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Photo of the marquee at the Royal Cinema, showcasing Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival.
Photo of the marquee at the Royal Cinema, showcasing Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival.

Celebrating Ukrainian cinema

with an annual festival featuring the work of award-winning filmmakers.

Home Events Art Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival 2024

Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival 2024

Celebrating Ukrainian cinema in Canada
From Oscar short-listed documentary, to steamy historical drama, to kid-friendly animated shorts

The Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival (TUFF) presents its second annual festival from Thursday, April 4 – Sunday, April 7, 2024 at the Royal Cinema. The four-day festival features a lineup of eight captivating films and documentaries, plus a new screening of family-friendly animated shorts, showcasing a full range of work by award-winning, contemporary filmmakers.

“TUFF brings award-winning Ukrainian cinema to Canadian audiences. In our second year of programming, we are thrilled to build on last year’s success. With our newly established relationships in the Ukrainian film industry, we can present a larger slate of award-winning features including an exciting collection of animated shorts, an Oscar-short-listed documentary, and even a steamy historical drama. Now, more than ever, it is important to celebrate Ukrainian culture by presenting powerful and captivating films from Ukrainian filmmakers and Eastern European-Canadian-Ukrainian collaborators. TUFF is proud to support Ukraine, and to provide a platform for its talented creators.”

– Roman Lysiak, TUFF founder

Founded by Roman Lysiak in 2023, the Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival (TUFF) is an annual not-for-profit film festival showcasing the talents of contemporary Ukrainian artists and filmmakers. The Festival features new and upcoming Ukrainian films with relevance on the world stage, including films being screened and honoured by major festivals such as Cannes, Sundance and TIFF. TUFF’s mission is to showcase the breadth of Ukrainian cinema to new audiences, foster Ukrainian-Canadian collaborations and create meaningful opportunities for filmmakers. The festival celebrates a facet of contemporary Ukrainian culture by telling stories of bravery, love, compassion and fierce resistance, through the medium of film. All proceeds from TUFF 2024 go to Second Front Ukraine Foundation and the humanitarian work of Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Movie still of two boys sitting on a dirt hill, a factory and trees in the background.

(Photo credits: Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival. Still from We Will Not Fade Away, directed by Alisa Kovalenko.)

Movie still from an animated short. A little red-haired girl wearing a pink sock and a yellow sock, lying on the living room floor.

(Photo credits: Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival. Still from Animated Shorts 6 by Serhii Melnichenko.)

Movie still from a period piece. It's nighttime in a candle-lit bedroom. Two women, one blonde and one brunette, lie facing each other in an embrace on a small bed.

(Photo credits: Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival. Still from Felix Austria (Viddana), directed by Khrystyna Syvolap.)

Event details

Hosted by: Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival (TUFF)

Type of event: film festival

Schedule: All films include English subtitles. Click on FILMS in the website banner menu, then click on the thumbnails for film synopses and trailers.

  • April 4 @ 6:30 PM ET: In the Rearview (Skąd dokąd) (2023), directed by Maciek Hamela. 84 minutes.
  • April 5 @ 6:30 PM ET: I Work at the Cemetery (2021), directed by Alexey Taranenko. 100 minutes.
  • April 5 @ 9:00 PM ET: La Palisiada (2023), directed by Philip Sotnychenko. 100 minutes.
  • April 6 @ 11:00 AM ET: A Collection of 10 Short Animated Films co-presented with the Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival in Kyiv. 70 minutes.
  • April 6 @ 2:30 PM ET: Felix Austria (Viddana) (2020), directed by Khrystyna Syvolap. 103 minutes.
  • April 6 @ 6:00 PM ET: Klondike (2022), directed by Maryna Er Gorbach. 100 minutes.
  • April 6 @ 9:00 PM ET: Mariupolis (2016), directed by Mantas Kvedaravičius. 90 minutes.
  • April 7 @ 4:00 PM ET: Valeria Is Getting Married (Valeria Mithatenet) (2022), directed by Michal Vinik. 76 minutes.
  • April 7 @ 7:00 PM ET: We Will Not Fade Away (2023), directed by Alisa Kovalenko. 100 minutes.

Cost: Individual screening tickets are C$22.00, with kids pricing of C$18.00 available for the animated shorts. Buy 4 or more tickets and save 20% with Coupon Code 4ORMORE.

Location: The Royal Cinema, 608 College Street, Toronto, ON, M6G 1B4, Canada.

Trailers: Click on FILMS in the banner menu, then click on the thumbnails to see each trailer.

Booking link: Book your tickets here

Contact Details: Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival; info@tuff.film, tuff.film

 

Content warning: Please refer to the individual film synopses for info on content.

Accessibility: Royal Cinema location and accessibility info here.

Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.