TIFF Lightbox 2026 January/February programming highlights
Beginning January 30, TIFF presents Luis Buñuel: Desire and Deviance, a comprehensive look at the Spanish-Mexican auteur’s five-decade career, including a new 4K restoration of Viridiana. The program continues through February 25 with screenings of Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Un chien andalou, and other classics.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled an expansive slate of programming for January and February 2025, highlighted by filmmaker spotlights, advance screenings of awards-season contenders, and cultural celebrations marking Black History Month and Lunar New Year.
Spotlights on Oliver Laxe, Luis Buñuel, and Mikio Naruse
This winter, TIFF Cinematheque turns its attention to three major figures in international cinema. Galician filmmaker Oliver Laxe receives a career-spanning retrospective Oliver Laxe: Modern Mystic (January 14–18), featuring seldom-seen short works and his four acclaimed features. His latest film Sirāt (TIFF 2025), Spain’s official Oscar submission, will launch the series with an advance screening and virtual Q&A.
Beginning January 30, TIFF presents Luis Buñuel: Desire and Deviance, a comprehensive look at the Spanish-Mexican auteur’s five-decade career, including a new 4K restoration of Viridiana. The program continues through February 25 with screenings of Belle de jour, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Un chien andalou, and other classics.
The Cinematheque also continues its retrospective on Japanese master Mikio Naruse, running throughout January.
Festival Standouts and Awards-Season Hopefuls
With awards season underway, TIFF audiences will have early access to prominent international titles — including No Other Choice (TIFF People’s Choice Award winner), The Voice of Hind Rajab, Father Mother Sister Brother, and Sound of Falling.
Canada’s Top Ten and Future Retrospectives
TIFF will reveal its anticipated Canada’s Top Ten list — celebrating outstanding Canadian features and shorts — from February 5–8, with full programming to be announced in January.
Looking ahead, TIFF Cinematheque will host a major retrospective on French filmmaker and Magnum photographer Raymond Depardon, co-presented with Film at Lincoln Center. This summer, TIFF will also mount a full retrospective of Christopher Nolan, timed to the release of the filmmaker’s upcoming blockbuster The Odyssey.
Black History Month & Lunar New Year
Throughout February, TIFF commemorates Black History Month, with screenings including Thyrone Tommy’s Learn to Swim and Yashaddai Owens’ Jimmy. TIFF Next Wave will also host Mohamed Ahmed’s A Tribe Called Love — the first Somali-Canadian narrative feature — with the director in attendance.
For Lunar New Year, TIFF will celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse with a special screening of Julia Kwan’s Eve and the Fire Horse and themed cultural activations.
Additional Programming Highlights
What Remains: A three-part series on African cinema curated by Julie MacArthur (January 9–16)
Family & Classics: Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast (January 4); Three Colors: Red (January 6) and I Am Cuba (February 3), both on 35mm
Wavelengths: Programs by Želimir Žilnik (January 7–8) and Jeff Wall (February 11)
See the North: Canadian shorts and features curated by Jason Anderson (January 20, February 10)
Next Wave: The Iron Giant on 35mm (January 21)
MDFF Selects: Toronto premiere of The Sparrow in the Chimney (January 29)
Valentine’s Day Special: Woman Is the Future of Man (February 14)
Ticket Availability
January programming:
Members: December 17
Public: December 19
February programming:
Members: January 14
Public: January 16
Up-to-date listings are available at TIFF’s official website.