Toronto 
Events Description
As the Festival celebrates its 15th edition, TIFF Next Wave is excited to welcome audiences to TIFF Lightbox, promising a jam-packed weekend of bold new movies from around the world, amazing guests and Q&A sessions, industry workshops and talks at the Young Creators Co-Lab, and the ever-epic kick-off at Battle of the Scores.
2026 Edition
Festival opens with Canadian Premiere of Chandler Levack’s Roommates
Special guests include Chandler Levack, Avalon Fast, Miss Moço, Oscar Boyson, Thomas Percy Kim, Ethan Hwang, Stella Marie Markert, Jaeden Martell, Hanna Puley, and more.
The weekend kicks off with the Canadian Premiere of Chandler Levack’s Roommates starring Sadie Sandler, Chloe East, Billy Bryk, Sarah Sherman, Natasha Lyonne, and Nick Kroll, followed by Oscar Boyson’s Our Hero, Balthazar starring Jaeden Martell and Asa Butterfield. Both screenings are followed by director Q&As.
This year’s festival spotlights nine feature films from seven countries alongside Q&As, interactive workshops, and special events including the highly-anticipated opening night party.
2026 Next Wave Film Festival Official Selection Films
- Big Girls Don’t Cry | dir. Paloma Schneideman | New Zealand
Canadian Premiere
In the ambiently homophobic environment of a rural town in the mid-2000s, a 14-year-old girl navigates sexual curiosity and a desire for acceptance over one transformative summer.
Virtual Q&A with director Paloma Schneideman - Burn | dir. Makoto Nagahisa | Japan
Canadian Premiere
A runaway teen (Nana Mori of Kokuho, TIFF ‘25) finds comfort and solace in a group of other young misfits. But she soon discovers that danger can lurk even in what looks like a safe haven. - CAMP | dir. Avalon Fast | Canada
Toronto Premiere
A group of counsellors at a Christian grief camp find catharsis through the occult — but not without consequence.
In-person Q&A with director Avalon Fast - If I Go Will They Miss Me | dir. Walter Thompson-Hernández | USA
Canadian Premiere
A 12-year-old who’s struggling to connect with the father he idolizes starts seeing ghostly figures of boys around his neighbourhood. - Ish | dir. Imran Perretta | United Kingdom
Toronto Premiere
A childhood friendship is torn apart after a traumatic interaction with the police in this poetic and poignant drama. - Isle Child | dir. Thomas Percy Kim | South Korea/USA
Canadian Premiere
An adopted New England teen, played by Ethan Hwang (Riceboy Sleeps, TIFF ‘22), is forced to confront his feelings of otherness when he discovers his Korean birth mother is terminally ill.
In-person Q&A with director Thomas Percy Kim and actor Ethan Hwang - Niñxs | dir. Kani Lapuerta | Mexico/Germany
Toronto Premiere
Shot over eight years in the small town of Tepoztlán, Mexico, this vibrant documentary follows Karla through an adolescence marked by joy, resilience, and transition. - Our Hero, Balthazar | dir. Oscar Boyson | USA
Toronto Premiere
In a misguided attempt to impress a crush, a lonely New York teen flies to Texas, where he thinks he can stop a future school shooter — but his plan quickly spirals out of control.
In-person Q&A with director Oscar Boyson and actor Jaeden Martell - Thanks for Nothing | dir. Stella Marie Markert | Germany
Canadian Premiere
Four teens living in a Berlin group home have created their own anarchic utopia. But the unhelpful adults in their lives, combined with the harsh realities of the world, threaten to tear it apart.
In-person Q&A with director Stella Marie Markert
Who is it for?
All ages
HOW MUCH
Tickets :
How to get tickets?
WHEN & WHERE
Date & Time:
April 16–19, 2026 — Schedule
Venue & Address :
TIFF – 350 King Street W., Toronto, ON M5V3X5 Canada
More to do
What’s On This Weekend in Toronto
