Five Films to Look Out For from TIFF 2025

Contributed by TIFF

Last month, the Reader's resident film reviewer Forest Taylor attended the Toronto International Film Festival. He's outlined five films that impressed him – local cinephiles should keep an eye out for these titles as they begin to hit theaters and streaming platforms.

The 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was held in September, and I was lucky enough to attend this celebration of cinema. To usher in their half-century, TIFF offered a treasure trove of events for film lovers of all kinds. Located on King Street in the middle of Downtown Toronto, TIFF provided live music and great food for the attendees (I recommend a visit to Cibo Wine Bar for some of the best pizza I've ever had), as well as various seminars and classes for aspiring filmmakers.

They also provided free screenings of classic films in David Pecaut Square at 10 p.m. every night (I caught a screening of Before Sunrise for its 30th anniversary), and best of all, the Criterion Mobile Closet was parked outside of Lightbox Theater, giving fans an opportunity to explore their collection of classic and obscure films (the lines were insane but the experience was unforgettable). Festival Street was alive with activity before fans even had a chance to watch the films.

But of course, the real draw for TIFF is the films themselves, and this year provided plenty of anticipated premieres and obscure curiosities from all over the world. Fans could attempt to get tickets early or try their luck in rush lines (waiting in a rush line during one of their nightly Midnight Madness screenings is simply something one has to experience). I attended multiple screenings per day, and while I wasn't able to see everything I wanted, there were plenty of great films at TIFF. I focused on the lesser-known titles that (with one exception) don't yet have release dates rather than the highly anticipated premieres hitting theaters in the next few months.

With those caveats in place, here are five films to look for that premiered at TIFF 50!

Bad Apples

Jonathan Etzler's pitch black comedy about a teacher's worst nightmare is my pick for the most gleefully entertaining film at TIFF. The story of a young primary school teacher (Saoirse Ronan) whose unorthodox method of dealing with a violent and chaotic student (Eddie Waller) is a darkly funny satire about the horrors (both physical and bureaucratic) that can be found when working in children's education, as well as a bleak statement about how modern society often treats troubled children.

Etzler does an excellent job playing with audiences' sympathies, and Ronan gives such a lived-in performance that even when the film takes some ridiculous turns, viewers are still on board. Full of witty dialogue, a cynical sense of humor, and so many twists and character reversals that audiences will never expect what comes next, Bad Apples was a sadistic delight from beginning to end. Recommended for anyone who has worked in childhood education.

The Currents

I went to see this muted drama from Milagros Mumenthaler without any expectations, and found it to be one of the most emotionally profound films at the festival. The story of a fashion designer (Isabel Aime Gonzalez Sola) who jumps off a bridge right after receiving an award for her work, and the aftermath of her seemingly impulsive act, says much about the quiet desperation that many people live with through subtle gestures, ethereal cinematography, and smart use of sound.

Mumenthaler expertly captures the loneliness of depression and the uncertainty when everything else in life seems fine. It is all told in such an intimate way and is held together by an incredible performance from its lead actress. The film doesn't have any real answers for the existential questions it asks, but the questions raised about the need for purpose in life and the inevitable nothingness that follows are fascinating enough.

The Ugly

Director Yeon Sang-ho hit the international film world with two kinetic and entertaining zombie movies (Train to Busan and Peninsula), but this bleak character study is a stark departure from his most popular works. In the middle of making a documentary about his blind father's (Kwon Hae-ho) seal-engraving business, authorities find the remains of a man's (Park Jeong-min) mother, who disappeared when he was a baby. This discovery leads him to uncover the truth of her disappearance, only to learn that the people in her life simply remember her as "ugly." The film is a dark look into the toxic beauty standards in Korea, but also a bleak commentary on how easy it is to make "undesirable" people disappear.

Presented Rashomon-style through a series of interviews, the film is a misanthropic journey into the way society treats its perceived "inferiors," all leading up to an emotionally devastating final shot. The Ugly opened in select theaters on Sept. 26.

Normal

One of the most delightfully amusing films at TIFF. The story follows Ulysses (unexpected action star Bob Odenkirk), the itinerant sheriff in the small town of Normal, Minnesota. Everything seems peaceful and boring in this quiet hamlet, but after a botched bank robbery, Ulysses accidentally discovers the town's dark secret and suddenly finds himself in a gun fight with the townspeople while a massive snowstorm rages outside. This film is essentially an extended action scene for half its runtime, but what an action scene it is! Combining elements of High Noon, Hot Fuzz, Assault on Precinct 13, the Coens, and John Woo, it is a deft mixture of comedy and action, all held together by Odenkirk's likable everyman role. This is the kind of old-fashioned action movie that isn't seen too often in theaters anymore, and based on audience reactions, it's exactly what people are looking for.

The Furious

And now to end the festival with a bang with this adrenaline-pumping martial arts action movie from stunt choreographer Kenji Tanigaki. After his daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers, mute tradesman Wang Wei (Miao Xie) teams up with a journalist (Frank Taslim) looking for his missing wife, and they fight their way through an army of criminals to get their loved ones back. The story is threadbare, and the English dubbing is atrocious, but we know why we watch these kinds of movies. It's for the action, and this film has plenty to offer! Probably the most brutal, bone-crunching, blood-spewing fight scenes since The Raid films, all culminating in an amazing five-way brawl that left TIFF audiences cheering from beginning to end. In terms of pure action spectacle, this film is one of the best in years. See it with the biggest crowd you can find!