TIFF Sets 2026 Gala and Special Presentations Lineup, Chris Rock and Villeneuve Biopic Headline

Courtesy of TIFF

The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled the Gala and Special Presentations programmes for its 51st edition, with Yan Lanouette Turgeon's Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend set to close the festival on September 19.


TORONTO: The Toronto International Film Festival is kicking off its week of announcements with its Gala, presented by Lavazza, and Special Presentations programmes, welcoming acclaimed filmmakers, celebrated talent, and some of the most anticipated films of the year to Toronto. 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 51st edition of TIFF, presented by Rogers, will run September 10–20, 2026.



This year's Gala and Special Presentations feature films from nearly 30 countries, highlighting distinctive artistic visions by leading global directors including: Pedro Almodóvar, Danny Boyle, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Lee Chang-dong, Jesse Eisenberg, Gael García Bernal, Ryûsuke 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.



TIFF is also announcing 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, taking place on Saturday, September 19.



2026 Gala Presentations (in alphabetical order)

*PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED



A Talent for Murder | Anton Corbijn | United Kingdom, Italy
World Premiere


All About Corinne | Marc Fitoussi | France

North American Premiere


Always Lalisa | Sue Kim | USA

World Premiere


Atonement | Reed Van Dyk | USA

North American Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

Babies | Lauren Miller Rogen | USA

World Premiere


*Being Heumann | Siân Heder | USA

World Premiere



Opening Night Film

Bunker | Florian Zeller | France, Spain

North American Premiere

Courtesy of TIFF



Diary of a Mad Old Man | Wayne Wang | USA

World Premiere




Courtesy of TIFF

Evil Genius | Courteney Cox | USA

World Premiere



Courtesy of TIFF

Girl Group | Rebel Wilson | United Kingdom

World Premiere





Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story | Adrian Buitenhuis | Canada

World Premiere





Courtesy of TIFF

Misty Green | Chris Rock | USA

World Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

Onwards and Sideways | John Madden | United Kingdom

World Premiere



Courtesy of TIFF

Pretenders | Joss Crowley | United Kingdom

World Premiere




Courtesy of TIFF

*Prima Facie | Susanna White | Australia, United Kingdom

World Premiere


Run Terry Run | Sean Menard | Canada


Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor | Nguyen Phan Quang Binh | Vietnam

International Premiere



POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

Tenzing | Jennifer Peedom | USA, Australia

Canadian Premiere



*The Assassin(s) | Hur Jin-ho | South Korea

World Premiere



The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd | Tim Blake Nelson | USA

World Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York | Noah Segan | USA

Canadian Premiere


Up Against It | Trudie Styler | United Kingdom

World Premiere

Closing Night Film

Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend | Yan Lanouette Turgeon | Canada

World Premiere

Courtesy of TIFF

2026 Special Presentations (in alphabetical order)

*PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED




A Long Winter | Andrew Haigh | Canada, United Kingdom

Canadian Premiere



All of a Sudden | Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | France, Japan, Germany, Belgium

North American Premiere



All That She Wants | Scarlett Bermingham, Andrew Rhymer | USA, Canada

World Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

*Alpha Gang | David Zellner, Nathan Zellner | USA

International Premiere



Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo | Takashi Miike | USA, United Kingdom, Japan

World Premiere



Bitter Christmas | Pedro Almodóvar | Spain

North American Premiere



Clarissa | Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri | Nigeria, USA

North American Premiere


A24

Club Kid | Jordan Firstman | USA

Canadian Premiere


Coward | Lukas Dhont | Belgium

North American Premiere


Elsinore | Simon Stone | United Kingdom

Canadian Premiere


Everest: The Other Side | Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi | USA

Canadian Premiere



Everybody Wants To F*** Me | Jonathan Schey | United Kingdom, France, USA

World Premiere



Faith | Paul Andrew Williams | United Kingdom

World Premiere


NEON

Fjord | Cristian Mungiu | Romania, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark

Canadian Premiere



Gentle Monster | Marie Kreutzer | Austria

Canadian Premiere



*Glaxo | Benjamín Naishtat | Argentina, Brazil

World Premiere



Growth of the Soil | Hans Petter Moland | Norway

World Premiere



Happily Ever After | Feng-I Fiona Roan | Taiwan

World Premiere



Hombre al agua | Gael García Bernal | Mexico

North American Premiere



Amazon MGM Studios

I Play Rocky | Peter Farrelly | USA

World Premiere


In Alaska | Jaap van Heusden, Vinnie Karetak | Netherlands, Canada

World Premiere


Ink | Danny Boyle | United Kingdom, France, USA

Canadian Premiere


Josephine | Beth de Araújo | USA

Canadian Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

La Bola Negra | Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi | Spain, France

Canadian Premiere



Le Faux Soir | Michaël R. Roskam | Belgium, France

World Premiere



Look Back | Hirokazu Kore-eda | Japan

North American Premiere


Courtesy of TIFF

*Love of Your Life | Rachel Morrison | USA

World Premiere




Minotaur | Andrey Zvyagintsev | France, Germany, Latvia

Canadian Premiere



Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People? | Shinya Tsukamoto | Japan

North American Premiere



Paradise Lost | Yeon Sang-ho | South Korea

World Premiere



Phoolan | Richie Mehta | India

World Premiere



Possible Love | Lee Chang-dong | South Korea

North American Premiere



Tender Loving Care | Mike Leigh | United Kingdom

Canadian Premiere



The Age of Goodbyes | Edmund Yeo | Taiwan, Malaysia

World Premiere



The Beloved | Rodrigo Sorogoyen | Spain

North American Premiere



A24

The Debut | Jesse Eisenberg | USA

International Premiere


*The Housewife | Ben Shirinian | USA

World Premiere



The Julia Set | Niki Byrne | USA

World Premiere



The Man I Love | Ira Sachs | USA

North American Premiere



The Stunt Driver | Michael Dowse | Canada

World Premiere



The Unknown | Arthur Harari | France

North American Premiere




Whatcha Want | Mina Shum | Canada

World Premiere



*Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother | Bassam Tariq | USA

World Premiere



The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 10–20, 2026. The inaugural edition of TIFF: The Market takes place the first week of Festival, September 10–16, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.


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. TIFF's Gala Presentations programme is presented by Lavazza.



With nearly 30 countries represented and directors ranging from Almodóvar to a first-time filmmaker in Chris Rock, this is one of the deepest Gala and Special Presentations slates TIFF has assembled in years — and the first indicator of how stacked the fall festival circuit is shaping up to be. Expect several of these titles to carry directly into the awards conversation once September wraps.























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