- Ouray Film Festival Launches New Filmmaker Lab (September 15, 2025)
There are few places on Earth that feel more creatively supportive than the Ouray Film Festival, a gorgeous mountain setting where creators come together to support each other’s visions. The team behind the annual June event are launching their own filmmaker lab: The Ouray Filmmaker Sabbatical. It’s designed to give creators space from the hustle and bustle of the industry in places like New York and Los Angeles, a safety net that’s “designed to give filmmakers pace to recharge and rethink.”
According to the team behind Ouray, this very special opportunity is designed to release the pressure by not being tied to a specific stage of filmmaking: labs are often for writers, post-production, etc. This should bring a wide range of artists to Ouray from March 7-10, 2026, using each other as sounding boards, reading drafts, watching footage, etc., and connecting them with mentors who are there to guide the way.
Find out more about this wonderful opportunity and apply here, and read more below, from the official site.
Who is the Ouray Film Sabbatical for?
At the Ouray Film Sabbatical, we offer creative support, rest, and community for filmmakers (in any role), film writers (critics, academics, journalists), and film programmers (festivals, theaters, and filmmaker education) – all through a fully-funded residential experience in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Like many film labs, we offer mentorship for projects at all phases of development. But like a true sabbatical, we also welcome candidates who are looking to benefit from connecting with other film professionals while recharging between major projects.
How did the Sabbatical come to be?
This sabbatical was born out of the Ouray International Film Festival (OIFF), now entering its seventh year. After six iterations of our film festival, we have learned how much these remote mountains and the people who live here can transform artists. Now, we’re looking to extend that same connection to a sabbatical that can nourish the independent film community in one of the most beautiful corners of the Rockies.
Where is this located?
The Sabbatical is located in the stunning mountain town of Ouray, Colorado, known as the “Switzerland of America.” Located at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet, Ouray is a unique place that leaves creatives feeling refilled and ready for whatever is next in their journeys. With this sabbatical, we hope to share this experience of place and community that has come to define our festival. We cover airfare, lodging, and meals for all participants.
When is the sabbatical?
The inaugural Sabbatical is slated to take place between March 7-10, 2026! We will fly out the cohort a day prior (March 6) and depart from Ouray on March 11. This will give us four full days together and travel days to help those participating in SXSW or other work-related responsibilities.
What is the venue, and what will the schedule look like?
The Sabbatical will take place at a series of venues across Ouray, Colorado, where we host our summer film festival. Artists will be placed in private homes and other lodging. Daily gatherings each morning will allow the cohort to check-in with the lab directors on their goals with each day providing a spotlight for one or two sabbatical participants to highlight their area of focus. Venues include an excursion to Ouray School, a theater space in Silverton, Colorado, and the primary private residence where our lab leadership will convene daily meals for all lab participants.
Who is leading the sabbatical?
The sabbatical is led by Jared LaCroix, Jake Abell, and Ben Wiessner–all leaders of the Ouray International Film Festival and filmmakers. There will also be external mentors (to be announced) on site as well as virtual mentors who will join the cohort for daily sessions focused on the specific career development needs of sabbatical participants.
- TIFF 2025: Table of Contents (September 15, 2025)
A handy portal to all of our coverage from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, organized by critic.
BRIAN TALLERICO
FULL REVIEWS:
“Ballad of Small Player“
“Blue Moon“
“Good Fortune“
“The Lost Bus“
“The Man in My Basement“
“Sentimental Value“
“The Smashing Machine“
“Steve“
“Train Dreams“
“The Ugly“
CAPSULE REVIEWS:
“&Sons“
“Amoeba“
“Arco“
“Bad Apples“
“The Balloonists“
“Blue Heron“
“Canceled: The Paula Deen Story“
“Charlie Harper“
“The Christophers“
“Dead Man’s Wire“
“Dust Bunny“
“Eternity“
“The Fence“
“The Furious“
“Hamlet“
“Honey Bunch“
“I Swear“
“Little Amelie or the Character of Rain“
“Love+War“
“Meadowlarks“
“Motor City“
“No Other Choice“
“Normal“
“Obsession“
“Rental Family“
“Rose of Nevada“
“Sacrifice“
“Scarlet“
“The Tale of Silyan“
“Tuner“
“Unidentified“
“The Voice of Hind Rajab“
“Wake Up Dead Man“
“Wasteman”
“Whitetail“
“Winter of the Crow“
MONICA CASTILLO
“Eleanor the Great“
“Nouvelle Vague“
“Orwell: 2+2=5“
MARYA E. GATES
“The Choral“
“Christy“
“Couture“
“Hedda“
“Palestine 36“
“Peak Everything“
“Roofman“
“Steal Away“
ZACHARY LEE
“Adulthood“
“Carolina Caroline“
“Erupcja“
“Eternal Return“
“Junk World“
“Maddie’s Secret“
“Mile End Kicks“
“The Napa Boys“
“Nuremberg“
“Poetic License“
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Will Tranter in Fuze.
JASON BAILEY
“Fuze“
“Glenrothan“
“John Candy: I Like Me“
“The Last Viking“
- TIFF 2025: Eternal Return, Nuremberg, Carolina Caroline (September 15, 2025)
I’m always delighted when films across various sections of a film festival end up tackling the same ideas in different genres. There was a trio of basement-themed thrillers (“Good Boy,” “Bad Apples,” and, of course, “The Man in My Basement”) and no more than three films related to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (two of which starred Joe Alwyn). Exploring similar subject matter through different genres allows audiences to be impacted in various ways by the same idea. In this dispatch, films from Gala, Centrepiece, and Special Presentations all explored how our pasts, if not reckoned with properly, can return to haunt us in pugnacious ways.
Director Yaniv Raz’s “Eternal Return” wasn’t the only high-concept romance film exploring what happens to the love of our lives once they pass. However, it’s worth singling out as the only one that fully capitalizes on Naomi Scott’s singing abilities and her ability to infuse a soulful melancholy into any line delivery. This is an old school fantasy film that doesn’t try to reshape the conventions of the genre it’s a part of, and that isn’t afraid to get saccharine to tug at the heartstrings. That works mainly in its favor as it’s obvious that talent behind and in front of the camera understands why this genre can be so successful.
Scott stars as Cass, who’s reeling from the death of her partner and bandmate, Julian (Jay Lycurgo), who perished after a horrific plane crash. She’s mired in grief until a chance encounter with cartographer Virgil (Kit Harington) and his mentor, Malcolm (Simon Callow), gives her hope she might be reunited with her lover. Virgil and Malcolm are convinced that they can craft a map of emotional landmarks of a person’s life; once someone steps back into a significant old location, it opens portals that literally allow people to re-experience formative moments. As Cass embarks with the two men on their journey, Virgil wrestles with his blossoming feelings for her.
It doesn’t always make for exciting viewing, as the tropes this film will embody are evident well before we reach the final destination. However, if anything, narrative familiarity allows the character work to shine. It’s striking to see Harington play against type as an awkward and bookish map specialist. The charm is there, but his intensity is softened due to his quirky spirit, which makes for a great foil to Scott’s driven Cass. Callow also shines as a wingman to Virgil and brings a spirited “can-do” attitude that helps the audience buy into the believability of the gimmick the characters are chasing after. In contrast to Cass and Virgil, who are optimistic but cautious, Malcolm brings a palpable zeal.
At its core, the film reminds us that “moving on doesn’t have to mean forgetting” and that the past, while essential to remember, is something to make peace with instead of trying to replay its greatest hits in the present. There’s a strength to this core message, which makes the film’s diversions into some questionable plot twists less effective, as if Raz was trying to spice up what would otherwise be a standard narrative. He should have had more faith that sometimes, a familiar story well-executed with charming stars is all we need to come back home.
On a more serious note is James Vanderbilt’s “Nuremberg,” a film of prescient urgency and distinguished importance, but whose rote delivery occasionally stifles its ambitions. Nonetheless, it’s an enlivening courtroom drama filled with skilled performers. Sometimes the strength of a film warrants a straightforward approach to how it tells its story. Still, given that this isn’t the first film made about what transpired (Stanley Kramer’s 1961 film “Judgement at Nuremberg” also dramatized the trials, while Roger reviewed the documentary “Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today”), it would have benefited from an approach that didn’t just try to preach to its audience.
To Vanderbilt’s credit, rather than succumbing to the temptation to make what’s happened more melodramatic than necessary, he places viewers right at the heart of darkness, trusting his actors to deliver the required pathos. When the film opens, it’s 1945. Hitler is dead, and in a strategic victory, the Allied Forces have captured the highest-ranking Nazi official left alive, Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe). While it would be far easier to hang Göring and the other imprisoned Nazi officials, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon, in one of his best performances) wants to put Göring and his posse on trial. Jackson believes that by trying the Nazis on a global stage and framing their sentencing as a legal victory, it strips the glory that would come with an execution. In a moving monologue, Jackson articulates how, after Germany was forced to “crawl” following World War I, it provided the country with an opportunity to grow not only in strength but also in animosity. If they’re not beaten the right way, Jackson worries the world wouldn’t be able to beat them a “third time.”
As Jackson and his team, including the likes of lawyer David Maxwell Fyfe (Richard E. Grant, ever reliable in any film he’s in) prepare for the trial, the army has psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) speak with the prisoners before their trial to evaluate if they’re not only fit for trial, but also to get to the heart of Nazi psychology.
In this regard, the film is a series of conversations and debates, whether in sessions or as we witness various permutations of the film’s all-star cast debating each other (Kelley debates Göring, Jackson grills Göring on the stand, etc.). It’s a showstopping showcase for all involved. Crowe gives a towering, subtly frightening performance as Göring. He’s dangerously charming, humble, and suave, even while his egotistical nature is so baked in that he can’t imagine a possibility where he’s convicted and on trial. There’s also a seductive layer to his confidence, as if he’s beckoning all those cross-examining him to consider the appealing aspects of Nazi ideology.
Malek does serviceable work as Kelley, as the character is meant to act as a vessel to Göring’s sentiments. Kelley’s work is two-fold, as he hopes to write a book about his experience eventually. His naked ambition for fame clashes with the ethics of his vocation. He thinks he can dance with the devil because he has him on a leash, not realizing that he’s already been devoured by an adversary who’s thinking ten moves ahead. Shannon, too, does stellar work here, his delicate gravitas anchoring the film in its darkest moments.
During the titular trials, Vanderbilt opts to include real footage of the horrors of the concentration camps. We become, for a moment, just like those in the trial room as we witness photo after photo and video after video of the truly barbarous and inhumane extermination enacted by the Nazis. It’s the most uncomfortable part of the film and one of the most moving. While I see its necessity, it’s one of the few times where Vanderbilt is too content to recapitulate such unvarnished brutality. As Jackson says during the trial, “what happened cannot bear to be ignored because it cannot bear to be repeated.” Vanderbilt’s film ensures that we can’t ignore what happened, but what’s missing is space for reflection on how what we see has, in fact, already happened again and again. There’s an urgent, timely, and powerful message “Nuremberg” offers; I just wonder how many more it will convince through its stilted approach who aren’t already on Jackson’s side.
Then there’s “Carolina Caroline,” a romantic crime thriller whose unique blend of sexiness and tragedy sizzles off the screen. Of the three projects featuring Samara Weaving that have been released this year, this is by far the strongest, as director Adam Carter Rehmeier and writer Tom Dean finally gift her material that takes full advantage of her ability to shift between vulnerability and vigor at a moment’s notice. Throw in a scene partner like Kyle Gallner and a smooth-as-whiskey score from Christopher Bear, and it all makes “Carolina Caroline” a film that sucker punches you from its first frame.
When we meet the titular Caroline, she embodies the restlessness of feeling obligated to one’s hometown while desiring to escape it. While caring for her single father (Jon Gries), she finds her ticket to freedom in Kyle Gallner’s Oliver. The two strike up a romance as Oliver teaches her his criminal ways; as their love crescendos, so does the scale of their crimes.
“Carolina Caroline” is full of stick-ups, shoot-outs, and heists, but Dean’s script and Rehmeier’s direction give us characters we care about. At the emotional center of Caroline is her reeling with abandonment by her mother, and the film calls into question the health of her trying to fill that void through seeking violence and thrills. There’s a grainy, hand-held camera aesthetic as the film progresses, almost as if Oliver and Caroline are recording home videos of their crimes to pass on to family members later. We know watching that as much as Caroline and Oliver are riding high on their robberies, the crash has to come somehow, and there’s a skittish tension as we wait for their downfall to come.
Weaving dazzles in one particular sequence, where, after someone is killed, Caroline realizes the terrifying endgame of the life of crime she’s embarked on. She’s reached the point of no return, and that disillusionment is harrowing and disquieting. It’s these moments of character development amidst the spectacle that make “Carolina Caroline” a rip-roaring, tragic, joyride.
- Chloe Zhao’s “Hamnet” Wins the TIFF People’s Choice Award (September 14, 2025)
From the official press release from the Toronto International Film Festival, with links to our coverage of the winning films, when available.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS PRESENTED BY ROGERS
The 48th edition of TIFF’s People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, presents the audience’s top titles at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All feature films and Primetime series in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible.
People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: Hamnet, dir. Chloé Zhao
First runner-up: Frankenstein, dir. Guillermo del Toro
Second runner-up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, dir. Rian Johnson
International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: No Other Choice, dir. Park Chan-wook
First runner-up: Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier
Second runner-up: Homebound, dir. Neeraj Ghaywan
People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers: The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, dir. Barry Avrich
First runner-up: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, dir. Baz Luhrmann
Second runner-up: You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution…, dir. Nick Davis
People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, dir. Matt Johnson
First runner-up: Obsession, dir. Curry Barker
Second runner-up: The Furious, dir. Kenji Tanigaki
SHORT CUTS AWARDS
Short Cuts Awards are presented to the Best International Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, and Best Animated Short Film, as awarded by the Short Cuts jury. Each of the three winning films will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD. The 2025 jurors for the Short Cuts Awards are Ashley Iris Gill, Marcel Jean, and Connor Jessup.
Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film:
Talk Me, dir. Joecar Hanna | Spain/USA
Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This film sparked one of the most interesting conversations around the jury table. Talk Me is bold in its portrayal of intimacy and the universal longing for connection. The characters fit so naturally into the film’s unique, evocative world that everything feels normal very quickly. Its cinematography is beautiful, delicate yet deliberate, each frame carefully crafted to draw us deeper into the story. By allowing the visuals to lead, the film creates an immersive experience of vulnerability and honesty. For its courage, craft, and sensitivity, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film to Joecar Hanna’s Talk Me.”
Honourable Mention:
Agapito, dirs. Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Danelle Romero | Philippines
Short Cuts jury’s statement: “For its formal precision, command of a delicate tone, poetic awareness of space and movement, and deeply personal reflections on family, the jury is thrilled to present an Honourable Mention to Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s remarkable Agapito. The jury also wants to acknowledge the brilliantly nuanced and committed performances of the film’s young cast.”
Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film:
The Girl Who Cried Pearls, dirs. Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski | Canada
Short Cuts jury’s statement: “In addition to highlighting the film’s daring technical achievement and sumptuous artistic direction, the jury also wants to recognize a fable about greed and the capacity of artists to create a fantastic world by the power of their narrative voice. The Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film goes to Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski for The Girl Who Cried Pearls.”
Honourable Mention:
A Soft Touch, dir. Heather Young
Short Cuts jury’s statement: “A Soft Touch really pierced our hearts. It finds a way to transform routine, everyday moments into a quietly devastating portrait of neglect and resilience. With searing precision and simplicity, the film illuminates how easily older folks can be overlooked, and in doing so, demands our attention, empathy, and accountability. The jury awards an Honourable Mention to Heather Young’s A Soft Touch.”
Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film:
To the Woods, dir. Agnès Patron | France
Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This wordless journey into the bond between two siblings becomes a transcendent meditation on the mysteries of time and memory, love and loss, connection and transformation. Animated with lush, cosmic beauty and vibrating with tenderness and insight, the film plunges its viewer into deep, deep feeling. For its overwhelming artistry, luminous spirit, and soul-expanding sense of mystery, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film to Agnès Patron’s To the Woods. The jury also wants to note the film’s jaw-dropping sound design and the work of composer Pierre Oberkampf, whose score ranks among the best film music of recent years.”
FIPRESCI PRIZE
The FIPRESCI jury is awarding the International Critics Prize, dedicated to emerging filmmakers, to a debut feature film having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery or Centrepiece programmes. The 2025 FIPRESCI jury members are: Katharina Dockhorn (Germany), Francisco Ferreira (Portugal), Jean-Philippe Guerand (France), Andy Hazel (Australia), and Justine Smith (Canada).
FIPRESCI Prize:
Forastera, dir. Lucía Aleñar Iglesias | Spain/Italy/Sweden
FIPRESCI jury’s statement: “Spanish cinema, long shaped by the exuberance of Pedro Almodóvar, has found a new distinctive voice in Lucía Aleñar Iglesias. Set on sun-drenched Mallorca, Forastera follows 16-year-old Cata, whose carefree family holiday is brought to a halt by the death of her grandmother. In her grief, the teenager takes on the older woman’s persona — wearing her clothes, adopting her gestures and silences. Aleñar Iglesias directs with restraint and precision, finding power in understatement. Performances from newcomer Zoe Stein and veteran Lluís Homar anchor the film’s dreamlike rhythms. What might sound slight becomes luminous: a meditation on an adolescent’s first encounter with death, and a ghost story about how the past lingers in the present. Forastera is a quietly assured debut, simple yet transformative, marking Aleñar Iglesias as a filmmaker the FIPRESCI jury would like to bet on.”
NETPAC AWARD
Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific regions. The jury consists of three international community members selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the best Asian film by a first or second-time feature director. The 2025 NETPAC jury members are Dina Iordanova, Helen Lee, and Keoprasith Souvannavong, who is serving as Jury Chair.
NETPAC Award:
In Search of The Sky (Vimukt), dir. Jitank Singh Gurjar | India
NETPAC jury’s statement: “For offering an indelible tale of tolerance, desperation and faith, conveyed through a unique lens of realism and poetics, elevated by striking performances. In Search of The Sky (Vimukt) is a truly independent achievement by Indian filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar. The film transports the audience to rural central India, where an impoverished elderly couple contends with their cognitively challenged adult son and the villagers who threaten their existence. A beacon of hope comes in the form of the Maha Kumbh Mela, a pilgrimage to the world’s largest spiritual gathering where they seek renewal and new possibilities of life.”
BEST CANADIAN DISCOVERY AWARD
The Best Canadian Discovery Award celebrates works of emerging filmmakers who contribute to enriching the Canadian film landscape. All Canadian first or second feature films in Official Selection are eligible for this award. The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 CAD.
Jury members presiding over both the Best Canadian Discovery Award and Best Canadian Feature Film Award are: Jennifer Baichwal, Sophie Jarvis, and R.T. Thorne:
“Thirty-five films in 10 days gives you some perspective on the cinematic zeitgeist in our country. As a jury, we were particularly impressed by the wonderful variety, breadth, and strength of storytelling in the Indigenous films supported by the Indigenous Screen Office. This was a powerful indicator of the future of cinema in this country, and we look forward to seeing more in the future.”
Best Canadian Discovery Award:
Blue Heron, dir. Sophy Romvari | Canada
Jury’s statement: “Blue Heron, written and directed by Sophy Romvari, is a film centered on a family struggling with a troubling personal crisis, where all elements — script, direction, cinematography, performance and editing — unite to powerfully transcend the sum of their parts. The complexity of story, perspective, and emotion is conveyed with understated simplicity — nothing is superfluous — and the transitions between real and imagined, past and present, are seamless, as well as heartbreaking. Blue Heron is a stunning and assured feature debut about love, grief, memory, and the yearning to go back to the moment before everything changed.”
Honourable Mention:
100 Sunset, dir. Kunsang Kyirong | Canada
Jury’s statement: “We as a jury were struck by the remarkable world-building in 100 Sunset, Kunsang Kyirong’s directorial debut. She invites us into the apartment complex that is home to members of the Tibetan immigrant community in Toronto, where we experience the gossip, rivalries, and intrigues through the eyes of an observant young thief who rarely speaks but seems to register everything. The growing friendship between the thief and a newly arrived young wife is a study in seeing and being seen, and the interplay of an old DV camera perspective takes us along on their journey of expanding horizons.”
BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD
The Best Canadian Feature Film Award honours the unique craft and storytelling in Canadian cinema. All Canadian feature films in Official Selection — excluding first or second features — are considered for the award. The winning filmmaker will receive a $10,000 CAD cash prize.
Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), dir. Zacharias Kunuk | Canada
Jury’s statement: “Wrong Husband, directed by Zacharias Kunuk, is a love story from thousands of years ago that blends the epic and intimate and immerses viewers in a mesmerizing and unique cinematic experience. The supernatural is ever-present and matter of fact alongside exquisite details of the daily rhythms of ancient Inuit life. The humour, gentleness and stoicism in the characters’ interactions is deeply moving, and the landscape is both a sublime setting and a character in itself. This is a beautiful and not unexpected achievement from a master storyteller.”
Honourable Mention:
There Are No Words, dir. Min Sook Lee | Canada
Jury’s statement: “An Honourable Mention goes to There Are No Words, written and directed by veteran documentarian Min Sook Lee. This film is a profound and devastating story of unspeakable loss; the shifting shape and mingling of individual and collective memory; the sometimes brutal immigrant experience; and how past violent personal and political realities can continue to define the identity of a family.”
PLATFORM AWARD
Marking the tenth anniversary of the Festival’s competitive section, Platform champions bold directorial vision and distinctive storytelling on the world stage. The Platform Award is a prize of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury: Carlos Marqués-Marcet (Jury Chair), Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Chloé Robichaud.
Platform Award:
To The Victory!, dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych | Ukraine/Lithuania
Platform jury’s statement: “To The Victory! is the unanimous choice for this year’s Platform Award amongst a very strong selection. Bringing cinematic language to its roots and, at the same time, masterfully playing with audience expectations, this film dismantles convention to reveal deeply resonant universal emotions. Director Valentyn Vasyanovych has choreographed a mise-en-scène rendered with masterful precision, arriving at the kind of refined simplicity that can only be achieved with artistic maturity and bold vision. He has deftly used comedy to address a very complicated and complex situation into a work that is both audacious and profoundly beautiful. Ultimately, the film returns us to the very essence of cinema — reminding us why we are compelled to tell stories on film, and why we continue to do so.”
Honourable Mention:
Hen, dir. György Pálfi | Germany/Greece/Hungary
Platform jury’s statement: “The jury also wishes to recognize the extraordinary artistry of director György Pálfi, whose work exemplifies boldness, intelligence, and creative ingenuity. Blending cinematic genres in an inventive and seamless manner, Hen demonstrates remarkable precision in its camera movement and shot composition, resulting in an exceptionally effective narrative. György’s unwavering commitment to exploring humanity through the perspective of the hen yields a singularly original vision — a work of stunning originality, unlike anything else in contemporary cinema.”
Awards descriptions including eligibility can be found here: tiff.net/awards. Information on the People’s Choice Award voting process can be found here: tiff.net/vote.
Last Sunday, TIFF hosted its seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards, in partnership with Rolex. Photos of the event can be found here.
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, concludes today. The 51st edition of the Festival will take place September 10–20, 2026.
- TIFF 2025: Erupcja, Junk World, The Napa Boys (September 14, 2025)
The titles that usually break out of TIFF’s Midnight Madness program are often characterized by audacious, crowd-pleasing spectacle (consider the uproarious acclaim for “The Furious”). I’ve always been drawn to the more unconventional midnighters; those stories that may not boast the action choreography and visceral thrills of their louder siblings, but remain intriguingly disquieting. This dispatch covers two Midnighters here that fit that bill, plus another lo-fi cut featuring a brat-ty pop star that feels right at home with these strange delights.
Pete Oh’s “Erupcja” arrived with considerable fanfare and built-in hype thanks to the casting of pop star Charli XCX. It is a strong showcase for the singer, who radiates a restrained confidence. She stars as Bethany, a woman who has arrived in Warsaw with her boyfriend, Rob (Will Madden). Bethany has the correct suspicion that Rob is going to try to propose to her, so she abandons the carefully crafted plans he’s laid out and seeks the company of her longtime friend, Nel (Lena Góra).
Their reunion is quite literally explosive; as Bethany recounts, every time the two are in the physical proximity of each other, a volcano erupts (some of their greatest hits include eruptions in Iceland, Chile, Ecuador, and the Philippines). Rob later informs that Mount Etna erupted, which confirms the trend. Nel and Bethany have fallen out of love, with Nel in particular disenchanted by Bethany’s propensity to appear and disappear at her whim, but the temptation to reconnect after so much lost time is irresistible to them both.
Whether these eruptions are purely coincidental or there’s a mythological buttress to their relationship isn’t the core mystery of Ohs’ film; it isn’t the most important mystery to solve in Oh’s film. It’s very much a “hangout” movie, but the simplicity of its breezy, no frills story acts as a playground for Ohs’ actors to meditate on how elemental emotions like love, and the ways the universe, if it had a voice, might reject our self-loathing and offer grace instead. This is a project that focuses on the ways natural disasters–those unexplainable forces–can remind us of our finitude, and remind us that with our limited time on Earth, we should try our best to make amends with the people who’ve meant the most to us.
This idea of characters flitting between disconnection and connection is beautifully manifested in the filmmaking itself; Ohs shoots the film with lots of intimate handheld camera angles; it often feels like we’re chasing after Nel or Bethany, who are always out of our reach. This continuous sense of playfulness and mix between the profound and the everyday that makes “Erupcja” so quietly incendiary. Ohs, also cleverly intercuts a particularly emotional monologue with an establishing shot of Warsaw or a volcano. It’s as if to say that our personal lives are so wrapped up in the larger story of nature that those two temperaments can affect the other.
On the complete opposite end of restraint is director and stop-motion trailblazer Takahide Hori’s “Junk World.” It’s a prequel set more than a millennium before Hori’s film “Junk Head,” and is by all accounts, one of the most insane films I’ve ever seen. Overkill means little, however, if there isn’t anything to anchor the madness, and as it stands, despite some truly riveting set pieces and intriguing ideas, it all just feels like a sizzle reel for work that could have been in service of a better, less convoluted story.
But still, the world that Hori has crafted here is breathtaking. It would have been forgivable and understandable if, to save on time and money, Hori had made the apocalyptic hellscape depicted simplistic or too similar to our own. It feels like he took the film as a challenge to see how much of the familiar he could render uncanny. He remixes and fleshes out every detail of this strange, violent world: monstrous, four legged creatures stalk the Earth, creepy parasites slither across the ground and are quickly stomped asunder by combat boots, a character pulls the trigger on a revolver which discharges a sword blade, a crashed train’s broken cars are sprawled like a mechanical, open hand, phallic shaped fungi adorn dinner plates … the list of striking images keeps going.
All these accoutrements serve as a way to tell a larger story: that of humans and Mulligans (artificial life forms that were created to work for humans but, upon gaining consciousness, rebelled against humanity). The two factions are in a ceasefire, but after an anomaly in the underground city of Kaapvaal, a team of humans and Mulligans has to work together to investigate it. Time travel, dimensional distortions, cults, cannibalism, and any other trope of the dystopian genre manage to find their way into the film.
Split into three acts, the film is a bit too convoluted to sink your teeth into, but Hori keeps it moving at a brisk pace due to its impressive fight scenes. There was only a team of six who worked on this, and it’s fascinating to see the ambition of his set pieces, whether a mech-suited warrior is firing missiles into the mouth of a monster, or BDSM wearing Mulligans are fighting with spears. The beauty of something like stop motion is that you can tell the labor of care that goes into making it; in every eccentric element of “Junk World,” you can feel Hori and his team’s love for intimate spectacle.
Watching “The Napa Boys” is the equivalent of witnessing a trio having a conversation, but two members suddenly decide to start cracking inside jokes. It can be novel for a while, but such isolation can quickly sour into resentment due to exclusion. If you’re going to ask your audiences to go on an esoteric journey with you, it’s important to make the story you tell compelling or worth their trust, and at every turn, Nick Corirossi keeps viewers farther away, content with leaving us on the outskirts rather than giving us an entry point for accessibility.
It’s unfortunate because the bones of Corirossi’s story make for an ingenious starting point. “The Napa Boys” is positioned as the fourth installment of a long running franchise (the title card confirms as such, officially revealing itself as “The Napa Boys 4: The Sommelier’s Amulet.”) The humor comes from the fact that we’ve never met any of these characters before and yet are expected to have buy into their stories, struggles, and relationships. There’s some clever commentary here about some of the “homework” that larger IP franchises make their viewers have to consume to stay up to date; “The Napa Boys” doubles down on it all by throwing them in the deep end of a franchise that never existed until this installment.
It’s evident that the film is spoofing not just Hollywood franchise filmmaking, in the same vein of comedies like “Wet Hot American Summer,” and the alt-comedians that Corirossi has enlisted here are in tune with the film’s faddish wavelength. The titular boys (Armen Weitzman, Corirossi, Nelson Franklin, and Jamar Neighbors) along with a newcomer, Puck (Sarah Ramos) have an effortless chemistry that feels as if they’ve truly known each other for years and I found even the moments where they spoke in ways I didn’t understand to be heartwarming if only because the distance I felt was indicative of how well they know each other.
I could try to explain the contours of the plot, but once again, the very premise of Corirossi’s story challenges the importance of a film even needing one; it’s almost as if he and his crew are trying to see how long they can keep a story without coherence. The Napa Boys unite to help their friend and wine maker Mitch (Mike Mitchell) win something called “The Greatest Grape” competition, but discover there are more mysterious forces at play due to an entity known as the “Sommelier.” Nothing is explained, and information and jokes are thrown at you at dizzying speed (fans of everything from “Sideways” to “Megalopolis” to “The Fabelmans” will feel vindication here). All the while, cinematographer Markus Mentzer employs a mix of jarring crash zooms and close-ups to give the sense that we should all be finding this funny.
This is less of a film, more of a smorgasbord of insular wisecracks upheld by crass humor and full-throated yelling. What “The Napa Boys” does have going for it is that while watching it, you’re likely to be reminded of life’s finitude. As the minutes slog along, it will likely galvanize you to seek out better films and will help you realize your limited time is too precious to squander on projects like this.
- New Trailer for 'The Dark Crystal' - Returning to Theaters in October (September 15, 2025)
"Which one of us will be the new Emperor?" Fathom Entertainment has unveiled a new trailer for the 2025 re-release of the 1980s fantasy classic movie The Dark Crystal, made by Frank Oz & Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company. Featuring puppets and creatures galore, it's considered a favorite with many movie geeks who grew up in the 80s. This screening is part of The Jim Henson Company's 70th Anniversary celebration and features an introduction from Brian Henson, Jim Henson’s son & Chairman of the Board of The Henson Company. The Dark Crystal originally opened in 1982 and celebrated its 40th Anniversary back in 2022 (it's out on 4K Blu-ray). Jen and Kira, surviving members of the Gelfling tribe, set out to find the crystal’s missing shard and begin a dangerous journey that will bring them face to face with evil Skeksis and mysterious creatures at every turn. Jen and Kira will not back down as they race the clock to save their planet in this masterful live-action fantasy starring some of the most imaginative creatures ever put on film. Starring Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, & Percy Edwards. After waiting decades, they finally made a new legacy sequel The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance which is also available on Netflix now. The OG 1982 classic will be back in theaters for two nights only this October - take the kids! Have fun. // Continue Reading ›
- Venice 2025 Recap - 8 Outstanding Films to Watch From the Festival (September 15, 2025)
"What I want to test is not so complex..." Each year, I am lucky for the opportunity to return to the splendid city of Venice in Northern Italy to attend the Venice Film Festival and catch the latest films premiering there. This year's festival was much better than the previous year (my recap of 2024 here) and I've listed the 8 best films of the festival below. This was my ninth year returning to Venice, and I'm always glad to be back, no matter how many terrific films I get to see (or bad films I have to sit through anyway). In total, I watched around 30 films at Venice this year, with many of them ending up being pretty good (phew!). The finest films of the fest were two majestically cinematic works of art by female filmmakers: The Testament of Ann Lee and Silent Friend. I would've been so happy with either winning the Golden Lion, but instead they ended up giving it to Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother - one of the worst films I have seen all year. Oh well, it happens. Instead, I want to highlight my favorites from Venice 2025. I always do my best to watch as many films as I can, hoping to find any hidden gems and breakout hits amidst the global selection. // Continue Reading ›
- Scary Full Trailer for 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' with Charlie Hunnam (September 15, 2025)
"You're the one who can't look away..." Netflix has revealed the full official trailer for the scary new horror series titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the third season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's ongoing "Monster" series for Netflix. This time they're focusing on the infamous, iconic serial killer known as Ed Gein, the basis for Hitchcock's Psycho and Hooper's Texas Chain Saw Massacre (and many other horror stories). This is a fictionalized version of his real story, embellished to make into a Netflix series, not a true crime doc - starring Charlie Hunnam as Eddie Gein. Hunnam adds: "This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did. But who he was being at the center of it, rather than what he did." Murphy adds: "The thesis of every season is: are monsters born or are they made? I think in Ed's case, it's probably a little of both." Monster: The Ed Gein Story tells the story of how one simple man in Plainfield, WI became history's most singular ghoul. He revealed to the world the most horrific truth of all: monsters aren't born, they're made... by us. Also stars Tom Hollander, Laurie Metcalf, & Suzanna Son. Plus: Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Lesley Manville, Joey Pollari, Charlie Hall, Tyler Jacob Moore, Mimi Kennedy, Will Brill, Robin Weigert. This looks freaky! Hunnam looks quite scary... // Continue Reading ›
- Epic Official Trailer for 'The Luc Besson 9-Film Collection' 4K BR Set (September 15, 2025)
"What exactly do you do for a living?" He makes movies! Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that they're releasing a brand new Blu-ray box set this fall. It's called the Luc Besson 9-Film Collection, featuring for HD copies of the first 9 movies made by French filmmaker Luc Besson. All nine are on Blu-ray though only 6 of the films are 4K Ultra HD. Many of these are bonafide classics - The Fifth Element is one of my all-time favorites! Though I have to say, after these first nine I think his filmmaking took a downward turn and he hasn't made anything as incredible on this level again since 2005. The 9-film collection includes Luc Besson's: Le Dernier Combat, Subway, The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, Atlantis, Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, and Angel-A. Many of his movies from this era were either sci-fi or fantastical or over-the-top with an action thriller premise. "Be one of the first to bring home this one-of-a-kind gift set honoring the visionary French filmmaker, Luc Besson. Including 9 of his most celebrated works, don’t miss out on this must-own collection." Sony also cut a trailer feature footage from these 9 movies and you know what – it is an thrilling recap. Take a look below. // Continue Reading ›
- Claire Danes & Matthew Rhys in New Series 'The Beast in Me' Teaser (September 15, 2025)
"We are, all of us, drawn to monsters... We flirt with death to prove we're truly alive. And if we can't stop, then that small fire we lit might just burn the whole house down... with us still inside." One helluva quote to start with! Netflix has revealed a first look teaser trailer for a new series titled The Beast in Me, a crime thriller following a woman investigating her neighbor. This is set to launch on Netflix in November this fall. From the creators of "Homeland" comes another tricky new series. Author Aggie Wiggs, grieving her the loss of her son, finds new purpose unraveling the mystery behind neighbor Nile Sheldon's vanished wife and his suspicious dealings. At once horrified and fascinated by this man, Aggie finds herself compulsively hunting for the truth – chasing his demons while fleeing her own – in a game of cat & mouse that might turn deadly. Interesting... Starring Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, Brittany Snow, & Natalie Morales. Also with Jonathan Banks, David Lyons, Tim Guinee, Hettienne Park, Deidre O’Connell, Aleyse Shannon, Will Brill, Kate Burton, Bill Irwin, Amir Arison, Julie Ann Emery. This looks compelling! Lots of secrets hidden within. // Continue Reading ›
