Torrington has some 240 residents – and one unusual tourist attraction

The World Famous Gopher Hole MuseumThe passion and puppetry of Ronnie BurkettËdhä Dädhëcha̧ | Moosehide SlideDeerwoods deathtrapThe art of museum dioramasArctic summerOnce the dust has settledThe art of eatingThe lady and the owlWalter Potter: the man who married kittensThis short documentary is an oddly endearing portrait of Torrington, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada, and the institution at its heart: the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum. Opened in 1996, the tourist attraction features taxidermied Richardson’s ground squirrels assembled into hand-crafted dioramas that recreate scenes from the town’s past – including its many shops and gathering places. The film’s guide is Dianne Kurta, the museum’s long-time curator, who at the time of filming was stepping back due to health issues. As she showcases dioramas depicting a Torrington that no longer exists, the film shifts from a quirky small-town portrait into a bittersweet meditation on the struggle to remember and be remembered, and the inevitability of change.Directors: Chelsea McMullan, Douglas NaylerProducer: Kylie McMullanWebsite: CBC DocsvideoArtA puppeteer makes sense of an overwhelming world by shrinking it down to size5 minutesvideoKnowledgeAn Indigenous myth and a geological survey elicit two ways of knowing one place4 minutesvideoFamily lifeFifty years ago, a train collided with Jack and Betty’s car. Here’s how they remember it9 minutesvideoAnimals and humansThere’s a gentle artistry to a museum taxidermist’s craft8 minutesvideoEcology and environmental sciencesLife in one of Canada’s northernmost villages, where the land is sinking into the sea24 minutesvideoTechnology and the selfIn the town once named Asbestos, locals ponder the voids industry left in its wake16 minutesvideoFood and drinkIs a ‘gastronomic society’ dinner the height of decadence, or an act of artistry?11 minutesvideoAnimals and humansA gentle stroll through an owl sanctuary might just restore your faith in humanity28 minutesvideoArtLong before internet posts of cute animals, there were Victorian taxidermy tableaux19 minutes