The opening of TIFF 2026

The Toronto International Film Festival commenced on Thursday and will run until September 20. Below are highlights from the festival's opening day, featuring scenes from the glamorous red carpet on the first night. Please note, this document is no longer being updated.

Key Information

• The festival spans 11 days, beginning on September 10

• King Street has been converted into a pedestrian zone from Spadina to University

• Justin Trudeau and Katie Telford are anticipated to attend the red carpet on Friday for a launch event

• TIFF bars offer luxury items, including $500 cocktails and an $8,888 caviar feast

• TIFF opened Thursday evening with Sian Heder’s “Being Heumann”

The 1 Hotel hosted the first major event of the TIFF season with a lively kickoff party. The Hollywood Reporter co-hosted the Green Room event presented by Don Julio Tequila, held in the hotel's elegantly decorated lobby. Guests enjoyed robust margaritas and appetizers such as mini chicken sliders and tuna tartare on rice, while mingling with both new and familiar faces. A pianist performed well beyond the 10 p.m. closing as attendees toasted with tequila to a promising festival.

Celebrity sightings? At least one: “The Housewife” star Luke Evans. However, the festival is just beginning, and more stars are anticipated.

Thank you for following our live blog and joining us in the festival's glitz and glamour. Happy TIFF, everyone!

“Being Heumann” premiered at TIFF with numerous dignitaries, including Chief of the Mississauga First Nation Margaret Sault, TIFF director Cameron Bailey, and Mayor Olivia Chow. The evening's most elegant figures, however, were the two interpreters, one of whom wore stunning wide-leg blue shantung silk pants, and Lynnette, a participant in the seventies protest that inspired the opening film.

“Being Heumann” also led to accessibility improvements at TIFF, including changes on the red carpet. The premiere venue, designed by Arthur Erickson with input from Itzhak Perlman, aimed for maximum accessibility. The film was presented with open captions to ensure broad enjoyment.

Another highlight of the premiere? Lake Ontario, which received numerous mentions from attending political figures due to recent political issues concerning the Great Lake.

Co-writer and director Sian Heder acknowledged the film's inspiration, Judy Heumann, known as the “mother of the disability rights movement.” Heder recalled Heumann's response to questions about her landmark protest: “It wasn’t me, it was all of us.” This sentiment, Heder noted, embodies the film, which was partly filmed in Pickering, standing in for San Francisco. Heder concluded her introduction by addressing ongoing political challenges, emphasizing that collective efforts can still effect change. “This is a movie about people who refuse to be invisible.”

“Being Heumann” is this year's opening film at TIFF, marking the return of “CODA” writer-director Sian Heder. The film stars Ruth Madeley (“Years and Years”) and festival favorite Mark Ruffalo.

Michael Imperioli highlighted a generational divide among the audience during the premiere of Ben Shirinian’s debut thriller “The Housewife,” alongside co-stars Naomi Watts and Luke Evans.

“That’s the guy from ‘White Lotus,’” one woman commented, while a man replied, “It’s Christopher Moltisanti,” referring to Imperioli’s character from “The Sopranos.”

The actor is one of several “White Lotus” stars with films at TIFF this year.