Every September, Toronto awakens from its summer slumber.
And the reason is the Toronto International Film Festival — TIFF — which transforms the city into a stream of stories, faces, encounters, and events. For two weeks, no one sleeps here: cinemas are packed with audiences, the streets are filled with directors, actors, and producers from around the world, and parties and events follow one after another without pause.
This year was special for me. Despite living in Canada for 15 years, this was my very first TIFF. I’m almost ashamed to admit that I had ignored the country’s most important cultural event for so long. But perhaps, back then, I simply wasn’t ready.
Now everything is different. I am taking my first steps in documentary filmmaking, and the festival became both a school and a foundation. It was an opportunity to see the best, to meet the people shaping the industry.
I not only received a personal autograph from Thom Powers with his new book but also heard a few words of advice from him — advice that, as a beginning director, felt like a personal sign of support. And there was one more gift for my readers: Thom agreed to record a short interview for my social media, where he spoke about the importance of documentary cinema in our time.
The Films I Watched
Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5
Director: Raoul Peck
On my Instagram, I wrote:
“This film is a disturbing mirror. It shows how easily we can lose freedom and the right to truth.”
The film is a reminder: if we stop asking questions, “2+2=5” may one day become our reality. This was not just a story but a warning. It left me with unsettling thoughts and even a sense of hopelessness.
I also had the chance to speak with the director and hear his perspective on current events that he chose not to include in the film. And I was given a compliment I will not forget — that as a future documentary filmmaker, I already know how to ask the right questions.
The Tale of Sylvia’s
Director: Tamara Kotevska, Producer: Žan Lidén
I have long admired Tamara. Her film “Honeyland” is always in my mind. And then came this stroke of luck — to attend her new premiere and even have the chance to talk with her in person.
“This is a film about love in its global sense. I cried through 70% of it, but in those tears there was cleansing,” — this is how I described my first impressions.
Sometimes cinema gives us what words cannot. This story reminded me that love is not just an emotion but a force that connects people, cultures, and destinies.
For me, it touched every string of my soul. Perhaps not everyone will feel it so deeply, but if you have ever left your homeland in search of a better life, you will understand me.
It is a warm, human film. I truly hope it wins an Oscar in 2026. And luck was on my side: both Tamara and Žan gave me a few minutes, listened to my ideas, and — who knows — perhaps one day we will work together.
Below the Clouds
Director: Gianfranco Rosi
“This film is a reflection on time. The past influences the present, and memory and culture shape the future.”
The film unfolded like a mosaic: excavations, books, statues of Pompeii, voices of people from different professions, clouds, even Ukrainian grain.
All of it wove together into a single pattern, with Vesuvius as the central character — majestic, indifferent, living its own life.
The black-and-white imagery pulled the viewer into the past, while the dialogues kept pulling us back to the present.
I tried to break down each frame — the sound, the light, the stillness, the shadows, the parallel lines of action.
All of it created a unique rhythm that made the film stand out. Two hours of meditative cinema that left no one indifferent.
WIFT: Women’s Energy in Film
I also attended the largest event for women in the film industry — WIFT. Once again, I felt that I am on the right path. The power of women’s support is invaluable, and I was pleasantly surprised at how open everyone was to dialogue. By the end of the evening, I had dozens of new contacts — from actresses to producers .
Attending TIFF exceeded all my expectations. I am deeply grateful for this experience.
And most importantly, my camera was with me everywhere. For the first time, I filmed freely, capturing everything that inspired me for my future films.
This is only the beginning.