As another glorious autumn rolls in, so too comes one of the most anticipated events on the cinematic calendar: the Toronto International Film Festival. And this year, it’s a landmark one. The 50th TIFF, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025, and this year’s lineup is a playground for genre fans.
From boundary-pushing horror and bone-crunching action to mind-bending thrillers, the programmers have pulled out all the stops. We’ve scoured the full festival schedule to bring you the films we’re most excited to catch. So, without further ado, here are our must-see genre highlights at TIFF 2025.
Dust Bunny [Bryan Fuller]
What it’s about: When a monster under her bed eats her foster parents, a ten-year-old girl hires a hitman to kill it. Directed by Bryan Fuller (a writer for the likes of “Hannibal” and “Pushing Daisies”), this whimsically macabre debut stars a delightfully deadpan Mads Mikkelsen as the hitman and newcomer Sophie Sloan as the precocious child with a plan.
Why we’re excited: Fuller’s TV work proves he knows how to mix the gruesome with the gorgeous, and the premise of a hitman hunting a monster in a children’s bedroom already screams pure, unadulterated Fuller. If Mikkelsen’s stoicism collides with Sloan’s expressive turns anything like we imagine, it could be equal parts laugh-out-loud and gut-punching. Throw Sigourney Weaver and David Dastmalchian into the mix, and this has cult classic written all over it.
Karmadonna [Aleksandar Radivojević]
What it’s about: An expectant mother is put through hell after a self-proclaimed deity calls her and gives her a divine hit list, demanding she murder a list of corrupt individuals to save her unborn child. From the mind that co-wrote the notorious A Serbian Film, director Aleksandar Radivojević makes his audacious directorial debut.
Why we’re excited: This is cinematic high-wire stuff—no safety net, all thrills. With a premise this audacious and a director of proven pedigree, expect a film that pushes boundaries and sparks conversation. Pitched as a “Sam Raimi spook-a-blast,” the idea of a pregnant, Gena Rowlands-style assassin on a divine mission through the Serbian underworld is simply too unhinged to ignore.
Normal [Ben Wheatley]
What it’s about: A provisional sheriff in a quiet American town gets a nasty surprise when a botched bank robbery exposes a sordid secret. Suddenly, everyone in town, including his own deputies, is out to get him. Directed by Ben Wheatley and based on a story by Bob Odenkirk and John Wick creator Derek Kolstad, this is an explosive slice of homespun mayhem.
Why we’re excited: Ben Wheatley and Bob Odenkirk—enough said. The duo behind Free Fire and Nobody promise a double-barrelled blast of bloody, small-town chaos, with Lena Headey and Henry Winkler in the mix—and whispers of a Yakuza subplot to boot. Small-town life has never looked this explosively dangerous.
Obsession [Curry Barker]
What it’s about: A hopeless romantic makes a wish on a supernatural trinket for his long-time crush to fall in love with him. But her newfound infatuation quickly spirals into a chilling, otherworldly obsession that threatens to consume them both.
Why we’re excited: First features from online creators are the new gold rush of horror, and Barker’s debut is already being tipped as a Barbarian-level breakout. Claims suggest he can flip effortlessly from wickedly wry to stomach-churning, and Inde Navarrette’s performance is said to deliver some genuinely spine-tingling moments.
Dolly [Rod Blackhurst]
What it’s about: Macy’s engagement weekend spirals into terror when she’s kidnapped by a “monster” obsessed with creating the perfect family. This daring genre-blender promises a heady mix of New French Extremity and 1970s American horror.
Why we’re excited: Director Rod Blackhurst has a track record of delivering grounded, tense, and visually striking films like Blood For Dust and Here Alone. The combination of his established style with the visceral intensity of New French Extremity is an intriguing proposition. We’re braced for a relentless and deeply uncomfortable experience.
The Holy Boy [Paolo Strippoli]
What it’s about: A cynical teacher moves to a secluded Italian village, hailed as the “happiest town in Italy.” But their joy hides a dark secret: the locals worship a 15-year-old boy whose embrace can banish pain. When he tries to save the boy, he unwittingly awakens the village’s sinister side.
Why we’re excited: Already generating buzz at Venice, this “elevated genre” tale twists the idyllic-town-with-a-dark-secret trope into something truly unsettling. Coming-of-age angst, a creepy cult, and forbidden happiness collide in a story that promises dread, intrigue, and a very particular kind of philosophical chills.
The Yeti [William Pisciotta & Gene Gallerano]
What it’s about: The daughter of a missing adventurer and the son of an oil tycoon venture into northern Alaska to find their fathers. But the frozen wilderness hides a far deadlier threat: a prehistoric predator known only as the Yeti.
Why we’re excited: No lofty metaphors here—just a proper, old-school creature feature. With classic monster designs from the teams behind The Predator and Avatar: The Way of Water, and co-directors known for visually gripping filmmaking, this promises tense, bloody thrills and all the action-packed chills you could want from a snowy nightmare.
Son of Sara [Houston Bone]
What it’s about: A pregnant woman, tormented by strange visions and urges, accepts a dinner invitation that quickly spirals into a bloody, demented nightmare.
Why we’re excited: Bone has been quietly building a reputation as one of Canada’s most inventive young directors. After attracting millions of viewers with his Canadian Screen Award–nominated web series “Teenagers” and making waves on the festival circuit with shorts like Ghost and Spaghetti, Bone’s feature debut I Don’t Know Who You Are premiered at TIFF to critical acclaim—including a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. With Son of Sara, he turns his eye to body-horror-infused psychological terror, and given his track record for tense, inventive storytelling, this one promises to be a festival highlight.
Good Boy [Jan Komasa]
What it’s about: Not to be confused with Ben Leonberg’s buzzy upcoming horror of the same name, this latest from Academy Award–nominated director Jan Komasa (Corpus Christi) follows a teenage hooligan who is kidnapped by a wealthy suburban couple. They subject him to a twisted rehabilitation process, treating him like an animal in their attempt to turn him into a “good boy.”
Why we’re excited: From Academy Award–nominated director Jan Komasa comes a genre-bending thriller that’s brimming with tension and daring ideas. Led by Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough, this one feels destined to be a festival sensation—we’d be genuinely surprised if it isn’t one of the most talked-about films of the fest.
Fuck My Son! [Todd Rohal]
What it’s about: Fuck My Son! follows Vermina (Robert Longstreet), a decrepit mother with a disturbingly controlling streak, who kidnaps a young woman (Tipper Newton) in a bid to coerce her into sleeping with her grotesque, wart-covered son, Fabian (Steve Little).
Why we’re excited: From the wonderfully unhinged minds of director Todd Rohal and comic artist Johnny Ryan comes a serious contender for the year’s most profane cinematic spectacle. Early praise is comparing it to John Waters’ Pink Flamingos, promising a riot of pure, gleeful anarchy: a malignant melodrama and “geek show of odious viscosity” brought to life with meticulous FX by Robert Kurtzman. Rumour has it Tipper Newton anchors the chaos with perfect, hysterical incredulity. Riotous, outrageous, and tailor-made for the Toronto Midnighters programme, this is one we can’t wait to experience.
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, will run September 4–14, 2025.
