Grade: Kindergarten

The Dingles

Director Les Drew
Year 1988
Run Time 7min
Genre Family
Created by award-winning animator/director Les Drew, this animated short features Doris Dingle and her family of three cats. Sure to appeal to children of all ages, The Dingles shows what happens when an unexpected violent wind disrupts the family's idyllic life. The film is based on the book The Dingles, written by Helen Levchuk and illustrated by John Bianchi.

Director

Les Drew

Cast

Emma Levine, Christine Olivier

Producer

William Pettigrew

Genre

Family

Interests

Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation

Original Languages

English, French

Language Versions

EN CC, FR CC

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1983

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1949

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2000
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Lights for Gita

Director Michel Vo
Year 2002
Run Time 7min
Genre Animation
In her first winter in Canada after her family moved from India, Gita finds a special way to celebrate Divali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Director

Michel Vo

Genre

Animation

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences

Original Languages

English, French

Language Versions

EN CC, FR CC

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Don’t Tell Santa You’re Jewish!

Director Jody Kramer
Year 2010
Run Time 4min
Genre Animation
A young Jewish girl is worried that Santa will treat her differently from the other kids.

Director

Jody Kramer

Writer

Jody Kramer

Producer

Jody Kramer

Genre

Animation

Interests

Arts and Culture, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

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The Energy Carol

Director Les Drew
Year 1975
Run Time 10min
Genre Animation
In a playful spin on the Charles Dickens classic, the CEO of a power company must confront the impact his wasteful ways will have on the future of the planet.

Director

Les Drew

Genre

Animation

Interest

Environment

Original Language

English

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The Great Toy Robbery

Director Jeff Hale
Year 1963
Run Time 6min
Genre Animation
On his annual Christmas journey, Santa Claus is stopped in the wild west by robbers looking to keep the toys for themselves.

Director

Jeff Hale

Genre

Animation

Interest

Classics

Original Language

English

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1966

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1975

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1980

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Maq and the Spirit of the Woods

Director Phyllis Grant
Year 2006
Run Time 8min
Genre Animation
This animated short tells the story of Maq, a Mi'kmaq boy who realizes his potential with the help of inconspicuous mentors. 

Director

Phyllis Grant

Genre

Animation

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Language Version

FR Dub

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Aboriginality

Directors Dominique Keller, Tom Jackson (Cree)
Year 2007
Run Time 5min
Genre Action/Adventure, Animation
A young boy is transported through his television set to the scene of a traditional Indigenous hoop dance, encountering his family's cultural heritage in a new way. Includes spoken word rap in English and in Cree.

Directors

Dominique Keller, Tom Jackson (Cree)

Writer

Dominique Keller

Cast

Dallas Arcand (Kipohtakaw)

Producers

Dominique Keller, Bonnie Thompson

Genres

Action/Adventure, Animation

Interests

Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

English

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Âme Noire (Black Soul)

Director Martine Chartrand
Year 2000
Run Time 10min
Genre Animation, Documentary, Drama

An exhilarating voyage through the def ining moments of black history.

Director

Martine Chartrand

Writer

Martine Chartrand

Producers

Yves Leduc, Pierre Hébert, Marcel Jean

Genres

Animation, Documentary, Drama

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences

Original Languages

English, French

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And That’s Remarkable

Director Linnea Ritland
Year 2013
Run Time 1min
Genre Animation, Drama
“It’s remarkable how easily a human spirit can be broken,” this punchy short about bullying laments. But, as the animation assures us, it’s just as remarkable how it can be fixed.

Director

Linnea Ritland

Genres

Animation, Drama

Interests

Bullying, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Language Version

EN CC

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The Cat Came Back

Director Cordell Barker
Year 1988
Run Time 7min
Genre Animation, Comedy, Family
In this Oscar-nominated short, a humorous song tells the silly tale of a man who just can't get rid of an unwanted cat. 

Director

Cordell Barker

Writer

Cordell Barker

Cast

Richard Condie

Producers

Cordell Barker, Richard Condie

Genres

Animation, Comedy, Family

Interest

Classics

Original Languages

English, French

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Cosmic Zoom

Director Robert Verrall
Year 1968
Run Time 8min
Genre Animation, Documentary
A visually stunning exploration of the infinity of space and the ultimate minuteness of matter. 

Director

Robert Verrall

Producers

Robert Verrall, Joseph Koenig

Genres

Animation, Documentary

Interest

Classics

Original Language

No Dialogue

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Dancers of the Grass

Director Melanie Jackson (Métis/Saulteaux)
Year 2009
Run Time 2min
Genre Animation, Family
Spectacular stop-motion animation breathes life into a traditional dance.

Director

Melanie Jackson (Métis/Saulteaux)

Writer

Melanie Jackson (Métis/Saulteaux)

Producers

Dennis Jackson (Cree), Melanie Jackson (Métis/Saulteaux), Anand Ramayya

Genres

Animation, Family

Interests

Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

English

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Dinner for Two

Director Janet Perlman
Year 1996
Run Time 7min
Genre Comedy
When it comes to conflict, even chameleons won't change! Peace in the rain forest is disrupted when two chameleons literally get stuck in a conflict, with catastrophic results. Relationships are severed, opportunities are lost, innocent bystanders are harmed and violence seems imminent. Luckily for the lizards, a frog turns into exactly what they need - no, not a prince - a mediator. This animation tackles conflict in a lively, humorous and provocative way and was part of a series on conflict resolution that received support from UNICEF and Justice Canada.

Director

Janet Perlman

Writer

Janet Perlman

Producer

Barrie McLean

Genre

Comedy

Interest

Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

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2002
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Grandfather on the Prairies

Director Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo/Ojibway)
Year 2018
Run Time 3min
Genre Animation, Experimental, Family

Jason meets his great-great-greatgrandfather and soon finds himself in a hilarious debate about what it means to be a hunter.

Director

Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo/Ojibway)

Writer

Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo/Ojibway)

Cast

Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo/Ojibway)

Producers

Andrew Genaille (Sto:lo/Ojibway), Lisa Marie Genaille (Cree), Robert Genaille (Cree)

Genres

Animation, Experimental, Family

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, History, Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Language Version

None

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Léger problème

Director Hélène Florent
Year 2009
Run Time 9min
Genre Comedy
While it's usually good to be light on one's feet, it's best not to get too light! In this visually inventive short, a man struggles to obey the laws of gravity. 

Director

Hélène Florent

Writer

Hélène Florent

Cast

Denis Trudel

Producers

Mathieu Bergeron, Louis-David Morasse

Genre

Comedy

Interest

Female Filmmaker

Original Language

French

Language Version

EN Subtitles

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Le givre de Bobby-Yves

Directors Bogdan Anifrani, Ranee Inez
Year 2021
Run Time 3min
Genre Drama
The tenacious Bobby-Yves wakes up to find himself stranded in a blizzard, and must explore the landscape to find shelter and warmth before he succumbs to the icy white abyss. A suspenseful and unexpectedly humorous tale told through a beautiful, minimalist animation style, Le givre de Bobby-Yves is an instant classic.

Directors

Bogdan Anifrani, Ranee Inez

Writers

Bogdan Anifrani, Ranee Inez

Producer

Sharon Corder

Genre

Drama

Interests

Arts and Culture, Environment, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

French

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Little Thunder

Directors Alan Syliboy (Mi’qmaw), Nance Ackerman
Year 2009
Run Time 3min
Genre Comedy
Inspired by the Mi'kmaq legend "The Stone Canoe," this coming-of-age story follows a boy who reluctantly sets out on a canoe trip by himself, as a rite of passage into adulthood.

Directors

Alan Syliboy (Mi’qmaw), Nance Ackerman

Writers

Alan Syliboy (Mi’qmaw), Nance Ackerman

Producer

Annette Clarke

Genre

Comedy

Interest

Indigenous Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Language Version

None

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The Log Driver’s Waltz

Director John Weldon
Year 1979
Run Time 3min
Genre Animation
Canadian folk icons Kate and Anna McGarrigle sing along to the animated tale of a young girl who loves to dance and chooses to marry a dancing log driver over her more well-to-do suitors. 

Director

John Weldon

Cast

Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle

Producer

David Verrall

Genre

Animation

Interest

Classics

Original Language

English

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Meltdown

Director Carrie Mombourquette
Year 2012
Run Time 1min
Genre Animation, Family
In this short animation, a polar bear must try his luck finding a job in the big city when the last of his Arctic ice environment disappears. It’s hard fitting into the human world, however, so this bear finds a more creative solution to his predicament. 
 

Director

Carrie Mombourquette

Writer

Carrie Mombourquette

Producer

Michael Fukushima

Genres

Animation, Family

Interest

Environment

Original Languages

English, French

Language Version

None

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O Canada

Director Jerry Popowich
Year 2017
Run Time 2min
Genre Animation
Mercury Filmworks created this charming animated version of the national anthem for National Canadian Film Day 150. It screened at over 1,800 events around the world and became a classic.

Director

Jerry Popowich

Genre

Animation

Interest

Arts and Culture

Original Language

English

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