TIFF rings in the New Year with the 16th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival, presenting public screenings of 2016’s 10 best features, shorts and student shorts. The 14-day festival kicks off at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto with an Opening Night party on January 13, and features two special onstage events: In Conversation With… Zacharias Kunuk on January 15 and In Conversation With… Director X on January 19.

This year’s Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival will include a number of classic Canadian titles as part of TIFF’s year-long programme celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday—and its and rich cinematic heritage.

Programming includes industry panels, special events, as well as introductions and Q&A sessions with film talent — including Johnny Ma, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie, Ashley McKenzie, Kevan Funk, Jared Abrahamson, Anne Émond, Nathan Morlando, Ann Marie Fleming, Zacharias Kunuk and Natar Ungalaaq. This edition also marks the launch of TIFF’s year-long Canada on Screen series, commemorating the country’s Sesquicentennial with free screenings and events, including an In Conversation With… Gordon Pinsent event moderated by actor-filmmaker Peter Keleghan. 

Established by TIFF in 2001, the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival celebrates and promotes contemporary Canadian cinema and raises awareness of Canadian achievements in film. From January 13 to 26, the festival will present screenings of each selected film, and offer related industry programming and learning sessions in Toronto. Selected films may also be included in a cross-Canada tour and screened at TIFF’s partner locations.

In order to be eligible for the 16th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival, selections must be directed by a Canadian citizen or resident, must include Canada as an official country of production, and must have received commercial release or played a major film festival in Canada in 2016. The feature and short-film selections are each chosen by a panel of filmmakers and industry professionals from across Canada.

Click here for a full list of film, shorts, events, and screening times. Watch the trailer here.

Be sure to catch gay Montreal filmmaker Xavier Dolan’s feature, “It’s Only The End Of The World“, screening January 20th and 21st.

Tickets and ticket packages for Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival events at TIFF Bell Lightbox are on sale now. Purchase tickets online at tiff.net, by phone from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET at 416.599.TIFF and 1.888.599.8433, or in person at the TIFF Bell Lightbox box office from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Pricing as follows: regular screening ticket is $14 (feature film or shorts programmes); purchase the 6ix Pack for $70 and get six tickets for the price of five; ticket to the Opening Night party and film is $50; tickets for In Conversation With… events are $23.75 each; Industry Forum full-day package is $60, individual panel ticket is $12, and Breakfast at TIFF is $18. All Canada on Screen and Higher Learning events are free. For more information, visit tiff.net/seethenorth

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Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.