Shane Slater
With Venice and Telluride getting the ball rolling, the awards season train makes its way north for the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. For its 51st edition, TIFF will feature a typically vast selection of new films from across the world. From awards season contenders to fresh new voices, there’s something for everyone at the “People’s Festival.” And once again, Awards Radar will be on the ground giving you the scoop on the good, the bad and everything in between. Until then, here are some early standouts we have our eyes on.
BUZZY PREMIERES
While TIFF can be hit or miss when it comes to its world premiere titles, there’s always a chance of a surprise breakout. This year, there are certainly some promising prospects in the mix for the coveted People’s Choice Award. Apple TV will surely be bullish for the festival opener from CODA director Siân Heder, as they reteam as distributor for Being Heumann, a biopic following the life of the influential disability rights activist Judy Heumann. People’s Choice Award and Oscar winner Peter Farrelly will also be hoping lightning strikes twice, as the Green Book director returns to TIFF with a biopic of his own. Starring Anthony Ippolito in a potential breakthrough role as Sylvester Stallone, I Play Rocky charts the tumultuous making of 1979’s iconic underdog story Rocky.
When it comes to icons, very few Hollywood names are as famous as Chris Rock. The comedian goes behind the camera once again with his latest directorial effort Misty Green, a showbiz drama about an Oscar-winning actress seeking to revive her career. Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo takes another shot at EGOT with Prima Facie, playing a lawyer known for defending clients accused of sex crimes. In this courtroom drama, Erivo’s Tessa experiences a sexual assault of her own, forcing her to reexamine the entire legal system and the role she plays in it. And if you’re craving another provocative moral dilemma, look no further than Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, an action-thriller starring Mahershala Ali as a devout Muslim who moonlights as a hitman.
INTERNATIONAL OSCAR CONTENDERS
One of the exciting new developments for this awards season is a new rule allowing winners of select festival prizes to qualify for the Best International Feature Oscar. For TIFF, that means there will be increased attention for its nascent Platform Prize competition, with numerous noteworthy titles and filmmakers in contention. Among them is South Africa’s John Trengove, whose 2017 Sundance darling The Wound made it to the Oscar shortlist. He makes another bid for Oscar recognition with The Smell of Apples, based on an apartheid era novel told from the perspective of a sheltered White South African boy.
Filmmakers Amanda Kernell and Gabriel Martins are also no strangers to the awards circuit, having been previously selected by Sweden and Brazil respectively. They’ll hope to capture the Platform jury’s hearts with Brace Your Heart – a drama exploring the reindeer-herding lives of indigenous Sámi women – and On Behalf of My Son – about a woman seeking forgiveness for her son after a tragic bus accident.
Taking the more traditional route as official Oscar submissions are two presumed frontrunners making their way to Toronto following celebrated Cannes debuts. After making a big splash with 2021’s Drive My Car, Japan will hope for a similar response to Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, another contemplative drama following the burgeoning friendship between a nursing home owner and a theatre director coping with terminal cancer. And from the esteemed Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu comes one of TIFF’s most anticipated films in the form of Palme d’Or winner Fjord. Inspired by a true story, it stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a conservative couple whose beliefs come under scrutiny when their children are taken by the authorities.
DOCUMENTARIES
TIFF is popularly known for movie stars and high profile premieres, but it’s also great fest to catch some of the year’s best non-fiction work. This year’s TIFF Docs lineup looks to be another stellar crop, with several fascinating true stories for your consideration. Perhaps the most noteworthy is Alex Gibney’s Musk, a seemingly monumental profile of the infamous businessman Elon Musk. Clocking in at nearly 4 hours, it promises a deep dive into the life and persona of one of our most controversial public figures. Two-time Oscar-winner Barbara Kopple will also unspool her latest work in Union Town, which depicts the struggles of American delivery workers as they fight for their rights.
Many miles away in Iran, Afsaneh Salari’s Tehran, Under the Skin examines the deeper sociopolitical implications surrounding a more superficial struggle. In a country where women are pressured to cover up, this thoughtful documentary explores the fast-rising popularity of cosmetic surgery. Meanwhile, local audiences should find interest in a pair of films exploring Vietnamese-Canadian life. In Ba’s Book, filmmaker Ashley Duong’s own family stages a theatrical adaptation of her father’s memoir. And in Still Night, Burning House, Carol Nguyen also shares her personal life as she captures the impact of her uncle’s death on her family.
DISCOVERIES
While much of the attention will understandably be focused on the famous filmmakers and actors, it would be a shame to ignore the rising independent talents on display at TIFF. To find those hidden gems, the Discovery section is a great place to start, as it showcases first and second features. One standout is Helena Girón and Samuel Delgado’s The Fortunate Isles, a remarkably assured sophomore outing that transports you to the Canary Islands in the 16th century.
TIFF will also provide a prime opportunity to catch up with Sundance darling Josephine, Beth de Araújo’s Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner centering an eight-year old girl who witnesses a disturbing incident. In a similar vein, What Lies Between Us and Sisters would make for an unsettling double feature, as they both explore the fallout of an alleged sexual assault against a minor. And finally, few loglines are as intriguing as the one for Theo Rhys’ Stuffed, described as a musical body horror romance about a man who pledges his body to a taxidermist who he eventually falls in love. It stars the always compelling Jodie Comer and Harry Melling as the unlikely couple.
Stay tuned for Awards Radar’s daily coverage of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival from September 10th to 20th.
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