The Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) is a Canadian, not-for-profit, publicly attended film festival in Toronto, Ontario, dedicated to contemporary Italian and international cinema through film screenings, premiers, industry events, and cultural programming. Founded in 2012, ICFF has grown from a four-day, single-venue festival of 18 films, to a 25-day, nine-city festival of over 130 feature films, documentaries and short films.
The festival's principal annual event, the Lavazza IncluCity Festival, takes place during the summer, beginning in June in celebration of Ontario's Italian Heritage Month. The ICFF also yearly runs the ICFF Youth Festival, special events and international programs, which aim to involve a constant multidisciplinary diverse audience, and promote cinema, art, music, fashion, food, and culture in multiple Canadian cities.
ICFF has hosted filmmakers, actors, and industry figures from Canada, Italy, and around the world. Over the years, they have welcomed important guests such as Roberto Benigni, Claudia Cardinale, Danny Glover, Giancarlo Giannini, Franco Nero, Giancarlo Esposito, Isabella Rossellini, Susan Sarandon, Ornella Mutti, Patrick Dempsey, among many others.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, the 9th edition of the ICFF took place online. In both 2020 and 2021, in light of the pandemic, the ICFF and corporate sponsor Lavazza organized the special Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival, a screening series of films presented at a drive-in theatre at Ontario Place. The festival included some Italian films in its program, but programmed a diversity of films representing a broad cross-section of Canadian and international multicultural films rather than being exclusively Italian-themed.
In 2021, the ICFF introduced an open-air section of the festival at Trillium Park in Toronto, and in 2022, the festival fully transitioned to an outdoor format at the Distillery Historic District under the new name IncluCity Festival. The new format includes international and multicultural cinema screenings on the streets and main square of the Distillery District, as well as stages and street activations.
In 2023, the festival introduced a new section dedicated to dark drama and horror films called The Dark Side. This program features full-length films screened at midnight in the outdoor setting of the Distillery District.
In 2026, ICFF celebrated its 15th anniversary with an expanded edition running from June 25 to July 19th at Toronto's Historic Distillery District. The festival opened with Gabriele Mainette's The Forbidden City (La città proibita), and welcomed prominent guests including Patrick Dempsey and Ornella Mutti. The anniversary edition also marled the expansion of AiRTIFICAL VISIONS, first introduced as a pilot exhibition in 2025, into a moth-long immersive exhibition at Illuminarium.
History
2012 – 1st edition
Films screened: 16 films Shorts screened: N/A Notable films featured: What a Beautiful Day/Che bella giornata, To Rome with Love, The Vanishing of Pato/La scomparsa di Patò, Basilicata Coast to Coast Opening film: Kryptonite!/La Kryptonite nella borsa, Directed by: Ivan Cotroneo, Italy Closing film: A Flat for Three/Posti in piedi in paradiso, Directed by: Carlo Verdone, Italy Cities: Toronto, TIFF Bell Lightbox
2013 – 2nd edition
Films screened: 34 films Shorts screened: 26 Shorts Notable films featured: Welcome Mr. President/Benvenuto Presidente!, Siberian Education/Educazione Siberiana, It Was The Son/ È stato il figlio, A Perfect Family/ Una famiglia perfetta, Viva L’Italia Opening film: Welcome Mr. President/Benvenuto Presidente! Directed by: Riccardo Milani, Italy Closing film: Come Undone/ Cosa voglio di più, Directed by: Silvio Soldini, Italy Cities: Toronto and Montreal
2014 – 3rd edition
Films screened: 25 films Shorts screened: 37 Shorts Notable films featured: The Best Offer/La migliore offerta, Those Happy Years/Anni felici, Like the Wind/Come il vento, First Snowfall/La prima neve, Sotto una buona stella Opening film: The Best Offer/La migliore offerta, Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore, Italy Closing film: Stay Away From Me/Stai lontana da me, Directed by: Alessio Maria Federici, Italy Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City
2015 – 4th edition
Films screened: 28 films Shorts screened: 22 shorts Notable films featured: So Far So Good/Fino a qui tutto bene, I Can Quit Whenever I Want/Smetto quando voglio, The Legendary Giulia and Other Miracles/Noi e la Giulia, Leopardi/Il giovane favoloso Opening film: L’Oriana, Directed by: Marco Turco, Italy Closing film: Ever bene to the Moon?/Sei mai stata sulla luna, Directed by: Paolo Genovese, Italy Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Quebec City, Mississauga, Hamilton
2016 – 5th edition
Films screened: 32 films Shorts screened: 21 shorts Notable films featured: Quo Vado?, The Stuff of Dreams/La stoffa dei sogni, First Light/La prima luce Opening film: Quo Vado? Directed by: Gennaro Nunziante, Italy Closing film: The Correspondence/ La corrispondenza, Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore, Italy Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Quebec City, Hamilton, Niagara
2017 – 6th edition
Films screened: 36 films Shorts screened: 25 shorts Notable films featured: Like Crazy/La pazza gioia, Flower/Fiore, Indivisible/Indivisibili, It's the Law/L’Ora legale Opening film: Something New/Qualcosa di nuovo, Directed by: Cristina Comencini, Italy Closing film: Like Crazy/La pazza gioia, Directed by: Paolo Virzì, Italy Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Quebec City, Hamilton, Vancouver
2018 – 7th edition
Films screened: 46 films Shorts screened: 29 shorts Notable films featured: There's No Place Like Home/A Casa Tutti Bene, Love and Bullets, Road To The Lemon Grove, The Last Prosecco/Finché c’è prosecco c’è speranza/, Tulipani: Love, Honor and a Bicycle Opening film: Like a Cat on a Highway/Come un gatto in tangenziale, Directed by: Riccardo Milani, Italy Closing film: Shape of Water, Directed by: Guillermo del Toro, Canada Cities: Toronto, Vaughan, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Vancouver, Hamilton, Niagara
2019 – 8th edition
Films screened: 47 films Shorts screened: 47 shorts Notable films featured: I am Mia/Io Sono Mia, The First King: Birth of an Empire/Il Primo re, From the Vine, The King's Musketeers/Moschettieri del re, Dogman Opening film: Dolceroma, Directed by: Fabio Resinaro, Italy Closing film: Greenbook, Directed by: Peter Farrelly, USA Guest film: Malamuri, Directed by: Federico Maio, Sicily Cities: Toronto, Vaughan, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Vancouver, Hamilton
2020 – 9th edition Postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival took place online from November 29 to December 8.
Films screened: 18 films Shorts screened: 28 shorts Notable films featured: Aspromonte: the Land of the Forgotten/ Aspromonte - la terra degli ultimi, Tolo Tolo, Fellinopolis, Hidden Away/Volevo nascondermi, All My Crazy Love/Volare Opening film: Fellinopolis, Directed by: Silvia Giulietti, Italy Cities: Canada-wide online program
2021 – 10th edition The festival took place both with drive-in screenings and open-air events from June 19 to August 2.
Films screened: 40 films Shorts screened: 28 shorts Notable films featured: Luca, The Best Years/Gli anni più belli, The Comebak Trail, My Boyfriend's Meds, Septet: The Story of Hong Kong, Out of My League/Sul più bello, Bye Bye Morons. Opening film: The Comeback Trail, Directed by: George Gallo, USA Cities: Toronto, Montreal, and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
2022 – 11th edition The festival took place mainly outdoors at the Distillery Historic District from June 27 to July 21. In addition, the festival hosted in-theatre screenings in Toronto and other major Canadian cities.
Films screened: 61 films Shorts screened: 54 shorts Notable films: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Drinkwater, The Railway Children Return, Across the River and into the Trees, Una Femmina: The Code of Silence, The Great Silence. Opening film: Ennio directed by Giuseppe Tornatore Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Hamilton, Halifax and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
2023 – 12th edition The festival took place fully outdoors at the Distillery Historic District from June 27 to July 26 in Toronto, and other major Canadian cities.
Films screened: 69 Shorts screened: 27 Notable films: Bank of Dave, Persian Lessons, The Night of the 12th, The Eight Mountains, Infinity Pool, Sweetwater, Diabolik: Ginko Attacks, BlackBerry Opening film: Freaks Out directed by Gabriele Mainetti Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Hamilton and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
2024 – 13th edition The festival took place at the Distillery Historic District from June 27 to July 21 in Toronto. The 25-day edition included more than 40 International, North American and Canadian premieres and featured a special celebration of Federico Fellini.
Films screened: 53 Shorts screened: 40 Notable films: Finally Dawn, Nata Per Te, Martedì e Venerdì, Napoli Milionaria, Zamora, Last Night of Amore, Seven Veils, Next Goal Wins, The Braid, A Little Something Extra Opening film: Finally Dawn directed by Saverio Costanzo Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
2025 – 14th edition The festival took place at the Distillery Historic District from June 27 to July 20 in Toronto. The 24-day edition welcomed over 61,000 attendees and included international film screenings, concerts, cultural panels, art showcases and special programming.
Films screened: 47 19+25 Shorts screened: 43 Notable films: Napoli – New York, Familia, Diabolik: Who Are You?, U.S. Palmese, Diamonds, Treasure, Los Frikis, The Marching Band, Oh, Hi!, The Weekend, Song of the Fireflies, Juliet & Romeo Opening film:Napoli – New York, directed by Gabriele Salvatores Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
2026 – 15th edition The 15th anniversary edition of the festival took place at the Distillery Historic District from June 25 to July 19 in Toronto. The 25-day edition welcomed over 68,000 attendees and featured more than 50 films, alongside concerts, exhibitions, panel discussions, special events and soccer watch parties.
Films screened: 49 Shorts screened: 28 Notable films: La Città Proibita , La Grazia, I Swear, The Rivals of Amziah King, The Last Viking, Le cose non dette, Le rêve américain , You Are Here: A Come From Away Story Opening film: La Città Proibita directed by Gabriele Mainetti Notable guests: Patrick Dempsey, Ornella Mutti, Yaxi Liu Cities: Toronto, Montreal, Vaughan, Hamilton and online Canada-wide on the ICFF digital platform
Special Events Part of ICFF's mandate is to celebrate Italian culture in all its aspects and each year ICFF organizes different events and initiatives to display renowned Italian traditions.
ICFF Industry Days The Industry Days are an annual event which first launched in 2015. The event poses an opportunity for filmmakers and industry professionals to network and share ideas, which in past editions has led to collaborations and co-production projects. The Industry Days discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by the industry, startups and talent development. The day-long program includes panel discussions and industry professionals who discuss their experiences working on Italian-Canadian productions and share ideas for the next phase of co-productions between the two countries.