TIFF unveils 2026 world premieres, including opening night movie starring Second City alumnus

The Toronto International Film Festival announced Tuesday morning that American filmmaker Siân Heder’s “Being Heumann,” will open its 51st edition, leading a trio of world premieres unveiled in the festival’s first Gala Presentations program.

The Apple Original Film will premiere on Sept. 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Heder is best-known for writing and directing “CODA,” which won three Academy Awards, including the 2022 Best Picture Oscar. “Being Heumann” tells the story of disability rights activist Judy Heumann who led an occupation of San Francisco’s Federal Building for 28 days in 1977.

“We’re thrilled to open this year’s Festival with Siân Heder’s inspiring followup to her Oscar-winning ‘CODA,’” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO, in a press release. “‘Being Heumann,’ features an electric performance from Ruth Madeley in the story of Judy Heumann, a world-changing advocate for accessibility.”

Other stars include Lindsay Leese, a Second City alumnus, and Mark Ruffalo.

The other world premieres are “Prima Facie,” a legal drama from British director Susanna White, and South Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho’s latest thriller “The Assassin(s).”

TIFF also announced that the John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre will be a new official screening venue for this year’s festival. It joins TIFF Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Princess of Wales Theatre, Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, Cinema Park and the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

Rogers will once again present TIFF’s People’s Choice Award. This year, the non-English-language winner of the festival’s Platform Award will qualify directly for the Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.

The full festival film schedule will be released Aug. 11, with tickets going on sale to TIFF members beginning Aug. 21 and to the general public on Aug. 31. The TIFF 2026 festival runs Sept. 10 to 20.