What to know
- TIFF has announced more than 100 films ahead of its full Aug. 11 lineup reveal, including opening night film Being Heumann from Oscar-winning CODA director Sian Heder.
- The festival’s Gala and Special Presentations program features 64 major films, with highlights including Prima Facie, The Assassin(s), Ashes, and the Thai horror film Inherit.
- TIFF’s Centrepiece Programme will showcase 54 films from 50 countries, with standout international titles such as We Are All Strangers, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, and Michelle Yeoh-starring action thriller The Surgeon.
- Canadian audiences can also look forward to Toronto-based films including Marie Clements’ How We Stand and Cody Lightning’s Smudge the Blades.
Over 100 films have already been announced ahead of September’s Toronto International Film Festival. With less than a week until the full lineup drops, here’s what moviegoers can expect to watch so far.
As the city creeps closer to the Aug. 11 drop date, TIFF continues to tease its fans by names multiple upcoming films on their social media and official website.
Here are some of the films to look out for.
Opener
From the director of the Oscar-winning film CODA, director Sian Heder will open up the festival with his latest production Being Heumann. The movie shows Ruth Madeley in the role of Judy Heumann, a world-changing advocate for accessibility. The film will captivate audiences with her resilience and life story circling social change. Being Heumann premieres on Thursday, Sept. 10.
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Gala and Special Presentation films
TIFF has announced 64 films under their Gala and Special Presentations section. These movies are the stand out, major motion pictures coming from across the globe.
Some notable films include:
Prima Facie by director Susanna White – A screenplay-to-film adaptation, this story follows defense lawyer Tessa, played by the award-winning Cynthia Erivo, whose clients are those accused of sexual assault. Everything changes after an encounter with a coworker.
The Assassin(s) by director Hur Jin-ho – This South Korean political crime thriller tells the story of the attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee. Jin-ho, whose previous film, The Normal Family, graced TIFF in 2023, will follow the experiences of police and journalists in the film to retell the events from 1974.
Ashes by director Diego Luna – Mexican director Luna is best known for his roles in Y tu mamá también, Narcos: Mexico and The Book of Life, as well as his work directing Abel, César Chávez, and Mr. Pig. Now, Luna brings the story of Lucila, played by Totally Killer actress Anna Díaz. Lucila moves to Spain with her brother to reunite with their mother, but are faced with discrimination and family duties once they get there. Lucila struggles to find independence while also dealing with her past.
Inherit directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun – This Thai director is no novice to the horror genre. Pisanthanakun, the director behind hits such as Shutter, and The Medium, is bringing another spine-chilling film to the festival. Inherit follows a wealthy family whose life begins to fall apart as an ancient centipede spirit infiltrates their bloodline.
For the rest of the Gala and Special Presentation lineup, visit the TIFF website.
Centrepiece Programme films
Along with the 64 special presentations, the festival also announced that its Centrepiece Programme slate includes 54 movies from 50 different countries.
The Centrepiece Programme highlights international films and global favourites. Here are some to look out for:
We Are All Strangers – directed by Anthony Chen: Chen is a Singaporean director who is best known for his major motion pictures Ilo Ilo and Wet Season. His latest Drama looks at the lives of three families with different social statuses. The story follows them as they navigate their intertwined lives, deal with conflicting traditional values, and explore the bonds that connect people beyond blood.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives – directed by Daniel Oriahi: Nollywood director Oriahi brings The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives novel to the big screen, adapting the story of a rich polygamist named Baba Segi, as well as his dynamic with his three older wives, and his college-graduate fourth wife, Bolanle. Family rivalry, deception, and the patriarchal demand for fertility are the centre of this story, causing tension among the family members.
The Surgeon directed by Roshan Sethi: Sethi brings a brutal action film to the festival, starring Oscar-winning Michelle Yeoh. The story follows a former surgeon who gets kidnapped and must use her medical experience to fight her captor.
For more Centrepiece films to look out for, visit the TIFF website.
Toronto films to look out for
If you’re looking to check out local talent, be sure to check out the following:
How We Stand – directed by Marie Clements: This Drama by Métis filmmaker Clements follows three Native American sisters from Oklahoma, travelling to Los Angeles with their mother in the 1960s as part of a relocation program aimed at westernizing Indigenous peoples.
Smudge the Blades – directed by Cody Lightning: Cree director Lightning brings a story of resilience within an under-18 hockey team from an Alberta reservation. The team faces their last season together as they play matches within a tough northern league.
The full TIFF lineup drops on Aug. 11, but fans can check out early announcements through the festival’s Instagram.
