TORONTO: The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) kicked off on a political note on Thursday, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Obamas delivered opening remarks before Hollywood A-listers arrived to take centre stage.

North America’s biggest film festival is celebrating its 50th edition.

Stars including Daniel Craig, Sydney Sweeney and Matthew McConaughey are set to unveil their latest movies over the next 11 days.

But the arrival of actors and filmmakers from the United States comes against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s threats to take over his northern neighbour.

Taking the stage before TIFF’s opening film, a documentary about homegrown comic John Candy, Carney warned that “our sovereignty, our identity has come under threat”.

“And when Canadians heard those threats, they channelled their inner John Candy,” he said, of the beloved Planes, Trains and Automobiles comic to raucous cheers.

Former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle introduced The Eyes of Ghana, a new documentary from the movie production company they set up after leaving the White House.

The film unearths long-lost footage of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, who was overthrown in a coup after creating a personality cult around himself as the “Redeemer”.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2025