To celebrate its 30th anniversary, The Canadian Encyclopedia created 30 lists of 30 things that have helped define our identity, from famous people and historic events, to iconic foods and influential artists.

The history of the Canadian film industry has been one of sporadic achievement accomplished in isolation against great odds. Canadian cinema has existed in an environment — namely, the cultural and industrial shadow of Hollywood — where access to capital for production, to the marketplace for distribution and to theatres for exhibition has been extremely difficult. Despite this, Canadian filmmakers have come to punch well above their weight in international cinema, especially with regard to Québec, which has cultivated a strong domestic industry. Here are some of the great achievements, along with some of the obstacles that have helped define the Canadian film industry’s underdog character.

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