Toronto has a Hamptons too. It’s called Muskoka—and yes, it has a film festival.

Set against the glittering lakes and windswept pines of Northern Ontario, Film North brings the magic of cinema to cottage country. What began as a grassroots gathering has evolved into a thoughtfully curated cultural moment: a place where independent filmmakers, city escapees, and dockside dreamers collide.

We leaned into the charm with a playful cliché identity—because Canadians have a sense of humor, and we’re not afraid to poke fun at ourselves. The branding embraced wholesome northern tropes with a wink: illustrated plaid shirts, forest critters, igloos, and awards cast from actual taxidermy deer antlers.

Rustic, cinematic, and proudly tongue-in-cheek—Film North is a celebration of storytelling that feels as effortless (and essential) as a weekend at the lake.