Independent Canadian cinemas punch above their weight, demand studios loosen grip on releases
Despite making up just 16% of Canada's box office, independent cinemas drew 60% of revenue from Canadian films over a recent seven-week study—but industry practices are blocking wider release.
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Independent cinemas across Canada are proving they're essential to getting homegrown films in front of audiences—but studios' release practices are making that work harder.
A survey by the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors (NICE) tracked 16 independent cinemas over seven weeks in spring 2026, and the findings cut to the heart of why Canadian films struggle for visibility. Despite independent cinemas making up only 16 per cent of Canada's total box office, they accounted for 60 per cent of the box office revenue for Canadian films during the study period.
"Independent cinemas, despite making up only 16 per cent of the total box office in Canada, actually made up 60 percent of the total box office for Canadian films," said NICE director Sonya Yokota William.
The survey identified two major barriers. First is what the industry calls a "full show" or "clean run"—a requirement imposed by big international studios that forces cinemas to show only that one film in every single showtime, sometimes for three, four, or even five weeks at a time. For single-screen theatres, this makes it impossible to book Canadian releases during those stretches.
The second barrier is simpler but equally damaging: in over half the cases studied, the 16 cinemas never even heard about Canadian film releases and therefore never considered booking them. There's no centralized directory for upcoming Canadian titles, and whether a cinema finds out about a film often depends on personal relationships between distributors and theatre operators.
"It's pretty clear that there's an awareness gap," Yokota William said.
Peter Henderson, the longtime programmer at Bookshelf Cinema in Guelph, Ont., manually scours release schedules to figure out what to bring to his theatre. "Some distributors are better at getting the word out than others," he said.
NICE has launched the Canadian Movie Marketplace, a website designed to make it easier for cinemas to know what Canadian films are available or coming soon. Henderson called it a "great start." Hilary Hart, co-president of Canadian distributor Game Theory Films, said her company uses the marketplace to promote its titles and hopes it becomes "a centralized hub for exhibitors over time."
A third issue the survey uncovered: cinemas deciding there simply wasn't enough of an audience for a Canadian release. More promotion could help shift the public perception that Canadian films aren't as appealing as imports, Henderson suggested.
The details
What did the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors study find?
A survey of 16 independent cinemas over seven weeks in spring 2026 found that independent cinemas made up only 16 per cent of Canada's total box office but accounted for 60 per cent of box office revenue for Canadian films during that period.
What is a 'full show' or 'clean run'?
A 'full show' or 'clean run' is a requirement imposed by major international studios that forces cinemas to show only that one film in every showtime, sometimes for three, four, or even five weeks at a time, making it impossible for single-screen theatres to book Canadian releases during those stretches.
