The Mighty River | |
---|---|
French | Le Fleuve aux grandes eaux |
Directed by | Frédéric Back |
Written by | Frédéric Back Hubert Fielden Patricia Lavoie Jean Salvy Hubert Tison Pierre Turgeon |
Produced by | Frédéric Back Hubert Tison |
Narrated by | Donald Sutherland (English) Paul Hébert (French) |
Edited by | Norbert Pickering |
Music by | Denis L. Chartrand Normand Roger |
Animation by | Frédéric Back |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 24 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Languages | English French |
The Mighty River (French: Le Fleuve aux grandes eaux) is a Canadian animated short film, directed by Frédéric Back and released in 1993.[1] The film is a portrait of the St. Lawrence River, depicting both its natural beauty and the threats to it from human negligence of the environment.[1] It was the last film Back worked on before Société Radio-Canada, the French division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for which Back worked, closed down its animation department.[2]
The film's English version was narrated by Donald Sutherland, and its French version was narrated by Paul Hébert.
It premiered at the 1993 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
In Canada, it was distributed principally as a television special, broadcast in French by SRC Télévision and in English by CBC Television.[3]
Back and biologist Claude Villeneuve released a book version of the film in 1995.[4]
Awards
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annecy International Animation Film Festival | 1993 | Grand Prix du court métrage | Frédéric Back | Won | |
Los Angeles Film Critics Association | 1993 | Best Animation | Frédéric Back | Won | [5] |
Academy Awards | 1994 | Best Animated Short Film | Frédéric Back, Hubert Tison | Nominated | [6] |
Yorkton Film Festival | 1994 | Best of Festival | Won | [7] | |
Golden Sheaf Award for Best Animation | Won | ||||
Best Sound | Luc Boudrias, Michel Descombes | Won | |||
Hiroshima International Animation Festival | 1994 | Grand Prize | Frédéric Back | Won | [8] |
Ottawa International Animation Festival | 1994 | Production 10–30 minutes | Won | [9] |
References
- 1 2 Ray Conlogue, "Films reflecting values set animator's work apart: Frederic back may bring home his third Oscar tonight but that won't bring back the Radio-Canada department he worked in". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1994.
- ↑ Mike Boone, "The mighty St. Lawrence: Radio-Canada explores the river's history in animation". Calgary Herald, April 17, 1994.
- ↑ Tony Atherton, "Animator's moving film on TV tonight". Ottawa Citizen, April 17, 1994.
- ↑ "Animator's vision of St. Lawrence tragedy now a book; Radio-Canada's Oscar-winning Frederic Back mourns the desecration of the mighty river". Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 1995.
- ↑ Fox, David; Champlin, Charles (December 13, 1993). "L.A. Critics Pick 'Schindler's List' as Best Picture". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ "Frederic Back nominated - again". Montreal Gazette, February 10, 1994.
- ↑ "Montreal and Halifax films share top prize". Calgary Herald. May 31, 1994. p. 21.
- ↑ "River runs". Vancouver Sun, September 3, 1994.
- ↑ "The Wrong Trousers proves perfect fit at animation festival". Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 1994.