STILL SINGLE, a feature-length documentary exploring the world of Chef Masaki Saito, Canada’s first Michelin two-star chef, is having its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025, followed by a spectacular 60-foot sushi counter experience for everyone to enjoy on King Street. The film offers an intimate portrait of the culinary visionary behind Sushi Masaki Saito, Toronto’s sole two-star Michelin establishment.

Directed by first-time filmmakers Toronto-based Jamal Burger and Tokyo-based Jukan Tateisi, STILL SINGLE traces Chef Saito’s journey from rural Hokkaido to transforming Toronto’s fine dining landscape. The documentary captures his groundbreaking approach to Omakase dining, which showcases the Chef’s expertise and creativity, while revealing the intense lifestyle that drives his culinary genius.

“Only by going through the process of directing this film and getting to know Saito did we realize how challenging it is, especially in Japan, to break through a collectivist society as an individual,” said co-directors Burger and Tateisi. “This film explores what happens when tradition meets innovation, and the personal cost of pursuing perfection.”

The 36-year-old chef made history as the first to earn two Michelin stars in Toronto (2022) and remains the only person to achieve this milestone in both Toronto and New York (2017/2018). His restaurant continues to be Toronto’s only two-star Michelin establishment in 2025.

STILL SINGLE is a Rhombus Media production in association with Common Good, produced by Julian Nieva, Fraser Ash, and Kevin Krikst, with Niv Fichman serving as Executive Producer. The film features original music by Alex Sowinski, founding member of BADBADNOTGOOD.

Special TIFF Activation: 60ft Omakase Experience

To celebrate the film’s world premiere, a spectacular 60-foot sushi counter will be installed on King Street in front of the TIFF Lightbox on September 5th. Starting at 5:00 PM, following the documentary’s premiere screening, members of the public can experience complimentary Omakase prepared by chefs from MSSM, offering festival-goers a rare taste of Toronto’s only two-star Michelin dining experience.

This unique experience brings Chef Saito’s revolutionary approach to the streets of Toronto, allowing the public to witness the artistry and precision that has redefined the city’s culinary landscape.

About the Filmmakers

Jamal Burger is a Toronto-based filmmaker and photographer whose work focuses on fostering connection through shared vulnerability. He is the founder of The Kickback Foundation, a nonprofit established in 2016 to empower youth with dreams but limited resources. STILL SINGLE marks his debut feature documentary.

Jukan Tateisi is a Tokyo and London-based visual artist and sound designer who graduated from London’s Royal College of Art in 2020. He has participated in international art festivals including “New Contemporaries 2021” in the UK and “Forest Festival of the Arts” in Okayama (2024).

About Rhombus Media

Founded in 1979 by Niv Fichman, Toronto-based Rhombus Media has produced over 200 award-winning films and TV projects, including BlackBerry, Possessor, The Red Violin, and Enemy. Recent titles include Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils and the upcoming TIFF 2025 premiere Still Single. Television credits include HBO’s The Sympathizer and The North Water. More at www.rhombusmedia.com.

Focus Features and Universal Pictures Canada will release ANEMONE In Select Theatres on Friday, October 3, 2025
Expanding on Friday, October 10, 2025

Following a World Premiere at The 2025 New York Film Festival

Directed by: Ronan Day-Lewis
Written by: Daniel Day-Lewis & Ronan Day-Lewis
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Executive Producers: Daniel Day-Lewis, Brad Pitt
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, and Samantha Morton
Synopsis: ANEMONE explores the complex and profound ties that exist between brothers, fathers, and sons.

TIFF ’25 selection HEDDA is in select Theaters October 22, 2025. It arrives globally on Prime Video October 29, 2025. Today we get a new Trailer!

Directed by Nia DaCosta

Written by Nia DaCosta

Based on “Hedda Gabler” by Henrik Ibsen

Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, Tessa Thompson

Starring Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock and Nina Hoss

From writer/director Nia DaCosta comes a provocative, modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play. HEDDA (Tessa Thompson) finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt—pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.

First released three decades ago, The Beatles’ eight-part “Anthology” series reinvented the music documentary. Instead of a standard treatment centred on an outside narrator and talking heads, “The Anthology” featured John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr candidly telling their own story, with all its complexities and contradictions. It introduced The Beatles to new generations of viewers and listeners and marked the start of a creative and commercial afterlife that continues to this day.

Now, The Beatles Anthology returns in its ultimate form for a comprehensive global release campaign—on screen, on record, and in print.

“The Beatles Anthology” Documentary Series
Now a Nine-Part Series Featuring a Brand-new Episode Nine

Streaming Exclusively on Disney+ Beginning November 26, 2025

The Beatles’ landmark “Anthology” documentary series has been restored and remastered.

The series’ original eight episodes trace the legendary journey that began in Liverpool and Hamburg and soon captivated the world. They bring to life the timeless stories — of Beatlemania, the band’s groundbreaking arrival in the USA, their role at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture, their spiritual exploration in India, and their eventual breakup. And through it all, the constant thread: the music, always the music.

There is now a completely new Episode Nine, including unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Paul, George and Ringo coming together between 1994 and 1995 to work on “The Anthology” and reflecting on their shared life as The Beatles.

The restoration has been overseen by Apple Corps’ production team, working with Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Films & Park Road Post teams along with Giles Martin, who has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.

The Beatles Anthology Music Collections
Restored & Expanded to Four Volumes: 12LP Vinyl, 8CD & Digital Collections
Out November 21

The musical side of The Anthology Collection, originally curated by George Martin, now remastered by Giles Martin, in the form of three double albums of rare material, a shadow story to the one told in the documentaries. They are an enthralling insight into the early development of songs that became the recorded masterpieces that resonate just as loudly today as they did when they were first recorded.

It also has an important new element. Anthology 4, newly curated by Giles, includes 13 previously unreleased demos and session recordings and other rare recordings. It also includes new mixes of The Beatles’ Anthology-associated hit singles: the GRAMMY-winning “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” given new life by their original producer, Jeff Lynne, using de-mixed John Lennon vocals.

The original “Free As A Bird” music video has also been beautifully restored: Watch it now.

Both new mixes are placed alongside the band’s most recent UK No. 1 hit single, 2023’s GRAMMY-winning “Now And Then,” the last Beatles song. All three singles were created from rudimentary home demos John recorded in the 1970s, later completed with vocal and instrumental parts recorded by Paul, George and Ringo.

Across all the Anthology albums, there are 191 tracks which will be released on November 21 by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMG for digital purchase and streaming, and in deluxe 12LP 180-gram vinyl and 8CD box sets. Both box sets include the original sleeve notes for Anthology 1, 2 and 3; the new Anthology 4 includes track notes written by Kevin Howlett and an introduction compiled from 1996 interviews recorded with The Beatles’ close friend and adviser Derek Taylor. The Beatles Store’s exclusive editions for both box sets add four 12-inch band photo art cards in a numbered envelope.

Pre-save The Beatles Anthology digital audio collection and pre-order the 12LP vinyl and 8CD box sets here.

The Beatles Anthology Book
The 25th Anniversary Edition
Out October 14

Finally, the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Beatles Anthology book will be released on October 14th by Apple Corps Ltd. and Chronicle Books. Throughout its pages, John, Paul, George and Ringo share their honest, intimate and revelatory recollections of the band’s journey. Their memories are accompanied by impressions from their closest colleagues, including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor and others. The bestselling 368-page book is beautifully illustrated with more than 1,300 photos, documents, artwork, and other memorabilia from the band’s archives.

The Beatles Anthology book is available for pre-order here.

Everything The Beatles did involved change. Listening to their songs and watching their story unfold brings us closer to the shifts in culture, ideas and music that they helped shape—and which continue to resonate today. The Anthology was always about their past, but this new edition confirms its enduring place in the present and future.

TheBeatles.com

TheBeatlesAnthology

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Credit: Photo by Bruce McBroom/© Apple Corps Ltd.

SUPER CHANNEL announce their September 2025 programming highlights, including new series and films to arrive!

SERIES

Crossroad Springs | Super Channel Heart and Home Original I **PREMIERE**

Premiere: Sunday, Sept 7 at 8 p.m. ET / On Demand same day

Crossroad Springs follows adult siblings James (Jonathan Stoddard) and Janet (Emily Alatalo) Hamilton and their aging family members, dad, Willis (Shaun Johnston), and Aunt Amy (Kate Drummond), who are eking out a living on Hamilton Ranch with financial hardships and staffing shortages. James, a pastor in Chicago, and Janet, an ER doctor in a neighboring town, feel called to return home to help the family. Once there, the siblings encounter the son of the owner of the neighboring farm, Daniel Newman, who are all wary of each other due to a generational feud between the families. As he settles into his new day-to-day life on the farm, James begins to realize there are no places to worship on the thousands of acres of farms. There, in the environment of come-as-you-are vibes, barns, rodeo arenas, even outdoors under clear night skies, James starts a cowboy church right there in the place where faith, family, and ranch life go hand in hand.  The series stars Jonathan Stoddard, Emily Alatalo, Shaun Johnston, Kate Drummond, Brittany Underwood and Jesse Hutch.

Finally Caught | Super Channel Fuse Original I **NEW SEASON**

Premiere: Wednesday, Sept 3 at 8 p.m. ET (2-episode premiere) / On Demand same day
Each story begins with a murder and an unsuccessful investigation. But with passing time, new evidence comes to light and science evolves allowing law enforcement to piece together what happened, with the killer being Finally Caught.

The Boy That Never Was | Super Channel Fuse I **PREMIERE**

Premiere: Thursday, Sept 18 at 9 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
After their son is presumed dead in an earthquake in Morocco, a couple’s world is turned upside down when they spot a young boy in Dublin, leading them on a desperate search for the truth. Starring Colin Morgan, Toni O’Rourke, Kerr Logan.Choir Games|Super Channel Heart and Home I **PREMIERE** Premiere: Saturday, Sept 20 at 8 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
Two choirs, one from New York City, the other from rural New Zealand, go on a joyful, life-changing journey to the World Choir Games, the largest choral competition on earth.

MOVIES

Grounded in Love | Super Channel Heart and Home I **PREMIERE** (Romance)
Premiere: Friday, Sept 5 at 8 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
A career flight attendant who loves her job and travelling the world, is dealt a blow when an airlines merger causes her to be furloughed, a setback further compounded by breaking up with a selfish boyfriend. Starring Daniva McKellar, Trevor Donovan.

The Luckiest Man in America | Super Channel Fuse I **PREMIERE** (Thriller)

Premiere: Friday, Sept 5 at 9 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
May 1984. An unemployed ice cream truck driver steps onto the game show Press Your Luck harboring a secret: the key to endless money. But his winning streak is threatened when the bewildered executives uncover his real motivations. Starring Paul Walter Hauser, Walton Goggins (The White Lotus), Amanda Freedman.

Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise | Super Channel Heart and Home I **PREMIERE** (Mystery)

Premiere: Friday, Sept 12 at 8 p.m. ET / On Demand same day

After Cheryl’s three-year engagement ends, her life is turned upside down when her aunt offers her an escape from Chicago to the Amish town of Sugarcreek. Cheryl uncovers an unsettling secret that could disrupt the small town of Ohio. Starring: Galadriel Stineman, Kevin Joy, Denise Gossett.

Mass | Super Channel Fuse I **NEW** (Drama)
Premiere: Friday, Sept 12 at 9 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
The parents of both the shooter and one of the victims of a school shooting tragedy agree to meet and talk in an attempt to move forward. Starring Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus), Martha Plimpton, Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale), Reed Birney.

Chosen Family | Super Channel Fuse I **PREMIERE** (R omantic Comedy)Premiere: Friday, Sept 19 at 9 p.m. ET / On Demand same day
Yoga teacher Ann is trying to find inner peace despite having a manic family, a miserable dating life, and an inability to say no that keeps her busy trying to fix everyone else’s problems. Starring Heather Graham, Julia Stiles, John Brotherton

Telefilm Canada, alongside the Canada Media Fund (CMF), the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), are announcing a strategic partnership to strengthen the audiovisual sector’s understanding and reach of audiences by prioritizing and harmonizing the measurement and collection of audience data.

This new audience data initiative is one of the various projects brought forth by the table of leaders at federal organizations of the audiovisual sector (Telefilm, CMF, ISO and NFB). For more than a year, the federal audiovisual table has been working with the department of Canadian Heritage to modernize the Canadian audiovisual ecosystem marked by intense competition and questions of cultural sovereignty. This concerted audience-centred approach will inform more effective strategies for reaching audiences, increasing the impact of the richness and diversity of Canadian and Indigenous stories —whether in feature films, television, documentaries, or animated films— and ensuring its discoverability across digital platforms and cinemas.

Building on the Telefilm-led pan-Canadian consultation, which engaged over 50 active companies and key partners in the audiovisual sector, and resulted in the Exploring the Futures of Distribution – Strategic Visions for the Canadian Audiovisual Industry report, greater collaboration is essential to create a cooperative ecosystemic approach centred around audience.

“This joint initiative is a foundational step towards centering audiences around everything that we do, combining our expertise and audience-data to bridge the gap between our ecosystem’s value chains and audiences,” said Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada. “The continuity of our partnerships is paving the way for us to better support the cultural impact of Canadian and Indigenous cinema and position our stories where they belong – at the forefront of screens at home and abroad.”

“This is just the beginning of a major undertaking that will lead to a more concerted action with not only the funding agencies, but will also involve the audiovisual sector at large,” said Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund. “By modernizing how we gather and share audience insights, we will ensure the viability of Canadian content in an era of rapid broadcast and digital change.”

“By strengthening our data collection and audience insights, we can better understand how Indigenous stories are discovered, shared and watched,” said Kerry Swanson, CEO of the Indigenous Screen Office. “This will allow us to amplify Indigenous voices, ensure equitable visibility in the marketplace, and connect these vital narratives with audiences across the country and the world.”

“This collaboration marks a turning point for Canada’s film ecosystem,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada. “By aligning our approaches, the production, promotion and distribution of Canadian films will be better positioned to reach Canadians and reflect the richness, diversity and creativity of our stories for years to come.”

Ongoing key partnerships among the agencies include:

Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada announce a three-year joint strategy to increase industry inclusivity
ISO to administer CMF’s $10m Indigenous Program in a new chapter for Indigenous screen content | Canada Media Fund
In a collaboration to equip Canadian producers with innovative technology and skills to drive viewership, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, and the National Film Board of Canada are joining founding sponsors to expand Magnify Digital’s Audience Development Pilot.

The collaboration of the four organizations to work towards a structured modernization of the Canadian audiovisual distribution landscape will involve many players in the audiovisual sector. More to come in the months ahead.

We get a new Trailer for TIFF ’25 selection GEORGE ORWELL 2+2=5, from Director Raoul Peck.

George Orwell was one of the most visionary authors of the 20th Century, whose novels 1984 and Animal Farm foretold a chilling, all-to-believable authoritarian future. Acclaimed director Raoul Peck (Academy Award-nominated I Am Not Your Negro), working in collaboration with the Orwell Estate, seamlessly interweaves historical clips, readings from Orwell’s diary, cinematic references, and dynamic modern day footage to craft not only a definitive portrait of the writer himself, but an entirely fresh take on how remarkably relevant and prophetic his work has become. Peck doesn’t just present the information but shows new ways of seeing it, drawing patterns and connections we might not otherwise realize, championing Orwell as a man from the past who just might hold the key to the world’s future.

MUBI, the global distributor, streaming service and production company, is proud to release the official trailer and artwork for the new film from Kelly Reichardt (First Cow, Showing Up), The Mastermind, which will be released in cinemas across Canada on October 24, 2025.

In a sedate corner of Massachusetts circa 1970, JB Mooney (Josh O’Connor), an unemployed carpenter turned amateur art thief, plans his first big heist. When things go haywire, his life unravels.

The Mastermind received its World Premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and stars Josh O’Connor (Challengers, La Chimera), Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza), John Magaro (Past Lives, First Cow), Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent, Girls), Bill Camp (12 Years a Slave, Joker) and Hope Davis (American Splendor, Synecdoche, New York).

THE MASTERMIND IS RELEASED IN CANADA CINEMAS ON OCTOBER 24, 2025

Ahead of the highly anticipated North American leg of her Radical Optimism Tour, global pop powerhouse Dua Lipa will open a Radical Optimism Pop-Up Store for fans in Toronto to celebrate the North American kickoff.

The store will open on Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st from 11am to 6pm ET and will be located at Transmission Studio (58 Berkeley St, Toronto, ON M5A 2W6).

As with previous fan pop-ups in Australia and the UK, the pop-up will offer visitors an immersive retail experience with exclusive merch, unique photo opportunities, and a refreshment station serving one of her favorite drinks available for sale to all guests.

Eligible American Express® Cardmembers can enjoy exclusive perks including:

Early access to the pop-up from 10am-11am ET each day for themselves and one guest

A dedicated checkout line

Access to purchase an exclusive merchandise item

One complimentary gift with any purchase made with an eligible Amex® Card

While supplies last. Capacity limitations and terms apply. See HERE for more details.

For a full list of Dua’s tour dates across North America and Latin America, please see below.

Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism Tour Dates
NORTH AMERICA

Monday, September 01 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Tuesday, September 02 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Friday, September 05 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Saturday, September 06 – Chicago, IL – United Center

Tuesday, September 09 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Wednesday, September 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Saturday, September 13 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Sunday, September 14 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena

Wednesday, September 17 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Thursday, September 18 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Saturday, September 20 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Sunday, September 21 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Friday, September 26 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

Saturday, September 27 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

Tuesday, September 30 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Wednesday, October 01 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Saturday, October 04 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Sunday, October 05 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Tuesday, October 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Wednesday, October 08 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

Saturday, October 11 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Sunday, October 12 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center

Wednesday, October 15 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Thursday, October 16 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

LATIN AMERICA

Friday, November 07, 2025 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Estadio River Plate

Saturday, November 08, 2025 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Estadio River Plate

Tuesday, November 11, 2025 – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Nacional

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Nacional

Saturday, November 15, 2025 – São Paulo, Brazil – MorumBIS

Saturday, November 22, 2025 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Estadio Nilton Santos

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 – Lima, Peru – Estadio Nacional or Estadio San Marcos

Friday, November 28, 2025 – Bogotá, Colombia – Estadio El Campín

Monday, December 01, 2025 – Mexico City, Mexico – Estadio GNP Seguros

Tuesday, December 02, 2025 – Mexico City, Mexico – Estadio GNP Seguros

Friday, December 05, 2025 – Mexico City, Mexico – Estadio GNP Seguros

Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, is sharing the final list of honourees for the seventh annual TIFF Tribute Awards, the fundraising gala that celebrates outstanding contributions to cinema. Award-winning actor, producer, director, and musician Idris Elba will receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media; Kazu Hiro, the Academy Award–winning artist will receive the TIFF Variety Artisan Award; acclaimed German actor Nina Hoss and Hollywood star Channing Tatum will be presented with TIFF Tribute Performer Awards; Academy Award–winning Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi and celebrated Inuk filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk will be presented with TIFF Special Tribute Awards; and Canadian icon Catherine O’Hara will receive the TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award. These seven will be honoured alongside the previously announced recipients: Guillermo del Toro, Jodie Foster, HIKARI, and Lee Byung Hun. The TIFF Tribute Awards in partnership with Rolex, will take place on Sunday, September 7, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel, with Brendan Fraser serving as the Honorary Chair.

“The 2025 Tribute Award honourees represent the very best of what cinema can achieve,” said Bailey. “Hailing from different corners of the world, Idris Elba, Kazu Hiro, Nina Hoss, Zacharias Kunuk, Catherine O’Hara, Jafar Panahi, and Channing Tatum have created work that moves us, challenges us, and expands our understanding of the human experience. Their artistry and commitment to storytelling cross borders and cultures, inspiring audiences everywhere.”

The TIFF Tribute Awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser and a world-class celebration of cinematic excellence. Proceeds support TIFF’s 50th edition campaign, Transform Together, advancing TIFF’s talent development, honouring visionary artists, and deepening community impact. Presented in partnership with Rolex, with support from RBC, Don Julio, and Fairmont Royal York.

2025 TIFF Tribute Awards Honourees

Idris Elba – TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media, presented by Anne-Marie Canning

Celebrated for his versatility and global impact, and a frequent presence at TIFF, Elba has brought some of his most acclaimed work to the Festival, including RocknRolla (TIFF ’08), Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (TIFF ’13), Beasts of No Nation (TIFF ’15), The Mountain Between Us (TIFF ’17), and Molly’s Game (TIFF ’17). He returns to TIFF this year with his directorial debut, the World Premiere of his short film Dust to Dreams, starring Seal. Known for his iconic roles in The Wire, Luther, and The Harder They Fall, Elba made history in 2016 as the first male actor to win two SAG Awards in one night. Beyond the screen, he is a dedicated advocate for social change, having co-founded the Elba Hope Foundation, which focuses on advancing equity through youth advocacy, opportunity access, employability, and education across the UK, Africa, and the United States. Previously bestowed upon such visionaries as Angelina Jolie, Pedro Almodóvar, Mira Nair, and Alanis Obomsawin, the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media is presented by Anne-Marie Canning and recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema.

Kazu Hiro – TIFF Variety Artisan Award

Kazu Hiro is a prosthetic makeup designer and contemporary hyperrealist sculptor. He is a self-taught pioneer in the craft of using contemporary materials to create the illusion of life, and as an early pioneer in Japan, Kazu founded one of the country’s first companies of its kind, Makeup and Effects Unlimited, and worked with director Akira Kurosawa in the production of Rhapsody in August. In 1996, Kazu was sponsored by Rick Baker to work on Men In Black which prompted a decade-long collaboration with Baker where Kazu was project supervisor and makeup artist. In 2007, Kazu started KTS Effects Inc. in Los Angeles. In 2018, Kazu received numerous awards and nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Makeup & Hairstyling, for his work in Darkest Hour to help Gary Oldman portray Winston Churchill, and again in 2020 for his work in Bombshell. He received further recognition in 2024 for his work on Maestro to help Bradley Cooper portray Leonard Bernstein, and he will be coming to TIFF for his work transforming Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine. The TIFF Variety Artisan Award recognizes a distinguished creative who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema and entertainment. Previous recipients of the TIFF Variety Artisan Award include Clément Ducol and Camille (2024), Łukasz Żal (2023), Hildur Guðnadóttir (2022), Ari Wegner (2021), Terence Blanchard (2020), and Roger Deakins (2019).

Nina Hoss – TIFF Tribute Performer Award

Renowned for her emotionally resonant portrayals of complex women, Nina Hoss returns to the Festival for the World Premiere of Hedda, Nia DaCosta’s modern reimagining of Ibsen’s classic, in which she stars as Eileen Lovborg. A TIFF alum, Hoss has previously attended with The White Masai (TIFF ’05), Phoenix (TIFF ’14), for which she won Best Actress from the Toronto Film Critics Association, and The Audition (TIFF ’19), which earned her Best Actress at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Her international film credits include Tár, A Most Wanted Man, Barbara, and Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World. Her television credits include Homeland, Jack Ryan, and The Defeated.

Channing Tatum – TIFF Tribute Performer Award, presented by Cineplex

Known for his action roles, critically acclaimed dramatic performances such as Foxcatcher (TIFF ’14), and career highlights including Step Up, Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, The Hateful Eight, and Logan Lucky, Channing Tatum has consistently showcased remarkable versatility. His latest performance is in Derek Cianfrance’s Roofman, having its World Premiere at TIFF on September 6, and based on the true story of former United States Army Reserve officer Jeffrey Manchester, who escapes prison and secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us.

The TIFF Tribute Performer Award recognizes an overall body of work. Past recipients are Amy Adams and Jharrel Jerome (2024), Colman Domingo and Vicky Krieps (2023), Brendan Fraser and the ensemble cast of My Policeman (2022), Jessica Chastain and Benedict Cumberbatch (2021), Kate Winslet and Sir Anthony Hopkins (2020), and Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix (2019).

Jafar Panahi – TIFF Special Tribute Award

Panahi returns to TIFF with Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, his first film following his most recent prison sentence. Panahi’s films, including The Circle (TIFF ’00), Crimson Gold (TIFF ’03), Offside (TIFF ’06), and Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (TIFF ’15) have won major awards on the festival circuit, often spotlighting social issues. Despite a 20-year ban on filmmaking imposed in 2010, he continued to create clandestinely, earning global recognition and support. His debut feature The White Balloon (TIFF ’95) won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes, launching a career marked by international acclaim and domestic censorship. Born in Mianeh, Iran, Panahi studied film at Iran Broadcasting University before working as Abbas Kiarostami’s assistant on Through the Olive Trees (1994).

Zacharias Kunuk – TIFF Special Tribute Award

Kunuk returns to the Festival with his latest enthralling imagining of ancient Inuit stories in Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband). Over a groundbreaking career spanning more than four decades, Kunuk has become renowned for telling stories from an Inuit perspective. His landmark film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (TIFF ’01) won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes and was voted the Best Canadian Film of All Time by the Toronto International Film Festival Critic Poll in 2015. He has premiered several works at the Festival, including The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (TIFF ’06), Maliglutit (Searchers) (TIFF ’16), and One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk (TIFF ’19), which also headlined the Canadian Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale. His first animated film, Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice, won the Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film at TIFF ’21. In recognition of his cultural and artistic contributions, Kunuk was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2015 and an Officer of the Order of Nunavut in 2019.

Three Special Tribute Awards will be presented this year. Kunuk and Panahi join (the recently announced) Lee Byung Hun as recipients of this prestigious award, which recognizes an individual who has made an extraordinary and unique contribution to the world of film, leaving a lasting legacy through their dedication and artistry. Previous recipients include Zhao Tao (2024), Andy Lau (2023), Dionne Warwick (2021), and David Foster (2019).

Catherine O’Hara — TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award, presented by The Budman Family

A comedic legend, Catherine O’Hara brings fearless versatility to comedy and drama alike. From her groundbreaking work on SCTV to iconic roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and as the over-the-top matriarch Moira Rose on the Canadian hit series Schitt’s Creek, she has shaped pop culture with her unforgettable characters and incredible wit. O’Hara attended the Festival with the following films: For Your Consideration (TIFF ’06), Penelope (TIFF ’06), The Right Kind of Wrong (TIFF ’13), and The Wild Robot (TIFF ’24). Recently starring in Seth Rogen’s The Studio (2025), she continues to champion Canadian film and television while inspiring generations of performers. Introduced in 2023, this award recognizes Canadians in the film industry who have made a global impact with their careers. Past recipients include David Cronenberg (2024) and Shawn Levy (2023).

The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025. Stay tuned for more TIFF announcements