Canadian Film Festival

Canadian Film Fest
LocationToronto, Ontario, Canada
Founded2004
LanguageEnglish
Websitewww.canfilmfest.ca

The Canadian Film Festival, formerly known as the Canadian Filmmakers Festival, is an annual film festival in Toronto, Ontario.[1] Showcasing a program of Canadian independent films,[2] it is held in March of each year and usually runs for five days.

The festival was launched in 2004, and ran annually until 2008 at the Royal Cinema.[3] Although not staged between 2009 and 2011, it was relaunched in 2012 and has run annually since.[4] The festival has been staged at the 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] With the pandemic continuing into 2021, festival organizers again partnered with Super Channel to present the 2021 edition of the festival under the same model.[7]

  1. ^ James Adams, "'It's more than just a festival. It's a cause.'". The Globe and Mail, March 24, 2008.
  2. ^ "The Canadian Film Festival levels up and embraces Filth". Now, March 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Canadian Film Fest presents ...: A patriotic showcase of movie talent in new features, docs and shorts plus a host of panels, parties and other special events at the Royal". Toronto Star, March 25, 2016.
  4. ^ "Everyday's a good day for a film fest". National Post, March 23, 2012.
  5. ^ "Film Fest opens for patriotic moviegoers". Toronto Star, March 17, 2017.
  6. ^ "Postponed Canadian Film Fest finds new home on Super Channel". Canadian Press, April 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Norman Wilner, "Canadian Film Fest announces 2021 lineup, will stream on Super Channel". Now, March 9, 2021.