The National Film Board of Canada has humour and serious drama in store with two pieces now in its online Comic Strip Chronicles Collection. This series of shorts looks at the strong connection that exists with comic strips–in its traditional Sunday funnies format–with animation. When considering the latter, it also delves deep into thoughtful experiences too.
More events are planned this weekend. These two particular works will be screened at the Films et Table Ronde Entourant L’univers de la BD event (in French and organised by the NFB) and the Montreal Comic Arts Festival, beginning May 7.
There’s also a terrific retrospective written by Marc St-Pierre on The NFB’s blog to get readers up to speed on what the Animation Studio of the French Program has been up to in the past several years. The article is written in French, and it can be parsed through Google Translate.
Centre-Sud Chronicles
Centre-Sud Chronicles In Montreal’s Centre-Sud borough, an author cum detective (that’s how he narrates this piece) is having trouble with his next story. But by looking out the window, he finds inspiration by observing Piton. This downstairs neighbour makes his living scrounging.
This look into poverty has deeper ramifications. As for where this ne’er do well went, that depends on whether we believe he simply packed up and left, or the men in black showed up. Or maybe, what’s presented is a product of a writer presenting us with a mystery to figure out in his story.
The Turtle Syndrome
Anyone who doesn’t know this malady can google it up. Animator Samuel Cantin has a different idea, and it’s hilarious! Thankfully, that’s unlikely to happen in real life, and he does it in a hilarious style.
The animation pays tribute to the comic book medium well, and we can all have a chuckle at Henri’s expense. He’s just a cartoon character. Though the anxieties expressed are real, what’s presented is that we don’t have to worry that much!
