Press release

TORONTO—HarperCollinsCanada announced today a partnership with the National Film Board of Canada to publish an e-book edition of the critically-acclaimed NFB interactive documentary WELCOME TO PINE POINT.  This first collaboration, which is available now via all platforms and wherever e-books are sold, sets the stage for potential future collaborations between the two agencies.

WELCOME TO PINE POINT, created by the NFB and Vancouver writing duo Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons (aka The Goggles), received wide critical acclaim. The e-book and the interactive documentary chronicle the fate of the short-lived planned settlement town of Pine Point in the Northwest Territories in the 1980’s. The town has completely disappeared, but the memories, infused by the remarkable coincidence of time, place and people, are immortalized in a unique media experience that is at once a book, scrapbook, video log and work of art. Literary icon Douglas Coupland called the project “totally brilliant.”

“Welcome to Pine Point is one of the most compelling and creative efforts I’ve seen in a very long time,” said Steve Osgoode, Vice President of Digital Product at HarperCollinsCanada. “The NFB has such a rich collection of work from Canadian legends and cutting-edge artists alike. We hope to push the boundaries of e-books into something no one has ever experienced before. I’m really excited about the future of this partnership.”

“The NFB is committed to experimenting with new forms of storytelling, and we are thrilled that this production will be discovered by a whole other audience,” said Jérôme Dufour, Director General of Distribution, Marketing and Communication at the NFB.  “The Goggles’ inventive approach to this poignant story made Welcome to Pine Point a natural fit for this exciting partnership. We look forward to exploring further opportunities with HarperCollinsCanada as it innovates the e-book experience”

The WELCOME TO PINE POINT app can be accessed here, or via the WELCOME TO PINE POINT website, here.

 

HarperCollinsCanada imprints include HarperCollinsPublishers, HarperPerennial, Collins, HarperTrophyCanada HarperWeekend, HarperAvenue and Patrick Crean Editions. These imprints publish the finest writers from Canada and around the world, including Lawrence Hill, Kenneth Oppel, David Bezmozgis, and Pulitzer Prize winners Richard Ford, Marilynne Robinson and Paul Harding. HarperCollins also publishes notable Canadian authors such as Amanda Lang, Jim Treliving, Justin Trudeau, Olivia Chow and Lloyd Robertson, and such internationally acclaimed authors as Hilary Mantel, Colum McCann, Michael Cunningham, Tim Flannery and Isabel Allende. HarperCollinsCanada publishes fiction, non-fiction, reference books and books for children.

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. NFB interactive productions and digital platforms have won 100 awards, including 10 Webbys. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for smartphones, tablets and connected TV.

 

For further information contact Rob Firing, Senior Director, Publicity & Communications at HarperCollinsCanada, 416-975-9334 ext. 2357. Email [email protected].

 

Jennifer Mair, publicist at the National Film Board of Canada, 416-954-2045. Email [email protected]