Sunday, September 13 shifts TIFF’s rhythm again. Instead of a single night dominated by red carpets, day four splits its attention between the screening rooms and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, where the festival pauses to hand out its annual Tribute Awards.
What to Expect
The centrepiece of the day is the 8th annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala, a black-tie fundraiser honouring career achievement rather than a single film. Expect a heavier concentration of formalwear and speeches rather than premiere buzz — this is the day industry insiders circle on their calendars, even if it draws less of the public spectacle of a gala premiere. Screenings continue on their usual schedule across the festival’s seven venues, but the day’s gravitational centre is clearly the awards ceremony at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
Highly Anticipated Films
The Last Photograph — Zack Snyder’s newest film gets its world premiere, a thriller starring Stuart Martin as a former DEA operative pursuing revenge in South America. It’s Snyder’s first film since finishing his Rebel Moon two-parter, making this one of the day’s genuine curiosity items for genre fans.
Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend — TIFF’s official closing-night film gets an early public screening at 9:15 a.m. at the Scotiabank Theatre. Directed by Yan Lanouette Turgeon, it tells the story of Canadian F1 champion Gilles Villeneuve, with a cast led by Rémi Goulet and Rosalie Bonenfant. Given its closing-night status, this early look is a rare chance to see it well ahead of the festival’s final ceremony.
Ink — Danny Boyle’s Venice-premiered film, freshly picked up by Netflix, continues building buzz as it crosses over to Toronto audiences.
Still Worth Catching: The Beloved and The Debut
If your day four plans have room for a rewatch or a title you missed earlier in the festival, two carryovers are well worth seeking out. The Beloved, Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Spanish-language drama starring Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo, made its North American premiere at TIFF after playing in competition at Cannes. Bardem plays a filmmaker attempting to repair his relationship with his estranged adult daughter by casting her in his new project, and reviews out of the festival have praised the restraint and authenticity of the central performances, even if the film’s length tests some viewers’ patience.
The Debut, Jesse Eisenberg’s community-theatre comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, arrived at TIFF for its International Premiere on the back of rave reviews out of Telluride, and Moore’s performance in particular has continued to generate awards-season buzz through the festival’s opening days. Both films are strong picks if you’re building out a day four watchlist around genuine best-in-show buzz rather than star power alone.
The Tribute Awards Honourees
The gala itself is worth watching for who’s in the room. Lee Chang-dong receives the TIFF Ebert Director Award; Isabelle Huppert and Rosalind Eleazar receive TIFF Tribute Performer Awards; Helen Mirren gets the Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award; Seth Rogen takes home the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award; Penélope Cruz and Fan Bingbing receive Special Tribute Awards; Siân Heder gets the Tribute Award in Impact Media; Bassam Tariq collects the Rising Talent Award; and cinematographer Adam Pietkiewicz receives the Variety Artisan Award.
TIFF 2026 runs through September 20 across Toronto, with Festival Street and the Rogers Red Carpet open to the public through the weekend.