Midnight at the Paradise

Director Vanessa Matsui
Year 2022
Run Time 96min
Genre Drama, Romance
In this heartfelt ode to independent theatres, Iris (Liane Balaban), feeling something is missing in her life, reconnects with her old fling Alex (Allan Hawco) who is back in town. With their paths colliding at a fateful screening at her favourite theatre, the two will soon face a potentially life-altering decision.

Director

Vanessa Matsui

Writer

Bill Robertson

Cast

Liane Balaban, Allan Hawco, Kenneth Welsh

Producer

Bill Robertson

Genres

Drama, Romance

Interests

Arts and Culture, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Mile End Kicks

Director Chandler Levack
Year 2025
Run Time 105min
Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
In this dazzling sophomore feature from Chandler Levack (I Like Movies), a young music reporter leaves her job in Toronto and strikes out on her own in Montreal, armed with a book deal and a desire to start fresh. However, as she becomes romantically entangled with a band that she’s covering, her carefully made plans quickly start to fall apart.
 

Director

Chandler Levack

Levack got her start directing music videos, which earned her two Juno Award nominations for Video of the Year. She went on to debut her first narrative short, We Forgot to Break Up, at TIFF 2017. Her first feature film, I Like Movies, premiered at TIFF 2022 and was named to TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten list. She also directed several episodes of the 2024 Crave series My Dead Mom

Writer

Chandler Levack

Cast

Devon Bostick, Barbie Ferreira, Jay Baruchel

Producers

Matthew Miller, Pat Kiely

Genres

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Interests

Arts and Culture, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

English

Amour apocalypse (Peak Everything)

Director Anne Émond
Year 2025
Run Time 100min
Genre Comedy, Romance
Adam, a kennel owner gripped by climate anxiety finds unexpected solace in conversations with a customer service representative. When he hears about a natural disaster where she works, he sets out on a cross-provincial journey to rescue her. Nominated for 15 Prix Iris, including Best Picture.

Director

Anne Émond

Émond's debut feature, Nuit #1, won the Claude Jutra Award for Best Feature by a first time filmmaker at the 2012 Genie Awards. Her other credits include the shorts La vie commence, Sophie Lavoie and Plus rien ne vouloir, and the features Nelly and Les êtres chers, which received seven Jutra Award nominations and won for Best Direction. Her most recent film is Manuel de la vie sauvage

Writer

Anne Émond

Cast

Gilles Renaud, Eric K. Boulianne, Patrick Hivon, Piper Perabo

Producer

Sylvain Corbeil

Genres

Comedy, Romance

Interests

Environment, Female Filmmaker

Original Language

French

The End of Sex

Director Sean Garrity
Year 2022
Run Time 87min
Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
2026 spotlight contributor Emily Hampshire
Gifted a brief reprieve from the pressures of parenthood with their kids off at a sleepaway camp, Josh (Jonas Chernick) and Emma (Emily Hampshire) decide to use the opportunity to attempt to rekindle the passion in their relationship. Their efforts to spice things up quickly lead to a series of hilarious misadventures with unexpected complications.

Featuring outrageous performances by a terrific cast, this witty look at long term relationships is a fun and fresh entry into the romantic comedy genre.

“Heartfelt and funny in all the right places.” — Rachel Ho, Exclaim!

Director

Sean Garrity

Writer

Jonas Chernick

Cast

Jonas Chernick, Emily Hampshire

Producer

Justin Rebelo

Genres

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Interest

Family Relationships

Original Language

English

Youngblood

Director Hubert Davis
Year 2025
Run Time 105min
Genre Drama, Romance
2026 spotlight contributor Staff Pick
Dean Youngblood, a top hockey prospect in the minor leagues, faces the prospect of his career ending early when he’s suspended for an on-ice incident. Given a new chance on a new team, he has to face his aggression head-on to get back on track and lead his team to a championship.

Drawing inspiration from the 80s cult classic of the same name, Director Hubert Davis expertly captures the drama both on and off the ice, with incredible performances and exhilarating hockey sequences. 

“In an age when sports movies often feel either overly sentimental or clumsily macho, ‘Youngblood’ finds a refreshing sweet spot that’s emotionally intelligent, grounded, and deeply human.” — Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots
 

Director

Hubert Davis

Davis’s first film, Hardwood, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Documentary. He went on to receive the Don Haig award at Hot Docs for Invisible City, and direct numerous award winning commercials, as well as the short films Aruba and Rivolta, which won a Cannes Film Lion, and the feature documentaries Giants of Africa and Black Ice, which premiered at TIFF in 2022 where it won the People’s Choice Documentary Award.

 

Writers

Seneca Aaron, Josh Epstein, Peter Markle

Cast

Shawn Doyle, Ashton James, Blair Underwood

Producers

Anthony Leo, Andrew Rosen

Genres

Drama, Romance

Interest

Sports

Original Language

English

Matt and Mara

Director Kazik Radwanski
Year 2024
Run Time 80min
Genre Drama, Romance

Director

Kazik Radwanski

Writers

Samantha Chater, Kazik Radwanski

Cast

Michael Michael Kolberg, Matt Johnson, Deragh Campbell

Producer

Candice Napoleone

Genres

Drama, Romance

Interest

Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Sweet Summer Pow Wow

Director Darrell Dennis (Secwepemc)
Year 2025
Run Time 93min
Genre Comedy, Romance

Director

Darrell Dennis (Secwepemc)

Writers

Darrell Dennis (Secwepemc), Katya Gardner

Cast

Joshua Odjick (Algonquin/Anishinaabe), Tatyana Rose Baptiste (Syilx Okanagan), Graham Greene (Oneida)

Producers

Leslie D. Bland, Harold Joe

Genres

Comedy, Romance

Interests

Arts and Culture, BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Young Werther

Director José Lourenço
Year 2024
Run Time 101min
Genre Comedy, Romance

While on a simple errand to Toronto, a carefree and charming young writer named Werther (Douglas Booth) meets Charlotte (Alison Pill), who he believes love of his life. There's only one thing standing in the way - her engagement to another man. Despite the urgings of his hypochondriac best friend, Werther turns his world upside down in a desperate, misguided and hilarious quest to win her heart.

Director

José Lourenço

Writers

Johann Goethe, José Lourenço

Cast

Alison Pill, Patrick J. Adams, Iris Apatow

Producer

Douglas Booth

Genres

Comedy, Romance

Interest

Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English

Entre la mer et l’eau douce (Between Sweet and Salt Water)

Director Michel Brault
Year 1967
Run Time 85min
Genre Drama, Romance
Claude (Gauthier), an ambitious young singer, leaves his small town for the promise of a career in the big city. When he meets a charming young waitress named Geneviève (Bujold), he is instantly smitten. But when he gets a life-changing opportunity, he is  forced to choose between this blossoming romance and his lifelong dream.

Director

Michel Brault

Writers

Marcel Dubé, Michel Brault, Denys Arcand

Cast

Geneviève Bujold, Claude Gauthier

Producer

Pierre Patry

Genres

Drama, Romance

Interest

Arts and Culture

Original Language

French

Die Alone

Director Lowell Dean
Year 2024
Run Time 91min
Genre Horror, Romance, Thriller
While fleeing to a safe refuge during a zombie apocalypse, Ethan (Smith) suffers an accident and is left suffering with amnesia and mysteriously separated from his girlfriend. When he meets Mae (Moss), a weary survivalist, she offers to help him on his quest to find her, even as their situation becomes increasingly perilous. 

A brilliant blend of romance and horror, Die Alone is a refreshing take on the zombie genre with a heartfelt message at its core. 

“This isn’t just a zombie film; it’s a haunting exploration of love, loss, and what it means to hold on when everything else falls apart.” – Thom Ernst, Original Cin
 

Director

Lowell Dean

Dean began his career as a director with short films such as Juice Pigs, which he co-wrote, and episodes of Canadian TV series such as Dust Up, and Blood, Lies and Alibis. He has gone on to direct six feature films which include comedy-horror Wolfcop, its well-deserved sequel Another Wolfcop, and the action-packed Supergrid. In 2024, he released two films, Dark Match and Die Alone, which premiered at Sitges Film Festival and took home the Midnight X-treme audience choice award. 

Writer

Lowell Dean

Cast

Carrie-Anne Moss, Douglas Smith, Frank Grillo

Producers

Kevin DeWalt, Danielle Masters, Benjamin DeWalt

Genres

Horror, Romance, Thriller

Interest

Strong Female Leads

Original Language

English