National Film Board of Canada: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The National Film Board of Canada (or NFB) is a Canadian public film-making organization organized to both fund and produce films that educate Canadians and promote Canada around the world. Its French-language wing is known as the Office national du film or ONF. The NFB is best known for its documentaries and animated short films.

Formed in 1939 and initially run by John Grierson, it proved to be an organization that allowed Canada to have a presence in the film world. The animation section eventually gained distinction, particularly with the pioneering work of Norman McLaren, an internationally recognized experimental filmmaker. It was a pioneer in several novel techniques such as pinscreen animation, but most of the Oscars and many other awards it won were done in traditional cel animation.