Peter Farrelly, Chris Rock, Courteney Cox, and Rebel Wilson Among Directors with World Premieres at 51st Toronto International Film Festival
Babajide Fadoju
The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled its highly anticipated Gala and Special Presentations programmes for 2026, featuring a dynamic mix of world premieres, critically acclaimed international cinema, and compelling storytelling from some of the most celebrated directors working today.
The 51st edition of TIFF, presented by Rogers, runs from September 10 to 20, 2026, and the newly announced lineup includes films from nearly 30 countries. The festival kicks off its week of announcements with a roster that promises glitzy red carpets, future award contenders, and a curated collection of films reflecting the diversity and creativity of modern filmmaking.
Showcasing a dynamic mix of World Premieres, critically acclaimed international cinema, and compelling storytelling from directors to watch, the films announced today reflect TIFF’s ongoing commitment to bringing audiences together through exceptional film experiences from around the globe, the festival said in a statement.
This year’s Gala and Special Presentations feature distinctive artistic visions by leading global directors including Pedro Almodóvar, Danny Boyle, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Lee Chang dong, Jesse Eisenberg, Gael GarcÃa Bernal, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore eda, Mike Leigh, John Madden, Rachel Morrison, Cristian Mungiu, Chris Rock, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Florian Zeller, and Andrey Zvyagintsev.
The Gala and Special Presentations programmes are popular with TIFF audiences for their glitzy A list red carpets and future award winners, as well as for presenting a curated collection of films that reflect the diversity and creativity of today’s filmmaking landscape.
Closing Night Villeneuve The Rise of a Legend
TIFF has announced that its Closing Night Film will be Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Villeneuve The Rise of a Legend, a biographical sports drama that chronicles the early years of Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve’s career. The film will take place on Saturday, September 19.
This year’s programme features an impressive slate of world premieres from some of the biggest names in filmmaking.
Peter Farrelly, the Oscar winning director of Green Book, brings I Play Rocky to Toronto for its world premiere. Chris Rock makes his directorial return with Misty Green, while Sue Kim debuts Always Talisa.
John Madden, the Academy Award nominated director of Shakespeare in Love, presents Onwards and Sideways from the United Kingdom. Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland brings Growth of the Soil, while South Korean visionary Yeon Sang ho, known for Train to Busan, debuts Paradise Lost. Canadian filmmaker Mina Shum rounds out the world premieres with Watcha Want.
Other world premieres include Anton Corbijn’s A Talent for Murder, Lauren Miller Rogen’s Babies, Courteney Cox’s Evil Genius, Rebel Wilson’s Girl Group, Adrian Buitenhuis’s Man in Motion The Rick Hansen Story, Joss Crowley’s Pretenders, Susanna White’s Prima Facie, Hur Jin ho’s The Assassin(s), Tim Blake Nelson’s The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, and Trudie Styler’s Up Against It.
The Gala Presentations programme, presented by Lavazza, includes a mix of world and North American premieres from some of the most anticipated films of the year.
Opening Night will feature Siân Heder’s Being Heumann, a world premiere that kicks off the festival on September 10. Heder, who won an Oscar for CODA, brings her latest work to Toronto with high expectations.
Other notable Gala titles include A Talent for Murder directed by Anton Corbijn, the acclaimed photographer and director of Control, who returns with a new thriller from the United Kingdom and Italy. All About Corinne directed by Marc Fitoussi makes its North American premiere, while Babies marks the directorial debut of Lauren Miller Rogen.
Bunker by Florian Zeller, the Oscar winning director of The Father, makes its North American premiere. Diary of a Mad Old Man by Wayne Wang, the legendary director of The Joy Luck Club, premieres alongside Evil Genius, the directorial debut of Courteney Cox.
Girl Group marks Rebel Wilson’s first feature film as director. Man in Motion The Rick Hansen Story brings a Canadian documentary about the iconic Paralympian to the screen. Pretenders by Joss Crowley is a new British drama from a rising director.
Prima Facie, directed by Susanna White and based on the hit West End and Broadway play, arrives in Toronto. The Assassin(s) by Hur Jin ho brings acclaimed Korean action to the festival. The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd by Tim Blake Nelson premieres, and Up Against It by Trudie Styler rounds out the Gala selection.
Special Presentations A Global Showcase
The Special Presentations programme is equally impressive, featuring films from some of the most acclaimed directors in world cinema.
Pedro Almodóvar brings Bitter Christmas for its North American premiere, while Danny Boyle’s Ink makes its Canadian premiere. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, fresh off his Oscar win for Drive My Car, presents All of a Sudden.
Hirokazu Kore eda, the Palme d’Or winner, brings Look Back for its North American premiere. Mike Leigh returns with Tender Loving Care, making its Canadian premiere. Romanian master Cristian Mungiu presents Fjord, while Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev debuts Minotaur.
Takashi Miike, the legendary Japanese director, presents Bad Lieutenant Tokyo in a world premiere, while Shinya Tsukamoto brings Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People? for its North American premiere.
Other Special Presentations include A Long Winter by Andrew Haigh, Alpha Gang by David and Nathan Zellner, Clarissa by Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri from Nigeria and the USA, Coward by Lukas Dhont, Elsinore by Simon Stone, Everest The Other Side by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, and Everybody Wants To F*** Me by Jonathan Schey.
Faith by Paul Andrew Williams, Gentle Monster by Marie Kreutzer, Glaxo by Benjamin Naishtat, Happily Ever After by Feng I Fiona Roan, Hombre al agua by Gael GarcÃa Bernal, In Alaska by Jaap van Heusden and Vinnie Karetak, Josephine by Beth de Araújo, La Bola Negra by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, and Le Faux Soir by Michael R. Roskam complete the lineup.
Phoolan by Richie Mehta from India, Possible Love by Lee Chang dong, The Age of Goodbyes by Edmund Yeo, The Beloved by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, The Debut by Jesse Eisenberg, The Housewife by Ben Shirinian, The Julia Set by Niki Byrne, The Man Love by Ira Sachs, The Stunt Driver by Michael Dowse, The Unknown by Arthur Harari, and Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother by Bassam Tariq round out the extensive Special Presentations programme.
In a significant development for the festival, the inaugural edition of TIFF The Market will take place during the first week of the Festival, from September 10 to 16, 2026, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
This new initiative marks an expansion of TIFF’s role as a global leader in film and entertainment, providing a dedicated space for industry professionals to buy, sell, and develop projects. The launch of TIFF The Market positions Toronto alongside major international film markets such as Cannes, Berlin, and AFM.
TIFF is a not for profit cultural organisation with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. The organisation generates an estimated annual economic impact of 240 million Canadian dollars, underscoring its importance to Toronto’s economy and Canada’s cultural landscape.
TIFF Lightbox, the festival’s year round home, features five cinemas, plus learning and entertainment facilities. The organisation is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family, The Daniels Corporation, and RBC.
The 51st edition of TIFF is generously supported by Festival Presenting Sponsor Rogers Communications, with Major Sponsors RBC and Visa, and Major Supporters Telefilm Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Toronto. TIFF’s Gala Presentations programme is presented by Lavazza.
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