The Canada China International Film Festival (CCIFF) (, ) is an annual film festival held primarily in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The film festival is hosted by Canada China Art-Tech (CCAT), a non-profit organization, and is coordinated by . CCIFF promotes the exchange between the Chinese and Canadian film culture, fosters cooperation, and encourages communication between artists and filmmakers. The festival is a platform for innovation and creation by showcasing the latest entertainment technology.
CCIFF is officially acknowledged and supported by the following authorities: China Film Administration (previously as State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of The People's Republic of China); Telefilm Canada; China Film Producers’ Association; China Film Group Corporation; China Film Archive; Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada; Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Montreal; City Hall of Montreal; National Film Board of Canada; SODEC (Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles); QFTC (The Quebec Film and Television Council); Concordia University, Shanghai International Film Festival Committee; Beijing International Film Festival Committee; Beijing Normal University Documentary Center; Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support, and others.
Organizer The festival is run by Canada China Art-Tech (CCAT), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and understanding cultural differences in the film industry between Canada and China. CCAT stimulates cultural dialogue between the two nations by connecting stakeholders in the fields of art, technology and digital interactive media to provide them with opportunities for collaboration abroad. CCAT works in film, television, virtual reality, augmented reality, digital content and new media entertainment.
Events Seven sections are included in the festival every year: the Opening Ceremony, Film Screening and Competition, Women's Voice in Film and Television, Entertainment Technology Summit & B2B, Master Class, Academic Seminar, and the Gala and Awards Ceremony.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the Canada China International Film festival is held in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. Around 100 audiences and guests, including government officials, celebrities, directors and filmmakers from both Canada and China, attend the opening ceremony annually.
Film screenings
In-person film screening are held for 3 consecutive days during the film festival in locations around Montreal including Cineplex, BanQ, Cinémathèque québécoise, Cinema Moderne, Cinema du Parc and Musee du Beaux Arts. Online film screenings are held for one month on the Smart Cinema platform. The festival screens 40 remarkable films with various genres of films and television shows including features, documentaries, short films and animated films.
Competition
The film competition section is one of the core programs of CCIFF. The Jury selects around 40 films in the Screening section from more than 100 submissions. About 30 films are selected to enter the final round of competition. The jury then determines 26 award winners at the final round as well as 4 TV awards.
Entertainment technology summit and B2B
The Entertainment Technology Forum is an important platform for technology exchanges and academic discussion in the film festival. The guests include executives and leaders from Cirque du Soleil, Disney, IBM, and Google. Like, Nasim Sedaghat (IBM Product Manager), Jacques Méthé (Chairman of Cirque du Soleil), Rajesh Sharma (Technical Director of Disney Animation Studios), and Paul Debevec (Senior Researcher from Google), etc.
History In 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited China on September 2. He wanted to make a stronger and more stable long-term relationship with China. Bardish Chagger announced new tourism initiatives. In 2016, CCIFF held several events in the special section to celebrate the China-Canada year of People-To-People and Culture Exchanges, including a summit forum on audiovisual exchanges and communication, a master class, and an industry tour.
In 2017, CCIFF added TV Drama section to the Film Screening section. This year CCIFF celebrates Canada's 150th anniversary, Montreal's 375th anniversary, and the 70th anniversary of People's Liberation Army of China. A script competition is also included in the Canada China Co-production Project Pitch.
From September 22–26, 2018, the 3rd CCIFF was held by Canada China Art-Tech and in Montreal, Quebec. The festival attracted more people thanks to the year of Canada-China tourism in 2018. The aim of the international film festival is to promote the cultural exchanges between China and Canada, cooperation and communication are also want to be developed and encouraged by both countries. In addition, the newest innovations in entertainment technology will be shown by forum and technology exhibition.
The year 2019 was the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On this occasion, the Canada China International Film Festival kicked off its 4th edition with the opening film "Enter the Forbidden City", directed by Mei Hu as well as other excellent Chinese world premieres during its screening program.
In 2020, the 5th CCIFF was adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was divided into two parts: The Entertainment Technology Summit and the Online Film Screening. From September 18 to December 18, 2020, three forum activities were successfully held online. The screening component was held from April 1 to 30, 2021 where a total of 10 films from China, Canada and the United States were screened.
In 2021, the opening cocktail reception for the 6th edition of the CCIFF kicked off at McCord Museum. CCIFF has been adjusted to a hybrid format consisting of offline and online events due to health and safety-related mandates brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, events were held offline and online throughout the festival, from October 2, 2021, to November 30, 2021. In addition, the screening month was held from October 22 to November 30, 2021, where a total of 23 films from China, Canada and the United States were shown.
Awards 2025 Awards Recipients Best Director Muze Tian (Meng Tian) (Love Island) Best Feature Film Mei Hu (The Dream of The Red Chamber) Best Female-Directed Film Jiaxi Li (In Expecting for the First Time) Best Short Film Yuhong Lu, Zhuqing Li, Xilai Li (Revert) Best Short Musical Crystal Leger (Meatball) Best Art Direction Jinqi Pi (Yingning) Best Cinematography Gabriela Pua (Caged Culture) Best Actor Réal Bossé (:fr:Crise d'ado) Best Actress Myriam Lopez (Facade) Best Emerging Actress Vanel Lavoie (:fr:Crise d'ado) Best Script Jiaxi Li (Wen Rou) Best Biopic Baosheng Hong (The Admirable Educator) Best Documentary Film Bibo Liang (My Teacher and Me) People's Choice Jimmy Chan (Journey of Dragon Boat Racers) Best AIGC Creation Pang Shuo (The Code of Nine Dragon Wall)
2024 Awards Recipients Best Director Qiao Liang (Off the Stage) Best Feature Film Fight for Tomorrow Best Actor David La Haye (STAT) Best Actress He Saifei (Off the Stage) Best TV Documentary P’o Yan Hospital: A Legacy of Universal Benevolence Since 1886 Best Documentary Film Only Xie Jin Best Producer Luo Dajun, Huang Dong (Tibet - Suolangrangbu) Best Producer Jialu Niu (The Sun Shines on Tashkurgan) Best Creativity White Snake Best Cinematography A Family Portrait Best Short Film Winter Is No More Lonely Than Other Seasons Best First Feature FRAME
2023 Awards Recipients Best Short Film Wok Hei People's Choice My Father's Journey Best New Director Michael Cutler (La passion de Paul-Émile Borduas) Best Original Score Deep Sea Best Drama Almost Lost Best Producer Anuli Ajagu (Praise Party) Best Animation Film Katak: The Brave Beluga Best Creativity Answer Best Script Katherine Jerkovic (Coyote) Best TV Documentary Wuyi Mountains Best Actor Patrick Caux (La passion de Paul-Émile Borduas) Best Actress Rim Turki (Memory Box) Best Documentary Film Big Fight in Little Chinatown Best Director Martin Villeneuve (The 12 Tasks of Imelda) Best Feature Film HACHIKO
2022 Awards Recipients Best Short Film RESURGO Best Documentary Film Jimmy Chan (Saving Chinatown - Our Heritage, Our Legend) Best First Feature Le bruit des moteurs Best Script Albéric Aurtenèche (La Contemplation du mystère) Best Actor Ayham Abou Ammar (Peace by Chocolate) Best Director Craig Thompson (Norman Bethune) Best Feature Film Mo Yan Best Supporting Actor Tzi Ma (A Father's Son) Best Actress & Life Achievement Award Lisa Lu (Pursuit of Light)
2021 Awards Recipients Best Director Tracey Deer (Beans (2020 film)) Best Feature Film A Hustle Bustle New Year Best Actress Nahéma Ricci (Antigone) Best Actor Jiang Wu (Break Through the Darkness) Best Supporting Actress Soinam Wangmo (Wind) Best Supporting Actor Jinheng Yang (Aksa) Best Cinematography Anima Best Script Portraits from a Fire People's Choice En panne Best New Director Ming Liang (Wisdom Tooth) Best Creativity Open Season Best Short Film Climate Rebellion Halifax Canada Best Experimental Film A Feeling Called Collapse Best TV Series Faith Makes Great Best TV Series Children of the Great Bay Area
2020 Awards Recipients Best Feature Film The Farewell Best TV Series Realize Our Dream Best Cinematography Back to Youth Best Special Effects Yue Xiao (A Tower on the Mountain) Best Animation The Stone and the Sea Best Documentary Film Tribe Over the Cloud Best TV Documentary Hi China (TV series) Best Script The Melody of Silence Best Short Film Through the Seasons Best New Actor/Actress QiuQiu (Xi'An Blues) Best Producer Clifton Ko (Dearest Anita) People's Choice The Front Line Best Actress Yan Liu (My Dear Liar) Best Actor Guillaume Tremblay (Wilcox) Best Director Tongdao Zhang (Born in 2000)
2019 Awards Recipients Best TV Series Jinghong Xiao (My Story for You) Best TV Series Chen Yang (Ever Night) Best Cinematography Pengfei Shen (Beauty Valley) Best Special Effects Yue Xiao (Assassin on the String) Best Animation Li Luo (The King's Avatar: For the Glory) Best Documentary Film Qianya Xu (Her Offerings) Best Script Liu Yi (If Thoughts Can Kill) Best Short Film Jorge Camarotti (Kinship) Best New Talent Kyle Hu (Love in the Air) Best Producer Li Li (Enter the Forbidden City) People's Choice Apprenticeship Best Actress Amber Goldfarb (Appiness) Best Actor Jinghan Ma (Enter the Forbidden City) Best Director Mei Hu (Enter the Forbidden City) Best Film The Hummingbird Project
2018 Awards Recipients Best TV Series He Xiaofeng (Scissor Seven) Best Cinematography Yuezi Ouyang (Feeling You) Best Special Effects Yang Lu (Sticks and Straw) Best Technology Wei He (Do Not Miss It 70 Years of National Film in Inner Mongolia) Best Documentary Film Thi Be Nguyen, Marie-Hélène Panisset (Moonless Night) Best Script Yongjian Sun (Fake Tattoos) Best Short Film Mrs. Wang Best Supporting Actress Xinyu Wang (The Master of Lion Dance) Best Supporting Actor Mingyi Yang (Lost in Apocalypse) Best Producer Wenshuang Xu (How Far Is Tomorrow) People's Choice The Master of Lion Dance Best Actress Dorothée Berryman (Background Check) Best Actor Mathew Knowles (Poppies) Best Director Marc-André Lavoie (Background Check) Best Film Zhang Yimou (Shadow)
2017 Awards Recipients Best Director Teng Junjie Best Feature Film Seventy-seven Days Best Documentary Film :fr:Un Américain au Québec Best Short Film Le plateau Best Actress Jiang Yiyan Best Actor Aubert Pallascio Best Cinematography Final Battle in Town Best Script Trusting Love Best Special Effects Secrets of the Flowers People's Choice Broken Badges Best Technology The Plume Best Supporting Actor Guorong Zhang Best Supporting Actress Funglin Yao Best TV Documentary The Century Silk Road Best TV Series The First Half of My Life Best Script Competition Jiangling Li
2016