TIFF ’26: What to See at This Year’s Fest, Sept. 13

By Liz Braun, Thom Ernst, Karen Gordon, Kim Hughes John Kirk, Chris Knight, Liam Lacey, Bonnie Laufer, Alice Shih and Jim Slotek

It’s day four of the Toronto International Film Festival, and the tireless team at Original-Cin continues filing capsule reviews of what’s screening both to guide festivalgoers on good choices at TIFF ’26 and to plant seeds for openings that will happen throughout the fall and winter. Happy screening and thanks for reading.

A scene from Elephants in the Fog.

Elephants in the Fog (Centrepiece)

Sun, Sept. 13, 6:30 pm, Scotiabank 14; Tue, Sept. 15, 11:30 am, Scotiabank 8; Sat, Sept. 19, 5 pm, Scotiabank 13.

Deep in the lush forests of Nepal where elephants roam, there are communities of third-gender inhabitants with their own rules and rituals. New members must take a vow of chastity and join a family. The head of these families is the “Mother” who must serve the best interests of her “Daughters.” Our protagonist is a mother who has fallen in love with a local man and is planning to leave her daughters behind, upsetting them deeply. One of them rebels and vanishes into the forest. Fearing the worst for her, Mother takes the matter in her own hands, but the truth is harder to face. This Cannes 2026 Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner illustrates an untouched region of Nepal revealing new challenges both geographically and emotionally. AS

Julián (Centrepiece)

Sun, Sept. 13, 11:30 am, Scotiabank 2; Sat, Sept. 19, 12:30 pm, TIFF Lightbox 2.

Taken from Jessica Love’s kids’ book Julián is a Mermaid, Louise Bagnall’s animated take on a “different” boy living in a world (almost) without judgment is loaded with life lessons smothered in love and patience. Sent to live with his Dominican grandmother in Brooklyn while his father is away, young Julián shows no interest in his dad’s baseball card collection, or pickup street basketball. But his world lights up when he meets a trio of girls experimenting with costumes for an upcoming Mermaid Parade. Suddenly, he has friends, and a newfound fascination with glitter. The (near) universal and sometimes resigned acceptance of Julián’s epiphany may sometimes seem from another planet, but it’s a sweet and colourful one. JS

Our Loves (Centrepiece)

Sun, Sept. 13, 2:30 pm, TIFF Lightbox 2; Tue, Sept. 15, 11 am, TIFF Lightbox 2; Sat, Sept. 19, 9:30 am, TIFF Lightbox 2.

Avi Nesher’s Our Loves is a deeply emotional, though not political, ensemble drama that explores personal identity, human connection, and resilience. The film centres around everyday Israelis navigating intense personal grievances in southern Israel: a young observant woman suddenly dumped by her fiancé, a retired cop demanding his son take his side in a bitter divorce, and a community officer attempting to hide her same-sex relationship from her conservative mother. Life takes a huge turn when catastrophe strikes on October 7, forcing this group to look at life through a different lens struggling for empathy, community, and survival. The film focuses on the internal struggles of the characters and how they deal with such intense tragedy, making the story relatable and very human. BL

Read our (dare we say fantastic?) interview with Our Loves director Avi Nesher

Purgatory (Discovery)

Sun, Sept. 13, 6:35 pm, Scotiabank 7.

Teenage angst, never a dull moment. Even more extreme when your parents are separating, your faith is questioned, and the only thing you can think of is trying to get your mom and dad back together. Purgatory is a delightful film that introduces us to breakout star Ruby McGurrin, who shines as Beatrice, a precocious 13-year-old who questions everything she values when her mom leaves the family home to “find herself.” Standout performances come from Abby Elliot as the mom, J.K. Simmons as the ever-patient priest who endures Beatrice’s endless confessionals, and the always fantastic Mary Walsh as a strict Catholic schoolteacher. BL

Turtle Island Rap (TIFF Docs)

Sun, Sept. 13, 6:20 pm, Scotiabank 4; Tue, Sept. 15, 6:35 pm, Scotiabank 7.

Rap has proved a flexible megaphone for marginalized voices and personal storytelling around the world, including North American Indigenous youth. Alexandra Lazarowich’s documentary follows three such aspiring performers. There’s alternative producer and rapper Wiidaaseh, originally from Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation on Manitoulin Island who lives in Toronto, has a day job as a cook, and wears a mask while performing to cover for his shyness. A$h Da Hunter, a young woman of Yavapai-Apachi background near Phoenix, sells burritos on the road with her manager-mother while trying to repair her relationship with her estranged father, who is fresh out of jail. The third performer, Travis Thompson, who is Navajo though raised in suburban Seattle (hometown of Macklemore and Sir Mix-A-Lot, who make brief appearances) is the most successful of the group, making the transition from a major label to working as an independent artist. The film hops back and forth between these likeable, candid personalities, marking both their successes and personal obstacles over an undefined period. The three are connected by the broad themes of cultural pride, dedication to craft and resilience, but more attention to their individual lyrics and messages would be welcome. LL