To launch the Canada On Screen campaign and mark the 150th anniversary of Canada, Toronto International Film Festival set out to create something Canadians could rally behind, a unifying cultural statement rather than a typical commemorative campaign.

Drawing from 150 iconic films in TIFF’s digital library, we created a cinematic anthem built entirely from archival content. Instead of producing new footage, we curated and sequenced defining moments from decades of Canadian cinema, shaping them into a cohesive emotional arc that celebrated how our stories, quiet and resilient, have shaped the national identity.

Narrated by Catherine O'Hara, the piece blended still imagery and motion into a nostalgic but forward-looking tribute. The edit emphasized rhythm and contrast, capturing intimacy and scale, humor and hardship, reflecting the layered complexity of Canada itself.

Extending the Experience

The campaign moved beyond digital video. A coordinated media strategy placed geo-located Snapchat filters and out-of-home installations in select cities, allowing audiences to encounter iconic scenes in the locations where they were originally shot. Public spaces became living extensions of Canadian cinema.

The anthem amassed 149,000+ views on YouTube and was screened at the TIFF Bell Lightbox during festival events, reinforcing its role as both campaign content and part of the cultural program.

The result was more than a montage. It became a collective mirror, celebrating Canada not through policy or patriotism but through the stories we have chosen to tell.