TIFF 2026 Sets ‘Being Heumann’ As Opening Night Film; Cynthia Erivo’s ‘Prima Facie’

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced Apple Original Films’ Being Heumann from CODA Oscar winning filmmaker Siân Heder as the 51st edition’s opening night film.

In addition there are two other world premieres including Prima Facie from British director Susanna White and starring 3x Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, and The Assassin(s) from Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho (A Normal Family, TIFF ’23).

Being Heumann stars BAFTA Award nominee Ruth Madeley (Don’t Take My Baby) as famed disability activist Judy Heumann in what is a feature take of her bestselling memoir. Being Heumann follows Heumann as she leads over a hundred disabled people to take over the San Francisco Federal Building, kicking off a 28 day sit-in in 1977. The protestors quickly form a tightly bound community, refusing to leave until the government enforces section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which required all federal spaces to become accessible. Heder and Rebekah Tussing adapted the memoir. Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O’Brien, Jon Beavers, Rob Delaney, Ray Fisher and more star in the pic. David Permut, Heder, John W. Beach, Kevin Cleary, and Kevin J. Walsh produce.

Prima Facie is the feature adaptation of the West End and Broadway play (which originally starred Jodie Comer). Erivo is a British defense barrister who exudes enviable brilliance in navigating the ruthless and gladiatorial London courtrooms. She is formidable in her defense of men charged with sexual assault; but just as she is fast-tracking to stardom, the tide turns to crisis, and she must fight to define herself. Playwright Suzie Miller adapted her Olivier-winning and Tony-nominated play for the big screen. Deadline first told you about the project at Cannes 2025 where Embankment Films handled global sales with UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance co-representing domestic.

The Assassin(s) is set in 1974, and follows the attempted assassination of Korean president Park Chung-hee on August 15 that year — one of the most consequential days in the country’s history.  Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho star. Park portrays a news editor who delves into unanswered questions surrounding the attempted assassination. Yoo is the police inspector, and Lee is a journalist both whom witness the assassination.

“We’re thrilled to open this year’s Festival with Siân Heder’s inspiring follow-up to her Oscar winning CODA,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “Being Heumann features an electric performance from Ruth Madeley in the story of Judy Heumann, a world-changing advocate for accessibility. We’re also glad to reveal the news that Toronto audiences will be the first to see Cynthia Erivo in Susanna White’s searing legal drama Prima Facie, and that the South Korean power duo of director Hur Jin-ho and superstar Lee Min-ho will launch their thriller The Assassin(s) at our 51st Festival. Lots more to come.”

Being Heumann will debut on Thursday, Sept. 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Last year’s TIFF drew 700K attendees. TIFF 51 runs from Sept. 10-20 with the inaugural TIFF: The Market a new addition to the fest.