The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today revealed an electrifying array of Gala presentation premieres for its 50th anniversary edition, scheduled September 4–14. The newly refreshed lineup underscores TIFF’s ongoing role as a global stage for both seasoned talents and emerging voices poised for breakthrough acclaim.
At the top of the list is Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, marking her transition from acclaimed actor to storyteller. Also featured are Chloe Zhao’s literary-adaptation Hamnet—a Canadian Premiere—and Alex Winter’s introspective Adulthood, among other notable additions.
Documentary highlights are equally impressive. Colin Hanks will open the festival with John Candy: I Like Me, celebrating the life and career of the beloved Canadian comedian. Aziz Ansari, stepping behind the camera for the first time, will premiere his narrative comedy Good Fortune, featuring Keanu Reeves as the angel Gabriel.
Veteran writers and directors are also joining the Gala roster. James Vanderbilt debuts his historical feature Nuremberg, while Rebecca Zlotowski brings A Private Life, a French‑Belgian drama. The slate reflects TIFF’s global ambitions, with titles representing India (Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound), China (Peter Ho‑Sun Chan’s She Has No Name), and the U.K. (Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral), further cementing the festival’s multicultural footprint.
Other standout Gala selections include directorial debuts like Glenrothan from Brian Cox and Maude Apatow’s Poetic License. Audiences can also expect genre-crossing entries such as Bobby Farrelly’s comedy Driver’s Ed, David Freyne’s romantic drama Eternity, and David Mackenzie’s U.K. feature Fuze. TIFF is also embracing cultural remembrances, with Ramesh Sippy’s restored Sholay honoring Indian cinema and Ally Pankiw’s Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery shining a spotlight on Canada’s iconic music festival.
TIFF’s Special Presentations program is equally robust, embracing international storytelling and potential awards season contenders. Highlights include Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited Frankenstein, Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and David Michôd’s boxing biopic Christy, with Sydney Sweeney portraying real-life fighter Christy Martin. Other buzzed-about selections include Paul Greengrass’s wildfire survival drama The Lost Bus, Alice Winocour’s fashion-themed Couture starring Angelina Jolie, and Jafar Panahi’s Cannes-winning Iranian drama It Was Just an Accident.
Anita Lee, TIFF’s Chief Programming Officer, emphasized that the new additions represent “remarkable originality and excellence from today’s most exciting and acclaimed directors,” reflecting the festival’s commitment to diverse and global cinema.
The full program and schedule, encompassing sections such as Platform, Discovery, Midnight Madness, Centrepiece, and TIFF Docs, is set to be unveiled in mid‑August. Platform juries are expected to be announced on July 22. As part of its golden anniversary celebrations, TIFF has already launched a summer retrospective titled “The TIFF Story in 50 Films,” featuring landmark movies that have shaped its legacy over five decades.
Analysts suggest that this year’s TIFF lineup positions the festival as an even stronger launchpad for Oscar season. Films like Hamnet, Frankenstein, and Knives Out 3 are already generating awards buzz, while directorial debuts from Johansson, Ansari, Cox, and Apatow add new narrative voices to the fold.
With anticipation mounting, industry insiders, critics, and moviegoers alike are eagerly watching as TIFF 2025 shapes up to be one of its most diverse and ambitious editions yet. The gala presentations continue to serve as a powerful showcase of global cinema, while the festival’s embrace of underrepresented voices and boundary-pushing storytelling cements its relevance in today’s cinematic landscape.