One of the creators of this year’s best-animated short film says he could ’not have made this film without’ the National Film Board of Canada, but its budget is projected to fall for the fifth consecutive year.

Chris Lavis on set behind the scenes of The Girl Who Cried Pearls. Levis credited the National Film Board with bringing attention to their 17-minute stop-motion puppet film, which won an Academy Award for best animated short film.Photograph courtesy of Martin Gros