10 Films to Watch at TIFF 2026
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
It's that time of year: another iteration of the Toronto International Film Festival is on the horizon. Unlike the past years, however, TIFF 2026 is opting for a newer approach to delivering its lineup: all at once. Yes, instead of sprinkling a few titles from each program here and there, TIFF is dishing out what appears to be entire slates one at a time; even though the entire lineup hasn't been revealed yet, we have enough of the big titles announced to work with. I can say that this is shaping up to be another classic TIFF year: one full of stars, passion projects, and promising follow-ups. As per always, I will go through the ten films I am most looking forward to at this year's festival (of which Films Fatale will once again be attending). Let's have a look before the full schedule (with showtimes) is released August 11th. Here's to another year of TIFF (the fifty-first, actually), and to ten films that hopefully knock our socks off.
My selection is listed in alphabetical order.
A Long Winter
Andrew Haigh has delivered time and time again, and after his breathtaking All of Us Strangers dazzled in 2023, it's about time that we see what he is up to next. A Long Winter will thankfully arrive far before then at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Joining a few of today's most fascinating stars (like Fred Hechinger, Kit Connor, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Caitriona Balfe, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach), this seasons-heavy drama is sure to be yet another stirring and dynamic allegory by a consistent filmmaker.
All of a Sudden
The good news about TIFF is that some films have already played earlier film festivals like Cannes, and such is the case with Ryusuke Hamaguchi's latest effort, All of a Sudden (where it got, as expected, rave reviews). One of the best international filmmakers working today (Hamaguchi was behind the instant-classic Drive My Car, for instance), this three-hour dramatic epic promises to be another gloriously glacial slice of minimalist, artistic cinema; similar to a number of his works, All of a Sudden promises to acquaint us with varying forms of grief and loss in Hamaguchi's signature way.
Bitter Christmas
As if I'm going to ever turn down the opportunity to see a new Pedro Almodovar film as soon as possible. Thankfully, Almodovar comes to TIFF often (where his breakout film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, was a hit many moons ago). Even though I liked The Room Next Door enough (Almodovar's first feature-length foray into English-speaking cinema), it's nice to see him return to his wheelhouse of genre-bending, metaphysical storytelling in his native tongue (Spanish, of course). Bitter Christmas sounds like one of his usual experiments (the blend of a haunting memory versus a filmmaker's attempt to capture that awful Christmas weekend in her latest project), and I am already seated for what one of the greatest living filmmakers has in store for me.
Bunker
Since Florian Zeller gave us The Father (a sensational and punishing look at memory loss, and how a play can be adapted into a feature film), I think we can forgive him for how wonky The Son was by now. With that in mind, his latest, Bunker (so, there's no room for The Holy Spirit in there?) is coming to TIFF. One of the many films to pit superstar husband and wife duo Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem together (who are worth the price of admission alone), Bunker also stars the likes of Stephen Graham and Paul Dano in a film that sounds like a modern day dilemma: should an architect aid a tech billionaire by building a bunker, if said mogul is responsible for why bunkers are even needed? What about the rest of us who cannot afford bunkers? I'm hoping for a return to form for Zeller here.
Fjord
At this rate, TIFF has been an incredibly reliable source for Torontonians when it comes to catching the latest Palme d'Or winner at Cannes Film Festival (thanks for the constant feed, Neon!). This year's film of such an honour is by Cristian Mungiu who previous won for the dismally spellbinding tragedy 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Mungiu joins elite company with his second Palme d'Or, this time with Fjord (starring some contemporary heavyweights like Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan). From what we know (outside of the blatant spoilers that can come out of viewers from Cannes), this immigration story promises to be another brutal, sociopolitical work by Mungiu.
Hombre al agua
One of my favourite actors of all time is Gael García Bernal, and I need to be more in tune with his directorial efforts. Well, that time could be now with his third feature, Hombre al agua: a film that almost feels like his answer to a Ruben Ostlund affair (think Force Majeur or Triangle of Sadness). Reportedly an intense film with black comedy and slight absurdism, Hombre al agua sees two colleagues rethink their entire lives once they are reunited after many years apart. I don't think that any actor can make a great filmmaker, but Bernal is so versatile and imaginative that I feel like he may be on to something here: something both unique and real.
Ink
One of my favourite joys about festival announcements is hearing that films you didn't even know about by directors you love are in the pipeline. I completely forgot about the film Ink: Danny Boyle's latest film, and a biographical picture about The Sun's acquisition in 1969 (and its overnight takeover as Britain's most notorious publication). Knowing Boyle's frenetic energy that he brings to his films, and the possibilities of the journalism genre (one of my favourites), I feel like Ink might be a new hit by Boyle and a thought-provoking, head-spinning affair (if anything, this project feels similar to Steve Jobs in the barest sense, and I still feel like that film is criminally slept on).
Possible Love
It's been eight years since Burning???? Lee Chang-dong's masterpiece was released all the way back in 2018, and his highly-coveted follow-up, Possibly Love, is finally almost here. This three-hour South Korean undertaking — featuring the collision of a number of different lives and the impressions they are to set on one another (particularly their relationship statuses and romantic reservations) — is most likely going to be a treat for the many of us who have waited nearly a decade. Just knowing that it is Chang-dong's anticipated return is more than enough to sell me, but, as per usual, his multi-narrative premise seems promising here (and who wouldn't want to see the latest film by one of the unsung international names of the new millennium).
Tender Loving Care
The great Mike Leigh never stops working, does he? Just two years after his glorious dramedy Hard Truths comes another promising title by Leigh: Tender Loving Care. Unlike the majority of the other films here, sadly not much is known about Leigh's latest at this point in time, outside of it starring the likes of Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, and Kate O'Flynn. If it's anything else like Leigh's signature style, be prepared to be depressed after watching a slice-of-life tragicomedy about everyday British citizens and the woes they have to face. Leigh's one of my favourite British filmmakers of all time, so I'd watch a film of his even if it just had a person taking a nap for three hours (something I guarantee Tender Loving Care will not do to you).
The Debut
Finally, we have The Debut: Jesse Eisenberg's latest film after the successful dramedy A Real Pain (where Kieran Culkin won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). On the heels of this moving film comes a motion picture that is already one of the most talked about winter releases of 2026: one starring Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, and Eisenberg himself (he also serves as the sole screenwriter here, just like A Real Pain). An intriguing musical film about an everyday woman joining a local theatre production (and the gruelling process she undergoes), The Debut will likely see Eisenberg getting more daring and meta with his storytelling than ever before; I await this ambitious passion project.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.