The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is officially back, and Toronto is once again the centre of the movie world. TIFF kicks off Thursday with nearly 300 films scheduled before the festival wraps on Sept. 20. But you don’t have to wait long for some of the biggest titles. From BLACKPINK’s LISA getting the big-screen doc treatment to new flicks starring Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Mahershala Ali, Rebel Wilson, Sebastian Stan and Cynthia Erivo, here are 10 must-see TIFF premieres happening in Toronto this opening weekend.
Thursday, Sept. 10
Being Heumann
TIFF is starting with one of its biggest premieres right out of the gate. The festival’s official Opening Night Film is Being Heumann, the latest movie from CODA director Siân Heder. Ruth Madeley stars as legendary disability rights activist Judy Heumann in the historical drama, which focuses on the landmark 1977 protest in which Heumann and more than 100 disabled activists occupied a federal building in San Francisco while fighting for civil rights protections. Mark Ruffalo plays U.S. health secretary Joseph Califano, with Dylan O’Brien, Madeline Delp and Rob Delaney among the supporting cast.
The opening-night event is so big that TIFF has two premium screenings on Thursday: at 6 p.m. at the Visa Screening Room (the Princess of Wales Theatre) and again at 8 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall. It also screens again on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
Fjord
Fjord won the Palme d’Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Mihai and Lisbet, a Romanian-Norwegian couple who move with their five kids to a remote Norwegian community. Their conservative Evangelical beliefs soon put them at odds with their new surroundings, especially when concerns about their parenting bring the country’s child-protection system into their lives.
The film has its first TIFF screening Thursday at 9:30 p.m. at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, followed by another screening Friday at 4:15 p.m. at Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 13.
Friday, Sept. 11
Girl Group
Rebel Wilson wrote and directed Girl Group, and stars in it, too! Wilson plays Tassie Young, a former pop star whose attempted solo career falls apart after some bad decisions. After a DUI lands her in community service, Tassie is assigned to mentor a group of aspiring young performers, giving the burned-out singer an unexpected shot at finding a new purpose. Look out for supporting roles from Jennifer Coolidge, Randall Park, Nicole Scherzinger, Judi Love and Sally Hawkins.
The film makes its world premiere Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall, with another screening Saturday at 6:45 p.m. at Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 3.
Always Lalisa
BTS isn’t the only K-pop act bringing major star power to Toronto this year. Always Lalisa turns the camera on BLACKPINK star LISA, following a pivotal year in the Thai rapper-singer-actor’s life as she steps outside the group to pursue her own dreams. The documentary is directed by Sue Kim and looks back at LISA’s journey from childhood dance competitions and K-pop training to BLACKPINK’s global success, while following her more recent push into a solo music career, acting and the creation of her own label. Kim followed LISA for a year, capturing everything from behind-the-scenes moments to her Coachella performance.
Always Lalisa makes its world premiere Friday at 9:30 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall, followed by another screening at the same venue Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12
I Play Rocky
Before Rocky became one of the most famous underdog stories in movie history, getting the movie made was an underdog story of its own. I Play Rocky is directed by Green Book filmmaker Peter Farrelly and stars Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone. It follows the struggling actor as he writes the screenplay that would change his life forever (and eventually launch one of Hollywood’s most successful film franchises). Stallone famously refused to sell the script unless he was allowed to play Rocky Balboa himself, despite facing resistance from an industry that didn’t see him as a movie star. The cast also includes Toronto actor Stephan James (who we got up close and personal with), AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, P.J. Byrne, Tracy Letts and Jay Duplass.
Its TIFF world premiere takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, with another public screening Sunday at 11:15 a.m. at the same venue.
Evil Genius
Courteney Cox is heading behind the camera for one of opening weekend’s most interesting true-crime premieres. Her second feature as a director, Evil Genius, stars Patricia Arquette and David Harbour in a dramatization of the infamous 2003 “pizza bomber” case, the real-life crime involving a pizza delivery driver who was killed by an explosive collar after becoming caught up in a bank robbery plot. The movie apparently gives a darkly funny and chilling look at the web of relationships, betrayals and violence surrounding the case.
The film makes its world premiere Saturday at 2 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall and screens again Sunday at 2 p.m. at Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 1.
Babies
Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick are teaming up for what could be one of TIFF’s biggest comedies. Babies is written and directed by Lauren Miller Rogen and stars Kendrick and Rogen as Annie and Aaron, a couple who have been together for 17 years but still haven’t figured out whether they actually want kids. They suddenly get a crash course in parenthood when their recently separated friend Elizan (played by Kate Berlant) moves in with her young daughter. An already stacked ensemble also includes Issa Rae, Dan Stevens, Sharon Stone and David Strathairn.
Babies has its world premiere Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall, before screening again on Sunday at 6:10 p.m. at Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 2.
Misty Green
Chris Rock takes aim at Hollywood itself in Misty Green, a new film he wrote and directed. Rosalind Eleazar stars as Misty, a once-successful actor whose Hollywood career has stalled and who is fighting for a second act. As she tries to get her life and career back on track, she encounters the humiliations, compromises and prejudices of an industry that isn’t exactly thrilled to make room for her. The supporting cast is huge. Look out for Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick and even Rock himself.
Misty Green makes its world premiere Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall and has another public screening Sunday at 9 p.m. at Scotiabank Theatre Cinema 1.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
Mahershala Ali leads one of the more unusual thrillers at TIFF this weekend. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is directed by Bassam Tariq and stars the two-time Oscar winner as Latif, a devout Muslim, devoted father and highly skilled contract killer who lives according to a strict moral code. When his wife suddenly dies, he is thrown into single fatherhood and tries to leave his criminal life behind, only to find his past refusing to let him go. His story eventually puts him on a collision course with a far-right faith leader played by John Cho, while Giancarlo Esposito, Tramell Tillman and Tiffany Boone also appear in the film!
The film makes its world premiere Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and screens again Sunday at 11:15 a.m. at TIFF Lightbox Cinema 2.
Sunday, Sept. 13
Prima Facie
Cynthia Erivo stars in Prima Facie, the big-screen adaptation of Suzie Miller’s acclaimed stage play. The Wicked star plays an ambitious criminal defence barrister who has built her career defending people accused of sexual offences. But after she is sexually assaulted herself, she is forced to experience the justice system from the other side, challenging everything she once believed about the law and the burden it places on victims. The film is directed by Susanna White and also stars Daniel Ings, Elizabeth Dulau and Toheeb Jimoh.
Prima Facie makes its world premiere Sunday at 5:45 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall.
