Toronto has confirmed that the dark musical "Stuffed", starring Emmy winner Jodie Comer and Harry Melling, will open the festival's Discovery programme, alongside the reveal of the section's full 2026 line-up. The full slate includes 21 films, several of them world or international premieres from first-time feature directors, giving the programme a strong debut-filmmaker focus this year.

Comer plays a taxidermist who forms an unlikely pact-turned-romance with a lonely volunteer, played by Melling, in the feature debut of writer-director Theo Rhys, co-written with Joss Holden-Rea. Other newly announced world premieres include David Turpin's Irish film "Ancestors" with Rupert Everett, Sung Kang's directorial debut "Drifter", Ghasideh Golmakani's Iranian satire "Head to Head", and Ulrike Tony Vahl's "Krux". The Discovery sidebar also features "Magazine" with Lily McInerny and Tom Nicoll's "Salvation", plus international premieres for "Bedford Park" and the Motown-era musical "Voices". The 51st Toronto International Film Festival runs from 10 to 20 September 2026, with further lineup announcements still to come.