TIFF's Best Hidden Gems 2025
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A STILL OF VALENTINA SHEN WU, JEAN JEAN, DAVID CASTILLO IN “UNDER THE SAME SUN” A FILM BY ULISES PORRA
The 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival will take place September 4-14, 2025. TIFF’s global showcase of captivating titles from around the world will leave you wanting more. Below are some titles we believe are hidden gems!
BABYSTAR
SYNOPSIS: Instagram vs. Reality takes on a whole new meaning in Joscha Bongard’s Babystar, where the teenage daughter of a pair of family vloggers learns she’s not just the star but the victim.
DIRECTOR: Joscha Bongard
WORLD PREMIERE | Germany | 2025 | 98m | German
In an era where privacy is increasingly a luxury few can afford, Babystar offers a chilling look at the dark side of influencer culture. Director Joscha Bongard’s debut feature is both an unsettling coming-of-age drama and a sharp critique of the ethics of family vlogging where one’s been monetized since birth.
16-year-old Luca (Maja Bons) is the unwitting star of her family's online empire, where every moment of her life is filmed for social media. As her parents' vlogging success grows, Luca begins to realize she's been exploited for clicks and views, losing control over her own story.
The announcement of a new sibling leads to a rebellion, as Luca struggles to understand the cost of her online fame and its impact on her identity. The film offers a sharp critique of influencer culture and digital parenting as it showcases the difference of becoming a “star” and becoming a “product”. Babystar examines the intersection of fame, privacy, and exploitation in the digital age, leaving audiences with a chilling reflection on the true cost of being “content.”
“How do you find yourself… when your whole life has already been edited?” — Babystar
SINK
SYNOPSIS: Mental health issues are a taboo subject in many countries. Jordan is no exception. Based on a personal story, this poignant debut feature, written and directed by Zain Duraie, deals with the close relationship between a mother and her mentally disturbed teenage son.
DIRECTOR: Zain Duraie
WORLD PREMIERE | Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France | 2025 | 88m | Arabic
Sink is a poignant debut by Zain Duraie, focusing on a mother, Nadia, struggling to support her mentally troubled son, Basil, in Jordan. The film is marked by strong performances, especially from Clara Khoury as Nadia, who portrays a mother in denial and emotional turmoil as she fights for her son’s well-being despite societal stigma. The cinematography, by Farouk Laâridh (Four Daughters), enhances the intimacy of the story, using close-ups and organic camera techniques to capture the emotional depth of Basil’s struggles and his mother's relentless devotion. A great mirror into the mental turbulence of Basil’s inner world.
Duraie’s direction offers a raw and empathetic portrayal of mental health challenges within the context of Jordanian society, where mental illness remains heavily stigmatized. In a time when these discussions are becoming more urgent, Sink offers a necessary and compassionate look at how families navigate these challenges, and how even love and understanding can sometimes feel powerless against deeper societal and personal forces.
NOMAD SHADOW
SYNOPSIS: A young Sahrawi woman faces deportation to Western Sahara, struggling to readjust to her homeland and confront family tensions sparked by her earlier departure.
DIRECTOR: Eimi Imanishi
WORLD PREMIERE | United States of America, Spain, France | 2025 | 82m | Arabic, Spanish
Nomad Shadow, Eimi Imanishi's feature debut, is a haunting and intimate exploration of displacement, identity, and the struggles of returning home. The film follows Mariam, a young Sahrawi woman who is deported from Spain back to the Western Sahara, a place she can no longer connect with after years of living in Europe. What ensues is a deeply emotional journey as Mariam is forced to navigate the uncomfortable terrain between two worlds that no longer feel like home. Through her eyes, Nomad Shadow paints a poignant portrait of the quiet violence of exile, where returning home often means losing the very sense of belonging you once had.
Nadhira Mohamed gives a nuanced performance as Mariam, capturing the character’s deep sense of disconnection without resorting to melodrama. Every gesture conveys her fractured identity amidst the unspoken resentments of a family that is as divided as the region she’s returned to. A shadow of what once was.
TO THE VICTORY!
SYNOPSIS: In Ukraine’s post-war future, Roman (Valentyn Vasyanovych), a struggling film director, dreams of making movies once again. While the country has been liberated, it's not quite the homeland that he and many others had longed for.
DIRECTOR: Valentyn Vasyanovych
WORLD PREMIERE | Ukraine, Lithuania | 2025 | 105m | Ukrainian
To the Victory! is a meta-cinematic exploration where filmmaker Valentyn Vasyanovych (playing a version of himself) grapples with his own personal and societal changes after half his family leaves their home. Set in a not-so-distant future where the war with Russia has ended (or so the characters believe), the film centers on a fictionalized version of the filmmaker trying to rebuild both his life and his creative career in a country irrevocably changed by conflict.
What sets it apart from typical post-war dramas is Vasyanovych’s audacious use of a "film within a film" structure. The narrative constantly blurs the lines between what is real and what is staged, as Vasyanovych’s character, a filmmaker trying to make a movie, seamlessly slips between fictional scenarios and documentary-style sequences. While this adds an intriguing layer of complexity, it also risks confusing the audience, as the boundaries between fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to discern. This approach is not for everyone, and some viewers may find it frustrating, but for those willing to go along with its unpredictable rhythm, it offers a unique meditation on the act of creation itself.
Vasyanovych uses dark humor, long takes, and self-referential moments to critique both the cinematic industry and his own experiences (one specific scene rips a post-festival Q&A “Gone Wrong”). The film ultimately succeeds as a reflection on survival, resilience, and the ambiguity of victory in the face of national and personal devastation.
LAUNDRY
SYNOPSIS: Apartheid, South African 1968. Khuthala hates the family laundry, which his younger sister loves -- he instead dreams of a life playing his beloved jazz. But as the apartheid government cracks down on black business ownership, and Khuthala witnesses his father brutally beaten by prison guards, he will do anything to free him…including betraying his own dream.
DIRECTOR: Zamo Mkhwanazi
WORLD PREMIERE | Switzerland, South Africa | 2025 | 106m | Zulu
Laundry (2025) is a striking and emotionally charged debut from director Zamo Mkhwanazi, set against the backdrop of apartheid-era South Africa in 1968. The film centers on Enoch (Siyabonga Shibe), a pragmatic Black man running a family-owned laundry business in a whites-only district, and his son Khuthala (Ntobeko Sishi), a gifted musician who dreams of a life beyond the confines of his father’s world. Mkhwanazi captures the daily struggles of a family trying to navigate a system designed to suppress them, with an excellent jazz-infused soundtrack that reflects the hope and resistance that apartheid relentlessly seeks to crush.
At its core, Laundry is about the delicate balance between survival and self-expression under a brutal regime. Enoch, who pragmatically follows the rules to keep his business afloat, represents a generation hardened by the oppressive system. Khuthala, on the other hand, embodies the idealism of youth, determined to pursue his dreams despite the overwhelming obstacles. The film’s strength lies in its exploration of these two contrasting worldviews, examining not just the personal cost of apartheid, but the way it stifled any notion of improvement - with an ending that will stay with you.
Laundry is an emotional portrayal of resilience that shows the cost of dreaming in an oppressive society.
“I believe that there is no greater injustice than the destruction of human potential.” — Director Zamo Mkhwanazi
CHARLIE HARPER
SYNOPSIS: Harper and Charlie try to build a life together. While Harper strives to carve out a career as a chef, Charlie is stuck. Facing challenges in their relationship, they struggle to prove they are meant for each other, but will it be enough?
DIRECTORS: Mac Eldridge, Tom Dean
WORLD PREMIERE | United States of America | 2025 | 102m | English
Charlie Harper follows Charlie (Nick Robinson) and Harper (Emilia Jones), whose relationship starts in high school and spans many years in a non-linear story that reflects how past choices affect their present. We see their love, ambitions and frustrations clash as they try to balance their personal growth with the demands and expectations of each other. Harper wants to become a top chef, which would lead the couple to relocate, while Charlie becomes stuck in place, both in career and emotional development.
It’s an intimate story that finds beauty in the imperfect moments of their relationship, while using nostalgia to add context to their surroundings. A mix of Blue Valentine and a modern YA movie.
It may not reinvent the genre but still effectively explores whether love is enough when two people grow in different directions.
I SWEAR
SYNOPSIS: I Swear tells the inspirational true story of John Davidson, a trailblazer whose honesty and humor helped the world better understand what it means to live with Tourette Syndrome.
DIRECTOR: Kirk Jones
WORLD PREMIERE | United Kingdom | 2025 | 121m | English
I Swear is an insightful and heartfelt biopic about John Davidson, a Scottish man with Tourette’s Syndrome, played with remarkable sensitivity by Robert Aramayo. Known for his work on feel-good films like Nanny McPhee and Everybody's Fine, director Kirk Jones balances humor and pathos, showcasing John’s struggles with societal ignorance and personal isolation due to his uncontrollable tics. The narrative covers key moments from his youth in the 1980s, where his condition led to bullying and family friction, to his eventual advocacy work for Tourette's awareness. The film’s strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of John’s humanity, avoiding cheap laughs while offering moments of real emotional depth.
Despite a few clichés, I Swear stands out for its tender performances, especially by Aramayo, and its celebration of resilience and understanding in the face of adversity. A definite crowd-pleaser.
DANDELION’S ODYSSEY
SYNOPSIS: Four dandelion achenes escape the nuclear destruction of Earth, launching themselves into the corners of space and working together to survive on a strange new world in this landmark hybrid of live-action and animated storytelling.
DIRECTOR: Momoko Seto
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE | France, Belgium | 2025 | 77m | No Dialogue
Dandelion’s Odyssey (2025), directed by Momoko Seto, follows four dandelion seeds that survive Earth's nuclear destruction and embark on a cosmic journey to find a new home on an alien planet. The film blends breathtaking animation with live-action elements, exploring themes of preservation, the resilience of nature, and the value of small acts. While the visual experience and sound design are captivating, the story's slow pace remains thought-provoking making it a sensory journey that underscores the theme of survival and hope in a post-apocalyptic world.
The film's stunning look, which combines macro photography and time-lapse footage, creates a mesmerizing alien world filled with vibrant, oversized plants and creatures, giving the film a dreamlike quality. Despite the lack of dialogue, the Dandelion characters are imbued with distinct personalities through clever design and expressive animation, each with their own traits and vulnerabilities. A must-see for animation lovers and fans of the most recent Oscar-winner Flow.
UNDER THE SAME SUN
SYNOPSIS: A Spanish settler, his Chinese companion, and a former Haitian soldier work together to bring high-quality silk production to early 19th-century Hispaniola, in this emotionally charged, politically resonant historical drama.
DIRECTOR: Ulises Porra
WORLD PREMIERE | Dominican Republic, Spain | 2025 | 103m | Spanish, Mandarin, French
Under the Same Sun is a quietly powerful film that weaves a delicate narrative about people from different backgrounds discovering common ground in an increasingly fragmented world.
Set in 1819 on the island of Hispaniola, Under the Same Sun follows Lázaro (David Castillo), a timid and inexperienced man tasked with continuing his late father’s mission to establish a silk factory in the heart of the island. Alongside him is Mei (Valentina Shen Wu), a skilled descendant of silk producers, who is dedicated to ensuring the silkworms' survival and the success of the factory. However, their journey takes a dark turn when they discover that part of the land has been expropriated by the French, and the necessary mulberry trees now lie on foreign territory. Despite this, they decide to secretly cross the river daily to collect the trees, continuing their work in isolation.
The trio's dynamic is further complicated by the presence of Baptiste (Jean Jean), a deserter from the Haitian army, who occupies the estate. His strength and self-assurance contrast with Lázaro's timid nature, but together, the three begin to work toward the success of the silk production. As their efforts start to bear fruit, Lázaro’s greed and ambition ultimately lead him to favor his own interests over those who’ve helped him. The story, which had promised cooperation and success, takes a tragic turn amidst the growing tensions of a world undergoing dramatic change. The film invites us to reflect on how we view “the other” and challenges our assumptions about the lives of people whose experiences are different from our own.
Under the Same Sun is a must-watch for festival fans with its stunning cinematography and deeply moving exploration of human connection in the face of adversity. A love letter to the idea that, no matter how different our lives may seem, we are all, in some way, under the same sun.
