The Rogers Best Canadian Film Award is presented annually by the Toronto Film Critics Association to the film judged by the organization's members as the year's best Canadian film.[1] In 2012, the cash prize accompanying the award was increased to $100,000, making it the largest arts award in Canada. Each year, two runners-up also receive $5,000. The award is funded and presented by Rogers Communications, which is a founding sponsor of the association's awards gala.[2][3]

In 2023, the TFCA announced changes to the award. Instead of a single $100,000 prize presented to a mixed shortlist of narrative and documentary films, the organization will now present two $50,000 prizes, one for narrative features and one for documentaries.[4]

Unlike the other Toronto Film Critics Association awards, whose winners are announced in early January each year, the Best Canadian Film award only has its finalists announced at that time, and the winner of the award is then announced at the organization's gala in March.

Toronto Film Critics Poll

Prior to the official launch of the Toronto Film Critics Association in 1997, film critic Wyndham Wise coordinated two polls of Torontonian film critics in 1995 and 1996 through his magazine Take One to select the year's best Canadian films; upon the launch of the TFCA, this poll was discontinued and superseded by the TFCA's annual awards.

1995

Category Winners and nominees Ref
Best Film Rude — Damon D'Oliveira, Karen King [5]
Double Happiness — Steve Hegyes, Rose Lam Waddell [6]
When Night Is Falling — Barbara Tranter
Louis 19, King of the Airwaves (Louis 19, le roi des ondes) — Richard Sadler, Jacques Dorfmann
Best Director Clement Virgo, Rude [5]
Mina Shum, Double Happiness [6]
Charles Binamé, Eldorado
Patricia Rozema, When Night Is Falling
Best Actor Maury Chaykin, Whale Music [5]
Clark Johnson, Rude [6]
Maurice Dean Wint, Rude
Peter Williams, Soul Survivor
Best Actress Sandra Oh, Double Happiness [5]
Pascale Montpetit, Eldorado [6]
Pascale Bussières, Eldorado
Tracy Wright, Wasaga
Best Screenplay Mina Shum, Double Happiness [5]
Clement Virgo, Rude [6]
Émile Gaudreault, Sylvie Bouchard and Michel Michaud, Louis 19, King of the Airwaves (Louis 19, le roi des ondes)
Bruce McDonald, Don McKellar and John Frizzell, Dance Me Outside

1996

Category Winners and nominees Ref
Best Film Hard Core Logo [7]
Crash
Long Day's Journey into Night
The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)
Margaret's Museum
Curtis's Charm
Lilies
Once in a Blue Moon
The Suburbanators
Screamers
Best Director Robert Lepage, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)
Bruce McDonald, Hard Core Logo
David Cronenberg, Crash
David Wellington, Long Day's Journey into Night
Mort Ransen, Margaret's Museum
John L'Ecuyer, Curtis's Charm
John Greyson, Lilies
Gary Burns, The Suburbanators
Christian Duguay, Screamers
Peter Mettler, Picture of Light
Best Actor William Hutt, Long Day's Journey into Night
Callum Keith Rennie, Hard Core Logo
Hugh Dillon, Hard Core Logo
Lothaire Bluteau, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)
Maurice Dean Wint, Curtis's Charm
Tom McCamus, Long Day's Journey into Night
Brent Carver, Lilies
Elias Koteas, Crash
James Spader, Crash
Clive Russell, Margaret's Museum
Best Actress Martha Henry, Long Day's Journey into Night
Helena Bonham Carter, Margaret's Museum
Kate Nelligan, Margaret's Museum
Martha Burns, Long Day's Journey into Night
Deborah Kara Unger, Crash
Mary Beth Rubens, The Michelle Apartments
Deanna Milligan, Once in a Blue Moon
Tushka Bergen, Turning April
Kristin Scott Thomas, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)
Holly Hunter, Crash
Best Screenplay Noel S. Baker, Hard Core Logo
Robert Lepage, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)
Gerald Wexler, Mort Ransen, Margaret's Museum
Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey into Night
David Cronenberg, Crash
John L'Ecuyer, Curtis's Charm
Michel Marc Bouchard, Lilies
Gary Burns, The Suburbanators
Laurie Lynd and Daniel MacIvor, House
Dan O'Bannon and Miguel Tejada-Flores, Screamers
Best Documentary Picture of Light — Peter Mettler
Project Grizzly — Peter Lynch
Baseball Girls — Lois Siegel
Power — Magnus Isacsson

Toronto Film Critics Association

1990s

Year Film Director(s) Ref
1997 The Sweet Hereafter Atom Egoyan [8]
The Hanging Garden Thom Fitzgerald
1998 Last Night Don McKellar [9]
Nô Robert Lepage
The Red Violin François Girard
1999 Set Me Free Léa Pool [10]
Felicia's Journey Atom Egoyan

2000s

Year Film Director(s) Ref
2000 waydowntown Gary Burns [11]
Maelström Denis Villeneuve
2001 Last Wedding Bruce Sweeney [12]
Ginger Snaps John Fawcett
The Uncles James Allodi
2002 Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner Zacharias Kunuk [13]
FUBAR Michael Dowse
Soft Shell Man (Un crabe dans la tête) André Turpin
2003 Spider David Cronenberg [14]
2004 The Triplets of Belleville Sylvain Chomet [15]
2005 A History of Violence David Cronenberg [16]
2006 Manufactured Landscapes Jennifer Baichwal [17]
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen Zacharias Kunuk
Monkey Warfare Reginald Harkema
Six Figures David Christensen
2007 Away from Her Sarah Polley [18]
Eastern Promises David Cronenberg
Radiant City Gary Burns, Jim Brown
2008 My Winnipeg Guy Maddin [19]
Continental, a Film Without Guns (Continental, un film sans fusil) Stéphane Lafleur [20]
Up the Yangtze Yung Chang
2009 Polytechnique Denis Villeneuve [21]
The Necessities of Life (Ce qu'il faut pour vivre) Benoît Pilon [22]
Pontypool Bruce McDonald

2010s

Year Film Director(s) Ref
2010 Incendies Denis Villeneuve [23]
Splice Vincenzo Natali [24]
Trigger Bruce McDonald
2011 Monsieur Lazhar Philippe Falardeau [25]
Café de Flore Jean-Marc Vallée [26]
A Dangerous Method David Cronenberg
2012 Stories We Tell Sarah Polley [27]
Bestiaire Denis Côté [28]
Goon Michael Dowse
2013 Watermark Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky [29]
The Dirties Matt Johnson [30]
Gabrielle Louise Archambault
2014 Enemy Denis Villeneuve [31]
The F Word Michael Dowse [32]
Mommy Xavier Dolan
2015 The Forbidden Room Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson [33]
My Internship in Canada (Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre) Philippe Falardeau [34]
Sleeping Giant Andrew Cividino
2016 The Stairs Hugh Gibson [35]
How Heavy This Hammer Kazik Radwanski [36]
Operation Avalanche Matt Johnson
2017 Werewolf Ashley McKenzie [37]
Hello Destroyer Kevan Funk [38]
Wexford Plaza Joyce Wong
2018 Anthropocene: The Human Epoch Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Edward Burtynsky [39]
Ava Sadaf Foroughi [40]
Maison du Bonheur Sofia Bohdanowicz
2019 The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers [41]
Antigone Sophie Deraspe [42]
Firecrackers Jasmin Mozaffari

2020s

Year Film Director(s) Ref
2020 Anne at 13,000 Ft. Kazik Radwanski [43]
And the Birds Rained Down Louise Archambault [44]
White Lie Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas
2021 Beans Tracey Deer [45]
Night Raiders Danis Goulet [46]
Scarborough Shasha Nakhai, Rich Williamson
2022 Riceboy Sleeps Anthony Shim [47]
Brother Clement Virgo [48]
Crimes of the Future David Cronenberg
2023 BlackBerry Matt Johnson [49]
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Ariane Louis-Seize [4]
Solo Sophie Dupuis

Best Canadian Documentary

Year Film Director(s) Ref
2023 Swan Song Chelsea McMullan [49]
Rojek Zaynê Akyol
Someone Lives Here Zack Russell

References

  1. ^ "Rogers Best Canadian Film Award". Toronto Film Critics Association. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Rogers Best Canadian Film Award rises to $100,000". Toronto Film Critics Association. 27 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Sarah Polley doc wins Toronto critics' $100K prize". CBC News. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b Erik Anderson, "Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Awards: ‘The Zone of Interest’ Wins Best Picture, Director". AwardsWatch, December 17, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e Christopher Harris, "Magazines: Toronto Film Critics Poll". The Globe and Mail, December 18, 1995.
  6. ^ a b c d e "The Toronto Film Critics' Poll". Take One, Winter 1996.
  7. ^ "The 2nd Annual Toronto Film Critics' Poll". Take One, Winter 1997.
  8. ^ Liam Lacey, "Egoyan film top pick". The Globe and Mail, January 15, 1998.
  9. ^ "War movies are the big winners". Hamilton Spectator, December 18, 1998.
  10. ^ "Toronto critics pick Magnolia as best film of 1999 Yet-unreleased second picture from director of Boogie Nights follows linked stories of characters in San Fernando Valley". The Globe and Mail, December 17, 1999.
  11. ^ Peter Howell, "Toronto critics like Lee ; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon named top movie". Toronto Star, December 21, 2000.
  12. ^ "Memento named best picture". Calgary Herald, December 20, 2001.
  13. ^ "Toronto critics pick Adaptation as top film". Ottawa Citizen, December 20, 2002.
  14. ^ "Coppola's Lost in Translation honoured by Toronto critics". Waterloo Region Record, December 18, 2003.
  15. ^ "Sideways named best film of 2004 by Toronto critics". Sault Star, December 17, 2004.
  16. ^ "Cronenberg's History of Violence tops T.O. critics' best-of list". Sudbury Star, December 22, 2005.
  17. ^ Lee-Anne Goodman, "'The Queen' named best picture by Toronto's film critics". Canadian Press, December 20, 2006.
  18. ^ Bruce Kirkland, "Old Men No. 1; Coen Brothers flick tops T.O. film critics' 2007 list". Toronto Sun, December 19, 2007.
  19. ^ Liam Lacey, "Maddin film wins $10,000 Toronto critics' award". The Globe and Mail, January 7, 2009.
  20. ^ Chris Knight, "Toronto critics pick Wendy and Lucy". Windsor Star, December 17, 2008.
  21. ^ Melissa Leong, "'Most ... would consider the subject untouchable'; Polytechnique, J'ai tue ma mere nab TFCA awards". National Post, January 13, 2010.
  22. ^ Jim Slotek, "Toronto film critics beg to differ". Toronto Sun, December 16, 2009.
  23. ^ "Incendies wins top film award". Times & Transcript, January 14, 2011.
  24. ^ Peter Knegt, "“Social Network” Tops San Francisco and Toronto Film Critics’ Awards". IndieWire, December 14, 2010.
  25. ^ "Monsieur Lazhar wins Toronto critics' prize". Victoria Times-Colonist, January 12, 2012.
  26. ^ Brian D. Johnson, "Toronto critics name 'Tree of Life' Best Picture". Maclean's, December 14, 2011.
  27. ^ Linda Barnard, "Polley wins Canada's top film prize". Toronto Star, January 9, 2013.
  28. ^ Cassandra Szklarski, "'The Master' rules with Toronto film critics, named best film, screenplay". Canadian Press, December 18, 2012.
  29. ^ Chris Knight, "Watermark wins Rogers Film Prize". National Post, January 8, 2014.
  30. ^ "Toronto Film Critics Association awards for 2013". Toronto Star, December 17, 2013.
  31. ^ "Villeneuve's Enemy tops with T.O. film critics". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, January 8, 2015.
  32. ^ Norman Wilner, "Toronto film critics champion Boyhood". Now, December 16, 2014.
  33. ^ Cassandra Szklarski, "Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson win $100,000 Toronto film critics prize". Canadian Press, January 5, 2016.
  34. ^ Jeremy Kay, "Toronto critics honour 'Carol'". Screen Daily, December 14, 2015.
  35. ^ "Three filmmakers opt to share $110,000 prize: Toronto trio will pool, divide the money awarded to them by local critics' association". Toronto Star, January 15, 2017.
  36. ^ Norman Wilner, "Toronto critics bask in the Moonlight". Now, December 12, 2016.
  37. ^ Chris Knight, "Critics pick debut edgy addiction drama; Werewolf wins $100,000 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award". Sudbury Star, January 11, 2018.
  38. ^ Jim Slotek, "Toronto film critics give best picture thumbs up to The Florida Project". Original Cin, December 10, 2017.
  39. ^ "'Anthropocene' named best Canadian feature by Toronto Film Critics Association". CityNews, January 8, 2019.
  40. ^ Corey Atad, "Toronto Film Critics Association Names ‘Roma’ Best Picture Of 2018". ET Canada, December 10, 2018.
  41. ^ "Abuse drama wins $100,000 prize". Vancouver Sun, January 11, 2020.
  42. ^ Radheyan Simonpillai, "Toronto Film Critics Association names Parasite the year’s best movie". Now, December 9, 2019.
  43. ^ "Anne at 13,000 Ft wins $100K Toronto critics award". CBC News, March 10, 2021.
  44. ^ Etan Vlessing, "Chloe Zhao's 'Nomadland' Named Best Picture by Toronto Film Critics Association". The Hollywood Reporter, February 7, 2021.
  45. ^ Sadaf Ahsan, "Indigenous coming-of-age drama Beans wins $100,000 Toronto film critics prize". The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2022.
  46. ^ Pat Mullen, "Drive My Car Leads TFCA Award Winners". That Shelf, January 16, 2022.
  47. ^ Kelly Townsend, "Riceboy Sleeps wins TFCA’s 2022 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award". Playback, March 7, 2023.
  48. ^ Pat Mullen, "Toronto Film Critics Name All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Top Doc". Point of View, January 8, 2023.
  49. ^ a b Mullen, Pat (2024-03-05). "Swan Song Wins Rogers Best Canadian Documentary from Toronto Film Critics". POV Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
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