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  • TIFF announces 2025 awards, juries

    TIFF announces 2025 awards, juries

    Ahead of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, organisers have announced the 2025 award categories, jury members, and prizes that will honour the year’s most exceptional works.

    According to a statement by the organisers, the film festival is scheduled to run from Thursday, September 4 to September 14, 2025, and has juries that is composed of renowned film critics and filmmakers that will evaluate films for prestigious honours including the two Canadian feature film awards, the FIPRESCI Prize from the International Federation of Film Critics, and the NETPAC Award from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema. 

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    “All prizes will be presented during an in-person awards ceremony that will also be livestreamed at 10 am ET at TIFF Lightbox on Sunday, September 14, the last day of the Festival.”

    The organisers revealed the 2025 jury for Best Canadian Feature Film & Best Canadian discovery awards and they include Jennifer Baichwal, Sophie Jarvis, and R.T. Thorne. The winner of the category will receive a cash prize of $10,000.

  • TIFF honours Guillermo del Toro, Brendan Fraser and others

    TIFF honours Guillermo del Toro, Brendan Fraser and others

    The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF, Cameron Bailey, has announced the first group of honourees of the seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards.

    Bailey made this announcement on Thursday, July 31, 2025 as plans towards the 50th edition of TIFF gets in high gear.

    According to Bailey, the TIFF Tribute Awards celebrates outstanding contributions to cinema and serves as the kick-off to awards season.

    Academy Award–winning Mexican-born filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award, two-time Academy Award winner and boundary-defying artist Jodie Foster will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, award-winning Japanese writer, director, and producer HIKARI will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award; and award-winning South Korean actor Lee Byung Hun is the recipient of a TIFF Special Tribute Award, attending TIFF this year with the North American Gala premiere of Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice. Academy Award–winning actor and 2022 Tribute Performer Award recipient Brendan Fraser will return to the Tribute Awards as the 2025 Honorary Chair.

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    The seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards will take place on Sunday, September 7, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

    “We’re thrilled to announce this year’s recipients, each of whom has left an indelible mark on the cinematic landscape: from the commanding talent of Lee Byung Hun; the visionary imagination of maestro Guillermo del Toro; the evocative storytelling of HIKARI; to the incomparable career of actor, filmmaker, and icon Jodie Foster. We’re honoured to welcome these exceptional artists to Toronto for the seventh annual Tribute Awards,” said Bailey. “We’re also delighted to welcome back Brendan Fraser, our 2022 Tribute Performer Award recipient, as this year’s Honorary Chair, a beloved artist and past honouree whose warmth, generosity, and passion for storytelling truly embody the spirit of our Festival.”

    “I’m honoured to return to Toronto once again and to the TIFF Tribute Awards, this time not as a recipient, but as this year’s Honorary Chair,” said Fraser. “TIFF has been meaningful to me and to be in this role during the Festival’s landmark 50th edition is a privilege. TIFF continues to champion the kind of bold storytelling that brings people together, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this year’s Tribute recipients.”

  • TIFF announces first wave of world premieres ahead of 50th edition

    TIFF announces first wave of world premieres ahead of 50th edition

    Ahead of its 50th edition in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto International Film Festival has announced the first wave of titles that will be having their world premieres at the festival.

    In a recent statement, the organisers of the festival shared the first five special presentation titles of its official selection.

    The titles include Alejandro Amenábar’s ‘The Captive,’ Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Christophers,’ Sung-hyun Byun’s ‘Good News,’ Nia DaCosta’s ‘Hedda,’ and Chandler Levack’s ‘Mile End Kicks.’ The films, it was gathered, were drawn from countries including Canada, Spain/It aly, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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    “These first five films of our Official Selection reflect the innovation, heart, and global perspective that have made our Festival a home for great cinema over the past 50 editions,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “We’re excited to kick-off our Special Presentations with Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks, a young, Canadian director who has very close ties to TIFF in addition to these established directors. We can’t wait to share more in the weeks ahead as we celebrate this historic year with audiences and filmmakers from around the world.”

    The five official selection films join the previously announced opening night film, ‘John Candy: I Like Me.’

    The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will take place between September 4, 2024 and September 14, 2025.          

  • Rogers and TIFF sign multi-year deal

    Rogers and TIFF sign multi-year deal

    Toronto International Film Festival and Rogers have signed a three-year agreement that will see Rogers as the official Presenting Partner of the Festival, and the TIFF People’s Choice Award through 2027.

    The expanded partnership builds on the success of TIFF ’24, which welcomed a record-breaking 700,000 attendees and hundreds of the world’s biggest filmmakers and stars.

    The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will take place from September 4 to 14, 2025.

    “We are excited to continue our partnership with Rogers through 2027, building on the terrific momentum we’ve created together,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF.

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    “We share a vision of celebrating Canadian storytelling and commitment to excellence on a global stage, and we look forward to working together to create a truly remarkable 50th edition of our Festival in September.

    “We are committed to supporting world-class film and cinema and bringing the best in entertainment to Canadians.

     “We look forward to celebrating TIFF’s 50th edition this year and to continuing a successful multi-year partnership,”  said Tony Staffieri, CEO, Rogers.

    TIFF and Rogers will create a new original content series in partnership with TIFF’s in-house Studio 9 production team.

  • TIFF celebrates Canada’s top 10 films of 2024

    TIFF celebrates Canada’s top 10 films of 2024

    The Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF, has announced Canada’s Top 10 feature films of 2024 in honouring the best in Canadian cinema.

    The 24th Canada’s Top 10 showcase, presented by MUBI, runs February 5, 2025 t0 February 9, 2025 at the Lightbox and is curated by TIFF programmers in consultation with festival programmers from across Canada.

    The 2025 edition features selection includes the directorial debuts of R.T. Thorne’s ‘40 Acres,’ and Kaniehtiio Horn’s ‘Seeds.’

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    Other selected feature films are ‘Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story,’ ‘Can I Get a Witness?,’ ‘Matt and Mara,’ ‘Paying For It,’ ‘Rumours,’ ‘Shepherds,’ ‘The Shrouds,’ and ‘Universal Language (Une langue universelle).’

    “This year’s Canada’s Top Ten celebrates the very best of Canadian cinema, showcasing the bold artistry of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers and the fresh perspectives of emerging voices,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “The selection reflects Canada’s eclectic cultural landscape and a renaissance in risk-taking cinema. We are also honoured to present the inaugural Charles Officer Legacy Award, which recognizes a filmmaker whose impact continues to resonate profoundly with TIFF and the broader Canadian film community.”

    On February 5, the opening ceremony for Canada’s Top Ten showcase will celebrate this year’s selections, followed by a presentation of the inaugural Charles Officer Legacy Award by TIFF Industry and CBC.

  • TIFF announces 2024 wavelengths, classic programmes

    TIFF announces 2024 wavelengths, classic programmes

    The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF, has announced the 2024 selection for the Wavelengths programme, and the TIFF Classics programme.

    The programme, according to the organisers, is presented by MUBI, and supported by Ontario Creates and the Canada Council for the Arts.

    The 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will take place from September 5 to 15.

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    The Wavelengths programme highlights visionary work from the worlds of international cinema and contemporary art. The Wavelengths programme includes a dynamic selection of 11 features, three shorts programmes, and a special in-cinema looped presentation.

    Intergenerational and regionally diverse, with emerging talents screening alongside legendary peers, the films in this year’s selection range from a two-minute animation to a gripping 14-hour documentary, offering a mix of dazzling formal work, subversive narratives, and boldly political perspectives.

    The 2024 Wavelengths programme is curated by Senior Curator Andréa Picard and Associate Curator Jesse Cumming, with contributions by Giovanna Fulvi, Nataleah Hunter-Young, and June Kim.

  • TIFF announces 2023 award winners

    TIFF announces 2023 award winners

    The Toronto International Film Festival has announced the winners of the 2023 edition of the TIFF awards as the 48th edition of the festival closed on Sunday.

    The Short Cuts Awards are for Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman. Each winning film received a bursary of 10,000 Canadian Dollars.

    Daria Kashcheeva’s Electra won Best Film, Jasmin Mozaffari’s Motherland won Best Canadian Film while the Share Her Journey Award went to Renee Zhan’s Shé (Snake)

    In the same vein, Zoé Pelchat’s Gaby’s Hills got the Honourable Mention Award, while the 2023 NETPAC Award went to Jayant Digambar Somalkar’s A Match and the FIPRESCI prize went to Meredith Hama-Brown’s Seagrass.

    The Amplify Voices Awards for the Best Feature, Best First Feature Award and Canadian BIPOC trailblazer went to Henri Pardo’s Kanaval, Carol Kunnuk, and Lucy Tulugarjuk’s Tautuktavuk (What We See), and Damon D’Oliveira. The winners received $10,000 each.

    Pardo’s Kanaval also won the Best Canadian feature film award honourable mention.

    The 2023 Changemaker Award was presented to We Grown Now by Minhal Baig and with a sum of 10,000 Canadian Dollars and the 2023 Platform Award went to Dear Jassi, by Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, and got 20,000 Canadian Dollars

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     For the 47th year, the People’s Choice Awards distinguished the audience’s top title at the festival as voted by the viewing public. All films in TIFF’s Official Selection were eligible.

     The TIFF 2023 People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award winner is ‘Dicks: The Musical’ by  Larry Charles, People’s Choice Documentary Award winner is ‘Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe’ by Robert McCallum, People’s Choice Award winner ‘American Fiction’ by Cord Jefferson.

     Speaking on the night, Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO, said, “We’re grateful to all the audience members, artists, industry professionals, and supporters who graced Toronto’s cinemas, red carpets, meeting spaces, and streets. As we recognize award winners today, we thank everyone who contributed to this glorious, collective gift.”

     Continuing he said, “From the most revered veterans to the freshest new voices, this year’s Festival played host to the diverse range of filmmakers Toronto is known for,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “And Toronto’s filmgoers turned up in huge numbers to be a part of the celebration. We’re grateful to our film jurors for their invaluable contributions, for championing emerging talent, and for enriching the film community with their expertise and passion.”

  • TIFF announces Rising Stars lineup for 2023 edition

    TIFF announces Rising Stars lineup for 2023 edition

    The Toronto International Film Festival has announced this year’s global cohort of Rising Stars for 2023.

    The TIFF Rising Stars programme features actors on the verge of making a large impact on the international stage and provides them with an exclusive opportunity to experience and engage in professional development and mentorship sessions and industry events that provide valuable networking opportunities with established creatives at the Festival.

    All Rising Stars are featured in films and series from TIFF 2023’s Official Selection, and join the Festival from around the world.

    “Every year, we see the incredible impact of TIFF’s Rising Stars initiative and are thrilled to announce the new 2023 cohort of the most exciting and up and coming on-screen talent,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “If you don’t know who they are, you will soon.”

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    TIFF Rising Stars will be celebrated at a special moment during the 2023 TIFF Tribute Awards presented by Bulgari.

    The annual event, taking place at the Royal York Hotel on Sunday September 10th, celebrates achievements across the film industry.

    The TIFF Rising Stars Tribute After Party will follow the dinner and awards ceremony with current and past Rising Stars mingling with film lovers for an evening of glamour and fun in celebration of emerging talent. Sarah Gadon, a former Rising Star from the program’s first cohort, is chairing this fundraising event which also features DJ Karim Olen Ash.

  • TIFF announces 2023 awards categories, film juries

    TIFF announces 2023 awards categories, film juries

    The Toronto International Film Festival has announced its award categories, jury members, and prizes for 2023.

    The announcement was made along with the return of three distinguished international film juries to honour outstanding works in this year’s lineup.

    The juries, featuring renowned film critics and filmmakers, include five members for FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics; three jurors for NETPAC, the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema; and three jurors for Platform.

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    All awards, according to the organisers, will be announced on September 17 at the annual Awards Breakfast at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

    “A crucial component of the film industry’s ecosystem, the annual awards presented by TIFF are dedicated to honouring creativity, vision, and excellence,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Every year, we unite to applaud the diverse array of cinematic voices with the support of respected colleagues from the global industry, and this year will be no exception.” The awards categories for this year include best canadian feature film award, amplify voices awards, short cuts awards, changemaker award, people’s choice award, NETPAC award and FIPRESCI award.

  • TIFF seeks volunteers for 43rd edition

    Every September, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) becomes a central hub for film lovers from around the world to experience Festival Street, watch some of the year’s most anticipated films, and discover new international filmmaking voices. Organizing the 11-day Festival is no small feat, and each year the TIFF experience is made stronger and more vibrant through the remarkable support of our Volunteers. This year is no different – TIFF encourages Toronto’s most enthusiastic, motivated, and committed film lovers to apply today!

    “TIFF is known worldwide as a Festival for the people, and our Volunteers are often the first point of contact that guests seek out when they need information,” says Katy Fahimi-Manzari, Manager, Volunteer and Intern Resources, TIFF. “It goes without saying that TIFF Volunteers play a huge role in shaping and enhancing the guest experience, which contributes greatly to the overall success of the Festival.”

    Last year, an extraordinary 2,882 Volunteers donated 80,637 hours, which took form through a variety of supporting roles; from Festival Street to theatre venues and helping out in the Industry Centre and with administration, TIFF Volunteers are an exceptionally talented group with a diverse skill set and passion for all things film.

    To reward the contributions of TIFF Volunteers, organisers endeavour to create a truly positive, fun, and memorable experience that offers the opportunity to gain new skills through hands-on learning, grants access to some of the latest buzzed-about films, and provides a place to foster new and lasting friendships that will stand the test of time.

    Applicants, who must be at least 18 years old, are expected to send application to tiff.net/volunteer. This year’s edition runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.