Annual film festival in Toronto, Ontario
The Canadian Film Festival , formerly known as the Canadian Filmmakers Festival , is an annual film festival in Toronto , Ontario .[1] Canadian independent films,[2]
The festival was launched in 2004, and ran annually until 2008 at the Royal Cinema .[3] [4] Scotiabank Theatre since 2017.[5]
The festival was formed in association with the Toronto International Film Festival Group, but operates independently of TIFF. It serves commonly, but not exclusively, as the Toronto premiere venue for films which premiered elsewhere on the Canadian or international film festival circuits in the previous year but have not yet screened in Toronto, although it also serves as the premiere venue for some films.
The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada ; instead, the organizers partnered with the pay TV service Super Channel to provide television and streaming broadcasts of the films that had been slated to screen at the festival.[6] [7]
Films
2014
Features
Afterparty — Michelle OuelletThe Birder — Ted BezaireH & G — Danishka Esterhazy Patch Town Play the Film — Alec TollerThe Privileged — Leah Walker
Shorts
Bastards — Jeremy LaLonde De Puta Madre: A Love Story — Catherine BlackEphemeral — Rebecca DavisThe Golden Ticket — Patrick HagartyGumshoes — Reese EveneshenKate — Illya KlymkiwThe Last Supper — Jonathan EaganMargaret Finds Her Mojo — Brett HeardMy Old Man — Ryan M. AndrewsPeter and Jane Know Some of the Same People — Chris RemerowskiThe Prince — Francesco GianniniSnapshots — Brian StocktonSurvival Guide — Phil ConnellUncommon Enemies — Alex Hatz
2015
Features
2016
Features
Shorts
Divorce Photographer — Christine BuijsDude, Where's My Ferret? — Alison ParkerDuty Calls — Jackie EnglishThe Floaters — Nick WilsonFlung — Christopher Warre SmetsThe Girl Next Door — Peter MabruccoJulia Julep — Alana CymermanKeystone — Ian FosterLooking for Today — Dylan Rayne FitzgeraldOnto Us — Natty Zavitz Pit — Jonathan SteckleyShavasana — Ian MacmillanStatic — Tanya LemkeSynapse Dance — Karen SuzukiWinter Hymns — Dusty Mancinelli Worst.Day.Ever. — Adam Goldhammer
2017
Features
Shorts
A.O.K. — Aris AthanasopoulosThe Bakebook — Suri ParmarThe Cameraman — Connor Gaston Come Back — Hannah Anderson, Aidan ShipleyCompanionship — Zachary Ramelan, Alex LoubertFarm Is a Four-Letter Word — Ryan CouldreyGrocery Store Action Movie — Matthew CampbellI Love You So Much It's Killing Them — Joel Ashton McCarthyMagic Mushrooms — Sean WainsteimMilk — Winnifred JongParent, Teacher — Roman TchjenRainfall — Efehan ElbiShe Came Knocking — John AinslieSleeping In — Denis DuludeSunny Side Up — Caitlin DosaTime Out — Navin RamaswaranTuesday, 10:08 a.m. — Thomas Pepper, Jane Tattersall Ways to Water — Kit WeymanWelcome Stranger — Brit Kewin
2018
Features
Shorts
As Long As It Takes (Le temps qu'il faut) — Abeille TardBefore the Day — Paul McGillionBreathing Through a Straw — Leigh RivenbarkCancel the Fucking Internet — Ryan KayetThe Catch C.P.R. — Clara AltimasDinette — Christopher LazarEmmy — Hannah Cheesman Friends on Facebook — Chris RossGame — Joy WebsterGood Hands — Lauren VandenbrookI Love You More — Kevin HartfordThe Last Goodbye — James BendaMartin's Hagge — Penny EizengaMust Kill Karl — Joe KicakNewborn — Ray SavayaProm Night — Samantha MacAdamPurl — Ian MacmillanSlap Happy — Madeleine Sims-Fewer , Dusty Mancinelli The Things You Think I'm Thinking Sherren Lee
2019
Features
Shorts
Among the Soil — Francis LutaBe My Guest — David JermynBrave Little Army — Michelle D’Alessandro HattCase of the Massey Bodice Ripping — Karen KnoxChristmas Green — Clara AltimasClaire — Spencer RyersonDarkside — Erin Carter, Sam CoyleThe Desolation Prize — Shane DayDotage — Cat HostickDuck Duck Goose — Shelley Thompson Engaged to be Engaged — Joseph CovelloHang Up! — Richard PowellHome in Time — Patrick HagartyI Beat Up My Rapist — Katrina SavilleKeep Coming Back — Brendan BradyMoon Dog — Chala HunterNo. 3: In the Absence of Angels — Camille Hollett-FrenchOne Leg In, One Leg Out — Lisa Rideout The Riveters — Kate FelixA Snake Marked — Juan RiedingerScreaming on the Inside — Salar Pashtoonyar Shuttlecock — Melanie JonesSpatss! — Régis LoiselSpooning — Rebecca ApplebaumTake Your Mark — Scott CavalheiroTerminally in Love — Emily Jenkins, Justin BlackThis Is Not a Drill — Ravi SteveWith You Always — Angela BesharahWoman in Stall — Madeleine Sims-Fewer , Dusty Mancinelli
Awards
Best Feature: The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova [17]
Best Short: Terminally in Love [17]
William F. White Reel Canadian Indie: Honey Bee [17]
People's Pick: Wolves Unleashed: Against All Odds [17]
DGC Ontario Best Director: Zack Bernbaum, The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova [17]
ReTake Furniture Rentals Best Set and Production Design: Terminally in Love [17]
Best Actor in a Feature: Aaron Abrams , Nose to Tail [17]
Best Actor in a Short: Krista Morin, Spooning [17]
Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking: Wolves Unleashed: Against All Odds [17]
Best Short, Honorable Mention: No. 3: In the Absence of Angels
Harold Greenberg Script Competition: Stephen Sloot, Harold Doesn't Die [17]
2020
Features
Shorts
8+ Weeks — Mike Mildon20:12 — Kevin Champagne Lessard20 Minutes to Life — Veronika KurzAge of Dysphoria — Jessica PetelleAlong the Water's Edge — Jonathan ElliottThe Bear and the Beekeeper — Kristina MileskaBecause One Day — Aref MahabadiBlue in Hollywood — James GanglBuzzard — Joy WebsterChubby — Madeleine Sims-Fewer , Dusty Mancinelli Death of the Party — Melanie JonesEveryone's Leaving Us — Jessie GabeFor the Best — Madeline WahlHeart Bomb (Une bombe au cœur)Rémi St-Michel Hypernova — Tate YoungJoey — Jessica Hinkson, Laura NordinLiminal — Dan AbramoviciPlush — Anna Jane EdmondsPressure Play — Eric BizzarriThe Red Bicycle — Fazila AmiriShoegazer — Isa BennStealing from Stoners — Cameron LaPrairie, Brett MortonSwimmers — Chris RossTips — Mercedes PapaliaYou Too, Chuckles — Kevin Hartford
Unscreened
Several films had been planned for the festival lineup, but were not able to be screened due to the shift from physical to broadcast screening. However, the films were still screened for the jury, and remained eligible for the festival awards.
All About Who You Know — Jake HorowitzNail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro — Michael PasztUnidentified Woman — Katrina SavilleYou Hired a Hitman — Ravi Steve
Awards
Best Feature - Shoot to Marry [18]
William F White Reel Canadian Indie - Queen of the Morning Calm [18]
Best Short - Liminal [18]
ReTAKE Best Set Design - The Bear and the Beekeeper
DGC Ontario’s Best Director - Gloria Ui Young Kim, Queen of the Morning Calm [18]
Best Breakout Performance - Maya Harman, Chubby ; Eponine Lee, Queen of the Morning Calm [18]
Editing - Nail in the Coffin
Best New Voice - Isa Benn, Shoegazer [18]
Cinematography - François Messier-Rheault, Heart Bomb (Une bombe au cœur)
Best Music - Alex Bird, Because One Day
2021
Features
Shorts
1978 — Hamza Bangash Acting Out — Jean-Sébastien Beaudoin-GagnonAin't No Time for Women (Y'a pas d'heure pour les femmes)Sarra El Abed Aniksha Vincent Toi Bad Omen Salar Pashtoonyar Birdie — Alexandre LefebvreBreakout — Kevin HartfordClothing (Les vêtements)Danica's Mom — Kennedy KaoThe First Goodbye — Ali MashayekhiThe Flexed Arm Hang — Findlay BrownGirls Shouldn't Walk Alone at Night (Les filles ne marchent pas seules la nuit)Katerine Martineau Goodbye Golovin Inuit Languages of the 21st Century — Ulivia UvilukJust for the Record — Vojin VasovicThe Kall — Barbara Mamabolo Mister Cachemire (Monsieur Cachemire) — Iouri Philippe PailléMoon (Lune)Zoé Pelchat Nothing Pretty Here (Rien de beau ici) — Gabrielle Vigneault-GendronOf Memory and Debris (De memoria y escombros) — Rodrigo MichelangeliOtanimm-Onnimm (Father/Daughter) — Neko Wong-Houle, Terrance HouleThe Pond, at Night (L'Étang, la nuit) — Olivia BoudreauThe Room — Sami Mermer , Houman ZolfaghariRoseline Like in the Movies (Roseline comme dans les films) — Sara BourdeauThe Sky is Blue, Katlhoum — Darani UrgessaThe Trip — Mikizi Migona PapatieWish — Ingrid Veninger With Feeling — Gillian McKercher The World to Come — Josh Fagen
Awards
Best Feature - Sugar Daddy [19]
EDA Foundation Best Producer - Salar Pashtoonyar, Bad Omen [19]
Best Short - Jean-Sébastien Beaudoin-Gagnon, Acting Out [19]
DGC Ontario Best Director - Wendy Morgan, Sugar Daddy [19]
ReTAKE Furniture Rental Best Set Design - White Elephant [19]
William F. White Reel Canadian Indie - Events Transpiring Before, During, and After a High School Basketball Game [19]
Best Ensemble - White Elephant [19]
Best Music - Marie-Hélène L. Delorme , Sugar Daddy [19]
Best Performance - Kelly McCormack , Sugar Daddy [19]
Best Director (Short) - Katerine Martineau, Girls Shouldn't Walk Alone at Night [19]
Best Performance, Female (Short) - Joanie Martel, Moon (Lune) [19]
Best Performance, Male (Short) - Éric Bernier, Mister Cachemire (Monsieur Cachemire) [19]
Breakout Performance (Short) - Amaryllis Tremblay , Girls Shouldn't Walk Alone at Night [19]
Best Screenplay - Samuel Cartin, Mister Cachemire (Monsieur Cachemire) [19]
2022
Features
Shorts
Ahu's Journal — Weeda AzimAska — Clara MiloBeast — Benjamin NicolasBleach — Mattias GrahamDecomposing — Nessa ArefDefund Araya Mengesha Feeling the Apocalypse — Chen Sing Yapfufu — Omolola Ajao god@mail.com — Roger GariépyI Hate You — Taylor Olson , KoumbieIn the Fray — Allyson GlennIn the Jam Jar Joutel Alexa-Jeanne Dubé Mimine Not My Age — Kaitlyn LeeNuisance Bear On the Fence — Paula Ner DormiendoOpération Carcajou — Nicolas KriefProximity — Jamie MillerRent Do — Gavin Michael BoothSee You, Garbage! (Au plaisir les ordures!) — Romain DumontThe Eternal Chaos of Allan Andre — Stephane MukunziThe Future Innu (L'Innu du futur) — Stéphane NeptonThings We Feel But Do Not Say — Lauren GrantTrophy — Sandra CoppolaWe Don't Need Your Kind — Kennedy KaoWhite Rose — Marilou Caravecchia-PelletierWoodpecker — Kevin T. Landry
Awards
Best Feature - Carmen
Best Short - See You, Garbage!
DGC Ontario Best Director - Marie Geneviève Chabot, Beneath the Surface
ReTAKE Furniture Rental Best Set Design - The Noise of Engines
William F. White Reel Canadian Indie - Ashgrove
Best Ensemble - Ashgrove
Best Music - Tenzin
Best Breakthrough Performance - Tenzin Kelsang, Tenzin
Best Producer (Short) - Asad Chaudhry, On the Fence
Best Acting Ensemble (Short) - I Hate You
Best Cinematography (Short) - Sam Holling, Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman, Nuisance Bear
2023
Features
Shorts
Alex — Aisha Evelyna Amani — Alliah FafinBach Ma — Darlene HuynhCall Me Daddy — Amanda de SouzaCorvine — Sean McCarronDesi Standard Time Travel — Kashif PastaThe English Teacher — Jeremy James FokuohEverything Will Be All Right — Farhad PakdelFursona — Alyssia Labbé-HervieuxGreat Seeing You — Holly PrunerJunior's Giant Paula Brancati Majboor-E-Mamool — Haaris QadriMenace — Joy WebsterMomma's Boy — Sonny AtkinsNo Bedroom — Ryan LeeduOctober 5th — Lily LabelleQuiet Minds Silent Streets — Karen ChapmanRachel and Raha — Nedda SarsharShallots and Garlic — Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto Sissy — Caleb Harwood, Simon PaluckSoap — Lulu Wei The Temple There Are No Children Here — Shehrezade MianThere Was Nothing — Alexandre LavigneThe Untouchable — Avazeh Shahnavaz
Awards
Best Feature - Babysitter [23]
Best Short - Menace [23]
DGC Ontario Best Director - Adrian Murray, Retrograde [23]
ReTAKE Furniture Rental Best Set Design - Babysitter [23]
William F. White Reel Canadian Indie - Bloom (Jouvencelles) [23]
Best Screenplay - How to Get Your Parents to Divorce (Pas d'chicane dans ma cabane!) [23]
Best Ensemble - How to Get Your Parents to Divorce (Pas d'chicane dans ma cabane!) [23]
People's Pick for Best Flick - Polarized [23]
Best Documentary Short - Quiet Minds Silent Streets [23]
Best Performance - Eric Peterson , Junior's Giant [23]
Best Breakthrough Performance - Cassandra Paige, No Bedroom [23]
Best Producer (Short) - Shyam Valera, Desi Standard Time Travel [23]
Best Acting Ensemble (Short) - The Untouchable [23]
Best Cinematography (Short) - There Was Nothing [23]
2024
Features
Shorts
Aftercare — Anubha MominAhu — Mahsa RazaviBibi's Dog Is Dead — Shervin KermaniBleak as the Setting Sun — Joanna DeccBoat People — Thao Lam , Kjell Boersma Breathe — Kimberly Miller-PryceCapsule — Dani Kind Children of War — Salar Pashtoonyar Dead Cat — Annie-Claude Caron, Danick AudetDesync — Minerva NavascaDon't Forget Me — Alice WangEITR — Fateema Al-Hamaydeh MillerEphemera — Cici ClancyErase & Rewind — Lauren GrantFish Boy — Christopher YipThe Future Above Us — Vanessa MagicGrenfell Adrift on an Iceberg — John HollandsHello Anson — Yvonne SungHere and There (D'Ici, d'ailleurs) — Chadi BennaniHot Local Singles Are in Your Area — Peter SreckovicI Never Promised You a Jasmine Garden — Teyama AlkamliIn the Heat — Samuel ChouIn the Whiteness — Niya Ahmed AbdullahiKatshinau (Les Mains sales)Julien G. Marcotte , Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush Khastegari — Camil GhajaryThe Last Rhino (Le Dernier rhinocéros) — Guillaume HarveyMum — Julia PateyNosocomephilia — Michèle KayeReturn to Hairy Hill (Retour à Hairy Hill)Redlights — Eva ThomasRock the Cradle — Asis SethiSaint Bernard — Luke SargentSeance for a Close Friend — Ammar KeshodiaThe Steak — Kiarash DadgarStill Waters — Katia Café-FébrissyTable for Three — Joseph ChungThree Trees — M.R. Horhager, Aaron HongThe Tweetations Revue — Fraser CollinsUnibrow — Nedda SarsharUntil You Die (Jusqu’à ce que tu meures)Virga — Jean-François LeblancWhat Good Canadians Do — Stephanie Joline When You Know You...Know? — Katie UhlmannThe Whipping Boy — Victor OlyXie Xie, Ollie — James Michael Chiang
Awards
Best Feature - With Love and a Major Organ [24]
Best Short - Redlights [24]
DGC Ontario Best Director - Anna Fahr, Valley of Exile [24]
William F. White Reel Canadian Indie - Doubles [24]
Best Screenplay - Jonas Chernick and Diana Frances, The Burning Season [24]
People's Pick for Best Flick - Doubles [24]
Best Leading Performance - Taylor Olson, Look At Me [24]
Best Supporting Performance - Errol Sitahal , Doubles [24]
Best Animated Short - Boat People [24]
Best Comedy Short - Dead Cat [24]
Best Documentary Short - Hello Anson [24]
Best Writing (Short) - Charles Dionne, Virga [24]
Best Producer (Short) - Kiarash Dadgar, The Steak [24]
Best Comedy Performance (Short) - EITR [24]
Best Dramatic Performance (Short) - Gauri Prasad, Rock the Cradle [24] 
