TIFF’s 2025 Discovery programme shines a spotlight on emerging global talent with this year’s slate of films

TORONTO — Today, TIFF proudly announces its 2025 Discovery programme, presented by Air France, offering audiences a rare treat to witness talented, visionary filmmakers from across the globe premiering their debut and sophomore features. This year’s diverse lineup kicks off strong with its opening night film, Maddie’s Secret, an unmissable directorial debut satirizing and skewering content culture from iconic alt-comedian John Early, who, alongside a troupe of comedians including Kate Berlant, Vanessa Bayer, and Conner O’Malley, plays the titular role. Other anticipated films include Cato Kusters’ Julian, produced by Michiel and Lukas Dhont; Nadia Latif’s The Man in My Basement, starring Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe; Zamo Mkhwanazi’s Laundry, a rare co-production between South Africa and Switzerland; Taratoa Stappard’s Māori Gothic Mārama; and Canadian director and TIFF alum Eva Thomas’ Nika & Madison.

The Discovery programme holds a rich history of championing and launching some of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, such as Ildikó Enyedi, Alfonso Cuarón, Julie Dash, Jean-Marc Vallée, Christopher Nolan, Maren Ade, Yorgos Lanthimos, Barry Jenkins, Dea Kulumbegashvili, Emma Seligman, and Elegance Bratton. The 2025 Discovery selection has been programmed by Dorota Lech, Jason Anderson, Kelly Boutsalis, Diana Cadavid, Robyn Citizen, June Kim, and Jason Ryle. The programme will deliver 23 World Premiere titles, spanning 30+ countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, promising this year to be a truly unmissable moment to catch the international voices of the future.

2025 Discovery programme (in alphabetical order):

100 Sunset | Kunsang Kyirong | Canada
World Premiere

Amoeba | Siyou Tan | Singapore/Netherlands/France/Spain/South Korea
World Premiere

As We Breathe | Şeyhmus Altun | Turkey/Denmark
World Premiere

Babystar | Joscha Bongard | Germany
World Premiere

Bayaan | Bikas Ranjan Mishra | India
World Premiere

Dinner With Friends | Sasha Leigh Henry | Canada
World Premiere

Egghead Republic | Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja | Sweden
World Premiere

Forastera | Lucía Aleñar Iglesias | Spain/Italy/Sweden
World Premiere

Ghost School | Seemab Gul | Pakistan
World Premiere

Julian | Cato Kusters | Belgium/Netherlands
World Premiere

Laundry | Zamo Mkhwanazi | Switzerland/South Africa
World Premiere

Little Lorraine | Andy Hines | Canada
World Premiere

Maddie’s Secret | John Early | USA
World Premiere

Mārama | Taratoa Stappard | New Zealand
World Premiere

Nika & Madison | Eva Thomas | Canada
World Premiere

Noviembre | Tomás Corredor | Colombia/Mexico/Brazil/Norway
World Premiere

Oca | Karla Badillo | Mexico/Argentina
World Premiere

Our Father | Goran Stankovic | Serbia/Italy/Croatia/North Macedonia/Montenegro/Bosnia and Herzegovina
World Premiere

Out Standing | Mélanie Charbonneau | Canada
World Premiere

Retreat | Ted Evans | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Sink | Zain Duraie | Jordan/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France
World Premiere

The Man in My Basement | Nadia Latif | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere

The Son and the Sea | Stroma Cairns | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Tomorrow’s TIFF Takeover is the Midnight Madness programme and the last announcement of the week. More Festival details will be announced in the coming weeks. The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025.