The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is celebrating its 50th this year! For all these years, it’s been lighting up our city with films that entertain, challenge, and spark endless conversations. What started as a showcase has grown into one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world—drawing filmmakers, cinephiles, industry powerhouses, and yes… plenty of star power too!
With such a wide range of films across every genre imaginable, the real challenge for us TIFF veterans (can we call ourselves TIFF’ers yet?) is deciding which titles to see—and when. Honestly, half the fun is in the planning…and who’s still doing the pirate noises with me?
Here at Toronto Guardian, we’ve got our eyes peeled for the Canadian talent on the lineup—whether behind the camera or on screen. For TIFF 2025 (aka #TIFF50), here are a few picks that immediately caught our attention.
This galvanizing documentary from director Ally Pankiw (I Used To Be Funny) takes us behind the scenes of Sarah McLachlan’s legendary all-women music festival and features interviews with performers including Bonnie Raitt, Erykah Badu, Olivia Rodrigo, and Emmylou Harris.
Steal Away: Directed by Clement Virgo
Director Clement Virgo returns with a bold, mesmerizing, and erotically charged thriller that’s part fairy tale, part fever dream. It tells the story of a pair of young women the film’s subtitle calls “two princesses.” Fanny, a sheltered teenager whose knowledge of the world barely extends beyond the stately manor house belonging to her glamorous mother, which is located in a mysterious country. Cécile, a charismatic visitor who’s one of countless people seeking asylum from the conflicts that consume this alternate and highly stylized reality.