Entertainment / Your Ultimate Guide To South Asian Films, Filmmakers & Talent At TIFF 2026

Your Ultimate Guide To South Asian Films, Filmmakers & Talent At TIFF 2026

Entertainment Sep 04, 2026

by Mehak Kapoor | Entertainment Editor

Discover the South Asian stories, filmmakers and talent making their mark at TIFF 2026, from world premieres to must-watch features and shorts.

Toronto is getting ready to roll out the red carpet once again as the 51st annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) takes over the city, with Rogers returning as the festival’s presenting sponsor.

Running from September 10 to 20, this year’s festival is set to bring a packed lineup of films, highly anticipated premieres, and an impressive roster of international stars to venues throughout Toronto.

With the city buzzing with movie magic, TIFF 2026 is gearing up to be another major highlight on Toronto’s entertainment calendar.

And now, with hearts full of pride, let’s take a look at the South Asian powerhouse stories lighting up this year’s TIFF lineup. It feels good, eh!

South Asian Stories On The Big Screen At TIFF 2026

Dorothy

**TIFF 2026: Meet the South Asian Films Set to Make an Impact | Photo Credit: TIFF**

India | 2026 | Tamil | World Premiere

Friday, September 11 – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 5:30 PM

Set in 1990s rural Tamil Nadu, Dorothy follows childhood friends Karthi and Subbu, whose lives are shaped by caste, violence, patriarchy, and toxic masculinity. When tragedy strikes Dorothy (Keerthy Suresh), a compassionate woman in their lives, their friendship begins to unravel. Subbu disappears, while Karthi (Rishikanth) is sent across rural India to find him. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj and produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor, the film blends noir, gangster cinema, romance, and dark comedy while exploring friendship, identity, loyalty, and the courage to break free from societal expectations.

Angh

India | 2026 | Konyak | World Premiere

Sunday, September 13 – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 11:40 AM

Set in Nagaland in the early 1960s, Angh centres on Anghba, the final chief of an abandoned village who remains with his ailing wife and young son as his community and traditions begin to disappear.

The arrival of an American missionary introduces a new way of life, creating a growing divide between father and son and challenging the beliefs and customs Anghba is determined to preserve.

Directed by Theja Rio, the film expands his award-winning 2021 short of the same name into a visually atmospheric story about Indigenous identity, cultural change, faith, family and colonial influence.

Also, cinematographer Adam Pietkiewicz is set to receive the Artisan Award at the TIFF Tribute Awards for his work on the film.

Phoolan

Friday, September 11 – TIFF Lightbox at 10:45 AM

Set in the Indian heartland, Phoolan focuses on a defining 48-hour period in the life of Phoolan Devi, when the young outlaw and her group face a massive police operation determined to capture them.

The film explores Devi’s transformation into the legendary Bandit Queen, while touching on the caste discrimination, gender oppression, and violence that shaped her early life.

Starring Sneha Kumari as Phoolan Devi, the film draws on Devi’s autobiography and presents a tense, grounded portrait of a woman who challenged the social structures around her.

Directed by Mississauga-born filmmaker Richie Mehta, known for Delhi Crime, Siddharth and Amal. Phoolan will make its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2026, screening as part of the festival’s Special Presentations programme.

Elephants in the Fog

Nepal, France, Germany, Brazil & Norway | 2026 | Nepali | North American Premiere

Thursday, September 10 – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:25 PM

Set in a Nepalese village surrounded by forests and wild elephants, Elephants in the Fog follows Pirati (Puspa Thing Lama), the matriarch of a Kinnar (eunuch) community, whose world is shaken when her daughter Apsara disappears into the forest.

While Pirati faces her own conflict between community responsibilities, tradition, and her desire for a different life, Apsara’s disappearance brings questions of family, identity, femininity, freedom, and belonging to the forefront.

Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah, the film marks his feature debut, following his work as a writer and director on acclaimed Nepali films and shorts.

Strong Son

Canada | 2026 | World Premiere

Friday, September 11 – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 2:00 PM

Set in Winnipeg, Strong Son follows Harvinder “Harvey” Singh (Mandeep Sodhi), a bodybuilder struggling with anxiety and self-doubt while caring for his aging father, Jagdeep (Amrit Parbhakar).

Caught between the pressures of caregiving and his father’s traditional expectations of masculinity, Harvey begins searching for a different understanding of himself. His growing relationship with co-worker Caitlin (Michaela Kurimsky) and his unexpected interest in professional wrestling offer glimpses of a new direction.

In his debut feature, Ian Bawa explores masculinity, identity, family, caregiving, and Sikh experiences, building on themes from his earlier short films that premiered at TIFF.

The film is scheduled to premiere in the Discovery program at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.

The Difficult Bride

Bangladesh | 2026 | World Premiere

Friday, September 11 – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:05 PM

As her wedding approaches, Zaineen appears to have everything society considers ideal: a wealthy fiancé, a glamorous wedding and a carefully perfected appearance. Beneath it all, however, she is struggling with anxiety, body-image pressures and unsettling visions of snakes, catfish and bloodied bodies.

As these strange experiences intensify, Zaineen begins questioning the expectations placed on her as a bride and the rigid standards of femininity surrounding marriage.

Directed by Rubaiyat Hossain, it blends psychological drama and surreal imagery to explore female agency, cultural expectations, identity, and the pressure to become the “perfect” woman.

Followed by its North American premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 16 September.

Amma Ariyan (Report to Mother)

India | 1986 | Malayalam | North American Premiere – 4K Restoration

Sunday, September 13 – TIFF Lightbox at 3:30 PM

A landmark of Indian political cinema, John Abraham’s final film follows a young man travelling through 1970s Kerala to deliver devastating news to a mother: her son has died.

As he makes the journey, a growing group of companions joins him, transforming a personal mission into a powerful reflection on political unrest, resistance, grief and collective consciousness.

Directed by the late John Abraham, a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India and founding member of the Odessa Collective, Amma Ariyan is being presented at TIFF in a newly restored 4K version on Sunday, September 13.

HALF

India | 2026 | Malayalam, Hindi, English, Telugu & Tamil | World Premiere

Sunday, September 13 – TIFF Lightbox at 8:15 AM

TIFF Programme: Midnight Madness – Set against the Rajasthan desert, HALF follows twin siblings Ethan (Ranjith Sajeev) and Ivy (Aiswarya Raj), who possess supernatural abilities inherited from their human mother and vampire father.

When the half-vampire siblings are attacked by a group of highway bandits, they recover and unleash a brutal revenge mission against those responsible.

Blending vampire horror, martial arts, westerns and Indian genre cinema, the film delivers an unapologetically violent ride packed with action, gore and dark humour. The fight sequences are choreographed by Very Tri Yulisman, known for The Raid 2 and The Night Comes for Us.

Written and directed by Kerala-based filmmaker Samjad, HALF follows his acclaimed feature Golam (2024).

Tenzing

USA & Australia | 2026 | English | Canadian Premiere

Tuesday, September 15 – Roy Thomson Hall at 9:30 PM

Starring Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe, Tenzing tells the remarkable story of Himalayan Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who made history alongside Edmund Hillary by reaching the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.

The film traces Tenzing’s journey from his early work on British Everest expeditions to the historic climb, highlighting his courage, determination and extraordinary mountaineering expertise.

Directed by Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, whose previous work includes the 2015 documentary Sherpa, the film is written by Australian screenwriter Luke Davies. It is produced by Liz Watts of See-Saw Films, alongside Desray Armstrong, Peedom and Davies, with Pravesh Sahni serving as co-producer and Rakesh Singh as line producer for Itop Film Productions.

Originally developed with Netflix and Higher Ground Productions, Tenzing arrives at TIFF 2026 as a Canadian Premiere.

South Asian Filmmakers Behind TIFF’s Global Stories

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

USA | 2026 World Premiere

Saturday, September 12 – Metro Toronto Convention Centre at 8:30 AM

Oscar winner Mahershala Ali stars as Latif, a devoted Muslim, father of three, and highly skilled contract killer who follows one unusual rule: he never uses guns.

After losing his wife, Latif decides to leave his violent past behind and dedicate himself to raising his children. His plans are disrupted when his former employer pulls him back into a dangerous feud.

Directed by Pakistani-born filmmaker Bassam Tariq, who was born in Karachi and raised in Houston, the film blends action, dark humour, family drama and moral conflict, exploring faith, violence, fatherhood and the contradictions within its central character.

Alongside the film’s TIFF debut, director Bassam Tariq will also be honoured with the Rising Talent Award at the TIFF Tribute Awards. Friday, September 18:This screening will be presented with open captions.

The Surgeon

Ireland | 2026 | World Premiere

Saturday, September 12 – Royal Alexandra Theatre at 8:30 PM

Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh stars as a retired surgeon who is abducted by a criminal gang and forced back into the operating room at gunpoint when one of their members desperately needs surgery.

With her medical expertise becoming her greatest weapon, she must use everything she knows about the human body to survive and fight back.

Directed by Calgary-born filmmaker Roshan Sethi, a practicing oncologist and screenwriter known for 7 Days, World’s Best and A Nice Indian Boy, The Surgeon combines kidnapping thriller, medical drama and action cinema in a fast-paced story of survival, revenge and resilience.

It will have its world premiere in the Centrepiece section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2026.

South Asian Shorts to Watch at TIFF 2026

The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival is bringing a diverse lineup of short-form cinema to Toronto through its Short Cuts programme. This year’s selection features 45 films from 30 countries, spread across seven curated programmes and covering everything from live-action and documentaries to animation and hybrid storytelling.

Among the lineup are several films with South Asian connections, offering stories that explore identity, culture, gender, relationships and social expectations.

Aman

India, United Kingdom, United States & France | 2026 | 16 min | Bengali, Hindi | World Premiere

Directed by Rahul Roye, Aman centres on two transgender siblings whose close relationship is tested when one of them prepares for gender-affirming surgery. The film explores identity, masculinity, the body, and family bonds through an intimate story about siblings.

Link to the trailer: Aman

Till The Milk Runs Dry

Canada | 2026 | 12 min | Tamil | World Premiere

Filmmaker Kalainithan Kalaichelvan takes audiences inside the intense world of Bharatanatyam, following a dancer pushed to their limits at a demanding dance academy. Through dreamlike imagery and a highly physical approach, the short examines pressure, discipline, and bodily autonomy.

Link to the trailer: Till The Milk Runs Dry

Leftover Women

United Kingdom | 2026 | 19 min | English | World Premiere

This sharp dystopian comedy imagines a society where single, childless women are required to undergo government assessments once they turn 35. Anjana Vasan brings her trademark dry humour to a story that takes aim at society’s obsession with marriage, desirability and women’s value.

Link to the trailer: Leftover Women

The Lion Does Not Concern Himself

United Kingdom | 2026 | 19m | English | World Premiere

A playful romantic comedy about a gym instructor who believes his online identity as a provocative, toxic podcast personality is his path to fame. His carefully constructed persona begins to unravel when a new client and potential love interest enters his life. The film offers a humorous look at online masculinity, social-media personas, romance, and the pressure to perform a certain version of manhood.

Link to the trailer: The Lion Does Not Concern Himself

Forgotten Spaceman

Afghanistan, United Kingdom | 2026 | 16 min | Pashto | North American Premiere

In Forgotten Spaceman, filmmaker Elham Ehsas turns to archival footage of Afghanistan’s first astronaut alongside rich 16mm imagery to explore questions of home, displacement and identity. Blending personal reflection with a striking visual style, the film captures the emotional pull of a homeland left behind. Born in Kabul, Ehsas relocated to the United Kingdom as a refugee at the age of 10, bringing his own experience of displacement into this intimate non-fiction work.

Link to the trailer: Forgotten Spaceman

Into The Betaverse

United Kingdom | 2026 | 14 min | English | World Premiere

Varun Raman and Tom Hancock deliver a sharp British satire that turns a digital identity crisis into a darkly comic exploration of masculinity, social class and male friendship. With an intentionally offbeat sense of humour, the film examines how status, expectations and the bonds between men shape the way they see themselves and one another.

Link to the trailer: Into The Betaverse

Termite

India | 2026 | 31 min | Hindi, Urdu | World Premiere

Following his Oscar-nominated documentary All That Breathes, Shaunak Sen returns with Termite, a quietly compelling drama unfolding in the crowded, colourful lanes of Old Delhi. The film follows two middle-aged termite-control workers whose familiar, everyday routine is thrown into uncertainty when an unexpected marriage proposal arrives for one of them.

Link to the trailer: Termite

Toronto International Film Festival – September 10-20, Toronto

Website: TIFF

See you at the movies!

Mehak Kapoor | Entertainment Editor

Author

Mehak Kapoor (@makeba_93) is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience in anchoring and content creation for TV and digital platforms. Passionate about storytelling and factual reporting, she enjoys engaging with diverse audiences. Outside of work, she finds solace i...

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