6 books behind TIFF 2025’s biggest films – National AURORATOTO GROUP

What starts as a simple rental situation spirals into childhood fears crashing into reality. Walter Mosley’s novel is rich with mystery and nuance–a perfect noirish treat for thriller lovers preparing for the screen-to-page switch.

Chloé Zhao’s adaptation shines a spotlight on the emotional roots of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy. O’Farrell’s beautiful novel foregrounds the anguish of Agnes and William Shakespeare after the loss of their son, Hamnet, adding layers of heartbreak that may shift how you read Hamlet forever.

Expect the classic, with a Guillermo del Toro twist. This 1818 masterpiece of ambition and tragedy gets a visually arresting update that brings Frankenstein’s moral failings into even sharper detail. The original novel’s ethical dilemmas are sure to haunt you long after watching the film.

Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice turns Westlake’s dark comedic thriller into something grander and more psychological. If you appreciated its wit and escalating tension, the original book offers a more personal look at the jobless elite.

This powerful memoir by Canada’s first woman infantry officer brings tough realities to the small screen in Out Standing. Read about Perron’s real-life battle with harassment and physical and mental trials in the military, then see how the film brings her story to life.

Behind Clement Virgo’s Steal Away is a nonfiction story rooted in intimacy across cultural borders. Frost’s detailed, lyrical account of friendship and colonial legacies in a racially tense environment lays the emotional groundwork for the film.