The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) officially begins this week. In its 50th year, the festival features a diverse range of films spanning multiple genres, from first-time directors to legendary ones, showcasing a wealth of talent from around the world.
This year, at the 50th anniversary of TIFF, there are many eye-opening and interesting documentaries to take in during the festival. It was hard to narrow the list down to only five. Thankfully, we were able to highlight some on our other lists from TIFF this year, but in the meantime, please check out the five documentaries that are very much worth a watch at TIFF 50.
The Eyes of Ghana
Ghanaian camerman Chris Hesse is front and center in The Eyes of Ghana. Now in his nineties, Hesse is getting his long-deserved spotlight. in the 1950s and 1960s, Hesse was the personal camerman for revolutionary leader Kwame Nkrumah. This made Hesse an eyewitness the turbulent liberation movement away from colonial rule. Despite Nkrumah being deposed in a coup, with his rivals seeking to destroy all his film reocrds, Hesse found a way to preserve over 1300 reels.
Showtimes:
- Thursday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, September 5 at 8:45 p.m.
Modern Whore
Expanding on their short film of the same name, director Nicole Bazuin and co-writer and subject Andrea Werhun challenge the many misconceptions and poor representation of sex work and sex workers. Having its world premiere at TIFF, Modern Whore is an insightful look into one of the world’s oldest professions.
Showtimes:
- Friday, September 5 at 6:25 p.m.
- Sunday, September 7 at 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, September 13 at 9:50 p.m.
True North
Michèle Stephenson’s True North shines a light on the anti-racism protests that took place at Montreal’s Concordia University in 1969. Students battled back against the the many manifestatiosn of bigotry that permeated the school, including Black students being denied rewards promised for academix excellence, blatant double standards, and much more. All these injustices spurred students into action and they were met with police brutality and even deportation. Blending archival footage with interviews from those who experienced the protests first-hand, True North is a must-watch documentary.
Showtimes:
- Saturday, September 6 at 12:15 p.m.
- Monday, September 8 at 10:00 p.m.
Nuns vs. The Vatican
From Emmy Award-winning director Lorena Luciano and executive producer Mariska Hargitay comes a documentary about another scandal in the Catholic Church. The film follows a former nun named Gloria Branciani and Mirjam Kovac, who broke their silence to bring allegations against the very prominent Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik, a renowned mural artist with powerful Vatican allies. With the case still on-going, 30 other nuns have come forward with more allegations about Rupnik.
Showtimes:
- Saturday, September 6 at 6:15 p.m.
- Sunday, September 7 at 9:50 p.m.
Powwow People
Sky Hopinka’s Powwow People immerses audiences in the beauty of a powwow. Shot over three days, the documentary highlights everything that makes a powwow. From singers to dancers to drummers to vendors to spectators, Powwow People delivers an intimate and beautiful look into the traditions and power in a powwow.
Showtimes:
- Tuesday, September 9 at 6:50 p.m.
- Friday, September 12 at 3:40 p.m.
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