The Mighty River

The Mighty River (French: Le Fleuve aux grandes eaux) is a Canadian animated short film, directed by Frédéric Back and released in 1993.[1] The film is a portrait of the St. Lawrence River, depicting both its natural beauty and the threats to it from human negligence of the environment.[1] It was the last film Back worked on before Société Radio-Canada, the French division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for which Back worked, closed down its animation department.[2]

The Mighty River
FrenchLe Fleuve aux grandes eaux
Directed byFrédéric Back
Written byFrédéric Back
Hubert Fielden
Patricia Lavoie
Jean Salvy
Hubert Tison
Pierre Turgeon
Produced byFrédéric Back
Hubert Tison
Narrated byDonald Sutherland (English)
Paul Hébert (French)
Edited byNorbert Pickering
Music byDenis L. Chartrand
Normand Roger
Animation byFrédéric Back
Production
company
Release date
  • June 1993 (1993-06) (Annecy)
Running time
24 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguagesEnglish
French

The film's English version was narrated by Donald Sutherland, and its French version was narrated by Paul Hébert.

It premiered at the 1993 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

In Canada, it was distributed principally as a television special, broadcast in French by SRC Télévision and in English by CBC Television.[3]

Back and biologist Claude Villeneuve released a book version of the film in 1995.[4]

Awards
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Annecy International Animation Film Festival 1993 Grand Prix du court métrage Frédéric Back Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association 1993 Best Animation Frédéric Back Won [5]
Academy Awards 1994 Best Animated Short Film Frédéric Back, Hubert Tison Nominated [6]
Yorkton Film Festival 1994 Best of Festival Won [7]
Golden Sheaf Award for Best Animation Won
Best Sound Luc Boudrias, Michel Descombes Won
Hiroshima International Animation Festival 1994 Grand Prize Frédéric Back Won [8]
Ottawa International Animation Festival 1994 Production 10-30 minutes Won [9]

References
  1. Ray Conlogue, "Films reflecting values set animator's work apart: Frederic back may bring home his third Oscar tonight but that won't bring back the Radio-Canada department he worked in". The Globe and Mail, March 21, 1994.
  2. Mike Boone, "The mighty St. Lawrence: Radio-Canada explores the river's history in animation". Calgary Herald, April 17, 1994.
  3. Tony Atherton, "Animator's moving film on TV tonight". Ottawa Citizen, April 17, 1994.
  4. "Animator's vision of St. Lawrence tragedy now a book; Radio-Canada's Oscar-winning Frederic Back mourns the desecration of the mighty river". Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 1995.
  5. Fox, David; Champlin, Charles (December 13, 1993). "L.A. Critics Pick 'Schindler's List' as Best Picture". Los Angeles Times.
  6. "Frederic Back nominated - again". Montreal Gazette, February 10, 1994.
  7. "Montreal and Halifax films share top prize". Calgary Herald. May 31, 1994. p. 21.
  8. "River runs". Vancouver Sun, September 3, 1994.
  9. "The Wrong Trousers proves perfect fit at animation festival". Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 1994.
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