TIFF 2026 Lineup: Literary Gems Turned Films

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is currently ongoing, offering a plethora of movie options tailored for literature enthusiasts. TIFF 2026 kicked off on Thursday, September 10, and will run until Sunday, September 20.

CBC Books meticulously sifted through the festival’s lineup of 293 films, pinpointing some of the most eagerly awaited cinematic adaptations inspired by literary works that are worth adding to your reading and viewing lists.

**YAGA**

**Based on:** *YAGA* by Kat Sandler

Kat Sandler, a prominent Toronto playwright and showrunner, steps into the directorial realm with the debut episode of the Crave Original series, *YAGA*. The storyline unfolds in a secluded coastal town where local detective Carson collaborates with a private investigator to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of resident party enthusiast Henry Park. As their investigation delves deeper, leading them to a university professor studying urban legends, they encounter more enigmas than solutions.

An adaptation of Sandler’s 2018 play, *YAGA* reimagines the mystical character from Slavic folklore as a contemporary whodunnit. The cast of the 2026 series boasts a stellar Canadian ensemble, featuring Hudson Williams from *Heated Rivalry* and Carrie-Anne Moss renowned for her roles in *The Matrix* film series.

**A Long Winter**

**Based on:** *A Long Winter* by Colm Tóibín

Nestled in the frosty Colorado mountains, *A Long Winter* narrates a period drama revolving around a young man named Mike grappling with his mother’s vanishing following a blizzard. Adapted from Irish writer Colm Tóibín’s novella, the storyline follows Mike’s coming-of-age journey as days stretch into weeks without his mother, compelling him to navigate life alongside his distant father.

Directed by English filmmaker Andrew Haigh, known for his previous work on *All of Us Strangers* in 2023, the film features Fred Hechinger from *The White Lotus* and Toronto-born actor D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, recognized for his role in the FX series *Reservation Dogs*.

**Ba’s Book**

**Inspired by:** *Dear Da-Lê* by Anh Duong

Anh Duong’s 2024 memoir *Dear Da-Lê* unfolds through a series of narrative letters penned by Duong to his daughter, chronicling the trauma he endured during the Vietnam War and as a refugee amidst the Iranian Revolution in the 1970s. Currently residing in Canada, Duong shares his experiences within the Vietnamese diaspora, portraying them through the lens of a father communicating with his child.

Ashley Duong, his daughter, takes a different approach, crafting a documentary honoring her father’s narrative. In *Ba’s Book*, Ashley recreates her father’s childhood tales, reflecting on her family’s migration from Vietnam to Calgary.

**Being Heumann**

**Based on:** *Being Heumann* by Judith Heumann with Kristen Joiner

Recognized as the “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement,” Judy Heumann championed for the initial civil rights legislation safeguarding individuals with disabilities. Her memoir, *Being Heumann*, traces her personal evolution, from battling polio-induced paralysis in infancy to her activism in adulthood.

In 1977, Heumann orchestrated a sit-in at a federal building in San Francisco, subsequently pressuring the administration of then President Jimmy Carter in D.C. Her endeavors inspired numerous disability rights activists, culminating in the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The film adaptation, also titled *Being Heumann*, is helmed by filmmaker Siân Heder, an Academy Award winner for the 2021 film *CODA*.

**Carrie**

**Based on:** *Carrie* by Stephen King

The fifth iteration of Stephen King’s debut horror novel, *Carrie*, is reimagined for Gen Z audiences, narrating the tale of a telekinetic teenager seeking vengeance on her high school tormentors. Over the years, *Carrie* has spawned three feature films, a TV adaptation by Bryan Fuller, and now Mike Flanagan’s series for Prime.

This marks Flanagan’s third adaptation of King’s works, following *Gerald’s Game*, *Doctor Sleep*, and *The Life of Chuck*. Hailing from Salem, Massachusetts, the horror director is renowned for his renditions of *The Haunting of Hill House*, *The Haunting of Bly Manor*, and *The Fall of the House of Usher*.

**Clarissa**

**Based on:** *Mrs. Dalloway* by Virginia Woolf

*Clarissa* reimagines Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel *Mrs. Dalloway* a century later in Nigeria. The original narrative captures a day in the life of a woman in London’s elite