Summer starts in July at NFB.ca. Mark Canada Day and the start of summer with a host of titles, including Ellie Yonova’s feature documentary Luben and Elena.

In addition to gorgeous summer weather, July means new content available to stream free of charge on NFB.ca. Among the offerings by NFB studios across the country is Ellie Yonova’s feature documentary Luben and Elena, a new online release. In addition to the Parliament virtual experience, thematic channels mark Canada Day and the start of summer. This culturally diverse selection joins the over 4,000 titles already available on NFB.ca, not to mention our collection of some 100 interactive works, most of which are available for free online viewing.

Starting July 1

Luben and Elena by Ellie Yonova (2019, Quebec and Atlantic Studio)
Feature-length documentary (75 min)
Press kit (synopsis, biographies, images and credits): mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/luben-and-elena

Luben and Elena is a modern-day love story about renowned artists Luben Boykov and Elena Popova, who escape repressive communist Bulgaria and find refuge on the island of Newfoundland. Embracing the love of art and the art of love, they remind us that the greatest risk of all is to take either for granted. The documentary screened at a number of Canadian festivals.

To mark Canada Day on July 1

• Channel: ca/channels/contemporary-canada
  Contemporary Canada brings together six recent films from across the country, including John Ware Reclaimed by Cheryl Foggo and Becoming Labrador by Rohan Fernando, Tamara Segura and Justin Simms, that illustrate different perspectives of modern-day Canada in all its diversity.

• Parliament: The Virtual Experience by Émilie F. Grenier, David Drury, Dpt. and Stéphane Poirier (2020, Library of Parliament/NFB)
  Virtual-reality experience (15 min)
  Press kit (synopsis, biographies, images and credits): mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/parliamentThe recent winner of a Numix award, this VR work, launched last year, gives viewers a chance to virtually explore Parliament, which is currently closed for extensive renovations. Come discover the heart of Canadian democracy and learn how the work of the federal legislature affects you.

For the arrival of summer

Channel: nfb.ca/channels/summer

The Summer Films selection includes over 30 short and feature-length documentaries and animated films to get you into the swing of summer. Viewers of all ages will enjoy films such as Baseball Girls by Lois Siegel (1995), Song of the Paddle by Bill Mason (1978) and Blackfly by Christopher Hinton (1991).

Learn more about the NFB’s filmmakers and its collection:

• nfb.ca/blog/category/directors-notes
• nfb.ca/blog/category/curators-perspective

French version here | Version française ici.

The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.