By Babajide Fadoju
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has revealed its 25th annual Canada’s Top Ten list, honoring the most outstanding Canadian feature films and shorts from 2025. Presented by MUBI, the showcase will run from February 5 to 8, 2026, at the TIFF Lightbox, giving local and international audiences a chance to screen the selected works.
The feature film selection showcases a rich diversity of storytelling, including four debut features. Highlights include Zacharias Kunuk’s Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), which won Best Canadian Feature at TIFF ’25 and earned the director a Special Tribute Award. Other standouts are Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks, Bretten Hannam’s Sk+te’kmujue’katik (At the Place of Ghosts), Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron (Best Canadian Discovery at TIFF ’25), Eric K. Boulianne’s Follies, Kid Koala’s animated Space Cadet, Amalie Atkins’ Agatha’s Almanac (Best Canadian Feature Documentary at Hot Docs 2025), Daniel Roher’s narrative debut Tuner (following his Oscar win for Navalny), Matt Johnson’s Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (People’s Choice Midnight Madness winner), and Alireza Khatami’s The Things You Kill, Canada’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature.
Anita Lee, TIFF’s Chief Programming Officer, highlighted the lineup’s significance. “This year’s Canada’s Top Ten films reflect the remarkable breadth of perspectives shaping contemporary Canadian cinema,” she said. “Spanning globally minded stories and deeply personal visions, these films reveal the profound ways Canadian artists are interpreting the world around them. I’m especially inspired to see four first features in the lineup, an exciting testament to the bold new voices emerging across the country.”
The short film category features ten works, including Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski’s The Girl Who Cried Pearls (Best Canadian Short at TIFF ’25 and on the Academy shortlist for Best Animated Short), Heather Young’s A Soft Touch, and Gavin Baird’s Klee.
Opening night on February 5 will include the presentation of the second annual Charles Officer Legacy Award, co-presented by TIFF: The Market and CBC, recognizing a Black Canadian director or writer for excellence, vision, and community impact. Last year’s winner was Miryam Charles.
Selected films will reach broader audiences through the Donald Shebib Film Circuit in over 100 rural and underserved communities. TIFF Members get early ticket access on January 15 at 12pm, with public sales starting January 16 at 12pm.