TIFF celebrates Canada’s top movies in 2024

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced Canada’s Top Ten, the nation’s top 10 feature films and top 10 shorts of 2024, honouring the best in Canadian cinema.

The 24th Canada’s Top Ten showcase, presented by MUBI, runs February 5–9 at the Lightbox and is curated by TIFF programmers in consultation with festival programmers from across Canada.

This year’s features selection includes the directorial debuts of R.T. Thorne (40 Acres), and Kaniehtiio Horn (Seeds). The spotlight also includes established filmmakers and past honourees: David Cronenberg (The Shrouds); Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson (The Rumours); and Michael Mabbott (Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story) with second showings from Ann Marie Fleming (Can I get a Witness); Kazik Radwanski (Matt and Mara); Sophie Deraspe (Shepherds) and Matthew Rankin (Universal Language ); plus first showings for Sook-Yin Lee ( Paying For It), and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee, co-director of Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story.

“This year’s Canada’s Top Ten celebrates the very best of Canadian cinema, showcasing the bold artistry of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers and the fresh perspectives of emerging voices,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF.

“The selection reflects Canada’s eclectic cultural landscape and a renaissance in risk-taking cinema. We are also honoured to present the inaugural Charles Officer Legacy Award, which recognizes a filmmaker whose impact continues to resonate profoundly with TIFF and the broader Canadian film community.”

On February 5, the opening ceremony for Canada’s Top Ten showcase will celebrate this year’s selections, followed by a presentation of the inaugural Charles Officer Legacy Award by TIFF Industry and CBC. Announced in 2023, the award recognizes a Black Canadian director and/or writer whose body of work exemplifies the creative excellence, strong point of view, and community-mindedness of the award-winning filmmaker.

The Top 10 short films include: Are You Scared to Be Yourself Because You Think That You Might Fail; EarthWorm; Inkwo for When the Starving Return; Julian and the Wind; Maybe Elephants; Mercenaire and On a Sunday at Eleven Others are One Day This Kid; Perfectly a Strangeness and Who Loves the Sun.