To boost the visibility of European cinema at one of North America’s most prestigious film festivals, European Film Promotion (EFP) is spotlighting 13 exceptional European films, featured in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), taking place from 4–14 September 2025.
13 national film promotion institutes and six world sales companies will be represented at EFP’s EUROPE! Hub, a central meeting point for the European film industry at TIFF. Located on the mezzanine level of the festival's Industry Centre at the Hyatt, the HUB is made possible with the support of the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, participating national film promotion institutes, which are EFP’s member organisations, as well as Eurimages whose representatives will also be on site.
These 13 European titles, each recommended by their respective countries, are being promoted through EFP’s international activities and will perform in various sections of TIFF’s programme:
Nine of these titles are celebrating their world premieres:
Babystar (Germany / Discovery) – A dark coming-of-age story from Joscha Bongard, centering on a teenage girl exploited by her influencer parents.
Julian (Belgium, The Netherlands / Discovery) – Cato Kusters’ debut, a tender love story inspired by a real-life campaign for marriage equality led by two women.
Egghead Republic (Sweden / Discovery) – A surreal media satire by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, based on Arno Schmidt’s 1957 novel Die Eierkopf-Republik.
Franz (Czech Republic, Germany, Poland / Special Presentations) – Agnieszka Holland’s powerful portrait of literary icon Franz Kafka.
Good Boy (Poland, UK / Centrepiece) – Jan Komasa’s gripping thriller about a dysfunctional couple who attempt to “reform” a 19-year-old criminal.
Our Father (Serbia, Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina / Discovery) – Goran Stankovic’s intense drama about a recovering addict facing brutal methods in a remote Serbian monastery.
Saipan (Ireland, UK / Centrepiece) – Directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, this drama revisits the explosive fallout between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy ahead of the 2002 World Cup.
Whitetail (The Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium (Flanders) / Centrepiece) – Nanouk Leopold’s psychological thriller follows an Irish park ranger confronting her buried trauma.
The Currents (Switzerland, Argentina / Platform) – Milagros Mumenthaler’s haunting film about trauma, memory, and motherhood, centered on a famous Argentine artist.
Three films are having their North American premieres:
Eagles of the Republic (Sweden, France, Denmark, Finland, Germany / Discovery) – A political thriller by Tarik Saleh, where a movie star finds himself entangled in dangerous intrigue.
The Last Viking (Denmark, Sweden / Centrepiece) – Anders Thomas Jensen’s darkly humorous tale of identity, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas.
The Love That Remains (Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, France / Centrepiece) – Hlynur Pálmason’s moving story of family disintegration and transformation.
Cannes Grand Prix winner, Sentimental Value (Norway, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, UK / Special Presentations) is celebrating its Canadian premiere – Joachim Trier’s introspective drama exploring family dynamics, deep wounds, and the search for recognition.
>>discover all European titles at TIFF
>>find national film promotion institutes & world sales attending the EUROPE! Hub at TIFF
Prior to the festival, EFP hosted an exclusive online event in cooperation with TIFF Industry for North American distributors presenting six world premieres such as Saipan, Babystar, Our Father, Egghead Republic, Franz, and Winter of the Crow by Kasia Adamik.
World sales contacts at EFP’s Hub for Franz are Films Boutique and TrustNordisk for The Last Viking. Dandelooo Cinema, MPM Premium, Sola Media and The Yellow Affair are joining the Hub as well this year.
In addition to the support from Creative Europe MEDIA, the EUROPE! Hub is made possible thanks to Eurimages as well as the following national film promotion institutes (EFP’s members): Croatian Audiovisual Center, Czech Film Center, Flanders Image/Belgium, German Films, Polish Film Institute, Screen Ireland, SEE NL/The Netherlands, SWISS FILMS and The Five Nordics: Danish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Icelandic Film Centre, Norwegian Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute. The Film Verdict, EFP’s media partner, will cover the event.
EFP member organisation, Cinecittà/Italy will be operating its own individual stand in addition to the EUROPE! Hub.
