TIFF at 50: Omotola Jalade, Scarlett Johansson’s biggest year in film

The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival will go down in memory lane as one of the most glamorous since the globally acclaimed creative fora launched in 1976.

Checks revealed that the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was first held in 1976 with the inaugural event called the ‘Festival of Festivals.’ The inaugural event took place from October 18 to October 24, 1976 and screened 127 films from 30 countries with an audience of 35,000 people at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto.

The inaugural edition was held by Bill Marshall, Henk Van der Kolk and Dusty Cohl as a collection of the best-regarded films from film festivals around the world.

The event was officially renamed the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 1994.

As the festival turned 50 after global acclaim, the celebration was tagged Tiffty.

The 50th edition was held between September 4 and September 14, 2025 with screenings and events held across various venues in Toronto including TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, Princess of Wales Theatre (Visa Screening Room), and Royal Alexandra Theatre.

‘Tiffty’ officially attracted over 700,000 guests in total, continuing its tradition as one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. According to the books, the number of attendees significantly exceeded 50,000.

With 291 films screening throughout the 10 days event, the Nigerian film industry was represented by screen diva turned filmmaker, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, who premiered her directorial debut, ‘Mother’s Love’ on September 6, 2025 at the TIFF Lightbox.

The event marked Omotola’s transition from actress to director, telling a story from her perspective while exploring maternal resilience, grief, PTSD, social stratification, and the complexities of mother-daughter bonds. The premiere and screening was attended by distributors, sales agents, international delegates, and Nigerian filmmakers, who all lauded the screen diva for her bold move and story telling abilities.

The Nigerian joined her American counterpart, Scarlett Johansson, who also made her directorial debut with ‘Eleanor the Great.’

Other filmmakers that made waves at the 50th TIFF include Nico Pizzolatto, who premiered Eazy’s Waltz, Baz Lurhmann, who premiered EPIC: Elvis Presley In Concert, James McAvoy with California Schemin,’ and Anne Émond with ‘Peak Everything,’ amongst many others.

TIFF is new to Nollywood or the Nigerian film industry, Genevieve Nnaji premiered her directorial debut, ‘Lionheart’ in 2018 and returned later in 2023 for a co-produced film, ‘I Do Not Come to You by Chance.’

However, Nigerians, who participated in the 50th edition joined the world in celebrating the film and creative platform that has evolved in five decades to become one of the most acknowledged film festivals in the world.

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As TIFF celebrates its 50th year, the TIFF’s Festival Street returned for its tenth year, transforming King Street West into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly space for film lovers between September 4 and September 7.

David Pecaut Square hosted open-air screenings and activities, extending TIFF 50 beyond the street from September 4 to September 13, and the CN Tower lit up in gold, every hour on the hour, post sunset throughout the Festival. Stretching from Peter Street to University Avenue, the four-day celebration offered free entertainment, immersive activities, and a lively mix of food, drinks, art, and culture. An outdoor dining activation with additional seating and lighting by the Food Market was added to bring more spark to the event.