The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced that the upcoming Apple Original film Being Heumann will serve as the opening night selection for its 51st edition. Directed by Academy Award winner Siân Heder, the biographical drama will make its world premiere on September 10, 2026, at Roy Thomson Hall.

The feature serves as Heder’s direct follow-up to her 2021 Best Picture winner CODA. Co-written by Heder and Rebekah Taussig, the film adapts the bestselling memoir of the late legendary disability rights advocate Judith Heumann. The narrative chronicles the historic 1977 Section 504 sit-in in San Francisco, during which Heumann led more than 100 individuals with disabilities in a 28-day protest at a federal building to demand the enforcement of landmark accessibility regulations.

Actress Ruth Madeley portrays the titular activist, leading an ensemble cast that features Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O’Brien, Ray Fisher, Daniel Durant, Madeline Delp, and Rob Delaney. Heder produces the feature under her comprehensive overall development deal with Apple Studios. TIFF Chief Executive Officer Cameron Bailey praised the selection in an official statement, highlighting Madeley’s central performance and Heumann’s global impact on civil rights history.

In tandem with the opening night announcement, festival organizers unveiled two additional high-profile world premieres slated for the Gala Presentations program. British director Susanna White will debut Prima Facie, a legal thriller starring Cynthia Erivo. The film is a cinematic adaptation of Suzie Miller’s acclaimed stage play, centering on a defense barrister whose perspective on the legal system shifts after she survives an assault by a colleague.

Additionally, South Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho will premiere his historical mystery thriller The Assassin(s). Set against the backdrop of the 1974 attempted assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee, the film features an all-star Korean cast including Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho.

The 2026 Toronto International Film Festival will run from September 10 to September 20. The 51st iteration will also introduce an inaugural industry initiative titled “TIFF: The Market,” with further lineup scheduling announcements expected throughout the summer.