Mexican actor Diego Luna will lead a new lineup of international filmmakers at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival from September 10 to 20, 2026.
Organisers announced new selections for the 2026 festival on Tuesday, featuring works from international directors alongside strong representation from Spain and Latin America.
Founded in 1976, the Toronto International Film Festival is held annually in Ontario, Canada, and stands as one of the largest public film festivals in the world, frequently serving as a key launchpad for international cinema and awards contenders.
The festival's main section, Centrepiece, will bring together 54 titles from filmmakers representing 50 countries. The section features new works from prominent international directors including Anthony Chen, Valeska Grisebach, Banjong Pisanthanakun, and Yonfan.
Centrepiece lineup and premieres
Luna will participate in Centrepiece with Ashes, a co-production of Mexico and Spain making its North American premiere. The section also includes Flies, directed by Fernando Eimbcke, while Neto Villalobos Brenes will hold the world premiere of Love is the monster, co-produced by Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Chile, and Mexico.
The Latin American showcase further features the world premiere of After Elena by Shawn Garry, a co-production of Chile, Colombia, and Italy. Additionally, Centrepiece will screen The bovine with the curved horns by Omar E. Ospina Giraldo and Where the River Begins by director Juan Andrés Arango.
Luna, a prominent Mexican actor and director, gained international recognition starring in the 2001 film Y Tu Mamá También before taking on major Hollywood projects including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the series Andor.
Spanish directors and international selections
Spain is also represented in Centrepiece by filmmaker Raúl García, who codirected the animated film The Violinist alongside Ervin Han as a co-production of Singapore, Spain, and Italy. Spain also co-produced Rehearsals for a Revolution with the Czech Republic, directed by Pegah Ahangarani.
The main announcement is rounded out by My Wife Cries from German director Angela Schanelec, The Diary of a Chambermaid by Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude, and Nobody's Violence by Canadian director Denis Côté, alongside work by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.
Experimental cinema in Wavelengths
In the festival's experimental Wavelengths section, Argentine filmmaker Lisandro Alonso will participate with La libertad doble. The project is conceived as an indirect continuation of La libertad, the 2001 film that launched his international career.
Wavelengths will also screen Biografía de Jorge Luis Borges, a five-and-a-half-hour documentary directed by Mariano Llinás focusing on the celebrated Argentine writer. The section includes Lo demás es ruido by Nicolás Pereda, Spanish filmmaker Natalia Marín's Crónica del cansancio in its North American premiere, and Rita Ferrando's short film After Image, which explores her family's migration from Argentina to Canada.
Classic restorations and opening night
The announced festival programming includes restorations of classic films by directors Ken Russell, Lynne Stopkewich, Fei Mu, and Kon Ichikawa.
The festival previously announced in July that its 51st edition will open on September 10 with the world premiere of Being Heumann. The film centres on Judy Heumann, a renowned disability rights activist and accessibility advocate, with actress Ruth Madeley leading the cast.
Being Heumann is directed by American filmmaker Sian Heder, who won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2021 drama CODA.
