Toronto Film Festivals | Reel Asian, Black, Jewish & Palestine

Although it is one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, Toronto’s film scene extends far beyond the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Moviemaking and storytelling are woven into the fabric of our city, which is North America’s third-largest film and television-making centre, with over 5,000 businesses involved in the industry.

Unsurprisingly, Toronto’s film fest scene is as culturally diverse as the city, with events staged throughout the year. Ready to immerse yourself in a different type of screen time?

Here are 19 film festivals in Toronto worth building a film-cation around.

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

April 24 to May 4, 2025

Hot Docs celebrates documentary-making as a means of “Inspiring change through storytelling.” North America’s largest documentary festival screens 113 docs from 47 countries during its 11-day 2025 run, including works by Indigenous, Canadian and international filmmakers.

How to attend: Check out this year’s lineup and book tickets online. Screenings take place at two wheelchair-accessible venues: the festival’s home base in the boho Annex neighbourhood and the TIFF Lightbox on King Street West, so you’ll find plenty to do/eat before or afterwards.

Inside Out Film and Video Festival

May 23 to June 1, 2025

The original, groundbreaking LGBTQ film festival in Toronto since 1991, Inside Out has evolved into Canada’s largest queer film fest—the place to catch shorts, docs and feature films that centre 2SLGBTQ+ experiences and communities.

How to attend: Follow Inside Out for program announcements and ticketing info. Screenings are at the fully wheelchair-accessible TIFF Lightbox in the heart of King Street West’s lively Entertainment District.

ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

June 3 to 8, 2025 in-person & June 9 to 15, 2025 online

Now in its 25th year, ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the world’s largest festival showcasing film, video, audio, digital, and interactive media made by Indigenous screen-content creators from around the globe.

How to attend: Visit the ImagineNATIVE box office for ticketing, pass details, and info on ASL-translated and sensory-friendly screenings. All screenings are at the TIFF Lightbox, a wheelchair-accessible, barrier-free venue. Virtual screenings offer closed captioning.

Toronto Jewish Film Festival

June 5 to 15, 2025

Back for its 33rd year, the TJFF’s expansive programming includes arthouse features alongside slice-of-life documentaries and limited-run TV series, all exploring the diversity of global Jewish life and culture.

How to attend: Visit the TJFF website for program announcements and to browse pass and ticket options. Screenings take place at multiple wheelchair-accessible venues, including Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema, TIFF Lightbox and the Miles Nadal JCC, with a commitment to accessibility, including select screenings that are sensory friendly or with ASL interpretation.

Toronto International Film Festival

September 4 to 14, 2025

The film fest that put Toronto on the global cinema map, TIFF is kind of a big deal when it rolls into town each fall. Hundreds of film screenings, including gala opening and closing night festivities, celeb-filled red carpet premieres and a general mood of giddiness sweep downtown during the week-long event.

Here’s a local film lover’s guide to this cinematic spectacle.

How to attend: Follow TIFF for announcements and year-round events. TIFF screens at multiple Entertainment District venues, including the wheelchair accessible TIFF Lightbox, Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall. TIFF’s Accessibility page offers extensive details on each venue’s assistive features, available devices and other details.

Toronto Palestine Film Festival

September 24–October 3, 2025

One of the newer indie film festivals in Toronto, the Toronto Palestine Film Festival is a volunteer-led festival showcasing films, musical performances and discussions that explore the vibrant traditions and practices of the Palestinian diaspora.

How to attend: Visit the Toronto Palestine Film Festival box office for ticketing info for in-person and online screenings. Last year’s event was held at the fully accessible TIFF Lightbox.

Rendezvous with Madness Festival

October 2025 dates TBA

This groundbreaking community festival aims to challenge perceptions of mental health and addiction. It is a labour of love by Workman Arts, a Toronto organization dedicated to supporting and amplifying creators with lived experience.

How to attend: Screenings are at the Workman Arts’ Auditorium at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s top mental health research hospital. CAMH is entirely wheelchair accessible, and all events are pay-what-you-can, with the aim of removing financial barriers. CAMH is located at the nexus of Queen West and Ossington Village with plenty of cafes nearby to talk cinema before or after the show.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival

October 15–19, 2025

Calling all fans of things that go bump—or zap, or biff, bam, pow!—in the night: Toronto After Dark Film Festival is your ticket for genre films, from kitschy sci-fi to quirky kung-fu to creepy horror B-movies. This fan-run horror film festival features screenings, Q&A sessions and a much-loved zombie-themed night.

How to attend: Follow TADDFF for program info, as this grassroots festival returns after a one-year hiatus. Screenings are held at the Entertainment District’s Scotiabank Theatre, which is fully wheelchair accessible and loans out CaptiView closed captioning devices.

Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival

November 2025 dates TBA

The popular Reel Asian film fest offers a bonanza of movies, animation and exhibitions by Asian filmmakers and artists. Though the themes, formats, and content of the work can be wildly—and exhilaratingly—varied, the festival is a must-see for lovers of contemporary Asian film and culture.

How to attend: Follow Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival for program updates and year-round events. Screenings are held at fully accessible locations (with select events offering ASL interpretation and live captioning); visit the Reel Asian box office for more details.

Toronto Black Film Festival & TBFF25 Kids Film Festival

2026 dates TBA

Toronto Black Film Festival is ground zero for leading-edge documentaries, feature films and shorts, for, about, and by Black creators and communities in Canada and internationally. This proudly indie film festival takes pride in screening original, outspoken and audacious films, debating the social, cultural and economic issues of the day.

The TBFF25 Kids Film Festival took place on Family Day, offering a lineup of films, storytelling, crafts and other activities for the younger set.

How to attend: Visit TBFF for program announcements, ticket info and accessibility details. The Carlton Cinema (where the TBFF25 Kids film fest was held, is accessible and offers assistive listening devices by request.)

Canadian Film Fest

March 2026 dates TBA

Nothing is off-limits at the Canadian Film Fest, a proudly indie film festival in Toronto. Made in Canada drama, docs, comedy, horror, and experimental cinema are all fair game. Last year’s lineup included explorations of sexuality, immigration, family dynamics, the secret turmoil of a WWF villainess and… vampire zombies from outer space.

How to attend: Follow CFF for program announcements and tickets. Screenings are at the Scotiabank Theatre, which is fully wheelchair accessible and loans out CaptiView closed captioning devices.