The Rogers Best Canadian Film Award is presented annually by the Toronto Film Critics Association to the film judged by the organization's members as the year's best Canadian film. In 2012, the cash prize accompanying the award was increased to $100,000, making it the largest arts award in Canada. Each year, two runners-up also receive $5,000. The award is funded and presented by Rogers Communications, which is a founding sponsor of the association's awards gala.
In 2023, the TFCA announced changes to the award. Instead of a single $100,000 prize presented to a mixed shortlist of narrative and documentary films, the organization will now present two $50,000 prizes, one for narrative features and one for documentaries.Erik Anderson, "Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Awards: ‘The Zone of Interest’ Wins Best Picture, Director" . AwardsWatch, December 17, 2023.
Unlike the other Toronto Film Critics Association awards, whose winners are announced in mid-December each year, the Best Canadian Film award only has its finalists announced at that time, and the winner of the award is then announced at the organization's gala in March.
Toronto Film Critics Poll Prior to the official launch of the Toronto Film Critics Association in 1997, film critic Wyndham Wise coordinated two polls of Torontonian film critics in 1995 and 1996 through his magazine Take One to select the year's best Canadian films; upon the launch of the TFCA, this poll was discontinued and superseded by the TFCA's annual awards.
1995 CategoryWinners and nomineesRef Best Film Rude — Damon D'Oliveira, Karen King| Christopher Harris, "Magazines: Toronto Film Critics Poll". The Globe and Mail, December 18, 1995. |- | Double Happiness — Steve Hegyes, Rose Lam Waddell | rowspan=3| "The Toronto Film Critics' Poll". Take One, Winter 1996. |- | When Night Is Falling — Barbara Tranter |- | Louis 19, King of the Airwaves (Louis 19, le roi des ondes) — Richard Sadler, Jacques Dorfmann |- |rowspan=4| Best Director |style="background:#FAEB86;" | Clement Virgo, Rude Mina Shum, Double Happiness Charles Binamé, Eldorado Patricia Rozema, When Night Is Falling Best Actor Maury Chaykin, Whale Music Clark Johnson, Rude Maurice Dean Wint, Rude Peter Williams, Soul Survivor Best Actress Sandra Oh, Double Happiness Pascale Montpetit, Eldorado Pascale Bussières, Eldorado Tracy Wright, Wasaga Best Screenplay Mina Shum, Double Happiness Clement Virgo, Rude Émile Gaudreault, Sylvie Bouchard and Michel Michaud, Louis 19, King of the Airwaves (Louis 19, le roi des ondes) Bruce McDonald, Don McKellar and John Frizzell, Dance Me Outside
1996 CategoryWinners and nomineesRef Best Film Hard Core Logo "The 2nd Annual Toronto Film Critics' Poll". Take One, Winter 1997. Crash Long Day's Journey into Night The Confessional (Le Confessionnal) Margaret's Museum Curtis's Charm Lilies Once in a Blue Moon The Suburbanators Screamers Best Director Robert Lepage, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal) Bruce McDonald, Hard Core Logo David Cronenberg, Crash David Wellington, Long Day's Journey into Night Mort Ransen, Margaret's Museum John L'Ecuyer, Curtis's Charm John Greyson, Lilies Gary Burns, The Suburbanators Christian Duguay, Screamers Peter Mettler, Picture of Light Best Actor William Hutt, Long Day's Journey into Night Callum Keith Rennie, Hard Core Logo Hugh Dillon, Hard Core Logo Lothaire Bluteau, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal) Maurice Dean Wint, Curtis's Charm Tom McCamus, Long Day's Journey into Night Brent Carver, Lilies Elias Koteas, Crash James Spader, Crash Clive Russell, Margaret's Museum Best Actress Martha Henry, Long Day's Journey into Night Helena Bonham Carter, Margaret's Museum Kate Nelligan, Margaret's Museum Martha Burns, Long Day's Journey into Night Deborah Kara Unger, Crash Mary Beth Rubens, The Michelle Apartments Deanna Milligan, Once in a Blue Moon Tushka Bergen, Turning April Kristin Scott Thomas, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal) Holly Hunter, Crash Best Screenplay Noel S. Baker, Hard Core Logo Robert Lepage, The Confessional (Le Confessionnal) Gerald Wexler, Mort Ransen, Margaret's Museum Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey into Night David Cronenberg, Crash John L'Ecuyer, Curtis's Charm Michel Marc Bouchard, Lilies Gary Burns, The Suburbanators Laurie Lynd and Daniel MacIvor, House Dan O'Bannon and Miguel Tejada-Flores, Screamers Best Documentary Picture of Light — Peter Mettler Project Grizzly — Peter Lynch Baseball Girls — Lois Siegel Power — Magnus Isacsson
Toronto Film Critics Association
1990s YearFilmDirector(s)Ref1997 The Sweet Hereafter Atom Egoyan Liam Lacey, "Egoyan film top pick". The Globe and Mail, January 15, 1998. The Hanging Garden Thom Fitzgerald1998 Last Night Don McKellar "War movies are the big winners". Hamilton Spectator, December 18, 1998. Nô Robert Lepage The Red Violin François Girard1999 Set Me Free Léa Pool "Toronto critics pick Magnolia as best film of 1999 Yet-unreleased second picture from director of Boogie Nights follows linked stories of characters in San Fernando Valley". The Globe and Mail, December 17, 1999. Felicia's Journey Atom Egoyan
2000s YearFilmDirector(s)Ref2000 waydowntown Gary Burns Peter Howell, "Toronto critics like Lee; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon named top movie". Toronto Star, December 21, 2000. Maelström Denis Villeneuve2001 Last Wedding Bruce Sweeney "Memento named best picture". Calgary Herald, December 20, 2001. Ginger Snaps John Fawcett The Uncles James Allodi2002 Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner Zacharias Kunuk "Toronto critics pick Adaptation as top film". Ottawa Citizen, December 20, 2002. FUBAR Michael Dowse Soft Shell Man (Un crabe dans la tête) André Turpin2003 Spider David Cronenberg "Coppola's Lost in Translation honoured by Toronto critics". Waterloo Region Record, December 18, 2003.2004 The Triplets of Belleville Sylvain Chomet "Sideways named best film of 2004 by Toronto critics". Sault Star, December 17, 2004.2005 A History of Violence David Cronenberg "Cronenberg's History of Violence tops T.O. critics' best-of list". Sudbury Star, December 22, 2005.2006 Manufactured Landscapes Jennifer Baichwal Lee-Anne Goodman, "'The Queen' named best picture by Toronto's film critics". Canadian Press, December 20, 2006. The Journals of Knud Rasmussen Zacharias Kunuk Monkey Warfare Reginald Harkema Six Figures David Christensen2007 Away from Her Sarah Polley Bruce Kirkland, "Old Men No. 1; Coen Brothers flick tops T.O. film critics' 2007 list". Toronto Sun, December 19, 2007. Eastern Promises David Cronenberg Radiant City Gary Burns, Jim Brown2008 My Winnipeg Guy Maddin Liam Lacey, "Maddin film wins $10,000 Toronto critics' award". The Globe and Mail, January 7, 2009. Continental, a Film Without Guns (Continental, un film sans fusil) Stéphane Lafleur Chris Knight, "Toronto critics pick Wendy and Lucy". Windsor Star, December 17, 2008. Up the Yangtze Yung Chang2009 Polytechnique Denis Villeneuve Melissa Leong, "'Most ... would consider the subject untouchable'; Polytechnique, J'ai tue ma mere nab TFCA awards". National Post, January 13, 2010. The Necessities of Life (Ce qu'il faut pour vivre) Benoît Pilon Jim Slotek, "Toronto film critics beg to differ". Toronto Sun, December 16, 2009. Pontypool Bruce McDonald
2010s YearFilmDirector(s)Ref2010 Incendies Denis Villeneuve "Incendies wins top film award". Times & Transcript, January 14, 2011. Splice Vincenzo Natali Peter Knegt, "“Social Network” Tops San Francisco and Toronto Film Critics’ Awards" . IndieWire, December 14, 2010. Trigger Bruce McDonald2011 Monsieur Lazhar Philippe Falardeau "Monsieur Lazhar wins Toronto critics' prize". Victoria Times-Colonist, January 12, 2012. Café de Flore Jean-Marc Vallée Brian D. Johnson, "Toronto critics name 'Tree of Life' Best Picture" . Maclean's, December 14, 2011. A Dangerous Method David Cronenberg2012 Stories We Tell Sarah Polley Linda Barnard, "Polley wins Canada's top film prize". Toronto Star, January 9, 2013. Bestiaire Denis Côté Cassandra Szklarski, "'The Master' rules with Toronto film critics, named best film, screenplay". Canadian Press, December 18, 2012. Goon Michael Dowse2013 Watermark Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky Chris Knight, "Watermark wins Rogers Film Prize". National Post, January 8, 2014. The Dirties Matt Johnson "Toronto Film Critics Association awards for 2013". Toronto Star, December 17, 2013. Gabrielle Louise Archambault2014 Enemy Denis Villeneuve "Villeneuve's Enemy tops with T.O. film critics". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, January 8, 2015. The F Word Michael Dowse Norman Wilner, "Toronto film critics champion Boyhood" . Now, December 16, 2014. Mommy Xavier Dolan2015 The Forbidden Room Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson Cassandra Szklarski, "Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson win $100,000 Toronto film critics prize". Canadian Press, January 5, 2016. My Internship in Canada (Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre) Philippe Falardeau Jeremy Kay, "Toronto critics honour 'Carol'" . Screen Daily, December 14, 2015. Sleeping Giant Andrew Cividino2016 The Stairs Hugh Gibson "Three filmmakers opt to share $110,000 prize: Toronto trio will pool, divide the money awarded to them by local critics' association". Toronto Star, January 15, 2017. How Heavy This Hammer Kazik Radwanski Norman Wilner, "Toronto critics bask in the Moonlight" . Now, December 12, 2016. Operation Avalanche Matt Johnson2017 Werewolf Ashley McKenzie Chris Knight, "Critics pick debut edgy addiction drama; Werewolf wins $100,000 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award". Sudbury Star, January 11, 2018.Hello Destroyer Kevan Funk Jim Slotek, "Toronto film critics give best picture thumbs up to The Florida Project" . Original Cin, December 10, 2017.Wexford Plaza Joyce Wong2018 Anthropocene: The Human Epoch Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Edward Burtynsky "'Anthropocene' named best Canadian feature by Toronto Film Critics Association" . CityNews, January 8, 2019. Ava Sadaf Foroughi Corey Atad, "Toronto Film Critics Association Names ‘Roma’ Best Picture Of 2018". ET Canada, December 10, 2018. Maison du Bonheur Sofia Bohdanowicz2019 The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers "Abuse drama wins $100,000 prize". Vancouver Sun, January 11, 2020. Antigone Sophie Deraspe Radheyan Simonpillai, "Toronto Film Critics Association names Parasite the year’s best movie" . Now, December 9, 2019. Firecrackers Jasmin Mozaffari
2020s YearFilmDirector(s)Ref2020 Anne at 13,000 Ft. Kazik Radwanski "Anne at 13,000 Ft wins $100K Toronto critics award" . CBC News, March 10, 2021. And the Birds Rained Down Louise Archambault Etan Vlessing, "Chloe Zhao's 'Nomadland' Named Best Picture by Toronto Film Critics Association" . The Hollywood Reporter, February 7, 2021. White Lie Yonah Lewis, Calvin Thomas2021 Beans Tracey Deer Sadaf Ahsan, "Indigenous coming-of-age drama Beans wins $100,000 Toronto film critics prize" . The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2022. Night Raiders Danis Goulet Pat Mullen, "Drive My Car Leads TFCA Award Winners" . That Shelf, January 16, 2022. Scarborough Shasha Nakhai, Rich Williamson2022 Riceboy Sleeps Anthony Shim Kelly Townsend, "Riceboy Sleeps wins TFCA’s 2022 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award" . Playback, March 7, 2023. Brother Clement Virgo Pat Mullen, "Toronto Film Critics Name All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Top Doc" . Point of View, January 8, 2023. Crimes of the Future David Cronenberg2023 BlackBerry Matt Johnson Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Ariane Louis-Seize Solo Sophie Dupuis2024 Universal Language Matthew Rankin