On August 17, 2026, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is launching three new animated documentary shorts for free online. Hospital, with Love by Carine Khalifé, Matrescence by Elizabeth Laferrière and Ambiguous Losses by Fanny Lord-Bourcier are the products of Alambic, the NFB's six-month creative lab. All three films combine the animation and documentary formats to tell profoundly human stories that can spark enduring conversations in the public space.
Each of the films sensitively addresses social issues within its own unique visual world. From the profound transformation that results from becoming a mother, to adoptees' quest for identity, to the role of humanity in hospitals increasingly transformed by technology, each illustrates the power of animated documentary in bringing intimate experiences to light in ways that resonate well beyond the personal stories depicted.
Throughout the process, the three members of the second cohort of Alambic, the NFB's creative lab for emerging francophone filmmakers, received support and guidance from Karl Lemieux, production mentor; Raquel Sancinetti, associate producer; Jelena Popović, producer; Joël Vaudreuil, editor; Sacha Ratcliffe, sound and music designer; and the NFB production team. The theme for this year's edition of Alambic was "Animating Reality."
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"This second edition of Alambic at the NFB's French Animation Unit proved to be a true animated documentary lab. The program resulted in the creation of daring projects and original artistic approaches. The ultra-short animated documentary format, with a runtime of approximately three minutes, demanded succinct storytelling and a cohesive visual approach, in which the technique and choice of materials truly reflect what the artists wanted to say. The experience has not only helped grow the three emerging filmmakers' skill sets; it has also enriched the animated documentary ecosystem at the NFB." - Jelena Popović, Producer, National Film Board of Canada
The films
Hospital, with Love | Carine Khalifé | 2026 | 3 min 23 s
Paint on glass and charcoal
