From thrillers to comedies to all-time classics, these productions speak to the strength, diversity, and talent of Ontario’s film community. We’re proud to celebrate these productions, all made right here in Canada.
Mark down these movies for your NCFD watchlist, and dig deeper into the stories behind the screen with Wider Lens features, interviews, and podcasts!
1. Slash/Back
Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, this genre-blending alien invasion tale from Director Nyla Innuksuk flips the script on sci-fi, centering Indigenous teen girls who fight back using their smarts, friendships, and community roots.
Listen to our podcast episode hosted by DGC Ontario Chair & Director Annie Bradley on how Slash/Back and other films reimagine horror, sci-fi, and fantasy through an Indigenous lens
2. Last Night
Don McKellar’s apocalyptic comedy-drama remains one of the most iconic Canadian films of the 1990s. Set on the final night before the world ends, it’s a bittersweet meditation on human connection and meaning.
Revisit Last Night’s legacy on its 25th anniversary
3. Young Werther
A retelling of Goethe’s classic novel through a Toronto lens, José Lourenço’s debut feature is a charming exploration of longing, loss, and youthful obsession.
Find out why José Lourenço decided to set a 250-year-old novel in modern Toronto with Young Werther
4. The Queen of My Dreams
Fawzia Mirza’s colourful, time-hopping debut merges Bollywood glamour with personal history to explore queer identity, culture, and mother-daughter relationships.
Watch our video with Fawzia Mirza on bringing her dream project to life
5. Firecrackers
Raw, visceral, and visually arresting, Jasmin Mozaffari’s Firecrackers follows two young women desperate to escape a suffocating small town during one eventful summer.
Break down the film, shot by shot, with Jasmin Mozaffari
6. Infinity Pool
A luxurious vacation turns nightmarish in Brandon Cronenberg’s surreal psychological thriller. This stylish and disturbing take on cloning dives headfirst into themes of ego, violence, and identity.
Learn more about Brandon Cronenberg’s dystopian vacation vision
7. Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks
A tribute to the groundbreaking Canadian sketch comedy group, this doc directed by Reg Harkema captures the absurd, anarchic brilliance of the Kids and the cultural legacy they left behind.
Get the behind-the-scenes scoop from Director Reg Harkema on working with some of his comedy heroes
8. Night Raiders
Danis Goulet’s dystopian debut is both a sci-fi thriller and a political allegory, channeling the trauma of residential schools through a futuristic resistance story.
Explore how Danis Goulet envisioned the world of Night Raiders
9. Seeds
In her directorial debut, actor-turned-filmmaker Kaniehtiio Horn stars as Ziggy, a young Mohawk woman chasing influencer fame. But when a brand deal with a seed company takes a dark turn, Ziggy must fight to the death to protect her family’s land, legacy, and Indigenous identity.
Watch our Creative Spotlight on Seeds and Kaniehtiio Horn
10. Learn to Swim
A sultry, non-linear jazz romance, Learn to Swim earned Director Thyrone Tommy praise for his bold visual style and nuanced storytelling.
Read our interview with Director Thyrone Tommy on Learn To Swim’s inclusion in TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten list
