10 Short Films You Can't Miss at TIFF 2025

      This year's Short Cuts program at the Toronto International Film Festival features 48 titles from 28 countries, reflecting a slight increase in geographic representation compared to 2024, which had 48 shorts from 23 countries. Organized into seven smaller segments, Short Cuts provides a succinct overview of global cinema in short format, showcasing a mix of narrative, documentary, and animated pieces that serve as a great opportunity for discovering new talent.

      Among this year's 48 films, here are ten highlights from the program.

      Agapito (Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero)

      Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero's charming Agapito is set in an old duckpin bowling alley in the Philippines, a place so frozen in time that the staff still manually adjusts pins in the back. Supervisor Mira (Nour Hooshmand) announces an early closing to prepare for a special guest, providing a glimpse into the alley’s close-knit community and the bond between Mira and her coworkers as they handle an irate customer. When the guest finally arrives, Agapito unexpectedly shifts to a heartfelt exploration of unconditional love, enhanced by Geia De Vera’s stunning cinematography that captures the characters’ deep affection in their worn-down workplace.

      A Soft Touch (Heather Young)

      In Heather Young's exceptional A Soft Touch, a compassionate view of an elderly woman's solitary life transforms into a fierce critique of society's neglect of its vulnerable members. Ellen (Ellen Pottie), an octogenarian, lives independently in seniors’ housing, navigating her days on a motorized scooter and managing various health issues with medication. Young’s straightforward direction, paired with cinematographer Kevin Fraser’s muted colors and careful compositions, portrays Ellen as someone leading a rich life filled with family photographs and friendships at a nearby seniors’ center. However, when Ellen faces financial difficulties after falling victim to a scam, A Soft Touch brings to light the harsh realities she endures as she sacrifices her quality of life to stay afloat. With a powerful debut performance from 81-year-old Pottie, A Soft Touch stands out as one of the best films in this year's Short Cuts.

      The Contestant (Patrick Bresnan)

      Director Patrick Bresnan revisits his past in The Contestant, an intriguing time capsule featuring footage he recorded at 19 years old in 1996. A prankster at the time, Bresnan and his friends participated in a contest in their hometown, where Baywatch star David Hasselhoff appeared to crown a winner who would land a role on the show. While Bresnan's antics provide ample humor, the footage inadvertently reveals how quaint pop culture was nearly three decades ago, showcasing a world where a phenomenon like Baywatch could thrive, contrasting sharply with today's fragmented media landscape.

      Divers (Geordie Wood)

      Geordie Wood's documentary explores the world of high-diving, capturing a group of athletes practicing on one of the largest diving towers (27 meters) globally. Editor Luke Lorentzen (known for A Still Small Voice and Midnight Family) segments the warm-up, anticipation, and dive into distinct parts, while cinematographer Adam Golfer contrasts the divers and tower against the vibrant sky. The outcome is a breathtaking spectacle: as we witness the elegantly framed bodies soaring among the clouds, Divers offers fresh appreciation for the skill and grace behind these daring leaps.

      I Fear Blue Skies (Salar Pashtoonyar)

      Set in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops, Salar Pashtoonyar’s I Fear Blue Skies follows an unnamed man (Ahmad Zaki) preparing for a meeting with a Taliban minister (Sami Asir). To secure a way out for himself and his family, he must request government approval to restart a US-backed NGO he previously worked for, the quickest route to obtaining a visa. The film, encapsulated by its title, presents Afghanistan through the eyes of its people, offering a necessary humanistic perspective often overlooked in Western political narratives. Pashtoonyar crafts a tense portrait of individuals caught in the crossfire of international conflicts they must navigate for survival, culminating in a poignant finale revealing the real-life tragedy that inspired the film.

      Jazz Infernal (Will Niava)

      Will Niava's Jazz Infernal oscillates between frenetic and reflective, immersing us in the life of Koffi (Ange-Eric Nguessan), a trumpet player from Ivory Coast who arrives in Montreal. Being the son of a renowned trumpet player, Koffi wrestles with how to carve out his identity apart from his father's legacy, a conflict exacerbated when two jazz musicians recognize him and whisk him away for a wild night out. A dynamic camera and rapid, rhythmic editing keep Jazz Infernal lively and unpredictable, while Koffi's journey toward self-assurance beyond his father's shadow anchors the film for a fulfilling conclusion.

      Karupy (Kalainithan Kalaichelvan)

      Kalainithan Kalaichelvan's ambitious short succinctly encapsulates several generations of a Tamil family's complex