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The woman behind Toronto’s movies under the stars celebrates 15th season

Toronto Outdoor Picture show will host its extended opening weekend from June 12 to 17. 

Torontocom
4 min to read
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Toronto Outdoor Picture Show

Emily Reid, founder of Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. 

While many of us have cuddled up under the stars at one of Toronto’s many beautiful parks to watch a free feature film, we may not realize how much work it takes to make screenings like these possible.

For Emily Reid, artistic and executive director and founder of Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS), it’s been a journey creating the organization that now draws in thousands to several green spaces across the city.

Reid moved to Toronto just over 15 years ago to get her master’s degree in cinema studies. But with a “lack of interesting jobs” after graduation, Reid decided to create her own.

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“I wanted an opportunity to create something to give to my new city that had now become my home and to showcase my love for the intersection of public space and cinema,” Reid tells Toronto.com.

In 2011, after a kick-starter campaign and some funding from a few small businesses, Reid began the Christie Pits Film Festival at the local park in her neighbourhood at 750 Bloor St. W.

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After an “enthusiastic” response, the festival continued to “organically” grow as Reid added additional nights of programming each year.

But after four summers in Christie Pits, “it felt like it was as big as it was going to be,” as up to 1,000 movie fans gathered to the park each night, Reid says.

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Along with her team, she incorporated Toronto Outdoor Picture Show as a non-profit charitable organization. Screenings now attract thousands throughout a number of parks across the city.

“It’s nice to see that it’s something that still remains a really treasured experience for so many people and also remains fresh for new attendees,” Reid says. “The experience of being there is truly unlike so many other things in Toronto and yet emblematic of what’s great about Toronto.”

TOPS from above

This year’s screenings will include “Clueless” and “Romeo + Juliet.”

In 2025, TOPS will celebrate its 15th anniversary season with a coming of age-themed program titled “When We Were Young.” The 20-day festival of films will “explore the joys and thrills of youth and the trial and tribulations of growing up (at any age),” according to TOPS.

Movies will include Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet,” Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow,” Steve McQueen’s “Lovers Rock” and a 30th anniversary screening of Amy Hecklerling’s cult teen comedy “Clueless.” Other films include “Stand by Me,” “Moonlight,” “Dazed and Confused” and “Challengers.”

Another “core” part of programming is the short film paired with each screening every night, according to Reid. Each movie is coupled with a short by a Canadian artist to shine a spotlight on “the amazing filmmaking talent from our city and across the country.”

This also happens to be one of Reid’s favourite part of her job. Most of the shorts are selected through “exhaustive research” and blend thematically with the feature screening, she says.

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“They’re tied together stylistically. We put a lot of thought and care into those pairings and into the opportunity to showcase emerging voices in the film industry from our local community of artists,” says Reid.

But the best part is the excitement that comes from unexpecting filmmakers when their movie is chosen and their reaction to the large crowds who get to enjoy their work at TOPS, according to Reid.

“Most short filmmakers never see that,” she says.

Over its first 15 years, the festival has curated short and feature films by 211 Canadian filmmakers, according to TOPS.

TOPS

Toronto Outdoor Picture show is in its 15th year. 

They now offer their free programming at three parks in the city. They still host in their first home at Christie Pits, along with Corktown Commons at 155 Bayview Ave. since 2016 and Fort York National Historic Site at 250 Fort York Blvd. since 2018.

Programming doesn’t just pop up at a random park. Spaces are carefully selected by the team depending on funding and whether that area is in need of more offerings, according to Reid.

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“When we start at a new space, there’s usually good reason for that. Once we’re there, we very rarely leave,” she says. “That’s why we make those decisions about going to a new space very, very carefully. We have to sustain it.”

Her tip on beating the crowds at the show is to arrive early. Catching a film at Fort York is also a “hidden gem,” according to Reid.

“It is the only venue you can show up with 10 minutes to showtime — though we recommend you come earlier — and still get a seat.”

This venue also has some of Reid’s favourite films in the 2025 program, too. The festivals extended opening weekend at Fort York will take place over six consecutive evenings between June 12 and 17. And yes, you can bring your pets. Someone has even brought their bunny to a screening.

TOPS Bunny

Screenings will take place at Christie Pits Park, Corktown Commons and Fort York National Historic Site. 

TOPS will host movies all summer with its final screening of the 2025 season on Aug. 24 at Christie Pits Park. For those who would like to donate to the non-profit, anyone who gives $15 or more will be invited to vote on which movie will be played to close out the festival.

All film content will be presented with open captioning, and seven screenings will also be shown with optional live audio description this year, according to TOPS.

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In 2024, over 26,000 residents and tourists attended their programming throughout the Greater Toronto Area — a nine per cent increase over the previous summer season, TOPS says.

“TOPS fills a really important void both for the city itself and for individuals,” says Reid.

Looking to check it out? Here’s what’s playing this season:

June 

  • June 12 at Fort York National Historic Site 
    • Feature: “Romeo + Juliet” 
    • Short: “When Love Came To Kill Us”
  • June 13 at Fort York National Historic Site
    • Feature: “Lovers Rock”
    • Short 1: “Nouvel An”
    • Short 2: “Motherland”
  • June 14 at Fort York National Historic Site
    • Feature: “The Wizard of Oz”
    • Short: “Winds of Spring”
  • June 15 at Fort York National Historic Site
    • Feature: “Y tu mamá también”
    • Short 1: “July’s Wet Dreams”
    • Short 2: “Say Uncle”
  • June 16 at Fort York National Historic Site
    • Feature: “I Saw The TV Glow”
    • Short 1: “Glow”
    • Short 2: “Inkwo for When the Starving Return”
  • June 17 at Fort York National Historic Site
    • Feature: “Clueless”
    • Short: “Hair”

July 

  • July 3 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “Dazed and Confused”
    • Short 1: “The Fake Calendar”
    • Short 2: “Chesterfield”
  • July 6 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”
    • Short: “Weekends”
  • July 10 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “Moonlight”
    • Short 1: “More Than Hair”
    • Short 2: “Fish Boy”
  • July 13 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “The Royal Tenenbaums”
    • Short 1: “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me”
    • Short 2: “The Skates”
  • July 17 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “Speed Sisters”
    • Short 1: “Mawtini”
    • Short 2: “Unibrow”
  • July 20 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “Before I Change My Mind”
    • Short 1: “Death to the Bikini!”
    • Short 2: “I Like Girls”
    • Short 3: Goblin High
  • July 24 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “Stand by Me”
    • Short: “N’xaxaitkw”
  • July 27 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “Past Lives”
    • Short 1: “Distant Cousins”
    • Short 2: “Don’t Forget the Water”
  • July 31 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “Challengers” 
    • Short: “Haus”
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August

  • Aug. 3 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “Lady Bird”
    • Short 1: “In the Shadow of the Pines”
    • Short 2: “For Nonna Anna”
  • Aug. 7 at Corktown Commons
    • Feature: “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”
    • Short 1: “The Women’s Hour”
    • Short 2: “Baby Shower”
  • Aug. 10 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “When Morning Comes”
    • Short 1: “On a Sunday at Eleven”
    • Short 2: “Déraciné”
  • Aug. 17 at Christie Pits Park
    • Feature: “Flow”
    • Short 1: “Lichen” 
    • Short 2: “Starlight Sojourn”
  • Aug. 24 at Christie Pits
    • Films to be chosen. 

Don’t forget the snacks!

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Irelyne Lavery

Irelyne Lavery is a lifestyle and culture reporter for Toronto.com and a certified city enthusiast. She can be reached at irelyne@toronto.com.

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