50th TIFF Opens with Tribute to John Candy

The 50th Toronto International Film Festival began on Thursday, September 4, 2025, with the world premiere of John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary celebrating the beloved Canadian comedian.

Candy’s family joined the opening-night festivities, walking the red carpet alongside executive producer Ryan Reynolds and director Colin Hanks. The film offers an intimate look at the Toronto-raised actor’s career and personal life, weaving together home videos, family interviews, and memories from colleagues.

Best known for Spaceballs, The Great Outdoors and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at age 43 while filming Wagon’s East. Speaking at a press conference, Reynolds described him as “a source of kindness and joy,” while Candy’s son Christopher called the documentary “a very beautiful goodbye to our dad.”

The film also features tributes from Dan Aykroyd, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Steve Martin, Macaulay Culkin, and Tom Hanks. A trailer dropped on Prime Video and Reynolds’s YouTube channel just hours before the gala screening at Roy Thomson Hall.

Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the opening night, praising TIFF as “a testament to what makes Canada unique.” He also highlighted government support for the festival and described Candy as embodying Canadian values of generosity and humility.

Earlier in the day, TIFF unveiled its own star on Canada’s Walk of Fame outside the TIFF Lightbox, followed by the launch of Festival Street, now in its 10th year. The stretch of King Street West will remain pedestrian-only until Sunday, hosting outdoor events, including the Canadian debut of Criterion’s Mobile Closet and nightly classic film screenings at David Pecaut Square.

Despite rainy weather, crowds lined up for screenings, including the world premiere of Erupcja, starring pop artist Charli XCX. Meanwhile, festival buzz is building around Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein and Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine.

This year’s edition features 291 films, among them politically charged documentaries on Gaza and Israel. TIFF runs through September 14, concluding with the People’s Choice Awards, which often serve as a key predictor of Oscar contenders.