Nicholas Balla

In the 1940s thousands of immigrants are coming from Europe to Canada offering strength and skills in exchange for hope and a new life. 'The long night is ended, the morning draws nigh,' sums up the feelings of those who are sped through immigration formalities on their way to a fresh existence. Though the language may be different, these new Canadians soon find things in Canada that remind them of Holland, Poland or Belgium. Some immigrants carry on with their old trades--sewing, farming, diamond cutting. Others, on huge projects such as Des Joachims, use their muscles to help build their adopted homeland, while their love of culture and their skilled professions will make valuable contributions to Canada in the future.

This short live-action film tells the story of a little raccoon who encounters many adventures when he strays from home to explore the world.

Here you will see Marie Dressler, Mary Pickford, Norma Shearer, Walter Huston and a host of other Canadians who achieved world renown on the silver screen. Slapstick, romance, tragedy, comedy--it's all here in an entertaining sampling of what audiences have applauded down the years. You see the audiences too, and the theatres where early movies first drew in the fans. As guide you could hardly find a more knowledgeable or familiar figure than Walter Pidgeon, a Canadian with eighty or more films to his credit. He recalls the personalities of the great stars he has known and explains how the technology developed that shows the stars on the screen.

During the 1957 opening of Canada's twenty-third Parliament by Queen Elizabeth II, cameras record the ceremonies in the House of Commons and the Senate. They also bring to the screen many informal glimpses of the Queen and Prince Philip in residence at Government House.

Made in 1957, this film glamorizes a service job in which minor emergencies appear as serious and absorbing challenges. Marriage is assumed to be the natural end of the middle-class woman's working life. No. 97 in the Eye Witness film series.

The old spirit of the Yukon returns as Dawson City prepares for its Discovery Day celebrations. Witness a round of nostalgic scenes: a main street parade, refurbished saloons, the can-can. Time recedes as the film explores the hazardous mountain passes and the golden creek of Eldorado.

A short film by Roger Blais.

This documentary examines some of the important events in Canada during the Depression years: the Moose River mine disaster, the great drought on the prairies and the introduction of a transatlantic air service between Canada and Europe. The film also looks at the major world events that influenced Canada: the abdication of the king of England; civil war in Spain; Hitler's rise to power and Canada's declaration of war on Germany. Part of the Between Two Wars series.

This short film showcases the city of Montreal on a summer's night. What was once a small Indian village is presented as a pot-pourri of contrasting sights and sounds. It is North America's second largest port and, after Paris, the world's largest French-speaking city. With its warehouses, offices, homes, clubs and amusement parks, the city serves as a bright backdrop for a happy couple out on the town.

Canada's progress in jet aviation is seen in relation to that of other countries.

A film showing the new world created by the techniques and processes of the plastics industry. Transmuted from coal, oil or wood, synthetic substances can make thousands of new products, from silk threads to furniture. With a light and lively treatment, this film explores the colorful, versatile world of these synthetic materials.

This short film is a re-enactment of the critical year in Dr. Frederick Banting's life when he discovered insulin for the treatment of diabetes at the University of Toronto. It depicts the odds against which he and his assistant, Charles Best, worked; the scepticism of other doctors and the final victory that gave thousands of diabetics hope for a healthier life.

A demonstration of the basic skills required to ski.

Canada's tenth province--its people, its resources, its way of life. The camera shows us St. John's, the capital city; Cornerbrook, pulp and paper centre; and Bell Island with its iron mine. The greatest wealth of Newfoundland is her people, and a visit with Fred Greeley, inshore fisherman and his family, introduces us to our fellow Canadians. Finally the importance of Newfoundland's airports is stressed, and we visit Gander, where international air travellers come and go from the four corners of the globe.

The Leslie Bell Singers work during the day and rehearse at night for the joy they find in singing. Here they present widely differing numbers: Echo Song from 16th-century Italy is followed by the Québec folk song Quand j'étais chez mon père; the black spiritual I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray contrasts with I'se the Boy That Builds the Boat, from the fishing hamlets of Newfoundland; and finally a special arrangement of Schubert's Ave Maria.

This short documentary introduces us to a town where no one pays rent: Simoom Sound in central British Columbia, where loggers live on sturdy river craft. Every week there are visitors: the general storekeeper, the flying postman and most importantly, the forest ranger, who is ever alert to the threat of fire.

A look at the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor. The largest collection of sculptures the world has ever seen - an entire metropolis of palaces and temples recovered from the jungle.

Canada's northwest has been opened up by the Alaska Highway. This film looks at the construction of the highway and at the resources and development in the surrounding areas.

The focus of this film is on Canada's nuclear research centre at Chalk River, Ontario. Key to atomic progress are the radioactive isotopes. The insertion and handling of these isotopes in the deadly interior of the reactor are shown in detail. Also shown are the applications of radioactive isotopes in various fields of endeavor, particularly medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. Co-produced by the NFB and Crawley Films Ltd. with the assistance of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.

A portrayal of the problems of adjustment faced by the European immigrant to Canada. From the courtroom ceremony where several new Canadians are taking their oaths of citizenship, the film flashes back five years to look at their hopes and doubts at the time of their arrival.