Grade: Grade 4

Butterfly Tale

Director Sophie Roy
Year 2023
Run Time 88min
Genre Animation, Family
Patrick (Mena Massoud) is a butterfly with a dream: to take the journey of a lifetime and be a part of the great Monarch butterfly migration from Canada to Mexico! Unfortunately, he was born with a faulty, underdeveloped wing, so he can’t fly. Which means he can’t go…

Determined not to let his disability stop him, Patrick and his best friend, a goofy caterpillar named Marty (Lucinda Davis), stow away in a milkweed trailer to be part of the adventure. Facing challenges and trials along the way, Patrick faces his fear, embraces his uniqueness and overcomes adversity to become an unlikely hero!

Butterfly Tale is an inspiring animated adventure full of humour that reminds us that differences are less important than the bonds we share.

Director

Sophie Roy

Writers

Heidi Foss, Lienne Sawatsky, Michael Solomon

Cast

Tatiana Maslany, Mena Massoud

Genres

Animation, Family

Interests

Bullying, Female Filmmaker

Original Languages

English, French

Back to the Canadian Film Collection
Own Voice

Astronaut

Director Ian Keteku
Year 2022
Run Time 4min
Genre Animation
A whimsical animated poem about a twelve-year-old’s fantasy of what his life would be like as an astronaut, experiencing the world from above.

Director

Ian Keteku

Genre

Animation

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Black Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

Big Drive

Director Anita Lebeau
Year 2011
Run Time 9min
Genre Animation, Family

Stuck in a seemingly endless car ride with nothing to do, four sisters use their imagination to create something amazing together.

Director

Anita Lebeau

Writer

Anita Lebeau

Cast

Nathalie Daudet, Emma Collins, Annie Rose Daudet, Maggie Collins, Anita Lebeau

Producer

Derek Mazur

Genres

Animation, Family

Interests

Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection
Own Voice

Roses Sing on New Snow

Director Yuan Zhang
Year 2003
Run Time 7min
Genre Animation
Maylin, a fantastic chef, is kept in the shadows by her father who gives her brothers credit for her cooking. When a local dignitary visits, Maylin gets a chance to step into the spotlight.

Director

Yuan Zhang

Genre

Animation

Interests

BIPOC Stories, Global Experiences

Original Languages

English, French

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

The Girl Who Hated Books

Director Jo Meuris
Year 2006
Run Time 7min
Genre Family
This animated short about literacy introduces us to Meena, a young girl who hates books even though her parents love to read. Books are everywhere in Meena's house, in cupboards, drawers and even piled up on the stairs. Still, she refuses to even open one up. But when her cat Max accidentally knocks down a huge stack, pandemonium ensues and nothing is ever the same again. 
 

Director

Jo Meuris

Writer

Sugith Varughese

Cast

Michael Rudder, Elizabeth Lofranco, Harry Standjofski, Thor Bishopric

Producer

Tamara Lynch

Genre

Family

Interests

Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads

Original Languages

English, French

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection
Own Voice

Breakaway (Short Film)

Director Jenny Lee-Gilmore
Year 2019
Run Time 9min
Genre Drama
In 1970's Vancouver, 11-year-old Sammy, an ice hockey-obsessed Chinese Canadian girl, dreams of hockey stardom but her responsibilities at home and bullying older brother get in the way.

Director

Jenny Lee-Gilmore

Writer

Jenny Lee-Gilmore

Cast

Kingston Chan, Kailee Lowe

Producer

Dide Su Bilgin

Genre

Drama

Interest

BIPOC Stories

Original Language

English

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin

Director Janet Perlman
Year 1981
Run Time 10min
Genre Animation, Comedy

The classic Cinderella fairytale is given an endearing twist, presented by a cast of penguins!

Director

Janet Perlman

Genres

Animation, Comedy

Interests

Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

No Dialogue

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

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

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection

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

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection
Own Voice

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

Ratings by Province

NR
 Alberta
NR
 British Columbia
NR
 Manitoba
NR
 New Brunswick
NR
 Newfoundland and Labrador
NR
 Nova Scotia
NR
 Northwest Territories
NR
 Nunavut
NR
 Ontario
NR
 Prince Edward Island
NR
 Québec
NR
 Saskatchewan
NR
 Yukon
Back to the Canadian Film Collection
Accessibility by WAH