The 50th Toronto International Film Festival Lines Up 50 British Films

The Toronto International Film Festival, affectionately known as TIFF, is the Johnny-Come-Lately of the Film Festival circuit. Unlike Berlin, Venice, or Cannes, Toronto only started hosting film festivals in the 1970s, around the same time as Sundance. While some Film Festivals are gearing up for their centenary in the next few years, TIFF is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. The lower number means there are many fun ways to celebrate using that number, including all the British (and British-starring) films in contention for 2025.

Unlike its European counterparts, where English hegemony is currently not in vogue, Toronto leans heavily on British and British-starring films as the heart of its lineup. That's partly due to being part of the Commonwealth, but it's also a matter of location. Toronto is much easier for American critics to attend than flying across the ocean. Because it's on this side of the pond, it occurs directly after the Venice Film Festival, and months before the American Film Institute's Festival, it gets to host the "North American" debuts of most of the major awards contenders.

TIFF also has numerous categories for films to find homes, which means it usually offers an expansive selection, from showcasing up-and-coming talent to the main competition to "Special Presentations," which are always studded with some of the biggest debuts of the year. Here's the rundown.