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Joy (Jones) and Malachi (Spencer) are a married couple who miss the regular gatherings they used to have with their core group of friends, and have reinitiated a regular series of dinner parties. Joy resents the fact that the duty of planning and hosting the dinner always falls on her shoulders despite the fact that she and her husband have their hands full with their jobs and children, and want everybody to take turns. Evie (Morzaria) is Joy’s best friend, who is still struggling with loneliness and rejection after her boyfriend Tristan (Bushell) left her and seemingly disappeared without a trace, which has also been challenging for Tristan’s sister Kat (Tafari). |
Joy (Jones) and Malachi (Spencer) are a married couple who miss the regular gatherings they used to have with their core group of friends, and have reinitiated a regular series of dinner parties. Joy resents the fact that the duty of planning and hosting the dinner always falls on her shoulders despite the fact that she and her husband have their hands full with their jobs and children, and want everybody to take turns. Evie (Morzaria) is Joy’s best friend, who is still struggling with loneliness and rejection after her boyfriend Tristan (Bushell) left her and seemingly disappeared without a trace, which has also been challenging for Tristan’s sister Kat (Tafari). |
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Paul (Smith) is also stuck in a rut, unable to afford to move into a larger apartment so that he can spend more time with his teenage son. Ty (Ayres) and Josh (Williams), a [[gay]] couple, seem to have their lives more together, but are themselves facing questions about whether their freewheeling and partying lifestyle is really what they want out of life. |
Paul (Smith) is also stuck in a rut, unable to afford to move into a larger apartment so that he can spend more time with his teenage son. Ty (Ayres) and Josh (Williams), a [[gay]] couple, seem to have their lives more together, but are themselves facing questions about whether their freewheeling and partying lifestyle is really what they want out of life. |
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Tensions come to a head at the party, particularly when Tristan actually shows up. |
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==Distribution== |
==Distribution== |
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The film premiered in the Discovery program at the [[2025 Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 5, 2025.<ref>John Hazelton, [https://www.screendaily.com/news/toronto-unveils-discovery-selection-with-23-world-premieres/5207225.article “Toronto film festival unveils Discovery selection with 23 world premieres”]. ”[[Screen Daily]]”, July 23, 2025.</ref> |
The film premiered in the Discovery program at the [[2025 Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 5, 2025.<ref>John Hazelton, [https://www.screendaily.com/news/toronto-unveils-discovery-selection-with-23-world-premieres/5207225.article “Toronto film festival unveils Discovery selection with 23 world premieres”]. ”[[Screen Daily]]”, July 23, 2025.</ref> |
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==Critical response== |
==Critical response== |
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==Awards== |
==Awards== |
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The film was shortlisted for the 2025 [[Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award]].<ref>Connie Thiessen, [https://broadcastdialogue.com/dgc-unveils-film-doc-nominees-discovery-award-short-list/ “DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list”]. ”Broadcast Dialogue”, September 22, 2025.</ref> |
The film was shortlisted for the 2025 [[Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award]].<ref>Connie Thiessen, [https://broadcastdialogue.com/dgc-unveils-film-doc-nominees-discovery-award-short-list/ “DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list”]. ”Broadcast Dialogue”, September 22, 2025.</ref> |
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At the 2025 Regent Park Film Festival, the film won the Best Canadian Feature Award,<ref>{{Cite web |title=This weekend, we had the pleasure of awarding the Best Canadian Feature Award to DINNER WITH FRIENDS, the newest feature by the one and only @sashaleighhenry and the centrepiece of our Director’s Spotlight on November 29th ❤️ |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRtdDoHDq8M/?img_index=1 |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=[[Instagram]]}}</ref> and Tafari won for her performance in the film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congratulations to Tymika Tafari for winning both the audience’s hearts and our Outstanding Performance Award with her portrayal of Kat in DINNER WITH FRIENDS (2025) |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRtdNRrDqd3/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=[[Instagram]]}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 00:57, 4 February 2026
2025 Canadian drama film
| Dinner with Friends | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Sasha Leigh Henry |
| Written by | Sasha Leigh Henry Tania Thompson |
| Produced by | Sasha Leigh Henry Tania Thompson |
| Starring | Tattiawna Jones Izaak Smith Andrew Bushell Alex Spencer Tymika Tafari Rakhee Morzaria Michael Ayres Leighton Alexander Williams |
| Cinematography | Grant Cooper |
| Edited by | Gloria Tong |
| Music by | James M. Findlay |
|
Production |
Everyday People Productions |
|
Release date |
|
|
Running time |
96 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Dinner with Friends is a Canadian drama film, directed by Sasha Leigh Henry and released in 2025.[1]
Her full-length directorial debut, the film centres on a group of eight longtime friends who are now in their mid-30s, and regularly meet for dinner in an attempt to hold onto their friendship in the face of the life pressures that are pulling them apart.
The cast includes Tattiawna Jones, Tymika Tafari, Izaak Smith, Andrew Bushell, Alex Spencer, Rakhee Morzaria, Michael Ayres and Leighton Alexander Williams.
Plot
Joy (Jones) and Malachi (Spencer) are a married couple who miss the regular gatherings they used to have with their core group of friends, and have reinitiated a regular series of dinner parties. Joy resents the fact that the duty of planning and hosting the dinner always falls on her shoulders despite the fact that she and her husband have their hands full with their jobs and children, and want everybody to take turns. Evie (Morzaria) is Joy’s best friend, who is still struggling with loneliness and rejection after her boyfriend Tristan (Bushell) left her and seemingly disappeared without a trace, which has also been challenging for Tristan’s sister Kat (Tafari).
Paul (Smith) is also stuck in a rut, unable to afford to move into a larger apartment so that he can spend more time with his teenage son. Ty (Ayres) and Josh (Williams), a gay couple, seem to have their lives more together, but are themselves facing questions about whether their freewheeling and partying lifestyle is really what they want out of life. Tensions come to a head at the party, particularly when Tristan actually shows up.
Distribution
The film premiered in the Discovery program at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025.[2]
Critical response
Courtney Small of That Shelf wrote that “Dinner with Friends is most riveting when wading through the thick mud of emotions and personas. Anchored by a riveting script, where the conversations are packed with plenty of humour and hard truths, each new dinner offers new surprises and delicate minefields for characters to navigate. While Henry has always shown a gift when it comes to dialogue, her growth as a visual storyteller is evident here.”[3]
For Exclaim!, Rachel Ho wrote that “if Dinner with Friends imparts one message, it’s that life comes at you fast. One moment you’re doing shrooms, the next you’ve pulled your hamstring chasing after some no good neighbourhood youths. So enjoy life, come what may, and hold those around you dear.”[4]
Awards
The film was shortlisted for the 2025 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award.[5]
At the 2025 Regent Park Film Festival, the film won the Best Canadian Feature Award,[6] and Tafari won for her performance in the film.[7]
References
- ^ Zac Ntim, “TIFF 2025: ‘The Man In My Basement’ Starring Corey Hawkins & Willem Dafoe Among Discovery Titles”. Deadline Hollywood, July 23, 2025.
- ^ John Hazelton, “Toronto film festival unveils Discovery selection with 23 world premieres”. Screen Daily, July 23, 2025.
- ^ Courtney Small, “Dinner with Friends Review: TIFF 2025”. That Shelf, September 5, 2025.
- ^ Rachel Ho, “TIFF 2025: Like Life, ‘Dinner with Friends’ Comes at You Fast”. Exclaim!, September 5, 2025.
- ^ Connie Thiessen, “DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list”. Broadcast Dialogue, September 22, 2025.
- ^ “This weekend, we had the pleasure of awarding the Best Canadian Feature Award to DINNER WITH FRIENDS, the newest feature by the one and only @sashaleighhenry and the centrepiece of our Director’s Spotlight on November 29th ❤️”. Instagram. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ “Congratulations to Tymika Tafari for winning both the audience’s hearts and our Outstanding Performance Award with her portrayal of Kat in DINNER WITH FRIENDS (2025)”. Instagram. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
