Introduction to the Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is celebrating its 50th edition, and as part of this milestone, the Platform program is marking its 10th anniversary. This program is the only competition department of the festival and focuses on showcasing "brave visions from early to medium career filmmakers who are ready to break out on the world stage". The 2025 Platform section features nine world premieres from 19 countries, including a diverse range of films that tackle various topics and themes.
Films Featured in the Platform Section
Some of the notable films featured in the Platform section include Tim Mialand’s reform school drama "Steve", Kasia Adamik’s Warsaw political thriller "Winter of the Crow", and Valentyn Vasyanovych’s "To Win!" set in Ukraine after the war. Other films include Farnoosh Samadi’s Iranian love story "Between Dreaming and Hope", György Pálfi’s European co-production "Hen", and Bretten Hannam’s "At the Site of the Spirits". The section also features the first animated entry, "Bouchra", directed by Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani.
Jury and Awards
The jury for the Platform section consists of chairman Carlos Marqués-Marcet, British actor and director Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Québécois filmmaker Chloé Robichaud. The selected platform Award comes with a cash prize of 20,000 CAD ($14,620) and is awarded on the last day of TIFF. According to Robyn Citizen, TIFF’s Platform manager and director of programming, festival, and cinema, this year’s selection features a range of topics that are relevant to the global society.
2025 Platform Constellation
The 2025 Platform constellation features a diverse range of films, including:
- "Between Dreaming and Hope" (Iran) directed by Farnoosh Samadi
- "Bouchra" (IT-MOR-US) directed by Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani
- "Hen" (GER-Greece-Hungary) directed by György Pálfi
- "Nino" (France) directed by Pauline Loquès
- "At the Site of the Spirits" (Canada) directed by Bretten Hannam
- "Steve" (Ireland) directed by Tim Mialand
- "The Currents" (Switzerland-Ark) directed by Milagros Mumenthaler
- "The World of Love" (South Korea) directed by Yoon Ga-Eun
- "To Win!" (Ukraine-Lithuania) directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych
- "Winter of the Crow" (Poland-Luxembourg-UK) directed by Kasia Adamik
Conclusion
The 2025 Platform section of the Toronto International Film Festival promises to be an exciting and diverse showcase of films from around the world. With its focus on brave and innovative storytelling, the Platform program is a must-see for film enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.
