Directing

Janet Perlman

Known for

Directing

Credits

34 titles

Janet Laurie Perlman is a Canadian animator and children's book author and illustrator whose work includes the short film The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 54th Academy Awards and received a Parents' Choice Award. Her 13 short films have received 60 awards to date.

Known for

No artwork available
10.0

A collection of 7 animation short films inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Each NFB award-winning film, in their peculiar way, deals with children's rights and addresses various aspects of the Convention.

Children First!

1996

Why Me? poster
6.6

Nesbitt Spoon, who's a bit of a nebbish, tells us about his day, which is fairly average up until the moment that his doctor tells him he has only five minutes left to live.

Why Me?

1978

Inside the Hothouse 2 poster
NR

An informal look into the personalities and frenzy behind the second edition of the NFB Animation Hothouse. The six Hothouse filmmakers and their NFB collaborators comment on the nature of auteur animation, the place and role of the NFB in that world and the excitement and fear of making a first professional film.

Inside the Hothouse 2

2004

Bully Dance poster
7.0

The "stick people" in Bully Dance are imaginary, but this gritty tale is all too familiar. Like the dance beat pulsating throughout the film, the bully's intimidation of a smaller victim is unrelenting; no one stops the dance until serious harm is inflicted. While Bully Dance offers no simple solutions, it does compel viewers--teachers, parents and children--to take stock of their actions and to find ways to end peer abuse.

Bully Dance

2000

The One-Minute Memoir poster
NR

When Academy Award®–winning animator and painter Joan Gratz asked eleven filmmakers if they would contribute to an omnibus film, she wasn’t sure what to expect—after prompting them to make a “one-minute memoir,” she let them figure out the rest. The One-Minute Memoir is the exuberant result: eleven stories ranging from the heartfelt to the absurd, all reflective of each director’s personal style.

The One-Minute Memoir

2020

Invasion of the Space Lobsters poster
5.0

When an advanced race of giant lobsters from outer space land on Earth, no one can figure out why they've come. A complete failure to communicate on both ends leads to panic and pandemonium. Why are they here? What do they want? In this clever throwback to the ‘50s B-movie, a small neighbourhood learns the value of clear communication.

Invasion of the Space Lobsters

2005

Film credits

Behind the camera

No artwork available
10.0

A collection of 7 animation short films inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Each NFB award-winning film, in their peculiar way, deals with children's rights and addresses various aspects of the Convention.

Children First!

1996

Why Me? poster
6.6

Nesbitt Spoon, who's a bit of a nebbish, tells us about his day, which is fairly average up until the moment that his doctor tells him he has only five minutes left to live.

Why Me?

1978

Bully Dance poster
7.0

The "stick people" in Bully Dance are imaginary, but this gritty tale is all too familiar. Like the dance beat pulsating throughout the film, the bully's intimidation of a smaller victim is unrelenting; no one stops the dance until serious harm is inflicted. While Bully Dance offers no simple solutions, it does compel viewers--teachers, parents and children--to take stock of their actions and to find ways to end peer abuse.

Bully Dance

2000

The One-Minute Memoir poster
NR

When Academy Award®–winning animator and painter Joan Gratz asked eleven filmmakers if they would contribute to an omnibus film, she wasn’t sure what to expect—after prompting them to make a “one-minute memoir,” she let them figure out the rest. The One-Minute Memoir is the exuberant result: eleven stories ranging from the heartfelt to the absurd, all reflective of each director’s personal style.

The One-Minute Memoir

2020

Invasion of the Space Lobsters poster
5.0

When an advanced race of giant lobsters from outer space land on Earth, no one can figure out why they've come. A complete failure to communicate on both ends leads to panic and pandemonium. Why are they here? What do they want? In this clever throwback to the ‘50s B-movie, a small neighbourhood learns the value of clear communication.

Invasion of the Space Lobsters

2005

Invasion of the Space Lobsters poster
5.0

When an advanced race of giant lobsters from outer space land on Earth, no one can figure out why they've come. A complete failure to communicate on both ends leads to panic and pandemonium. Why are they here? What do they want? In this clever throwback to the ‘50s B-movie, a small neighbourhood learns the value of clear communication.

Invasion of the Space Lobsters

2005

Penguins Behind Bars poster
7.2

Penguins Behind Bars is an Adult Swim special, adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Janet Perlman, that aired only once on July 20th 2003. The Short follows Doris Fairfeather, a female penguin who is framed for robbery by her boyfriend and sent to an all-girl prison.

Penguins Behind Bars

2003

Penguins Behind Bars poster
7.2

Penguins Behind Bars is an Adult Swim special, adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Janet Perlman, that aired only once on July 20th 2003. The Short follows Doris Fairfeather, a female penguin who is framed for robbery by her boyfriend and sent to an all-girl prison.

Penguins Behind Bars

2003

Penguins Behind Bars poster
7.2

Penguins Behind Bars is an Adult Swim special, adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Janet Perlman, that aired only once on July 20th 2003. The Short follows Doris Fairfeather, a female penguin who is framed for robbery by her boyfriend and sent to an all-girl prison.

Penguins Behind Bars

2003

The Girl with the Red Beret poster
NR

A girl takes a wild ride on the metro in Montreal. Travelling from station to station, she encounters an array of colourful characters in a bizarre musical journey that’s peppered with hilarious and unexpected incidents. This joyful, heartwarming animated film portrays Montreal in all its vitality, creativity and diversity, with plenty of humour and good cheer, to the tune of Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s timeless hit “Complainte pour Ste-Catherine.”

The Girl with the Red Beret

2023

The Girl with the Red Beret poster
NR

A girl takes a wild ride on the metro in Montreal. Travelling from station to station, she encounters an array of colourful characters in a bizarre musical journey that’s peppered with hilarious and unexpected incidents. This joyful, heartwarming animated film portrays Montreal in all its vitality, creativity and diversity, with plenty of humour and good cheer, to the tune of Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s timeless hit “Complainte pour Ste-Catherine.”

The Girl with the Red Beret

2023

The Elephant poster
NR

An elephant asks Nesbitt for directions to the zoo, but won't listen to him long enough.

The Elephant

1982

The Elephant poster
NR

An elephant asks Nesbitt for directions to the zoo, but won't listen to him long enough.

The Elephant

1982

No artwork available
NR

Animators were asked to submit ideas based on the theme, "Do the Right Thing". This story is based on the director's experience of losing her chair while working in the National Film Board's animation studio. This film also explores the many uses for a carrot.

Hot Seat

2008

Egg poster
NR

Everyone loves Egg! Egg is a super-cool barely-moving quality cartoon property dude with no feet and no face. Along with his trusty invisible sidekicks Druid Droid and Spirit Spork, Egg travels the galaxy looking for zany adventures with other quality cartoon properties. Who knows what crazy thing will happen next? This is Egg's first screen test. Watch it over and over! New exciting adventures are coming soon!

Egg

2010

Monsieur Pug poster
6.0

Who is Monsieur Pug? Why, a dog with bad cholesterol and high blood pressure! And a dog who loves his pie and ice cream. Who relaxes by making origami. In other words, definitely not your ordinary pooch! For he’s also a paranoiac, convinced he’s the target in a vast conspiracy, and pretending to be a pet, the better to hide from his pursuers. Schizoid, perhaps? Hmm… but is Monsieur Pug even a real dog to begin with?

Monsieur Pug

2014

Poets on Film No. 1 poster
8.0

This short film brings together animated interpretations of four poems by great Canadian wordsmiths: "Riverdale Lion" by John Robert Colombo, "A Kite Is a Victim" by Leonard Cohen, "Klaxon" by James Reaney and George Johnston’s "The Bulge."

Poets on Film No. 1

1977

The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin poster
7.2

Cinderella has to stay home while her evil stepsisters go to the ball. You know the rest except everyone here is a penguin (even the mice that become the "horses") and the lost slipper is more like a swimming flipper.

The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin

1981

Poets on Film No. 2 poster
7.0

This short film brings together animated interpretations of 4 poems by great Canadian wordsmiths: “From the Hazel Bough” by Earle Birney, “Travellers Palm” by P.K. Page, “Death by Streetcar” by Raymond Souster, and “A Said Poem” by John Robert Colombo.

Poets on Film No. 2

1977

Lady Fishbourne's Complete Guide to Better Table Manners poster
9.0

This short animation features four guests of curious demeanour who commit unforgivable acts at the dining table. Food flies everywhere while the guests prop their feet up and talk with their mouths full. Thankfully, Lady Fishbourne’s eating etiquette instructions will show these dinner party misfits the error of their ways.

Lady Fishbourne's Complete Guide to Better Table Manners

1976

Let’s Play Like It’s 1949 poster
NR

Herb won’t share his chemistry set with Jimmy. Do you think that’s right? I don’t.

Let’s Play Like It’s 1949

2016

King Kong vs. Pinocchio poster
NR

Diplomacy fails and tensions mount when two cultural icons battle for no reason. In this blockbuster action adventure, egos explode on two islands—one volcanic, the other municipal.

King Kong vs. Pinocchio

2025

King Kong vs. Pinocchio poster
NR

Diplomacy fails and tensions mount when two cultural icons battle for no reason. In this blockbuster action adventure, egos explode on two islands—one volcanic, the other municipal.

King Kong vs. Pinocchio

2025

King Kong vs. Pinocchio poster
NR

Diplomacy fails and tensions mount when two cultural icons battle for no reason. In this blockbuster action adventure, egos explode on two islands—one volcanic, the other municipal.

King Kong vs. Pinocchio

2025

Dinner For Two poster
6.8

Frogs, birds, lizards, a snake, alligators, and a lot of insects inhabit a pond; everyone's ready to eat. Two tenacious lizards catch the same fly, inciting a protracted tug-of-war.

Dinner For Two

1996

Dinner For Two poster
6.8

Frogs, birds, lizards, a snake, alligators, and a lot of insects inhabit a pond; everyone's ready to eat. Two tenacious lizards catch the same fly, inciting a protracted tug-of-war.

Dinner For Two

1996

Dinner For Two poster
6.8

Frogs, birds, lizards, a snake, alligators, and a lot of insects inhabit a pond; everyone's ready to eat. Two tenacious lizards catch the same fly, inciting a protracted tug-of-war.

Dinner For Two

1996

Sorry Film Not Ready poster
1.0

A short funny self-referential film that is left purposely unfinished. It incorporates experimental animation techniques invisible to the naked eye.

Sorry Film Not Ready

2010

Beatbox Anima Mundi 2019 poster
NR

The official signal film for Anima Mundi 2019

Beatbox Anima Mundi 2019

2019

I Want To Go Home poster
NR

Buckle your seat belts! This cosmic narrative will flash before your eyes at the speed of light, as long as you stay seated and don’t leave.

I Want To Go Home

2013

My Favorite Things That I Love poster
6.7

A visual and musical celebration of beautiful, sweet, sad, noble, adorable, glamorous and abominable things.

My Favorite Things That I Love

1994