Siân Heder's 'Being Heumann' to open 51st Toronto film festival, with world premieres from Cynthia Erivo and Hur Jin-ho

Opening night selection

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival will open with the world premiere of "Being Heumann," directed by Siân Heder and starring Ruth Madeley as the late disability rights activist Judith Heumann. The Apple Original Films production is Heder's first feature since "CODA," which won the Academy Award for best picture in 2022. The gala screening takes place on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall, kicking off a festival that runs through September 20.

We're thrilled to open this year's Festival with Siân Heder's inspiring follow-up to her Oscar winning 'CODA.' 'Being Heumann' features an electric performance from Ruth Madeley in the story of Judy Heumann, a world-changing advocate for accessibility.

The film adapts Heumann's bestselling memoir and focuses on the 1977 protest she led, when over a hundred disabled people occupied the San Francisco Federal Building for 28 days. The sit-in demanded enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which required all federal spaces to become accessible. Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O'Brien, Jon Beavers, Rob Delaney and Ray Fisher also appear in the cast. Heder co-wrote the screenplay with Rebekah Tussing and produces alongside David Permut, John W. Beach, Kevin Cleary and Kevin J. Walsh.

Additional world premieres

Two other gala world premieres were announced alongside the opening night film. "Prima Facie," directed by Susanna White, stars Cynthia Erivo in a feature adaptation of Suzie Miller's Olivier-winning and Tony-nominated play. Erivo plays a British defence barrister whose career defending men accused of sexual assault is upended after she herself is assaulted by a colleague and navigates the court system as a complainant. The project was first reported at Cannes 2025, with Embankment Films handling global sales.

Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho will present "The Assassin(s)," a thriller set in 1974 that follows the attempted assassination of President Park Chung-hee on August 15 of that year. Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho star. Park portrays a news editor investigating unanswered questions around the attack, while Yoo and Lee play a police inspector and a journalist who witness the event.

Festival structure and awards

TIFF runs from September 10 to 20, with the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser scheduled for September 13 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The inaugural TIFF: The Market will operate from September 10 to 16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. On the closing day, the festival will announce its award winners, including the People's Choice Awards, which last year went to Chloé Zhao's "Hamnet."

A new rule this year allows the non-English-language winner of the Platform Award to qualify directly for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards. Jury prizes and honours from FIPRESCI and NETPAC also return.