🎬 TIFF just turned 50 — and it celebrated in style. Over 700,000 film lovers, 1,200 screenings, and 110 red carpets lit up Toronto for a milestone year that blended star power with bold storytelling from around the world. Now that the curtains have closed, it’s time to spotlight the big winners that defined the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
From Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean drama to breakout shorts and stunning Canadian debuts, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s top honors.
🏆 People’s Choice Awards: Fan Favorites Steal the Show
The People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, continue to be a bellwether for awards season — and 2025 was no exception.
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🏅 Winner: Hamnet – Chloé Zhao’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s family life captivated audiences.
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🥈 Runner-Up: Frankenstein – Directed by Guillermo del Toro
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🥉 Third Place: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery – Rian Johnson returns with another whodunnit.
New this year was the International People’s Choice Award, awarded to:
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🏅 No Other Choice – Park Chan-wook
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Runners-up: Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier) and Homebound (Neeraj Ghaywan)
Other Audience Favorites:
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Documentary: The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue – Barry Avrich
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Midnight Madness: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie – Matt Johnson
Want to catch them on the big screen? TIFF Lightbox is hosting free public screenings of the People’s Choice Award winners starting today.
🎥 Platform Award: Spotlight on Bold Storytelling
Celebrating cinematic vision and risk-taking, the Platform Award — TIFF’s only juried feature competition — went to:
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🏆 To The Victory! — Valentyn Vasyanovych
The jury praised it as “profoundly beautiful” and a return to “the essence of cinema.” -
🎖 Honourable Mention: Hen – György Pálfi
✂️ Short Cuts Awards: Small Films, Big Emotions
This year’s Short Cuts program showcased the power of short films — with three $10,000 CAD awards handed out.
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Best International Short Film: Talk Me – Joecar Hanna
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Best Canadian Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls – Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
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Best Animated Short Film: To the Woods – Agnès Patron (new category!)
Honourable mentions went to Agapito (Philippines), A Soft Touch (Canada), and others that left the jury “pierced” and profoundly moved.
🌍 Global Recognition: FIPRESCI & NETPAC Awards
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🌟 FIPRESCI Prize (Critics’ Choice): Forastera – Lucía Aleñar Iglesias
A quiet, sun-soaked Spanish debut that explored grief and identity through the eyes of a teenage girl. -
🌏 NETPAC Award (Asian Cinema): In Search of The Sky (Vimukt) – Jitank Singh Gurjar
A poetic, powerful look at disability, spirituality, and survival in rural India.
🍁 Canadian Spotlight: Celebrating Homegrown Talent
TIFF once again highlighted the incredible depth of Canadian filmmaking.
🇨🇦 Best Canadian Feature Film
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🏆 Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband) – Zacharias Kunuk
A love story set in ancient Inuit culture, full of beauty and quiet power. -
🎖 Honourable Mention: There Are No Words – Min Sook Lee
🌱 Best Canadian Discovery
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🏆 Blue Heron – Sophy Romvari
A deeply affecting debut about family, grief, and memory. -
🎖 Honourable Mention: 100 Sunset – Kunsang Kyirong
A vibrant portrait of Tibetan immigrant life in Toronto.
📅 TIFF 2025 by the Numbers
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700,000+ attendees
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1,200 screenings
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6,000 industry delegates
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2,000+ accredited media
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110 red carpets
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12 major awards
🎬 Looking Ahead
As TIFF 2025 comes to a close, it’s clear the festival continues to be a global beacon for cinematic excellence and discovery. With new awards, powerful international voices, and a reinvigorated celebration of Canadian talent, TIFF’s 50th edition wasn’t just a celebration — it was a promise of what’s still to come.
📍 Save the date: TIFF returns for its 51st edition from September 10–20, 2026.
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Explore the full list of winners and voting details at tiff.net/awards.
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