I was cutting down John Street years ago in downtown Toronto. I wasn't in a huge hurry but hadn't planned any side trips. I stumbled upon what turned out to be the NFB Mediatheque.
There were a number of monitors in the place. Not too much wandering around space. The setup was that people could watch National Film Board of Canada (NFB) films in a social setting alongside other people.
This was early on in my learning process (pronounced PRO-cess) about Canadian film. I didn't realize the significance of the NFB in the Canadian film landscape.
This probably seems more naive since these days Canadians can watch NFB films at nfb.ca. Some NFB films are available outside Canada but a lot of them are not.
The NFB Mediatheque was kind of a salon, an oasis to spend a bunch of time seeing the different Canadian film options. They were mostly short film options, which made sense in that type of environment.
The NFB Mediatheque in Toronto closed in 2012 due to cutbacks.
The Canadian film going experience is rarely in a significant sized group when Canadian film is involved. The pandemic only made that more obvious.
The advantage of a mediatheque is that someone can guide you on what films to consider. A personal touch instead of rolling through the Web site without assistance.
The idea about bringing back the mediatheque concept is to make watching a Canadian film more of a social activity you do with people.
Canadians watch American films in large groups. Why not watch Canadian film in a large group as well?
Bidding a sad adieu to First Weekend Club
Canada Screens was a pioneer in bringing Canadian film to Canadians
These groups helped bring Canadians to Canadian films. They are sadly gone. Their collective hearts were in the ideal place.
A gathering space could help their vision continue.
What we might find in a Canadian film museum
Canadian Museum of Human Rights needs a CEO who really understands human rights
This mediatheque could be part of a larger Canadian film museum we spoke of last fall. The museum could be educational with school field trips where children could learn about their country through film from their country.
The Canadian Museum of Human Rights is built on an educational model with interactivity.
A museum doesn't have to be stuffy. A museum should be fun, educational. Canadians should know that Canadian stories exist and are being told. You are never too old to learn about Canadian film.
This description of the mediatheque (presumably via the NFB but found on Yelp):
The NFB Mediatheque in Toronto is a public access point for groundbreaking NFB films and a centre for media literacy for children and adults alike. Located in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District, the Mediatheque offers an entertaining program of award-winning NFB films, provocative discussions and master classes; hands-on animation workshops for families; Digital Viewing Stations giving instant access to more than 5,500 FREE films from the NFB collection; and a store with NFB films to buy or rent. Special programming includes annual March Break and summer animation camps, as well as workshops over the December holidays for families.
Sounds special. If business aren't moving back into downtown Toronto, a lot more space could open up for a Canadian film museum.
Buying a film versus renting a film in the digital landscape
We spoke about the need for independent theatres in this article. They are the ideal gathering for people to see Canadian films. A potential Canadian film museum would be a complementary option.
map credit: Google
photo credit: blog TO
Comments