Outdoor movie festival to show in 3 Toronto parks this summer

The Toronto Outdoor Picture Show returns this summer in three parks.

Summer 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the open-air film festival.

This year’s outdoor cinema programme, titled When We Were Young, will feature films in three public spaces across Toronto: Fort York, Christie Pits Park and Corktown Common, according to a press release from organizers.

Nightly screenings are planned for six consecutive evenings at Fort York, from June 12 to 17, before moving the travelling show to the other parks in July and August.

There will be weekly films on Sunday evenings at Christie Pits Park (July 6 to Aug. 24) and Thursday evenings at Corktown Common (July 3 to Aug. 7).

The festival kicks off on June 12 with Baz Luhrmann’s hyper-stylized Romeo + Juliet (1996), a highly influential take on the timeless tale of star-crossed lovers featuring young Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

The six-night extended opening weekend at Fort York will also feature films such as Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock (2020), Jane Schoenbrun’s trans, coming-of-age chiller I Saw the TV Glow (2023), and a 30th anniversary screening of Amy Heckerling’s timeless cult teen comedy Clueless (1995).

As in past seasons, the selected films are a curated mix of feature films from around the world presented alongside shorts from Canadian filmmakers as nightly pairings.

The complete schedule of films will be announced on May 15 on the Toronto Picture Show website.

Film-goers are invited to bring a blanket and enjoy the outdoor experience. Photo: Sukoon Sen

The When We Were Young theme celebrates the 15th anniversary by throwing back to the festival’s very first curated programme theme – coming of age – to reflect on where we’ve been, where we’re going, and why we fell in love with movies in the first place.

“This programme includes a diversity of short and feature films about the wonder of childhood, the never-easy process of growing up, and coming of age—at any age,” organizers said. “These films creatively explore everything from youthful rebellion and misspent youth, to finding (and losing) ourselves as we get older, to sibling rivalry and family drama.”

New this year, Toronto Outdoor Picture Show is inviting the audience to help choose the closing night film, which will screen on Aug. 24 at Christie Pits Park. Anyone who makes a charitable donation of $15 or more will be invited to vote on the festival’s closing night film in August. Details about the voting process will be announced at a later date.

Due to funding challenges, there is one fewer venue than in previous years: events at Bell Manor Park will not take place this summer.

The film festival started in 2011 when founder and executive director Emily Reid launched a two-night event in her local park.

“This festival has always existed as a grassroots effort, thanks to the passion and care of so many people who have called this festival their own alongside me over the years,” Reid said adding she never dreamed it would become a marquee summer event.

All screenings are free/pay-what-you-can, and individual charitable donations make the festival possible for all. Individuals who are in a position to do so are encouraged to make a tax-deductible charitable donation at www.topictureshow.com/donate.

Films usually start around 9 p.m. at sundown.

For more information see the website here.