Le violon de Gaston (1974, Quebec)

After a couple of months of fairly steadily viewing the National Film Board's free offerings, I've compiled a list of films I've enjoyed. For now, though, I'll mention that this short film took me back to the days of playing hockey in the 70's and on first viewing, I actually found the film caused me to well-up with emotion.

Gaston's Recital (the 1981, dubbed-English version of the film) deserves an honourable mention in the toe-tapper category, for the song that Gaston's grandfather plays at the end of the film.

Look for at least two bloopers in the film. These stem from film footage shown in the wrong order, during the hockey game.

There is a "chase" scene in it that I love as well - and the associated music for it!

https://www.nfb.ca/film/gastons_recital

I really look forward to hearing some of your favorite NFB films. I will watch 'Le violon de Gaston' and give some comments - but I'm more interested in hearing why it impacted you.

Without over-thinking a response to why I was so moved by the film...

The 70's represents for me a time of music, song, dance, hockey and memories of a better life on several levels. But that same decade also represents 3 mother figures, a French-Canadian cultural loss, a much-missed "Mom," and much longing for a return to something lost or a refusal to accept something new.

The hockey part of the film - because I would have played during those years, with the same equipment and at rinks like the one in the film - brought things more to the surface about those years for me. (As would any 70's French-Canadian/Quebecois film or music, because of some heavy exposure to its culture at points in my early life and because I want to identify with that part of my heritage.)

There are moments in the film, such as the gesture of the bored and unimpressed girl watching the recital, or a sweet smile while Gaston's grandpa was playing at the end) that made me feel there might not have been a need for direction in some scenes - they seemed so genuine to me.

All this could be bunk. Maybe I was simply more emotional that night, and I used the film to release some of it???

I have to agree that the song that Gaston's grandfather plays at the end of the film is a true Toe Tapper.

As for the film, I also really enjoyed it. I most certainly gets the nod!