Babajide Fadoju Reports #TIFF50
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has revealed its 2025 Industry Selects lineup, a curated showcase of 10 films from around the world that will be available for acquisition during the Festival’s 50th edition this September. Designed for accredited industry professionals, the program highlights audience-ready titles with strong international sales and distribution potential, while reflecting the global diversity of contemporary cinema.
This year’s lineup spans drama, thriller, comedy, and documentary, bringing together seasoned filmmakers and emerging voices whose work is poised to resonate with audiences across markets. Among the standout selections is Stitches, the latest project from acclaimed Ghanaian-Nigerian filmmaker Shirley Frimpong-Manso, distributed by Blue Pictures Entertainment. Her inclusion marks another significant moment for African storytelling on the global stage, reaffirming TIFF’s role as a key platform for connecting the continent’s creators with international buyers.
The full slate includes: A Survivor’s Tale by Micha Wald (Belgium, France); Dolph: Unbreakable by Andrew Holmes (Canada, USA, Sweden); Falling by James and Colin Krisel (UK); Find Your Friends by Izabel Pakzad (USA); Hana Koreaby Frederik Sølberg (Denmark, Korea); Holy Days by Nathalie Boltt (New Zealand, Canada); Killing Castro by Eif Rivera (USA); On the End by Ari Selinger (USA); Stitches by Shirley Frimpong-Manso (Nigeria); and Straight Circle by Oscar Hudson (UK).
Programmed by Liane Cunje, Industry Selects gives distributors, sales agents, and buyers a focused slate of films primed for global circulation. With the upcoming launch of TIFF: The Market in 2026, the showcase further strengthens TIFF’s position as an essential hub for industry deal-making and international collaboration.
For African filmmakers in particular, Industry Selects represents a strategic opportunity. Frimpong-Manso’s Stitches joins a growing list of African titles that have found space within TIFF’s industry programming, giving the continent’s film professionals greater visibility and positioning their stories for wider distribution. This comes at a time when Nollywood, alongside rising industries in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, continues to attract attention for its rapid growth and international appeal.
By spotlighting work from Nigeria alongside titles from Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania, TIFF’s Industry Selects not only reflects global diversity but also highlights how Africa is increasingly part of the international conversation. For buyers, the lineup signals a collection of films that blend compelling storytelling with strong commercial potential — a balance TIFF has carefully nurtured over the years.
Industry professionals with accreditation will be able to explore the lineup during the Festival, as part of TIFF’s wider Industry Conference programming. With its curated design and its forward-looking approach, the 2025 Industry Selects marks a pivotal moment for the Festival, setting the tone for the more expansive TIFF: The Market initiative set to debut in 2026.