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Nelvana
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Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 and known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s. The company's production logo is a polar bear looking at the North Star. Corus Entertainment, a spin-off from Shaw Communications, has owned the company since September 2000.
Most of its films, shows and specials are based on licensed properties, mainly children's literature, but original programming is also part of its roster. It ventured into the world of live action from its establishment and continues to do so.
Well-known franchises include Care Bears, Cyberchase, Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend, Babar and the Adventures of Badou, Max and Ruby, Life with Boys, Mike the Knight, Sidekick, Scaredy Squirrel, Babar, Tintin, Hot Wheels Battle Force 5, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, Rupert, Fievel's American Tails, Little Bear, Eek! The Cat, Pippi Longstocking, Donkey Kong Country, The Terrible Thunderlizards, Franklin, Elliot Moose, and 6teen, along with the North American dubs of the anime series Beyblade, Cardcaptor Sakura, Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Medabots, and Bakugan Battle Brawlers. The company has also tried miniseries, including Rotting Hills.
Nelvana also distributes internationally three Nickelodeon shows: The Fairly OddParents, Taina, and Danny Phantom. As of 2001, its library comprises more than 1,650 cumulative half-hours of original programming. The company has international offices in France, Ireland and Japan.
Nelvana’s content has aired in over 150 countries and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys and Geminis.
Best films
(1993)Filmography of Nelvana (28 films)
Production
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, 1h18Directed by Dominique Monféry
Origin France
Genres Fantasy, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'une tortue, Children's films, Reptile, L'Or
Actors Cameron Ansell, Ariane Aggiage, Benoît Allemane, Brigitte Lecordier, Camille Donda, Ivana Coppola
The movie opens with black and white and a young female turtle with glasses. The scene then catches on fire and flashes out on Granny Turtle, who wakes from a bad dream, and sighs sadly. The scene then pulls us to Franklin, Beaver and Snail playing pirates, and they were about to go to a tree with an X. Just as they were about head towards there, Bear appears playing the villainous captain and Franklin defeats him. After that, the four went home. Franklin and Snail walk by Franklin's Aunt Lucy's place and notice the door was open. They went inside to see if Aunt Lucy was home, but instead someone in a mask scares them off and they run away. As they run off, the someone in behind the mask reveals to be a female turtle with a pink bonnet on the head. two run, where Franklin's parents and sister Harriet get a message of Lucy, with no post or stamp. When Franklin revels what happened, Jonathan soon gets the answers and they walk around the house, where Lucy appears to be. Lucy was at Granny Turtle's (Lucy's, Teeny's and Jonathan's mother) and promised to invited the turtles over.
Care Bears: Big Wish Movie (2005)
, 1h15Directed by Mike Fallows
Origin Canada
Genres Fantastic, Comedy, Musical theatre, Fantasy, Musical, Animation
Themes Jeu, Musical films, Films about toys, Children's films
Actors Stephanie Beard, Robert Tinkler, Julie Lemieux, Linda Ballantyne, Susan Roman, Stephen Ouimette
This movie starts when, atop the roof of an observatory at their cloud-filled home of Care-a-lot, the Care Bears hear Wish Bear's story of how she (as a Cub) found her new friend, a wishing star named Twinkers. The Care Bears are touched by this tale, but are a bit worried when she uses Twinkers' inherent power to wish them all some popcorn. Cheer Bear raises concern that this may be a frivolous use of Twinkers' power. Wish Bear, however, assures everyone that she is a trained professional.
, 1h23Directed by Mike Fallows
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical, Animation
Themes Jeu, Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Films about toys, Children's films
Actors Julie Lemieux, Adrian Truss, Susan Roman, Katie Griffin, Stevie Vallance, Andrew Sabiston
The Care Bears live in a cloud-filled land known as Care-a-lot ("With All Your Heart"). One of the Bears, Grumpy, is working on a rainbow carousel for the upcoming Care Bear Fair. His fellow Care Bears come by for a look; one of them, Funshine, loves telling jokes and making the other Care Bears laugh. After they reluctantly agree to try the carousel, it goes out of control and sends them into the sky before crashing down. Grumpy feels even worse after Funshine tries to cheer him up with a joke on height restrictions, which the other Bears find funny. Grumpy is not amused, and even goes so far as to tell Funshine that if he doesn't understand that cheering up isn't making fun of, then maybe Funshine doesn't belong in Care-A-Lot. As a result, the Bears force Grumpy to apologize to the ursine comedian. Reading from a note, Tenderheart Bear realizes that Funshine has felt sorry for Grumpy and has gone in search of a place where his talents can be better appreciated. The other Bears are worried about his fate; as they cannot hold their Fair without him, they decide to look for him regardless and bring him back to Care-a-lot. Five of them— Tenderheart, Grumpy, Wish, Cheer and Share volunteer, while Laugh-a-Lot, Love-a-Lot, Friend, Good Luck, Bedtime and Champ stay home to get ready for the fair.
, 1h9Origin Canada
Genres Animation
Actors Dorothée Pousséo, Catherine Disher, Françoise Dasque, Paul Haddad, Tedde Moore, Elizabeth Hanna
Pour la fête de la famille, Olie et Zoé veulent offrir un cadeau très original à leurs parents : une étoile filante. Mais ces derniers sont surpris de les voir revenir à la maison avec des jumeaux très spéciaux. Ils sont adorables, ils peuvent même voler, se transforment en ballons et mangent comme des ogres. Toute la famille s'attache beaucoup à Tim et Ninon, même le pirate Tristus Maximus. Mais il faut retrouver la vraie famille des jumeaux. En réalité, les bébés habitent dans une nurserie en attendant de trouver une famille qui les aime...
Back to School with Franklin (2003)
, 47minutesDirected by Arna Selznick
Origin Canada
Genres Adventure, Animation
Themes Children's films
Actors Bryn McAuley, Carolyn Scott, Richard Newman, Kristen Bone, Leah Renee Cudmore, Noah Reid
C’est la fin des vacances d’été et la rentrée des classes pour Franklin. Sa petite sœur est triste car elle va devoir jouer toute seule, mais Franklin est très content de retrouver ses copains et son maître, M. Hibou. Mais le jour de la rentrée, ce n’est pas M. Hibou qui viendra faire cours car il est remplacé, temporairement, par Mlle Koala. Avec ce nouveau professeur, les habitudes et les méthodes de travail changent et les élèves devront s’y habituer. Après des premiers contacts difficiles, Franklin et ses amis vont apprendre à mieux connaître leur nouvelle maîtresse et son pays d’origine, l’Australie. Les tensions finiront de s’apaiser lorsqu’ils se trouveront une passion commune : le football.
Origin Canada
Genres Horror, Animation
Themes Children's films
Actors Brooke Shields, Rick Moranis, Tony Jay, Marc Donato, Julie Lemieux, Aaryn Doyle
Miss Flora Spider has been living happily with her new husband Holley, but becomes nervous when she hatches five eggs on the same day. She worries about becoming a mother ever since her mother abandoned her when she hatched, but her foster mother Betty Beetle tells her she has nothing to worry about. When the eggs hatch out five new spiders, the family becomes overjoyed. Years pass and as spider kids grew up, the family find an egg and start to decorate it. Thinking its mother is looking for it, Squirt, one of the spiderlings, decides to return it. While going through the forest, he comes upon three kid bandits: Dragon the dragonfly, Shimmer the jewel beetle, and Bounce the bedbug. When the young spider explains that he is looking for its mother, Bounce revels that they don't have parents either, although Dragon says their still looking for them. Shimmer decide that they should tag along and help Squirt. Suddenly, Spiderus, a vicious spider who was jealous after Miss Spider chose Holley over him, arrives and tries take the egg, but the kids manage to scare him away. Meanwhile, Miss Spider has discovered that Squirt is missing and fears for the worst. She and Holley decide to go find him. With the help of Spiderus, they now know where Squirt is. Snow starts to fall, and kids find Stinky, a stink bug, in his home and take shelter there until morning. By the time kids leave, the three adult spider already arrives, and Spiderus meets and falls in love with a female spider named Spindella. The kids arrive at a barn, where a hen, revealed to be the mother of the egg, attacks. Just as Squirt is about be eaten, Miss Spider and Holley arrives and save him. The egg hatches and is reunited with its mother. Squirt introduces his new friends to his parents. Miss Spider decide to adopt them, since eight is a perfect number. They are all overjoyed and return home. As the all kids sleep, Miss Spider now knows it doesn't matter what other bugs are, all that matters is that they're all family. Squirt is thought to be missing again, but h is soon found outside, flying on his web. The other kids to wake up and run outside and play.
, 1h10Origin Canada
Genres Adventure, Animation
Actors James Woods, Dorothée Pousséo, Noah Reid, Françoise Dasque, Catherine Disher, Al Mukadam
Aujourd’hui c’est une journée très spéciale ! Toute la famille prépare l’anniversaire de Zoé dans la joie et la bonne humeur. Mais Tristus Maximus, le pirate du sourire, décide de répandre la tristesse dans tout l’univers à l’aide de son rayon « Joyus Absorbus ». Heureusement, Olie et tous ses amis vont se faire Chevaliers du rire et combattre Tristus Maximus en trouvant son point faible… le rire et la joie !
Franklin's Magic Christmas (2001)
, 50minutesOrigin Canada
Genres Animation
Themes Christmas films, Children's films
Actors Noah Reid, Richard Newman, Bryn McAuley, Eric Peterson, Chris Wiggins, Kristen Bone
In this story, Franklin the turtle and his little sister, Harriet (introduced in the previous film, Franklin and the Green Knight) are planning to pay a visit to and spend Christmas with their maternal grandparents at Faraway Farm, a farm faraway from Woodland where their mother Mrs. Turtle grew up at. As the Turtle Family gets ready to go to the farm, they sing “Deck the Halls” in only the first and third verses.
, 1h17Origin Canada
Genres Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about music and musicians, Children's films
Actors Kristin Fairlie, Dan Hennessey, Janet-Laine Green, Max Morrow, Andrew Sabiston, Tracy Ryan
Little Bear and Father Bear go out camping and they meet a new young bear named Cub and his friend Little Moose. Then Little Bear is met with Trouble, the mountain lion, but Cub saves him. Cub tries to get acquainted with Little Bear's house then plays with Little Bear and his friends, Cat, Owl, Duck, and Hen. When they learn that Cub's parents got lost, they search for them. Little Bear, Cub, and Duck get separated from Moose and the others. They soon encounter Cub's friends Poppy and Pete the two silly red foxes. When they get to the canyon, Trouble spies on them and tries to eat Duck, but Poppy and Pete save Duck. Little Bear manages to "defeat" Trouble and find Cub's parents.
, 1h17Origin Canada
Genres Animation
Themes Children's films
Actors Alyson Stoner, Noah Reid, Liliana Mumy, Richard Newman, Shirley Douglas, Tinashe
Franklin is excited about the coming of spring, because his parents have told him he'll become a big brother then. After talking with his friends about it, though, he begins to have mixed feelings. His mother reads a tale known throughout Woodland called The Quest of the Green Knight and Franklin decides to go on his own quest to end the unusually long winter, with his friend Snail as his squire.
Babar: King of the Elephants (1999)
, 1h20Origin France
Genres Animation
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'un éléphant, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Wayne Robson, Alexis Pivot, Kristin Fairlie, Paul Nivet, Emmanuel Curtil, Chris Wiggins
Le film est une adaptation des livres pour enfant Babar créés en 1931 par Jean de Brunhoff.
Pippi Longstocking (1997)
, 1h15Directed by Clive A. Smith
Origin Suede
Genres Comedy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about magic and magicians, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Melissa Altro, Catherine O'Hara, Eileen Brennan, Gordon Pinsent, Dave Thomas, Wayne Robson
The film begins with Pippi sailing around the world with her father, Captain Efraim Longstocking, her pet horse, Horse, her pet monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and various members of the ship's crew. One night during a hurricane, the captain is washed over board into the sea. As he drifts off, he calls to Pippi that he will "meet her in Villa Villekulla". To that effect, Pippi and her pet animals make their way home, Villa Villekulla, to await his return. Not long after arriving, she makes friends with the two children across the street — Tommy and Annika, who are captivated by her free spirit and fun-loving attitude. They soon convince her to go to school (for the first time in her life) where she gets into trouble, despite winning the hearts of her classmates.
Malice (1993)
, 1h47Directed by Harold Becker
Origin Canada
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Themes Serial killer films
Actors Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Bebe Neuwirth, Josef Sommer
Andy (Bill Pullman) and Tracy Safian (Nicole Kidman) are a newlywed couple living in a Victorian house that they are restoring in Western Massachusetts. He is an Associate Dean at a local college, while his wife teaches art to children. When a student is attacked and seriously wounded by a serial rapist, Dr. Jed Hill (Alec Baldwin), a brilliant surgeon who has recently joined the staff of the area hospital operates and saves her life. Money is tight, so Andy invites him to rent the third floor of his home with Tracy in order to finance the new plumbing. With his propensity to bring home sexual partners and to party late into the night, Jed quickly proves himself to be a less-than-ideal tenant.
Babar: The Movie (1989)
, 1h16Genres Musical theatre, Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Monde imaginaire, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Mise en scène d'un éléphant, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Gordon Pinsent, Elizabeth Hanna, Lisa Yamanaka, Bobby Becken, Sarah Polley, Stephen Ouimette
On the night of Elephantland's Victory Parade, Babar tells his four children the story of his first days as King of the elephants.
Care Bears Nutcracker Suite (1988)
, 1h2Origin Canada
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Animation
Themes Christmas films, Children's films
Actors John Stocker, Dan Hennessey, Luba Goy, Bob Dermer
At a school called P.S. 5, a teacher named Miss Walker tells some children a version of E. T. A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, involving the Care Bear Family. As the story begins, the Care Bears and their Cousins prepare for Christmas in their home of Care-a-lot; the two youngest bears, Hugs and Tugs, are searching for an ornament. While the others spend time in the Hall of Hearts decorating a tree, another bear called Funshine suddenly alerts them of an unhappy girl named Anna. Enlisting Grumpy Bear to go along, she takes a Cloud Mobile down to Earth.