TIFF — Toronto International Film Festival
September · TIFF Bell Lightbox, Scotiabank Theatre, Princess of Wales, Roy Thomson Hall
The biggest film festival in North America, and arguably the most important public festival in the world. Ten days. More than 200 feature films. The Oscars race effectively begins here. Tickets go on sale to the public starting in late August. For casual attendance, pick one or two films; for a serious festival experience, buy a 10-ticket pack and clear a week.
Hot Docs — Canadian International Documentary Festival
Late April · Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Isabel Bader Theatre
Canada's largest documentary festival. 200+ films over eleven days. The Hot Docs cinema programs year-round, but during the festival proper, everything from ethnographic documentary to investigative journalism to observational portraiture gets screened. Individual tickets are modestly priced and the Q&As after films are part of the experience.
VIFF — Vancouver International Film Festival
Late September to October · The Centre, VIFF Cinemas, SFU Goldcorp
The third-largest festival in Canada after TIFF. 150-200 films, deliberately less celebrity-focused than TIFF. Strong Canadian and Asian programming.
Fantasia International Film Festival (Montreal)
Late July to August · Concordia, Cinémathèque québécoise
Genre cinema — horror, fantasy, action, the beautifully weird. One of the best festivals of its kind in the world, drawing filmmakers from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM)
November · Cinémathèque québécoise, Cinema Imperial, Concordia
Francophone-dominant, documentary-only. Smaller than Hot Docs but programmed with striking curatorial voice.
Regina Folk Festival Cinemas, VIFF, Calgary International
Regional festivals worth a detour if you're already in the neighborhood.
TIFF 2026 — How to Plan
Individual TIFF tickets run $28–$32 for public shows, more for galas. 6-ticket and 10-ticket packages save money. Members get priority access. Consult the festival's schedule the moment it's announced (mid-August) — the galas sell out fast, some arthouse titles never sell out. Pace yourself. Three films a day is a lot. Four is Olympic-level festival attendance.