Deepa Mehta among TIFF jurors as festival sets 2026 awards

The Toronto International Film Festival returns Sept. 10–20, 2026.

Photo: Destination Toronto.

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The Toronto International Film Festival has finalized its competitive awards and jury lineups ahead of the festival’s Sept. 10 opening, with Canadian filmmakers Deepa Mehta, Hubert Davis, Zarrar Kahn and Sophy Romvari among those who will help select this year’s winners.

TIFF announced the remaining jury appointments and award details Aug. 26, completing a competitive structure that includes prizes for Canadian features and emerging filmmakers alongside international critics’ awards and the festival’s audience-voted People’s Choice Awards. The 51st Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 10 to 20.

Mehta, whose Canadian film credits include Water, will sit on the jury for the Best Canadian Feature Film Award with filmmaker Hubert Davis and Netflix executive Christina Rogers. The award recognizes Canadian feature filmmaking and carries a $10,000 prize.

The Best Canadian Discovery Award, also worth $10,000, is open to first or second feature films in TIFF’s official selection by Canadian filmmakers. This year’s jury brings together filmmaker Zarrar Kahn, producer Justine Pimlott and filmmaker Sophy Romvari. Romvari returns after her feature Blue Heron received the Canadian discovery honour at TIFF in 2025.

TIFF has also appointed the juries for two international prizes. The FIPRESCI Prize, selected by members of the International Federation of Film Critics, will recognize a debut feature making its world premiere in the festival’s Discovery programme. The 2026 jury includes Pragya Mishra, Cătălin Olaru, Savina Petkova, Enoe Lopes Pontes and Toronto film critic Victor Stiff.

The NETPAC Award, which recognizes an Asian film by a first- or second-time feature director, will be decided by a jury chaired by Mara Matta. Toronto filmmaker and artist Richard Fung and film critic Panagiotis Kotzathanasis round out the panel. Fung has a long history in Canadian independent film and video, including work exploring immigration, racism, sexuality and queer identity.

The juried awards join TIFF’s expanded Platform competition, which includes 12 films this year. Pablo Trapero leads the Platform jury with Amma Asante, Sylvia Chang, Luc Déry and Albert Lee. The Platform Award carries a $20,000 prize, and TIFF announced earlier this summer that a qualifying non-English-language Platform winner will have a direct path to consideration for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

Audiences will also have a say through TIFF’s People’s Choice Awards, including the main People’s Choice prize and separate documentary, Midnight Madness and international categories.

The festival’s awards will be announced Sept. 20, bringing the 11-day festival to a close after screenings and events across Toronto.