Frontmezzjunkies reports: TIFF’s 2025 Primetime programme celebrates 10 years of championing serialized storytelling from across the globe
This year welcomes stand-out series from Austria, Canada, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, UK, and USA.
TORONTO — TIFF is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Primetime programme, spotlighting exceptional international series and boundary-pushing episodic storytelling. Since launching in 2015, Primetime has offered audiences a first look at prestige series and auteur-driven television from around the world, recognizing the medium’s creative power and cultural impact. Over the past decade, TIFF has further expanded its support of serialized storytelling, introducing the Series Accelerator initiative in 2021 that champions emerging showrunners; premiering series year-round at TIFF Lightbox, and most recently announcing that series will be a key component of TIFF: The Market launching in 2026.
This year’s Primetime lineup welcomes six World Premieres including The Lowdown, which opens the section, from creator, executive producer, writer and director Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) and stars executive producer Ethan Hawke; Netflix’s latest original Canadian series Wayward, created by Mae Martin and Ryan Scott, with Martin, Sarah Gadon and Toni Collette; Zach Baylin and Kate Susman’s Black Rabbit starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman who also directs some of the episodes; Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League the only documentary series in the lineup, created by Richard Brown and Tebogo Malope; Hansal Mehta’s Gandhi; and The Savage, created by Houman Seyyedi.
Other Primetime series coming to TIFF are the North American premieres of HBO’s Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortora by Italian cinematic master Marco Bellocchio, who will be given TIFF’s Luminaries distinction; Balázs Lengyel Rise of the Raven; Norway’s Pål Jackman and Åse Kathrin Vuolab’s A Sámi Wedding, and William Mager’s Reunion. All Primetime screenings include an extended Q+A with creators and cast.
Primetime (in alphabetical order):
“A Sámi Wedding” | Åse Kathrin Vuolab, Pål Jackman | Norway
World Premiere
“Black Rabbit” | Zach Baylin, Kate Susman | USA
World Premiere
“Gandhi” | Sameer Nair, Hansal Mehta | India
World Premiere
“Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League” | Richard Brown, Tebogo Malope | Rwanda/UK/USA
World Premiere
“Portobello – The Fall of Enzo Tortora“ | Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France
International Premiere
“Reunion” | William Mager, Luke Snellin | UK
North American Premiere
“Rise of the Raven” | | Balázs Lengyel, Robert Dornhelm | Hungary / Austria / Germany
North American Premiere
“The Lowdown” | Sterlin Harjo | USA
World Premiere
“The Savage” | Houman Seyyedi | Iran
International Premiere
“Wayward” | Mae Martin, Ryan Scott | Canada
World Premiere
The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025.
