The wait is almost over. Toronto’s biggest cinematic week is almost here and today we get a little bit closer as the full schedule just dropped. This years 51st festival is shaping up to be one of fall’s essential stops for major stars, the hottest directors and the films likely to dominate the conversation as awards season gets underway. Running September 10 to 20th, this year’s programme is packed with premieres and discoveries spanning Hollywood, international cinema, auteur filmmaking and everything in between.
At the top of our list is Misty Green, Chris Rock’s highly anticipated drama starring Rosalind Eleazar in the title role alongside Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick and Rock himself. Written and directed by Rock, the film follows a talented actress attempting to revive her career after reconnecting with someone from her past. With its heavyweight cast and Rock making the move behind the camera, it is easily one of TIFF’s most intriguing titles.
The Housewife, Ben Shirinian’s feature directorial debut, brings Naomi Watts, Tye Sheridan, Michael Imperioli and Luke Evans together for a psychological drama about a New York Times journalist investigating a suspected Nazi officer living secretly in Queens.
Then there is Club Kid, Jordan Firstman’s highly discussed feature directorial debut, starring Firstman alongside Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva. The New York-set story follows a hard-partying club promoter whose life is upended when the ten-year-old son he never knew he had arrives on his doorstep.
Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love is another one to have firmly on the radar after its Cannes premiere. Starring Rami Malek, the film follows a theatre artist in 1980s New York confronting an AIDS diagnosis while continuing to pursue art, desire and connection.
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York offers another irresistible New York story, with John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Parker Posey among its cast. Directed by Noah Segan, the film centres on an ageing pickpocket whose analogue way of life collides with the modern city.
For something with a distinctly Canadian flavour, The Stunt Driver stars Jay Baruchel as real-life daredevil Ken Carter, alongside Ben Foster and Ed Helms. Directed by Michael Dowse, the film tells the true story of Carter’s attempt to make an impossible mile-long jump.
Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine is another major draw. John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell lead the darkly comic thriller, joined by Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey and Tom Waits. McDonagh’s latest arrives with considerable festival pedigree and should be one of TIFF’s more anticipated screenings.
Werner Herzog brings Bucking Fastard, starring sisters Kate Mara and Rooney Mara alongside Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson, while A Talent for Murder pairs Helen Mirren with Alden Ehrenreich under the direction of Anton Corbijn.
There is plenty of talent behind the camera, too. A24 film The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg, stars Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, while Girl Group marks Rebel Wilson’s return to directing, with Jennifer Coolidge, Nicole Scherzinger and Melanie Chisholm among its cast.
Rachel Morrison’s Love of Your Life is another major TIFF title, starring Margaret Qualley, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aaron Pierre, Gabriel Basso and Catherine Keener. Morrison follows her acclaimed directorial debut The Fire Inside with a film that has already generated considerable interest thanks to its cast and the involvement of producer Ryan Gosling.
Elsewhere, Alpha Gang brings Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux and Lily-Rose Depp together for an alien-invasion comedy from David and Nathan Zellner, while Bunker, directed by Florian Zeller and starring Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, offers a more psychologically charged proposition.
For opening night, TIFF will kick things off with Being Heumman, setting the tone for the festival. The highly anticipated new film from Oscar-winning filmmaker Siân Heder, brings an inspiring historical drama to the festival with a breakthrough performance by Ruth Madeley and Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo.
And then there are the titles that make TIFF’s programme feel particularly broad. Black in Black, Danny Boyle’s Ink, American Hostage and Closing Night add further weight to a schedule that moves between prestige drama, genre, comedy, thriller and television.
With films from Chris Rock, Ira Sachs, Martin McDonagh, Werner Herzog, Jesse Eisenberg, Rachel Morrison, Rebel Wilson, Anton Corbijn and Florian Zeller, TIFF 2026 has plenty of reasons to look beyond the red carpets. The real attraction, as always, is what happens when the lights go down.
Start planning your TIFF schedule today before tickets go on sale August 21st for members and single ticket holders on August 31st.