The road to the Toronto International Film Festival has officially begun, with the first three films unveiled for TIFF’s 51st edition and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Siân Heder set to open this year’s celebration of cinema.
Heder’s Being Heumann, based on the life of pioneering disability rights activist Judy Heumann and starring Ruth Madeley, has been announced as the Festival’s Opening Night Film, making its World Premiere on September 10th at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. The Apple Original Films production marks Heder’s first feature since her Oscar-winning success with CODA.
Joining it as the first Gala Presentations are two more World Premieres: director Susanna White‘s courtroom drama Prima Facie, starring Cynthia Erivo, and Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho‘s thriller The Assassin(s), led by international star Lee Min-ho.
The announcement offers the first glimpse of what TIFF hopes will be another landmark year following last year’s milestone 50th edition, which welcomed around 700,000 attendees. Running from September 10th – 20th, the Festival will once again transform downtown Toronto into the centre of the film world, bringing together Hollywood heavyweights, international auteurs, emerging voices and thousands of film lovers across 11 days of premieres, industry events and audience celebrations.
“We’re thrilled to open this year’s Festival with Siân Heder’s inspiring follow-up to her Oscar-winning CODA,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. “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.”
Beyond the premieres, TIFF’s signature experiences return throughout the Festival, including filmmaker Q&As, the In Conversation With… series and the ever-popular Festival Street, which will once again take over King Street West during opening weekend with free public activations, food vendors and the inevitable celebrity sightings.
The Festival will also continue its awards tradition, culminating in the announcement of the People’s Choice Award, Jury Prizes, FIPRESCI and NETPAC honours on closing day. New for 2026, the winner of the Platform Award in a language other than English will automatically qualify for consideration in the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.
Additional TIFF Takeover programming announcements will roll out across late July and early August, before the full Festival schedule is revealed on August 11th. Single tickets go on sale to TIFF Members from August 21st, ahead of the general public release on August 31st.
As always, The AU Review will be on the ground in Toronto bringing you reviews, interviews, breaking news and red carpet coverage throughout the Festival.
