Ottawa Int. Animation Festival: The Racoons – Celebrating 40 Years in the Evergreen Forest

Step behind the scenes into the world of animation at Animation Exposé! This incredible day at the National Arts Centre offers a rare look at how your favourite films and shows come to life. Meet the artists, studios, and storytellers shaping the industry today, and explore how imagination turns into art, frame by frame. From hands-on demos to inspiring conversations, whether you’re a casual fan or a budding creator, discover pathways to celebrate or turn your passion for animation into a career. Animation Exposé is a vibrant showcase—an exposé in the truest sense—of the talent, tools, and ideas behind the screen.

*****

From Christmas special to global cult classic, The Raccoons is one of Canada’s most beloved animated series—and it all started in Ottawa. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the series, creator Kevin Gillis shares the behind-the-scenes story of how the series came to life—from its earliest concept stages and partnerships with CBC, to the music, animation, and values that shaped a generation of viewers.

Gillis is joined by Ottawa writer and animation historian Dan Lalande, with CBC Ottawa’s Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco moderating the conversation. The panel will also explore the 2023 4K restoration process and how the show continues to find new audiences through platforms like YouTube, Boomerang, CRAVE, and BritBox.

Whether you grew up in the Evergreen Forest or are discovering it for the first time, this is a rare chance to hear directly from the creator behind a true Canadian animation classic.

Guest Speakers:

Kevin Gillis, President & Executive Producer, Run With Us Productions

Dan C. Lalande, Freelance Writer

Moderated by: 

Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco, Host, CBC