TIFF March/April 2025 Programming Highlights

TORONTO – WEBWIRE – Friday, February 7, 2025

TIFF Cinematheque will feature retrospectives on Swedish actor-turned-filmmaker Mai Zetterling, Bulgarian filmmaker Binka Zhelyazkova, and iconic Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, plus special events and screenings throughout March and April, including Oscar-nominated films leading up to the awards, celebrations of International Womens Day and more. TIFFs month-long celebration of International Womens Day is supported by RBC.

TIFFs Next Wave Film Festival returns April 1013, bringing young audiences and creators together to explore new voices and perspectives in cinema. Stay tuned for more details!

Information is subject to change. Please visit tiff.net for up-to-date programming details. Tickets for March programming will be available for TIFF Members on Wednesday, February 12, and to the public on Friday, February 14. Tickets for April programming will be available for TIFF Members on Wednesday, March 19, and to the public on Friday, March 21.

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

TIFFs month-long celebration of International Womens Day is supported by RBC

Taboo: Mai Zetterling on Film

February 28 March 23

TIFF Cinematheque presents a centenary celebration marking the legacy of Swedish author, actor, and director Mai Zetterling (19251994) whose three-decade career traversed modalities, producing short films, documentaries, television episodes, and six feature-length films. After early international success in front of the camera acting in Alf SjbergsTorment(1944) and Ingmar BergmansMusic in Darkness(1948), Zetterlings curious (and iconoclastic) sensibility led her to directing. From her incendiary debut featureLoving Couples(1964) onward, Zetterlings bracingly frank depictions of womens health, sexuality, and gender roles would be criticized and sometimes censored, but have emerged as a singular and fearless body of work that remains as transgressively urgent and necessary as it did then.

Unknown Legend: Binka Zhelyazkova

March 726

Banned and lauded, Binka Zhelyazkova was a singular voice in Eastern European cinema. This retrospective highlights her poetic, politically charged films testaments to resistance, survival, womens agency, and defiance in occupied Bulgaria. The series includes a complete overview of Zhelyazkovas six narrative feature films including:Life Flows Quietly By…(1957);We Were Young(1961);The Tied-Up Balloon(1967), which marked Zhelyazkovas first major international screening at Montreals Expo 67;The Last Word(1973);The Swimming Pool(1977); andThe Big Night Bathe(1980).

See the North presented by MUBI

March 11 (6:30pm):Manufactured Landscapes(2006) dir. Jennifer Baichwal

TIFF Family Films

March 2 (4:30pm):Persepolis(2007) dir. Marjane Satrapi

From the Collection with Cameron Bailey

March 4 (6:30pm):Mansfield Park(1999) dir. Patricia Rozema, 35mm print!

TIFF Next Wave Presents

March 19 (6:30pm):Zola(2020) dir. Janicza Bravo

TIFF Cinematheque New and Restored

March 21 (6:30pm):Compensation(1999) dir. Zeinabu irene Davis, withPandemic Bread(2023) dir. Zeinabu irene Davis

With director Zeinabu irene Davis attending

MDFF Selects

March 27 (6:30pm):Fire of Wind(2024) dir. Marta Mateus

TIFF Advance Screening

March 26, (6.30pm):Darkest Miriamdir. Naomi Jaye

With director Naomi Jaye and writer Martha Baillie attending.

New Releases

Opens March 7:Shepherdsdir. Sophie Deraspe (Maison 4:3)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Presentations

2024 Canadas Top Ten list

2024 TIFF – Best Canadian Feature Film Award

2024 Vancouver International Film Festival Official Selection

2024 Zurich Film Festival Official Selection

2024 Cinemania Official Selection

Opens March 14:Can I Get a Witness?dir. Ann Marie Fleming (Mongrel Media)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Presentations

2024 Canadas Top Ten list

2024 Vancouver International Film Festival Official Selection

2024 Calgary International Film Festival Official Selection

2024 Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival Official Selection

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTSThrough the Fire: The Films of Deepa Mehta

April 4-23Over her remarkable 30+ year career, Indo-Canadian writer-director Deepa Mehta has established herself as a bold, humanistic filmmaker. Renowned for her ability to craft deeply moving stories through a culturally hybrid perspective, this retrospective celebrates Mehtas groundbreaking work, which gives voice to individuals capacity for resilience and hope in the face of profound marginalization. Films include: her feature debutSam & Me(1991), her influentialElementstrilogyFire(1997),Earth(1998), andWater(2005),Bollywood/Hollywood(2002),Heaven on Earth(2008),Beeba Boys(2015),Anatomy of Violence(2016), andFunny Boy(2020).Special Screenings

March 1 (4pm):Central Station(1998) dir. Walter Salles

Director Walter Salles filmIm Still Hereis nominated this year at the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, and Best Actress (Fernanda Torres)March 8 (7pm):The Last Angel of History with Edward George(1997) dir. John Akomfrah,

Co-presented with The Music Gallery, with writer Edward George attending.March 13 (6:30pm):The Hours(2002) dir. Stephen DaldryMarch 18 (6:15pm):A Man of Integrity(2017) dir. Mohammad Rasoulof

Director Mohammed Rasoulofs filmThe Seed of the Sacred Figis nominated this year for the Best International Feature Film Academy AwardMarch 20 (6:45pm):Spider(2002) dir. David Cronenberg

Spiderstar Ralph Fiennes performance inConclaveis nominated for an Academy Award this year for Best ActorMarch 25 (6:45pm):In Fabric(2018) dir. Peter StricklandMarch 28 April 2:Blue Velvet(1986) dir. David LynchTIFF Cinematheque New and Restored

April 5 (4pm):Leila and the Wolves(1984) dir. Heiny SrourApril 6 (4pm):Gueule damour(1937) dir. Jean GrmillonApril 19 (4pm):Batang West Side(2001) dir. Lav DiazTIFF Family Films

April 20 (3:00pm):Easter Parade(1948) dir. Charles Walters

From the Collection with Cameron Bailey

April 1 (6:30pm):Cremaster 3(2002) dir. Matthew Barney, 35mm print!

Midnight Madness Presents

April 19 (7pm):Screamers(1995) dir. Christian Duguay

See the North presented by MUBI

April 8 (6:30pm):Mourir tue-tte(1969) dir. Anne Claire Poirier

Wavelengths

March 12 (6:30pm):Henry Fonda for President with Alexander Horwath(2024) dir. Alexander Horwath, Canadian Premiere

Featuring video Q&A with TIFF Cinematheque Senior Curator Andra Picard and director Alexander Horwath.April 9 (6:30pm):Infinite Returnscurated by Suneil Sanzgiri (various filmmakers and artists)

Infinite Returns curated by Suneil Sanzgiri is co-presented by TIFF Wavelengths, Images Festival and Mercer Union, Toronto as a complement to the exhibition Suneil Sanzgiri: An Impossible Address on view at Mercer Union from April 12 June 14 , 2025.
TIFF SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTSParticipatory Screenings

March 9, (1pm):Sing Along:Moana(2016) dirs. Ron Clements, John MuskerSilver Screenings presented by SHINGRIX

April 4 (12pm):The Biggest Little Farm(2018) dir. John Chester
NEW RELEASES2025 Academy Award Nominees

Opens February 14:2025 Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Live Action(Shorts International)

A Liendirs. Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz, 15 min., USA (in English)

Anujadir. Adam J. Graves, 22 min., USA (in Hindi)

Im Not a Robotdir. Victoria Warmerdam, 22 min., Belgium/Netherlands (in Dutch)

The Last Rangerdir. Cindy Lee, 28 min., South Africa (in Xhosa)

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silentdir. Neboja Slijepčević, 13 min., Croatia (in Croatian)

Opens February 14:2025 Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Animated(Shorts International)

Beautiful Mendir. Nicolas Keppens, 18 min., Belgium/France/Netherlands (in Flemish, Dutch, Turkish, and English)

In the Shadow of the Cypressdirs. Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, 20 min., Iran (no dialogue)

Magic Candiesdir. Daisuke Nishio, 21 min., Japan (in Japanese)

Wander to Wonderdir. Nina Gantz, 14 min., Netherlands/Belgium/France/UK (in English)

Yuck!dir. Loc Espuche, 13 min., France (in French)

Opens February 14:2025 Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Documentary(Shorts International)

Death by Numbersdir. Kim A. Snyder, 33 min., USA (in English)

I Am Ready, Wardendir. Smriti Mundhra, 37 min., USA (in English)

Incidentdir. Bill Morrison, 30 min., USA (in English)

Instruments of a BeatingHeart dir. Ema Ryan Yamazaki, 23 min., Japan (in Japanese)

The Only Girl in the Orchestradir. Molly OBrien, 34 min., USA (in English)

2025 Academy Award Nominees – Screening One Night Only

February 9:Emilia Perezdir. Jacques Audiard (Netflix)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Presentations

Nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Original Song, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling

February 13:The Substancedir. Coralie Fargeat (MUBI)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Midnight Madness

Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling

February 13:Flowdir. Gints Zilbalodis (filmswelike)

Post-show Q&A with filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Centrepiece

Nominated for two Oscars, including Best International Feature Film and Best Animated Feature Film

February 16:Dune: Part Twodir. Denis Villeneuve (Warner Brothers)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Events

Nominated for five Oscars, including Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Picture

February 18:Conclavedir. Edward Berger (Elevation Pictures)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Presentations

Nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Original Score, and Best Picture

February 20:Anoradir. Sean Baker (Elevation Pictures)

2024 TIFF Official Selection – Special Presentations

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture

February 25:A Complete Unknowndir. James Mangold (Searchlight Pictures)

Nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Costume Design, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Director, and Best Picture

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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. An international leader in film culture, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning, and entertainment facilities; the innovative national distribution program Film Circuit, 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 Major Sponsors RBC and Visa, and Major Supporters: the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, and City of Toronto.

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