TIFF’s program announcements are coming fast and furious as the festival builds buzz before the full schedule drop on August 12. Today brings two key pieces of the puzzle: the return of its Primetime and Short Cuts lineups with some big name talent taking on both episodic fare and short-form storytelling.

The TIFF Primetime program includes six World Premieres. Kicking things off is The Lowdown, the latest from Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo, starring and executive produced by Ethan Hawke. Also debuting: Wayward, a Netflix Canadian original from Mae Martin and Ryan Scott, with Toni Collette and Sarah Gadon joining the cast.

TIFF also premieres Black Rabbit, starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman (who also directs), and Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League, a documentary series created by Richard Brown and Tebogo Malope. International work is front and center too, with premieres of Gandhi from Hansal Mehta and The Savage by Iranian filmmaker Houman Seyyedi. Extended Q&As with cast and creators will follow all screenings.

Meanwhile, TIFF’s Short Cuts program returns with a slate of 48 films from 28 countries, including 20 Canadian titles. The program is also bringing back “Strange Cuts,” the Midnight Madness-adjacent strand introduced in 2024.

Highlights from the 2025 roster include the World Premiere of Dust to Dreams from Idris Elba; The Contestant from Patrick Xavier Bresnan and Ivete Lucas, starring David Hasselhoff; and DISC by Cannes alum Blake Winston Rice, co-written by and starring Victoria Ratermanis and Jim Cummings.

Additional standouts include the Spike Lee–backed Talk Me from Joecar Hanna; The Non-Actor, featuring Maya Hawke and Victoria Pedretti; and All the Empty Rooms, a documentary by Joshua Seftel, executive produced by Adam McKay.

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4–14, 2025.

2025 TIFF Primetime Lineup (Alphabetical):

• A Sámi Wedding | Åse Kathrin Vuolab, Pål Jackman | Norway — World Premiere
• Black Rabbit | Zach Baylin, Kate Susman | USA — World Premiere
• Gandhi | Sameer Nair, Hansal Mehta | India — World Premiere
• Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League | Richard Brown, Tebogo Malope | Rwanda/UK/USA — World Premiere
• Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortora | Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France — International Premiere
• Reunion | William Mager, Luke Snellin | UK — North American Premiere
• Rise of the Raven | Balázs Lengyel, Robert Dornhelm | Hungary/Austria/Germany — North American Premiere
• The Lowdown | Sterlin Harjo | USA — World Premiere
• The Savage | Houman Seyyedi | Iran — International Premiere
• Wayward | Mae Martin, Ryan Scott | Canada — World Premiere

See more TIFF coverage from mixyplix here.