Summer 2026 Cinematheque & Public Programming at TIFF

Join TIFF for a summer of fun including a relaxed screening of The Bob’s Burgers Movie, two special Cinematheque series, our annual Next Wave 48-Hour Film Challenge, and a special quote-along screening of Barbie as part of the Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs retrospective.

Monika Treut: Transcending Gender
June 26 – July 24, 2026
TIFF Lightbox
Learn more here.

TIFF Cinematheque continues its Pride celebrations with Monika Treut: Transcending Gender, a rare spotlight on the German-born, lesbian filmmaker, curated by TIFF Cinematheque programmer Jacob Crepeault. Presented on new digital restorations, Treut’s films explore queer and trans identities through the ambiguities and fluid margins that exist between restrictive binaries, turning the camera to subjects whose interior lives had rarely been documented at the time.

Il pianeta azzurro (1981) dir. Franco Piavoli.

TIFF Wavelengths Presents: Il pianeta azzurro with Dylan Adamson
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 | 6:30pm
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TIFF Wavelengths Presents is pleased to hold the Canadian premiere of the new 4K restoration of Franco Piavoli’s widely acclaimed first feature Il pianeta azzurro (The Blue Planet). Taking place between the Southern Rhaetian Alps and a number of glacial lakes, the film captures the supertemporal cycles of life, observed with a sense of elegy and ecstasy in equal measure. Introduction by critic and programmer Dylan Adamson.

Relaxed Screening: The Bob’s Burgers Movie
July 11, 2026 | 1pm
TIFF Lightbox
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Calling all beach bums to come get your beach buns! Join us for a relaxed screening of the 2022 animated musical based on Loren Bouchard’s beloved animated sitcom, featuring an introduction by Sarah Kurchak, retired professional pillow fighter and author of the memoir I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder. This event will be a relaxed screening open to anyone who may benefit from an informal and more sensory-friendly environment, including neurodivergent audience members.

This event is presented in collaboration with Surrey Place and Cinema from the Spectrum.

Quote Along: Barbie
July 18, 2026 | 7:30pm
TIFF Lightbox
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Snap on your best Barbiecore outfit, tap into your “Kenergy,” and join us for the playfully satirical blockbuster adventure starring Margot Robbie as the titular fashion doll brought to life. In crisis as her picture-perfect world is crumbling, this fantastical adaptation takes Barbie into the real world to restore balance (and lead a widespread takedown of the patriarchy). Accompanied by a live introduction with warm-up activities and a review of scripted audience callouts, quoting and cheering along is highly encouraged for a fun night out.

This event is presented as part of Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs and scheduled directly after Oppenheimer (70mm) so audiences can participate in the Summer of 2023’s iconic “Barbenheimer” one more time.

Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs is presented by Air France.

Material Practice: Luke Fowler and Corin Sworn
Thursday, July 23, 2026 | 7pm
TIFF Lightbox
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TIFF Cinematheque is pleased to welcome artists and filmmakers Luke Fowler and Corin Sworn to present a special screening of their films Patrick and On Weaving in dialogue with their influences, the visionary artists Margaret Tait and Derek Jarman. “These modest, almost entirely self-made movies get us closer to the potential of what a poetic or private filmmaking practice could be.”

Silver Screenings: The Right Stuff
Friday, July 24, 2026 | 12pm
TIFF Lightbox
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Silver Screenings is a free series that brings seniors together to connect with fellow film lovers through screenings and context-building talks, Q&As, and activations.

On July 24 at 12pm, Silver Screenings is hosting a free screening of the 1983 space epic The Right Stuff to complement Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs. Cited by Nolan as one of his cinematic influences, this Academy Award–winning historical drama chronicles the development of the US space program. This screening will feature an introduction to space exploration from Space Place Canada and Astronomy in Action. Before the screening, pre-register for a limited-capacity pop-up planetarium activation with a video presentation on NASA’s lunar missions, available in the Lightbox atrium.

This event is presented in partnership with Space Place Canada and Astronomy in Action.

Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs is presented by Air France.

MDFF Selects: Student Film Showcase 2026
Thursday, July 30, 2026 | 6:30pm
TIFF Lightbox
Learn more here.

MDFF Selects is proud to present the Student Film Showcase and help shine a light on the bright future of Canadian filmmaking. Join us for a lineup of 10 short films chosen from student productions across the country, spanning animation, experimental film, high-energy comedy, and powerful drama.

The Showcase is a platform for emerging filmmakers to screen their work in competition and meet fellow artists and industry professionals, and has been a crucial launching pad for many Canadian filmmakers.

48-Hour Film Challenge
Thursday, August 13, 2026
TIFF Lightbox

TIFF Next Wave’s annual 48-Hour Film Challenge returns to the Lightbox this summer, inviting emerging filmmakers to produce a short film in only 48 hours. See youth creativity in motion with a screening of all of the films shot during the challenge and celebrate the future of cinema, presented in partnership with Future of Film Showcase and POV.

If you’re an emerging filmmaker and interested in registering a team for the competition, email us at nextwave@tiff.net for more information. Registration opens on July 15, 2026.

Contact

Information about TIFF Lightbox is available at tiff.net/getting-here. If you need more information or assistance, please contact Customer Relations at customerrelations@tiff.net.

TIFF strives to be accessible to all our patrons. Please visit tiff.net/accessibility-at-tiff for more details.

Programming information for TIFF Cinematheque is available at tiff.net/cinematheque.

Toronto International Film Festival
TIFF Lightbox, Reitman Square
350 King Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 3X5 Canada

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