it’s a bittersweet feeling as we near the half-way point of tiff50. but we are thrilled that we finally get a chance to see some films, which is always what has made this festival so special for us! make no mistake though, there are still some very notable names in-town!

some day six sightings:

•shu qi (pronounced “shoo chee”) at tiff for girl

•rebecca zlotowski and jodie foster at tiff for a private life

•colin farrell and fala chen at tiff for ballad of a small player

•plus a day four flashback with matt johnson and jay mccarrol of nirvanna the band the show the movie

highlights here:

(photo/video credit: mr. will wong)

Today, Nikon Canada Inc. announced their first cinema camera made for filmmakers, the ZR. The ZR is an ultra-lightweight, full-frame camera that marks an audacious introduction to the Z Cinema series, a collection that invokes the best technologies and philosophies of both companies. Designed for emerging cinematographers and high-end content producers, the supremely capable Nikon ZR packs an unparalleled amount of professional video production features at a price that puts cinematic quality within reach for all types of filmmakers.

The Nikon ZR is as versatile as it is powerful, with a multitude of original and class-leading capture and workflow features never seen before in this level of camera. The new Nikon ZR can record up to 6K/60p (59.94p) and incorporates the new R3D NE1 RAW video file format with RED colour science based on RED’s popular R3D RAW codec, with 15+ stops2 of dynamic range. This new codec uses colour science and exposure standards of RED cameras to ensure accurate colour matching, even for multi-cam shoots. The impressively huge 4 inch DCI-P3 LCD is nothing short of stunning, and bright enough to be used even in direct sunlight, while often eliminating the need for an external monitor. It also has class-leading audio capabilities such as 32-bit float audio from built-in and external microphones, plus OZO3 directional audio. The ZR also has 7.5 stops of built-in image stabilization (IBIS) and unlocks a whole new world of optical versatility, since the wide Nikon Z mount enables a large variety of lenses to be adapted using third-party lens adaptors4.

“With an incredible amount of features that have never been seen in this level of a handheld camera, the Nikon ZR offers all the creative controls that filmmakers need,” said Amanda Mohammed, Senior Director, Sales and Marketing at Nikon Canada. “The first Nikon camera developed with RED is a gamechanger for the video market — and is a testament to our commitment to video production professionals, and to the development of the advanced tools they need.”

Legendary RED Colour Science, Built-In
The new ZR features a full-frame sensor for excellent depth of field and video quality and supports internal recording up to 12-bit RAW 6K/60p. This is the first camera to use the new 12-bit R3D NE RAW codec, a new RAW format which REDCODE RAW users will find familiar. By leveraging its broad 15+ stop dynamic range, it achieves well-balanced image quality from highlights to shadows. Support for Log3G10 and the REDWideGamutRGB gamut reproduces exposure standards and colours consistent with RED colour science, with true RED colour tonality, skin tone integrity and tonal roll-off—similar to the output of RED’s cinema cameras such as the V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X. Two base ISO sensitivities are available, ISO 800 and ISO 64005, allowing users to choose the best option for a particular scene or situation such as bright daylight or lowlight interior scenes. However, just like REDCODE RAW, ISO in R3D NE files is fully adjustable in post for maximum flexibility.

Furthermore, users also have the option to shoot in N-RAW, ProRes RAW, and other formats to best suit their production and workflow. The camera also features a new view assist function which allows the user to store and select from up to ten LUTs in the camera. This will let the filmmaker preview the effect of the colour grade in real time using the monitor. Three types of LUT data (17-point, 33-point, 65-point6) can be loaded into the camera. RED’s Creative LUT Kit is available for free via the RED website here.

The ZR features a new Cinematic video mode, a user preset for those who want to easily enjoy the RED cinematic look with a faster workflow in less data-intensive non-RAW formats. Cinematic mode automatically adjusts the shutter angle to 180 degrees, changes the frame rate to 24 fps, and applies the RED Cine Bias Picture Control for gorgeous yet simple cinematic colour. What’s more, nine RED-curated cinematic Picture Controls based on RED creative LUTs will be available for free download via Nikon Imaging Cloud, expanding possibilities for more diverse imaging expression.

Incredible Audio: 32-Bit Float Audio Recording + OZO Audio Support for Built-In Mic
With uncompromising attention to audio capabilities, the ZR is the world’s first7 cinema camera to support 32-bit float audio recording with both built-in and external microphones, as well as through the 3.5 mm microphone jack. This unique ability enables the recording of clear, distortion-free sound from quiet to loud, without requiring on-location gain adjustment. It supports recording a wide range of sound sources, from interviews to live concerts, with maximum audio flexibility in post. The three high-performance mics built into the camera use Nokia’s OZO Audio technology to realize cutting-edge audio recording. Filmmakers can choose from one of the five polar pickup patterns8 — [Front (Super directional)], [Front], [All directions], [Rear], and [Stereo (binaural)] — that best suits the situation, from interviews or product tutorials to immersive audio applications.

The ZR is also the first Nikon camera to feature a digital accessory shoe, which enables two-way digital communication between the camera and compatible accessories, allowing for advanced functionality such as tally lamp and microphone LED control. Additionally, the camera can supply power directly to supported accessories, eliminating the need for separate batteries or cables. The newly designed rubber shoe cover provides excellent dust and drip resistance, ensuring reliable performance in a variety of shooting environments. Going forward, Nikon will collaborate with third-party accessory manufacturers to offer a wide range of solutions that meet the diverse needs of filmmakers.

High-Performance Autofocus with Nikon’s Deep Learning-Based AI Technology
The impressive processing power of the EXPEED 7 image-processing engine installed in Nikon’s flagship camera Z9 and AI technology that utilizes deep learning enables more accurate subject detection and tracking for optimal image processing in accordance with the subject, scene and situation. This makes capturing the intended subject with greater accuracy much easier, significantly expanding possibilities for film production. The camera also detects nine types of subjects automatically, including people, animals and vehicles. It even detects small faces occupying as little as 3 per cent of the long side of the frame for precise focusing on distant human subjects. Users can also adjust AF speed and sensitivity to suit their creative style, enabling a slow rack for cinematic effect or fast-paced focus for action.

Designed to Thrive in any Production Environment
The ZR uses an innovative fanless design, with the entire camera body contributing to efficient heat dissipation and thermal management. This design decreases audible noise, enhances battery life and increases durability. The ZR can shoot uninterrupted recording for up to approximately 125 minutes9. Additionally, USB power delivery capability allows for long takes and worry-free shooting at events that require extended recording, such as weddings, concerts and interviews.

With its magnesium alloy chassis, the ZR inherits the same rugged durability standards of Nikon’s Z6III. This means it’s designed to handle the pressures of professional production environments—indoors or out. The body is resistant to dust, sand and moisture, thanks to careful sealing at critical points like buttons, seams and ports. It’s a tool designed for real-world filmmaking—resilient under pressure and ready to shoot on location. The controls on the ZR also reflect a new filmmaker-oriented UI, with familiar menus, a new quick menu for filmmakers, as well as customizable button placement made for a cinematographer’s most used features.

Additional Features of the Nikon ZR

•Super lightweight with small footprint at just 1.19 lb (body only).

•A short 16mm flange focal distance (the shortest among full-frame cameras) offers greater flexibility in the lenses that can be used, allowing filmmakers to make the most of their existing lens assets.

•The shutter angle can be adjusted from 5.6° to 360° for video recording. Shutter speed is also available.

•The brightness of the information display (histogram/waveform monitor size, transparency and position, and zebra pattern colour) can be changed.

•Automatic rotation of vertical video for social media content creation.

•A front tally light /rec lamp lets subjects know you are recording. Additionally, it receives tally control signals10 input via HDMI-CEC11 and displays the status of each camera when multiple cameras are used.

•A superior dust- and drip-resistant, durable construction expands shooting possibilities.

•Equipped with advanced still photography features inherited from the Z6III, as well as new features such as a preset for starscape photography and a new dehaze function.

•Slow-motion presets: Instant access to 4K/119.88p12 and Full HD/239.76p cinematic motion, as well as user modes for 4x and 5x slow-motion.

•It also supports Frame.io Camera to Cloud using NX MobileAir, automatically transferring video data directly to the cloud for a faster and more efficient post-shooting workflow.

RED Digital Cinema, Inc. Releases the V-RAPTOR XE
RED Digital Cinema, Inc., a subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, is pleased to announce the release13 of the new V-RAPTOR XE digital cinema camera, which was released on September 9, 2025. The newest addition to its acclaimed Z CINEMA camera lineup, this streamlined version of the revolutionary V-RAPTOR [X], curates the essential tools for cinematic storytelling. Designed for independent creators who demand uncompromising image quality, the V-RAPTOR XE delivers large-format, cinema-grade features at a more accessible price point. The new camera retains RED’s industry-leading 8K large format (VV) global shutter sensor found in the V-RAPTOR [X] series, ensuring cinematic image fidelity, dynamic range, and low-light performance that filmmakers trust. Nikon and RED will meet a wide range of needs in film production with an extensive lineup of cinema-oriented products under the Z CINEMA series.

New ME-D10 Shotgun Microphone
The ME-D10 is a 32-bit float shotgun microphone compatible with the new digital accessory shoe developed for the ZR. It requires no battery or cable and has built-in shock mounts to minimize any interference. It offers two recording modes, PURE and FOCUS, which can be selected with a switch on the microphone. PURE mode features a wide dynamic range and a sound design true to the original source, allowing natural and accurate capture of raw audio, including the ambient atmosphere. FOCUS mode accurately captures the intended voice, even in noisy surroundings such as those outdoors, ensuring clear audio for product presentations and live streams.

Price and Availability
The new Nikon ZR Cinema Camera will be available in late October 2025 for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $2,999.95* for the body only. The ME-D10 shotgun microphone, also scheduled for release in late October, has a suggested retail price of $459.95*.

For more information about the latest Nikon products, including the vast collection of NIKKOR Z lenses and the entire line of Z series cameras, please visit www.nikon.ca.

About Nikon
Nikon is a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and technologies for photo and video capture; globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for an award-winning array of equipment that enables visual storytelling and content creation. Nikon Canada Inc. distributes consumer and professional Z Series mirrorless camera, digital SLR cameras, a vast array of NIKKOR and NIKKOR Z lenses, Speedlights and system accessories, Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras and Nikon software products. For more information visit www.nikon.ca, which links all levels of photographers and visual storytellers to the Web’s most comprehensive learning and sharing communities. Connect with Nikon Canada on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Specifications, equipment, and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.

1. A dedicated codec developed for Nikon cameras to record video in R3D format. The file extension is “.R3D”.
2. Value based on measurement performed by Nikon
3. OZO is a registered trademark of Nokia Technologies Oy.
4. Certain features may be unavailable when other brands lens adapters are used.
5. With R3D NE recording.
6. With recording at video frame rates of 23.976p, 25p, 29.97p, 50p, and 59.94p.
7. Among cameras with interchangeable lenses that record audio via the built-in microphone and 3.5-mm stereo mini-pin jack.
8. Available when recording with H.264 or H.265 at 59.94p or lower.
9. R3D NE 6K/59.94p: [Auto temperature cutout]: [High], at 25°C/77°F, using portable battery or other external power source.
10. Supports Cerevo tally lamps.
11. Up to six cameras can be connected.
12. In DX crop mode
13. The V-RAPTOR XE will be available from RED Digital Cinema, Inc. and RED authorized dealers. Visit RED’s official website for product details, as well as for information on release dates and sales regions.

*MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Punjabi superstar KARAN AUJLA has once again shattered cultural barriers, making a historic television performance debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, playing a medley of the songs “Boyfriend” and “Gabhru!” from his album P-POP CULTURE. As the first Punjabi-Canadian ever to grace the iconic late-night stage, Aujla’s performance marks a monumental moment for Punjabi pop culture on a global scale.

Watch his groundbreaking performance:

This landmark appearance follows a series of unprecedented successes for Aujla. His latest album, P-POP CULTURE, ignited a global movement, achieving one of the strongest worldwide debuts for a Punjabi-language album ever. The project debuted at #1 on Spotify in both India and Pakistan, and #4 in Canada, while also securing the #1 spot on Apple Music in all three countries. All 11 songs on the album entered the Spotify Top 200 and Apple Music Top 50 charts in India, Canada, and Pakistan on release.

In Canada, P-POP CULTURE debuted at #3 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart, marking the highest debut for a Punjabi-language album in Canadian history. In the United States, the album debuted at #19 on the US Billboard World Albums chart. To date, the P-POP CULTURE album has already accumulated nearly 300 million streams globally.

Building on a monumental summer, Aujla recently wrapped his sold-out It Was All a Dream U.S. arena tour, which filled venues in Oakland, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, further cementing his reputation as one of the most electrifying live performers in global music today. He recently headlined the Breaking Borders Festival in Malta, captivating an international audience, and was just announced as one of the headliners at Rolling Loud India, underscoring his stature as a leading voice bringing Punjabi music to some of the world’s biggest stages.

His performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is a testament to the undeniable global force that Karan has become. A bold fusion of Punjabi pop and hip-hop, Aujla’s music captures the dual force of the artist himself – raw and refined, heart and hustle – and continues to resonate with a diverse and ever-growing audience worldwide.

P-POP CULTURE is out now via Warner Music Canada/Warner Music India.  Get it here.

Today, Netflix announced that Crew Girl, a new coming-of-age teen drama, is officially in production in Victoria, British Columbia. The series will be produced by Thunderbird Entertainment’s scripted and unscripted live action division, Great Pacific Media.
Showrunner/Writer/EP: Vivian Lin (SkyMed, The Lake)

Executive Producers: Jeff Norton (Geek Girl, Finding Her Edge), Lindsay Macadam, Hillary Zwick Turner, Tony Chung, and Lori Massini
Logline: A frothy, coming-of-age teen drama about a 16-year-old female rower Teagan who becomes the coxswain of a dysfunctional all-boys rowing team at an elite East Coast Prep School. Warring rivals, messy romantic entanglements, and betrayed friendships spill drama both in and out of the boat. Not to mention her complicated relationship with her mom, Ella. The team’s a mess, her life’s a mess. Can she fix both and win?

Cast:
Miku Martineau (Bet, Kate, Star Trek: Section 31) as Teagan
Jessica Paré (Seal Team, Mad Men) as Ella
Samuel Braun (The Marshmallow Experiment, Time Cut, Bad Genius) as Josh
Kyle Clark (Hello, Goodbye and Everything, The Baby-Sitter’s Club, Riverdale) as Cam
Thomas Cadrot (Scream, So Help Me Todd, Family Law) as Coach Hayden
Studio: Thunderbird Entertainment’s Great Pacific Media

By Nicholas Porteous

Train Dreams is the story of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a guy from the early 1900s. He cuts down trees. He gets married. He has a kid. He lives a life. I’m not going to get any more specific than that because you really need to see Train Dreams to uncover its indescribable depths. It’s about the inherent richness of a long life, and the way things come together, or the way they don’t. It’s poetic, soulful, and intent on defying any pat explanation for a lifetime of experiences.

A substantial element of the beauty of Train Dreams is its gorgeous cinematography. Director Clint Bentley uses a square frame which feels consistently generous, placing the characters among their breathtaking landscapes and hand-built interiors. Full-on close-ups are rare. These people feel part of their surroundings–organic as the trees. There’s a sensual quality to Train Dreams that echoes off the screen. I often felt as though I was sitting a few feet from a warm fire, with the wind at my back, and I could practically breathe the forest air, pet the dog fur, smell the snow.

It’s a vastly more epic movie than its runtime would suggest. At a mere 1 hour 42 minutes, Train Dreams somehow achieves a perfect balance of taking its time, letting every scene breathe, while maintaining a pace that feels like life flashing before your eyes.

Edgerton gives Grainier a deep and necessary interiority. He’s not a character who tends to verbalize, but on most occasions his eyes and breath say more than words could. Felicity Jones (as Gladys) is a wonderful partner to Edgerton. Their relationship feels as fresh in the early scenes as it does lived-in as they grow their family. William H. Macy and Kerry Condon also feel fully realized, even in their relatively shorter time on screen.

Train Dreams is a bounteous, cinematic gift. Take the journey. You’ll be richer for it.

Train Dreams screens at TIFF ’25:

Wed. Sept 10 at 12:15 PM and 3:45 PM at TIFF Lightbox

Fri. Sept 12 at 12:45 PM at TIFF Lightbox

By Mr. Will Wong

One of the Festival’s biggest surprises comes out of the Primetime programme in Netflix‘s WAYWARD, written, directed by and starring Toronto’s Mae Martin. The Limited Series centers is set in a small town. We meet a detective Alex (Martin) and their wife Laura (Sarah Gadon) who are expecting a child, as they move back to the town here Laura grew up. We also meet best friends Abby (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), who are in the rebellious years of their teens. What they don’t know though is that their parents secretly are plotting to have them admitted to a correctional youth institution.

WAYWARD is full of intrigue and mystery and we can’t wait to unpeel the layers of these characters as things were just beginning to get rolling in the preview we saw, but this looks very promising. Martin thoughtfully looks at the institutionalization of norms and standards, and refreshingly, maybe sometimes it’s the adults who aren’t always in the right.

This is a welcome turn of foot for Martin, who, though they have experience in episodic television, is exercising completely different muscles and showing their range here. Cast is rounded out by some very familiar names, including Toni Collette and Patrick J. Adams.

WAYWARD screens at TIFF ’25 as follows:

Tuesday, September 9
TIFF Lightbox
9:00 pm

Thursday, September 11
TIFF Lightboxlocation_on
9:45 pm

By David Baldwin

Today, we know (or at least know of) Jean-Luc Godard as one of the most famous and influential directors of all time. But before he became the legend, Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) was just a film critic writing for the prolific Cahiers du cinéma in the late 1950s. He is jealous of his colleagues for having made films, so he sets out to make his own. Despite never having made a feature-length film, Godard wants to do things his way and carve his own path – much to the chagrin of the more seasoned cast and crew.

NOUVELLE VAGUE (or New Wave) chronicles the lead up and making of the revolutionary French picture Breathless to a meticulously and often ridiculously detailed degree. It captures Godard’s eccentricities and the minutiae that drove his process and kickstarted the film’s namesake.

American Director Richard Linklater has very much composed a love letter to Godard here, and has a bad habit of overindulging in details and specificities. Obsessive film nerds will be in heaven watching him recreate scenes and situations, but more casual viewers (or those who know very little of the French New Wave) will be tormented by the languished pacing and Linklater’s decision to truncate very little of what happened on and off the “set”. That said, I do love that he maintained the black and white aesthetic that perfectly matches and compliments Godard’s original film. 

And while the cast is uniformly solid, standouts include Marbeck who is terrific as Godard, and Aubry Dullin who does very well as leading man Jean-Paul Belmondo. They are both overshadowed however by Zoey Deutch who positively slays as Jean Seberg (and speaks French rather exquisitely). 

NOUVELLE VAGUE screens at TIFF ’25:

Tues. Sept 9 at 6:30 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Wed. Sept 10 at 9:00 PM at TIFF Lightbox

Sun. Sept 14 at 10:00 AM at TIFF Lightbox

By Mr. Will Wong

Filmed right here in Toronto, Academy Award winner Daniel Roher gets a full circle moment with his Thriller TUNER premiering at TIFF ’25. The Film centers on Niki White (Leo Wooddall), a once aspiring Pianist whose aspirations were curtailed as he developed a condition that made him sensitive to noise. Niki translates his skills unexpectedly, using his special abilities to hear, the help mobsters execute their heists being able to hear safe combinations. He meets a talented pianist in Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), though she has no awareness of this double life he heads.

Wooddall solidifies his standing as a certified leading man after wowing many of us in The White Lotus Season Two. He beautifully balances Niki‘s unreconciled failure together with an ambition to win Ruthie‘s heart, all while navigating his challenging condition that both helps him and harms him at once. Liu also delivers a tremendous performance as a woman all-in to secure her future as a professional pianist, her focus thwarted by this looming relationship with Niki. Our only complaint is an under-utilized Dustin Hoffman as Niki’s grandfather Harry.

Roher makes a successful transition to fictional storytelling, keeping us invested in Niki’s trouble and resilience. TUNER screens TIFF ’25 as follows:

Monday, September 8
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
2:45 pm

Tuesday, September 9
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
11:55 am

Review by Amanda Gilmore

Director and Co-Writer Mélanie Charbonneau brings the inspiring story of Sandra Perron, Canada’s first woman infantry officer, to the big screen.

Based on Perron’s acclaimed memoir, Charbonneau crafts a Film as fearless as its subject. It depicts a system that simultaneously changed while remaining a hostile environment for women. The script is told through two timelines. One while Perron is at the training facility, and one following her resignation. When she returns home, she learns a controversial photo has surfaced of her from a prisoner exercise during her training.

Charbonneau throws the audience into the rigorous training Perron underwent to gain the title of infantry officer. She matches the intense physical training with the vicious, misogynistic mental abuse Perron and her fellow female trainees endured by their male counterparts. The darker cinematography and lighting create a gritty atmosphere for the Film, one that mirrors the atmosphere created by the system. 

Even with the success of all the above, Out Standing stands on the shoulders of its lead, Nina Kiri. She has a remarkable presence on camera and delivers a powerful performance as Perron. Kiri masters the emotional depth of Perron’s journey, taking the audience with her.

Out Standing screens at TIFF ’25:

Tues, Sept 9 at 5:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Thur, Sept 11 at 11:00 AM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

By Mr. Will Wong

Easily one of the hottest tickets at tiff50, Actor/Writer/Director Benny Safdie is coming into awards season with his latest effort, THE SMASHING MACHINE, in an admirable position. The Biopic about Mixed Martial Arts legend Mark Kerr diverts from the typical Sports Drama, giving us a film that more rests its focus on obstacle, resilience, and the emotional costs of success on a grand scale.

We meet Kerr at the top of his game, an undisputed king who fights for big prize money in Japan’s PRIDE league.  He quietly is battling an addiction to narcotics, while competing in a sport that is still relatively new, and discovering its own rules with ever-shifting boundaries. Losing isn’t something Kerr knows until he truly feels what it is like, triggering a downward spiral which also affects his relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). Kerr is determined to reclaim his throne, but at what cost?

Make no mistake, all the buzz about Dwayne Johnson‘s career-best work here is warranted and validated, as he taps into Kerr’s vulnerability, sensitivity and emotional awareness. These perhaps, are muscles in Johnson‘s body of work which haven’t always had a proper showcase, but they are flexed fully here.

Undoubtedly aided by their prior work together, Johnson and Blunt pair beautifully together again with an electric, palpable chemistry. Whether they’re sharing a moment of tenderness or at each other’s throats ans getting under one another’s skin, they are a convincing (troubled) couple.

MMA star Ryan Bader plays Kerr’s best friend and fellow fighter Mark Coleman, who despite not being an Actor, puts forth a commendable effort from the sidelines.

While we never experienced the tremors and tears we thought we would with your typical epic Sports Dramas, we appreciate the lens through which Safdie tells Kerr‘s story through. Instead of the typical tropes we see in fighter films, this isn’t a portrait of glory and winning as much as it is about surviving, overcoming, and just living as a successful athlete. A fantastic piece of Cinema with performances we will remember for some time.

THE SMASHING MACHINE screens at TIFF ’25 as follows:

Monday, September 8
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
9:45 pm

Tuesday, September 9
Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
7:30 pm