Frequently Asked Questions

National Canadian Film Day is presented by REEL CANADA, a charitable organization dedicated to introducing Canadians to the power and diversity of Canadian film. You can find out more about our educational and public programmes at reelcanada.ca. Of course, we couldn’t put on CanFilmDay without the hundreds of film festivals, cinemas, schools, retirement residences, libraries, embassies, military bases, community centres, museums and other unique venues who partner with us each year to host an event. We’re also grateful for the significant participation of our broadcast and streaming partners for the special programming they make available to Canadians on the Day.

We use #CanFilmDay or #JourCineCan in French. Please post, like, and share, and help spread the word. We are @canfilmday on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.

Keep checking the See a Film section of our website for updates about events happening in your area, as well as on TV and streaming. There will be hundreds of Canadian films available that day – now you just have to choose!

Both! We have hundreds of in-person events happening this year, but there will also be some great online offerings (including special programming on TV or streaming on the day from our many broadcast and streaming partners). Wherever you are, and whatever you’re comfortable with, you can still participate.

All in-person events are planned in collaboration with local partners. Each event will have its own specific protocols and guidelines as determined by the partner host, and in accordance with local government regulations. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the screening host directly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hosting a Screening Event

If you are new to CanFilmDay, the first step is to fill out our new partner registration form. You can also write to us at [email protected] and someone will walk you through the process.

We’ll be announcing this year’s Spotlight theme in January, along with the curated list of films for you to choose from. There will be something for everyone, on a list that showcases the passion and originality of Canadian filmmakers. We can provide a screening copy of any of these films. If you would like to choose a film that is not on our curated list, we will do our best to help you – we just can’t make any guarantees.

Our team is always happy to make programming recommendations that will suit your audience. Just get in touch.

We encourage all our partners to host FREE screenings so that all Canadians have access to a great Canadian film on CanFilmDay. If you do choose to host a free screening, then we can provide:

  • The rights to screen the film(s)
  • A copy of the film(s)
  • A digital copy of the CanFilmDay “pre-show” that all our partners are encouraged to show before their film(s)
  • A “digital party kit” of online resources and marketing materials to help you promote your event and turn it into a party.
  • Listing your event on the CanFilmDay website.
  • A “get social” package to help you promote your event online and on social media.
  • Support from our team of coordinators who will talk you through the process of planning your event, and cheer you on!

To find out what else we’re able to help with, get in touch.

Our screening partners include all types of organizations, including libraries, community centres, museums, legion halls, military bases, embassies, schools, retirement homes, museums, cinemas, film festivals and more.

If you are interested in hosting a screening, just get in touch and we will talk you through it. And remember, you can also watch a movie from the comfort of your own couch! You can do a watch party online, or invite some friends over and enjoy a Canadian film on TV or online, thanks to one of our many broadcast and streaming partners. Don’t forget the popcorn!

Yes! We have content suited for every grade, class and department, with offerings in both English and French.

For high schools, the best way to celebrate is through RCtv, our nationwide livestream. It will include a film, an interactive discussion with the filmmakers, and with thousands of students across the country. More information and a link to register will be available on the REEL CANADA website closer to CanFilmDay.

If you choose not to participate in RCtv, High schools can also borrow any of the films in our educational catalogue.

For K-8 teachers, we have lots of great family-friendly films available, specially-curated programmes of short films curated for specific themes. Plus, you can borrow any of the feature films from our educational catalogue. We also have films specifically curated for adult ESL classes. (More information will be released closer to CanFilmDay.)

You’ve come to the right place! If you have participated in CanFilmDay before, please write to [email protected] to request your personalized returning partner registration form.

We strongly encourage all events to be FREE, and are only able to cover the distribution costs for free events. If you are hosting a fundraiser or special event, get in touch and we can discuss some options.

CanFilmDay is about movies! We want all Canadians to celebrate the diversity and quality of Canadian films, so we encourage our partners to show films wherever possible. There’s an enormous wealth of feature films and short films from this country and we’d be happy to help you find ones that you are excited to show.

BUT if there’s a great Canadian television show you’d like to share with your community, we would never discourage that!

There are various ways we can help, depending on the size, scope, location and film selections for your event. In addition to our website listing, our team would be happy to talk about ways that you can plug into our existing social media promotions in order to boost your own event. We will also provide printable PDFs of posters that you can put up at the venue, and offer suggestions for promoting your event through local media (radio, newspapers, etc).

If you would like to speak to someone about promotional ideas for your event, email our team to get the conversation started.

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