The 10 Most-Viewed NFB Films of 2017
The 10 Most-Viewed NFB Films of 2017
As we wrap up the year, we thought it would be fun to look at the Top 10 most-watched films 2017. Some of the films are obvious, but a few caught us by surprise. It’s a great mix, and is sure to make for some great viewing during the holidays.
Enjoy!
10 – Maud Lewis: A World Without Shadows
The success of last year’s feature film Maudie, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, was great for Canadian film in general, and one of our films in particular. The renewed interest in Nova Scotia’s most well-known folk artist sent people to our site to watch this short doc from 1976.
Maud Lewis: A World Without Shadows, Diane Beaudry, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
09 – Paddle to the Sea
It was a big year for Paddle, as it celebrated its 50th anniversary (a year late, but who’s counting?) and was invited aboard the Canada C3. This little film that follows the adventures of a small wooden carving on its long odyssey from Lake Superior to the sea is one of the most treasured films in our collection.
Paddle to the Sea , Bill Mason, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
08 – Return to Vimy
This year marked the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Vimy Ridge. This film marks the first time the NFB has colourized its own archives for a film project, allowing us to go back in time and revisit the daily lives of the Canadian Corps as they prepared for battle.
Return to Vimy, Denis McCready, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
07 – The Railrodder
No one can deny the comic genius of Buster Keaton, and coupled together with director Gerald Potterton, he created a hilarious gem of a film that was one of the last of his long career. This is a film that always performs well, and it’s no mystery why. Take 25 minutes and enjoy – you won’t regret it.
The Railrodder, Gerald Potterton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
06 – Griefwalker
Meet Stephen Jenkinson, a man who has attended the deaths of well over 1,000 people. He left his job as leader of the palliative care counselling team at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital and has made it his life’s mission to change the way we die.
Griefwalker, Tim Wilson, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
05 – The Sweater
The Sweater is another project that had a big year. A musical, based on the original story by Roch Carrier, was performed at Montreal’s Segal Centre. This film is a true NFB classic, and frankly I’d be shocked if there was a year it didn’t make this Top 10 list.
The Sweater, Sheldon Cohen, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
04 – Blackfly
If there was an award for NFB Earworm, this film and its song would take the prize… challenged only by the film in the number two spot on this list. It features the musical stylings of Canadian folk singer Wade Hemsworth, backed by the fabulous McGarrigle sisters.
Blackfly, Christopher Hinton, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
03 – Crapshoot: The Gamble with Our Wastes
That this doc from 2003 places third on our Top 10 list of most-watched films of the year is a testament to how much of an issue waste and the environment is. Filmed in Italy, India, Sweden, the United States, and Canada, this film questions our fundamental attitudes towards waste and our need to dispose of it.
Crapshoot: The Gamble with Our Wastes, Jeff McKay, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
02 – The Cat Came Back
This beloved classic was feted this year with the release of The Cat Came Back picture book, illustrated by Cordell Barker himself and published by Firefly Books. Until you can get your hands on a copy, enjoy the original 1988 film.
The Cat Came Back, Cordell Barker, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
01 – Canada Vignettes: Log Driver’s Waltz
Tell the truth – is anyone really surprised that this film comes in at Number 1? Whenever I meet new people and tell them I work for the NFB, they break into their rendition of this song. It’s like they go hand in hand. Speaking of which…
Canada Vignettes: Log Driver’s Waltz, John Weldon, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Thank you for this interesting list, Julie. I’m already intimately familiar with 9 of the 10 films, having worked at the NFB from 1974 to 2007 and publicized them at one time or another. I was interested to watch ‘Griefwalker’, released the year after I left the NFB, and ‘Maud Lewis’, which was being made just at the time I joined the Atlantic studio. Perfect bookends! The two films magically complement each other!
Really hope NFB can fix the 502 Bad gateway. Would love to see lady Fishbourne’s Guide to Good Manners
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oF COURSE I enjoyed your selections! But I must say I still don’t feel the great wealth of your films is available enough…..don’t ask me why. Tell me.
Another thing is I can’t apparently make contact with Bill Reid your director/producer in 1974 – albeit only one film, and once my friend.