It begins with a whisper, then a clamor
I've covered festivals for decades, and nothing signals intent like gating a film to Toronto—especially when Venice and Telluride pass. That's what TIFF is banking on this year. The 50th TIFF runs September 4–14, 2025, and the 21 titles announced July 21 hit that sweet spot between prestige and strategic festival positioning.
World premieres Toronto-only
(Not at Venice/Telluride—a statement in itself)
- Adulthood (Alex Winter)
- Driver's Ed (Bobby Farrelly)
- Fuze (David Mackenzie)
- Glenrothan (Brian Cox)
- Good Fortune (Aziz Ansari)
- Nuremberg (James Vanderbilt)
- Two Pianos (Arnaud Desplechin)
- Bad Apples (Jonatan Etzler)
- Poetic License (Maude Apatow)
- Christy (David Michôd)
- California Schemin' (James McAvoy)
- Couture (Alice Winocour)
- Easy's Waltz (Nic Pizzolatto)
- Sacrifice (Romain Gavras)
- Three Goodbyes (Isabel Coixet)
These names read like a “Venice got it wrong” replay. Either TIFF sees gold where others don't—or it's cleaning up leftovers. Hard to tell from the press release—but that level of curiosity alone is worth a headline.
North American premieres from Venice exclusives
- Dead Man's Wire (Gus Van Sant)
- Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro)
- The Smashing Machine (Benny Safdie)
- The Testament of Ann Lee (Mona Fastvold)
- Silent Friend (Ildikó Enyedi)
- Rose of Nevada (Mark Jenkin)
- Scarlet (Mamoru Hosoda)
- Calle Malaga (Maryam Touzani) TIFF
Big auteurs, big expectations—Venice stamps on the world premiere, TIFF carries the baton. No leaks, no fanfare—just a tactfully designed rollout.
The festival trifecta
Only two films straddle Venice, Telluride, and Toronto:
- Ballad of a Small Player (Edward Berger)
- Tuner (Daniel Roher)
Rare. Anchors. Will tell us what TIFF really thinks of itself.
Cannes carryovers
It doesn't stop there. TIFF is doubling down on Cannes pedigree, echoing editors:
- Eleanor the Great (Scarlett Johansson)
- It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)
- Nouvelle Vague (Richard Linklater)
- Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier)
- The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho)
Follow the critical breadcrumbs.
Gala & Special spotlights
Sneak peek from July 16 & July 21 reveals glossier entries:
Galas: includes The Choral (Nicholas Hytner), Hamnet (Chloé Zhao), Roofman (Derek Cianfrance), among others.
Specials: Additions like Wake Up Dead Man (Rian Johnson's Knives Out 3), Franz, The Lost Bus, Rental Family, Steal Away.
Johnson's Benoit Blanc returns September 4—world premiere, Netflix-bound December 12. Chloé Zhao's Hamnet, starring Buckley & Mescal, is the big Canadian moment. And Roofman, starring Channing Tatum, drops at TIFF before hitting theaters October 10.
Why it matters
Because festivals aren't just premieres—they're punchlines. TIFF is saying: we present what counts—period. This lineup isn't fluff. It's strategy, pedigree, and a smirk at tradition. Titles Venice skipped may yet matter. And TIFF is daring them to prove if they do.
A critic's final snarl
This isn't TIFF playing backup; it's a calculated Romeo watching other festivals screw the pooch. The real question isn't whether these films deserve attention—it's whether they'll deliver once the cameras flash.
Does Toronto have the guts to crown underdogs? Or will Cannes and Sundance vultures swoop after all the screens are dark?
Stick a pin in September 4. That's when the show begins—to judge, or to blink.
