Documentary backdrop image for I, Barnabé (2021)

202115 minPGdoc-short

I, Barnabé

202115 minPGdoc-short

In a small church, Barnabé grapples with existential doubt and a metaphysical visitation, prompting a profound reevaluation of his life's meaning through innovative animation.

Genres

Channel: NFB

I, Barnabé

2021• 15 minPG

Synopsis

In a small church, Barnabé grapples with existential doubt and a metaphysical visitation, prompting a profound reevaluation of his life's meaning through innovative animation.

Synopsis

Barnabé, a man grappling with feelings of emptiness and unhappiness, experiences a metaphysical visitation when lightning strikes the spire of his church, leading to the appearance of a mysterious bird. This event prompts him to reflect on his life and search for deeper meaning. Directed by Jean-François Lévesque, "I, Barnabé" employs a variety of animation techniques to vividly portray Barnabé's spiritual quest, showcasing intricate puppetry and detailed settings that enhance the narrative's exploration of personal truth.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Seth's Dominion (2014)

Seth's Dominion

2014•42m•★7.3TMDB

Directed by Luc Chamberland, this 2014 animated and live action film from the National Film Board of Canada focuses on the life and work of cartoonist Seth.

Seth's Dominion

A Journey | Experimental Documentary | Full Movie (2025)

A Journey | Experimental Documentary | Full Movie

In a non-verbal exploration, José Peña Coto's film examines the spiritual connections between humans, nature, and technology in contemporary society.

A Journey | Experimental Documentary | Full Movie

Lodela (2013)

Lodela

Inspired by myths of the afterlife, Philippe Baylaucq's experimental film explores the human body's movement as a metaphor for life and death.

Tales of Sand and Snow (2016)

Tales of Sand and Snow

An African filmmaker from the Gourmantche tribe of Burkina Faso engages with the Atikamekw of Northern Quebec to explore spiritual practices involving sand and snow.

Tales of Sand and Snow

How Death Came to Earth (2023)

How Death Came to Earth

A legend from India is brought to life through vibrant animation and music, exploring themes of gods, men, and the cosmos in Ishu Patel's artistic interpretation.

How Death Came to Earth

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert (2025)

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert

Quebecois filmmaker Pierre Hébert's innovative scratch-on-film technique is examined through his artistic evolution and reflections on history, identity, and mortality.

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert

Alter Egos (2013)

Alter Egos

A once-celebrated animator, Ryan Larkin, now panhandles on the streets of Montreal while Chris Landreth gains recognition for his own animation work.

Interview (2026)

Interview

In Patrick Watson's studio, filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski discuss the creation of their Oscar®-winning stop-motion film, featuring insights on 3D-printing and collaboration.

On the Ice Floe (2026)

On the Ice Floe

In Rimouski, Quebec, artist Joseph Kieffer collaborates with local ice fishermen to create unique weather vanes in exchange for their stories.

On the Ice Floe

Into the Spider Hole (2022)

Into the Spider Hole

Doug Huffman has spent between $30,000 and $40,000 on preparations for a potential economic collapse and the next great depression.

Into the Spider Hole

The Age of AI (2025)

The Age of AI

Artificial intelligence has transformed daily life through autonomous technologies, raising critical questions about its potential to enhance or endanger humanity's future.

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions (2021)

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions

William Shatner discusses apocalyptic predictions with a man fearing a 2012 super-volcano eruption, NASA experts on solar flares, and futurist Ray Kurzweil on robot takeovers.

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions

Explore I, Barnabé

Where else to watch

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die (2020)

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die

2020•1h14m•★7.1TMDB

Héctor Babenco confronts his mortality while battling cancer, sharing intimate moments with his wife, Bárbara Paz, and reflecting on his legacy and art.

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die

The Animograph, or I Was Born in a Shoebox (2022)

The Animograph, or I Was Born in a Shoebox

2022•55m•★7.5TMDB

Jean Dejoux invented the animograph in the 1960s, a machine that aimed to change how animated stories were created and experienced.

The Animograph, or I Was Born in a Shoebox

Paradise (2014)

Paradise

2014•1h10m•★5.9TMDB

Seventy minutes of reflections on life experiences reveal how moments of happiness shape understanding of beauty and existence.

Jailbreak: Love on the Run (2024)

Jailbreak: Love on the Run

2024•1h29m•★6.4TMDB

A corrections officer risks her career and freedom to help a murder suspect escape from custody in Alabama's correctional system.

Jailbreak: Love on the Run

Fly (2024)

Fly

2024•1h53m•★7.2TMDB

Three couples engage in BASE jumping, a sport that poses life-threatening risks, as they navigate the challenges of love and commitment over seven years.

The Deepest Breath (2023)

The Deepest Breath

2023•1h48m•★7.6TMDB

Record-setting freediving champion Alessia Zecchini and safety diver Stephen Keenan prepare for a dive in the waters off Italy's coast.

The Deepest Breath

When the Persimmons Grew (2019)

When the Persimmons Grew

2019•1h58m•★5.0TMDB

In rural Azerbaijan, a mother reflects on her bond with her son amid existential conversations and the backdrop of impending winter.

When the Persimmons Grew

Browse more like this

How Death Came to Earth (2023)

How Death Came to Earth

A legend from India is brought to life through vibrant animation and music, exploring themes of gods, men, and the cosmos in Ishu Patel's artistic interpretation.

How Death Came to Earth

No digital watch option in your country

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert (2025)

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert

Quebecois filmmaker Pierre Hébert's innovative scratch-on-film technique is examined through his artistic evolution and reflections on history, identity, and mortality.

Scratches of Life: the Art of Pierre Hébert

No digital watch option in your country

Alter Egos (2013)

Alter Egos

A once-celebrated animator, Ryan Larkin, now panhandles on the streets of Montreal while Chris Landreth gains recognition for his own animation work.

No digital watch option in your country

On the Ice Floe (2026)

On the Ice Floe

In Rimouski, Quebec, artist Joseph Kieffer collaborates with local ice fishermen to create unique weather vanes in exchange for their stories.

On the Ice Floe

No digital watch option in your country

Into the Spider Hole (2022)

Into the Spider Hole

Doug Huffman has spent between $30,000 and $40,000 on preparations for a potential economic collapse and the next great depression.

Into the Spider Hole

No digital watch option in your country

The Age of AI (2025)

The Age of AI

Artificial intelligence has transformed daily life through autonomous technologies, raising critical questions about its potential to enhance or endanger humanity's future.

No digital watch option in your country

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions (2021)

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions

William Shatner discusses apocalyptic predictions with a man fearing a 2012 super-volcano eruption, NASA experts on solar flares, and futurist Ray Kurzweil on robot takeovers.

Witness the Most Terrifying End-of-the-World Predictions

No digital watch option in your country

Farrebique, or the Four Seasons (1947)

Farrebique, or the Four Seasons

1947•1h31m•★6.9TMDB

Explore a French farm family's life through the changing seasons.

Farrebique, or the Four Seasons

L'art de de s'egarer ou l'image du bonheur (2015)

L'art de de s'egarer ou l'image du bonheur

2015•46m•★10.0TMDB

Walter Benjamin retraced his final path from Cerberus to Port-Bou on the day he took his own life in 1940.

L'art de de s'egarer ou l'image du bonheur

Audience of One (2007)

Audience of One

2007•1h28m•★7.2TMDB

A Pentecostal minister and his church members face eviction and a lawsuit after failing to secure financing for their ambitious fantasy film project.

Audience of One

The Man Who Made Angels Fly (2013)

The Man Who Made Angels Fly

2013•1h4m•★7.0TMDB

Four puppets, including Don Quixote and Antigone, come to life through the artistry of puppeteer Michael Meschke in a 64-minute exploration of human experience.

The Man Who Made Angels Fly

Obscure Night - Goodbye Here, Anywhere (2023)

Obscure Night - Goodbye Here, Anywhere

2023•3h3m•★5.5TMDB

In Melilla, Moroccan miner Malik and his friends face the perils of migration while trying to reach Europe for a better future.

Obscure Night - Goodbye Here, Anywhere

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →