CN Tower illuminated at night in Toronto, Ontario (© R.M. Nunes/Shutterstock)

Big screens, bigger stories—TIFF 2025 is rolling out film reels and flashing bulbs again. Today marks the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, a milestone for a festival that has helped shape global cinema for decades. Since 1976, films like 'La La Land,' 'Belfast,' 'Jojo Rabbit' and '12 Years a Slave' have made waves here first. But TIFF has never been only about Hollywood. It has also helped shine a spotlight on films from across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, and made space for voices that don't always get big prominent exposure.