TIFF 2025 is almost here! Here’s everything you need to know about the Toronto film festival’s buzziest premieres and can’t-miss moments.
✨ First time attending TIFF? Don’t miss our full Local’s Guide to TIFF in Toronto with tips on how to get tickets, what to wear, and where to stay.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF; September 4–14, 2025) marks its dazzling 50th anniversary this year! A globally revered kick-off to awards season, TIFF consistently ignites Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA buzz—its People's Choice Award winners often go on to garner Academy Awards. Expect red-carpet spectacles, international premieres, and a city that vibrates with cinephile energy.
Here’s what to catch and what to do to experience cinematic magic in Toronto this September.
Must-see TIFF gala films, premieres and special presentations
World Premiere: Couture
In Couture, Angelina Jolie shines as an American filmmaker documenting Paris Fashion Week in this fashion drama by director Alice Winocour. This Special Presentations premiere delivers a glitzy, multicultural runway tableau: Ukraine, France, the USA, and Sudan all strut the screen.
Oscar-winner Jolie—whose attendance is confirmed for TIFF 2025—plays an impressive French-speaking role in this star vehicle, which focuses on female creativity, international intrigue and gorgeous fashion alongside a veritable who’s who of French cinema (Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel and Aurore Clément).
World Premiere: Good Fortune
Canadian legend Keanu Reeves teams up with Aziz Ansari in the latter’s directorial debut, Good Fortune. Reeves plays an angel orchestrating a hilarious body-swap between a wealthy man (Seth Rogen) and a down-on-his-luck everyman (Ansari). It’s a heartfelt comedy with surreal charm. The star-studded ensemble cast also features Sandra Oh and Keke Palmer in supporting roles.
Head’s up, red-carpet watchers: Reeves and Rogan will both be attending TIFF 2025.
World Premiere: Roofman
Channing Tatum brings his signature swagger to Roofman, a movie dubbed as a “big-hearted” crime-romance. After a jail break, Tatum’s character, Jeffrey, falls for Leigh (Oscar nom, Kristen Dunst), a toy store clerk blissfully unaware she’s romancing what the newspapers have crowned the “Rooftop Robber.” (Both stars are expected in Toronto at TIFF 2025.)
Directed by Academy Award-nominated director Derek Cianfrance, this wild ride reimagines Jeffrey Manchester’s true crime escapades, blending grit and charm into a heist flick that will steal your heart.
World Premiere: Driver’s Ed
Hollywood’s latest breakout star, Sam Nivola of White Lotus, takes the wheel in Driver’s Ed as Jeremy, a high school senior who swipes a car from his school’s driver’s ed program in a desperate bid to save his long-distance relationship with his girlfriend, played by Lilah Pate (The Summer I Got Pretty).
Part Breakfast Club, part Dumb and Dumber, this comedic romp sends Jeremy off with a group of misfits: an overachiever, a stoner, and a loner. What sets this offbeat road trip/buddy flick apart? It’s directed by Bobby Farrelly, one of the minds behind There’s Something About Mary.
Celeb watchers should stay on alert for super-stylish Pate and equally dapper Nivola, as both will be in town for their film’s premiere.
World Premiere: The Choral
Fresh from the triumphant Conclave, Ralph Fiennes returns in the must-see period film, The Choral. Already touted as a BAFTA front-runner, this World War I-era drama casts Fiennes as prickly choir leader, Dr. Guthrie, whose job is to shape a bratty, rattled group of scrappy teenage boys into a functioning choir for an urgent performance.
With time running out and the war closing in, Fiennes (another confirmed TIFF celeb) anchors a tense, moving story of the different forms survival takes during precarious times.
World Premiere: The Christophers
Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh shakes up TIFF 2025 with a razor-sharp dramatic satire set in the British art world. In The Christophers, Ian McKellen steps away from his iconic Gandalf, X-Men and Shakespearean roles to portray Julian Skylar, a renowned painter confronting his twilight years as his fractured family schemes to steal—and complete—his unfinished masterpieces.
Jessica Gunning and James Cordner turn up the drama as Skylar’s greedy heirs, while Michaela Coel stands out as Skylar’s assistant and secret restorer, covertly completing his works behind his back.
Michaela Coel and Ian McKellen—who are both getting BAFTA buzz for the movie—are scheduled to be in Toronto for their film’s TIFF premiere.
World Premiere: Swiped
Bumble’s uncanny origin story storms TIFF in Swiped, a film helmed by director Rachel Lee Goldenberg. The film reimagines the real-life trajectory of Whitney Wolfe Herd, who famously rebranded Tinder before launching its nemesis, Bumble. The app’s impact made Wolfe Herd both a digital revolutionary and one of the world’s youngest billionaires.
Breakout star/fashion plate Lily James will be one of the brightest red-carpet lures for Generations X, Y and Z, as she’s known for her winning roles in Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Zombies, and Cinderella. Psst: Look out for Dermot Mulroney’s cameo.
North American Premiere: A Private Life
Fresh off her recent Emmy and Golden Globe triumphs, legendary two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster electrifies TIFF 2025 with the spellbinding international mystery-romance, A Private Life.
In this French thriller—celebrated recently at Cannes and an early Oscar contender—Foster’s Lilian, an American psychoanalyst in Paris, unravels the suspicious death of her patient. When files are stolen from her office and unsettling secrets emerge, Lilian is compelled to join forces with her enigmatic ex-lover Gabriel (the iconic Daniel Auteuil). As they plunge deeper into Paris’s shadowy underbelly, Lilian discovers that every answer unveils a new danger, and trust is her most elusive ally.
This year’s TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award-honouree, Foster will be in attendance for the ceremony and her film’s premiere screening.
World Premiere: Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery
One of the buzziest docs of the fest, Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery, goes beyond all the clichés and perceptions of the all-female concert that first began in 1997, offering incredible behind-the-scenes stories from the tour’s many stops.
Founder Sarah McLachlan’s insight into the music industry is eye-opening, and archival testimonies from Sinéad O’Connor, Erykah Badu, Tracy Chapman, Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega (as well as the documentary’s co-producer, actor-director Dan Levy), make this a must-see.
Early buzz has it that McLachlan and other Lilith tour musicians may drop by for a surprise performance.
Where to catch TIFF 2025 film screenings
TIFF screenings take place at six local cinemas, multiplexes and theatres. Most of them are located in the Entertainment District, with two readily accessible by public transit on Downtown Yonge Street.
TIFF Bell Lightbox
📍Entertainment District
The main festival hub and home to TIFF’s year-round screenings, TIFF Lightbox has multiple theatres, a film reference library, merch shop, plus the Varda café-bar and O&B Canteen restaurant.
Roy Thomson Hall
📍Entertainment District
A worthy red-carpet venue, this historic performance hall hosts some of TIFF’s buzziest galas and world premieres each festival.
Princess of Wales Theatre
📍Entertainment District
Another glam destination, this elegant theatre—which hosts Mirvish Productions plays and musicals the rest of the year—is a popular pick for red-carpet and gala screenings.
Scotiabank Theatre
📍Entertainment District
Tucked away amid the hustle and bustle of the club district, this multiplex hosts a variety of lower profile screenings and is tops for a low-fuss cinephile viewing experience.
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre
📍Downtown Yonge Street
An authentic National Historic Site, this Victorian-era theatre centre was designed to house two theatres (one stacked over the other) in a modest downtown footprint. It’s a unique space to catch a world premiere.
Chrysalis at Toronto Metropolitan University
📍Downtown Yonge Street
This Toronto Metropolitan University venue often hosts screenings that start or finish with filmmaker Q&A sessions. What it lacks in glamour, it makes up for with insider appeal.
How to get tickets for TIFF 2025 film screenings
Didn’t snag advance tickets? Don’t panic.
Ticketmaster often releases new seats mid-festival, even day-of, and resale prices sometimes dip into doable territory. Keep checking in the early mornings (think from 7–8 a.m.).
Pro tip: Rush lines are your secret weapon! Show up early (one to two hours before showtime), especially at bigger venues like Princess of Wales or Roy Thomson Hall. These theatres are your best bet for scoring last-minute seats.
Weekday mornings, matinees, or screenings without red carpet buzz tend to be less competitive—and more rush-friendly.
Finally, you don’t need a ticket to enjoy TIFF. You can soak in the Hollywood North magic by visiting “Festival Street,” the stretch of King Street West between Peter Street and University Avenue; attending the fan zone at David Pecaut Square (renamed Cinema Park during TIFF); and lining the red carpets outside The Princess of Wales Theatre, Roy Thompson Hall and Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Where to eat near TIFF
When the credits fade, Toronto’s dinner scene and nightlife ignites—particularly in the Entertainment District and King Street West.
Catch the vibe (and potentially spot a celeb or two) at these buzzy bars and restaurants near TIFF HQ.
One of the city’s most coveted views, the bird’s eye perspective from Open Aera captures downtown Toronto’s dynamic energy. Located on the 39th floor of The Well, this trendy rooftop bar and lounge serves up sushi, truffle fries, and post-screening cocktails under the stars.
For full-on glamour, ascend to Canoe, another rooftop gem. Located on the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower, this fine dining restaurant is known for its refined menu of Canadian cuisine, seasonal tasting menus, and sweeping mile-high panorama. It’s the perfect TIFF staple for pre- or post-gala indulgence.
Steps from Festival Street, the Financial District’s The Rabbit Hole is a low-key haven for moviegoers. The gastropub’s elevated British, pub-inspired menu and craft cocktails will lighten TIFF’s high drama. Its streetside, garden-inspired patio is also well located for prime people-watching.
If music is your thing, consider staying at intriguing downtown hotels like 1 Hotel Toronto, the Bisha Hotel or Ace Hotel. All are close to the festival zone and boast bars or lounges featuring live music and/or DJs.
Want more Toronto film festival planning inspo? Read our local’s guide to TIFF 2025.
