"The Lowdown"
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.
The lineup also includes 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.
The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025.