Aloud Bagatelle

This short film is an expressive interpretation of Earle Birney's poem 'Trawna Tuh Belvul by Knayjim Psifik.' Using finely crafted cut-out animation, this film is an adventure aboard a train. The characters, their stories and the blend of rail sounds, original music and Earle Birney's reading of the poem all contribute to a memorable experience of the journey from Toronto to Belleville, Ontario.

Created by award-winning animator/director Les Drew, this magical animation film is bound to win little kids' hearts! The Dingles is full of singular characters that children can relate to, languid sunshine and warm friendship, sudden adventure and suspense, a happy ending, and just good fun. The film's characters are a caring, grandmotherly figure, Doris Dingle, and her three delightful cats. Snobbish Donna is forever sorting through and admiring her collection of bird feathers. Curious DeeDee spends most of her time investigating the oddest details of Doris Dingle's activities, while all-round-good-guy Dayoh is intent on digging a hole to China. The plot involves an unexpected gale that bursts violently into the family's idyllic life. Just how the Dingles escape certain doom is for viewers to find out! Young children will marvel at the storm's intensity, then sigh with relief to see Donna, DeeDee and Dayoh snuggled up in bed, safe and secure after an adventure-filled day. The Dingles is an ideal film for home viewing, and a wonderful tool for education, pre-school to grade 3. An adaptation of The Dingles, written by Helen Levchuk and illustrated by John Bianchi - a Groundwood Book published by Douglas and McIntyre, Vancouver and Toronto, 1985.

Based on a short story by Canadian author Wilma Riley, this animation film is about ethnic prejudice in all its blind viciousness. Mrs. Cherwak is Polish and owns a cow. Mrs. Meuser is a German with entrenched notions of cleanliness. She does not appreciate the cow's inevitable by-product. The film describes their conflict and its curious resolution over coffee and mincemeat pie. While the author chose to write about the Germans and the Poles she grew up with on the outskirts of Regina, the situation she describes could apply anywhere in the world.