From Far Away ROM FAR AWAY This touching story tells of TO ORDER NFB VIDEOS, Saoussan, a young girl struggling CALL TODAY! to adjust to a new world after 1-800-267-7710 (Canada) being uprooted from her wartorn 1-800-542-2164 (USA) homeland. She has come to seek a quieter and safer life in Canada www.nfb.ca/tales pi n ners although memories of war and death linger, and she must cope 6 minutes 39 seconds with a new language and culture. Cgioo 021 From Far Away speaks to the power within us all to adapt like Closed captioned. Saoussan and to welcome a A decoder is required. newcomer. ^ 2002 A licence is required for any From Far Away is part of the reproduction, television broadcast, sale, rental or public screening. Only educational institutions or non-profit organizations who Created for children aged five to have obtained this video directly from the nine, Talespinners uses vibrant NFS or an authorized distributor have the animation to bring popular stories right to show this video free of charge to the public. from a wide range of cultural communities to the screen. National Film Board of Canada PO Box 6100, Station Centte-Ville Montreal, Quebec W^C 3Hs Directors: Printed in Canada Shira Avni, Serene EI-Haj Daoud Based on the book by Producer: Michael Fukushima ROBERT MUNSCH AND SAOUSSAN ASKAR VMS C9100 021 A National Film Board of Canada Production Born in Petakh Tikvah, Israel, in 1974, ShiraAvni was raised in Montreal. An incorrigible doodler and puppet maker, Shira found herself graduating Collection Magna Cum Laudefrom Concordia University with a BFA in Animation in 1998. Her student work earned her the Dean's Award in 1997 and the Cinema Prize the following year. Her first film, 48 Second Blues, won Best Animated Video at the Montreal World Film Festival's student competition in 1997. Shira's graduate studies at the Art Institute of Chicago Written by: SUGITH VARUCHESE began in 2001. From Far Away is her first pro- FROM FAR AWAY fessional film. Study guide Voice: JESSE V1NET A. Welcoming a Newcomer C. Fears Digital imaging: Serene El-Haj Daoud was born in Riyadh, Saudi CATHERINE LAFORTUNE Imagine that a new student from a Everybody has experienced fear. Arabia, in 1975, where she lived as a Palestinian foreign country will be corning to When you were younger, what were Digital imaging specialist: refugee until her family immigrated to Montreal in NORMAND GAUTHIER your class who doesn't speak you afraid of and how did you deal 1989. She graduated from Champlain Regional English or French. How will you with this fear? Who helped you? Picture edi I ing: College in Creative Arts in 1995 and completed her make her feel welcome? Brainstorm GORDON HASHIMOTO BFA in Film Animation at Concordia University. ten words, phrases or sentences to Serene received several grants and awards at Music and teach her so that she will feel RELATED NFB VIDEOS sound design: Concordia for her student films, including the Zlatko comfortable at school and on the A Monster's Calling: An animated NORMAND ROGER Grgic Award in 1996, and the Dean's Award the school bus. Would you change tale of a monster that roams the following year. Her films The Poem, The Riddle, and With the anything if the new student were a house at night scaring the collaboration of: Underneath All Currents were screened at boy? Why? children, knowingwhat each one is DENISCHARTRAND Concordia's Animation Festival in 1998. The Poem afraid of. was also shown as part of the student competition Sound editing: B. Halloween |EAN-BAPTISTE ROGER of the 1997 Montreal World Film Festival. How did Halloween become Classes: An animated tale of a little Re-recording: associated with pumpkins, skele- boy in Grade i who is humiliated in SERGE EOIVIN tons, black cats, witches, orange- the classroom and on the playing JEAN PAUL VIALARD and-black things and candy? What field because he can't see well. A Executive producer: is the origin of this holiday? Where pair of glasses changes everything! ISOBEL MARKS Direction and animation: in the world is it celebrated? Why is DAVID VERRALL SHIRAAVNI it not celebrated everywhere? SERENE EL-HAJ DAOUD Producer: MICHAEL FUKUSHIMA Based on the book For more teaching ideas, recommended reading From Far Away and related NFB videos, visit: by Robert Munsch and Saoussan Askar www.nfb.ca/talespinners First published by Annick Press Ltd, Toronto. Order number Bob Murisch Enterprises Ltd and Saoussan Askar 1995 Cgioo 021.