Best Canadian Movies 2022

From Montreal director and writer Cea Sunrise Person, this coming-of-age story about two sisters in the 1960s is as moving as it is unsettling.

B.C.-raised actor Atom Egoyan and Toronto’s Sarah Polley star in this heartbreaking film about a small-town tragedy.

1. Women Talking

Director Sarah Polley’s follow-up to her 2012 breakout, format-shattering meta-documentary Stories We Tell is set among Mennonite women in an antiquated village. Based on Miriam Toews’ book, the film revolves around a harrowing conspiracy of rape that emerged within the community in Bolivia, and it features a formidable cast of actresses including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley and Judith Ivey.

While Women Talking offers obvious contemporary resonance in its depiction of holding male abusers accountable, the film is more than that. It is a work of bold imagination, and its resolution is deeply moving.

2. Scarborough

Scarborough offers a raw yet empathetic look at a troubled neighbourhood that refuses to be undone. It’s a story of three kids who struggle to rise above poverty, abuse and a system that consistently fails them: Bing, a gay Filipino boy; Sylvie, a girl with mental health challenges; and Laura, who is a chronic victim of her mother’s abusive behaviour.

Despite the many hardships, Hernandez shows that these characters’ lives are still worth celebrating. Her use of positive moments and wide smiles is a welcome addition to the canon of films that depict disability and poverty.

3. Turning Red

A wry, whimsical coming-of-age comedy that feels as if it jumped from the pages of Carrie or Joy Luck Club, Turning Red follows 13-year-old Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang) on the brink of puberty. She reverts to giant red pandas whenever she experiences a strong emotion, a condition her overprotective mother insists on keeping secret.

Domee Shi, the director of Pixar's Oscar-winning short Bao, has created a film that is at once culturally specific and universal in its appeal. And while some have found fault with the film for mentioning periods and puberty in the same breath as its protagonist's morphing into a giant panda, this is prudish and reductive thinking at work.

4. The New Romantic

Director Carly Stone (Kim’s Convenience) makes her feature directorial debut with this indie about a woman attempting to find love with an older man. Starring Jessica Barden and Penny Dreadful’s Ben Rosenbaum, The New Romantic is a fresh take on dating for the young set.

Think Clerks, but female. Director Serville Poblete helms this coming-of-age drama about an overgrown altar server who juggles every adolescent stress and crippling awkwardness. Riverdale and Altered Carbon’s Hayley Law, Degrassi alum Annie Clark and Twisted and Victorious’ Avan Jogia all round out the cast.

5. Black Ice

This film exposes a history of racism in hockey through the untold stories of Black players, past and present, in a sport that's predominately white. The documentary is executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Drake and Adel "Future" Nur, and will be released in theaters on July 14.

From a new voice in fiction to some of Canada's most storied filmmakers, 2022 was packed with impressive Canadian content. Laugh, sigh, cry or shout at these comedies, dramas and romances from across the country that are worth your time.

6. Riceboy Sleeps

The second feature from Vancouver director Anthony Shim, Riceboy Sleeps is a delicate snapshot of 1990s Canada through the eyes of a Korean immigrant mother and her headstrong son.

Taking on themes like cultural assimilation, bullying, and finding self-worth, the film is well-crafted and powerful in its execution.

Choi Seung-yoon and Ethan Hwang deliver stunning performances that convey a deep level of strength, commitment, and care for their characters. The film also explores the concept of home in a meaningful way, coming full circle in an ending that is both cathartic and empowering.

7. Stellar

From Anishinabe director Darlene Naponse, whose TIFF 2021 short Falls Around Her starred Tantoo Cardinal, Stellar is an experiential film about a dreamy romance between She (Night Raiders star Elle-Maija Tailfeathers) and He (Braeden Clarke). The two characters find themselves in the unexpected haven of a Northern Ontario dive bar while natural disasters wreak havoc outside.

This is a visual dazzler that will leave audiences breathless. But it falls short in connecting to the audience with its lack of spoken dialogue and in establishing a character connection with its two stars.