Every year, we at Muses of Media commit to exploring the world through cinema. A large film festival (TIFF) like the Toronto International Film Festival should have a wide range of films from around the globe, and this year we are definitely spoiled for choice. The focus of this article is the films coming out of Asia–a massive continent, home to a plethora of brilliant artists who are constantly raising the bar.
Thankfully, TIFF has us covered this year with a slew of feature-length films from the region to watch across 10 days. These movies span a variety of topics, and you’re sure to find at least one (if not more) that you’ll want a ticket for.
Without further ado, here are the 15 feature films from Asia ready to entertain, enlighten, or challenge you at TIFF 2026.
[*Please note: there are many titles not featured here that are worth your attention. Visit the TIFF official website for more.]
Conversation With The Sea حوار مع البحر
Directed by Muayad Alayan | Palestine | North American Premiere | Centrepiece
Muayad Alayan comes to TIFF with his fourth feature that is as heart-wrenching as it is necessary. Conversation With The Sea follows a Palestinian elder who is faced with an impossible task: to prove his son is dead to evade a devastating payment handed down by an Israeli court. Despite his strained relationship with former friends and family, Kamal is determined to establish the truth in an environment unfit for easy living. To be Palestinian in this day and age is to struggle yet move forward with relentless hope. Conversations with the Sea is based on a true story and, like so many features coming out of the land, is a vital piece of evidence of a life forced under the heel of colonization.
Showtimes:
- Wednesday, September 16 at 6:10pm
- Thursday, September 17 at 11:40am
Elephants in the Fog
Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah | Nepal | North American Premiere | Centrepiece
Abinash Bikram Shah’s debut feature Elephants in the Fog is one of those movies that grabs the audience with its compelling synopsis. Set in a Nepalese village, the story follows a close-knit community led by a bold matriarch with a complicated relationship with her daughter. Culture and tradition rule in a community populated by women and third-gender individuals, and our central mother figure is challenged by her daughter’s differing perspective and sudden disappearance. Family and their differing forms take on new meaning in a feature that promises an emotionally resonant tale.
Showtimes:
- Sunday, September 13 at 6:30pm
- Tuesday, September 15 at 11:30am
- Saturday, September 19 at 5:00pm
Furies
Directed by Rami Kodeih | Lebanon | North American Premiere | Centrepiece
Rami Kodeih’s Furies takes us into a situation where two sisters, pushed to the limits by Lebanon’s economic collapse, decide to take the “go big or go broke” saying to heart. The sisters face huge consequences to recover the money they lost. Set against the backdrop of political and economic distress, Kodeih takes on an emotionally charged, thrilling and resonant adventure. The stories about ordinary people pushed to the edge usually make for great movies, and this feature debut will surely earn its keep as it centres on deeply relatable, well-drawn women who want to survive.
Showtimes:
- Monday, September 14 at 2:15pm
- Wednesday, September 16 at 9:30pm
- Friday, September 18 at 6:00pm
HALF
Directed by Samjad | India | World Premiere | Midnight Madness
HALF is a genre-blended feature that blends neo-westerns, horror, and action into a unique and badass curry western featuring horror’s favourite creatures—vampires. Samjad’s latest, which debuts in the Midnight Madness line-up, follows twin siblings who are half human, half vampire as they travel through the Rajasthan desert and face a violent act that they return in kind. The film is a celebration of genre filmmaking and indulges in the gutsy, gory nature of a tale of vengeance and violence.
Showtimes:
- Friday, September 18 at 11:59pm
- Saturday, September 19 at 6:15pm
Happily Ever After [幸福快樂的日子]
Directed by Feng-I Fiona Roan | Taiwan | World Premiere | Special Presentations
Yeh Shu-hua, more commonly known as Shuhua, makes her acting debut in Fiona Roan’s second feature film Happily Ever After. The K-pop singer from i-dle stars as one of two sisters, opposite Xuan Chen, at the centre of a story about defining happiness. The two sisters represent the result of familial pressures to perform a certain role. One sister is perfect, dutiful, successful, and about to marry, while the other chases a form of freedom that runs counter to her parents’ expectations. Happily Ever After challenges the norms imposed on young women and helps redefine what it means to be happy.
Showtimes:
- Thursday, September 17 at 7:30pm
- Friday, September 18 at 12:15pm
- Saturday, September 19 at 12:30pm
Inherit [คุณยายวรนาฏ]
Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun | Thailand | World Premiere | Centrepiece
Based on the 1991 Thai novel Tayard Asoon, Banjong Pisanthanakun’s Inherit is poised to be one of the most exciting horror entries of the year. Davika Hoorne plays the stunning, beautiful grandma who is in her mother’s gothic era as she returns to her family with a nefarious goal. The centipede spirit plays a crucial role in this horror that tackles themes common for a family drama, but at the core is a vicious demonic woman. The story is not new to Thai audiences, but the acclaimed director has crafted a piece ready for a global audience.
Showtimes:
- Monday, September 14 at 5:15pm
- Tuesday, September 15 at 6pm
- Saturday, September 19 at 7:30pm
It’s My Time [魔方小姐]
Directed by Bai Xue | China | North American Premiere | Gala Presentations
Michelle Yeoh is back at TIFF with not one but two features that showcase her limitless talent. In Bai Xue’s It’s My Time, Yeoh swaps out martial arts for the Rubik’s Cube as an aging woman determined to escape the predictable, boring life of a retiree in a nursing home. The deeply moving and sweet comedy adds to the growing number of features that showcase the bright and colourful lives of those in their twilight years. The film illustrates how unlikely companionships and new hobbies can be found at any age, and there is plenty of life to enjoy.
Showtimes:
- Thursday, September 17 at 9:30pm
- Friday, September 18 at 3:20pm
- Sunday, September 20 at 9:30am
Look Back
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda | Japan | North American Premiere | Special Presentations
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga Look Back is only 5 years old and already has two adaptations, which speaks to the richness and immense draw the story has had since its publication. It follows Fujino, a young girl with a talent for drawing who aspires to be a manga artist. However, her ego is challenged by the reclusive Kyomoto, leading to an unexpected rivalry-turned-friendship. Competition and friendship fuel the acclaimed manga, which has been praised for its insight into complex dynamics driven by passion, envy, and genuine care. Fans of the original manga eagerly embraced Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s anime adaptation, and coming to TIFF is Hirokazu Kore-eda’s live-action adaptation, which surely strikes the hearts of those fans and gains new attention to the deeply moving story.
Showtimes:
- Monday, September 14 at 9:45pm
- Wednesday, September 16 at 11:45am
- Saturday, September 19 at 5:30pm
Phoolan
Directed by Richie Mehta | India | World Premiere | Special Presentations
In Richie Mehta’s Phoolan, he brings to life the story of Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen, a woman whose story can only be categorized as intense and daring. Phoolan follows a woman who defied India’s caste system and gender norms to become a legendary dacoit turned political powerhouse. The biographical true-crime drama follows her highly tumultuous life and throws us into an intense standoff with the police that she and her cohorts must outsmart and outlive. Sneha Kumari’s performance as the central anti-hero promises to be a bold and honest tribute to a woman who stood against injustice.
Showtimes:
- Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00pm
- Thursday, September 17 at 12:15pm
- Saturday, September 19 at 2:30pm
Possible Love [가능한 사랑]
Directed by Lee Chang-dong | South Korea | North American Premiere | Special Presentations
Lee Chang-dong returns to TIFF with one of the most anticipated films of the year! Possible Love, featuring an all-star ensemble cast, follows two couples as they seek happiness, whatever that means for them. Much like his previous TIFF offerings, this feature is dense with its themes and characters, diving into very human issues. Complex emotions and dynamics as a documentary filmmaker approaches a couple dealing with grief for the project. She and her husband become entangled with this couple, and audiences will once again be in awe of how Lee Chang-dong portrays deeply resonant human experiences.
Showtimes:
- Monday, September 14 at 6:00pm
- Tuesday, September 15 at 11:15am
- Friday, September 18 at 11:00am
Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor [Hộ Linh Tráng Sĩ: Bí Ẩn Mộ Vua Đinh]
Directed by Nguyễn Phan Quang Binh | Vietnam | International Premiere | Gala Presentations
Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor is one of the biggest productions to come out of Vietnam. Inspired by folklore, the martial arts epic takes audiences to the 10th-century Dinh Dynasty, where seven warriors are entrusted with transporting 99 coffins to distract unknown enemies from discovering the first emperor’s final resting place. Grand set pieces, cinematic landscapes, elaborate costuming, and over-the-top martial arts are a given in this action-adventure.
Showtimes:
- Friday, September 18 at 5:30pm
- Saturday, September 19 at 1:30pm
- Sunday, September 20 at 1:00pm
The Violinist
Directed by Ervin Han & Raúl García | Singapore | North American Premiere | Centrepiece
“Winner of this year’s Annecy Cristal award, The Violinist follows the tale of Fei and Kai on the cusp of World War II, as they try to survive and navigate the tumultuous changes in Singapore. With the Japanese occupation separating them, the only thing keeping Fei going is remembering the sonata Kai promised they would play together once he returned. Combining animation and music, the film is both beautiful and emotional.” Read up on the other animated features coming to TIFF here.
Showtimes:
- Thursday, September 17 at 6:45pm
- Friday, September 18 at 11:30am
- Sunday, September 20 at 4:25pm
Thirteen in Gaza غزة 13
Directed by Hosam Abu Dan | Palestine | World Premiere | Centrepiece
Hosam Abu Dan’s latest feature may be a narrative-driven film, but it follows characters and situations based on the reality depicted in guerrilla documentary filmmaking on the ground. In Thirteen in Gaza, life in the Gaza Strip is not easy, and despite being under constant siege, a father does what he can to protect his pre-teen daughter who is going through puberty. Through the camera and the dedicated storytellers based in Gaza, films like Thirteen in Gaza capture the humanity, heart and enduring spirit of the Palestinian people.
Showtimes:
- Tuesday, September 15 at 9:30pm
- Thursday, September 17 at 9:30am
- Sunday, September 20 at 10:00am
Trees are Watching
Directed by Bahman Ghobadi | Turkey | World Premiere | Centrepiece
Kurdish-Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi brings to the festival Trees Are Watching, a psychological horror that offers lots of scares and an eerie atmosphere, but also centres an environmentalist standpoint. Starring Eva Green, the film promises to be a deeply impactful, stylish horror that blends environmentally conscious themes and genre to tell a unique and provocative story. Selfishly, Green is usually reason enough to get a ticket and be seated, and she always delivers in the horror genre.
Showtimes:
- Friday, September 18 at 6:00pm
We Are Born Good [善男信女]
Directed by Leung Chuen Yeung | Hong Kong | World Premiere | Discovery
We all love a petty fight over a totally unserious incident. This is the idea that takes centre stage in Leung Chuen Yeung’s feature debut. We Are Born Good pits two seemingly different people from different walks of life against each other thanks to a mistake made on a takeout order. We follow along as a reformed former inmate turned restaurant owner and a struggling actress navigate the pitfalls life inevitably sends our way. A petty argument bubbles into a kinetic, emotional and engaging drama that will have you laughing and crying along.
Showtimes:
- Sunday, September 13 at 3:10pm
- Tuesday, September 15 at 11:00am
- Sunday, September 20 at 10:15am
Muses of Media 
Leave a comment