April 15, 2026 is National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay), a chance for all of us to link elbows and join a community of Canadians celebrating Canadian film and culture together.
Through our partnership with NICE, we’ll cover the screening fees while you support Canadian artists with a free screening at your theatre. We are delighted to offer curated programming to member theatres, including a sneak preview of an exciting new film, some great Canadian classics, and a few other titles we think you’ll love. Explore the full list below.
We were thrilled to see how many of you got behind Canadian film last year, hosting multiple screenings and even CanFilmWEEKS! We’d love to support similar initiatives again this year, so don’t feel like you can only choose one film from the list.
For any of these films, we will help you secure a copy and cover any screening fees, in order to allow you to hold a free screening. Some of them will also come with pre-recorded introductions or Q&As to enhance your screening. And of course, we’ll also provide materials to help promote your event.
This year, we are thrilled to once again showcase a special pre-release title for NICE theatres, with this year’s selection being the TIFF standout Mile End Kicks! We are also offering some financial support along with this programme, as outlined in the film section below.
The deadline to register and confirm your programming is Friday, March 27.
For questions or more information, please reach out to [email protected] or 1-888-508-0881 option 3.
canfilmday special preview:
Mile End Kicks
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.
SPECIAL OFFER: Because this is a pre-release screening arranged with the distributor (Elevation Pictures), for this film only, in lieu of covering the screening fees, we are instead providing box office through free tickets. We will pay for the first 50 tickets, at $10 per ticket (up to $500), with $250 of that box office being used to cover the screening fee minimum that will need to be paid to Elevation Pictures. Everyone will receive a minimum of $250 for any number of purchased tickets up to and including 25, which would cover the screening fee. Further tickets can be sold, either to this screening or to future bookings on release (April 17th), at a rate of 45% vs. $250.
Hard Core Logo (30th anniversary)
Director: Bruce McDonald / Year: 1996 / 92 min
This pseudo-rockumentary follows punk band Hard Core Logo on a harrowing and hilarious last-gasp reunion tour. Bruce McDonald’s beloved cult classic is now celebrating its 30th anniversary!
Les furies (The Furies)
Director Mélanie Charbonneau / Year: 2025 / 105 min
When Waterloo gets a new semi-pro men’s hockey team, the local women’s amateur leagues are kicked out of the arena. Determined to avenge their lost ice time, an impulsive hockey player teams up with a local roller derby legend to recruit the town’s outcasts and form an underground roller derby team. This bold feminist sports comedy features a hilarious cast of characters that are sure to have you rolling in the aisles.
Meadowlarks
Director: Tasha Hubbard (Cree) / Year: 2025 / 91 min
Four siblings, torn apart by the Sixties Scoop, reunite for one week in Banff, Alberta. Inspired by her 2017 documentary Birth of a Family on the same subject, Meadowlarks is a moving drama that features emotional performances, and thoughtfully explores the generational effects of the Sixties Scoop on Indigenous families.
Midnight at the Paradise
Director: Vanessa Matsui / Year: 2022 / 96 min
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.
Menteuse (Compulsive Liar 2)
Director: Émile Gaudreault / Year: 2025 / 102 min
A sequel to the smash-hit comedy Menteur (Compulsive Liar), this hilarious film was the highest grossing Canadian film of the year in 2025. Virginie lies all the time, but only because she cares about protecting people’s feelings. As her lies build, her whole world gets turned on its head, when all her lies become true!
The Movie Man
Director: Matt Finlin / Year: 2024 / 89 min
Keith Stata’s Highland Cinemas in Kinmount, ON is probably the most unique and eccentric cinema in the world. Faced with the unexpected rupture caused by the global pandemic, this wistful documentary follows Stata’s efforts to keep it alive while demonstrating what makes this place such a beloved and essential institution.
Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie
Director: Matt Johnson / Year: 2025 / 95 min
Based on the hit series Nirvanna the Band the Show, longtime friends and bandmates Matt and Jay have been trying for over a dozen years to book a show for their band at The Rivoli through zany, unconventional methods. When their latest (and most outlandish) effort leads to them accidentally travelling back in time, they get taken on an adventure that threatens to change everything.
Project Grizzly (30th anniversary)
Director: Peter Lynch / Year: 1996 / 72 min
In this hilarious cult favourite documentary celebrating its 30th anniversary, Troy Hurtubise has set out to construct an armoured suit that could withstand a grizzly bear attack. With a prototype ready, built out of titanium, rubber and chain mail, it’s time to find out if it works.
This Is Not a Test
Director: Adam MacDonald / Year: 2025 / 102 min
In this thrilling twist on a zombie apocalypse, a group of teenagers barricade themselves into their high school to stave off hordes of zombies. Based on the popular YA novel of the same name by Courtney Summers.
Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband)
Director: Zacharias Kunuk (Inuk) / Year: 2025 / 100 min
In this gorgeous retelling of an Inuit legend, Kaujak and Sapa, two young Inuit lovers in Igloolik, are kept apart by tragic circumstances, and turn to a shaman to help them be together. Winner of the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF in 2025.
Youngblood
Director: Hubert Davis / Year: 2025 / 105 min
In this heart-pounding remake of the 1986 classic, 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.
We know that many NICE members already participate in CanFilmDay in partnership with other local organizations. We love this! You might also have your own programming ideas, and that’s great too. If there’s something else you’re interested in showing outside of this list, you can reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll see what we can do. However you choose to participate in CanFilmDay, we’d love to work with you!
The deadline to register and confirm your programming is Friday, March 27.
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