#TIFF: DOCUMENTARIES PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED FOR 2026 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, is announcing its 2026 TIFF Docs lineup featuring 21 titles from 20 countries and 18 World Premieres. From archival portraits to dispatches from global front lines, this year’s Official Selection celebrates the art of non-fiction storytelling and its unique power to illuminate untold stories, challenge perspectives, and spark conversation. This year’s lineup includes new work by celebrated directors such as Mila Aung-Thwin, Barry Avrich, Maiken Baird, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, Sophie Fiennes, Alex Gibney, Barbara Kopple, and Sine Plambech, along with several emerging directors with breakthrough works.

The programme will open with Rapinoe, a deeply personal profile of the US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, by Rebeca Huntt (Beba, TIFF ’21). High-profile World Premieres coming to TIFF as sales titles include: Edward Said: Between Worlds, tracing the life of the renowned Palestinian-American writer; Re/Pair, exploring the connections and tensions between American Black and Jewish communities; Bleeding Hearts, portraying the love story of Zella Day and Jesse Woods from the alt-country band Chaparelle; Low Lies the Land, following three winemaking families in Northern Italy; Cheyenne, capturing the world of cowgirls in a bucking horse competition; Rescue, depicting an extraordinary tale of a migrant trying to find his kidnapped wife and children; Black Sunflowers, covering the lives of young Ukrainians against the backdrop of war; The Ultra Runner, examining the extreme ultramarathon runner Tiberiu Uşeriu; and Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been, profiling the acclaimed soul singer.

More than two-thirds of the programme’s films are directed by women, connecting the legacy of visionaries like Barbara Kopple, whose influential Harlan County, U.S.A. screened at the first TIFF in 1976, with a new generation of rising voices. She returns to the Festival this year with Union Town, following three labour battles in New York City. TIFF Docs is programmed by Thom Powers.

2026 TIFF Docs programme (in alphabetical order):

Ba’s Book | Ashley Duong | Canada

World Premiere

Black Sunflowers | James Marcus Haney | Ukraine, USA

World Premiere

Bleeding Hearts | Andrew Morgan | USA

World Premiere

Cheyenne | Taimi Arvidson | USA

World Premiere

Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been | Barry Avrich | Canada

World Premiere

Edward Said: Between Worlds | Maiken Baird | USA

World Premiere

Gail | Michael Maxxis | Canada

World Premiere

Like Magic | Melissa Saavedra Gil | Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay

World Premiere

Low Lies The Land | Emanuele Gerosa | Denmark, Italy

World Premiere

Musk | Alex Gibney | USA

North American Premiere

Rapinoe | Rebeca Huntt | United Kingdom, USA

World Premiere

Re/Pair | Lacey Schwartz Delgado | USA

World Premiere

Rescue | Sine Plambech | Denmark, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Iceland

World Premiere

Still Night, Burning House | Carol Nguyen | Canada

World Premiere

Tehran, Under the Skin | Afsaneh Salari | France, Iran, Sweden

World Premiere

The Final Act | Sophie Deraspe | Canada

World Premiere

The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs | Èlia Gasull Balada, Matteo Norzi | Peru, USA, Qatar

World Premiere

The Pervert’s Guide to Utopias | Sophie Fiennes | Ireland, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Netherlands, Norway

North American Premiere

The Ultra Runner | Mila Aung-Thwin | Canada

World Premiere

Turtle Island Rap | Alexandra Lazarowich | Canada

World Premiere

Union Town | Barbara Kopple | USA

North American Premiere

The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 10–20, 2026.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “BAD LIEUTENANT: TOKYO”

We get a new Trailer today for tiff ’26 selection BAD LIEUTENANT: TOKYO, the latest in the neo-noir Crime Drama franchise. Coming soon.

Directed by: Takashi Miike

Starring: Shun Oguri, Lily James, Shotaro Mamiya, Liv Morgan, Jun Kunimura, Hiroshi Tachi

A disgraced Tokyo detective spirals into a world of corruption, addiction, and violence as he becomes entangled in a twisted investigation involving a vengeful ex-yakuza, an enigmatic FBI agent, and a missing daughter of a powerful American family.

#TIFF: “MARIE MADELEINE” PREMIERING AT 2026 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

MAISON 4:3 and Metafilms are pleased to announce that MARIE MADELEINE, written and directed by Géssica Généus (Freda), will have its North American premiere in the Centrepiece programme at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Celebrating global cinematic achievements, the programme invites audiences to immerse themselves in an eclectic selection of contemporary films. TIFF runs September 10-20.

In Jacmel, Haiti, the sea, the churches and the spirits shape life. Marie Madeleine is a free woman. She makes her living as a sex worker and moves through the night without submitting to the rules of those who save souls. Her path crosses that of Joseph, a young evangelist. A relationship develops between two people who could not be more different. As Joseph’s faith begins to waver, Marie Madeleine draws him into a world where desire and the quest for freedom open a space in which everything can be reinvented.

Following its world premiere at the 79th Festival de Cannes this past May, the film stars Généus alongside Béonard Monteau (Port-au-Prince, Dimanche 4 janvier), as well as first-time screen performers Edouard Baptiste and Mélissa Mildort. Généus’s second feature, MARIE MADELEINE, is a film in which the real brushes up against the surreal, as Généus brings colliding worlds together, if only briefly, to create moments of light.

MARIE MADELEINE is a co-production between Metafilms (Canada), SaNoSi Productions (France), Ayizan Productions (Haiti), Stenola Productions (Belgium) and Bidibul (Luxembourg), produced by Sylvain Corbeil, Jean-Marie Gigon, Gessica Généus, Anton Iffland Stettner, Lilian Eche and Christel Henon. International sales are handled by Pyramide Films.

MARIE MADELEINE is distributed in Canada by Maison 4:3 and will open in theatres this fall.

About Maison 4:3

Founded in 2014, Maison 4:3 is a boutique film distribution company that puts its expertise at the service of filmmakers and their work, developing launch strategies and supporting films through every stage of their release. Maison 4:3 champions deeply human projects that are both resonant and distinctive.

About Metafilms

Metafilms is a Montreal-based production company founded in 2003 to give emerging filmmakers with distinctive voices the means to express their vision of cinema and the world.

To date, Metafilms has produced 27 features, 30 short and medium-length films, and seven music videos. Its films have screened widely at prestigious international festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, Sundance, Toronto, San Sebastián, Rotterdam and Karlovy Vary, among others, and have earned honours including the Jury Prize at Cannes for Mommy; a Silver Bear at the Berlinale for Vic + Flo Saw a Bear; Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF for Félix and Meira; the Jury’s Coup de Coeur at Cannes for A Brother’s Love; and the César Award for Best Foreign Film for The Nature of Love. Zaynê Akyol’s documentary Rojek (2022) represented Canada in the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards. The following year, Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language (2024) was Canada’s submission to the 97th Academy Awards and made the shortlist. In 2025, Peak Everything had its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cabourg Film Festival.

Most recently, Metafilms has also launched an emerging creators initiative led by Rosalie Chicoine Perreault and Catherine Boily. Now more than ever, Metafilms continues to seek out and support distinctive filmmakers and films with respect and rigour.

#TIFF: “BACK IN BLACK” TO PREMIERE AT 2026 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

VVS Films are thrilled to announce that the following film will make its World Premiere at TIFF 2026.

BACK IN BLACK
Director: Ron Murphy
Cast: Christopher Walken, Ella Ballentine, Jane Curtin

Back in Black is a dark comedy film starring Christopher Walken as Clyde, a struggling funeral director in a small town where a runaway wellness craze has made death obsolete.

#TIFF: DENIS CÔTÉ’S “NOBODY’S VIOLENCE” TO PREMIERE AT TIFF

h264 is excited to announce that NOBODY’S VIOLENCE, written and directed by Denis Côté will have its North American premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film is programmed in the Wavelengths section of the festival, which highlights daring, visionary, and autonomous voices. NOBODY’S VIOLENCE will also have its world premiere and is in competition at the Locarno International Film Festival on August 8, followed by a theatrical release in Canada on October 23.

NOBODY’S VIOLENCE follows Mira, a solitary woman of few words. She travels the roads meeting desperate people with whom she seems to have forged strange death pacts. With no apparent destination, she meets Madeleine and Ludo, two free-spirited hedonists living deep in the forest. Taking a break from her missions and unsettled by a sudden encounter with an excessive and intriguing young man, she uses this stopover to question her wandering life and reassess her dark agreements.

The film stars Larissa Corriveau, in her fifth collaboration with Côté following Ghost TOWN ANTHOLOGY (2019), SOCIAL HYGIENE (2021), THAT KIND OF SUMMER (2022), and MADEMOISELLE KENOPSIA (2023), as well as, among others, French actor Philippe Rebbot (À BICYCLETTE, TROIS FOIS RIEN!), Xavier Bergeron (LE RETOUR D’ANNA BRODEUR), Gabrielle Lazure, Pierrette Robitaille, and Eve Pressault (NELLY).

Marking his 17th feature-length film, Côté brings together cinematographer Vincent Biron, art director Marie-Pier Fortier, sound designer Stephen de Oliveira, costume designer Caroline Bodson, and editor Teraence Chotard. This also marks the second collaboration between Côté and producers Gabrielle Tougas-Fréchette and Guillaume Vasseur.

Produced by Oiseau pas de S and with financial support from SODEC and Telefilm Canada, NOBODY’S VIOLENCE is distributed in Canada by h264. International sales are handled by Heretic. The film will be in theatres on October 23.

About H264
h264 is a distribution studio supporting filmmakers and producers in the distribution and sales of feature films, both in Canada and internationally. From 2015 to 2024, the company also played a crucial role in short films, distributing several successful films, including three Oscar®-nominated shorts. This commitment continues in the realm of feature films with ongoing support for emerging filmmakers, with a particular focus on first and second features. h264 develops innovative strategies tailored to each film to enhance their discoverability, from script development to festival launch, theatrical release, and digital distribution.

#TIFF: TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WAVELENGTHS AND CLASSICS PROGRAMME 2026 ANNOUNCED

The Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, is thrilled to reveal its 2026 lineup for the Wavelengths and TIFF Classics programmes. Across acclaimed contemporary cinema, daring experimental work, and anticipated restorations, these distinct programmes showcase artistry and creative risk-taking at TIFF 2026.

2026 Wavelengths programme

Spanning feature films, shorts, and boundary-blurring mid-lengths, Wavelengths foregrounds artist-driven works that embrace risk, defy convention, and challenge cinematic form. This year’s curation features an expanded lineup of 11 feature films, with striking new work from a mix of returning Wavelengths alumni and exciting debuts.

Highlights include At Night, the long-awaited first feature by British artist Beatrice Gibson, a moving work of hybrid autofiction shot on 16mm by Ben Rivers; Lisandro Alonso’s Double Freedom (La libertad doble), a not-quite-sequel to the Argentine auteur’s 2001 breakout feature La libertad; and Sebastian Brameshuber’s award-winning London, a deeply felt portrait of connection across a changing Europe, shot with vintage rear-projection technology.

TIFF favourites Nicolás Pereda and Angela Schanelec both bring their newest features to the Festival, the former with Everything Else is Noise (Lo demás es ruido), a deft, self-reflexive comedy of manners and mishaps interrogating the polyvalent nature of noise, the latter with My Wife Cries (Meine Frau Weint), an austere and surprising parable exploring romantic misalignment, but punctuated by vivid bursts of life.

World Premieres include The Black Box is Orange, a multimodal essay film by local filmmaker and artist Yuula Benivolski that balances the political with the poetic, as well as John Torres’ The Remotes, which refracts sci-fi, film noir, the thriller, and Filipino commercial cinema through his own signature lens.

Essential non-fiction highlights also include William and David Greaves’ posthumous historical documentary Once Upon a Time in Harlem, capturing a 1972 gathering of luminaries from the original Harlem Renaissance, and Life of Jorge Luis Borges (Biografía de Jorge Luis Borges), a roaming, erudite 5.5-hour epic by filmmaker Mariano Llinás, which explores the life of the iconic writer through objects and places.

Rounding out the feature lineup is Denis Côté’s energetic and unpredictable Nobody’s Violence (Violence du corps de l’autre), as well as Romanian auteur Radu Jude’s wry, highly political, and surprisingly moving adaptation The Diary of a Chambermaid (Le journal d’une femme de chambre).

This year’s short and mid-lengths lineup features a similarly eclectic mix of returning talent and new names. World Premiere highlights include new films by both established and emerging international figures, among them Kamal Aljafari with Masao Adachi Takes a Passport Photo, an understated portrait of the legendary Japanese iconoclast; Maryam Tafakory’s Ghazal-e Sorkh, a layered, lucid essay film that connects national, international, and personal histories to recount the 1976 boycott of the Shiraz Art Festival; and Zheng Lu Xinyuan’s nocturnal Fire Flies, in which the filmmaker is led on a flashlight-illuminated stroll through the mountains.

World Premieres from Canadian artists and filmmakers include Parastoo Anoushahpour’s Peacocks Come with the Clouds, which reflects on a series of elegant wedding embroideries by way of workshops with local children; Rita Ferrando’s After Image, which traces her family’s history of migration from Argentina to Canada by way of archival fragments; and The Address Book by Mustafa Uzuner, which screens on 16mm. Further World Premieres include Ben Russell’s sly La Prospettiva (1653), Jiaqi Yu’s mysterious Moon Palace, and Simon Liu’s ghost story-tinged Splits in Two.

Special highlights include a rare 70mm presentation of Johann Lurf’s magisterial Forever…Forever, a rediscovered and restored archival gem by legendary Fluxus musician Takehisa Kosugi, and a special tribute to the recently departed Italian-Armenian icon Yervant Gianikian. Fresh from recent festival premieres and acclaimed exhibitions, Wavelengths Shorts is rounded out by new work from artists John Smith, Natalia Marín, James Richards, Danaya Chulphuthiphong, and Vika Kirchenbauer.

Wavelengths is curated by TIFF Senior Curator Andréa Picard and Jesse Cumming. From acclaimed auteurs to exciting new talent, this diverse programme celebrates cinema as a space for subversion, expression, and disruption, honouring the spirit of Canadian artist Michael Snow’s masterpiece Wavelength, the 1967 film that gave the section its name. Notable films that have previously featured in the programme include At Sea (Peter Hutton, 2007), Horse Money (Pedro Costa, 2014), The Dreamed Path (Angela Schanelec, 2016), The Human Surge (Eduardo Williams, 2016), Altiplano (Malena Szlam, 2018), The Inheritance (Ephraim Asili, 2020), Ste-Anne (Rhayne Vermette, 2021), Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (Radu Jude, 2023), Magellan (Lav Diaz, 2025), and Dry Leaf (Alexandre Koberidze, 2025).

Wavelengths Features

At Night | Beatrice Gibson | United Kingdom, France

North American Premiere

Double Freedom (La libertad doble) | Lisandro Alonso | Chile, Argentina, Luxembourg, Germany, United Kingdom

North American Premiere

Everything Else is Noise (Lo demás es ruido) | Nicolás Pereda | Germany, Canada, Mexico

North American Premiere

Life of Jorge Luis Borges (Biografía de Jorge Luis Borges) | Mariano Llinás | Argentina

North American Premiere

London | Sebastian Brameshuber | Austria

North American Premiere

My Wife Cries (Meine Frau Weint) | Angela Schanelec | Germany, France

North American Premiere

Nobody’s Violence (Violence du corps de l’autre) | Denis Côté | Canada

North American Premiere

Once Upon a Time in Harlem | William Greaves, David Greaves | USA

Canadian Premiere

The Black Box is Orange | Yuula Benivolski | Canada

World Premiere

The Diary of a Chambermaid (Le journal d’une femme de chambre) | Radu Jude | France, Romania

North American Premiere

The Remotes | John Torres | Philippines

World Premiere

Wavelengths Shorts

WAVELENGTHS 1: HOUSE AND HOME

Two Pids | John Smith | United Kingdom

North American Premiere

After Image | Rita Ferrando | Canada, Argentina

World Premiere

Moon Palace (月宫) | Jiaqi Yu | China, USA

World Premiere

Microcosmic Orbit: Encased | Danaya Chulphuthiphong | Thailand

North American Premiere

The Address Book | Mustafa Uzuner | Canada

World Premiere | 16mm

Chronicle of Tiredness (Crónica del cansancio) | Natalia Marín | Spain

North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS 2: THIS SUFFOCATING NOW

Ghazal-e Sorkh (غزالِ سرخ) | Maryam Tafakory | Iran, United Kingdom, France

World Premiere

TM | Takehisa Kosugi | Japan | 1974

International Premiere of new restoration

Fire Flies (咒语) | Zheng Lu Xinyuan | China

World Premiere

Splits in Two | Simon Liu | Hong Kong, USA

World Premiere

This Suffocating Now | Vika Kirchenbauer | Germany

North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS 3: TIME AND TIDE

Forever…Forever | Johann Lurf | Austria, France

North American Premiere | 70mm

La Prospettiva (1653) | Ben Russell | France, Italy

World Premiere

Electric Fragments No. 1 – Rom (Men) (Frammenti Elettrici No. 1 – Rom (Uomini)) | Yervant Gianikian, Angela Ricci Lucchi | Italy | 2001

Fevers | James Richards | Germany, United Kingdom

North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS: ANOUSHAHPOUR/ALJAFARI

Peacocks Come with the Clouds (طاووس‌ها با ابرها می‌آیند) | Parastoo Anoushahpour | Iran, Canada

World Premiere

Masao Adachi Takes a Passport Photo (足立正生、パスポート写真を撮る) | Kamal Aljafari | Germany, France, Japan

World Premiere

TIFF Classics

TIFF Classics presented by MUBI, supported by Ontario Creates and the Canada Council for the Arts, brings restored and rediscovered works back into the spotlight, reuniting audiences with iconic films from visionary filmmakers in Canadian and international cinema. This year’s TIFF Classics programme spans landmark historical works, radical form, and bold social satire.

Anchoring the programme is a spectacular presentation in TIFF’s state-of-art Cinema 1 of Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971), the 4K director’s cut of the politically defiant masterpiece starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, featuring sets designed by Derek Jarman. Lynne Stopkewich’s transgressive TIFF ’96 premiere Kissed, starring Molly Parker, returns in a beautiful new 4K restoration; John Abraham’s extraordinary final film and iconic Malayalam classic Report to Mother (Amma Ariyan, 1986), is newly resuscitated in this meticulous, handsome 4K restoration; the World Premiere of Fei Mu’s Spring in a Small Town (Xiao cheng zhi chun, 1948) — the earliest title in the programme — is a haunting, strikingly modern story of longing and one of Wong Kar-wai’s inspirations for In the Mood for Love; and from legendary Japanese filmmaker Kon Ichikawa, Ten Dark Women (Kuroi jûnin no onna, 1961), a stylish, satirical, and ahead-of-its-time black comedy with a brilliant script by Natto Wada about 10 women who discover they are sharing the same pathologically unfaithful man and orchestrate a collective revenge. One of the year’s greatest cinematic gifts, the Pelechian Project presents five newly restored films by leading Armenian filmmaker and theorist Artavazd Pelechian, whose visionary “distance montage” techniques have yielded some of the most exhilarating short films of all time.

Curated by Robyn Citizen and Andréa Picard, past TIFF Classics Official Selections include the restorations of L’Amour fou (Jacques Rivette, 1969), Days and Nights in the Forest (Satyajit Ray, 1970), Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980), Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got (Brigitte Berman, 1985), Nadja (Michael Almereyda, 1994), and Werckmeister Harmonhies (Béla Tarr, 2000).

2026 TIFF Classics programme (in alphabetical order)

Ken Russell’s The Devils | Ken Russell | United Kingdom |1971

North American Premiere of 4K restoration, courtesy of Warner Bros. Clockwork

Kissed | Lynne Stopkewich | Canada | 1996

World Premiere of 4K restoration, courtesy of Canadian International Pictures

Report to Mother (Amma Ariyan) | John Abraham | India | 1986

North American Premiere of 4K restoration, courtesy of Film Heritage Foundation

Spring in a Small Town (Xiao cheng zhi chun) | Fei Mu | China | 1948

World Premiere of 4K restoration, courtesy of the China Film Archive

Ten Dark Women (Kuroi jûnin no onna) | Kon Ichikawa | Japan | 1961

North American Premiere of 4K restoration, courtesy of Kadokawa Corporation

Pelechian Project

Land of the People | Artavazd Pelechian | Armenia, USSR | 1966 (10 mins.)

The Beginning | Artavazd Pelechian | Armenia, USSR | 1967 (10 mins.)

We | Artavazd Pelechian | Armenia, USSR | 1969 (27 mins.)

The Seasons | Artavazd Pelechian | Armenia, USSR | 1975 (31 mins.)

The End | Artavazd Pelechian | Armenia | 1992 (8 mins.)

North American Premiere of 4K restorations, courtesy of Coproduction Office

The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 10–20, 2026.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER”

We get a new Trailer for tiff ’26 selection YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER.

Orion Pictures presents

A Two & Two Pictures Production

A film by Bassam Tariq

In select Canadian theatres beginning on October 9

From writer-director Bassam Tariq, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother stars Mahershala Ali as Latif, a devoutly religious hitman who struggles to balance work, faith and fatherhood. When his wife dies, he embarks on a desperate journey across Houston to protect his children, confronting the forces closing in around him – and the beliefs threatening to unravel within.

Written and Directed by: Bassam Tariq

Produced by: Lucan Toh, p.g.a., Babak Anvari, Bassam Tariq, p.g.a.

Executive Producer: Brian O’Neill

Cast: Mahershala Ali, John Cho, Abubakr Ali, Laith Nakli, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, and Giancarlo Esposito

also starring Adia, Jahleel Kamara

Genre(s): Drama, Action

#TIFF: TIFF TRIBUTE AWARDS 2026 FIRST HONOUREES ANNOUNCED

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey is delighted to announce the first group of esteemed honourees of the annual TIFF Tribute Awards, celebrating outstanding contributions to cinema and serving as the kick-off to awards season. The annual awards gala will take place on Sunday, September 13, at Fairmont Royal York Hotel Toronto.

Academy Award–winning actor Penélope Cruz will receive the TIFF Special Tribute Award, presented by CHANEL; visionary auteur Lee Chang-dong will be honoured with the TIFF Ebert Director Award, presented by The Tory Family; acclaimed actor Rosalind Eleazar and French screen icon Isabelle Huppert will be presented with TIFF Tribute Performer Awards; and Academy Award–winning filmmaker Siân Heder will receive the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media, presented by Anne-Marie Canning.

“Now in its eighth year, the TIFF Tribute Awards celebrates some of cinema’s most exciting artists at an event dedicated to the transformative power of film,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “From the captivating performances of Isabelle Huppert, Penélope Cruz, and Rosalind Eleazar to Lee Chang-dong and Siân Heder’s vital filmmaking, each has shown a profound impact on screen storytelling. It’s our privilege to recognize their achievements as we gather to celebrate another exceptional year in film and rally support for TIFF’s ongoing work.”

The Tribute Awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser and a world-class celebration of cinematic excellence, with proceeds supporting expanded access to cinema, championing artists, strengthening the industry, and bringing communities together through film. Presented in partnership with Rolex, with support from RBC, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, and Don Julio.

2026 TIFF Tribute Awards honourees

Penélope Cruz – TIFF Special Tribute Award, presented by CHANEL

Academy Award winner and three-time nominee Penélope Cruz has two films premiering at this year’s Festival: Bunker from Oscar-winning writer-director Florian Zeller and La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi from a screenplay co-written with Alberto Conejero. Her other starring roles this year include The Bride!, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, alongside Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, and Peter Sarsgaard, and Olivia Wilde’s The Invite alongside Wilde, Seth Rogen, and Edward Norton.

Cruz has proven herself one of the industry’s most accomplished performers, becoming the first actress from Spain to be nominated for and win an Academy Award. Her acclaimed credits include Volver (TIFF ’06), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Nine (2009), and Parallel Mothers (2021). In 2022, Cruz partnered with The MediaPro Studio to launch her production company Moonlyon. Recently, she starred in Ferrari (2023) alongside Adam Driver and Shailene Woodley, earning Screen Actors Guild and Gotham Award nominations for her supporting performance. Upcoming projects include director Isabel Coixet’s adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s The Days of Abandonment and the thriller Day Drinker. Looking ahead, Cruz will lead Nancy Meyers’ return to directing in her untitled film, set for release at Christmas of 2027.

The Special Tribute Award recognizes an individual who has made an extraordinary and unique contribution to the world of film, leaving a lasting legacy through their dedication and artistry. Previous recipients include Lee Byung Hun, Zacharias Kunuk, and Jafar Panahi (2025), Zhao Tao (2024), Andy Lau (2023), Dionne Warwick (2021), and David Foster (2019).

Lee Chang-dong – TIFF Ebert Director Award, presented by The Tory Family

Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong returns to TIFF with the Special Presentations premiere of his eagerly anticipated Possible Love, a gripping tale of relationships plus generational and class divides. Beginning his career as a novelist before transitioning into cinema, Chang-dong has built an international reputation through films that profoundly contemplate contemporary humanity and society. His acclaimed filmography includes Peppermint Candy (1999), Oasis (TIFF ’02), which won the Silver Lion at Venice, Secret Sunshine (TIFF ’07), and the internationally revered thriller Burning (TIFF ’18), which was shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards.

Named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert, the award recognizes visionary filmmakers who have made a transformative impact on cinema. Past recipients include Guillermo del Toro (2025), Mike Leigh (2024), Spike Lee (2023), Sam Mendes (2022), Denis Villeneuve (2021), and Chloé Zhao (2020).

Rosalind Eleazar – TIFF Tribute Performer Award

Rising British powerhouse Rosalind Eleazar receives the TIFF Tribute Performer Award for her magnetic performance in Chris Rock’s Misty Green. Making her return to TIFF following the World Premiere of The Personal History of David Copperfield (TIFF ’19), Eleazar has earned acclaim for her dramatic range across stage and screen, most notably for her role as MI5 agent Louisa Guy in the award-winning series Slow Horses (2022–2025). Her screen credits include Rose of Nevada (TIFF ’25), Missing You (2025), for which she was recognized with a Royal Television Society Award, Class of ’09 (2023), Deep Water (2019), Harlots (2017–2019), Rellik (2017), National Treasure (2016), and more. On stage, Eleazar most recently appeared opposite Ralph Fiennes in Small Hotel as part of the Theatre Royal Bath season.

Isabelle Huppert – TIFF Tribute Performer Award

With a career spanning over 100 films, Oscar-nominated Isabelle Huppert re-teams with Marc Fitoussi (Paris Follies, 2014) in his latest comedy All About Corinne, a TIFF ’26 Gala Presentation, in which she plays a background actor who spots a belated chance to break into the fickle family of le cinéma français. Huppert is widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in auteur and global cinema. In an exceptional career, she has stood out for her bold and profound roles, collaborating with renowned directors such as Claude Chabrol, Michael Haneke, and Paul Verhoeven. Her iconic films include The Piano Teacher (2001), Elle, and Things to Come (both at TIFF ’16), with additional Festival Official Selections Greta (TIFF ’18) and Frankie (TIFF ’19).

The TIFF Tribute Performer Award recognizes an overall body of work. Past recipients are Nina Hoss and Channing Tatum (2025), Amy Adams and Jharrel Jerome (2024), Colman Domingo and Vicky Krieps (2023), Brendan Fraser and the ensemble cast of My Policeman (2022), Jessica Chastain and Benedict Cumberbatch (2021), Kate Winslet and Sir Anthony Hopkins (2020), plus Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix (2019).

Siân Heder – TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media, presented by Anne-Marie Canning

A defining voice in contemporary cinema, American writer, director, and producer Siân Heder makes her Festival debut with the TIFF ’26 World Premiere of Being Heumann, a follow-up to her Oscar-winning CODA (2021). Heder’s Opening Night Gala Presentation features a breakout performance by Ruth Madeley and Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo in this inspiring historical drama celebrating the paradigm-shifting activist Judy Heumann, “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement.” Building on a body of work that includes Tallulah (2016) and TV credits such as Orange Is the New Black and Little America, Heder continues to advance inclusive storytelling and pave the way for a more accessible future on and off screen.

Previously bestowed upon Idris Elba, Angelina Jolie, Pedro Almodóvar, Mira Nair, and Alanis Obomsawin, the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media is presented by Anne-Marie Canning and recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TEASER FOR “BELOW”

Premiering as part of TIFF ’26’s PRIMETIME Programme, we get a teaser for BELOW!

ABOUT BELOW

LAUNCH DATE: October 8, 2026

SYNOPSIS: Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) is a big‑hearted but stubborn fisherman living in a small Newfoundland town, who’s still haunted by his father’s mysterious death from decades ago. When an unidentified sea creature begins terrorizing his hometown, Calvin must fight to hold his close-knit community together. Determined to keep his son Wade (Charlie Heaton) and the rest of his family safe, he teams up with a visiting marine researcher (Mackenzie Davis) to confront the creature and reveal the island’s buried secrets before it’s too late. Blending local myth, thrilling suspense, and heartfelt humour, this twisty six-part limited series dives into themes of family, community, and change – both terrifying and inevitable.

CREATOR/SHOWRUNNER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jesse McKeown

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jessica Rhoades, Chris Hatcher, Josh Hartnett, Jamie Childs, Louise Sutton, Sharon Hall

CAST: Josh Hartnett (“Calvin Penney”), Mackenzie Davis (“Fonda Howander”), Charlie Heaton (“Wade Penney”), Ruby Stokes (“Mary Penney”), Kaleb Horn (“Noah”), Rohan Campbell (“Jay Penney”), Willow Kean (“Ruth Penney”)

FORMAT: 6 episodes x 45 minutes, Thriller

FILMED ON LOCATION: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

#TIFF: 2026 PRIMETIME PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED AT 2026 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, is announcing its 2026 Primetime programme, spotlighting groundbreaking episodic storytelling and auteur-driven television from some of the world’s most exciting creators. This year’s Official Selections showcase the creative power and influence of the medium, featuring major World Premieres and new seasons of compelling dramas, thrillers, and docuseries starring François Arnaud, Bérénice Bejo, Linda Cardellini, Jon Hamm, Carrie-Anne Moss, Gary Oldman, Hudson Williams, and more.

Primetime spotlights the best in international and North American series, bringing new shows to the big screen. Featuring one or two episodes and conversations with cast and creators, this programme treats TIFF audiences to a first look at upcoming series before they hit TV, alongside the people who made them. This year’s lineup has a heavy focus on series based on established IP, including American Hostage, Carrie, and Crystal Lake (Friday the 13th).

The programme’s opening title is Jesse McKeown’s Below, a six-episode series starring Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, and Josh Hartnett, about a small town in Newfoundland that comes under siege by a mysterious sea creature. Premiering his new series Carrie, Mike Flanagan makes his return to TIFF after his 2024 People’s Choice Award winner The Life of Chuck.

2026 Primetime programme (in alphabetical order):

2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback | Darren Dale | Australia

World Premiere

Alice | Virginie Verrier, Guillaume Lonergan | France, Canada

World Premiere

American Hostage | Shawn Ryan, Eileen Myers, Adam Arkin | USA

World Premiere

Below | Jesse McKeown | Canada

World Premiere
Opening series

Blindspot Berlin | David Nawrath | Germany

World Premiere

Carrie | Mike Flanagan | Canada, USA

World Premiere
Closing series

Crystal Lake | Brad Caleb Kane, Michael Lennox | USA

World Premiere

Oxygen Masks Will (Not) Drop Automatically | Marcelo Gomes, Carol Minêm | Brazil

North American Premiere

Slow Horses | Will Smith, Adam Randall | United Kingdom, USA

International Premiere

YAGA | Kat Sandler, Rachel Talalay, David Frazee | Canada

World Premiere

Primetime’s lead programmer is Geoff Macnaughton. The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 10–20, 2026. Today concludes this week’s announcements. TIFF Takeover returns on Tuesday, August 4, at 10am ET with more programming news.

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, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.