A Guide To TIFF 50

August 10, 2025 - Toronto, ON

Toronto International Film Festival (September 4-14, 2025)

Photographed and Written by Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (@wyatt_______j)

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is back in full swing this year for its 50th anniversary! Regarded as the world’s largest public film festival, TIFF sees films from all over the globe displayed for 11 days of fanfare, fun and the celebration of film culture as a whole. Toronto is proudly home to this festival, allowing a sneak peek into the explosive world of film for emerging creators, film buffs, curious individuals, the general public and fans hoping for a chance to speak to their favourite celebrities.

TIFF 50 has seen its fair share of world premieres, A-list celebrities, industry talks and red carpet events. Let’s talk about how to catch some screenings, freebies you can grab and different ways to get a little more involved with one of Canada’s most popular festivals!

RED CARPET PREMIERES

One of the most exciting aspects of TIFF are its premium screenings which showcase the creative team behind a film, including its director(s), featured actors, producers or more! From first time directors with small teams, to huge stars and established directors, there’s something for everyone - whether you’re an art house fan, an indie cinema lover or looking to see a big director like Chloé Zhao on the carpet.

Red carpets can take place at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Royal Alexandra Theatre, TIFF Lightbox or Roy Thompson Hall. Make sure you know which venue you’re going before you get there, and expect a crowd. Odds are, you aren’t the only fan around!

FESTIVAL STREET

Every year at TIFF, the portion of King Street between Peter Street and University Avenue is shut down to open up the streets to different activities, vendors and pop ups for the community to enjoy. Festival Street is one of the distinguishing markers of TIFF, and it provides you with a range of activities to partake in regardless of whether you’re watching films or not.

As you walk the street you’ll find DJ booths, giveaways, freebies, snacks, outdoor film screenings and more. Check out the Criterion Mobile Closet and get the chance to buy DVDs of your favourite films, or grab a ticket to a fan zone and get a closer look at the red carpet! There’s lots to explore (and get) while wandering around festival street.

HOW TO GET A TICKET?

Now that you know a little more about TIFF, what about trying to get a ticket to something? There’s still plenty of films playing including big titles like Frankenstein or Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Check out the Festival Schedule to see what you’d like to watch and then go to the TIFF website and click on the ‘Tickets’ option in the drop down menu. This will allow you to find tickets for a screening of your choice, but grabbing a ticket for a more popular screening can be difficult. That’s why there are rush lines at TIFF!

Limited tickets are available at each film as people inevitably miss their screenings or exchange their tickets for something else. If you were unable to grab a ticket for a screening of your choice, you can join the rush line at the venue its playing before it officially starts, and if you’re one of the lucky few who gets a rush ticket, you can pay for it on the spot (at the venue’s box office) and enjoy the film. Try to show up early to the rush line if you can, as diehard fans sometimes show up hours in advance to rush lines. Plan accordingly, and if you’re ever confused, feel free to look for a yellow-shirted volunteer! They’re there to help.

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS

To end things off, I’ll leave you with a few recommendations to catch, whether at the festival or sometime in the future!

Steal Away - Dir. Clement Virgo
Obsession - Dir. Curry Barker
BLKNWS - Dir. Kahlil Joseph

That’s all for now. TIFF will continue taking place until Sunday, September 14th, so you still have a lot of time to check things out. Visit tiffr.com to build your festival schedule and see what events are popular, and keep an eye out for updates on @mediapass.to on Instagram and some more articles diving into red carpet premieres and more things to look out for!

Until next time :)