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Manitoba Filmmakers Shine at TIFF 2026, From Feature Debuts to Miniseries Previews
The Toronto International Film Festival opened on September 10, 2026, and will run through September 20. The 51st edition opens with Sian Heder’s Being Heumann and closes with Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend. In addition to its public program, TIFF will host a separate film market at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and present the 2026 Student Academy Awards.
Manitoba’s creative talent takes center stage in the festival’s lineup. The most prominent entry is the feature‑film debut of Winnipeg‑based director Ian Bawa. Bawa first appeared at TIFF in 2016 with the short satire Imitations, which he co‑directed with Markus Henkel, Milos Mitrovic and Fabian Velasco. He returned in 2020 with the autobiographical short Strong Son, starring his father Jagdeep Singh Bawa as a bodybuilder’s stern father. After his father’s death in 2021, Bawa expanded the story into a feature‑length film that follows bodybuilder Harvey (Mandeep Sodhi) as he cares for his aging father (Amrit Parbhakar) following the death of Harvey’s mother. The feature is scheduled to premiere in the Discovery program at TIFF 2026.
Bawa has spoken about the therapeutic nature of his work. He said, “It’s been cathartic. I’m bad at therapy. I haven’t been in a while, but I go to therapy and I have a hard time talking. I feel like I’m guarded.” He added that filmmaking gives him a purposeful outlet: “When you’re making a film, it feels like there’s purpose because you’re delivering it to the world. And it’s easier to be a little more vulnerable, ever since my dad died, to challenge myself in this way because at least you’re sharing.”
Another Manitoba entry is the animated documentary Where Our Flowers Grow by 24‑year‑old filmmaker Maxime Kornachuk. The film is part of TIFF’s inaugural Redefine program, a collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada that selected five filmmakers to create documentaries about contemporary Canadian or Indigenous identity. Kornachuk’s work uses Métis beadwork design to weave testimonies from Winnipeg residents about their Métis heritage, including stories of people who discovered their background later in life. He said he is pleased to join a growing group of Métis artists creating film content.
Winnipeg‑born director Matthew Rankin returns to TIFF with the documentary Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney. The film examines the rise of Quebec politician Brian Mulroney, using thousands of archived clips and photographs collected in Rankin’s Montreal apartment. Rankin’s previous documentaries include Death By Popcorn (2006) and Negativipeg (2010). In a recent email interview, Rankin noted that he has not felt pressure to produce a more accessible film after the success of his 2024 feature Universal Language.
The festival also offers a preview screening of the MGM+ miniseries American Hostage, which stars Jon Hamm and Giovanni Ribisi. The eight‑episode series, based on a podcast of the same name, is set in Indianapolis and features local talent such as Harry Nelken, Darcy Fehr, Lauren Cochrane, Aaron Merke and Eric Athavale. The series will premiere on Crave on September 20.
Manitoba actress Summer H. Howell appears in the Prime Video miniseries Carrie, directed by Mike Flanagan. Howell plays the telekinetic teen Carrie White, a role that launched Sissy Spacek’s career in 1976. The miniseries will debut on Prime Video on October 7.
TIFF 2026 also includes other Canadian and international films, but the Manitoba presence underscores the province’s growing influence in the North American film market. The festival’s schedule, announced in August, continues to highlight Canadian talent across a range of genres and formats.
The program reflects a broader trend of regional filmmakers gaining national exposure through TIFF’s Discovery and Special Presentations sections. As the festival progresses, additional Manitoba productions and talent are expected to appear in the lineup, further cementing the province’s role in the Canadian film industry.
The 2026 TIFF will conclude on September 20, after which the festival’s film market will close. The event’s outcomes, including potential distribution deals and awards nominations, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Manitoba’s creative talent takes center stage in the festival’s lineup. The most prominent entry is the feature‑film debut of Winnipeg‑based director Ian Bawa. Bawa first appeared at TIFF in 2016 with the short satire Imitations, which he co‑directed with Markus Henkel, Milos Mitrovic and Fabian Velasco. He returned in 2020 with the autobiographical short Strong Son, starring his father Jagdeep Singh Bawa as a bodybuilder’s stern father. After his father’s death in 2021, Bawa expanded the story into a feature‑length film that follows bodybuilder Harvey (Mandeep Sodhi) as he cares for his aging father (Amrit Parbhakar) following the death of Harvey’s mother. The feature is scheduled to premiere in the Discovery program at TIFF 2026.
Bawa has spoken about the therapeutic nature of his work. He said, “It’s been cathartic. I’m bad at therapy. I haven’t been in a while, but I go to therapy and I have a hard time talking. I feel like I’m guarded.” He added that filmmaking gives him a purposeful outlet: “When you’re making a film, it feels like there’s purpose because you’re delivering it to the world. And it’s easier to be a little more vulnerable, ever since my dad died, to challenge myself in this way because at least you’re sharing.”
Another Manitoba entry is the animated documentary Where Our Flowers Grow by 24‑year‑old filmmaker Maxime Kornachuk. The film is part of TIFF’s inaugural Redefine program, a collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada that selected five filmmakers to create documentaries about contemporary Canadian or Indigenous identity. Kornachuk’s work uses Métis beadwork design to weave testimonies from Winnipeg residents about their Métis heritage, including stories of people who discovered their background later in life. He said he is pleased to join a growing group of Métis artists creating film content.
Winnipeg‑born director Matthew Rankin returns to TIFF with the documentary Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney. The film examines the rise of Quebec politician Brian Mulroney, using thousands of archived clips and photographs collected in Rankin’s Montreal apartment. Rankin’s previous documentaries include Death By Popcorn (2006) and Negativipeg (2010). In a recent email interview, Rankin noted that he has not felt pressure to produce a more accessible film after the success of his 2024 feature Universal Language.
The festival also offers a preview screening of the MGM+ miniseries American Hostage, which stars Jon Hamm and Giovanni Ribisi. The eight‑episode series, based on a podcast of the same name, is set in Indianapolis and features local talent such as Harry Nelken, Darcy Fehr, Lauren Cochrane, Aaron Merke and Eric Athavale. The series will premiere on Crave on September 20.
Manitoba actress Summer H. Howell appears in the Prime Video miniseries Carrie, directed by Mike Flanagan. Howell plays the telekinetic teen Carrie White, a role that launched Sissy Spacek’s career in 1976. The miniseries will debut on Prime Video on October 7.
TIFF 2026 also includes other Canadian and international films, but the Manitoba presence underscores the province’s growing influence in the North American film market. The festival’s schedule, announced in August, continues to highlight Canadian talent across a range of genres and formats.
The program reflects a broader trend of regional filmmakers gaining national exposure through TIFF’s Discovery and Special Presentations sections. As the festival progresses, additional Manitoba productions and talent are expected to appear in the lineup, further cementing the province’s role in the Canadian film industry.
The 2026 TIFF will conclude on September 20, after which the festival’s film market will close. The event’s outcomes, including potential distribution deals and awards nominations, will be announced in the coming weeks.
