Many critics have dismissed Canadian films and television and reduced them to their horrible stereotypes — although, to be fair, some of their criticisms did have merit. But those were the days of the past.

The people behind the industry have worked tirelessly to push through and open up a whole new era of Canadian cinema.

It’s finally possible for new and exciting voices to emerge. Not only does this give artists more opportunities, but it’s also giving us a whole new taste of Canadian cinema. The Toronto International Film Festival gives us a taste of exactly that.

Here are some of the best Canadian films showcased in the TIFF:

1. White Lie 

Directed by duo Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, this film starts as a drama that slowly and beautifully shifts into a tense, throat-tightening, goosebumps-inducing thriller.

2. Murmur

The movie was the winner of the 2019 FIPRESCI Prize. This film explores loneliness, addiction, and the very human trait of not wanting to let go. But despite its heavier atmosphere, this film does a remarkable job of blending in some wit and humour.

3. I Am In The World As Free And Slender As A Deer On A Plain 

This film follows a young woman and her rarely satisfying exploits through the bedrooms of equally unsatisfying men. An opposite of a conventional romantic comedy, it depicts quite accurately the banes and the boons of modern romance. It steers from the usual style of finding love in movies.

4. God’s Nightmares

This short film by Daniel Cockburn follows up his 2017 work The Argument (with annotations). In this, Cockburn uses a huge range of movie clips to create a bona fide criticism of how movies work while blending in a meditative narration with playful musings about the Almighty.

These 4 films are just some of the gems we found. There’s a whole treasure trove waiting to be seen!