ADFF Toronto 2025: Kensington Market: Heart of the City

Kensington Market: Heart of the City (2024) is a richly textured portrait of one of Toronto’s most storied neighborhoods. It is an ever-evolving enclave shaped by more than 160 years of immigration, artistry, and individuality. Change is part of its DNA, but today the jarring acceleration of rapid gentrification threatens Kensington Market’s fragile balance.

Through the eyes of the neighborhood’s vibrant personalities, the film reveals a community fighting not just for affordable rents, but for the soul of a place they have helped define. Though rooted in a few city blocks, Kensington Market: Heart of the City (2024) resonates far beyond Toronto. It is a timely meditation on the cost of so-called progress and a reminder that when a place loses its character, it is rarely just the buildings that disappear.

About the Architecture and Design Film Festival

The Architecture and Design Film Festival (ADFF)—North America’s largest film festival dedicated to architecture and design—is coming back to Toronto for another year of great films and insightful discussions! From November 12-15, catch one of their amazing lineup of 13 films, from all over the world. Looking for the full list of films showcased at this year’s ADFF: Toronto? See the complete programme on the festival’s website!

The TSA is proud to once again be partnering with ADFF: Toronto to bring a series of panel discussions and post-screening Q&As that complement this year’s film roster. These panels bring together architects, film-makers, and subject matter experts to further explore the themes of each film and bring them back to our local context here in Toronto.

TSA MEMBERS: Members get discounted tickets to all showings at ADFF: Toronto! Keep an eye out for the code in the announcement of the ticket sales launch.