National Canadian Film Day celebrates ‘Films That A.I. Could Never Make’

National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay) returns April 17 shining a spotlight on “Films That A.I. Could Never Make.”

Presented by Reel Canada, this year’s celebration of Canadian film will include more than 1,000 screenings in every province and territory and more than 39 countries, in addition to offerings from broadcasters and streaming services spanning CBC and CBC Gem, Hollywood Suite, OUTtv, GameTV, WildBrain, APTN, Super Channel, Corus Entertainment, Super Ecran, Crave, CHCH, Blue Ant Media, Netflix, NFB, TVO, AppleTV+, Shudder, Starz, Mubi, TFO, Hoopla, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Kanopy and others.

Programming highlights include several sneak peeks ahead of their official release dates:

• Writer/director Ally Pankiw‘s debut feature, I Used to Be Funny, will screen in more than 20 independent theatres
• The red carpet premiere of The King Tide in St. John’s, NL, featuring cast members and director Christian Sparkes
• In Toronto, the World Premiere of Caitlin Cronenberg‘s Humane, with special guest stars Jay Baruchel and Emily Hampshire
• The new Highball.TV film Mother of All Shows in Stirling, ON, where the film was shot, with director Melissa D’Agostino
•  In Vancouver, a sneak peek of The Great Salish Heist, Darrell Dennis’ new no-budget Indigenous caper

Several screenings will also honour the passing of Canadian filmmakers, including a presentation of Akilla’s Escape in Toronto in memory of Charles Officer, followed by a discussion with filmmakers he inspired. A rare screening of the biopic The Life & Times of Norman Jewison will take place in Vancouver, while in Vancouver and Ottawa, a showing of groundbreaking 1970 feature Goin’ Down the Road, will pay tribute to late film pioneer Donald Shebib. In Ottawa, the screening will be followed by a live Q&A with co-star Jayne Eastwood and DGC Ontario chair Annie Bradley.

In addition to numerous film festival partner screenings, community events are taking place from Annapolis Royal, NS to Slocan, BC. An estimated 20,000 high school students from more than 200 schools will also take part in an interactive livestream, featuring journalist Kelly Boutsalis in conversation with Alanis Obomsawin, discussing her 2021 documentary Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair.

Learn more about hosting your own community CanFilmDay event, here.

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