The Frédéric Back animation cels span the years 1978-1996. The collection consists of original cels from CRAC (1981), THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES (1987), THE MIGHTY RIVER (1993), and TOUT-RIEN (1980), as well as a scenario for THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES and a small amount of biographical material. The biographical material consists of programs from film festivals and retrospectives.

Frédéric Back (1924-2013) was born in Saarbrücken, Germany, and began studying art in Paris in 1938. The following year he transferred to the Rennes School of Fine Arts in Brittany, France, where he remained until 1945. In 1948 Back moved to Montréal, where he taught for four years. In 1952 he joined the graphics department of Radio-Canada and has remained with the corporation in one capacity or another ever since. After working in a variety of positions ranging from illustrator to set designer, Back joined the animated film section in 1968. The first short he made was ABRACADABRA (1970), followed by INON OU LA CONQUETE DU FEU (1971). He has won two Academy Awards for animated short films, one for CRAC (1981) and the other for THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES (1987), and has received nominations for ALL NOTHING (TOUT-RIEN) (1980) and THE MIGHTY RIVER (1993).