20 years, 20 incredible Canadian films.
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) December 6, 2021
Announcing TIFF’s annual Canada’s Top Ten list of features and shorts, celebrating its 20th year in 2021: https://t.co/CiOVdl64tb #SeeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/zczeE0rC9t
The pandemic was not good to the TIFF Top Ten list of 2020 Canadian films. Your humble narrator has seen 4 of them. Tried to watch The Nest but couldn't do it. The 2021 list is much more promising even if it might take a very long time to see some of these Canadian films.
Let's get acquainted with the list of Canadian films. Here is the 2021 Top Ten list with the directors and province of origin:
All My Puny Sorrows Michael McGowan | Ontario
Charlotte Eric Warin, Tahir Rana | Ontario
Drunken Birds Ivan Grbovic | Quebec
Learn To Swim Thyrone Tommy | Ontario
Night Raiders Danis Goulet | Ontario
Maria Chapdelaine Sébastien Pilote | Quebec
Scarborough Shasha Nakhai, Rich Williamson | Ontario
Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette | Manitoba
Subjects of Desire Jennifer Holness | Ontario
The White Fortress Igor Drljača | Ontario
We have seen one film from the list so far and that was very boring and long (Maria Chapdelaine). This year, the Oscars entry is in the Top Ten list (Drunken Birds) as is the Best Canadian Feature Film (Ste. Anne).
There are 3 titles where I know little to nothing: Charlotte; Subjects of Desire; and The White Fortress. I am familiar with Jennifer Holness from Love, Sex and Eating the Bones and Shoot the Messenger. The Holness documentary sounds quite intriguing. None of these titles seem to have much Canadian connection.
All My Puny Sorrows, Night Raiders, and Scarborough would be my top picks with Drunken Birds and Ste. Anne not too far behind.
Not having the Windsor International Film Festival puts your humble narrator at a disadvantage. Patience is as required as oxygen.
Looking back on past versions of the Windsor International Film Festival
Canadian film review: Maria Chapdelaine
Les Oiseaux Ivres is Canada's selection to the Oscars for Best International Feature Film
The 2020 list only had Ontario and Quebec while the 2021 list added a Manitoba film (Ste. Anne). Contrast this with the geographic variety from the 2019 list with Black Conflux (Newfoundland/Quebec); The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open (British Columbia); Murmur (Nova Scotia); and One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk (Nunavut).
Black Conflux by Nicole Dorsey is the only 2019 title on the list that your humble narrator hasn't seen.
2021 TIFF wrapup
2021 TIFF preview
2021 TIFF Rising Stars
2021 TIFF Canadian film preview
The TIFF information points out there are 8 first appearances among the feature films (McGowan and Pilote have previous films on the list) and 6 debuts. Noting that Igor Drljaca, Thyrone Tommy, and Rich Williamson have had short films in the Top Ten.
Short films on this year's list come from well established directors including Zacharias Kunuk, Alanis Obomsawin, Terril Calder, and Albert Shin.
TIFF selects Top 10 Canadian films of 2020
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
You can read up on all the films, including the short film selections. If you are on Canadian soil, you can access the TIFF digital Bell Lightbox so you can see these films, even if you don't live in Toronto.
Twitter capture: @TIFF_NET
photo credits: Night Raiders; All My Puny Sorrows
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