*in Troy McClure voice*

Hi! We’re the NFB! You might remember us from such documentaries and animated films as, St. Lawrence: Stairway to the Sea and The Cat Came Back. But did you know we also make fiction films? It’s true!

We’ve been in the fiction game since the 1950s, and our first foray into feature length fiction was the wonderful film, Drylanders (1962). This week on NFB.ca, we decided to showcase a few of the fictitiously flashy films that are floating around in our collection. If you’re craving more, check out these 7 fab fiction films!

The Railrodder

Behold a comic genius in one of the last films of his long career. The legendary Buster Keaton crosses Canada from east to west… atop a railway track speeder. In classic Buster Keaton fashion, the film is whimsical and hilarious, and you can learn more in A Tribute to Comedic Genius Buster Keaton.

The Railrodder, Gerald Potterton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Nobody Waved Good-bye

Watch this surprise runaway hit from the 1960s about juvenile delinquency in affluent society. He rebels against his parents’ middle-class conventions, but will he find a way to survive on his own? For more info on the film, read Nobody Waved Good-bye: The Little Film That Could.

Nobody Waved Good-bye, Don Owen, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Crossroads

This short is about a young interracial couple in love and the challenges they face in 1957 Toronto. Fun fact: the film was released a full decade before Hollywood’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. For more info on the film, read What’s Black and White and Shocking All Over?

Crossroads, Don Haldane, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

The Ernie Game

Meet Ernie Turner, a lovable yet grating 20-something trying to find his place in the world after being released from a mental institution. For more info on the film, read The Ernie Game: Troubled youth of the 1960s.

The Ernie Game, Don Owen, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

YUL 871

It’s 1966. A handsome international traveler flies from Paris to Montreal where he explores the city and dives into a love affair. It’s pure modernist restlessness, and it’s a cinematic delight. For more info on the film, read YUL 871: A Feature Film for the 1960s.

YUL 871, Jacques Godbout, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Island Romance

Enjoy the budding romance between a young woman from Winnipeg and a Maritime fisherman set against the backdrop of some of PEI’s most beautiful historic spots. This film is a lovely little romantic romp, guaranteed to make you smile.

Island Romance, Donald Ginsberg, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

The Quiet Racket

Take a ride out to the countryside with a disgruntled urbanite who discovers that no matter where you go, you just can’t get any peace and quiet in this wacky world. Fun fact: this film was directed by Heavy Metal director Gerald Potterton!

The Quiet Racket, Gerald Potterton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Need more of a fiction fix? Check out our YouTube playlist that has over 20 titles (and counting)!