Getting ready for National Canadian Film Day on Wednesday (April 29), let's go through TIFF's "All-Time Top Ten List" of Canadian Films.
The festival released its list last week. The last time the list was released was 2004. 3 of the films — all toward the bottom of the list — were released since the last list: C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005); My Winnipeg (2007); and Stories We Tell (2012).
| TIFF's Top 10 Canadian Films | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Film | Director | Year | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner | Zacharias Kunuk | 2001 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Mon Oncle Antoine | Claude Jutra | 1971 | ||||||||||||||
| 3 | The Sweet Hereafter | Atom Egoyan | 1997 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | Jésus de Montréal | Denys Arcand | 1989 | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | Léolo | Jean-Claude Lauzon | 1992 | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | Goin' Down the Road | Don Shebib | 1970 | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | Dead Ringers | David Cronenberg | 1988 | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | C.R.A.Z.Y. | Jean-Marc Vallée | 2005 | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | My Winnipeg | Guy Maddin | 2007 | ||||||||||||||
| 10 (tie) | Stories We Tell | Sarah Polley | 2012 | ||||||||||||||
| 10 (tie) | Les Ordres | Michel Brault | 1974 | ||||||||||||||
I have personally seen 10 of the 11 films on the list. Goin' Down the Road has been on my list for some time.
Mon Oncle Antoine was #1 on the 2004 list but falls to #2 on the 2015 list. The Toronto International Film Festival compiled the list from film insiders and academics on the most memorable Canadian films ever.
Based on that criteria, the list mostly makes sense. If we were going with favorites, more of a fan of Videodrome than Dead Ringers (David Cronenberg) and loved Take This Waltz more than Stories We Tell (Sarah Polley).
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The split is surprisingly even among French and English with a single Inuit film.
Mon Oncle Antoine, Léolo, and C.R.A.Z.Y. are coming of age stories: Jésus de Montréal is perhaps Arcand's finest film. Les Ordres might be lesser known, but is a dramatic fictional account of what happened to innocent people who were thrown in prison during the 1970 October Crisis and the War Measures Act. A powerful disturbing film that you should see to learn about that chapter in Canadian history.
The Sweet Hereafter is probably the best-known film outside Canada for the English-language films. Sarah Polley starred in that film and also directed Stories We Tell, one of the most compelling documentaries anywhere much less Canada. Dead Ringers from David Cronenberg features British actor Jeremy Irons as the twin leads, but the film is filled with Canadians. The film features iconic actresses such as Genevieve Bujold in the female lead and Shirley Douglas. The film also marks the screen debut of Jill Hennessy and Jacqueline Hennessy. Jill went on to be on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan. Jacqueline is an Canadian journalist, television host, and occasional actress, especially where she filled in the role of her sister during crossover episodes of Law & Order.
Goin' Down the Road involves classic elements of road trips and moving from the Maritimes to the big city to find work. My Winnipeg captures the offbeat spirit of director Guy Maddin that has made him an icon in Canadian cinema.
The significance of Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner is an Inuit story told by Inuits. The Inuit folklore is a co-star in the film.
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