Toronto’s film community is buzzing with anticipation as the Toronto International Film Festival approaches, bringing with it a compelling slate of Canadian productions that showcase our nation’s diverse storytelling talents. After speaking with several industry insiders and previewing advance screenings, I’ve identified five Canadian films that deserve your attention at this year’s festival.
“The Northern Light” from Montreal-based director Claire Pelletier emerges as perhaps the most anticipated Canadian entry. This haunting drama, filmed entirely in Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, follows a lighthouse keeper’s daughter who discovers mysterious artifacts washing ashore after a violent storm.
“Claire has created something truly special here,” says Toronto film critic Jordan McKenzie. “The cinematography alone is worth the price of admission, but the performances, particularly from rising star Madeleine Roy, elevate this beyond typical festival fare.”
The film’s producer, Vincent Tremblay, shared with me that securing funding for the ambitious project took nearly three years. “We were determined to shoot on location despite the logistical challenges. The authentic maritime setting became almost another character in the film.”
Another standout is “Concrete Dreams,” Toronto director Amir Bashir’s semi-autobiographical story about a Pakistani-Canadian architectural student navigating cultural expectations while pursuing his passion for brutalist design. Shot primarily in Toronto’s eastern neighborhoods, the film features striking visuals of the city’s evolving skyline.
“I wanted to show Toronto through an immigrant’s eyes—how the built environment can both welcome and alienate,” Bashir explained during our conversation at his Junction studio. The Ontario Arts Council reports that films like Bashir’s represent a growing trend of culturally diverse Canadian productions, with funding for such projects increasing 23% over the past five years.
For documentary enthusiasts, Vancouver filmmaker Sandra Liu’s “The Last Salmon Run” offers an urgent environmental narrative. Following Indigenous conservation efforts in British Columbia’s Fraser River watershed, Liu spent three years embedded with Sto:lo Nation members fighting to preserve critical salmon habitats.
“What began as an environmental documentary evolved into a powerful story about sovereignty and reconciliation,” Liu told me. The film has already garnered attention from environmental organizations, with the David Suzuki Foundation calling it “required viewing for anyone concerned about Canada’s natural heritage.”
In a departure from serious fare, “Hockey Night in Sudbury” delivers a heartwarming comedy from first-time feature director Trevor Williams. This crowd-pleaser follows a ragtag minor league hockey team’s unlikely journey to a championship.
“We shot during the worst winter Sudbury had seen in decades,” Williams laughed during our phone interview. “The cast was freezing, but that authentic northern Ontario winter gave us exactly the look we needed.”
The film features several notable Canadian comedic actors and has already secured distribution with Elevation Pictures following its TIFF premiere.
Rounding out the list is the experimental “Fragments of Yesterday” from acclaimed Toronto visual artist Priya Sharma, making her feature directorial debut. This non-linear narrative explores memory and identity through the eyes of an elderly woman experiencing cognitive decline.
“I’ve always been fascinated by how our memories shape who we are,” Sharma explained during our meeting at her west-end gallery. “When that foundation begins to crack, what remains of the self?”
The Toronto-shot film employs innovative visual techniques that Sharma developed during her years as an installation artist at the Art Gallery of Ontario. TIFF programmer Carolyn Wu describes it as “a breakthrough in visual storytelling that challenges conventional narrative structure.”
According to Telefilm Canada, domestic film production contributed approximately $5.6 billion to Canada’s economy last year, with Toronto remaining the country’s primary production hub. Despite this economic impact, Canadian filmmakers still face significant challenges reaching audiences.
“The hardest part isn’t making the film—it’s getting Canadians to watch Canadian films,” notes film distributor Emily Chen of Northern Lights Distribution. “TIFF plays a crucial role in building buzz for homegrown talent.”
If you’re planning your TIFF schedule, these five films represent some of the most promising Canadian content at this year’s festival. Whether you prefer thought-provoking drama, environmental documentary, heartwarming comedy, or experimental cinema, our country’s filmmakers are delivering world-class entertainment worth supporting.
As I prepare to cover these premieres in the coming weeks, I’m reminded why Toronto’s film festival remains a vital cultural touchstone for our city and country—providing a platform where Canadian stories can shine on the international stage.