Details of Hundreds of Live Screening Events and Guest Appearances in Every Province and Territory
TORONTO – April 6, 2023 – National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay), presented by REEL CANADA, is back bigger than ever for its tenth anniversary on April 19, 2023, with over 1300 live events taking place from coast-to-coast-to-coast and approximately 120 events in nearly 45 countries around the world.
For our tenth anniversary, there was no way to narrow our programming down to a single theme. So, we threw the doors open and created an All You Can Watch Buffet of 100 enticing films. Canadians responded with a big appetite, and there’s a feast of offerings across the country.
In addition to the national partnerships and tributes that we have already announced, the heart of CanFilmDay celebrations are the more than 1300 events taking place live in hundreds of communities in every province and territory, and around the world. For a full listing of all screenings, visit canfilmday.ca/attend-an-event.
A few programming highlights in Canada:
Nationwide
As part of the previously announced tribute to the late Mi’qmaw filmmaker Jeff Barnaby, CBC GEM will run Barnaby’s brilliant and provocative film Blood Quantum ad-free from 9am until 9pm ET. A video tribute to Barnaby will be available on the REEL CANADA YouTube page.
As part of the previously announced tribute to Gordon Pinsent, and in partnership with the Canadian content advocacy group FRIENDS, his masterwork John and the Missus will stream nationwide on the CanFilmDay platform, courtesy of the producer, Peter O’Brian.
In St. John’s
The St. John’s Women’s International Film Festival will host a virtual presentation of Rosie, preceded by a pre-recorded introduction by director Gail Maurice (Cree/Métis).
In Halifax
Subjects of Desire, followed by a virtual Q&A with director Jennifer Holness will be presented by the Emerging Lens Film Festival.
In Quebec
Screenings of Chien Blanc featuring a pre-recorded interview with director Anaïs Barbeau Lavalette, will be screened in independent cinemas in ten communities across Quebec in partnership with Médiafilm.
In Ottawa
- A screening at the ByTowne of John and the Missus, presented by the Canadian Film Institute as part of our Gordon Pinsent Tribute. The screening will be followed by a virtual Q&A with Pinsent’s longtime friend, Canadian screen icon Mary Walsh.
- A special screening of The Grizzlies, with star Anna Lambe (Inuk) in attendance, will be hosted by Global Affairs Canada for the international diplomatic corps.
In Toronto, in addition to the Gordon Pinsent and Jeff Barnaby tributes previously announced:
- Directing icon Deepa Mehta will present her adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s novel Midnight’s Children in partnership with PEN Canada in support of the recently wounded author, who has long been a champion of freedom of expression. Moderated by Johanna Schneller.
- A special 20th anniversary 35mm screening of the award-winning Love, Sex and Eating the Bones with director Sudz Sutherland in attendance will be hosted by the Canadian Film Festival, and supported by DGC Ontario.
- A screening for new Canadians and English-language learners of the perennially popular hockey comedy Breakaway will be presented in partnership with TIFF, Ontario Creates, and Uninterrupted Canada, with writer, producer and star Vinay Virmani and several cast members in attendance.
- A screening of To Kill A Tiger hosted by Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, with filmmaker Nisha Pahuja in attendance.
- A screening of Scarborough with co-directors Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson in attendance, will be presented by Regent Park Film Festival
In Manitoba
The new film The Tomahawk will premiere in The Pas, with director Steven Bignell and producer Sturla Gunnarsson in attendance, at an event presented by the National Screen Institute.
In Calgary
A 35th anniversary screening of Comic Book Confidential with filmmaker Ron Mann in attendance will be co-presented by The Calgary Underground Film Festival and Calgary International Film Festival.
In Yellowknife
A screening of Clement Virgo’s acclaimed new feature Brother, presented by Western Arctic Moving Pictures.
In Vancouver
Home Truths: an exciting month-long programme hosted by the Vancouver International Film Festival that will culminate in special screenings on CanFilmDay of the classic John and the Missus with producer Peter O’Brien in attendance, as well as “The Great Canadian Short Film Show”, a presentation of short films from some of Canada’s greatest filmmakers including Atom Egoyan, David Cronenberg, Denis Villeneuve and more.
The Vancouver Asian Film Festival is presenting Riceboy Sleeps, winner of TIFF’s Best Canadian Film Award, with a pre-recorded interview with director Anthony Shim.
In Victoria
A screening of Victoria native Atom Egoyan’s classic Exotica, with a recorded introduction by the internationally acclaimed director, will be presented by the Victoria Film Festival.
… and hundreds more screenings in every province and territory in Canada.
National Educational Programming:
Thousands of high school students from over 100 schools from every province and territory will engage in RCtv, an interactive livestream event featuring the film Breakaway with Vinay Virmani and cast member Noureen DeWulf.
Other events across Canada and worldwide will feature appearances by special guests including Trevor Anderson (Before I Change My Mind), David Bezmozgis (Charlotte), Mark Critch (Gordon Pinsent Tribute), Tracey Deer (Beans), Danis Goulet (Night Raiders), Zoe Leigh Hopkins (Run Woman Run), Chandler Levack (I Like Movies), Don McKellar (Last Night), Richie Mehta (Siddharth, I’ll Follow You Down), Moze Mossanen (You Are Here: A Come From Away Story), , Tahir Rana (Charlotte), Rich Willamson (Scarborough), Clement Virgo (Brother), and Andrea Warner (Buffy Sainte Marie: Carry it On) .
This year, we lost a beloved, longtime member of the REEL CANADA family. Ravi Srinivasan worked with us from 2011, and was the senior programmer for National Canadian Film Day, as well as a TIFF programmer and founder of the South Western International Film Festival (SWIFF). We are dedicating the 10th CanFilmDay to his memory. His favourite Canadian film, Stories We Tell, will be presented in Toronto by SWIFF, and will be available to watch nationwide on our streaming platform, preceded by a pre-recorded video tribute.
As previously announced, more than two dozen major broadcast and streaming partners will be scheduling Canadian programming in honour of CanFilmDay. A complete list of broadcast and streaming partners can be found at canfilmday.ca/films.
CanFilmDay is a huge endeavour that’s made possible through the efforts of dedicated sponsors and partners. The complete list can be found on the sponsor page of our website.
Visit canfilmday.ca for more information in the lead-up to April 19. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: @CanFilmDay and #CanFilmDay.
Deepa Mehta, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Colm Feore, Vinay Virmani, Clement Virgo, Sudz Sutherland, and Chandler Levack as well as Jack Blum and Sharon Corder, Executive and Artistic Director of REEL CANADA, are available for interviews.
For high-res images: bit.ly/CanFilmDay2023
About REEL CANADA
REEL CANADA is a charitable organization that promotes the diversity of Canadian film and its power to spark important conversations about what it means to be Canadian. Through our core programmes — Our Films in Our Schools, Welcome to Canada, Reel Opportunities, and National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay) — REEL CANADA has reached millions of students, new Canadians, and general audience members.
