The fall film festival season is always a whirlwind, but 2025 has already proven to be something special. Esther Zuckerman, writing for Pursuits, spent the past week in Toronto, immersing herself in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which runs through Sunday, September 14. TIFF, as Zuckerman notes, marks the midway point of a jam-packed few months for movies with Oscar ambitions. The journey starts in August with the Venice International Film Festival, overlapping with Telluride over Labor Day weekend, before the industry descends on Canada for TIFF. Here, both world premieres and films that have already made their mark in Venice or Colorado are showcased for North American audiences eager to spot the next big thing.
This year, the festival circuit has delivered a dazzling array of cinematic experiences, ranging from pulse-pounding thrillers to deeply personal documentaries. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gianfranco Rosi’s latest documentary returned him to his native Italy, offering a visually arresting exploration of life at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. The film, shown at both Venice and Toronto, surveys the ancient ruins of Pompeii, ventures into the shadowy tunnels beneath (dug by tomb raiders hawking antiquities), and hovers over the Gulf of Naples, capturing a region forever teetering on the edge of disaster. The film’s haunting images of local youths setting fires and residents bracing after an earthquake paint a portrait of a community living in constant suspense.
Meanwhile, the documentary spotlight shone brightly on legendary investigative reporter Seymour Hersh. Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus’s film, which screened at Venice, Telluride, and Toronto, brings the 88-year-old Hersh into sharp focus. The documentary, propelled by Maya Shenfeld’s suspenseful score, weaves together Hersh’s groundbreaking exposés—from the CIA’s domestic spying to Watergate and the Iraq War—using evocative vintage footage. As The Hollywood Reporter puts it, "Hersh himself is thoroughly engaging — by turns charming, surly and vulnerable." The film’s sense of discovery mirrors the investigative work it celebrates, reminding viewers of the power—and cost—of relentless journalism.
TIFF also played host to Milagros Mumenthaler’s hypnotic character study, described by The Hollywood Reporter as a much-needed jolt to the crowded “unraveling woman” subgenre. The film, set in Buenos Aires, follows a young, successful fashion designer whose inner turmoil is rendered with stylistic rigor and emotional depth. Through a blend of bold colors, immersive soundscapes, and a lead performance that’s nothing short of riveting, Mumenthaler’s work leaves nerves frayed and hearts stirred.
Venice, of course, saw its share of standouts. Jim Jarmusch’s triptych, which took home the Golden Lion, was celebrated for its delicate, perfectly realized vignettes set in the Northeast U.S., Dublin, and Paris. The film’s exploration of familial unknowability is brought to life by a stellar ensemble—Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, Tom Waits, and Indya Moore among them. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, “What makes the triptych…so memorable is its deftly unfussy observation of the unknowability that can endure among people who share the same bloodlines.”
Guillermo del Toro’s sumptuous adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, presented at Venice and Toronto, was another festival highlight. Oscar Isaac stars as the tortured scientist, with Jacob Elordi delivering a revelatory performance as the Creature. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Elordi gives a revelatory performance notable for its expressive physicality but even more so for its innocence, its deep yearning and the crushing sense of emptiness that follows as he comes to understand who and what he is." Del Toro’s vision is both a feast for the senses and a piercing emotional journey.
On a different note, Paolo Sorrentino’s Venice entry, centered on the final days of a fictional Italian president, offered a refreshing break from the cynicism often found in political dramas. Toni Servillo, who won Venice’s best actor award for his role, anchors a film that forgoes corruption and scandal in favor of a mature, witty, and visually delightful character study.
Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, showcased at Telluride and Toronto, brings Shakespeare and his wife Agnes to vivid life. Paul Mescal’s understated turn as the Bard and Jessie Buckley’s emotionally raw portrayal of Agnes ground Zhao’s lush, detailed vision. As The Hollywood Reporter observes, "Zhao’s eye for natural grandeur shines through, as does her attention to detail." The result is a tearjerker that lingers long after the credits roll.
Thrills were delivered in spades by Kathryn Bigelow’s latest, a Venice and Toronto thriller about a White House response to an incoming missile. With a cast including Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, the film’s kinetic pacing and immersive storytelling left audiences breathless. The Hollywood Reporter described it as "so controlled, kinetic and immersive that you stagger out at the end wondering if the world is intact."
Documentaries continued to make waves. Lucrecia Martel’s first nonfiction feature, screened at Venice and Toronto, chronicles the murder of an Indigenous community leader in Argentina. The film’s searing account of bigotry and land theft is matched by moments of visual splendor, reminding viewers of the cultural and natural stakes involved. Tamara Kotevska’s documentary from North Macedonia, also at Venice and Toronto, offered a touching look at the bond between dwindling farming communities and the region’s largest white stork population. The film was described as "an affecting look at the human-avian bond, with all its mysteries, warmth and ungainly practicalities."
Some films defied categorization altogether. Mads Mikkelsen starred in a Danish black comedy—part heist, part absurdist family drama—at Venice, while John Early’s directorial debut at Toronto played like a Lifetime movie filtered through the sensibilities of Comedy Central. David Pablos’s Mexican film, with its NC-17 rating, shocked and moved viewers in equal measure, blending violence and tenderness in a story of romance on the margins. Ross McElwee’s documentary, meanwhile, brought personal tragedy and artistic legacy into conversation, reflecting on his son’s death and the impossibility of remaking one’s life.
Finally, Kaouther Ben Hania’s soul-shaking film, shown at Venice and Toronto, dramatized the harrowing hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers tried desperately to reach a terrified six-year-old girl in Gaza. By blending real emergency recordings with dramatic reenactment, Ben Hania created a film that pulses with immediacy and heartbreak.
As the festival season barrels toward its conclusion, it’s clear that 2025’s crop of films is as diverse and daring as any in recent memory. From the ancient ruins of Pompeii to the tense corridors of the White House, from the intimate struggles of artists and families to the sweeping tragedies of nations, the stories told on these screens remind us why film festivals remain a vital heartbeat of the industry. With TIFF wrapping up, the Oscar race is officially underway—and movie lovers everywhere have plenty to look forward to.
