International Film Festival of Ottawa

07/10/2026

Miss Primavera at this year's IFFO? Well, don't miss it this weekend at the ByTowne Cinema. Our Tom McSorley called it "a sumptuous historical drama that, along with sublime music, delivers a powerful tale of resistance"

Set in 18th-century Venice’s famed Ospedale della Pietà orphanage for girls, Vivaldi Et Moi follows Cecilia (Tecla Insolia), a gifted young violinist whose fiery spirit cannot be contained. Yearning to uncover her origins and chafing against the orphanage’s strict rules, she’s offered escape ...

05/26/2026

If you missed it at this year's Festival, Silent Friend, from the acclaimed, multiple award-winning Hungarian writer-director Ildikó Enyedi, is at the ByTowne Cinema this weekend!
🗓️Wed. May 27 at 3:30 pm
🗓️Fri. May 29 at 6:00 pm
🗓️Sat. May 30 at 3:30 pm

03/26/2026

And the winners are 🥁…

As voted for by you, the audience, this year’s CF Rideau Centre People’s Choice Award goes to:

🏆 A SAD AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD (dir. Cyril Aris, Lebanon)
🏆 JAZZ INFERNAL (dir. Will Niava, Quebec)

Honourable mentions for the features include Italy’s PRIMAVERA (dir. Damiano Michieletto) and THE TRACK (dir. Ryan Sidhoo, Canada), while the honourable mentions for the shorts include SOL VIVANT (LIVING GROUND) (dir. Emile Lavoie, Quebec) and NANCY (dir. Lynda Hall, Ontario).

🌟 Congratulations to the winners and honourable mentions! 🌟

🎥 A SAD AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD, JAZZ INFERNAL

03/23/2026

🎥 Support local film and win big!

Last chance for the IFFO 50/50 Draw — half the pot + 2 Spa Access gift certificates to Nordik Spa Village Chelsea, including the Kalla saltwater pool! 🌿💦

Your ticket supports and Canadian Film Institute * Institut canadien du film outreach and activities:
👉 free passes for equity-deserving groups
👉 accessible memberships
👉 the new 2026 screenings in long-term care homes.

Enter before the draw closes on Tuesday, March 24, at 11:59 PM EDT.
👉 https://ow.ly/h7wm50YxI3a

Lottery Licence # RAF1525186. 18+ to play, Ontario only. Please play responsibly. For help, call 1-866-531-2600 or visit https://ow.ly/Yr1v50YxI3b.

📸 Nordik Spa Village

03/22/2026

Today @ IFFO (March 22, 2026)

🎥 THE EYES OF GHANA (dir. Ben Proudfoot, USA/Ghana) with TUKTUIT: CARIBOU (dir. Lindsay McIntyre)
⏰ 2:00 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/1Ew550Yxiaq

🎥 A SAD AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD (dir. Cyril Aris, Lebanon) with NOTES FROM A POET (dir. Simon Garez)
⏰ 4:00 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/m8sm50Yxiau

🎥 SILENT FRIEND (dir. Ildikó Enyedi, Hungary) with 16MM (dir. Francis Théberge)
⏰ 6:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/z8hw50Yxiat

03/21/2026

Today @ IFFO (March 21, 2026)

🎥 PRIMAVERA (dir. Damiano Michieletto, Italy) with JAZZ INFERNAL (dir. Will Niava)
⏰ 4:00 PM at the ByTowne Cinema
🎟️ https://ow.ly/zhl750Yx8U3

🎥 Sneak Preview: OZMANTHUS (dir. Lisa Soper, Canada) (FREE event)
⏰ 4:00 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎤 Q&A with dir. Lisa Soper, actor Eric Johnson, and friends
🎟️ https://ow.ly/KqTj50Yx8TZ

🎥 WHERE TO LAND (dir. Hal Hartley, USA) with L'ATELIER MARTINEAU (dir. Conor DeVries)
⏰ 6:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/SNhA50Yx8U2

🎥 FORASTERA (dir. Lucia Aleñar Iglesias, Spain) with IN LIEU OF FLOWERS (dir. Jessie Posthumus)
⏰ 8:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/SNhA50Yx8U2
Presented by the Embassy of Spain in Canada

03/20/2026

In 18th-century Venice, a rebellious young violin prodigy is ready to rewrite her fate. 🎻✨

Cecilia (Tecla Insolia) discovers a powerful ally in a new composer, Antonio Vivaldi, daring to defy the strict orphanage rules and the arranged marriage planned for her “future.”

Rich with music, passion, and defiance, this period drama celebrates creativity as freedom and the courage it takes to choose your own destiny.

🎥 PRIMAVERA (dir. Damiano Michieletto) screens Saturday, March 21 at 4:00 PM at the ByTowne Cinema.
🎟️ https://ow.ly/uMUZ50Yx2FY

03/20/2026

Today @ IFFO (March 20, 2026)

🎥 IFFO Classics: NAKDONG RIVER (dir. Chang-geun Jeon, Korea)
⏰ 4:00 PM at the Korean Cultural Centre Canada
🎟️ https://ow.ly/m5zj50YwSne
Presented by the Korean Cultural Centre Canada and Korean Film Archive.

🎥 MILE END KICKS (dir. Chandler Levack, Canada) with FAN (dir. Philippe Berthelet)
⏰ 6:30 PM at the ByTowne Cinema
🎟️ https://ow.ly/fgYT50YwSn7
Presented by DGC Ontario.

🎥 BAYAAN (dir. Bikas Ranjan Mishra, India) with MERCENAIRE (dir. Pier-Philippe Chevigny)
⏰ 6:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/xPn450YwSn9
Presented by the High Commission of India.

🎥 TWELVE MOONS (dir. Victoria Franco, Mexico) with LIVING GROUNDS (dir. Emile Lavoie)
⏰ 8:45 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/fbh050YwSn8

🎥 IFFO Classics: CAREFUL (dir. Guy Maddin, Canada)
⏰ 9:00 PM at the Mayfair Theatre
🎤 Q&A with dir. Guy Maddin
🎟️ https://ow.ly/LnBv50YwSnb

🌟 IFFO Film Club (FREE EVENT)
⏰ 9:00 PM to 11:30 PM at The Albion Rooms
🎟️ https://ow.ly/J6WP50YwSnc

03/19/2026

Today @ IFFO (March 19, 2026)

🎥 MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI (dir. Damien Hauser, Kenya) with PARADISE HEIGHTS (dirs. Karl Kai & Robert Mentov)
⏰ 4:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/tv5i50Ywq9x
Presented with the support of Ontario Arts Council.

🎥 METEORS (dir. Hubert Charuel, France) with THE PUNK OF NATASHQUAN (dir. Nicolas Lachapelle)
⏰ 6:30 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/yRQq50Ywq9C

🎥 IFFO Classics: NAKDONG RIVER (dir. Chang-geun Jeon, Korea)
⏰ 7:00 PM at the Korean Cultural Centre Canada
🎟️ https://ow.ly/RJSi50Ywq9B
Presented with the support of Korean Cultural Centre Canada and Korean Film Archive.

🎥 IFFO Classics: POINT OF ORDER (dir. Emile de Antonio, USA)
⏰ 8:45 PM at the Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/5smF50Ywq9w

03/18/2026

Today @ IFFO (March 18, 2026)

Canadian Masters | Maîtres canadiens : Philippe Falardeau
🎥 MY SALINGER YEAR (dir. Philippe Falardeau, Canada)
⏰ Interview 6:30 PM (French only) | Screening (French subtitled) 7:45 PM at Ottawa Art Gallery - Galerie d'art d'Ottawa
🎟️ https://ow.ly/LPck50YvUgx