The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival today announced five additional films to its special presentation program. The 51st annual TIFF will be held from September 10 to 20, 2026, and the festival has long served as a launching pad for Oscar-winning films, especially the coveted People’s Choice Award. Previous People’s Choice Award winners that have won big awards at the Academy Awards include Chariots of Fire (1981), American Beauty (1999), Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Green Book (2018).
Alpha Gang (directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner)
This sci-fi comedy by the Zellner Brothers (“Sasquatch Sunset”) is about a group of humanoid aliens who visit Earth with the intention of wiping out the planet just to ingratiate themselves with Earth’s people. The film features an all-star cast including Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, and Lily-Rose Depp.
Glaxo (directed by Benjamin Neistadt)
Brazilian filmmakers have been on a roll lately, and this film from director Benjamin Neistadt (“Rojo”) could continue that momentum. Spanning decades in a small provincial town from the 1950s to the 1980s, Glaxo follows four young men whose lives intertwine in a story of desire and revenge against the backdrop of Brazil’s unrest.
Love of Your Life (directed by Rachel Morrison)
Rachel Morrison, the critically acclaimed director who became the first woman to be nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2018 Academy Awards for Mudbound, makes her second directorial effort with this romantic drama produced by Ryan Gosling about a nurse (Margaret Qualley) who gets caught up in a huge love affair. The film also stars Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aaron Pierre, Gabriel Basso, and Catherine Keener.
Housewife (directed by Ben Shirinian)
Ben Shirinian’s feature directorial debut tells the story of a young New York Times reporter (Tye Sheridan) who is assigned to track down a potential Nazi officer in Queens, New York, but his investigation becomes complicated when he becomes entangled with the man’s wife (Naomi Watts). Michael Imperioli and Luke Evans round out the cast.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (directed by Bassam Tariq)
The second film from director Bassam Tariq (Mowgul Mowgli) stars two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as Latif, a devout hitman who must embark on a journey across Houston, Texas, to protect his loved ones as his enemies close in. In addition to Ali, the cast includes John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tramell Tillman.
