Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time

The Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time is a list compiled by the Toronto International Film Festival ranking what are the considered the best Canadian films. The list has been compiled once roughly every 10 years starting in 1984, typically assembled by polling a combination of Canadian critics and filmmakers. The list, which is separate from the festival's annual Canada's Top Ten list of the best Canadian films released within that year, has been published in 1993, 2004, and 2015.

Methodology

The list is compiled once every decade. The list was started in 1984 because Canadian film was taking off, and was made by polling critics, professors, fans and festival staff. According to Piers Handling, a TIFF director, the idea of the Top 10 was to introduce the public to Canadian film, and around 100 people were polled. TIFF did not provide the poll-takers with a list of films to choose from.

In 2015, the polling method was changed, as those who responded were divided into two groups, filmmakers and critics. Filmmakers made up 40% of the respondents. There were 200 participants.

The lists

The lists have been compiled as follows:

2015 list

The 2015 list reads:

2004 list

The 2004 list reads:

1993 list

The 1993 list reads:Handling, p. 23.

1984 list

The 1984 list reads:

Reception

TIFF organizers were surprised with the results of the 1984 poll, which provided recognition for what they felt were underappreciated directors such as Claude Jutra, Don Shebib and Gilles Carle. Wayne Clarkson, testifying before the Parliament of Canada, remarked on the 1984 list's oldest film being '' Nobody Waved Goodbye'' (1964), asking "How is it that some of this country's most acclaimed films came in the brief 20-year period between 1964 and 1984? That's a very interesting phenomenon for us."

According to encyclopedist Gene Walz, the revisions in 1993 "forced people to rethink their stereotyped notions about Canadian film." The 1993 list was noted for the addition of the first female director, Patricia Rozema, and '' Mon oncle Antoine'' being ranked first for a second time, despite the popularity of Oscar-nominated classics ''Jesus of Montreal'' and ''The Decline of the American Empire''.

Among the films that dropped off the list after 1993 were ''Nobody Waved Goodbye'' and ''The Grey Fox''. Critic Norman Wilner said this was unsurprising, describing the two films as "very much products of their time, and they haven’t aged well."

The 2015 poll saw major changes, including in the number one spot, prompting essayist Steve Gravestock to comment, "This is likely the first time that a film by an indigenous filmmaker has topped a poll of national cinema." ''The Nunatsiaq News'' heralded the choice as a sign '' Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner'' "has stood the test of time." However, Eric Moreault, writing for '' La Presse'', dismissed ''Atanarjuats first-place finish as nonsensical, noting ''Mon oncle Antoine'' topped all previous versions.

John Semley of ''The Globe and Mail'' commented that the 2015 list "seems a little heavy on recent movies," but was remarkable for its diversity. The inclusion of more recent films led to the question of whether Canadian cinema was becoming more creative, or if critics were biased to more popular films. Moreault objected to what he saw as too few Quebeckers participating in the vote, saying ''Incendies'' (2010) or '' Mommy'' (2014) could be included.

Peter Knegt of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation called the 2015 list "worthy" compared the alternative list produced by data journalism website The 10 and 3, weighing votes from the Internet Movie Database. That list named ''Room'' (2015) as the best Canadian film, followed by the Oscar-nominated ''Incendies'' and the holiday cult classic ''A Christmas Story'' (1983).

See also

*List of Canadian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
*List of films considered the best
*Cinema of Canada

References

{{TIFF

Awards established in 1984
Lists of Canadian films
Top film lists
Toronto International Film Festival awards