Talking About Mental Health with Students (Ages 9-11)

Meet Annie and take a whirlwind tour through her busy world while discovering the power that lies in the small choices we make every day.

Who hasn't felt apprehensive at the thought of starting high school? Playing on imagination and humour, this short film offers viewers a thought-provoking piece dealing with the transition that young people between the ages of 10 and 13 experience. Inspired by the work of Escher and Magritte, Catherine Arcand has created a graphically rich film through optical illusions and trompe-l'oeil effects. Her style aptly illustrates the theme of perceptions and is perfectly suited to conveying the dream world into which the film takes us. A film without words.

This animated short introduces us to Grace, a 10-year-old girl who uses her creative superpowers to navigate the emotional landscape of her mother's depression. It's an inspiring portrait of family, adversity, and resilience.

Using hand-drawn animation to bring two distinct worlds together – the muted, solid world of reality and the saturated palette of Grace's imagination – the film offers a textured story full of surprises, challenges, and emotions. A moving collaboration between writer/filmmaker Wanda Nolan and animator Claire Blanchet.

In this short animation, we meet a young boy leads such a regimented life that he has no more time just to be a kid. Between school, tennis lessons, swimming lessons, art classes, homework and piano practice, he can barely get any rest. Inspired by Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, this short animated film by Claude Cloutier pleads for children’s right to rest and leisure.