The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) is where the essence of homegrown talent meets international success. It delivers compelling films that reflect southwestern Ontario’s unique culture and voices while celebrating the best of cinema from around the world.
Just as Sundance is known for pushing the boundaries of indie filmmaking and South by Southwest (SXSW) captures the pulse of new media, the FCFF is a hub for fearless creators who reimagine what’s possible on the big screen. This festival is not only about watching films — it’s about igniting conversation, fostering collaboration, and giving a platform to both emerging and established filmmakers.
Dorthy Downs, FCFF executive director, says “Our team has spent the last several months gathering a dynamic lineup of films across genres — from thought-provoking documentaries to heart-stirring dramas and boundary-pushing shorts — each one echoing the same authentic and daring spirit that defines the best of independent and international cinema.”

This year’s festival features 94 films (plus 30 short films in the Youth Film Festival).
Here are ten films to add to your list of must-see screenings!
Fortescue
World premiere

This world premiere presentation features Blyth-area native Kelsey Falconer in the lead role. Kelsey has appeared on many Emmy Award-winning series, including “Fargo,” “The Boys” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
This marks director Rebecca Love’s feature-length debut.
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A Thousand Cuts
This chilling whodunit murder mystery was filmed entirely in London, ON, and directed by Jake Horowitz.
CTV critic Richard Crouse called Horowitz’s previous film “Cup of Cheer” “a dizzying onslaught well delivered by a game cast.”
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Universal Language
Canada’s official submission to the Academy Awards, “Universal Language” is a comedy exploring an alternate world in which Farsi and French are Canada’s two official languages.
Director Matthew Rankin’s work is as deeply indebted to the cinema of Iran as it is to the underground film scene of Winnipeg, where Rankin learned directly from maestro, Guy Maddin.
Taking directly from masterworks of Iranian cinema like “Where is the Friend’s House” and the magnificent works of Winnipeg’s art scene, like Maddin’s “My Winnipeg,” Rankin has made something wholly original and unique. This film looks deep into Canada’s cultural identity to discover the parts of our nation that are truly universal: Kindness, solitude, and a wacky sense of humour.
Adrianne and the Castle
Opening Film
Directed by the Governor General Award-winning documentarian and London native Shannon Walsh, this exceptional film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, followed by a critically acclaimed screening at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival.
Walsh’s documentaries have gained a reputation for bringing real people’s lives to the screen with empathy and activism while illuminating social movements to impact society.
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All the Lost Ones
Stratford’s MacKenzie Donaldson, best known for her work producing the critically acclaimed Emmy, Peabody and Canadian Screen Award award-winning “Orphan Black” directs a powerful cast including Sheila McCarthy and Steven Ogg.
Don’t miss this science fiction thriller centred on the aftermath of a North American civil war brought on by the effects of rampant climate change.
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All We Imagine as Light
The first film from India in 30 years to win the Grand Prize of the Festival award at Cannes! This film is a part of the Forest City Film Festival’s South Asian Film Day on Wednesday, October 23.
Before the screening, Joe Haider, the Disney animator who animated the Genie in Aladdin (Robin Williams), will present a live animation demonstration. This is a rare opportunity to see a world-renowned master animator right here in London, ON.
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Atrocity
World premiere
Rumour has it that tickets are selling fast to this highly anticipated documentary by retired police sergeant Nigel Stuckey, who provides a glimpse into the lives and struggles of London’s most vulnerable demographic.
Through street-level interviews, the profoundly moving film highlights the need for a better harm reduction paradigm and urges us all to recontextualize our understanding of addiction, homelessness, and mental health.
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The Count of Monte Cristo
A blockbuster from France, “The Count of Monte Cristo” is the most expensive film France has ever produced. After it premiered to critical acclaim at Cannes, it sold over 8 million tickets domestically.
Don’t miss your chance to see one of the biggest, most entertaining movies of the year that lies somewhere between a particularly good season of Game of Thrones and an installment of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.
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Flow
A visually stunning and charming animated film, “Flow” is the official submission of Latvia for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 97th Academy Awards in 2025.
Starring a black cat, the filmmakers recorded hours of genuine animal sounds for this riveting film without spoken words.
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Dead Talent Society
Dead Talents Society is a brilliant comedic paranormal romp that was selected for TIFF’s Midnight Madness program and was the runner-up for TIFF’s Audience Prize.
With a touch of satire and cynicism, John Hsu’s Taiwanese horror-comedy tells the story of a world where the spirits are just as beholden to the pressures of fame as the living.
TIFF audiences LOVED it!
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
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What did you think?
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