16MM REELS
An evening of film from the largest and most eclectic collection of 16mm in Niagara—with 1000 titles ranging from the classics of the film history canon to infamous disasterpieces; from home movies to decades-old newsreels; and including a wealth of rescued ephemeral: educational, advertising, and workplace training films.
Take in the ineffable warmth and richness of experiencing the moving image on film in NAC’s cozy Microcinema.
Hosted by Connor Wilkes, Ren Kangas, Sahar Saeidi
Presented with Winnipeg Film Group short
Mynarski Death Plummet
Matthew Rankin | Canada | 2014 | 8m
A completely hand-made historical micro-epic about the final minutes in the life of Winnipeg’s doomed Second World War hero, Andrew Mynarski (1916-1944). Composed of 21,000 hand-painted 35mm frames, Mynarski Death Plummet combines aviation agitprop with abstract animation to create a psychedelic photo-chemical war picture on the theme of self-sacrifice, infinity and jellyfish.
Matthew Rankin is a Canadian experimental filmmaker known for his reimagining of historical narratives. His early short films, like Mynarski Death Plummet, showcase his dedication to 16mm film, using its tactile qualities for a handcrafted, analog aesthetic. Through techniques like hand-painted frames and in-camera effects, Rankin blends archival elements with surreal animation. This approach laid the foundation for his acclaimed feature debut, The Twentieth Century (2019), which won multiple Canadian Screen Awards.
His latest feature, Universal Language (2024), screens on Saturday, November 16, at 7 PM at The Film House, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Universal Language has been selected as Canada’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
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