Highlighting the challenges, triumphs, and everyday lives of women worldwide through independent films, the Toronto Women Film Festival is committed to supporting, recognizing, and empowering women's voices in cinema. It celebrates and honors films created by talented women filmmakers from around the world. In recent years, the festival has featured films by female directors at venues such as Carlton Cinema, Innis Town Hall at the University of Toronto, various art centers, a

MoviePass has formed a strategic partnership with the Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA). This agreement allows the ICA to implement an integrated subscription model within its theater network, which includes approximately 180 member companies and nearly 5,000 independently operated screens across the United States and Canada. In a discussion, MoviePass Founder Stacy Spikes highlighted that the ICA’s coalition ranks as the third largest domestic exhibition group, following AMC

The Backrooms film's origin is as intriguing as the movie itself. Self-taught in Adobe After Effects and Blender, Kane Parsons gained online fame with his Backrooms short in 2022, amassing nearly 80 million views. At 17, he was chosen by A24 to direct a feature-length version. Despite his age, the film is a solid horror piece, showcasing the potential of internet-born talent in Hollywood. Recent films like Obsession and Iron Lung, by YouTube creators, highlight this trend. Hi

In 2018, Ava DuVernay, Cate Blanchett, Agnès Varda, Kristen Stewart, and over 80 female filmmakers protested gender inequality at the Cannes Film Festival, where only three competition films were directed by women. Thierry Frémaux signed a pledge from Le Collectif 50/50 to promote gender diversity, including generating gendered statistics and aiming for gender equity in festival governance. By 2026, the competition section included five female directors, down from seven the p

The Montreal Independent Film Festival has proudly showcased films for many years at Cinema du Parc, a distinguished indie film venue in Montreal, and through online platforms like the MIFF magazine. Founded by Arsalan Baraheni, a celebrated Canadian filmmaker, the festival has assembled a team of international and Canadian programmers and juries from the film industry to expertly select, promote, award, and screen independent films and shorts of all genres from around the wo

The Oscars are moving away from Hollywood — or at least from the mall on Hollywood Boulevard. Starting in 2029, the Academy Awards will relocate from the Dolby Theatre, their venue for almost 25 years, to L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and AEG on Thursday. The event will take place in the theater currently called the Peacock Theater, which is anticipated to be renamed before the Oscars take place as part of a

A romantic comedy set in Paris in 1928. One of the most discussed films at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, uniting director Pierre Salvadori with France’s leading stars. On May 12, 2026, the latest work by French cinema maestro Pierre Salvadori, “La Venus Électrique”, has been officially and strikingly chosen as the opening film of the “79th Cannes Film Festival”, capturing significant global attention. The film will have its world premiere at the Lumière Grand Theatre right a

The Toronto Short Film Awards is a distinguished international contest and a highly anticipated annual screening event which provides a vital platform for filmmakers, distributors, agents, critics, and artists from Toronto and worldwide to gather and celebrate the art of short filmmaking. The festival committee actively invites participants to take part in the festival's competition and screenings and to play a crucial role as members of the jury team. The mission of the fest

TORONTO — TIFF Next Wave Film Festival presented by Takis® and backed by the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Toronto, returns from April 16–19 for its 15th edition. This event showcases a weekend of youth-centered international cinema, curated by TIFF’s youngest programmers, the TIFF Next Wave Committee. Tickets for Official Selection films are complimentary for those under 25 with the TIFF’s Under-25 Free Pass, with special Under-25 pricing available for select events.

Mel Gibson is collaborating with excommunicated Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò — who has labeled the late Pope Francis “a servant of Satan” — for “The Resurrection of the Christ,” his sequel to 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which is currently filming in Italy. Viganò, formerly the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States, was excommunicated in 2024 for not acknowledging Pope Francis’ authority and rejecting the Second Vatican Council that modernized the Roman Catholic C

Project Hail Mary continues to perform well at the box office! For the second consecutive weekend, the Ryan Gosling-starring film remained the No. 1 movie at the U.S. box office, earning $54.5 million. The movie debuted in theaters last weekend, generating $80.5 million. It has become the highest-grossing movie of the year so far, with domestic earnings of $164.3 million, according to Variety . Here’s the synopsis: “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) awakens on a spacesh

Quentin Tarantino has chosen his next project, and he's teaming up with Sly Stallone to co-direct what promises to be an exciting 1930s-style series, TMZ has learned. According to sources with direct knowledge, the series is set in the '30s and will be highly authentic, filmed in black and white using 1930s cameras. The series will consist of six parts, featuring gangsters, showgirls, boxing, and music. It's not clear if the cast has been finalized, but we're informed that

The IMDb-qualifying Art Film Spirit Awards stand as a prestigious celebration of the very essence of independent filmmaking, shining a spotlight on the discovery of innovative artists and the diverse array of arthouse film projects that emerge from various corners of the globe. Each edition of the awards is meticulously curated by a dedicated festival committee that takes great care in nominating and honoring talented artists who work across a multitude of art film genres. Th

"Synthetic Me" is a short animated film directed by Susan Lim, Christina Teenz Tan, and Samudra Kajal Saikia. An inanimate stuffed toy, a once vibrant and cherished companion belonging to a dedicated teenage medical student, harbors a deep longing for a sense of enduring companionship that it hopes will transcend the constraints of time. This plush creature, with its soft fabric and stitched seams, has been a steadfast presence throughout the ups and downs of the student’s li

Rosalyn, a wealthy and gifted high school senior, is overwhelmed with grief after losing her brother in a surfing accident. The emptiness left by his absence engulfs her, leading her into addiction, with alcohol becoming her refuge as she tries to numb the pain and confusion. Amidst her downward spiral, she becomes involved in a complex relationship with two others, Isaac and Emma. Rosalyn's internal battle with grief and substance abuse complicates her journey toward self-lo

Initially, the film appears to advocate for "the weak"; however, it actually addresses a more universal theme: the moment a person realizes she no longer fits society's definition of a complete life. "Two Tigers" is an acclaimed short narrative film from China. In "Two Tigers," a mother and her adult daughter live in near-isolation in a small apartment, each experiencing a different form of "lack" — one is physical, the other social. The aging mother, losing her hearing, lean

Renowned singer, actress, and director Barbra Streisand will be honored by the Cannes Film Festival this year with an honorary Palme d’Or recognizing her lifetime achievements. Cannes announced the award on Wednesday, describing Streisand as “an iconic artist and embodiment of the American dream in all its original splendor.” The EGOT winner has never previously had a film featured at Cannes. She will make her first appearance on the Croisette stage this year, accepting the h

Robert Duvall, celebrated for his roles in iconic films such as "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "M*A*S*H," "Apocalypse Now," and "Tender Mercies," for which he earned an Academy Award, has died, his wife announced on social media Monday. He was 95. Luciana Duvall stated that her husband passed away Sunday at their home, "surrounded by love and comfort." "To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,"

When a young woman, filled with passion and ambition, expresses her heartfelt desire to become a true and valued member of her favorite art club, she unexpectedly finds herself transformed into a dog. This whimsical twist of fate introduces her to a unique and challenging dynamic with the club members, who now see her through a completely different lens. As she navigates her new canine existence, she must confront the complexities of her relationships with the other artists,

Highlighting the challenges, victories, and daily lives of women worldwide through independent films, the Toronto Women Film Festival is dedicated to supporting, recognizing, and empowering women's voices in cinema. It honors and celebrates films made by talented women filmmakers from across the globe. In recent years, the festival has showcased films by female directors at venues like Carlton Cinema, Innis Town Hall at the University of Toronto, various art centers, and digi