# TIFF 2026's 20 international films worth tracking

> Variety's Toronto shortlist leans on British star power, new voices from Scotland and Ireland, and a gothic musical about taxidermy.
- Title: TIFF 2026's 20 international films worth tracking · Variety
- Summary: Variety's Toronto shortlist leans on British star power, new voices from Scotland and Ireland, and a gothic musical about taxidermy. Toronto 2026 is less…
- Keywords: tiff, film festivals, international film, toronto, awards season, entertainment, culture, 2026's, international, films, worth, tracking
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/film/global/tiff-2026-20-international-titles-to-track-1236860336
- Published: 2026-09-13T14:29:44+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tiff, film festivals, international film, toronto, awards season, entertainment, culture
## Twenty films to watch
Variety picked 20 international titles from this year's Toronto lineup, spanning a taxidermy musical and a John Madden rom-com about Parkinson's.
## Britain brings the stars
Helen Mirren, Laura Linney, Rhys Ifans, Erin Doherty and James McAvoy headline three of the biggest U.K. world premieres at the festival.
## Jodie Comer sings
Comer takes on a gothic rom-com called "Stuffed," and Variety reckons her singing holds up. Romance goes to strange places in Toronto this year.

> Jodie Comer sings (very creditably Variety suggests)
## Only new titles count
The list sticks to fresh premieres, which is why "Jim Queen" and Spain's three Cannes competition films are missing rather than snubbed.
## Women behind the camera
Female directors made 42% of the Platform slate, and Variety says plenty more from that section could have made the cut.
## New names, real stakes
Scotland's Tom Nicoll and Ireland's David Turpin arrive as fresh voices, while Gabriel Martins' "On Behalf of My Son" stands as Brazil's biggest hope.
## Key takeaway

Toronto 2026 is less about the obvious festival names and more about first-look premieres that could carry into awards season.