Let me tell you something about TIFF. It's not just another festival—it's the starting gun of awards season. Venice may have its glamour, Telluride its exclusivity, but Toronto? That's where the real fight begins. And this year—TIFF's 50th, no less—it's looking like one hell of a brawl.
Now, I've been through enough fall festivals to know that scheduling isn't just logistics—it's strategy. Films that premiere at Venice or Telluride get first dibs on early Oscar buzz. But this year, some heavy hitters are skipping those altogether, opting instead for the Maple Leaf treatment.
First among them: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery , the third entry in Rian Johnson's puzzle-box franchise. Of course it's coming to Toronto—first two did too. You don't mess with a winning formula. Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc will once again raise eyebrows and lower blood pressures, and Hollywood accountants will start sharpening their knives for Q4 box office returns.
Then there's Derek Cianfrance—the man who made me never want to see a father-son scene again after The Place Beyond the Pines —with Roofman . Channing Tatum plays a fast-food bandit based on a real-life Army reservist turned serial robber. Sounds like Bonnie and Clyde meets drive-thru service. Whether it's gritty or just grim, we'll find out soon enough.
Paul Greengrass, king of the shaky cam and the moral dilemma, brings us The Lost Bus , another survival thriller steeped in real-world tension. If he's skipping Venice, that tells me something: maybe he wants to avoid comparisons, maybe he's playing coy. Either way, his fingerprints are all over this one.
And then there's Rental Family , directed by Hikari of Beef fame, starring Brendan Fraser as a has-been actor in Tokyo. Fraser's comeback arc has been compelling, but let's see if this film earns its emotional weight—or if it's just another “redemption” story dressed up in foreign locales.
Agnieszka Holland's Franz was submitted to Venice and got the cold shoulder. That's not nothing. Her last film, Green Border , was a standout in 2023. If Franz didn't make the cut, either Venice's jury got pickier—or this one doesn't land the same punch. Either way, Toronto now gets to show it off first.
Chloé Zhao's Hamnet is listed as a Canadian Premiere, which means it'll hit Telluride before Toronto. Adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's novel, it's her follow-up to Eternals —a film that divided audiences more than a Marvel shareholder meeting. Let's hope Shakespeare gives her more to work with than superheroes.
Here's what we know:
- TIFF 2025 runs September 4–14
- Full schedule drops August 12
- World Premieres include:
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Rian Johnson)
- Roofman (Derek Cianfrance)
- The Lost Bus (Paul Greengrass)
- Rental Family (Hikari)
- Franz (Agnieszka Holland)
Gala Presentations:
- The Choral (Nicholas Hytner)
- Homebound (Neeraj Ghaywan)
- Hamnet (Chloé Zhao)
- A Private Life (Rebecca Zlotowski)
- Roofman (Derek Cianfrance)
- She Has No Name (Peter Ho-Sun Chan)
Special Presentations:
- Franz (Agnieszka Holland)
- The Lost Bus (Paul Greengrass)
- Rental Family (Hikari)
- Steal Away (Clement Virgo)
- Wake Up Dead Man (Rian Johnson)
So where does that leave us?
Venice and Telluride still matter—but Toronto is where careers are launched, legacies burnished, and campaigns quietly begin. This year, with so many films bypassing Italy and Colorado, TIFF is flexing its muscle. And why not? In five decades, it's earned every bit of clout.
I've seen this dance before. Back in ‘09, Precious blew up here. Ten years later, Joker walked away with the People's Choice Award and never looked back. So yes, TIFF can anoint a contender.
But let's not forget: Great films rise. Mediocrity fades. And somewhere between the hype and the headlines, a few honest stories might actually survive.
We'll find out soon enough.
