general, don’t you think?

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Quiet Racket

Summer is a great time to get out of the city and head to the country. I’ve long said it’s one of the cheapest vacations around. When my kids were really young, we used to camp. Now I’m old and crotchety, so we rent a cottage instead. But the goal is always the same, escape the noise of the city to enjoy the peace and quiet of the country.

In this short from Gerald Potterton, our young hero probably had the same goal. After the constant barrage of urban noises – from construction to wailing infants – he decides its time to pack up and head for the hills. Literally.

Unfortunately for him, he finds it difficult to find the perfect spot to set up his tent. His first spot becomes wildly over-populated. The problem with a great idea is that you’re often not the only one to have it. And even when he finds a quieter spot, he still can’t escape the noise. Turns out nature does not equal quiet.

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Fundy Holiday

So you want to get away, maybe sneak in some camping, but you’re looking for something in between the quiet oasis of Pukaskwa and the noisy beaches of The Quiet Racket. Fundy National Park might be just the place for you!

Described as a sanctuary by the sea, this park features spectacular views of hills and water. It’s a different kind of cottage country, reminiscent of the communities in Upstate New York or Cape Cod. It offers a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking for the quiet calm of nature, or a place to swim and get active.

From tennis courts to swimming pools, from hiking trails to the sea, the Bay of Fundy is the place to be. It caters to families, whether you’ve chosen the cottage life with all its conveniences, or the camp grounds, with their wooded surroundings and close proximity to wildlife.

The incredible thing is that even though this film was made in 1951, it still strikes me as the perfect holiday getaway. Minus the bathing suit fashions.

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Van’s Camp

This film was created as part of the West TV series, which consisted of 13 shows produced by John N. Smith and Cynthia Scott. It’s meant to be an inside look at a northern Saskatchewan fishing camp, but it’s oh-so-much more than that.

Van’s Camp is known as the “best freshwater fishing in the world,” and is run by none other than Van Bliss. People come from all over North America to fish and bond, men mostly. It’s a fascinating look at the male ritual fishing trip, and a unique opportunity to get an inside peek at that world.

My husband is one of those guys who likes to go off fishing with the boys. I had always assumed it was more about bonding and male company than actually being out in the woods, camping and catching fish. Turns out, I’m only half-right. For some, it really is just about the fish. The bigger the better. I guess some stereotypes are true.

Van is an interesting fellow, caught in a difficult spot. He lives on the edge between two cultures – the white, privileged men who can afford to fly into the remote camp and fish for a week, and the Indigenous guides who live off the land and must cater to these men during their stay. Much of the film’s meat lies in how he handles this dichotomy.

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Blackfly

How could we publish a post about summer, camping, and the Canadian wilderness without including this classic?

This film is for anyone who has spent time in the great outdoors during early summer, especially in Ontario. Those blackflies will get you every time, and make it look like a murder scene. And if that’s not enough to feel truly Canadian, having this song stuck as an earworm for the next week should do it.

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Watch 3 Free, Unique Films

One of the beautiful things about the National Film Board is that it’s a production house not driven by profit. As a branch of the federal government, its mission is to bring stories to the screen that affects Canadians and presents a Canadian point-of-view to the world.

That means we’re able to make films that no one else would make. That no one else could make. It has nothing to do with quality or importance; it’s usually just market potential. Luckily, this isn’t our main concern, and we get to make some of them.

When someone asks me what my favourite NFB films are, or which ones I recommend they see, it would be easy to jump to The Big Snit, Waterwalker, Ryan, or any other of the 1000s of amazing films we’ve been privileged to make. But I go to 3 films below. These 3 films that probably wouldn’t have been made anywhere else, that have touched me so profoundly that I’m grateful I had the chance to see them.

I hope you’ll watch them, too.

A Year at Sherbrooke

I remember the first time I saw this film. I was sitting at my desk, headphones on, watching in amazement as this story unfolded before me. I hadn’t been working at the NFB for long, and I wanted to rip off the headphones, jump up and scream, “This!! This is why I wanted to work here.”

No one else could have made this film, yet it reveals so much to us about the human condition. It takes us beyond the everyday in caring for residents of long-term care facilities to show us how beauty and creativity can transform peoples’ lives. It puts a human face on an institution and brings us one step closer to understanding the world around us. It’s a beautiful film.

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How Does It Feel?

Clearly, I have a thing for artists and art therapy, something I never noticed before putting together this list. Regardless, this is another shining example of the kinds of films we can make here that can make a difference in our world. This is a film that breeds compassion, tolerance, and appreciation for those unlike ourselves.

In this short film, director Lawrence Jackman (A Better Man) introduces us to Kazumi, a 58-year-old man. Along with the help of singing coach Fides Krucker, Kazumi uses singing as a way to express himself and channel his Cerebral Palsy. It’s a touching film, and his take on classic songs adds such poignancy to the lyrics. It’s truly worth watching.

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Island Green

I know I’ve written about this film before, but I cannot say enough good things about it. It just knocked me off my feet the first time I saw it. The lush cinematography and the poetry of Tanya Davis combine to transport you to another world.

Whether you’re into organic farming or not isn’t an issue. The ideas and arguments laid out in the film are straight-forward and well-articulated. It simply presents a new way of thinking about the earth – what if the island stopped industrialized farming and went organic? What would the consequences be?

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Herring Hunt: An Oscar®-nominated jewel starring Bruno Gerussi

It’s now easier than ever to create animation for virtual reality

iNaturalist: Connect With Nature

iNaturalist lets you explore and share your observations of the natural world.

Join An Active Scientific Community

The internet has proved to be a wonderful tool for data collection and the furthering of scientific study on a mass scale, and iNaturalist is applying that model to the natural world. The site and app’s goal is to help people record and share observations about the natural world. The way it works is this: people use their phone’s camera to take a picture of something in the real world, post it to the app, and then discuss with other naturalists. It sounds easy, and it is, but even taking a picture of nature can help contribute to the scientific community. iNaturalist even shares findings with scientific data repositories.

Explore (And Track) The World Around You

If you’re out in nature and unsure as to what species of plant or animal you’ve come across, the active community on iNaturalist can help you. If you want to keep track of plants or animals you discover like they’re Pokémon, the app can do that too. If you just want to contribute to science while remaining aware of your naturalistic surroundings, the app is perfect for you. It has a wide variety of uses, as well as an impressive amount of data to explore. You can take in the wealth of observations in map or list form. It’s endlessly interesting to explore the biodiversity of the world, and (aside from going outside, of course) iNaturalist is the best place to do so.

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Phantom Islands: A Sonic Atlas

Phantom Islands let you explore the sounds of islands that may or may not exist.

Listen To The Islands

According to Phantom Islands, there are a handful of Islands that have been “sighted, charted, described, and even explored – but their existence has never been ultimately verified.” These islands are called, of course, “phantom islands.” They may or may not exist in the vastness of the ocean, although given our current technological advancements, it’s likely that they do not. Still, Phantom Islands is an incredibly interesting site that lets you explore the soundscapes of the islands while you read up on the history of how they came to be “discovered.” It’s not entirely clear what comprises the sounds of the islands, but it’s still compelling to hear.

Read About Maritime History

One of the most interesting things about Phantom Islands is that the various places — like “Los Jardines” or “Rica De Oro” were supposedly documented by multiple explorers throughout history. It remains a mystery how the islands came to disappear off our modern maps, but reading about them and listening to the sounds they make is still a fun experience. The Phantom Islands site has a clean design and offers a unique experience. You can browse the map yourself or go into “Cruise” mode, which consists of a guided tour. The site, made by someone named Andrew Pekler, presents a unique bit of maritime history that should prove intriguing for anyone even remotely interested in geography.

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Call for Short Documentary Proposals

The NFB’s Quebec Atlantic Studio is calling for artful short documentaries by both emerging and established filmmakers to be developed and produced over 12-18 months beginning September 2018.  Selected participants will each complete a film (maximum 15 minutes) that will be produced and distributed by the National Film Board of Canada.

Who Can Apply?

REIMAGINING MY QUEBEC is open to English speaking Quebec and Nunavik filmmakers who have completed more than one professional production (not including film school or training projects). We welcome applications from other artists/creators/storytellers that have the equivalent experience in their own field and are interested in exploring the form of documentary.

Participants will each be paid about $15,000 through writer and director fees.

We are committed to a diversity of stories and perspectives from creators who reside in Quebec and Nunavik. Eligibility is limited to Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. We are committed to gender parity and representational equity in all key creative positions and in front of the camera.

Why make a film with NFB?

The NFB as a producer offers a unique experience for filmmakers, working closely with
them to grow their artistic practice while contributing to a public conversation. The NFB
provides filmmakers with creative producing expertise, an array of resources including state-of-the-art technical facilities and a vast network of creative support, all within a safe and inclusive environment. As a distributor, the NFB’s Distribution, Marketing, and Communication teams work with filmmakers to help reach audiences in Canada. Each film receives a unique strategy that leverages the filmmaker’s artistic vision and message to engage intended audiences.

What are the Criteria?

The NFB is looking for artists with strong points of view who enjoy creative collaboration and want to be challenged. Stories with unique access, memorable visuals and creative sound treatment ere encouraged. We are seeking films that defy expectations.  We will favour proposals that demonstrate a clear sense of intended audience and desired impact.

• Films are 5-15 minutes
• The story is local
• There are 4-5 days to shoot your film

How Do I Apply?

Submit a short proposal (1-2 pages) explaining the story you want to tell, why you are the best one to tell it and who it is for. Take the time to explain why your story is important, who’s in it, and who they are. Show us how/why your film will resonate with audiences.

Your proposal should:

• Describe the story you’re looking to tell. What will unfold?

• Include your approach to visual storytelling – we’re looking for creative treatment of original ideas

• Describe your unique access to the story
• Include a short bio – tell us about you
• Include links to some of your most recent work (maximum 3 links), with a short description of each and why they are relevant to your proposal
• Describe the key audience/s you aim to serve

We’re looking for stories with strong points of view; films that make us see the world differently, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Deadline to apply is Wednesday August 8^th, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. (ET)

Please send all materials to Proposal Coordinator Marian Rebeiro at M.Rebeiro@nfb.ca (email attachments only, PDF preferred with embedded links to your previous work if possible).

The Selection Process

The jury will consist of members from the NFB’s Quebec Atlantic Studio along with other industry professionals. Selected projects will be announced August 29^th, 2018.

**Remember**

All costs related to the production of the film will be assumed by the NFB.

As producer, the NFB retains all rights around distribution and copyright.

If you require further information, please contact Proposal Coordinator Marian Rebeiro M.Rebeiro@nfb.ca and/or Producer Kat Baulu at K.Baulu@nfb.ca

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