Article

Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time

Published Online December 31, 2012

Last Edited May 7, 2015

This list is compiled roughly every 10 years by the Toronto International Film Festival.
The first feature film written, produced, directed and acted by Inuit, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) was shot on widescreen digital betacam over six months with a budget of

2015

1. Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2002, Zacharias Kunuk)

2. Mon oncle Antoine (1971, Claude Jutra)

3. The Sweet Hereafter (1997, Atom Egoyan)

4. Jésus de Montréal (1989, Denys Arcand)

5. Léolo (1992, Jean-Claude Lauzon)

6. Goin' Down the Road (1970, Don Shebib)

7. Dead Ringers (1988, David Cronenberg)

8. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005, Jean-Marc Vallée)

9. My Winnipeg (2007, Guy Maddin)

10. Stories We Tell (2012, Sarah Polley) / Les Ordres (1974, Michel Brault)


Ian Holm (left) and Sarah Polley in The Sweet Hereafter
Donald Sutherland was originally cast as the lead character, but he withdrew from the film 10 days before shooting began and was replaced by Ian Holm.

2004

1. Mon oncle Antoine (1971, Claude Jutra)

2. Jésus de Montréal (1989, Denys Arcand)

3. Goin' Down the Road (1970, Don Shebib)

4. The Sweet Hereafter (1997, Atom Egoyan)

5. Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2002, Zacharias Kunuk)

6. Dead Ringers (1988, David Cronenberg)

7. Les bons débarras (1980, Francis Mankiewicz)

8. Les Ordres (1974, Michel Brault)

9. Le déclin de l'empire américain (1986, Denys Arcand)

10. Les Invasions barbares (2003, Denys Arcand)


Jésus de Montréal
Actor Lothaire Bluteau in the film Jésus de Montréal (courtesy Toronto International Film Festival Group).

1993

1. Mon oncle Antoine (1971, Claude Jutra)

2. Jésus de Montréal (1989, Denys Arcand)

3. Goin' Down the Road (1970, Don Shebib)

4. Le déclin de l'empire américain (1986, Denys Arcand)

5. Les bons débarras (1980, Francis Mankiewicz)

6. Les Ordres (1974, Michel Brault)

7. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974, Ted Kotcheff)

8. The Grey Fox (1983, Phillip Borsos)

9. I've Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987, Patricia Rozema)

10. The Adjuster (1991, Atom Egoyan)

Doug McGrath (left) and Paul Bradley in Goin' Down the Road. Don Shebib intended to make a doc about migrant labourers from Atlantic Canada. Instead, he developed a script with William Fruet and shot Goin' Down the Road with a three-person crew and a ,000 grant from the CFDC.

1984

1. Mon oncle Antoine (1971, Claude Jutra)

2. Goin' Down the Road (1970, Don Shebib)

3. Les bons débarras (1980, Francis Mankiewicz)

4. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974, Ted Kotcheff)

5. The Grey Fox (1983, Phillip Borsos)

6. Les Ordres (1974, Michel Brault)

7. J.A. Martin, photographe (1977, Jean Beaudin)

8. Pour la suite du monde (1963, Pierre Perrault)

9. Nobody Waved Good-Bye (1964, Don Owen)

10. La vraie nature de Bernadette (1972, Gilles Carle)