Toronto/TIFF: The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, is announcing three World Premieres in its Gala Presentations programme with Siân Heder’s Being Heumann to be Opening Night Film Sep 10, at Roy Thomson Hall.
Siân Heder. Image credit: X/TIFF
The other two World Premieres are: Prima Facie from British director Susanna White (Woman Walks Ahead, TIFF ’17) and The Assassin(s) from Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho (A Normal Family, TIFF ’23),
TIFF returns this September 10–20 with a dynamic lineup of acclaimed directors, Hollywood and international A-list talent, red carpet premieres, the inaugural TIFF: The Market, and unforgettable audience experiences across all 11 days. Last year during TIFF’s 50th edition welcomed approximately 700,000 attendees.
“We’re thrilled to open this year’s Festival with Siân Heder’s inspiring follow-up to her Oscar-winning CODA Being Heumann features an electric performance from Ruth Madeley in the story of Judy Heumann, a world-changing advocate for accessibility. We’re also glad to reveal the news that Toronto audiences will be the first to see Cynthia Erivo in Susanna White’s searing legal drama Prima Facie, and that the South Korean power duo of director Hur Jin-ho and superstar Lee Min-ho will launch their thriller The Assassin(s) at our 51st Festival. Lots more to come,” Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF has said.
Film Details are as follows:
- Being Heumann | Siân Heder | USA; World Premiere | Gala Presentation; Opening Night Film
- Prima Facie | Susanna White | Australia, UK. World Premiere | Gala Presentation
- The Assassin(s) | Hur Jin-ho | South Korea, World Premiere | Gala Presentation
Besides TIFF ’26’s Official Selection, the Festival’s 51st edition will offer live post-screening Q&As, the In Conversation With… series, as well as the popular Festival Street, which returns for opening weekend along King Street West, from Peter Street to University Avenue, with food trucks, free activations, potential celebrity-spotting, and more.
TIFF will announce its award winners on the last day of the Festival, including the popular People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, which Toronto audiences last year had chosen Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet as their top pick.
TIFF will also announce a non-English-language winner of TIFF’s Platform Award, new this year which can directly qualify for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming 99th Academy Awards.
The esteemed Jury Prizes and honours from FIPRESCI and NETPAC are also returning. For a full list of past winners, visit tiff.net/awards.
Official screening venues for this year are: TIFF Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Cineplex’s Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, Cinema Park, the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Also included in the official screening venues for this year is the John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Fairmont Royal York Hotel would host the eighth edition of the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser on Sun, Sep 13, 2026.
The inaugural TIFF: The Market will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre September 10–16.
Returning on the weeks of July 20–23 and August 4–7TIFF are takeover programming announcements.
The complete film schedule will go live August 11 on tiff.net. Ticketing details can also be found here, with single tickets going on sale to TIFF Members starting August 21 (by level), and to the public on August 31.
