Third edition of The Shortest Day: a treat for families, kids and movie-lovers of all ages in Western Canada

Third edition of The Shortest Day: a treat for families, kids and movie-lovers of all ages in Western Canada

Free screenings of Canada's best short films, including Vancouver's Aubrey Arnason and Kalyn Miles with Kindergarten, Da Bin Ich Wieder

MONTREAL, Dec. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - The Shortest Day returns for a third year across the country from December 18 to 21, 2015, with an outstanding program of new, classic and award-winning shorts by some of Canada's most talented filmmakers. This year's free event--a fun way for families and movie-lovers to celebrate the lead-up to the winter solstice on December 21, the shortest day of the year, and usher in the holiday season--features 28 shorts organized into four thematic programs: Kids (under 8, 61 minutes), Family (56 minutes), Musical (16+, 74 minutes) and Dramas and Comedies (16+, 91 minutes).

Among the shorts from Western Canada-based filmmakers this year is Kindergarten, Da Bin Ich Wieder (Family program) from co-directors Aubrey Arnason and Kalyn Miles. Vancouver's Crazy 8's Film Event picked Kindergarten in 2015 as one of six films to be made out of 196 pitches.

"Telling a great story in a short film is an amazing experience. It really pushes you to get to the heart of it," said Arnason. "Supporting Canadian short films is important, these are the voices of our country and these films are what lead to telling Canadian stories through feature films and television."

Originally from Winnipeg, Aubrey Arnason is a graduate of the Vancouver Film School and Langara College. She has appeared on numerous movies and series including Supernatural, Fringe and Smallville. Aubrey is also well known for hosting and directing the award-winning TV series The Wedding Belles, which aired on Shaw Media channels from 2010-2014. She has been nominated for 13 Leo Awards, taking home Best Host in 2014. Aubrey wrote Kindergarten, Da Bin Ich Wieder and co-directed it with Kalyn Miles. The film is based on Aubrey's own life--as graduating kindergarten is not one of her credits.

Coming to a venue near you
The free screenings, which spotlight animated and live-action shorts, will be held in more than 80 venues across the country. Screenings will be held not just in movie theatres but in cultural centres, community spaces, schools, coffee shops, shopping malls, hospitals and public libraries, making the event accessible to as many cinemagoers as possible.

In Western Canada, Shortest Day programs will be screened, notably, at the Children's Hospital, Health Sciences Centre, in Winnipeg; PAVED Arts in Saskatoon; the Yorkton Public Library; the Globe Cinema in Calgary; the Metro Cinema in Edmonton; the CF Pacific Center in Vancouver; The Vic Theatre in Victoria; The Point Artist-Run Centre Society in Whistler; and the Yellowknife Public Library.

Other can't-miss Western Canadian shorts in this year's The Shortest Day are:


-- If I Was God... (Family program), directed by Winnipeg's Cordell Barker,
a two-time Oscar-nominated and a Cannes award-winning animation
filmmaker. If I Was God... was recently named to the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences' list of 10 animated short films that will
advance in the voting process for the 88(th) Academy Awards. What would
you do if you were 12 and suddenly found yourself charged with God-like
powers?
-- The Wolf Who Came to Dinner (Dramas and Comedies program), directed by
Vancouver's Jem Garrard, a four-time Leo Award-winning filmmaker. She
has made official music videos for international artists such as Linkin
Park, which received a global MTV release. Beatrice Barkley is an
eight-year-old horror fanatic with a serious problem: her mom's brought
her new boyfriend home to meet the family, and no-one but Bea seems to
notice he's a werewolf.
The Shortest Day was started in 2011 by France's Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC). Presented in more than 50 countries, the event is sponsored in Canada by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Société de développement des entreprises culturelles du Québec (SODEC) and Telefilm Canada.

To learn more about The Shortest Day
The microsite (www.theshortestday.ca) includes the campaign trailer, as well as lists the films in the each of the programs, along with their synopses and screening details at venues across the country.

You can also get real-time Twitter updates on the event via the hashtag #ShortestDay.

The Shortest Day is made possible in part through the financial support of the Talent Fund.

About the NFB
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) it's 75 years of innovation and leadership in social-issue documentaries, auteur animation, and most recently, groundbreaking interactive works. The NFB has produced over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 10 Webbys, 9 Canadian Screen Awards, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV.

About the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles
SODEC is a government corporation overseen by Quebec's Minister of Culture and Communications. It supports the creation and growth of cultural enterprises throughout the province. SODEC brings together the passion of artistic creation with the power of economic development and provides cultural enterprises with a range of solutions designed to nurture Quebec creators and promote the production, distribution and exportation of their work. Follow SODEC on Facebook, Twitter and visit www.sodec.gouv.qc.ca.

About Telefilm Canada--Inspired by talent. Viewed everywhere.
Created in 1967, Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada's audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund and the Talent Fund, a private donation initiative. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/telefilmcanada.



SOURCE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

Photo:http://photos.newswire.ca/images/thumbnail/20151202_C5406_PHOTO_EN_556885.jpg
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

CONTACT: Media enquiries: Sources: NFB, SODEC, Telefilm Canada; Laura Sosin, Jive Communications, (416) 873-0784, laura@jivecommunications.ca

Web Site: http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/


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