Back to God’s Country (1919)

For this list, it made sense to start as far back as possible, and David Hartford’s silent film Back to God’s Country is the perfect place to do so. The earliest surviving feature film in Canadian cinema, it was also the most successful silent film of its era, not to mention the earliest example of a Canadian feature authored by a woman (Nell Shipman). Shipman plays the lead role of Dolores, living peacefully in the woodlands amongst a bevy of animals with her husband. One day, a villainous Mountie captures the both of them, and only through her cunning and wit can the day be saved (of course, she is assisted by her forest dwelling friends). Thought to be lost for many years, a print of Back to God’s Country was discovered in Europe during the 1980s, restored, and now can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.