TIFF 2025: What To Look Out For
The festival’s milestone year has no shortage of star studded-titles
The Toronto International Film Festival is back for its milestone fiftieth year, with ample spectacle lined up to celebrate the festival’s legacy of championing public accessibility to see world cinema’s finest. TIFF has become renowned for its diverse array of festival selections, with larger, star-studded gala presentations, as well as highlighting indie cinema from Canada and across the globe, and TIFF 50 looks to have something for everyone. As with every film festival, there will be a handful of marquee titles that generate the most buzz, often in the form of large world premieres with big actors, buzzy Cannes premieres making their way across the pond, or even special events with A-listers. We at FilmSpeak have compiled a list of titles we are excited to see, ranging in pre-fest popularity and program types.
FROM EMERGING FILMMAKERS:
Mile End Kicks (Special presentations - next wave selects, canada)
Toronto’s own Chandler Levack will open the festival’s Special Presentations category with her sophomore feature, Mile End Kicks. The film follows rising music journalist Grace Pine (Barbie Ferreira) and her move from Toronto to Montreal in 2011, with aspirations of writing a piece on Alannis Morisette’s album Jagged Little Pill. Grace’s life turns upside down in Montreal, finding herself adjusting to cultural differences, personal commitments, and dealing with a love triangle with members of a local indie band, who she happens to also be the publicist for. Levack’s sophomore outing is sure to bring the same laughs and feels as her debut, I Like Movies, one of the enduringly popular titles from TIFF 2022. Mile End Kicks also seems to retain some of I Like Movies’ thorniness, with early marketing and synopses teasing a more emotional turn in the story. early Joining Ferreira in the cast are Canadian icons such as Devon Bostick and Jay Baruchel, as well as Red Rooms breakout Juliette Gariépy.
The Son & The Sea (discovery - next wave selects, united kingdom)
TIFF’s Discovery section focuses on highlighting debut features from exciting new filmmakers, and among them this year is director Stroma Cairns and her film The Son and The Sea. Set in a small town on the scenic Scottish coast, the film follows three young men trying to clear their heads in this reclusive environment, only to get pulled into escapades with the locals against their better judgement. A major theme in Cairns’ film seems to be masculinity, with TIFF’s program note praising the way Cairns tackles modern masculinity with fragility and an understated, realistic approach. The UK seaside film has become something of a subgenre at TIFF, with the likes of Aftersun, Wicked Little Letters, and Empire of Light in recent years, with The Son and The Sea looking be an angsty new take on the unofficial subgenre.
Hamlet (centrepiece, united kingdom)
TIFF’s programming team must have had a field day when announcing that they’d chosen two Shakespearian films with nearly identical names. The first of which, alphabetically, is Hamlet, a modern reimagining of The Bard’s iconic revenge odyssey, swapping regality in Middle Ages Denmark for the criminal underbelly of modern day London. Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed stars in the titular role, reuniting with director Aneil Karia after the two won the Outstanding Short Film in 2021 for their The Long Goodbye. Rings of Power star Morfydd Clark stars opposite Ahmed in the famed role of Ophelia, along with veteran baddie Art Malik as Claudius. Rounding out the supporting cast are Joe Alwyn as Laertes and British screen legend Timothy Spall. Though the story of Hamlet has seen numerous adaptations, this bold new spin on the story is one that audiences must seriously ponder to see, or not to see.
100 Sunset (discovery, canada)
Toronto usually has a few titles of its own at TIFF each year, and 100 Sunset looks to be the most unique of the city’s offerings this year. Primarily set in a series of apartment complexes in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood, the film follows teenager Kunsel, whose curious nature and occasional kleptomania involve her in the life of a mysterious woman her age in an illicit relationship with a man twice her age. Themes of belonging, desire, and morbid curiosity are explored in director Kunsang Kyirong’s feature, set entirely in Ontario, but almost exclusively features Tibetan dialogue, with the film following members of Toronto’s Tibetan community. 100 Sunset already seems like one of the more unique and exciting films to come out of the city in recent memory. The film is produced by MDFF, a Canadian production company founded by local filmmaker Kazik Radwanski, who is a festival mainstay in his own right.
Poetic License (special presentations, u.s.a)
If one were to make a TIFF bingo card each year, the premiere of an actor-turned-director’s debut film would serve as the free space. Poetic License marks actress Maude Apatow’s foray into directing, following in her father Judd Apatow’s footsteps. This film’s story follows an unlikely friendship between two college students, Ari and Sam, (Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman) and middle-aged mother Liz, who audits the boys’ poetry course. What ensues is a further complicating relationship between the three, that causes friction between their respective families, friends, and each other. Rising stars Nico Parker and Maisy Stella, and Method Man round out the film’s ensemble. The film’s program note promises a compassionate, unexpected emotional journey with laughs along the way.
FROM EXCITING CONTEMPORARY FILMMAKERS:
The Lowdown (PRIMETIME, U.S.A)
Opening the festival’s Primetime program is the pilot of FX’s latest series, The Lowdown. The series comes from indie vet Sterlin Harjo, whose last series, Reservation Dogs, was widely acclaimed, earning the prestigious Peabody award, as well as blazing new ground for Indigenous representation in the TV landscape. Harjo’s latest, The Lowdown, similarly operates in an Oklahoma setting, now specifically exploring the city of Tulsa from a neo-noir lens, with the series’ teaser trailer also indicating that Harjo’s comedic prowess is also at the forefront. Harjo reunites with Rez Dogs guest star and acting legend Ethan Hawke, who plays the series lead, Lee Raybon, who seems to be some screwball mix between a Raymond Chandler-esque detective and an amateur reporter, who aims to uncover a series of secrets involving prominent figures in Tulsa. The series boasts an impressive cast, with the likes of Kyle McLachlan, Keith David, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Tim Blake Nelson, Tracy Letts, Macon Blair, Run The Jewels frontman Killer Mike, Cody Lightning, and Reservation Dogs alumni Kaniehtiio Horn.
Palestine 36 (Gala presentations, palestine)
Festival favourite Annemarie Jacir returns to TIFF with her biggest and ostensibly most important film yet in Palestine 36. It marks the biggest budget and scope that Jacir has worked with, in a historical epic that features many stories from Palestinian citizens and their actions against the British rule of the territory in 1936. Headlining the film is veteran actress Hiam Abbass, whose Palestinian identity and family history were explored in the enthralling TIFF 2023 documentary Bye Bye Tiberias. Starring alongside Abbass are Yasmine Al Massri, Kamel El Basha, Jeremy Irons, Liam Cunningham, and Jacir regular Saleh Bakri. Palestine 36 has been chosen as Palestine’s submission to the 2026 Academy Awards, with hopes of a large push to enlighten on the nation’s historical struggles in light of the ongoing tragedies in the region.
Rental Family (special presentations, Japan/U.S.A)
Rental Family marks Brendan Fraser’s big return to the ‘prestige film’ as it were after his 2023 Oscar win for The Whale. In Rental Family, he stars as an American actor who finds himself in Tokyo, where he is hired to be the mascot for many brands, and also to play different familial roles in the lives of people’s ‘rental families’. The trailers so far have promised an emotional journey, and a new kind of feel-good movie. Many have earmarked Rental Family as an early frontrunner for TIFF’s People’s Choice Award, citing its crowd-pleasing attributes. Rental Family was helmed by Japanese director Hikari, best known for her work on the hit mini-series Beef, and had her debut feature 39 Seconds premiere at TIFF in 2019.
Bad Apples (special presentations, united kingdom)
TIFF 2025 will serve as the launching ground for Bad Apples, a satirical classroom thriller following primary school teacher Maria (Saoirse Ronan), who acts erratically to discipline a rebellious student, by locking the child in her basement. This more morally gray, heightened character is a new turn for Ronan’s already impressive and prestigious career, and one that is sure to spark conversations well after the film’s credits roll. The film was helmed by Swedish director Jonatan Etzler, with his first feature to play at the festival. Starring alongside Ronan are rising star Jacob Anderson (Interview With A Vampire), and Robert Emms (Andor).
Motor City (centrepiece, u.s.a)
One of many ‘revenge’ films at the festival is Motor City, a Detroit-set 70’s crime thriller following wrongfully convicted man John Miller (Alan Ritchson) who after his release, plots his vengeance against the gangsters who framed him. Motor City puts dialogue in the back seat, operating for the most part as a silent film, letting the literal, and narrative engines make the noise. The film is also said to boast a rock-heavy score from Grammy winner (and Detroit local) Jack White. Joining Ritchson in the action odyssey are Ben Foster, Shailene Woodley, Pablo Schrieber, Lionel Boyce, and Amar Chadha-Patel, with the latter two seemingly becoming TIFF regulars.
The Furious (midnight madness, china)
TIFF’s Midnight Madness program is often a highlight for the festival’s devotees, with the series promising high-energy, raucous genre films premiering at Midnight, meant to serve as palate balancers to the numerous dramas and documentaries that occupy the bulk of the festival’s programming. Action tends to be a common genre in the Midnight Madness section, with international action extravaganzas like TIFF 2023’s Kill or TIFF 2024’s The Shadow Strays, with 2025’s The Furious primed to be the next link in this chain. Acclaimed action choreographer Kenji Tanigaki helms the film, which uses a familiar premise of a determined father trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Midnight Madness’ lead programmer Peter Kuplowsky has promised action galore and a choreographic feast for the eyes with The Furious, with appearances from action legends Joe Taslim and Yayan Ruhian (The Raid).
FROM AUTEUR FILMMAKERS:
Hamnet (gala presentations, united kingdom)
If we had a nickel for each time TIFF 2025 programmed a Shakespearian film from a recent Oscar winner with Joe Alwyn in a supporting role, we would have two nickels! Which isn’t a lot, but for film fans, it is great that it has happened twice, with Oscar winning director Chloé Zhao adapting the novel Hamnet, based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name. The film depicts a fictional take on the lives of Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), as they grieve the loss of their 11 year old son, Hamnet, in what’s being advertised as the story that inspired parts of the eventual Hamlet play. The released teaser trailer promises that Zhao’s creative vision is just as prominent as the historical contexts, with her trademark emphasis on natural lighting, environmental, emotional storytelling, and practicality, with replica sets of the legendary Globe Theatre featured in the teaser. Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes serve as executive producers, and the film will be released by Focus Features in hopes of an awards campaign run, having been invited to both Telluride and Toronto’s film festivals.
The Wizard of The Kremlin (special presentations, france)
French auteur and festival veteran Olivier Assayas makes his return to the festival with The Wizard of The Kremlin, a Russian political odyssey. Assayas is known for his attraction to enigmatic protagonists, and this film is emblematic of that, with Russian political advisor Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano) serving as the titular subject of the film. The film follows an American journalist played by Jeffrey Wright, who is invited by Baranov to his Russian estate, where Baranov opens up on his role in Russian politics, spanning the end of the Cold War, the Chechen war, several other geopolitical crises, and advising Vladmir Putin (Jude Law). TIFF’s program note for the film promises a “brutal, fascinating, and eerily intimate” story, further teasing that the film will test Assayas’ atmospheric dexterity even further. Also starring in the film are Zach Galifianakis, Tom Sturridge, and Oscar nominee Alicia Vikander.
The Christophers (special presentations, u.S.A)
Auteur Steven Soderbergh is back with yet another new film, The Christophers, his third in the span of the last year. Soderbergh’s workhorse ethic has resulted in a variety of shorter genre films, such as TIFF 2024’s ghost story, Presence, and the spy thriller Black Bag from earlier this year. The Christophers seems to be playing with some caper elements, which Soderbergh is certainly no stranger to. The film follows the estranged children (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) of an iconic artist (Sir Ian McKellen), who hire an art forger (Michaela Coel) to finish their father’s incomplete works in hopes of selling them off for exorbitant sums. The film seems to be more of a chamber piece, with thematic emphasis on integrity and greed, with the early marketing featuring a further emphasis on the legendary Sir Ian McKellen, whose name could prove to be in regular conversations during the upcoming awards season.
The Secret Agent (special presentations, brazil)
The latest from Brazilian auteur Kleber Mendonça Filho was the most awarded film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and naturally a buzzy one coming into Toronto. Set in 1970’s Brazil, the film is said to tackle the authoritarian period of Brazilian history as a formally and visually dextere political thriller, anchored by Wagner Moura. Moura stars as Marcelo, a technology researcher who moves to the city of Recife, seeking refuge, but finds a sea of corruption and conspiracy all around him. Much like Brazil’s I’m Still Here last year, The Secret Agent seems primed to bring another important story into the spotlight, at an incredibly relevant time.