2026 TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, which celebrates the best of Canadian and global cinema, is set to run from September 10th through 20th. There are two hundred and ninety three films that will be screened over the eleven day fest with many North American and world premieres as well as special events and talks. The festival's opening film is "Being Heumann" by Sian Heder, the director's first feature since her film, "CODA" received the 2021 Academy Award for Best Picture. This biopic is based on the life of Judy Heumann, an American disability rights activist, played by Ruth Madeley.



Some of the Galas and special presentations will include "Prima Facie", directed by Susanna White and adapted by Suzie Miller from her 2019 stage play, which stars Cynthia Erivo as successful defense barrister who rose from a working class background and whose life is upended following the actions by a colleague. "Atonement" from Reed Van Dyk is about a troubled US marine (Boyd Holbrook) seeking to reconcile with the survivors of a family that his unit fired upon in Iraq. Oscar-winner, Mahershala Ali stars in "Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother", an action-thriller from writer/director, Bassam Tariq, about a devoutly religious hitman who goes on a desperate journey across Texas to protect his family from dark forces closing in around him. "Diary of a Mad Old Man", a drama from Wayne Wang, that follows an aging widower (Lily Franky) having an intimate relationship with his caregiver daughter-in-law (Fan Bingbing). "Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo" is the third instalment of the series, this time set in Japan from Takashi Miike, which involves a Tokyo police officer (Shun Oguri) who finds himself being investigated by an FBI agent (Lily James) after a politician's daughter (Liv Morgan) goes missing. The actor, Tim Blake Nelson offers his latest as a director with "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd" about a teacher (Amanda Seyfried) that takes a job at a maximum security prison where she falls for a charismatic inmate (Scoot McNairy). "Elsinore" stars Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson, a Scottish actor who appeared in "Chariots of Fire", who gets a dream opportunity to play "Hamlet" at the National Theatre but is seriously ill from AIDS. And "I Play Rocky", from director, Peter Farrelly, tells the incredible story of how Sylvester Stallone, at the time a struggling actor, wrote the movie about a down-on-his-luck boxer that would change his life.









The closing night film will be "Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend" which is about the early life of Canadian race car driver, Gilles Villeneuve (played by Rémi Goulet) and his early efforts to establish his career in racing.

The TIFF Tribute Awards will include Rosalind Eleazar (appearing in Chris Rock's "Misty Green") and French icon, Isabelle Huppert (with her latest comedy, "Ni vue, ni connue (All About Corinne)") as the winners of the Performer Award. Lee Chang-dong received the Director Award for his latest, "가능한 사랑 (Possible Love)", filmmaker, Sian Heder was selected for the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media and Penélope Cruz (with her latest films, "Bunker" and "La bola negra" will be screened during the fest) is the recipient of the Special Tribute Award.

To see the complete list of films, events and purchase tickets, please click below:

TIFF 2026

2026 FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

This year in cinema has continued to heat up as the summer season has just ended with over four billion dollars earned, adding up to seven billion dollars total at the box-office year to date. These are impressive numbers that clearly indicate a robust enthusiasm for the theatrical experience. And the year is hardly over with plenty of more hotly anticipated movies are on the horizon. Out of the numerous movies that will make their way to theaters over the next four months, here is a highlight of some of those films that stand out for me:

"THE WEIGHT"

Release date: September 18, 2026

"The Weight", a dramatic thriller from director, Padraic McKinley, finds Samuel (Ethan Hawke) being sent to a brutal prison in 1933 Oregon, forced to leave his beloved, young daughter behind. The Warden (Russell Crowe) makes offers him an appealing yet highly risky proposition: smuggle gold out of a remote mine with a crew of other dangerous felons and he'll earn his freedom.



"MISTY GREEN"

Release date: October 9. 2026

With his fourth feature film as a writer and director, the comedian, Chris Rock delivers some drama with "Misty Green". Misty Green (Rosalind Eleazar) was once a popular, award-winning actress and currently facing the downslide of her career. She now has to deal with her past and addresses her personal demons as she struggles to make a comeback after reconnecting with her former agent (Rock). Adam Driver, Anna Kendrick, Topher Grace and Daniel Kaluuya also star.



"OTHER MOMMY"

Release date: October 9, 2026

Jessica Chastain headlines the supernatural horror drama, "Other Mommy" where she plays an ordinary wife and mother who has a paranormal entity take on her appearance. Her young daughter (Arabella Olivia Clark) is able to see through this creature, referring to it as "other mommy", and must convince her father (Jay Duplass) of the change before serious harm comes to them all. Rob Savage directs this thriller based on the popular novel, "Incidents Around the House".



"THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK"

Release date: October 23, 2026

John Turturro stars as the title character in "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York", the latest feature film by actor and filmmaker, Noah Segan. As an old-time, low stakes thief, Harry Lehman (Turturro) is a relic from the past, struggling to make it in today's world and winds up getting way over his head when a heist goes very wrong. Giancarlo Esposito, Tatiana Maslany, Steve Buscemi, and Jamie Lee Curtis also star.



"A TALENT FOR MURDER"

Release date: October 23, 2026

Based on the 2014 stage play, "Switzerland" by Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith (who also wrote this screenplay), "A Talent For Murder" offers an intriguing yet fictional premise: a young American publisher (Alden Ehrenreich) tracks down the reclusive writer, Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) living in the Swiss Alps to try and convince her to write one more installment in her famous Tom Ripley series. Anton Corbijn, well known for his innovative work in music videos and documentaries, directs his fifth feature film.



"CLUB KID"

Release date: November 6, 2026

Fringe performer, Jordan Firstman, who broke out in the recent HBO comedy series, "I Love LA", has made his debut as a writer and director with "Club Kid". Firstman also stars as a gay New York City club promoter whose wild life is upended with the arrival of the 10-year-old son he never knew he had. "Club Kid" made its world premiere at Cannes this year and was met with an enthusiastic response and critical acclaim, leading to a bidding war with the indie studio, A24 as the victor.



"THE DEBUT"

Release date: December 11, 2026

In "The Debut", the latest film as a writer/director from actor, Jesse Eisenberg, Julianne Moore stars as a quiet and shy housewife who is unexpectedly cast in a New Jersey community theater production of an original musical. The strong-willed director (Paul Giamatti) pushes the inexperienced performer hard so she will lose herself in the role which helps begin to open up her world outside of the play. Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu and Bernadette Peters also star.



"WERWULF"

Release date: December 25, 2026

The filmmaker, Robert Eggers returns to the holiday season with another dark reimagining of a classic character in gothic horror. Following his grisly version of the vampire lore, "Nosferatu" two years ago, "Werwulf" explores the blood-thirsty beast that threatens a small farming community. Set in 13th-century England and spoken entirely in Middle English, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as a farmer who is trying to protect his family from an unknown dangerous entity which could possibly be himself. Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe also star.

COMING SOON

Ken Russell was a rising British filmmaker with a flair for the provocative and enjoying international acclaim for his breakthrough, the 1969 romantic drama, "Women in Love" when he decided to make the psychological horror film, "The Devils". Based on the non-fiction book, "The Devils of Loudun" by Aldous Huxley and a 1960 play by John Whiting, Russell wrote the politically charged screenplay which is set in 17th-century France where a powerful Catholic priest, Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) is rendered defenseless against a nun's (Vanessa Redgrave) passionate accusations of witchcraft that are eagerly exploited by the church and state powers. With innovative camerawork by David Watkin (who later filmed "Chariots of Fire" and won an Oscar for "Out of Africa") and Derek Jarman (who would go on to have his own career as a controversial filmmaker) creating the striking production design, "The Devils" was recognized as an intense and provocative work that featured a bold critique on the hypocrisy that could be found in religion.

But with graphic violence and sexual content featured within a religious context, "The Devils" received a harsh critical reaction once it was released, being given an X rating from both the United Kingdom and the United States advisory boards, banned in several countries or heavily edited in theaters that dared screen the film. However, Russell would receive the Best Director prize at the Venice International Film Festival and from the National Board of Review.  And despite the uproar, "The Devils" would achieve some box-office success, earning over eleven million dollars globally.

Over time, "The Devils" would not be readily available on home video with limited releases on DVD were only edited versions, and the film has rarely been seen on streaming services. But there was a growing demand for the film to be seen again. Warner Bros. (which distributed the film back in 1971) has decided to restore "The Devils" and release this version in theaters through its newly launched Warner Bros. Clockwork label. Assembled from the original camera negative, this new 4K restoration presents the definitive vision of Russell's film which references the edit he privately constructed in 2004. Now "The Devils" is the uncut theatrical experience that Russell (who died in 2011) had always envisioned.

"Ken Russell's The Devils" will be re-released in US theaters for one week only beginning on October 16, 2026

TIM CURRY (1946 - 2026)

Tim Curry, the British actor of stage and screen who is probably best known for his role in the filmed version of the cult classic, rock musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", has passed away on August 26th. The actor had suffered from a debilitating stroke in 2012 which left him with severe mobility issues and requiring a wheelchair. No cause of death has been revealed to date. He was eighty.

Curry began his career on the stage, making his acting debut in a London production of "Hair" in 1968. During that time, he met fellow cast member, Richard O'Brien who would go on to later write his own stage musical. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", O'Brien's wild tribute to his love of sci-fi and horror B-movies, premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1973 and the popular show moved to larger venues in London before closing in 1980. Originating the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Curry brought a humorously posh style to the mad, transvestite scientist.

The musical did transfer to Broadway in 1975 but was not as warmly embraced in America at that time, closing after only forty-five performances. A movie version of "Rocky Horror" was assembled at the same time with Curry, O' Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell and director, Jim Sharman all reprising their parts from the original London production. "Rocky Horror", the movie, didn't fare much better on its initial release in theaters but gradually gained popularity on the midnight movie circuit. Audiences would begin interacting live with the film at the Waverly Theater in New York City in 1976.

Curry would make other notable appearances in films: co-starring in John Huston's 1982 film version of the Broadway musical, "Annie", Ridley Scott's 1985 fantasy film, "Legend' with Tom Cruise, and in the comedy mystery, "Clue" which was based on the boardgame and has since gone on to become another cult movie classic. He appeared on several television series and did many voiceover roles for animated films and video games. And one of Curry's best-known television roles was as Pennywise the Clown in the 1990 horror miniseries , "Stephen King's  It". Curry also recorded three studio albums and wrote a memoir, "Vagabond" that was published last year.

2026 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

The Venice International Film Festival, with the eighty-third annual edition to be held from September 2nd to 12th, will help introduce the latest in world cinema and kick-off the fall movie season. The Opening Night film selected is "Ink", the latest from the Oscar-winning British filmmaker, Danny Boyle. Based on James Graham's acclaimed 2017 play, the film examines how Australian businessman, Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) lures the editor of the popular, The Daily Mail newspaper, Larry Lamb (Jack O’Connell) to oversee his newly acquired British daily, The Sun. To gain attention for the struggling paper, they decide to put anything in the paper, regardless of how extreme or titillating, to help The Sun rise above the competition, helping to create tabloid culture.



Maggie Gyllenhaal, the American actress and filmmaker, will serve as this year's Jury President to select the winners of the Main Competition awards along with fellow jurors: Tunisian filmmaker, Kaouther Ben Hania, British musician, Daniel Blumberg, Italian-American film theorist, Francesco Casetti, French filmmaker, Xavier Giannoli, Afghan filmmaker, Shahrbanoo Sadat and Hong Kong filmmaker, Johnnie To. Gyllenhaal will also premiere the short film she wrote and directed, "Flesh Impact", that features Ellen Burstyn (who is also this year's recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement) and Dakota Johnson which will pay tribute to Hollywood legend, Marilyn Monroe (who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year) during the festival.

With the films selected for competition this year, what is most notable is the almost complete absence of Hollywood studio films present in the lineup, much like at Cannes a few months ago. In addition to Boyle's "Ink", other filmmakers who will be up for prizes include new works from Werner Herzog ("Bucking Fastard"), Lance Oppenheim ("Primetime"), Cedric Kahn ("A Place To Heal"), Lee Chang-dong ("가능한 사랑 (Possible Love)"), Nanni Moretti ("Succederà questa notte (It Will Happen Tonight)"), Martin McDonagh ("Wild Horse Nine"), Hirokazu Kore-eda ("ルックバック (Look Back)", Stéphane Brizé ("Un bon petit soldat (Good Little Soldier)"), Florian Zeller ("Bunker") and Casey Affleck ("Company").









The Closing Night film will be "Dio Ride (God Laughs)", a comedy from writer/director, Giovanni Veronesi. In seventeenth century Tuscany, a friar (Pierfrancesco Favino) engages the masses about God by making them laugh. But this attitude begins to attract the hostility of the Church.

The Glory to the Filmmaker Award, a honorary prize given to artists who have made a significant contribution to contemporary world cinema, will be presented to Italian filmmaker, Luca Guadagnino. His latest feature, "Joie de vivre", an over 7 hours long documentary (that will be screened into two parts) about the life, art, and cinema of fellow Italian filmmaker, Bernardo Bertolucci, will make its premiere at the fest. And George Clooney will also receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement this year.

THE 100 MOST POWERFUL DIRECTORS

What makes a filmmaker powerful in Hollywood? Is it strictly box-office or does critical acclaim and awards factor more heavily into it? Nate Jones with Vulture consulted with various agents, executives, producers, and publicists to help decide what it takes to achieve success and influence as a film director working today.

This was considered by using their body of work, bankability, creative control and reputation to help determine not only which directors would make the cut but also where they would happen to fall in this ranking. Streaming has certainly changed the game for directors working at this time and not a completely accurate way to help assess their power in the industry. So their achievements theatrically played a more important determination in making the list while not discounting any streaming projects entirely.

Please click below to read the selections:

Vulture: The 100 Most Powerful Directors in Hollywood

ONE NIGHT ONLY (2026)

Written by Travis Braun

Directed by Will Gluck

Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. August 12, 2026 4:55 PM

When I heard about the plot for "One Night Only" which involves two single people trying to make a love connection during a time when premarital sex is outlawed in the United States except for one twelve-hour exemption period each year, I found the idea a bit preposterous. Yet surprisingly this high concept rom-com from director, Will Gluck manages to find a way to be delightfully funny and charming, thanks in large part to the clever script from Travis Braun. And while there are some moments that still remain hard to swallow, our leads, Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner are able to uplift the film even further with their irresistible chemistry and magnetic star quality.

Owen (Turner), who owns a pizza shop, is looking forward to spending the exemption night with his longtime, live-in girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke) and planned on proposing to her. However, during dinner, Malika informs her boyfriend that she plans to have sex with a neighbor in their building this evening, feeling they should both have an experience with someone else. Disappointed and deciding to put an end to their relationship, Owen presides to find a hook-up for the night.

Meanwhile, Allie (Barbaro) is a jingle singer with a specialty in songs for pharmaceuticals. This year she plans to go out with her friend, Jacinta (pop singer, King Princess) so they can try to meet men of substance together. But Jacinta quickly meets a guy at the bar, running off with him and leaving Allie to go through the night solo.

Owen and Allie literally bump into each other on the street, briefly flirting before he throws up (bad sushi from dinner) and she quickly moves on. We then follow them as Allie goes through a series of oddball men she meets at a bar before connecting with a sexy piano player (Andrew Burnap). Owen finds sympathy from a hot bartender (Julia Fox) who is willing to have sex with him after her shift. But condoms are required and have become a rare commodity on this particular night. Owen and Allie run into each other again when they are fighting over purchasing the last rubber in town.

As the story continues on, Owen and Allie each go through even more problematic and humiliating situations while trying yet failing to achieve a sexual connection, all the while continuing to run into each other through various intervals over the evening and becoming closer with each encounter.

The script of "One Night Only" gained attraction when it was placed on the Black List in 2024, an annual collection of the "most-liked" motion picture screenplays not yet produced. Braun (who became the first writer to make the list consecutively with his script, "Bad Boy" appearing in 2023) has a history creating programing for the Disney Channel and his time there may have helped inspire the broad concept for this movie. Braun's amusing screenplay might explain how the country ended up with this crazy law and the exact rules that apply (bio-sensor chips implanted in single people's arms to keep their libido on lock with gay people exempt from this sexual control) yet the overall silly plot still remains highly improbable.

Gluck, fresh off his surprise hit rom-com, "Anyone but You" that helped give rising stars, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell a boost on the big screen, puts his spin on Braun's story, managing to keep the energy fast-paced and playful. But it's his compelling cast that really makes "One Night Only" worth watching. Barbaro, who made many supporting appearances in television and film before her Oscar-nominated breakthrough playing Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan-biopic, "A Complete Unknown", has a lovely, easy charm and well matched with the British actor, Turner who lays on his New York accent pretty thick but it's not too distracting. And there are plenty of high-profile actors who make supporting or cameo appearances that includes Molly Ringwald as Owen's mother and LeVar Burton as her boyfriend along with Mike Birbiglia, Nicholas Braun, Pete Davidson, Bobby Cannavale, Este Haim and Ziwe popping up throughout the movie.

It's unclear to me if Gluck was intentionally trying to make a statement regarding sexual politics on how the women prepared for the evening with the ladies parading around town in lingerie, incredibly short skirts and their breasts barely concealed while the men simply show up dressed for the night like--well, men, not putting too much thought into their appearance. I suppose under these dire circumstances, people would not feel like wasting too much time as the basic primal urges would resort back to the prehistoric rules of attraction.

In this current political climate, the idea that the American government would radically try to control what people decide to do with their bodies is sadly not all that farfetched. Despite the hyperbolic premise, "One Night Only" still manages to draw you in with breezy comedic set-ups, appealing characters and some actual heartfelt emotions. Lately, most of the recent rom-coms are sorely lacking in any type of inventive spirit and adventurous style. "One Night Only" is a pleasant reminder of the simple pleasures a solid romantic comedy can actually create when there is some sort of effort made to engage viewers.