Interest: Strong Female Leads
Space Cadet
Director
Kid Koala
Writer
Mylène Chollet
Producer
Ginette Petit
Genres
Animation, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Family Relationships, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
No Dialogue
Sedna, Empress of the Sea
Director
Jerry Thevenet
Writer
Jerry Thevenet
Cast
Shawn Youngchief, Paula Davis
Producer
Jerry Thevenet
Genres
Animation, Family
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Indigenous Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, French, Other Language
Deux femmes en or (Two Women)
Director
Chloé Robichaud
Writer
Catherine Léger
Cast
Laurence Leboeuf, Mani Soleymanlou, Karine Gonthier-Hyndman
Producers
Martin Paul-Hus, Catherine Léger
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, LGBTQ2S+, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Out Standing
Director
Mélanie Charbonneau
Quebec-based director Charbonneau started her career directing commercials. Her first short film, Seule (Single), played at several international festivals, including Cannes, and her short film Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous collected over 30 prizes at festivals internationally. Fabuleuses (Fabulous) was her first feature. She has also directed episodes of Je ne suis pas un robot (I am Not a Robot).
Writers
Mélanie Charbonneau, Martine Pagé, Sandra Perron
Cast
Antoine Olivier Pilon, Nina Kiri, Vincent Leclerc
Producers
Marcel Giroux, Julia Rosenberg
Genre
Drama
Interests
Biography, Discrimination, Female Filmmaker, History, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Nika & Madison
Eva Thomas’ urgent and thoughtful debut film premiered at TIFF to critical acclaim, was nominated for the Director’s Guild of Canada Team Award, and won several awards at festivals internationally.
“A gripping film that tackles systemic racism through the bond of two Indigenous women. Powered by authentic performances, it’s a timely, unflinching, and deeply human story.” — Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots
Director
Eva Thomas (Ojibwe)
Writers
Michael McGowan, Eva Thomas (Ojibwe)
Cast
Ellyn Jade (Ojibwe), Star Slade, Shawn Doyle
Producer
Eva Thomas (Ojibwe)
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Indigenous Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English
Eastern Promises
Featuring incredible performances, including an Oscar-nominated turn from Mortensen, this masterpiece from David Cronenberg received widespread acclaim, winning seven Genie Awards and the TIFF People’s Choice Award.
“A film that takes us beyond crime and London and the Russian mafia and into the mystifying realms of human nature.” — Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun Times
Director
David Cronenberg
A Companion of the Order of Canada, Cronenberg is a legendary filmmaker and pioneer of the body horror genre. His directing credits include iconic films such as Scanners, Dead Ringers, Videodrome, and Crash, for which he won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. He also directed eXistenZ, Crimes of the Future, The Shrouds, and others. He has won over 80 awards, including the Golden Coach at Cannes, and lifetime achievement awards from TIFF and the DGC.
Writer
Steven Knight
Cast
Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel
Producers
Paul Webster, Robert Lantos
Genres
Drama, Thriller
Interest
Strong Female Leads
Original Languages
English, Other Language
Les furies (The Furies)
This bold feminist sports comedy features a hilarious cast of characters that are sure to have you rolling in the aisles.
“Gabrielle Côté puts together all the ingredients of a classic sports comedy, with a healthy dose of ‘girl power’ and female solidarity” — Maxime Demers, Le Journal de Montréal
Director
Mélanie Charbonneau
Quebec-based director Charbonneau started her career directing commercials. Her first short film, Seule (Single), played at several international festivals, including Cannes, and her short film Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous collected over 30 prizes at festivals internationally. Fabuleuses (Fabulous) was her first feature. She has also directed episodes of Je ne suis pas un robot (I am Not a Robot).
Writer
Gabrielle Côté
Cast
Anne-Élisabeth Bossé, Gabrielle Côté, France Castel
Producers
Émilie Beaulieu, Sarah Châtelain, Stephanie Pages
Genre
Comedy
Interests
Female Filmmaker, Sports, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)
This breathtaking romantic drama won the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF in 2025, and was named to their Canada’s Top Ten list.
“Kunuk has once again created something special: a film made for and by Inuit, with a story that transcends culture.” — Matthew Simpson, Exclaim!
Director
Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk)
In 2015, Atanarjuat was selected as TIFF’s number one Canadian film of all time. Kunuk has directed shorts such as Exile and Home and features such as Maliglutit, which was nominated for two CSAs. He recently directed the series Hunting With My Ancestors and executive produced SGaawaay K'uuna (Edge of the Knife). His latest feature, One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk, premiered at TIFF 2019. Most recently, he directed the short The Shaman’s Apprentice, which won the CSA for Best Animated Short among other awards at festivals worldwide.
Writers
Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk), Samuel Cohn-Cousineau
Cast
Haiden Angutimarik (Inuk), Leah Panimera (Inuk), Theresia Kappianaq (Inuk)
Producers
Samuel Cohn-Cousineau, Carol Kunnuk (Inuk), Jonathan Frantz
Genre
Drama
Interests
Family Relationships, Indigenous Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
Inuktitut
Tous toqués! (All Stirred Up!)
Director
Manon Briand
Briand is a filmmaker and writer whose first short film, Les sauf-conduits, won Best Canadian Short Film at TIFF. She also directed a segment of the anthology Cosmos. Her features include 2 secondes, La turbulence des fluides (Chaos and Desire, for which she won a Jutra Award), Liverpool and Tous Toqués !, all of which she wrote and directed.
Writer
Manon Briand
Cast
Edouard Baer, Martin Gauthier, Julie Le Breton
Producer
Pierre Even
Genres
Comedy, Family
Interests
Arts and Culture, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
French
Can I Get a Witness?
Director
Ann Marie Fleming
Fleming is a visual artist, filmmaker and writer who has animated over 20 films, including the shorts Stories Sarah Tells, Big Trees, A Short Film About Tegan & Sara, Question Period, and Old Dog. Her features include New Shoes, The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, The French Guy and Can I Get a Witness, which premiered at TIFF 2024. Fleming has won nearly 20 awards and nominations for her films, including 15 for Window Horses.
Writer
Ann Marie Fleming
Cast
Joel Oulette (Cree/Métis), Sandra Oh, Keira Jang
Producer
Ann Marie Fleming
Genre
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Interests
Arts and Culture, Asian Filmmaker, BIPOC Stories, Environment, Female Filmmaker, Global Experiences, Strong Female Leads
Original Language
English