… Filmmakers Arrive For TIFF 2025 Festival Street for Culture Promotion and Global Spotlight
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is set to transform King Street West into a dynamic, pedestrian-only hub for its tenth annual Festival Street, running September 4–7, 2025, with African filmmakers and cultural influences poised to shine during the Festival’s 50th edition. From September 4–13, David Pecaut Square will host free open-air screenings and activities, while the CN Tower glows gold hourly after sunset, celebrating TIFF’s milestone. Spanning Peter Street to University Avenue, Festival Street offers free entertainment, immersive experiences, and a vibrant blend of food, drinks, art, and culture, supported by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund.
The festivities kick off on September 4 at 4pm with TIFF’s star unveiling on Canada’s Walk of Fame outside TIFF Lightbox, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony to open Festival Street, welcoming all to join. For the first time, the Criterion Mobile Closet makes its Canadian debut, inviting visitors to explore over 1,700 films and create Closet videos, with Criterion movies and merchandise available at the TIFF Shop. Cinema Park returns to David Pecaut Square with free nightly screenings at 10pm, rain or shine, featuring classics like The Goonies (September 4), Uncle Buck (September 5), Sound of Metal (September 6), Marie Antoinette (September 7), Best in Show (September 😎, Before Sunrise (September 9), High Fidelity (September 10), Lady Bird (September 11), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (September 12), and Moonstruck (September 13), all presented with open captions.
New additions include Billboard Canada and NXNE Music Zones with DJs at the Art and Food Markets, where an outdoor dining area offers extra seating and lighting. Corridoor By Maziart, a holographic experience by artist Maziar Ghaderi, invites passersby to walk a surreal cinematic red carpet, while Adrian Hayles’ live-painted 3D Light Box mural celebrates TIFF’s People’s Choice Award winners and 50 years of film innovation, supported by the Toronto Downtown West BIA. Local acts like Brandan Duke, OTR, DJ Narvaz, DJ Nina Brown, MKLA, Shannyn Hill, and Cozmic Cat will provide music throughout the weekend.
The Festival Street Art Market, in partnership with Toronto Film School, will feature booths along John Street showcasing 14 community film festivals and arts groups, including Inside Out, Reel Asian, imagineNATIVE, Toronto Latin American Film Festival, and others, with live performances. African filmmakers and diaspora artists are encouraged to engage with these platforms to amplify their stories, reflecting the continent’s growing cinematic influence. TIFF has partnered with the TTC for a free surprise screening of a TIFF 50 Official Selection on September 13 at 3pm at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, with tickets available on Ticketmaster using the promo code TIFFTTC.
The TIFF Pop-Up Shop at Lightbox offers exclusive merchandise, including a limited-edition TIFF 50 jacket with Roots, a custom necklace and bracelet by Dean Davidson, and items featuring the 1976 “director’s hands” poster image. The TIFF 50/50 Fundraiser promises a minimum $50,000 jackpot, with in-person ticket sales throughout the Festival. A highlight for food lovers, a 60-foot sushi bar pop-up on September 5 from 5–6:30pm at King and John Streets will serve free omakase by chefs from Yorkville’s MSSM, celebrating the world premiere of Still Single, a documentary about Michelin-starred chef Masaki Saito. Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video will recreate an iconic John Candy moment from September 5–7, tying to the Opening Night Film John Candy: I Like Me.
Partner activations include Rogers Beyond the Seat for a red-carpet experience, RBC Red Carpet Gallery for Avion Rewards members, Visa Infinite Studio with exclusive lounges, Campari Red Carpet Lounge, House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro with chef David Rocco’s menu, Intrepid Travel Box Office with a chance to win global trips, Lavazza Festival Village, The Gold Room by Ferrero Rocher, Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz display, LISTERINE’s ticket giveaways, Nongshim’s noodle samples, and a Korean Cultural Centre booth. African filmmakers and attendees can immerse themselves in this global celebration, connecting their stories to TIFF’s diverse platform. The 50th TIFF, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14.e