TheNFB’s Hothouse 15 Shorts Now Streaming: Fresh Voices in Canadian Animation

The National Film Board of Canada’s long-running animation program has once again opened its doors to new talent. Beginning today, six shorts from Hothouse 15 are streaming worldwide, showcasing a range of visual styles and stories tied together by this year’s theme: People Watching.

Each filmmaker had just 12 weeks to complete a one-minute piece, and the results are as eclectic as ever. For those unfamiliar, Hothouse was created in 2003 to nurture emerging animators, and it has since launched the careers of over 90 talents. Names like Patrick Doyon (Dimanche), Howie Shia (Marco’s Oriental Noodles), and Eva Cvijanovic (Hedgehog’s Home) all honed their craft here before gaining international recognition.

The NFB Lineup

Get a Grip
Abbey Collings (Boylston, Nova Scotia)

A charming stop-motion short featuring Gus MacDuffin, a puffin who discovers his wings are actually hands—and learns to embrace his uniqueness. The film explores how watching others shapes self-beliefs and identity, all while staying true to oneself. Its gentle story plays out with endearing visuals and subtle humor. A delightful blend of whimsy and introspection.

I Want to Go Home
Mégan Dupont (Quebec City)

This haunting and visually experimental piece melds 3D and collage to evoke the emotional turmoil of sudden vision loss. Shifting layers of clarity and distortion mirror the confusion and beauty of perception slipping away. It juxtaposes medical imagery with childhood memory in a poetic tapestry. Ultimately, it finds grace in the fragility and memory of seeing.

Intruder
Max Ma (Mississauga)

Set in a surreal, dreamlike world, a man attempts to direct his own dreams only to find himself powerless within his subconscious. Strange sculptural props and hypnotic soundscapes envelope him as control slips away. Through 3D imagery, the short probes the tension between desire, obedience, and letting go. It’s a moody, emotionally resonant dive into inner worlds.

Panoptic
Katie Finn (Montreal)

This kinetic thriller unfolds entirely through the lens of a prison’s security system as it seeks to contain a breakout. With 2D animation enriched by procedurally generated visuals, it delivers a high-pulsed, efficiency-driven aesthetic. Every decision and millisecond counts in this tightly compressed narrative. The result is both coldly calculated and viscerally compelling.

Springrise
Mitchell Keys (London, Ontario)

A painterly meditation on the resilience of nature, capturing the moment life returns as dawn breaks over a frozen land. Through hand-painted 2D animation, it conveys warmth, hope, and togetherness even in the darkest moments. The imagery gently reminds us that light—and renewal—are always on the horizon. It’s a visual embrace of optimism in troubled times.

Super Mr. Woods
Aerin Wu (Vancouver)

A surreal, satirical blend of the sacred and absurd, this short follows Mr. Woods—a humble forest creature turned myth, brand, and cultural icon. Rotoscope animation and hypnotic repetition reflect the dizzying blur between marketing frenzy and spiritual reverence. It skewers consumer culture while inviting laughter, discomfort, and wake-up calls. A sharp, dreamlike mirror to our own consumption-driven world.

All six Hothouse 15 shorts are available now at NFB.ca and on the NFB’s apps.