[1] Cinéfest presents an annual program of over 135 films, both domestic and international, often screened for both English and French language audiences.
[6] Director Cameron Haynes noted that not even the Toronto International Film Festival had been as wildly popular in its first year of operation.
The festival has developed a distinct identity and role within its community and the media arts industry, winning provincial and national acclaim.
[7] Constantly working to bring knowledge to the north, Cinéfest introduced Industry Forum to the Festival's framework in 2003, an initiative that has since provided emerging and mid-career film artists with access to key film representatives, and invited partnerships between Festival, industry and educational institutions.
In 2010, Cinéfest Sudbury introduced The Cinema Summit, a presentation, exchange and development series devoted to the celebration, promotion and advancement of Canada's new and emerging filmmaking talent.
The Greater Sudbury Public Library maintains a dedicated "Cinéfest Collection", featuring DVDs of over 200 films that have previously screened at the festival.
Gala Presentations: The Riverbank, The Angels' Share, A Dark Truth, Midnight's Children, A Royal Affair, Old Stock, Inch'Allah, Still Mine, A Late Quartet Special Presentations: All in Good Time, Amour, Crooked Arrows, Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang, The Hunt (Jagten), Inescapable, Laurence Anyways, Rust and Bone (De rouille et d'os), The Suicide Shop (Le Magasin des suicides), No, Revolution, Safety Not Guaranteed, Stories We Tell, War Witch (Rebelle) Gala Presentations: The Art of the Steal, The Invisible Woman, Cubicle Warriors, Kill Your Darlings, The Story of Luke, Parkland, Gabrielle, The Right Kind of Wrong, Cas & Dylan Special Presentations: Adore, All Is Lost, The Armstrong Lie, Les beaux jours, The Face of Love, The Four Soldiers, Gloria, La grande bellezza, Jeune & Jolie, Shoshite chichi ni naru, Louis Cyr: L'homme le plus fort du monde, The Lunchbox [Dabba], Le passé, La vie d'Adele (chapitres 1 et 2) Gala presentations: Maudie, Manchester by the Sea, Chocolat, Denial, The Headhunter's Calling, Toni Erdmann, Mean Dreams, I, Daniel Blake, The Dressmaker.
[31] Gala presentations: Back to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie), Borg/McEnroe, Breathe, Call Me By Your Name, Don't Talk to Irene, Indian Horse, Long Time Running, Mary Shelley, Stronger.
Gala presentations: 1991, Bel Canto, Colette, The Grizzlies, The New Romantic, Sharkwater Extinction, The Sisters Brothers, Through Black Spruce, What They Had Gala presentations: American Woman, And the Birds Rained Down (Il pleuvait des oiseaux), La Belle Époque, The Farewell, Guest of Honour, Judy, The Last Full Measure, The Rest of Us, The Song of Names[32] Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, organizers announced that the 2020 Cinéfest would proceed with a mix of in-person and online screenings, similarly to the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival.
[34] Gala presentations for the festival were Ammonite, Girl, My Salinger Year, Nadia, Butterfly, The Nest, Nine Days, Percy and The Rose Maker (La fine fleur).
[37] Gala presentations included Alice, Darling, Ashgrove, Beautiful Minds (Presque), Broker (브로커), Call Jane, North of Normal, The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlisle, The Swearing Jar and Viking.
[39] The gala lineup consisted of Swan Song, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, My Mother's Men (Les Hommes de ma mère), Sweetland, La Chimera, The Old Oak, The Boy in the Woods, Close to You and Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant).