In less than a week, the entertainment district on King Street in Toronto will transform into a flashy display of glitz and glamour, with brand activations, events, and red carpets with high profile celebrities on every corner. The Toronto International Film Festival is a sprawling 11 day event that brings cinephiles, critics, and industry professionals from all over the world together to celebrate the best that the year has to offer in cinema. With the 2025 incarnation of TIFF marking the festival’s 50th anniversary, there’s an extra level of excitement in the air. Now that the full lineup has been revealed, here are 25 films that we’re anticipating and believe deserve your attention; from promising directorial debuts to films from world renowned auteurs to potential awards contenders, these titles will likely be among the films that shape the conversation in cinema this fall.
Bad Apples
Every year, TIFF features an onslaught of films from previously unknown directors, often fronted by one or two recognizable stars, that arrive without distribution and leave with little more than lukewarm reviews. When a film’s festival run begins and ends at TIFF, it’s usually a telling sign. Yet, almost every year, one acquisition title emerges as a surprise breakout, snapped up quickly and thrust into awards-season. Last year, The Last Showgirl ended up securing an awards season release shortly after it premiered. This year, that film could very well be Bad Apples. The satirical thriller stars four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan as a primary school teacher pushed to the brink of insanity by a foul-mouthed, violent student, exposing how her community will turn a blind eye to even the most outrageous events in the name of harmony and safety. At just 31, Ronan has already earned a reputation not only for her remarkable talent but for her impeccable taste in projects. Every role she takes on promises something compelling, and with Bad Apples, she seems to tap into a darkly comedic space we’ve never seen operate in before. Even if the film itself isn’t a knockout, I expect we’ll be getting an incredible performance from Ronan that may usher in a new phase of her already storied career.
Ballad of a Small Player
German filmmaker Edward Berger shot to international prominence with his breakthrough, 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front; a sprawling, technically masterful WWI epic. He cemented his status as one of today’s premiere filmmakers with his English-language debut, Conclave, another major awards-season success. Now, Berger is aiming for a three-peat with Ballad of a Small Player, reuniting with the award-winning cinematographer and composer behind his previous two films. The film stars Oscar nominee Colin Farrell as an obsessive traveling gambler lying low in Macau, China, with Oscar winner Tilda Swinton as the detective determined to track him down. The trailer suggests this is Berger’s most stylish work yet, featuring striking neon-soaked cinematography and a high-energy turn from Farrell, who continues his remarkable hot streak.
Blue Moon
One of two Richard Linklater films screening at the festival this year, Blue Moon features Ethan Hawke as lyricist Lorenz Hart, holding court at Sardi’s on the historic night of his former collaborator Richard Rodgers’ (Andrew Scott) greatest triumph: the premiere of Oklahoma!. The film debuted to strong buzz in Berlin, where Andrew Scott won Best Actor, with Hawke earning equally glowing notices from critics. With Sony Pictures Classics backing the release, the film looks poised to be an awards contender, especially for Scott and Hawke’s nuanced portrayals of two of Broadway’s most revered figures in this stylish and intimate chamber piece.
Dead Man’s Wire
Gus Van Sant may not have delivered a quality film in over a decade, but his legacy as one of the most revered filmmakers of the ’90s and 2000s remains undeniable, and any film he comes out with is certainly worth a watch, especially considering he’ll be in attendance. With a high-profile festival run that includes both Venice and TIFF, his latest project, Dead Man’s Wire, signals a potential comeback. Featuring performances from Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, and Al Pacino, the film revisits the bizarre and gripping true story of the 1977 kidnapping that turned aspiring Indianapolis entrepreneur Tony Kiritsis into an unlikely outlaw folk hero.
Eternity
Eternity poses a difficult question: if you die, would you choose to spend the afterlife with your current partner, or with your first love who has already passed on? This high-concept sci-fi drama explores the fragility of love, the idea of soulmates, and the impossible choices that define our lives. Though the director is an unknown quantity, the combination of A24’s backing and Elizabeth Olsen in the lead gives me confidence that this could be a deeply emotional and unique romance film that cuts deep even for the most cynical of viewers.
Frankenstein
Potentially the consensus pick for the most high-profile and in-demand title at the festival this year is Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The maestro of monsters brings his vision to Mary Shelley’s gothic classic in what’s being billed as the most faithful adaptation of the novel yet. An Oscar-winning filmmaker and longtime TIFF friend, del Toro’s connection to Toronto runs so deep that he now calls the city home and frequently films projects locally. Frankenstein was shot in Toronto and surrounding areas with a predominantly local crew, adding an extra layer of excitement and Canadian pride to the premiere. Starring Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the monster, and Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz in supporting roles, the film is widely expected to be a major awards contender, particularly in the craft categories where del Toro’s work typically excels.
Hamnet
Five years ago, Chloé Zhao went from an exciting rising talent in indie cinema to an Oscar-winning filmmaker with Nomadland, which became the defining film of the COVID era. After a brief stint with Marvel, Zhao now makes her highly anticipated return to prestige dramas with Hamnet, an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel. The film stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare and Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare, tracing their relationship before and after the death of their young son; a tragedy that would inspire Hamlet. With a newly released trailer showcasing Zhao’s lyrical style and stunning cinematography, Hamnet is shaping up as a major awards contender, particularly for Buckley and Mescal, who both have the kind of meaty roles that could carry them to a Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor nomination, and maybe even a win in Buckley’s case.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Few performances this year have drawn as much acclaim as Rose Byrne’s unexpected dramatic turn in Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Best known for her charm and comedic timing in lighter fare, Byrne has long been a consistently reliable screen presence, but here she tackles easily the most demanding material of her career. She plays a mother consumed by mounting anxieties while caring for a sick daughter in a home that is literally collapsing around her. Bronstein, emerging from the same New York indie scene as her longtime friends, the Safdie Brothers, crafts an unflinching, anxiety-inducing portrait of postpartum depression that has left audiences floored. After rave reviews at Sundance and Byrne’s Best Actress win at Berlin, the film’s TIFF stop positions A24 to build serious momentum to get Byrne a well earned Oscar nomination.
It Was Just An Accident
The winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes always becomes one of the hottest tickets at TIFF, and this year that honor went to Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident. The acclaimed Iranian thriller follows a group of citizens debating whether to take revenge on a man they believe once tortured them. Panahi, one of Iran’s most acclaimed and fearless filmmakers, has spent decades creating politically charged works that challenge the regime, often at great personal cost. He has faced prison sentences, house arrest, and even smuggled a film across the border on a USB drive hidden inside a cake, all in pursuit of artistic freedom. Despite many obstacles, he has never abandoned his country or compromised his art. Now having the Palme d’Or on hand, Panahi has become one of the rare filmmakers to have won all three of the top European festival prizes. This has given him a long overdue international platform, and It Was Just an Accident could be the first Iranian film to break into Best Picture at the Oscars, with the help of NEON’s determined campaign.
Left-Handed Girl
Sean Baker fans eager for something new after his awards-season triumph with Anora will be tied over with Left Handed-Girl. The film is co-written and edited by Baker but directed by his longtime friend and collaborator Shih-Ching Tsou, who co-directed Take Out with him more than 20 years ago. Marking her long-awaited solo debut, Tsou delivers a tender coming-of-age story set in Taipei, exploring family, tradition, and modernity through the eyes of a child. After earning rave reviews out of Cannes, Netflix quickly acquired U.S. distribution rights, and Taiwan has chosen it as their official submission for Best International Feature, positioning it as a potential player in this year’s awards race.
Mile End Kicks
I’d be reminisced if I didn’t include at least one Canadian film in the mix, especially with Canadian pride higher than ever right now. Chandler Levack’s debut I Like Movies was a surprise hit at TIFF 2022; a nostalgic 2000s-era coming of age movie that took place at a blockbuster in Burlington, Ontario, resonated not just with Canadians, but also international attendees, making Lavack an exciting filmmaker to watch. She’s been upgraded to the special presentations category with her sophomore effort, Mile End Kicks, a Cameron Crowe inspired semi-autobiographical film about an aspiring young music journalist (played by Euphoria’s Barbie Ferrera) who moves to Montreal in 2011 to write a book about the booming indie scene and ends up becoming the publicist of an up-and-coming indie rock band. This will likely be a huge crowd pleaser and will help cement both Levack and Ferrera as major names in the industry.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
One of the most exciting voices in Canadian cinema, Matt Johnson has been earning international acclaim in recent years, especially with the success of BlackBerry, while keeping his work distinctly rooted in Canadian culture. His latest, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, continues the beloved web series-turned-sitcom that first put him on the map. After earning rave reviews at SXSW, the film is now set for what promises to be one of the rowdiest Midnight Madness screenings of the year, that will especially resonate with TIFF audiences given its Toronto setting and unapologetically Canadian sense of humour.
No Other Choice
For years, South Korea has been producing some of the most thrilling and inventive art in the world, and only recently has the global audience begun to catch on. While Bong Joon-ho earned long-overdue recognition with Parasite, Park Chan-wook still awaits the level of industry acclaim he deserves, having helped put South Korean cinema on the map with Oldboy more than two decades ago. His latest, No Other Choice, stars Squid Game’s Lee Byung-hun as a newly unemployed man who, desperate to secure a coveted job, devises a ruthless plan to eliminate his rivals. The trailers and early buzz suggest Park has crafted another edge-of-your-seat spectacle, this time laced with biting humor and surprising poignancy, that may be his most appealing with audiences worldwide due to tapping into the frustrations of wealth inequality and today’s brutal job market. Don’t be surprised if Park Chan-Wook is finally invited to the Academy Awards this year.
Nouvelle Vague
The second of two Richard Linklater films at the festival, Nouvelle Vague is a black-and-white, French-language love letter to the French New Wave. The film dramatizes the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking 1960 debut Breathless, the work that ignited the movement. Featuring a cast of French newcomers, alongside Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg, Nouvelle Vague earned strong reviews out of Cannes and has been hailed as a crowd-pleaser; one that tastefully pays tribute to the movement in a way that will delight longtime cinephiles, while offering younger audiences a palatable introduction to the French New Wave.
Poetic License
For a while, broad comedies seemed to be slipping out of the spotlight, a far cry from their heyday in the ’90s and 2000s. But this year has marked an exciting resurgence for laugh-out-loud comedies, and Poetic License could add to this year’s impressive roster. Marking the directorial debut of Maude Apatow, daughter of comedy legend Judd Apatow, the film signals her move from emerging TV actress to filmmaker, carrying forward her family’s comedic dynasty. Starring her mother Leslie Mann, as well as Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman, Poetic License follows the unlikely friendship that develops between two college seniors and a mature woman auditing their poetry class.
Rental Family
When Brendan Fraser walked onto the stage following the North American premiere of The Whale at TIFF, the thunderous and teary eyed standing ovation made it clear to me that the passion for him and his performance was going to carry him to an Oscar win. A Canadian-born national treasure, Fraser’s resurgence didn’t end with that triumph, as he is firmly establishing himself as a prestige actor. His latest, Rental Family, is already generating major buzz for another knockout performance, perhaps even more emotionally resonant and tailored to his strengths as an actor than The Whale was. Fraser stars as a struggling American actor in Tokyo who takes on an unusual job with a “rental family” company, hired to play the roles of various relatives for lonely clients. Directed by HIKARI, this wise and whimsical dramedy positions her as one of this year’s breakthrough filmmakers.
Roofman
Channing Tatum has a been a more versatile actor than Hollywood tends to acknowledge, and Roofman could help to open more opportunities for him. Directed by Oscar nominee Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, TIFF ’10), this stranger-than-fiction dramedy recounts the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, the notorious “Rooftop Robber,” and his attempts to escape capture. Cianfrance hasn’t directed in a film in eight years, but has a writing credit on Sound of Metal and was once considered an extremely promising filmmaker with Place Beyond the Pines and Blue Valentine. Roofman look like a completely different style for him, as Cianfrance’s previous work were extremely dark dramas that were void of humour, while this looks to be very light and fun. I’m curious to see how Cianfrance adapts his style to this story, and if he can insert some added depth.
Sacrifice
Romain Gavras, son of legendary French filmmaker Costa-Gavras, made a striking debut a few years ago with Athena; a film that wasn’t unanimously well received, but had some incredible scenes and announced Romain as a serious talent. Now he returns with his highly anticipated sophomore feature Sacrifice. Set at an environmental conference that spirals out of control, first hijacked by celebrities, then by eco-terrorists, the satirical action-adventure features a star-studded cast including Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Vincent Cassel, Salma Hayek, John Malkovich, Ambika Mod, Charli XCX, and Yung Lean.
Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier has consistently proven himself as one of the finest international auteurs working today, with a rare gift for delving into the souls of his characters alongside longtime writing partner Eskil Vogt. Trier gained newfound popularity with The Worst Person in the World, featuring the breakthrough performance from Renate Reinsve. Now the duo reunite for Sentimental Value, a new drama co-starring Stellan Skarsgård in what many are calling a career-best turn as a Norwegian filmmaker who pens a film for his daughter (Reinsve) in an effort to revive his career and mend his fractured family. When she refuses, he casts a Hollywood star (Elle Fanning) in her place. The film earned a staggering 19-minute standing ovation at Cannes, one of the longest in cinema history, and is already generating lots of Oscar buzz, emerging as a top contender to win multiple categories, including Best Picture.
Sirat
Outside of Sentimental Value, the popular answer when Cannes attendees were asked about their favourite film at the festival, was Sirāt. This is the third feature film from Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe, who was previously relatively unknown internationally before the premiere of this film. Sirat is a visceral genre-bending film in which a man desperately searches for his missing daughter amid a roving raver community in the harsh southern deserts of Morocco. With an EDM thumping score and incredible sound design, Sirat blew audiences away and seems to be a visceral experience unlike anything else.
The Smashing Machine
After a six-year hiatus, and a split between the brother duo, Benny and Josh Safdie are each making their solo directorial debuts this season, both under the A24 banner. Josh’s Marty Supreme is holding for a late-year release, but Benny’s The Smashing Machine is set to premiere at both Venice and TIFF. In a surprising dramatic turn, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could be headed for his Oscars moment with this gritty biopic about MMA and UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, with Emily Blunt co-starring as his then-wife Dawn Staples, alongside appearances from a variety of UFC legends. The Smashing Machine has the potential to redefine Johnson’s career, and could be both an awards player and a box office smash.
Steve
Cillian Murphy has cemented his status as one of the finest actors of his generation, particularly following his extraordinary turn in Oppenheimer. After reuniting last year with Peaky Blinders collaborator Tim Mielants on Small Things Like These, Murphy once again collaborates with the director for an adaptation of Max Porter’s acclaimed novel Shy. Steve follows the head of a failing reform school for boys as he endures a single pivotal, pressure-filled day, grappling with despair while holding onto a fragile sense of hope. The trailer teases more confident filmmaking from Mielants, and very strong performances from the entire cast.
The Testament of Ann Lee
Following the runaway success of last year’s monumental The Brutalist, the co-writer of that film, Mona Fastvold, is swapping roles with her husband Brady Corbet to direct their latest collaborative script. In The Testament of Anne Lee, Amanda Seyfried takes on the role of Ann Lee, a key figure of pre-Revolutionary America and the visionary leader of the Shakers, who transformed scripture into fervent musical expression. She is joined by a stellar supporting cast of underrated actors, including Thomasin McKenzie, Christopher Abbott, and Tim Blake Nelson. The film also boasts what promises to be a bold, experimental score by Daniel Blumberg, who co-wrote the original songs with Fastvold. This quasi-musical presented in crisp 70mm film could be a jaw dropping showcase for Seyfried, one that positions her as a serious contender to win the Oscar.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Perhaps the most high-profile world premiere at this year’s festival is the highly anticipated third installment in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man. By now, these films are practically synonymous with TIFF. Both previous entries had legendary premieres at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Daniel Craig returns once again as detective Benoit Blanc, joined by a fresh roster of A-listers that will make for an exciting TIFF red carpet: Glenn Close, Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormick, and Thomas Haden Church. By the looks of the trailer, this is going to be another extremely entertaining entry into the most popular murder mystery series of the modern era.
The Wizard of the Kremlin
We are living in a frightening era where some of the world’s most powerful nations are led by power-hungry tyrants, and perhaps the most dangerous of all is Vladimir Putin. Last year’s The Apprentice explored the rise of Donald Trump; now Olivier Assayas takes a similar approach with The Wizard of the Kremlin, with Jude Law transforming into the Russian dictator. Starting in 2019, the film follows an American journalist (Jeffery Wright) who is invited to the lavish dacha of Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), a man once nicknamed “the new Rasputin” after spending 15 years as a close advisor to Putin. There he unveils his story and Vladimir Putin’s rise to power. Promising to spark conversation, The Wizard of the Kremlin aims to deliver a gripping examination of how one of the world’s most notorious leaders became consumed by the pursuit of power.
Stay tuned for our full coverage of TIFF’s 50th edition in the days ahead, where we’ll be bringing you reviews of these films and many more from this year’s lineup.
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