A Story-A Story

Kishin Douji Zenki Gaiden: Anki Kitan

In Kanoesaru village every 60 years mysterious murders happen. Every time seven 17 year old girls are killed. The villagers believe it is the work of a demon who once saved the village so they keep quiet about it. However the current head of the Ibuki family calls an exorcist to save her 2 daughters. What is the truth behind the murders in Kanoesaru village?

Kirikou and the Sorceress

Drawn from elements of West African folk tales, it depicts how a newborn boy, Kirikou, saves his village from the evil witch Karaba.

Toe

A stop-motion gothic folktale. A starving young boy eats a human toe that he finds in the ground. Later that night, something comes to his bedroom wanting it back.

Jirimpimbira: An African Folk Tale

A brave boy named Temba ventures to find food and water for his drought-striken village. But when he is given a set of magical bones, he uses them to gain riches for himself instead of sharing with his friends.

The Ashlad and the Hungry Troll

An exuberant story about Askeladden, the hero of Norwegian traditional fairy tales, outwitting the good-natured troll.

Nu Wa Patches Up Sky

Short animated version of the Chinese folktale, Nüwa Mends the Heavens

How Death Came to Earth

How Death Came to Earth is a 14 minute cutout animation film by Ishu Patel produced in 1971 by the National Film Board of Canada. The film deals with an Indian myth of creation, and is notable for its trippy visual style.

The Magic Ballad

The 25 minute film tells the tale of an ailing elderly woman named Itako who encounters a fox named Okon. The story opens with Itako lying bedridden, as she has for a long time. Okon enters her home and Itako tells the fox that he is welcome to take anything that he wants, for she has no use for anything anymore. Okon is delighted and in order to return the favour (the act of ongaeshi), Okon performs a magic jyōruri (a ballad with shamisen accompaniment) that heals Itako so that she is fit enough to walk again. Everyone is surprised by Itako's sudden recovery. She then hears of a hunter who has been badly injured and is near death. Itako hides Okon in the back of her shirt and has the fox sing the song while she plays shamisen in order to heal the man. This act of kindness is repeated for others until Itako's good fortune leads some to be suspicious of her.

Journey Mercies

A short drama about a library cleaner who plans a final return to Nigeria, his birth country.

The Tale of Tsar Saltan

Tale - this is what is everyone from childhood. Give yourself a chance to once again return to the magical world created by Alexander Pushkin. Adventures brave Tsarevich Guidon, beautiful Swan-Tsar Saltan reminded of that love, loyalty and the spirit always wins!

Qui sème l'amour...

Vasilisa the Beautiful

Young prince meets a talking frog who turns out to be a beautiful but cursed princess. To remove the curse, he must go on a quest to find and outsmart the forest witch Baba Yaga.

Saga of Light

Chang E was chosen to become the bride of a god and forced to separate with Hou Yi, the man that she loves. However, they refuse to accept their fate and put up a fight against the immortals.

Ayapaneco. El viento

The breeze we feel everywhere is an ancient drunk man destroying everything as he goes by, until he was turned into the wind.

Savanna Blues

A widowed single mother with a small fortune finds love again with a much younger man who she comes to learn is operating with a hidden agenda.

Dreams into Drawing

The painter Kuwagata Keisai lived over 200 years ago. He created 'Ways to Sketch', a series of picture books illustrating humans and animals, all richly expressed. One day he was sketching out a carp, just at that moment he slept and he became a carp in dream. A carp was enjoy to swimming, but a fisherman caught that carp...

Mutzmag

Tom Davenport's realistic adaptation of an old Appalachian story. With nothing more than her plucky spirit and her pocket knife, a mountain girl outwits a witch and an ogre to save herself and her sisters. Part of the PBS series "From the Brothers Grimm." Winner Chicago International Children's Film Festival. Ages 10 and above.

Canada Vignettes: Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'Neary

There's a "silver lining in every cloud" as Donald O'Neary turns every misfortune his two neighbours can engineer into gold coins. Against the background of the Irish countryside, the customary "rich but dumb" characters meet their match in the "poor but crafty" hero. The story introduces the student to our rich multicultural background through the exploration of folklore of one of the peoples that make up Canada's cultural mosaic.