Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, also known as Cinéfest and Cinéfest Sudbury is an annual

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

Greater Sudbury Sudbury, officially the City of Greater Sudbury, is the largest city in Northern Ontario by population, with a population of 166,004 at the 2021 Canadian Census. By land area, it is the largest in Ontario and the List of the largest cities and t ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada,"Cinefest provides cultural landmark". ''

Sudbury Star ''The Sudbury Star'' is a Canadian daily regional newspaper published in Sudbury, Ontario. It is owned by the media company, Postmedia. It is the largest daily paper in Northeastern Ontario by circulation. History The ''Sudbury Star'' began ...

'', September 16, 1999. held over nine days each September. It is one of the largest film festivals in Canada."Out of the slag heaps comes the anti-festival". ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

'', September 18, 1991. First held in 1989, Cinéfest quickly became a popular destination for Canadian filmmakers. Unlike the larger film festivals in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, and

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, Cinéfest offers filmmakers a chance to gain exposure among more typical film audiences in a city which, at the time of the festival's launch in 1989, had never previously had any regular venues for screening independent, international, and non-mainstream films. Cinéfest presents an annual program of over 135 films, both domestic and international, often screened for both English and French language audiences. In 2022, the festival's longtime executive director Tammy Frick was named the new chief executive officer of the

Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is a Canadian non-profit organization created in 1979 to recognize the achievements of the over 4,000 Canadian cinema of Canada, film industry and television in Canada, television industry professionals ...

. The festival's longtime managing director Patrick O'Hearn was named the new executive director of Cinéfest Sudbury following the departure of Tammy Frick. Cinéfest is a qualifying film festival for the

Canadian Screen Awards The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...

History

Patricia Rozema's ''

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing Ive or IVE may refer to: Music * Ive (group), a South Korean girl group * I've Sound (aka "I've"), a Japanese musical group People * Ive (given name), a Croatian and Slovenian given name * Bert Ive (1875–1939), British-born Australian cinemato ...

'' was presented in Sudbury in 1988 at a special test screening. Planned as a onetime event, Sudbury was being used as a test market for alternative Canadian films in communities outside of Canada's top metropolitan markets. The result surprised everyone, with over 900 people attending the sold out screening. Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival was established a year later in 1989 as the Sudbury Film Festival, and despite some remaining skepticism, local citizens proved that the city could be receptive to repertory film culture, as approximately 9,000 cinema buffs crowded theatres during the three-day event. The event proved so popular, in fact, that despite having booked opening gala ''

Jesus of Montreal ''Jesus of Montreal'' () is a 1989 Canadian comedy drama film written and directed by Denys Arcand, and starring Lothaire Bluteau, Catherine Wilkening and Johanne-Marie Tremblay. The film tells the story of a group of actors in Montreal who pe ...

'' in a 600-seat hall rather than a movie theatre, 1,500 people lined up for the screening and the festival had to quickly add two follow-up screenings."Extra seats needed at Cinefest". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'', September 27, 1989. Founding director Cameron Haynes noted that not even the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

had been as wildly popular in its first year of operation. By 1993, Cinéfest evolved into a full-service film organization, with the festival growing to include upwards of 60 films over five days. Cinéfest Sudbury has become recognized as one of Canada's premiere film festivals. The festival has developed a distinct identity and role within its community and the media arts industry, winning provincial and national acclaim. It is administrated by the non-profit

Cultural Industries Ontario North Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, attitudes, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...

Northern Film Circuit

Cinéfest Sudbury has a long history of promoting Canadian cinema and supporting the local film industry. One of the organization's most ambitious projects was the establishment of the Northern Film Circuit (NFC) in 1992. An attempt to build audiences in Northern Ontario for Canadian and international film, the NFC began with only four members. The NFC was eventually used as a model for the Film Circuit, which was developed in partnership with the

and now operates in over 110 communities throughout Ontario. Haynes left Cinéfest in 1995 to head up the larger TIFF Film Circuit, and was succeeded by Frick.

Northern Connections

Constantly working to bring knowledge to the north, Cinéfest introduced Industry Forum to the Festival's framework in 2003, an initiative that has since provided emerging and mid-career film artists with access to key film representatives, and invited partnerships between Festival, industry and educational institutions. Since the introduction of industry forum, Cinéfest has established itself as a focal point for independent filmmakers, and programmers. While the festival has a long history of presenting and supporting films that represent the output of Canada's independent film artists, Cinéfest Sudbury has also over the years extended significant support to its regional film artists. Through programs such as Northern Connections (introduced in 2003), a program which highlights the best and brightest of regional film talent, and the CTV Best in Shorts Competition, which has awarded over $92,000 in cash prizes to up-and-coming regional film talent since it was established in 2001, the festival has served as a place for regional artists to have their work seen and celebrated.

Mini-festivals

Since the overwhelming success of Cinéfest Sudbury in 2003, which saw 80 per cent of festival screenings either reach or exceed capacity, festival organizers have worked aggressively to ensure accessibility for its audiences. The Festival Expansion Initiative was developed and launched in 2004, through which the festival was expanded from six to nine days. A plan was also developed at that time to establish Cinéfest as a year-round venue to showcase the best in film. In 2006, Cinéfest Sudbury introduced two new mini-festivals, Canadian Spotlight and Show & Tell Children's Film Showcase). These events are now providing audiences with even greater access to the works of Canadian film artists and are providing area schools with educational and inspirational film works that meet the needs of each curriculum.

Cinema Summit

In 2010, Cinéfest Sudbury introduced The Cinema Summit, a presentation, exchange and development series devoted to the celebration, promotion and advancement of Canada's new and emerging filmmaking talent. Aside from expanding the number of film screenings attended by talent associated with selected films, Cinema Summit features additional panel discussions, master classes and lectures with specific topics of focus, and introduces attendees to experts in the film and media arts industries. Cinema Summit represents Cinéfest's next efforts to inspire audiences, talent, students and industry.

Cinéfest Sudbury Film Series

In 2010, Cinéfest Sudbury further expanded its year-round presence by introducing the Cinéfest Sudbury Film Series, a monthly film presentation series typically held on the last Thursday of each month, featuring the best in Canadian and international cinema. The Cinéfest Sudbury Film Series has since been discontinued.

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival Collection

The Greater Sudbury Public Library maintains a dedicated "Cinéfest Collection", featuring DVDs of over 200 films that have previously screened at the festival.

Cinéfest Sudbury Red Carpet Patron Program

At the end of 2021, Cinéfest Sudbury introduced the Red Carpet Patron Program, a subscription-based program for dedicated festival fans to keep the spirit of Cinéfest alive all year long. The program initially presented four exclusive films throughout the year but, due to popular demand and praise, has since expanded to provide registered Red Carpet Patrons with complimentary popcorn and access to six exclusive films throughout the year.

Programming

Cinéfest currently boasts a nine-day repertoire of film programming for local, national and international guests. Its lineup often includes a selection of prominent international films which may have screened at TIFF just a week or two earlier, but also places a greater emphasis on both commercial and independent Canadian films. In 2021, when Michael McGowan attended the festival to screen ''

All My Puny Sorrows ''All My Puny Sorrows'' is the sixth novel by Canadian writer Miriam Toews. The novel won the 2014 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2014 Scotiabank Giller Prize, the 2015 Folio Prize for Literature, and the 2015 ...

'', he praised Cinéfest's dedication to Canadian film, noting that it was the only film festival that had screened every single film he had ever made in his career. Due to the Sudbury region's significant

Franco-Ontarian Franco-Ontarians ( or if female, sometimes known as ''Ontarois'' and ''Ontaroises'') are Francophone Canadians that reside in the province of Ontario. Most are French Canadians from Ontario. In 2021, according to the Government of Ontario, ther ...

population, the festival also programs a significant selection of French-language films from both Quebec and France. In recent years, the festival has also programmed a dedicated Cinema Indigenized stream of Indigenous Canadian films, and as the region is also a significant centre of

Finnish Canadian Finnish Canadians () are Canadian citizens of Finnish ancestry or Finns who emigrated to and reside in Canada. In 2016, 143,645 Canadians claimed Finnish ancestry. Finns started coming to Canada in the early 1880s, and in much larger numbers i ...

settlement, the festival frequently tries to ensure that at least one film from

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

is also present in each year's lineup. The festival is sometimes the world premiere venue for films that were produced or shot within Northern Ontario. Cinéfest also includes a Best in Shorts competition, sponsored by

CTV Northern Ontario CTV Northern Ontario, formerly known as MCTV, is a system of four television stations in Northern Ontario, Canada, owned and operated by the CTV Television Network, a division of Bell Media. These stations are: * CICI-TV - Greater Sudbury (fl ...

, for student and emerging filmmakers from Northern Ontario. Films are entered in one of three categories, Open, Student or Northern Flicks, and are screened at a dedicated event during the festival, with the winners and runners-up in each category awarded cash prizes of $500, $750 or $1,250 depending on the category."Cinefest Sudbury CTV Best in Shorts winners". ''

'', September 23, 2017. Best in Shorts was suspended during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, but returned in 2023.

Awards

1990

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' An Imaginary Tale (Une histoire inventée)'',

André Forcier André Forcier (born Marc-André Forcier on July 19, 1947) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. His work has been linked to Latin American magic realism by its use of fantasy but is firmly rooted in Quebec's reality. His unromanticized, ...

"Cinefest 90: Sudbury film festival ends second season". ''

'', September 24, 1990. * Best International Film Award: '' The Nasty Girl'',

Michael Verhoeven Michael Alexander Verhoeven (13 July 1938 – 22 April 2024) was a German film director, screenwriter, film and television producer, and actor. He was also a qualified Doctor of Medicine. He was considered a political filmmaker. Biography Mic ...

1991

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' The Adjuster'',

Atom Egoyan Atom Egoyan (; ; born July 19, 1960) is an Armenian Canadians, Armenian-Canadian filmmaker. One of the most preeminent directors of the Toronto New Wave, he emerged during the 1980s and made his career breakthrough with ''Exotica (film), Exotica ...

* Best Ontario Feature: '' The Adjuster'',

* Best International Film Award: '' A Mere Mortal (Simple mortel)'',

Pierre Jolivet Pierre Jolivet (; born 9 October 1952) is a French director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. His film ''Zim and Co.'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and his film ''The Night Watchman (2015 film) ...

1992

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' Careful'',

Guy Maddin Guy Maddin (born February 28, 1956) is a Canadian screenwriter, director, author, cinematographer, film editor and installation artist. He is known for his fascination with lost Silent film, Silent-era films and for incorporating their aestheti ...

"Canadian films take honors at Sudbury, Halifax filmfests". ''

Montreal Gazette ''The Gazette'', also known as the ''Montreal Gazette'', is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper which is owned by Postmedia Network. It is published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the only English-language daily newspape ...

'', September 28, 1992. * Best International Film Award: '' Like Water for Chocolate'',

Alfonso Arau Alfonso Arau Incháustegui (; born 11 January 1932) is a Mexican filmmaker and actor. He worked as an actor and director in both Mexican and Hollywood productions for over 40 years, before his international breakthrough with the 1992 film ''Li ...

* Best Ontario Film: '' The Twist'',

Ron Mann Ronald Mann (born June 13, 1958) is a Canadians, Canadian documentary film film director, director. His work includes the films ''Imagine the Sound'' (1981); ''Comic Book Confidential'' (1988); ''Grass (1999 film), Grass'' (1999) and ''Go Furt ...

1993

* Best Canadian Film Award: ''

Zero Patience ''Zero Patience'' is a 1993 Canadian musical film written and directed by John Greyson. The film examines and refutes the urban legend of the alleged introduction of HIV to North America by a single individual, Gaëtan Dugas. Dugas, better known ...

'',

John Greyson John Greyson (born March 13, 1960) is a Canadian director, writer, video artist, producer, and Activism, political activist, whose work frequently deals with queer characters and themes. He was part of a loosely affiliated group of filmmakers to ...

"It's a wrap for Sudbury Cinefest". ''

'', September 27, 1993. * Best International Film Award: ''

Naked Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. While estimates vary, for the first 90,000 years of pre-history, anatomically modern humans were naked, having lost their body hair, living in hospitable climates, and not ...

'',

Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English screenwriter, producer, director and former actor with a film, theatre, and television career spanning more than 60 years. His accolades include prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin In ...

* Best Ontario Film: ''

'',

1994

* Best Canadian Film Award: ''

Exotica Exotica is a musical genre that was popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s with Americans who came of age during World War II. The term was coined by Simon "Si" Waronker, Liberty Records co-founder and board chairman, named after the 1957 Mart ...

'',

* Best International Film Award: ''

Caro diario ''Caro diario'' () is a 1993 Italian-French semi-autobiographical comedy film written, directed and co-produced by Nanni Moretti, who also stars as himself. The film is structured in three anthological episodes, presented as the chapters of Moretti ...

'',

Nanni Moretti Giovanni "Nanni" Moretti (; born 19 August 1953) is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His films have won accolades, including a at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival for ''The Son's Room'', a Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize ...

* Best Ontario Film: '' Picture of Light'',

Peter Mettler Peter Mettler (born September 7, 1958) is a Swiss-Canadian film director and cinematographer. He is best known for his unique, intuitive approach to documentary, evinced by such films as ''Picture of Light'' (1994), ''Gambling, Gods and LSD'' (20 ...

1995

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' The Confessional (Le Confessionnal)'',

Robert Lepage Robert Lepage (born December 12, 1957) is a Canadian playwright, actor, film director, and stage director. Early life Lepage was raised in Quebec City. At age five, he was diagnosed with a rare form of alopecia, which caused complete hair lo ...

* Best International Film Award: '' The White Balloon'',

Jafar Panahi Jafar Panâhi (, ) (born 11 July 1960) is an Iranian film director, screenwriter, and editor. He is known internationally for his contributions to Iranian cinema and has received numerous awards at major film festivals, including the Palme d'Or ...

* Best Ontario Film: ''

Rude Rudeness (also called effrontery) is a display of actual or perceived disrespect by not complying with the social norms or etiquette expected within a relationship, social group, or culture. Social norms are established as the essential guidel ...

'',

Clement Virgo Clement Virgo (born June 1, 1966) is a Canadian film and television writer, producer and director who runs the production company, Conquering Lion Pictures, with producer Damon D'Oliveira. Virgo is best known for co-writing and directing an adap ...

1996

* Audience Choice Award: '' The Eighth Day (Le huitième jour)'',

Jaco Van Dormael Jaco Van Dormael (born 9 February 1957) is a Belgium, Belgian film director, screenwriter and playwright. His films especially focus on a respectful and sympathetic portrayal of people with mental and physical disability, disabilities. Van Dorm ...

* Best Canadian Film Award: ''

Hard Core Logo ''Hard Core Logo'' is a 1996 Canadian music mockumentary film directed by Bruce McDonald, adapted by Noel S. Baker from the novel of the same name by Michael Turner. The film illustrates the self-destruction of punk rock, documenting a once-pop ...

'', Bruce McDonald * Best International Film Award: '' The Eighth Day (Le huitième jour)'',

* Best Ontario Film: '' Project Grizzly'',

Peter Lynch Peter Lynch (born January 19, 1944) is an American investor, mutual fund manager, author and philanthropist. As the manager of the Magellan Fund at Fidelity Investments between 1977 and 1990, Lynch averaged a 29.2% annual return, consistently m ...

1997

* Audience Choice Award: '' Ma vie en rose'',

Alain Berliner Alain Berliner (born 21 February 1963) is a Belgian film director best known for the 1997 film '' Ma vie en rose'', which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film is a Gold ...

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' The Hanging Garden'', Thom Fitzgerald * Best Canadian Short Film: '' Zie 37 Stagen'',

Sylvain Guy Sylvain Guy is a Canadian screenwriter and film director from Quebec. He is most noted for the 2004 film ''Machine Gun Molly (film), Machine Gun Molly (Monica la mitraille)'', for which he and Luc Dionne won the Genie Award for Canadian Screen Awar ...

* Best Ontario Feature: ''

Cube A cube or regular hexahedron is a three-dimensional space, three-dimensional solid object in geometry, which is bounded by six congruent square (geometry), square faces, a type of polyhedron. It has twelve congruent edges and eight vertices. It i ...

'',

Vincenzo Natali Vincenzo Natali (born 1969) is an American-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, known for writing and directing science fiction and horror films such as ''Cube'', '' Cypher'', ''Nothing'', and '' Splice''. Early life and education Natal ...

1998

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Life is Beautiful ''Life Is Beautiful'' (, ) is a 1997 Italian period comedy-drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who co-wrote the film with Vincenzo Cerami. Benigni plays Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who employs his imagin ...

'',

Roberto Benigni Roberto Remigio Benigni ( , ; born 27 October 1952) is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film director. He gained international recognition for writing, directing, and starring in the Holocaust comedy drama film ''Life Is Beautifu ...

* Best Canadian Film Award: '' Nô'',

* Best Canadian First Feature: ''

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...

'',

Chris Grismer Chris Grismer is a Canadian director and producer of film, television and music videos, now residing in Los Angeles. His debut feature film, ''Clutch (film), Clutch'', premiered at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival, before going into com ...

* Best Canadian Short: '' Moving Day'', Chris Deacon * Best Ontario Film: '' Last Night'',

Don McKellar Don McKellar (born August 17, 1963) is a Canadian actor, writer, playwright, and filmmaker. He was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave. He is known for directing and writing th ...

1999

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Happy, Texas Happy is a town in Randall and Swisher Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 602 at the 2020 census. The Randall County portion of Happy is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. Toponymy Happy derives ...

'',

Mark Illsley Mark Illsley (born June 4, 1958) is a film director best known for writing and directing the 1999 in film, film ''Happy, Texas (film), Happy, Texas'', which starred William H. Macy and Steve Zahn, and directing ''Bookies (film), Bookies''. Ills ...

* Best Canadian Film Award: ''

New Waterford Girl ''New Waterford Girl'' is a 1999 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Allan Moyle, and written by Tricia Fish. It stars Liane Balaban as Agnes-Marie "Mooney" Pottie, a teenager in New Waterford, Nova Scotia, who dreams of life beyond her small- ...

'',

Allan Moyle Allan Moyle (born 1947) is a Canadian film director. He is best known for directing the films '' Pump Up the Volume'' (1990) and ''Empire Records'' (1995). Career His first major film was ''Times Square'' (1980). During the editing of the film h ...

* Best Ontario Film: '' Just Watch Me: Trudeau and the '70s Generation'',

Catherine Annau Catherine Annau is a Canadian documentary filmmaker and writer. Annau's debut feature '' Just Watch Me: Trudeau and the '70s Generation'' won numerous awards including a Genie Award, and appeared at New York's Lincoln Center, the National Gallery ...

2000

* Audience Choice Award: '' The Luzhin Defence'',

Marleen Gorris Marleen Gorris (born 9 December 1948) is a Dutch former writer and director. Gorris is known as an outspoken feminist and supporter of gay and lesbian issues which is reflected in much of her work. Her film, '' Antonia's Line,'' won an Oscar fo ...

* Best Canadian Film: '' Two Thousand and None'', Arto ParagamianBob Vaillancourt, "Winner loves Sudbury: Cinefest wraps up with awards". ''

'', September 25, 2000. * Best Canadian First Feature: ''

Parsley Days ''Parsley Days'' is a Canadian feature film directed by Andrea Dorfman. The movie takes place in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The film premiered on September 12, 2000, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was named one of Canada, Canada' ...

'',

Andrea Dorfman Andrea Dorfman (born October 29, 1968) is a Canadian screenwriter and film director based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She directed the Emmy Award films ''Flawed (film), Flawed'' (2010) and ''Big Mouth'' (2012).Dorfman, Andrea. "Andreadorfman.com , ...

* Best Ontario Film: '' Deeply'',

Sheri Elwood Sheri Elwood is an LA-based Canadian-born television producer, director and screenwriter, working in film and television. She is most known for her work on smash hit ''Lucifer'', a dark comedy procedural about the devil in LA. She is also known ...

2001

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Amélie ''Amélie'' (, , ) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. It tells the story ...

'',

Jean-Pierre Jeunet Jean-Pierre Jeunet (; born 3 September 1953) is a French film director and screenwriter. His films combine fantasy, realism, and science fiction to create idealized realities or to give relevance to mundane situations. Jeunet debuted as a direc ...

* Best Canadian First Feature Film: ''A Passage to Ottawa'', Gaurav Seth"Sudbury film festival grows in popularity: Event attracts interest from outside the area". ''

Sault Star ''The Sault Star'' is a Canadian broadsheet daily newspaper based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It is owned by Postmedia. The print edition of Star is published on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with regular news coverage also provided throu ...

'', September 24, 2001. * Best Ontario Film: '' Picture Claire'', Bruce McDonald

2002

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Bowling for Columbine ''Bowling for Columbine'' is a 2002 documentary film written, produced, directed, and narrated by Michael Moore. The documentary film explores what Moore suggests are the primary causes for the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and other a ...

'',

Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...

* Best Canadian First Feature Film: '' Marion Bridge'',

Wiebke von Carolsfeld Wiebke von Carolsfeld (born 1966) is a German Canadians, German Canadian film director, writer and editor."German's debut film perfectly Canadian". ''Vancouver Sun'', April 18, 2003. Her debut feature film as a director, ''Marion Bridge (film), Ma ...

Laura Stradiotto, "Awards presentation wraps up Cinefest for another year". ''

'', September 23, 2002. * Best Ontario Film: ''Rub & Tug'', Soo Lyu

2003

* Audience Choice Award: ''

The Barbarian Invasions ''The Barbarian Invasions'' () is a 2003 Canadian-French sex comedy-Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Denys Arcand and starring Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau and Marie-Josée Croze. The film is a sequel to Arcand ...

(Les Invasions barbares)'',

Denys Arcand Georges-Henri Denys Arcand (; born June 25, 1941) is a Canadian filmmaker. During his four decades career, he became one of the most internationally-recognized director from Quebec, earning widespread acclaim and numerous accolades for his "inten ...

* Best Canadian Film: ''

(Les Invasions barbares)'',

* Best Canadian First Feature: ''

Hollywood North Hollywood North is a colloquialism used to describe film production industries and/or film locations north of its namesake, Hollywood, California. The term has been applied principally to the film industry in Canada, specifically to the cities T ...

'', Peter O'Brian * Best Ontario Film: '' Falling Angels'', Scott Smith

2004

* Audience Choice Award: ''

The Sea Inside ''The Sea Inside'' () is a 2004 psychological drama film co-written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar, who also co-produced, scored and edited. It is based on the real-life story of Ramón Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), who was left quadr ...

'', Alejandro Amenabar * Best Canadian Film: '' A Year in the Death of Jack Richards'', B.P. Paquette

2005

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

'',

Deepa Mehta Deepa Mehta, (; born 15 September 1950) is an Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, best known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire (1996 film), ''Fire'' (1996), ''Earth (1998 film), Earth'' (1998), and ''Water (2005 film), Water'' (2 ...

* Best Canadian First Feature: '' A Simple Curve'',

Aubrey Nealon Aubrey Nealon (born 1971 in New Denver, British Columbia) is a Canadian film and television director, producer and writer, most noted as the creator and showrunner of the CTV drama series ''Cardinal''. Nealon began his career as a teen actor, wit ...

* Best Ontario Film: ''

'',

* Best Canadian Short Film: ''Dry Whiskey'',

Robert Budreau Robert Budreau is a Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer.Greg Colgan, "Ingersoll-raised Hollywood director Robert Budreau to star at Forest City Film Festival". '' Woodstock Sentinel-Review'', September 12, 2019. Budreau was born in ...

and Philip Svoboda

2006

* Audience Choice Award: ''

After the Wedding After the Wedding may refer to: * After the Wedding (1962 film), ''After the Wedding'' (1962 film), a Soviet film directed by Mikhail Yershov * After the Wedding (2006 film), ''After the Wedding'' (2006 film), a Danish film directed by Susanne Bier ...

'',

Susanne Bier Susanne Bier (; born 15 April 1960) is a Danish filmmaker. Bier is the first female director to collectively receive an Academy Award (Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Foreign Film), a Golden Globe Award, a European Film Award ...

* Best Canadian First Feature: ''

Away from Her ''Away from Her'' is a 2006 Canadian independent drama film written and directed by Sarah Polley and starring Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent. Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy, Wendy Crewson, Alberta Watson, and Kristen Thomson are featured in ...

'',

Sarah Polley Sarah Ellen Polley (born January 8, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, political activist and actress.Howell, Peter (September 24, 199"Nobody's Starlet: Toronto's Sarah Polley is Only 20 but already a veteran actor so secure in her craft s ...

* Best Ontario Film: ''

Snow Cake ''Snow Cake'' is a 2006 independent romantic comedy drama film directed by Marc Evans and starring Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Hampshire, and Callum Keith Rennie. It was released on 8 September 2006, in the United Kin ...

'',

Marc Evans Marc Evans (born 1960) is a Welsh director of film and television, whose credits include the films ''House of America'', ''Resurrection Man (film), Resurrection Man'' and ''My Little Eye''. Biography Evans was born in 1960 in Cardiff, Wales. H ...

2007

* Audience Choice Award: '' Shake Hands with the Devil'',

Roger Spottiswoode John Roger Spottiswoode (born 5 January 1945) is a Canadian-British director, editor and writer of film and Television program, television. Early life He was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and was raised in Britain. His father Raymond Spotti ...

* Best Canadian Film: '' Shake Hands with the Devil'',

2008

* Audience Choice Award: '' Passchendaele'',

Paul Gross Paul Michael Gross (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian actor, film and television director, screenwriter, playwright, and producer. He rose to fame for his lead role as RCMP Constable Benton Fraser on the popular Canadian television series '' ...

2009

* Audience Choice Award: ''

The Young Victoria ''The Young Victoria'' is a 2009 British period drama, period drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes, based on the early life and reign of Queen Victoria, and her marriage to Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert ...

'',

Jean-Marc Vallée Jean-Marc Vallée (March 9, 1963December 25, 2021) was a Canadian filmmaker, film editor, and screenwriter. After studying film at the Université de Montréal, Vallée went on to make a number of critically acclaimed short films, including '' ...

* Best Canadian Film: '' The Woman of Ahhs: A Self-Portrait by Victoria Fleming'', B.P. Paquette * Best Canadian First Feature: ''

I Killed My Mother ''I Killed My Mother'' () is a 2009 Canadian drama film written, directed, produced by and starring Xavier Dolan, in his directorial debut. Loosely autobiographical, it follows the complicated relationship between a young man Hubert Minel (Dola ...

(J'ai tué ma mère)'',

Xavier Dolan Xavier Dolan-Tadros (; born 20 March 1989) is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. He began his career as a child actor in commercials before directing several arthouse feature films. He first received international acclaim in 2009 for his feature ...

2010

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Incendies ''Incendies'' (; ) is a 2010 Canadian drama film directed by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's play of the same name, ''Incendies'' stars Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Dés ...

'',

Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, OAL (; ; born October 3, 1967) is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He has received seven Canadian Screen Awards as well as nominations for four Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, and two ...

* Best Canadian First Feature: '' Oliver Sherman'', Ryan Redford"Cinéfest announces award winners"
'' Northern Life'', September 28, 2010. * Best Documentary: '' Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie'',

Sturla Gunnarsson Sturla Gunnarsson (born August 30, 1951) is an Icelandic-Canadian film and television director and producer. Gunnarsson was born in Reykjavík in 1951. He moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, with his parents when he was seven years old. As h ...

'' * Best in Shorts – First place, open category: ''Bedtime Stories'' by Ben Brumueller * Best in Shorts – Second place, open category: ''Freshwater Plague'' by Jake Chirico * Best in Shorts – Third place, open category: ''The Appointment'' by Katrina Saville * Best in Shorts – Student category: ''Singing in the Brain'' by J.P. Bouchardt * Best in Shorts – Northern Flicks Award: ''Never Been Kissed'' by Gina Simon * Best Animation Award: ''Bedtime Stories'' by Ben Brumueller * CTV Best Script Award: ''The Appointment'' by Katrina Saville Gala presentations included '' Score: A Hockey Musical'', ''

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger ''You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger'' is a 2010 comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen and starring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Freida Pinto, Lucy Punch, and Naomi Watts. It premiered at the Can ...

'', ''

Casino Jack ''Casino Jack'' (released in certain territories as ''Bagman'') is a 2010 biographical crime drama directed by George Hickenlooper and starring Kevin Spacey. The film focuses on the career of Washington, D.C., lobbyist and businessman Jack Abram ...

'', ''

Made in Dagenham ''Made in Dagenham'' is a 2010 British comedy-drama film directed by Nigel Cole, written by William Ivory, and starring Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson, Geraldine James, Rosamund Pike, Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, ...

'', '' Jack Goes Boating'', '' The Bang Bang Club'' and '' Barney's Version''.

2011

* Audience Choice Award: ''

Cloudburst Cloudburst in New Orleans A cloudburst is an enormous amount of precipitation in a short period of time, sometimes accompanied by hail and thunder, which is capable of creating flood conditions. Cloudbursts can quickly dump large amounts of wat ...

'', Thom Fitzgerald"Cinéfest announces award winners"
'' Northern Life'', October 9, 2011. * National Film Board of Canada Carolyn Fouriezos Best Canadian Documentary Award: '' The Guantanamo Trap'', Thomas Wallner *Best in Shorts – First place, open category: ''The Standoff'' by John Alden Milne *Best in Shorts – First place, student category: ''Shoes!'' by Ryan Ongaro *Best in Shorts – Second place, student category: ''Ad Noctvm'' by Josh Herd *Best in Shorts – Third place, student category: ''Introspection'' by Sam Desrosiers *Northern Flicks Award: ''Sugaring'' by Ryan Mariotti *Best Animation Award: ''Private Snuffy'' by Ben Sainsbury Gala presentations: ''

Restless Restless or The Restless may refer to: Film and television * ''Restless'' (1998 film), a Chinese-American romance film * ''Restless'' (2000 film), a Finnish romantic film * ''The Restless'' (2006 film), a South Korean fantasy film * ''Restless'' ...

'', '' The Guard'', '' I'm Yours'', '' The Woman in the Fifth'', '' Starbuck'', ''

Albert Nobbs ''Albert Nobbs'' is a 2011 period drama film directed by Rodrigo García (director), Rodrigo García and starring Glenn Close. The screenplay, by Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop, is based on the 1927 novella ''Albert Nobbs'' by George ...

'', '' Donovan's Echo'', '' Take This Waltz''. Special Presentations: '' Afghan Luke'', ''

Monsieur Lazhar ''Monsieur Lazhar'' is a 2011 Canadian French-language drama film directed by Philippe Falardeau and starring Mohamed Fellag, Mohamed Saïd Fellag, Sophie Nélisse and Danielle Proulx. Based on ''Bashir Lazhar'', a one-character play by Évelyn ...

'', '' Sophie and Sheba'', ''

Midnight in Paris ''Midnight in Paris'' is a 2011 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a screenwriter and aspiring novelist, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationsh ...

'', ''

Sleeping Beauty "Sleeping Beauty" (, or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood''; , or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess curse, cursed by an evil fairy to suspended animation in fi ...

''.

2012

* Audience Choice Award: ''In Return'', Chris Dymond"In Return takes top honours at Cinéfest"
'' Northern Life'', September 25, 2012. * Northern Flicks Award: ''Morning Zombies'', Kevin Hoffman * Best Animation Award: ''Reesor Siding'', Paul Rodrigue Gala Presentations: ''The Riverbank'', '' The Angels' Share'', ''

A Dark Truth ''A Dark Truth'' (also known as ''The Truth'') is a 2012 action thriller film directed and written by Damian Lee, and produced by Gary Howsam and Bill Marks. The film stars Andy García, Kim Coates, Deborah Kara Unger, Eva Longoria and Fores ...

'', ''

Midnight's Children ''Midnight's Children'' is the second novel by Indian-British writer Salman Rushdie, published by Jonathan Cape with cover design by Bill Botten, about India's transition from British colonial rule to independence and partition. It is a pos ...

'', ''

A Royal Affair ''A Royal Affair'' () is a 2012 drama film directed by Nikolaj Arcel, starring Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander and Mikkel Følsgaard. The story is set in the 18th century, at the court of the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark, and focus ...

'', ''Old Stock'', '' Inch'Allah'', ''

Still Mine ''Still Mine'' is a 2012 Canadian romantic drama film. The film had a limited release under its original title ''Still'' at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival;A Late Quartet ''A Late Quartet'' (released in Australia as ''Performance'') is a 2012 American drama film directed by Yaron Zilberman and co-written by Zilberman and Seth Grossman. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, M ...

'' Special Presentations: '' All in Good Time'', '' Amour'', '' Crooked Arrows'', '' Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang'', '' The Hunt (Jagten)'', '' Inescapable'', ''

Laurence Anyways ''Laurence Anyways'' is a 2012 Canadian epic romantic drama film written, directed and edited by Xavier Dolan. The film competed in the ''Un Certain Regard'' section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival where Suzanne Clément won the Un Certain Reg ...

'', ''

Rust and Bone ''Rust and Bone'' () is a 2012 romantic drama film directed by Jacques Audiard, starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, based on Craig Davidson's short story collection '' Rust and Bone''. It tells the story of a nightclub bounce ...

(De rouille et d'os)'', '' The Suicide Shop (Le Magasin des suicides)'', '' No'', ''

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

'', ''

Safety Not Guaranteed ''Safety Not Guaranteed'' is a 2012 American science fiction film, science fiction comedy film directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass. It was inspired by a joke classified ad that ran in ''Backwoods Home Magazine'' ...

'', ''

Stories We Tell ''Stories We Tell'' is a 2012 Canadian documentary film written and directed by Sarah Polley and produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The film explores her family's secrets—including one intimately related to Polley's own ident ...

'', ''

War Witch ''War Witch'' () is a 2012 Canadian war drama written and directed by Kim Nguyen and starring Rachel Mwanza, Alain Lino Mic Eli Bastien and Serge Kanyinda. It is about a child soldier forced into a civil war in Africa, and who is believed to b ...

(Rebelle)''

2013

* Audience Choice Award: '' Gabrielle'' by

Louise Archambault Louise Archambault is a Canadian film and television director and screenwriter.Adam Nayman"Louise Archambault" ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', August 20, 2014. She is best known for her films '' Familia'', which won the Claude Jutra Award in 2005 ...

* Best Canadian Feature Film Award: '' Gabrielle'' by

* Best Foreign Feature Film Award: '' The Lunchbox abba' by Ritesh Batra * Best Canadian Independent Song in A Feature Film Award: Ariane Moffatt, "Too Late" from '' Sarah préfère la course'' * Best Northern Ontario Feature Film Award: ''

The Story of Luke ''The Story of Luke'' is a 2012 American comedy drama film written and directed by Alonso Mayo. It is Mayo's first feature-length film and tells the story of Luke, a young man with autism who embarks on a quest for a job and a girlfriend. It sta ...

'' by Alonso Mayo * Best of Audience Choice Award – Audience Votes: ''

'',

. This was a special all-time award presented to honour the most popular film in the history of the festival's Audience Choice award. Gala Presentations: '' The Art of the Steal'', ''

The Invisible Woman The Invisible Woman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), The Fantastic Four'' #1 (November 1961). Susan St ...

'', ''Cubicle Warriors'', '' Kill Your Darlings'', ''

'', '' Parkland'', '' Gabrielle'', '' The Right Kind of Wrong'', '' Cas & Dylan'' Special Presentations: '' Adore'', ''

All Is Lost ''All Is Lost'' is a 2013 survival drama film written and directed by J. C. Chandor. The film stars Robert Redford as a man lost at sea. Redford is the only cast member, and the film has 51 spoken English words. ''All Is Lost'' is Chandor's sec ...

'', '' The Armstrong Lie'', '' Les beaux jours'', '' The Face of Love'', '' The Four Soldiers'', '' Gloria'', '' La grande bellezza'', '' Jeune & Jolie'', '' Shoshite chichi ni naru'', '' Louis Cyr: L'homme le plus fort du monde'', '' The Lunchbox abba', '' Le passé'', '' La vie d'Adele (chapitres 1 et 2)''

2014

*Audience Choice Award: '' Elsa & Fred'' by

Michael Radford Michael James Radford (born 24 February 1946) is an English film director and screenwriter. He began his career as a documentary director and television comedy writer before transitioning into features in the early 1980s. His best-known credi ...

*Audience Choice Award Best Documentary: '' I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story'' by Dave LaMattina and Chad N. Walker *Audience Choice Award Best Short Film: '' Little Brother (Petit frère)'' by Rémi St-Michel *Best in Shorts First Place, open category: ''Beautiful Monster'' by Callam Rodya *Best in Shorts Runner Up, open category: ''Bullet-Headed'' by Zahra Golafshani *Best in Shorts, student category: ''2:00'' by Martin Smith *Best in Shorts Northern Flicks Award: ''Raising Hope: A Relay for Life Story'' by Paul W. Los and Nora Burns *Best in Shorts Best Animation Award: ''Clarabel'' by Ben Bruhmuller

2015

*Audience Choice Award: ''

Labyrinth of Lies ''Labyrinth of Lies'' () is a 2014 German drama film directed by Giulio Ricciarelli. Based on true events, it was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. It was selected as the German ...

'' by Giulio Ricciarelli"Cinéfest Sudbury 2015 award winners announced"
'' Northern Life'', October 1, 2015. *Audience Choice Award Best Documentary: ''

Meru Meru may refer to: Geography Kenya * Meru, Kenya, town in Meru County in the republic of Kenya * Meru County, one of Kenya's 47 counties that was created by the 2009 merger of 3 districts: ** Meru Central District ** Meru North District ** Meru S ...

'' by

Jimmy Chin Jimmy Chin (born October 12, 1973) is an American professional mountain athlete, photographer, skier, film director, and author. Chin has been a professional climber and skier on The North Face Athlete team for over 20 years. In 2006, Chin achi ...

and

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi ( ; born ) is an American documentary filmmaker. She was the director, along with her husband, Jimmy Chin, for the film ''Free Solo'', which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film profiled Ale ...

*Audience Choice Award Best Short Film: ''Ron Taylor: Dr. Baseball'' by Drew Taylor and Matthew Taylor *Best in Shorts, open category: ''Ordinary Miracle'' by Martin Smith *Best in Shorts, open category runner-up: ''Down South'' by Shawn Kosmerly *Best in Shorts, student category: ''Spree'' by Eric Harrison *Best in Shorts, student category runner-up: ''The Maker'' by Alek Bélanger *Best in Shorts Northern Flicks Award: ''Ordinary Miracle'' by Martin Smith *Best in Shorts Innovation Award: ''Perceptions'' by Zahra Golafshani

2016

*Audience Choice Award: '' Maudie'' by

Aisling Walsh Aisling Walsh (born 1958) is an Irish screenwriter and director. Her work has screened at festivals around the world and she has won several accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award for '' Room at the Top'' (2012) as well as an Irish Film and Tele ...

*Audience Choice Award Best Documentary: ''

The Eagle Huntress ''The Eagle Huntress'' is a 2016 internationally co-produced Kazakh language, Kazakh-language documentary film directed by Otto Bell and narrated by executive producer Daisy Ridley. It follows the story of Aisholpan Nurgaiv, a 13-year-old Kazakhs, ...

'' by Otto Bell *Audience Choice Award Best Short Film: ''The Orchard'' by Darcy Van Poelgeest *Best in Shorts, open category: ''Camani'' by Dale Carrigan *Runner-up, Shorts, open category: ''Movin' On'' by Shawn Kosmerly *Best in Shorts, student category: ''This Is Fine'' by George Bull *Runner-up, Shorts, student category: ''Broken'' by Sheri Shweyer *Best in Shorts Northern Flicks Award: ''Camani'' by Dale Carrigan Gala presentations: '' Maudie'', '' Manchester by the Sea'', '' Chocolat'', ''

Denial Denial, in colloquial English usage, has at least three meanings: * the assertion that any particular statement or allegation, whose truth is uncertain, is not true; * the refusal of a request; and * the assertion that a true statement is fal ...

'', ''

The Headhunter's Calling ''A Family Man'' (previous title ''The Headhunter's Calling'') is a 2016 American drama film directed by Mark Williams, in his directorial debut, and written by Bill Dubuque. The film tells the story of Dane Jensen, a Corporate Recruiter from Ch ...

'', ''

Toni Erdmann ''Toni Erdmann'' is a 2016 comedy drama film, produced, written and directed by Maren Ade. It stars Peter Simonischek as an eccentric man who intrudes upon the life of his daughter, a career-focused business executive played by Sandra Hüller. ...

'', '' Mean Dreams'', '' I, Daniel Blake'', '' The Dressmaker''.

2017

Gala presentations: '' Back to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie)'', ''

Borg/McEnroe ''Borg vs McEnroe'' (, ) is a 2017 biographical sports drama film, focusing on the famous professional rivalry between tennis players, Björn Borg and John McEnroe at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships, culminating in their encounter in the men's ...

'', '' Breathe'', '' Call Me By Your Name'', '' Don't Talk to Irene'', '' Indian Horse'', ''

Long Time Running ''Long Time Running'' is a 2017 Canadian documentary film, directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier. The film profiles the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip during their Man Machine Poem Tour of 2016,Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

'', '' Stronger''. *Audience Choice Award: ''

Loving Vincent ''Loving Vincent'' is a 2017 experimental animated historical drama film about the life of the painter Vincent van Gogh, in particular the circumstances of his death. It is the first fully painted animated feature film. The film, written and d ...

'' by

Dorota Kobiela DK Welchman (née Dorota Kobiela) (born 1978) is a Polish filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is best known for co-directing her first fully painted animated feature film ''Loving Vincent'' (2017) with her husband Hugh Welchman. Career ...

and Hugh Welchman *Audience Choice Award Best Documentary: '' Everyday Heroes (Et les mistrals gagnants)'' by

Anne-Dauphine Julliand Anne-Dauphine Julliand (born 23 November 1973) is a French woman writer. Her two published works are ' (Two Small Footprints in Wet Sand: A Mother's Memoir) in 2011 and ''Une journée particulière'' in 2013, essays recounting her family life exper ...

*Audience Choice Award Best Short Film: '' Fix and Release'' by Scott Dobson *Best in Shorts, open category: ''Farewell Fire'' by Scott Armstrong *Runner-up, Shorts, open category: ''Future Sick'' by Aaron Martini *Best in Shorts, student category: ''Future Sick'' by Aaron Martini *Runner-up, Shorts, student category: ''Versa: This is Where We Disappear'', Aaron Martini *Best in Shorts Northern Flicks Award: ''Farewell Fire'' by Scott Armstrong

2018

Gala presentations: ''

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

'', ''

Bel Canto , )—with several similar constructions (, , , pronounced in English as )—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing, and whose definitions have often been misunderstood. ''Bel canto'' was not only seen as a vocal technique ...

'', ''

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known as Colette or Colette Willy, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a Mime artist, mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaki ...

'', '' The Grizzlies'', '' The New Romantic'', '' Sharkwater Extinction'', ''

The Sisters Brothers ''The Sisters Brothers'' is a 2011 Western fiction, Western novel by Canadian-born author Patrick deWitt. The darkly comic story takes place in Oregon and California in 1851. The narrator, Eli Sisters, and his brother Charlie are assassins taske ...

'', '' Through Black Spruce'', ''

What They Had ''What They Had'' is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko in her feature directorial debut. Starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga, and Josh Lucas, the film follows ...

'' *Best Feature Film: '' The Guilty'',

Gustav Möller Gustav Möller (6 June 1884 – 15 August 1970) was a prominent Sweden, Swedish politician from the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, credited as the father of the social security system and the welfare state, also call ...

*Best Documentary: '' You Are Here'',

Moze Mossanen Moze Mossanen is a Canadian independent writer, director and producer who has created a body of critically acclaimed film and TV work blending drama, music, performance and documentary. Most recently, he wrote and directed the documentary featu ...

*Best Short Film: ''

Animal Behaviour Ethology is a branch of zoology that studies the behavior, behaviour of non-human animals. It has its scientific roots in the work of Charles Darwin and of American and German ornithology, ornithologists of the late 19th and early 20th cen ...

'', Alison Snowden and David Fine

2019

Gala presentations: ''

American Woman "American Woman" is a song by Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released January 1970, from the album of the same name. It was later released in March 1970 as a single backed with " No Sugar Tonight", and it reached number one for three weeks ...

'', '' And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux)'', ''

La Belle Époque LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...

'', '' The Farewell'', '' Guest of Honour'', '' Judy'', '' The Last Full Measure'', '' The Rest of Us'', '' The Song of Names'' *Audience Choice Award: '' Judy'',

Rupert Goold Rupert Goold (born 18 February 1972) is an English director who works primarily in theatre. He is the artistic director of the Almeida Theatre, and was the artistic director of Headlong Theatre Company (2005–2013). Since 2010, Goold has be ...

"Check out this year's Cinéfest award winners"
'' Sudbury.com'', October 3, 2019. *Audience Choice Award, Runner-Up: ''

By the Grace of God By the Grace of God (, abbreviated D.G.) is a formulaic phrase used especially in Christian monarchies as an introductory part of the full styles of a monarch. In England and later the United Kingdom, the phrase was formally added to the royal sty ...

(Grâce à Dieu)'',

François Ozon François Ozon (; born 15 November 1967) is a French film director and screenwriter. Ozon is considered one of the most important modern French filmmakers. His films are characterized by aesthetic beauty, sharp satirical humor and a free-wheeli ...

*Audience Choice Award, Documentary: '' Sea of Shadows'', Richard Ladkan *Audience Choice Award, Documentary Runner-Up: ''

The Secret Marathon ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'', Kate McKenzie and Scott Townend *Audience Choice Award, Short Film: '' The Depths (Les profondeurs)'', Ariane Louis-Seize *Audience Choice Award, Short Film Runner-Up: '' Unidentified Woman'', Katrina Saville

2020

Due to the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic in Canada The COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is part of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (). It is caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most cases over the course o ...

, organizers announced that the 2020 Cinéfest would proceed with a mix of in-person and online screenings, similarly to the

2020 Toronto International Film Festival The 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, the 45th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held from September 10 to 21, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, the festival took place primarily on an online stream ...

. Gala presentations for the festival were ''

Ammonite Ammonoids are extinct, (typically) coiled-shelled cephalopods comprising the subclass Ammonoidea. They are more closely related to living octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish (which comprise the clade Coleoidea) than they are to nautiluses (family N ...

'', ''

Girl A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. While the term ''girl'' has other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.com, "Girl"'' Retrieved January 2, 2008. '' daughter'' or '' girlfriend'' regardless of age ...

'', ''

My Salinger Year ''My Salinger Year'' (also known as ''My New York Year'') is a 2020 drama film written and directed by Philippe Falardeau, based upon the memoir of the same name by Joanna Rakoff. It stars Margaret Qualley, Sigourney Weaver, Douglas Booth, Seán ...

'', ''

Nadia, Butterfly ''Nadia, Butterfly'' is a 2020 Canadian sports drama film, directed by Pascal Plante and released in 2020. The film stars Katerine Savard as Nadia, an Olympic swimmer struggling to redefine her life after retiring from the sport at the conclusi ...

'', '' The Nest'', ''

Nine Days Nine Days (stylized as ''ninedays'') is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. It was formed in the hamlet of St. James, Suffolk County, New York in 1994 by John Hampson and Brian Desveaux, and released three independent albums in ...

'', '' Percy'' and ''

The Rose Maker ''The Rose Maker'' () is a 2020 French comedy film, directed by . The film stars Catherine Frot as Ève Vernet, a formerly successful rose grower on the verge of bankruptcy, who hires three workers with no horticultural skills and must train them ...

(La fine fleur)''.

2021

The 2021 festival was again presented under a hybrid model, with both in-person and online screenings. The festival also introduced a number of juried film awards, following several years of only presenting audience choice-based awards; the new awards program includes cash prizes for Outstanding Canadian Feature, Outstanding International Feature, Outstanding Female-Led Feature, Cinema Indigenized Outstanding Talent, French-Language Feature, Inspiring Voices and Perspectives Feature, Outstanding Short, Outstanding Emerging Canadian Short, and Outstanding Animated Short. Gala presentations included ''

'', ''

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain ''The Electrical Life of Louis Wain'' is a 2021 biographical comedy-drama film directed by Will Sharpe, from a story by Simon Stephenson, and screenplay by Stephenson and Sharpe. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch (as the eccentric artist Lo ...

,'' '' Official Competition (Competencia oficial)'', '' Falling for Figaro'', ''

Juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' ( ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south ...

'', '' The Vinland Club (Le club vinland)'', '' Lakewood'', '' Night Raiders'', '' One Second (一秒钟)'', and ''

The Card Counter ''The Card Counter'' is a 2021 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe. Martin Scorsese is an executive producer. It had its world premiere at the 7 ...

''.

2022

Gala presentations included '' Alice, Darling'', '' Ashgrove'', '' Beautiful Minds (Presque)'', ''

Broker A broker is a person or entity that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller. This may be done for a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal. Neither ...

(브로커)'', ''

Call Jane ''Call Jane'' is a 2022 American drama film starring Elizabeth Banks as a suburban housewife in the 1960s who deals with a life-threatening pregnancy and subsequently joins the Jane Collective, an underground network of abortion activists. The f ...

'', ''

North of Normal ''North of Normal'' is a 2022 Canadian drama film, directed by Carly Stone. Based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Cea Sunrise Person, the film centres on her unconventional childhood living in the wilderness as the daughter of a hippie m ...

'', '' The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlisle'', '' The Swearing Jar'' and ''

Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

''.

2023

The 2023 festival returned to a fully in-person model, following the partially-online hybrid festivals that took place from 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The gala lineup consisted of ''

Swan Song The swan song (; ) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans sing a beautiful song just before their death while they have been ...

'', ''

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry ''The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'' is a novel by Rachel Joyce, published in 2012. Joyce's first novel, it was longlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize,Wakin, Daniel J. (25 July 2012). AshantMan Booker Prize Finalists Announced ''The Ne ...

'', '' My Mother's Men (Les Hommes de ma mère)'', '' Sweetland'', ''

La Chimera ''La chimera'' () is a 2023 film written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher. It is set in the 1980s in a small town on the Tyrrhenian Sea and stars Josh O'Connor as a British archaeologist-turned- ''tombarolo'' with a gift for divining the locati ...

'', '' The Old Oak'', ''

The Boy in the Woods ''The Boy in the Woods'' is a Canadian drama film, directed by Rebecca Snow and released in 2023. Based on the memoir of the same name by Maxwell Smart, the film dramatizes Smart's childhood experience of having to fend for himself in the forests ...

'', '' Close to You'' and '' Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant)''.Heidi Ulrichsen
"Cinéfest 2023 features strong Canadian content"
'' Sudbury.com'', August 23, 2023.

2024

The gala presentations were ''

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

'', '' Bob Trevino Likes It'', ''

Bookworm A bookworm or bibliophile is an individual who loves and frequently reads or collects books. Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. Bibliophiles may have large, specialized book collections. They may highly value old editions, aut ...

'', ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...

(Le Comte de Monte Cristo)'', '' Drive Back Home'', ''

The Invisibles ''The Invisibles'' is a comic book series published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics from 1994 to 2000. It was created and scripted by Scottish writer Grant Morrison, and drawn by various artists throughout its publication. The series loose ...

'', '' The Mother and the Bear'', '' The Outrun'' and '' Young Werther''.

References

External links

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cinefest Festivals in Greater Sudbury Film festivals in Ontario 1989 establishments in Ontario Film festivals established in 1989