John Early’s ‘Maddie’s Secret,’ Nadia Latif’s ‘The Man in My Basement’ Join Toronto Film Fest Lineup

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Comedic actor and scriptwriter John Early is now also credited as a director, as he presents his debut feature film, titled “Maddie’s Secret“, at the Toronto Film Festival Discovery section dedicated to debuting and rising filmmakers.

The movie centered around Maddie, a Food Network content producer maintaining an immaculate facade despite her troubled history, features several of Early’s comedy peers from the L.A. stand-up circuit, such as Kate Berlant, Vanessa Bayer and Connor O’Malley.

The movie focusing on Maddie, a Food Network content creator who’s hiding her past, has many of Early’s fellow L.A. comedy scene comedians in it, like Kate Berlant, Vanessa Bayer and Connor O’Malley.

Both versions convey the same meaning and are easy to read while sounding natural.

In total, the 25th edition of Discovery features 23 never-before-seen films. Additionally, Nadia Latif’s film, “The Man in My Basement,” has been scheduled for this edition. This horror genre movie stars Corey Hawkins as an African American man on the brink of losing his home. A white businessman, portrayed by Willem Dafoe, proposes to rent Hawkins’ basement to help clear his debts, a proposition he reluctantly accepts.

For their 25th edition, Discovery has put together 23 unique premieres. Furthermore, the film “The Man in My Basement,” directed by Nadia Latif and falling under the horror genre, is scheduled. Corey Hawkins plays the role of an African American man about to lose his home, who accepts a deal from Willem Dafoe’s character, a white businessman, to rent out his basement to clear debts.

Cato Kusters’ Love Story, Julian – A Tale of Two Women

In this movie, we follow the story of Julian and Fleur, portrayed by actresses Nina Meurisse and Laurence Roothooft respectively. These two women are planning to get married in 22 different countries where it is legally possible. However, their journey takes a tragic turn as they only manage to complete four marriages before coming to a halt.

Additionally, we have Taratoa Stappard’s Maori gothic horror film, Marama. In this movie, Ariana Osborne plays the role of a young woman who is determined to reclaim her indigenous identity in Victorian-era Britain.

The segment features two movies that center around deaf protagonists: firstly, Ted Evans’ initial work, the suspenseful film Retreat, which boasts an entirely deaf cast, headed by Anne Zander, James Boyle and Sophie Stone; secondly, Stroma Cairns’ debut feature, The Son and the Sea, focusing on a journey to the Northeast coast of Scotland taken by three boys, one who is severely deaf.

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This section showcases two movies with deaf main characters: Ted Evans’ first film, the thriller Retreat, starring an all-deaf ensemble including Anne Zander, James Boyle and Sophie Stone; and Stroma Cairns’ debut feature, The Son and the Sea, which revolves around a trip to Scotland’s Northeast coast by three boys, one of whom is deaf.

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In this part, you’ll find two movies with deaf leads: Ted Evans’ first movie, the suspense-filled Retreat, starring an entire cast of deaf actors headed by Anne Zander, James Boyle and Sophie Stone; and Stroma Cairns’ debut film, The Son and the Sea, which is about a group of boys going on a trip to Scotland’s Northeast coast, one of whom is deaf.

Titles under Discovery also feature:

1. Director Siyou Tan’s drama Amoeba, which tells the story of a rebellious young woman igniting a revolution at an elite all-girls school by forming a gang.

2. Laundry, directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi and set in 1968, during South Africa’s apartheid period.

3. Writer-director Eva Thomas’ first solo directorial project, Nika & Madison, a movie about two young Native American women, portrayed by Ellyn Jade and Star Slade, who flee after a brutal encounter with the police.

In addition, the 2025 Discovery sidebar includes:

1. Kunsang Kyirong’s initial work, titled “100 Sunset“, which is a captivating mystery revolving around a teenage kleptomaniac who surreptitiously observes her Tibetan community and encounters an unforeseen confidant.
2. The police drama “Bayaan” by Bikas Ranjan Mishra, based on a stage play.
3. Sasha Leigh Henry’s “Dinner With Friends“, a drama that explores the struggles of eight friends as they grapple with the challenges of maintaining their bond, similar to growing up together.
4. Joscha Bongard’s film “Babystar“, focusing on a child influencer attempting to break free from her parents who decide to have another baby.
5. Andy Hines’ debut feature and crime thriller “Little Lorraine“, featuring Stephen Amell and the Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin in his first cinematic role.

Additionally, there are initial glimpses for the following books: Tomas Corredor’s “November”, Karla Badillo’s “Oca”, Seyhmus Altun’s “As We Breathe”, Pella Kagerman and Hugo Lilja’s “Egghead Republic”, Seemab Gul’s “Ghost School”, Lucia Alenar Iglesias’ “Foreigner”, Goran Stankovic’s “Our Father”, Melanie Charbonneau’s “Out Standing”, and Zain Duraie’s “Sink.

The Toronto International Film Festival is due to take place from September 4th to the 14th. Further details about the program will be revealed over the upcoming weeks.

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2025-07-23 16:55