Photo Credit: Ontario Tourism
A list of Film Festivals in Toronto – including shorts, documentaries, full length feature festivals, Digital media events and more!
Contents:
- Upcoming Film Festival from todocanada.ca Calendar
- All Film & Digital Media Festivals
All Film & Digital Media Festivals
Canada’s Top 10 Film Festival
Established in 2001, the festival celebrates and promotes contemporary Canadian cinema and raises awareness of Canadian achievements in film. The 10-day event presents public screenings of the selected films accompanied by introductions and Q&A sessions with filmmakers, as well as special events, industry panels and free engagements. Details
Toronto Black Film Festival
Cool, international, independent, politically incorrect and eye-opening, the Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) is about discovery. TBFF will showcase the most outstanding and most powerful Black films while creating a space to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues. Details
The Next Wave – Film Festival
The TIFF Next Wave Film Festival, programmed for youth aged 14–18, brings the best in film from around the globe, along with an exciting slate of special guests, interactive workshops and a 24-Hour Film Challenge for young filmmakers! Details
The Banff Mountain Festival World Tour
The Banff Mountain Festival World Tour brings Banff to audiences around the globe. Immediately after the Festival ends in November, a selection of the best films go on tour across Canada, the United States, and internationally from Scotland to South Africa to China, Japan, New Zealand, Antarctica, and points in between. Each year, the films travel to 40 countries reaching more than 330,000 people at over 725 screenings. Details
Water Docs Film Festival
A documentary film festival about all things water, Water Docs presents features and shorts, discussions with special guests and filmmakers, and opportunities to take action to protect water. The festival informs, educates and activates our audiences about water and water issues. The likelihood of having enough clean, fresh water is diminishing everywhere. Details
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. We work tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep rooted change and fight to bring greater justice and security to people around the world. Through our Human Rights Watch Film Festival we bear witness to human rights violations and create a forum for courageous individuals on both sides of the lens to empower audiences with the knowledge that personal commitment can make a difference. The film festival brings to life human rights abuses through storytelling in a way that challenges each individual to empathize and demand justice for all people. Details
Spring of Horror and Fantasy Film Festival
Toronto Spring of Horror and Fantasy was created to give people of Toronto access to quality genre films throughout the year. Details
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TIFF Kids International Film Festival
TIFF Kids is one of the largest children’s film festivals in the world! The festival offers a diverse slate of programming from Canada and around the globe, using the power of film not just to entertain children and parents but also to foster new ideas about the complex issues facing young people today. Details
Indy Sportz Film Fest
The Indy Sportz Film Fest: entertaining, educating and engaging audiences about pertinent social issues by using the theme of sports, bringing together lovers of film and sports. – Details
Images Festival
The Images Festival is the largest festival in North America for experimental and independent moving image culture, showcasing the innovative edge of international contemporary media art both on and off the screen. Details
TAAFI
Toronto Animation Arts Festival International – TAAFI celebrates the many forms of animation from around the world, while supporting and nurturing the community that creates them. Details
Digifest
Digifest is an immersive three-day event that showcases groundbreaking creations and trending content in digital media, art, design and technology. International speakers, interactive installations and collaborative workshops. The festival fosters connections by bringing together industry, academics and the public, to inspire us to think about how digital tools and technology will shape our lives and our future. From architects to app designers, creators and entrepreneurs take centre stage to share their stories and showcase the digital and technological discoveries that will re-shape some of today’s pressing challenges.Details
Hot Docs Film Festival
Canadian International Documentary Festival – Details
CONTACT Photography Festival
CONTACT is the largest photography event in the world, with over 1,500 Canadian and international photographers exhibiting throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Each year, CONTACT presents the best of international photography, responding to new approaches and forms of visual expression, while showcasing a diverse range of lens-based work. Details
Lakeshorts
The Lakeshorts International Short Film Festival fosters the arts community in South Etobicoke while showcasing the passion and spirit of independent film. Details
International Film Festival of South Asia
Largest South Asian Film Festival in North America. Details
ICFF Junior
The Italian Contemporary Film festival will be screening a variety of new and diverse films, from home grown Canadian films to the latest Italian films freshly brought to Canada. Geared toward students, the films will inspire and educate students and expose them to exciting new cinema they could not see anywhere else. All non-English films will be subtitled.
Colossus Vaughan Cinema, 3555 Highway 7 West, Vaughan
T.O. Webfest
T.O. Webfest celebrates the best of web content from Canada and around the world with a host of industry panels and workshops. Details
CENSURED IN CANADA Film Festival
Censured In Canada is an underground film festival dedicated to surmounting the limits of expression in Canada by giving Canadian-based films and filmmakers marginalized by existing Canadian festivals and institutions a voice. Details
2019
Toronto
Inside Out
LGBT Film Festival- Details
aluCine Latin Film & Media Arts Festival
Vibrant and diverse culture showcasing Latin American and Latin Canadian best of contemporary cinema and media arts. aluCine Festival brings highly-anticipated premieres of award-winning international films as well as a diverse showcase of independent work made by Latin-American Directors. Details
Scarborough Worldwide Film Festival
Scarborough Film Festival is an annual celebration showcasing local, Canadian and world cinema. Scarborough Film Festival will present numerous feature and short films of various genres, showcasing the best in local, Canadian and international cinema. Called as “Most exciting film festival to come to Toronto in recent history” by Yahoo News, and “One of Toronto’s most promising new film fests.” by Toronto Star, the films play to an enthusiastic crowed from all walks of life. Details
Italian Contemporary Film Festival
Experience an international collection of Italian themed feature films, documentaries and shorts. Take part in panel discussions with filmmakers, actors, authors, and other experts. Come be entertained and enjoy new films freshly brought to Canada! Details
TIFF Bell Light Box, 350 King Street W, Toronto
Colossus Vaughan Cinema, 3555 Highway 7 West, Vaughan
Japanese Film Festival
The Toronto Japanese Film festival is dedicated to showcasing the finest Japanese films that have been recognized for excellence by Japanese audiences and critics, international film festival audiences and the Japanese Film Academy. Details
Open Roof Festival
Open Roof Festival is a not for profit, outdoor music and film festival providing Toronto with a summer experience like no other, highlighting independent filmmakers and artists from Canada and around the world. Details
~ Wednesday nights, June to August
ReelHeART Film Festival
ReelHeART International Film and Screenplay Festival is worldwide independent film festival held in Toronto, Canada around the 1st week of July. The festival screens Film and Documentary Premieres from the best in independent filmmakers from around the world and host very competitive Screenplay Competitions for both Short and Feature Scripts. Details
Various venues, Toronto
Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival
Toronto Youth Shorts is a volunteer-run not-for-profit initiative that produces a series of events for young emerging filmmakers in the Greater Toronto and Southern Ontario Area. Each year, Toronto Youth Shorts provide a professional forum for these young artists to demonstrate their talent and cinematic creations to an audience of film lovers and industry professionals. Participants enjoy the chance to learn from one another and engage experienced working professionals. Details
Innis Town Hall
2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto
CaribbeanTales International Film Festival
The CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (CTFF) celebrates the talents of established and emerging filmmakers of Caribbean heritage who practice their art across the Caribbean Diaspora worldwide – including Canada and the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas, Africa, China, India and the Middle East. Details
Toronto International Film Festival
One of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Details
Toronto Palestine Film Festival
The Festival brings Palestinian cinema, music, cuisine and art to GTA audiences. Details
Buffer Festival
Buffer Festival is an annual theatrical showcase that celebrates international video content from the most acclaimed creators on YouTube. Held in Toronto’s Entertainment District, the festival showcases premieres of high-quality YouTube content in a variety of theatrical screenings, a red carpet gala event, and Creator Day. Details
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
9 Nights of Horror, Sci-Fi, Action & Cult Movies. Details
CineIran Film Festival
CineIran Festival is an annual celebration of the best of contemporary Iranian cinema. The festival aims to bring the most acclaimed Iranian films of the year to Toronto’s screens in an effort to present a comprehensive cross-section and showcase the depth and diversity of this national cinema. Details
~ November
350 King St W, Toronto
Reelworld Film Festival
The Reelworld Film Festival is dedicated to harnessing the power of film as a force for social good. We believe great stories are the beginning of great solutions. Our mission is to unlock the power of film by connecting inspired people to inspired partners. Reelworld is for you – a generation of socially engaged citizens who care about how your lives impact your community and the planet.. Details
~ October
International Indian Film Festival Toronto
International Indian Film Festival Toronto includes: Bollywood, Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil World and North American Premieres, Special film screenings (short, documentary and feature), a Master Class, Blue Carpet Gala events and After-Parties in addition to fulfilling the festivals’ mandate of presenting the finest selection of Indian cinema to the diverse and multicultural audience of Toronto. Details
Toronto Russian Film Festival
The Festival of the Russian Cinema in Canada was founded by the TRFF Company (Toronto Russian Film Festival) in 2009 to promote Russian cinema. Since then, more than two hundred films of different genres were presented to the audience in the annual programs. Details
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the world’s largest Indigenous festival showcasing innovation in film, video, audio and digital media. The Festival presents the most compelling and distinctive works from Canada and around the globe, reflecting the diversity of the world’s Indigenous nations and illustrating the vitality and excellence of Native art and culture in contemporary media. Details
Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival
Planet in Focus (PIF) is Canada’s largest and longest running environmental film festival, features a robust line – up of features and short films. Details
International Diaspora Film Festival
The International Diaspora Film Festival (IDFF) provides Toronto audiences with an opportunity to experience the cultural mosaic of the present world through the medium of cinema.“Diaspora” refers to the dispersion and migration of a people from their homeland and the communities they form in new lands. The IDFF explores themes of migration, immigration, and cultural diversity by showcasing works of both established and emerging filmmakers. The festival pays special attention to independent Canadian filmmakers from ethnic minorities. Details
20 Carlton Street, Toronto
Syria Film Festival
The festival will include a series of short, feature films, and documentaries about Syria and its people. Details
Ekran – Toronto Polish Film Festival
Ekran showcases new media arts and films with both a Polish and multicultural focus. Details
Reel Asian Film Festival
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival® is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from the Asian diaspora. Works include films and videos by East, South and Southeast Asian artist in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world. As Canada’s largest Asian film festival, Reel Asian® provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada. Details
CineIran Film Festival
CineIran Festival is an annual celebration of the best of contemporary Iranian cinema. The festival aims to bring the most acclaimed Iranian films of the year to Toronto’s screens in an effort to present a comprehensive cross-section and showcase the depth and diversity of this national cinema. Details
~ November
European Union Film Festival
European Union Film Festival (EUFF) strives to reflect the excellence, innovation, and diversity of European cinema in Toronto, the world’s most multicultural city. Founded in 2004 as a salve to Hollywood monotony, this free festival showcases contemporary films drawn from each of the EU’s member countries. EUFF is a unique festival and the only one in the world to bring together disparate EU Consulates and local cultural institutes for collaboration. Details
Regent Park Film Festival
Celebrate diversity, culture, and creativity at Toronto’s only free multicultural community film festival. Featuring local and international films from around the world, workshops and much more! Details
November 14-17, 2018
Reel Awareness Film Festival
Amnesty International presents the Reel Awareness Human Rights Film Festival. This volunteer-led festival features an international collection of critically-acclaimed documentaries taking an unflinching look at human rights crises. Details
2018 – TBA
November 16 – 18, 2017
Pomegranate Film Festival
The Pomegranate Film Festival is a unique community event celebrating Armenian inspired films. Details
Open World Toronto Film Festival
Celebrate Worldwide Filmmaking! Details
Blood in the Snow Film Festival
The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival is a unique and imaginative showcase of contemporary Canadian horror, genre, and underground cinema, that exists to challenge social boundaries, explore artistic taboos, and support and exhibit independent Canadian genre media artists. Details
Did we miss any? Please leave a comment below!
Find your Festival
Summer & Multi Cultural Festivals in Toronto.
Theatre & Arts Festivals in Toronto
View Comments (7)
Quite enjoyed EstDocs last year. The Estonian Film Festival in Toronto. Their short films competition is particularly interesting as anyone can submit short films.
There is also the Macedonian Film Festival! This year's festival will be on October 18, 19, & 20, 2019 at the Carleton Cinema, Toronto
The Vaughan Int'l Film Festival is May 14th-18th. It is a multi-day event celebrating canadian & international filmmaking. More info at http://www.vaughanfilmfestival.com
CaribbeanTales International Film Festival (Sept. 5th to 20th/2018)
Submissions are now open!
The Toronto True Crime Film Festival will hold it's inaugural event June 8th and 9th at The Royal Cinema!
Details will be available here as they are announced: https://www.torontotruecrimefilmfestival.com/
hey there, Jen from Blood in the Snow here. Just a heads up that the fest is at the Royal Cinema this year (Cineplex was last year). We'd appreciate if you could update your listing.
Thanks!
Canadian Sport Film Festival
June 9-11, 2017
TIFF Bell Lightbox