Diane Obomsawin

Living alone in darkness, Kaspar has experienced little oflife until he’s discovered by a man in black and brought outinto the world. Animator Diane Obomsawin’s affecting fableis based on the tale of the nineteenth century’s most famous wild child.

Diane Obomsawin directed the segment Transatlantic : "Here we are at the Port of Montreal, about to leave for France".

A fashion-conscious shopper sees beautiful coats advertised in the newspaper. The next day, he's the first in line to get his at the store. But they won't sell him one! "These are women's coats," the store owner says. "For women only!" On the grounds that the newspaper ad constitutes a contract, the customer takes the vendor to court to win his right to the coat. Understanding the Law: The Coat is episode one in a series of short, funny films designed to demystify everyday aspects of Canadian civil law. Wry humour and a whimsical style make this informative series lively and memorable.

Four women share funny and intimate tales of one-sided infatuation, mutual attraction, erotic moments, and fumbling attempts at sexual expression. For them, discovering that they’re attracted to other women comes hand-in-hand with a deeper understanding of their personal identity and a joyful new self-awareness.

When Academy Award®–winning animator and painter Joan Gratz asked eleven filmmakers if they would contribute to an omnibus film, she wasn’t sure what to expect—after prompting them to make a “one-minute memoir,” she let them figure out the rest. The One-Minute Memoir is the exuberant result: eleven stories ranging from the heartfelt to the absurd, all reflective of each director’s personal style.

In this animated short, Mrs. Popcorn is shocked to discover a worm in her canned drink. When the beverage company refuses to accept the blame, she's outraged! An intrepid consumer, Mrs. Popcorn takes the company to court for negligence. Understanding the Law: The Worm is episode two in a series of short films designed to demystify everyday aspects of Canadian civil law. Wry humour and a whimsical style make this informative series lively and memorable.

Diane Obomsawin's whimsical animated short follows medicine man Walk-in-the-forest on a walk in the woods that leads to the discovery of an intriguing secret world.

An ogre loves sacred music. Inspired by a dream, this short animation is something of an urban fable. In the free-associative dream state, the words orgue (organ) and ogre (ogre) are fused both visually and aurally.

"We need good humor, happy moments and laughter with friends in these, shall we say, difficult days. Diane Obomsawin understands this need, with a visual that echoes classic cartoons and their hilarious characters. A versatile artist, Diane Obomsawin has given us a wonderful surprise by setting the table for future Summits to be held under the sign of joy and bursts of laughter," explains Marco de Blois.

This animated short tackles the subjects of personal space, conflict and conflict resolution in the workplace. At the office, tempers flare as two coworkers who are sitting dangerously close find themselves bumping elbows and spilling ink. The film demonstrates four common approaches to interpersonal tensions: retreat, aggression, denial and - finally - negotiation.



A day in the life of a duck that may end up being eaten.

In this animated short, filmmaker Diane Obomsawin shows how childhood can be a chaotic time, especially if you're bouncing back and forth between two continents. With engaging candour and gentle humour, Obomsawin fleshes out an uncertain identity and takes control of her life. Using drawings on paper and digitized snippets of fabric, she creates a whimsical world of simple lines and pastel tones.

A brief glimpse of life with friends from the ZI atelier.

In one minute, the protagonist meets Marianne Faithfull and a moose child.

I often have the same dream where I am catapulted into the forest. I feel a kind of intoxication from the depths that attracts and terrifies me. I then think of this kind phrase from Rilke: “Our demons may be princesses waiting for us to be strong and courageous.”

Made as part of the One Minute Mistake series.

Cinema archetypes are reinterpreted by a gang of waggish monsters.

A slice of life among the creatures of the earth. The word microbe comes from the Greek “mikrobios”, which means “ whose life is short”.

A poetic and tender letter where humour and imagination unfold in the story of endearing, carefully drawn characters who are half-human, half-creature.

An exploration of the world of animation director and cartoonist Diane Obomsawin.