#TIFF: MIDNIGHT MADNESS PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED FOR 2026 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, wraps up its section-specific announcements with another electric and eldritch edition of its Midnight Madness programme. Spanning the full spectrum of midnight movie modes, from classic horror and wicked action to absurdist alt-comedy and the return of gonzo documentaries to the section courtesy of Canada’s Matthew Rankin (The Twentieth Century, TIFF ’19; Universal Language, TIFF ’24), the 2026 Midnight Madness lineup includes six World Premieres across 10 countries of production. Further assembled within the slate are an awesome array of masked killers, medieval ghosts, drug-addled mobsters, denim-desiring yakuza, amnesiac detectives, martial artist vampires, interstellar infantrymen, competing Canadian politicians, Faustian bargains, existential ennui, and even an infamous talking pineapple.

An audience favourite with an “obsessed” following, Midnight Madness delivers 10 late-night screenings at the (allegedly) haunted Royal Alexandra Theatre, each starting at 11:59 pm. Hosted by section curator Peter Kuplowsky, Midnight Madness invites the Festival’s most devoted and raucous audience to close out each night by diving into the best of the bizarre in contemporary genre and underground cinema, from emerging and established provocateurs.

And the Midnight Madness mayhem expands this year, with a special screening of Na Hong-jin’s sci-fi action thriller Hope starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Hoyeon on Wednesday, September 9, the eve before Festival; and a “return to where it all started” screening of Focus Features and writer-director Curry Barker’s breakout success Obsession on Friday, September 11. As previously announced, TIFF: The Market will host an onstage moderated Dialogues conversation with director Barker and star Inde Navarrette as part of the seven-day Summit at the John Bassett Theatre; accessible by pass holders and public ticket holders.

2026 Midnight Madness programme (in alphabetical order):

Anchors Aweigh | Matt Barats | USA

International Premiere

Arrested Memory | SABU | Taiwan, Japan

North American Premiere

HALF | Samjad | India

World Premiere

Kick On | Nick Kozakis | Australia

World Premiere

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney | Matthew Rankin | Canada

World Premiere

River | Joshua Giuliano | USA

World Premiere

Midnight Madness Opening Night Film

Rogue Trooper | Duncan Jones | United Kingdom

North American Premiere

Midnight Madness Closing Night Film

The Face of Horror | Anna Biller | United Kingdom

World Premiere

The Spiral | Paolo Strippoli | Italy, France, Belgium

International Premiere

Vintage Violence | Eugene Kotlyarenko | USA, Japan

World Premiere

The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 10–20, 2026. Today concludes this week’s programming announcements and the full schedule will be live on tiff.net on Tuesday, August 11.

Social:

YouTube: TIFF

X: @TIFF_NET and @TIFF_TheMarket

Instagram, TikTok, Letterboxd, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn

About TIFF:

TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. A global leader in film and entertainment, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, plus learning and entertainment facilities; the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit, an innovative national distribution programme; and TIFF: The Market launching in 2026. The organization generates an estimated annual economic impact of $240 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Festival Presenting Sponsor Rogers Communications.

TIFF is generously supported by Major Sponsors RBC and Visa and Major Supporters Telefilm Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Toronto.