TIFF Premieres
Siân Heder’s long-awaited follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2021 film, CODA, will finally make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film, titled Being Heumann, will be one of three films that will have their world premieres at the event. The 51st edition of the esteem festival will be showing Prima Facie from British director Susanna White (Woman Walks Ahead, TIFF ’17), The Assassin(s) from Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho (A Normal Family, TIFF ’23) along with Being Heumann at their Gala Presentations.
Opening night is set to take place on Thursday, September 10, at Roy Thomson Hall. They hope to build on the momentum of last year’s milestone 50th edition, which had welcomed around 700,000 attendees. This year, TIFF will run from September 10–20 with a dynamic lineup of acclaimed directors, Hollywood and international A-list talent, red carpet premieres, the inaugural TIFF: The Market, and unforgettable audience experiences across all 11 days.
According to the press release:
In addition to TIFF ’26’s Official Selection, the Festival’s 51st edition will once again offer live post-screening Q&As, the In Conversation With… series, as well as the popular Festival Street, which returns for opening weekend along King Street West, from Peter Street to University Avenue, with food trucks, free activations, potential celebrity-spotting, and more.
Being Heumann
Being Heumann is set to have its world premiere on the opening night of the festival. “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.”
CODA
Troy Kotsur’s feel-good Best Supporting Actor win was one of the most notable moments at the 94th Academy Awards, becoming just the second deaf actor to win the statue (after Marlee Matlin, who co-stars in CODA). Kotsur’s performance as a struggling Massachusetts fisherman was one of the most praised of 2021. Many were wondering when Heder was going to follow up on her critical darling and the wait is nearly over as Being Heumann screens this fall.
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