CINEMA SHIFT 2026 · INAUGURAL EDITION

THE FIRST EDITION SOLD OUT.

June 5, 2026 · Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema · Toronto

ARCHIVE 2026

200+ATTENDEES

28COUNTRIES SUBMITTED

16FILMS SCREENED

8COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

THE INAUGURAL EDITION

FILM. AUTHORSHIP. LEGAL REALITY. VFX. ONE ROOM.

Cinema Shift Festival launched with a full evening of focused conversations, a curated international film showcase, jury awards, and a festival mixer.

The program brought traditional filmmakers, AI-native creators, legal and VFX voices, researchers, and audiences together to compare real experiences of how AI is changing creative practice.

15 MOMENTS FROM THE FIRST EDITION.

OFFICIAL SELECTION 2026

16 FILMS. 8 COUNTRIES.

VIEW ALL 2026 FILMS →

Sixteen films from Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States screened as part of the inaugural Cinema Shift Festival.

EXPLORE THE 2026 FILMS →

SPEAKERS, HOSTS & MODERATORS

VOICES FROM FILM, VFX, LAW, RESEARCH, AND CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY.

Filmmaker

Ann Marie Fleming

Award-winning Canadian writer, director, and visual artist whose work spans film, animation, and media.

Rodeo FX Toronto

Ryan Stasyshyn

Toronto studio leader at Rodeo FX with production experience across major film and television projects.

MIT Open Documentary Lab

Katerina Cizek, PhD

Peabody- and Emmy-winning documentarian and co-founder of the Co-Creation Studio at MIT Open Documentary Lab.

Dipchand LLP

Zach Nickels

Intellectual property lawyer working with innovators and creators on strategy, enforcement, and litigation.

Queen One Studios

Ryan Patterson

Video producer and award-winning AI filmmaker, co-founder of Queen One Studios, based in Toronto.

Host · Archetypes & Effects

Laura Mingail

Entertainment and technology strategist working across audience development, marketing, and business development.

Moderator · OCAD University

Michelle Wyndham-West

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the Faculty of Design at OCAD University and a researcher in emerging technologies.

Moderator · Oomaflo

Fayeque M. Townsend-Rahman

Canadian filmmaker, advertising Creative Director, and Managing Partner at Oomaflo.

2026 AWARDS

THE INAUGURAL WINNERS.

Best AI Narrative Film + Audience Choice Sinuca de Bico Odair Faléco & Davi Moori · Brazil

Best Canadian AI Narrative Film When I Became Me Gary Thomas · Canada

Best Hybrid Film Grandmère Martin Haerlin · Germany

PRESS COVERAGE

THE FIRST EDITION ENTERED THE CONVERSATION.

TORONTO STAR PLAYBACK RADIO-CANADA CBC METRO MORNING TORONTO LIFE TORONTO TODAY HOLLYWOOD NORTH MAGAZINE

CINEMA SHIFT 2027.

The next edition expands the festival while keeping the same core idea: story first, human authorship at the centre, and serious conversation around what AI is changing in cinema.

EXPLORE 2027 →

PARTNERS

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Academic partner

Community partners