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Oh, Canada. Such a wonderful place to live – WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. A musical look into the artifice surrounding the Canadian identity.
Seamlessly shifting between English and French narration, the short film “Oh… Canada” offers a satirical take on how the travel industry glorifies the country, while its ground realities are far from the rosy images depicted in flashy ads. Here’s the catch: written and directed by Vincenzo Nappi, the film is styled as if it’s from the 1980s/90s, beginning with a duck that might remind some viewers of the 1984 light shooter video game “Duck Hunt” by Nintendo.
The cinematography presents a whimsical mix of animated animals—ducks, beavers, bison— reminiscent of old Cartoon Network shows, contrasted with eerie, overly cheerful humans singing Canada’s praises. In the second half, the patriotic anthem “O Canada” plays, once again blending English and French lyrics as the screen erupts into chaos, ranging from passive aggression to outright violence. The beaver, for instance, appears to symbolize immigrants; the narrator quips, “Canadians like to see the beaver as more of a neighbor than a pest.” Yet, ironically, the beaver is subjected to treatment far harsher than what even a pest would endure.
At just about six minutes long, “Oh… Canada” feels like a dystopian retro horror ad, seemingly made for a very niche audience. Who that audience is, I’m not entirely sure, but perhaps politically vocal Canadians disillusioned with the state of affairs in their country might appreciate Vincenzo Nappi’s work the most.
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