The Toronto International Film Festival turns 50 — and it’s bringing back cinema’s finest with a glow-up.

Toronto, it’s about to get cinematic in the most big screen, spine-tingling, popcorn-in-hand way possible.

For their 50th edition, TIFF is not playing cute — they’re dropping a Classics programme so stacked, so beautifully restored, and so chef’s kiss curated, that it’s basically film history’s version of a Lady Gaga tour. Presented by MUBI (shoutout to the film lovers’ streaming paradise) and backed by Ontario Creates and the Canada Council for the Arts, this is your golden ticket to see landmark films exactly how they were meant to be seen.

We’re talking new 4K restorations, rare gems, cult treasures, blockbusters with swagger, and — wait for it — Jaws in 35mm. That’s right. Spielberg’s OG summer chiller is turning 50 and coming for your ankles one more time.

What’s in the TIFF50 Classics Mix?

It’s a little bit world cinema, a little bit deep cut, and a whole lot of “when will I ever get to see this in a theatre again?” energy:

🎥 Aniki-Bóbó (Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal, 1942)
North American Premiere of its 4K glow-up. A sly and delightful kids’ story set in Porto.

🎥 Bashu, the Little Stranger (Bahram Beyzaie, Iran, 1986)
North American Premiere. Once crowned best Iranian film of all time, this war-orphan tale will break you and hug you at the same time.

🎥 Days and Nights in the Forest (Satyajit Ray, India, 1970)
North American Premiere of a Wes Anderson-backed restoration. Yes, that Wes Anderson.

🎥 Jaws (Steven Spielberg, USA, 1975)
50th Anniversary, Canadian Exclusive, 35mm. Come for the nostalgia, stay for the collective gasps.

🎥 Nadja (Michael Almereyda, USA, 1994)
World Premiere of its 4K restoration. Bram Stoker meets ’90s New York cool.

🎥 Sholay (Ramesh Sippy, India, 1975)
50th Anniversary, Gala screening, 4K restoration, and a North American first.

🎥 The Arch (T’ang Shushuen, Hong Kong, 1968)
North American Premiere. A 17th-century Chinese tale, an independent film milestone, and a woman director who made it happen decades before Hollywood caught up.

Why You Need to Be There

These films aren’t just screenings — they’re cultural time machines. They’re the rare kind of experiences you can’t just stream next weekend. TIFF is giving us a chance to sit in a theatre, shoulder-to-shoulder with other film lovers, and feel these stories the way their creators intended.

TIFF50 runs September 4–14, 2025, but Classics tickets drop August 15 for TIFF Members. (Pro tip: join the membership squad if you want first dibs.) The full festival schedule goes live August 12 — so mark your calendar, set your reminders, and warm up your browser tab at tiff.net.

🎟 Get Your Classics Tickets: TIFF Classics Programme

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💡 Sherley’s Take: This is TIFF’s victory lap — and if you’ve ever wanted to stunt on your group chat with “I saw it in the cinema before it was cool,” this is your moment.