The wait is over: TIFF unveils the 50 films that shaped its legacy

TIFF is proud to unveil the full lineup of its summer marquee series, The TIFF Story in 50 Films, celebrating the Festival’s 50th edition this September. Curated by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey with contributions from programmers past and present, the series highlights 50 pivotal films that have shaped TIFF’s rich history of curatorial excellence and influenced global cinema.

The screenings will run June 13 to August 27 at the Lightbox. Audiences will hear an explanation of each film’s significance to TIFF and the role the Festival played in the film’s journey. This will include in-person Q&As with filmmakers, video introductions from artists, and behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes shared by former and current TIFF programmers offering personal insights into these defining cinematic moments. Tickets, free for TIFF Members with the exception of some special presentations, will be available starting Wednesday, May 14 at 10am and to the general public beginning Friday, May 16 at 10am. More information about the films can be found at tiff.net/50films.

“Fifty wasn’t enough!” says Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “But putting together this list was as much fun as it was daunting. Guided by input from many of TIFF’s programmers and leaders of the past five decades, we landed on 50 films that tell the story of our festival’s obsessions, discoveries, and lasting influence. At the heart of it: those moments when TIFF’s curation met the Toronto audience and the world found a new movie to fall in love with.”

Spanning diverse genres, filmmakers, countries, and decades, these 50 films echo the spirit captured in the first ever Festival of Festivals 1976 programme book by founders Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk, and Dusty Cohl, who wrote: “Hopefully, there is something for everyone. Not everything for everyone, but something.”

In addition to the marquee series, TIFF is celebrating throughout the summer leading into the Festival with free outdoor screenings, streamings on MUBI Canada, limited edition TIFF50 merch, a digital timeline, and more.

The TIFF Story in 50 Films (in order by screening date)

• June 13: The Princess Bride (1987) dir. Rob Reiner, USA (People’s Choice Award winner)
• June 14: Memories of Murder (2003) dir. Bong Joon-ho, South Korea
• June 15: Antonia’s Line (1995) dir. Marleen Gorris, Netherlands (PCA winner)
• June 18: In the Cut (2003) dir. Jane Campion, USA/Australia
• June 19: My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) dir. Stephen Frears, United Kingdom
• June 21: Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013) dir. Jeff Barnaby, Canada
• June 22: Viva Riva! (2010) dir. Djo Tunda Wa Munga, Congo - Kinshasa
• June 22: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) dir. Frank Darabont, USA (*special presentation, Q&A with James and Roger Deakins moderated by Cameron Bailey)
• June 24: Next of Kin (1984) dir. Atom Egoyan, Canada
• June 28: Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) dir. Werner Herzog, France/Canada/USA/Germany/United Kingdom (*special presentation/ shown in 3D)
• June 28: Jennifer’s Body (2009) dir. Karyn Kusama, USA
• June 29: Love in the Time of Hysteria (1991) dir. Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico
• July 2: Lady Macbeth (2016) dir. William Oldroyd, United Kingdom
• July 4: My Winnipeg (2007) dir. Guy Maddin, Canada (*special presentation/live narration with Q&A)
• July 5: Revenge (2017) dir. Coralie Fargeat, France
• July 6: I Am Not Your Negro (2016) dir. Raoul Peck, France/USA/Belgium/Switzerland (PCA TIFF Docs winner)
• July 10: Away from Her (2006) dir. Sarah Polley, Canada
• July 11–13: Boogie Nights (1997) dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, USA (*special presentation/70mm print)
• July 12: The Big Chill (1983) dir. Lawrence Kasdan, USA (PCA winner)
• July 15: Phoenix (2014) dir. Christian Petzold, Germany
• July 17: Matador (1986) dir. Pedro Almodóvar, Spain
• July 18: Saint Maud (2019) dir. Rose Glass, United Kingdom
• July 19: A Brighter Summer Day (1991) dir. Edward Yang, Taiwan
• July 20: Whale Rider (2002) dir. Niki Caro, New Zealand/Germany (PCA winner)
• July 20: Dead Ringers (1988) dir. David Cronenberg, Canada
• July 24: Braindead (1992) dir. Peter Jackson, New Zealand
• July 25: Drugstore Cowboy (1989) dir. Gus Van Sant, USA
• July 26: The Killer (1989) dir. John Woo, Hong Kong
• July 27: Highway 61 (1991) dir. Bruce McDonald, Canada
• July 29: Sexy Beast (2000) dir. Jonathan Glazer, United Kingdom
• August 1: The Raid: Redemption (2011) dir. Gareth Evans, Indonesia/France/USA (PCA Midnight Madness winner)
• August 2: Eve’s Bayou - Director’s Cut (1997) dir. Kasi Lemmons, USA
• August 2: After Life (1998) dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu, Japan
• August 3: Let Each One Go Where He May (2009) dir. Ben Russell, USA
• August 7: Maelström (2000) dir. Denis Villeneuve, Canada
• August 8: Leaving Las Vegas (1995) dir. Mike Figgis, USA
• August 9: Slumdog Millionaire (2008) dir. Danny Boyle, United Kingdom (PCA winner)
• August 10: Roger & Me (1989) dir. Michael Moore, USA (PCA winner)
• August 10: Water (2005) dir. Deepa Mehta, Canada/USA/India
• August 14: A Soldier’s Story (1984) dir. Norman Jewison, USA
• August 15: Maqbool (2003) dir. Vishal Bhardwaj, India
• August 16: The Fabelmans (2022) dir. Steven Spielberg, USA (PCA winner)
• August 17: Near Dark (1987) dir. Kathryn Bigelow, USA
• August 19: Brothers (2004) dir. Susanne Bier, Denmark
• August 21: The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) dir. Juan Jose Campanella, Argentina/Spain
• August 22: Jallikattu (2019) dir. Lijo Jose Pellissery, India
• August 23: Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993) dir. Alanis Obomsawin, Canada
• August 24: Thank You for Smoking (2006) dir. Jason Reitman, USA
• August 26: Harlan County USA (1976) dir. Barbara Kopple, USA
• August 27: The Boy and the Heron (2023) dir. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan

In Conversation With… James and Roger Deakins (June 22 at 5:30pm)
Iconic cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife and collaborator James Deakins (together they host the film industry podcast TeamDeakins) are participating in an In Conversation With… series to discuss their illustrious career. Deakins is an English cinematographer and the recipient of five BAFTA Awards for Best Cinematography, and two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography from 16 nominations including his first ever Oscar nomination for The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont (still the number one movie on IMDb to this day).

Downtown Movies in the Park (Wednesdays 9:30pm, July 9 – August 13)
Presented in partnership with the Downtown West BIA, Downtown Movies in the Park features six free outdoor screenings at David Pecaut Square. Each Wednesday night screening will start at 9:30pm, with a pre-show beginning at 9pm, offering photo ops, live performances, film introductions, and other outdoor activities. All screenings will have open captions, with TIFF concessions on site for purchase.

• July 9: The Princess Bride dir. Rob Reiner, introduced by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey
• July 16: That Thing You Do dir. Tom Hanks
• July 23: Beans dir. Tracey Deer
• July 30: The Wild Robot dir. Chris Sanders
• August 6: The Martian dir. Ridley Scott, introduced by Cameron Bailey
• August 13: School of Rock dir. Richard Linklater, introduced by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee

Harbourfront Centre’s Free Flicks
In partnership with Harbourfront Centre and in celebration of TIFF’s 50th edition, a free outdoor screening of Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water will take place on July 8, fittingly on the water, kicking off their “free flicks” summer series.

TIFF 50 on MUBI
To extend the celebration beyond in-cinema events, TIFF has partnered with MUBI to bring a selection of films curated by Cameron Bailey to subscribers in Canada. Available from June 13 to December 31, this collection features stand-out titles that have premiered at the Festival over the decades. MUBI is offering TIFF audiences a 60-day free trial to the streaming service with an in-cinema QR code promotion.

TIFF 50 available now at TIFF Shop
Brand new TIFF 50 merchandise is now available in the TIFF Shop and online at tiff.net/shop. This includes limited-edition t-shirts and rugby jerseys, as well as caps, socks, and more.

Test your TIFF IQ with the new TIFF Timeline!
Now live on tiff.net/tiff50timeline, discover the new digital timeline to explore (or recall!) key moments in TIFF’s history and find the answers to these questions below.

• Which film caused a near-riot in 1978 after hundreds of eager would-be audience members were turned away after the Ontario Censor Board requested the removal of a sex scene and the Festival compromised to only show it, in its entirety, the night of its premiere?
• In which year was the People’s Choice Award (PCA) introduced? This award is voted on by audiences and has become a strong predictor of Oscar success. Films like Chariots of Fire, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Fabelmans all won it before going on to Academy Award glory.
• Which star of 1987’s People’s Choice Award–winning film needed a custom-made chair to be built in order to watch his film’s World Premiere in the theatre?
• Which movement did director Alanis Obomsawin capture behind barricades for her 1993 documentary that went on to win TIFF’s Best Canadian Feature Film award?
• How much did a Festival of Festivals pass cost in 1976?

Not found on the timeline, but feel free to reach out to proffice@tiff.net if you’re stumped.

Be part of TIFF history
From unforgettable screenings and surprise celebrity encounters, to your favourite red carpet moments, we want to hear your TIFF stories that helped shape our Festival. Visit tiff.net/tiff50stories to upload your favourite memories and photos. Your story could be featured all summer long across TIFF’s social channels.

Coming up
The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will run September 4–14, 2025. Festival media accreditation will opens June 2 at 8am ET and closes on July 7 at 8pm ET.

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About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. A global leader in film and entertainment, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit, an innovative national distribution program; and the TIFF Content Market launching in 2026. The organization generates an estimated annual economic impact of $240 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Festival Presenting Sponsor Rogers Communications.

TIFF is generously supported by Major Sponsors RBC and Visa, and Major Supporters: the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, and City of Toronto.

TIFF Cinematheque is supported by Ontario Creates and Canada Council for the Arts.

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