Columbia Filmmakers Head To TIFF 2026

Several Columbia Alums are set to have their films screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year.

TIFF, which celebrates the work of Canadian and international filmmakers alike, takes place annually in Toronto, Canada. This year’s festival will take place from September 10 through September 20, 2026.

The Remotes

The Remotes was executive produced by Valerie Castillo Martinez '16 and follows a grieving detective who finds himself increasingly ensnared while investigating a case involving a sinister navigation app causing physical and psychological damage. The project will be screened as part of the TIFF Wavelengths program, which features “artist-driven cinema, boundary-pushing avant-garde works, and stunning new restorations.” More information about the film can be found here.

The Spectacular Death of Prisca 

This short, written and directed by Kaela Iyizoba '23, tells the story of a mother who finds herself catapulted into a fever-dream quest to rescue her daughter on her daughter's wedding day. The Spectacular Death of Prisca is spectacular itself, featuring over-the-top melodrama and bold aesthetics. It is described as an “uproarious love letter to 2000s Nollywood” and will run as part of Program 05 of the Short Cuts selections twice on September 14 and once on September 18. More information about the film can be found here.

Wild Horse Nine

Wild Horse Nine was executive produced by Cristian Donoso '17. This feature length dark comedy by Martin McDonagh will make its premiere at this year’s festival and is a dark comedy which tells the story of Two CIA agents (John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell) who are sent on a mission to Easter Island. While there, one faces an existential crisis over his past actions. More information about the film can be found here.

Clarissa

This feature-length film, directed by brothers Arie Esiri '19 and Chuko Esiri, features an exciting new take on the classic work Mrs. Dalloway, setting Virginia Wolf’s classic tale in modern-day Lagos. Clarissa’s run at TIFF is the work’s North American Premiere. More information about the film can be found here.

Edward Said: Between Worlds 

Edward Said: Between Worlds was directed by Maiken Baird (CC '89). This feature length film, which will enjoy its world premiere at TIFF, braids together footage from interviews, public appearances, and other documentaries about the renowned Palestinian scholar filmed during his prime, delivering "a moving portrait in Said's own words." More information about the film can be found here.

See the full TIFF lineup here.