Kingston Canadian Film Festival Marks 25th Anniversary with Two New Prizes Celebrating the Best in Canadian Film

– For the first time, $7,500 to be awarded for Best Canadian Film and Best Canadian First Film as KCFF25 announces full lineup tonight –
– UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE,  CAN I GET A WITNESS?, MATT AND MARA and YOUR TOMORROW added to list of 28 Canadian features & documentaries screening at KCFF25 – – SHEPHERDS and BLUE RODEO: LOST TOGETHER to open and close 25th edition –
– Jay Baruchel, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Sook-Yin Lee, Matt Johnson, Donovan Woods, Carolyn Taylor, Matthew Rankin and Grace Glowicki among talent confirmed to attend –

KINGSTON, ON (Jan. 31, 2025) – TIn advance of its full lineup reveal this evening, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF25) announced today the creation of two new monetary prizes recognizing excellence in Canadian film. A total of $7,500 will be awarded for the KCFF Best Canadian Film and the KCFF Best Canadian First Film at the largest film and cultural festival in the world dedicated exclusively to homegrown movies, running February 26 – March 2. Watch the new KCFF25 trailer featuring Kingston’s The Wilderness now.

Among the films in contention for awards are newly announced selections UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE (Matthew Rankin), which was shortlisted for Best International Feature for this year’s Academy Awards; CAN I GET A WITNESS? (Ann Marie Fleming), a fable about a future society starring Sandra Oh; MATT AND MARA (Kazik Radwanski), an acclaimed drama recently included on Canada’s Top Ten for 2024; and YOUR TOMORROW (Ali Weinstein), a documentary chronicling the last days of Ontario Place. Also competing are debut features such as THE HEIRLOOM (Ben Petrie), a comedy about a neurotic couple who adopt a traumatized dog; HUNTING DAZE (Annick Blanc), a thriller about a young woman who joins a group of hunters at a remote cabin; and VILLAGE KEEPER (Karen Chapman), about a Toronto mother trying to process her grief. Additional titles will be announced tonight at the festival’s official kick-off party at The Broom Factory, home to KCFF.

“I would like to congratulate KCFF on their exceptional program this year, which has become the largest celebration of Canadian cinema world-wide,” said Justin Cutler, Ontario Film Commissioner at Ontario Creates. “Having studied film at Queens and started my career at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival and Kingston Economic Development Corporation, I’ve seen first-hand how well the community supports the film and TV sector. It’s a pleasure in my role as Film Commissioner to give back by promoting the region as an incredible filming destination to producers worldwide.”

“After 25 years, KCFF has grown to be much more than an all-Canadian film festival,” said Marc Garniss, Executive Director, KCFF. “KCFF is increasingly a cultural festival that intersects film with comedy, music, and more, as demonstrated by this year’s amazing anniversary schedule. We welcome all to Kingston to watch, listen, laugh, and learn at KCFF25!”

“We’re thrilled to be able to mark the festival’s 25th anniversary with one of our strongest ever showcases of Canadian film,” said Jason Anderson, KCFF director of programming. “We believe these films demonstrate the breadth and depth of this country’s talent pool when it comes to incredible storytelling on screen.”

As previously announced, KCFF is proud to present opening night film SHEPHERDS from Québec auteur Sophie Deraspe, and closing night film BLUE RODEO: LOST TOGETHER, the award-winning documentary about the beloved Canadian band, along with an extensive lineup of music-focused, comedy and local programming. In all, the festival presents more than 80 individual films over nearly five dozen screenings, as well as live music concerts, stand-up comedy, “in conversation” events and industry development sessions at Queen’s University. Additionally, KCFF is proud to showcase local Kingston filmmakers from its Doc Factory18 MM and Slaight Music Video programs.

Nearly 100% of films screening at KCFF feature live post-screening Q&As with visiting talent. Among the expected guests confirmed so far are Jim Cuddy and Greg KeelorFélix-Antoine Duval, Matthew Rankin, Sook-Yin Lee, Bill Welychka, Mike Downie, Dale Heslip, Karen Chapman, Eva Thomas, Annick Blanc, Ben Petrie, Daniel Maslany, Kazik Radwanski, Grace Glowicki, Stephen Chung, Simon Ennis, Patrice Sauve, José Lourenço, and Joanne Robertson, among others.

Also appearing at KCFF25 are film and television star Jay Baruchel; comedians Jeremy Hotz, Carolyn Taylor, Alllie Pearse and Olivia Stadler; and musical artists Donovan Woods and Dwayne Gretzky.

KCFF25 wraps up Sunday, March 2 with a closing night event featuring the awarding of nine awards, including the first-ever KCFF Best Canadian Film Award (worth $5,000) and the KCFF Best Canadian First Film Award (worth $2,500), as determined by the festival jury.


Tickets

While there is plenty of free programming to be enjoyed, most tickets start at $15 and passes at $85 – both go on sale tomorrow, February 1 at 10 a.m. For the full lineup, showtimes and tickets, visit kingcanfilmfest.com

The 2025 Kingston Canadian Film Festival is presented by TD and Tourism Kingston. Major supporters also include Cogeco, Downtown Kingston BIA, ACFOMI, the Slaight Family Foundation and the Norman and Margaret Jewison Foundation. Join the KCFF Circle of Supporters here or donate here.

About the Kingston Canadian Film Festival

The Kingston Canadian Film Festival is the largest festival in the world dedicated exclusively to Canadian film. Founded in 2001, KCFF is a charitable cultural organization that provides access to Canadian film in a dynamic festival setting. Transforming traditional and unconventional venues across Kingston’s historic downtown, KCFF is an annual whirlwind of movies and special events that spark curiosity, ignite discussion and provide a fresh experience of Canadian film. Each year, long-time festival goers and first-time enthusiasts can explore screenings, Q+As, parties, workshops, networking events, live music, stand-up comedy and exhibitions.

Previous visiting filmmakers include Atom Egoyan, Deepa Mehta, Alanis Obomsawin, Don McKellar, Mina Shum, Matt Johnson, Brigitte Berman, Jeff Barnaby and many more. Past performers attending KCFF include Gerry Dee, Cathy Jones, Bif Naked, Gordon Pinsent and casts from BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, LETTERKENNY, MR. D, TRAILER PARK BOYS, KIDS IN THE HALL and THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, among others. 

– KCFF –

For more information:

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