TIFF Celebrates 20th Anniversary Of Canada’s ‘Top 10 Films’ List With 2021 Edition

TIFF has been honouring outstanding work in Canadian film for 20 years. To acknowledge the anniversary, the organization has released the 2021 edition of Canada’s Top 10 list.

TIFF unveiled its anticipated list on Monday, showcasing a remarkable wealth of talent in the Canadian film industry. The honours shine a light on every genre and a diverse group of filmmakers, both established and those on the rise.

Celebrating the films and filmmakers from the 2021 TIFF Canada’s Top Ten list of features and shorts.🍁 #SeeTheNorth https://t.co/4ac1H6Jjp3

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) December 6, 2021

This year’s impressive list features eight first appearances and five Indigenous filmmakers. Plus, eight of the 10 shorts are either directed or co-directed by women. Six directors are alumni from the TIFF Talent Development programs Filmmaker Lab, Writers‘ Studio, and Telefilm Canada‘s Pitch This.

“Canada continues to produce terrific new film talent and we’re glad to showcase some of the very best in this year’s Canada’s Top 10,” TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said. “Not since its inaugural year in 2001 have there been so many first appearances among the feature-film selections. Some of these films made their world premieres during the Festival and are now debuting their works on the international festival circuit, which is remarkable for first-time directors — I couldn’t be prouder.”

The Top 10 Canadian feature films are compiled by TIFF’s team of programmers in collaboration with film experts.

TIFF‘s Top 10 Canadian Film Features of 2021:

“All My Puny Sorrows” by Michael McGowan
“Charlotte” by Eric Warin and Tahir Rana
“Drunken Birds” by Ivan Grbovic
“Learn To Swim” by Thyrone Tommy
“Night Raiders” by Danis Goulet
“Maria Chapdelaine” by Sébastien Pilote
“Scarborough” by Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson
“Ste. Anne” by Rhayne Vermette
“Subjects of Desire” by Jennifer Holness
“The White Fortress” by Igor Drljača

The shorts list is curated by TIFF‘s Short Cuts programmer Jason Anderson in consultation with multiple shorts programmers across Canada.

TIFF’s Top 10 Canadian Shorts:

“Ain‘t No Time for Women” by Sarra El Abed
“Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman‘s Apprentice” by Zacharias Kunuk
“Boobs” by Marie Valade
“DEFUND” by Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah and Araya Mengesha
“Fanmi” by Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers and Carmine Pierre-Dufour
“Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair” by Alanis Obomsawin
“Les grandes claques” by Annie St-Pierre
“Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics” by Terril Calder
“The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night” by Fawzia Mirza
“Together” by Albert Shin