TIFF Unveils 2026 Platform Lineup: 12 Films Celebrating the Next Generation of Auteur Filmmakers
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, the Toronto International Film Festival has revealed the line-up of 12 films selected for its competitive Platform program for 2026. Designed as a dedicated launchpad for the next generation of global auteur filmmakers, the section comes with a pivotal upgrade this year: for the first time, winning non-English-language titles in this section will be eligible to compete directly for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, making TIFF one of only six major festivals worldwide with this designation.
This year’s Platform selection comprises 12 titles from around the globe and will kick off with the opening night premiere of Children Untold, directed by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Miwa Nishikawa, a longtime collaborator of Hirokazu Kore-eda. Adapted from Nishikawa’s own unpublished novel, the film follows a 12-year-old girl in post-WWII Tokyo who disguises herself as a boy in order to survive.
Other notable titles in this year’s lineup include Angh by Tehja Rio (India), Brace Your Heart by Amanda Kernell (Sweden), Djinn Wedding by Ferit Karahan (Turkey), Idda by Irene Dionisio (Italy), In the Heart of the South by Nyla Innuksuk (Canada), Masc by Bertil Nilsson (UK), On Behalf of My Son by Gabriel Martins (Brazil), Silenced Nights by Lawrence Fajardo (Philippines), The Smell of Apples by John Trengove (South Africa), The World Before by Yoon Dan-bi (South Korea), and Wild Wild East by Jan Holoubek (Poland). All 12 films will celebrate their world premieres at TIFF Bell Lightbox Cinema 1.
The five-member international jury, presided over by Argentine producer and director Pablo Trapero, features British writer-director Amma Asante, Taiwanese actor and filmmaker Sylvia Chang, Canadian producer Luc Déry, and Hong Kong film executive Albert Lee. The jury will select the winner of the $20,000 Platform Prize, which will be announced on the final day of the festival, Sunday, September 20.
“The new Academy Award qualification upgrade for the Platform section is huge! TIFF is really cementing its position as a major powerhouse for auteur cinema. Can’t wait to see how Children Untold performs—Miwa Nishikawa’s work is always breathtaking.”
“Such an impressive and diverse lineup this year. Great to see directors like Gabriel Martins and John Trengove featured in the selection. Platform continues to be my favorite program at TIFF!”
“That jury panel is top-tier! With Pablo Trapero, Amma Asante, and Sylvia Chang on board, the winner of the Platform Prize will definitely be something special. Thanks for sharing this coverage!”