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Toronto: Miwa Nishikawa’s ‘Children Untold’ to Open Platform Competition
The Toronto International Film Festival has revealed that Miwa Nishikawa's drama "Children Untold" will open its 2026 Platform competition, a section dedicated to international films made outside the major Hollywood studios. The film follows a 12-year-old girl who disguises herself as a boy to survive in post-Second World War Tokyo, and is based on Nishikawa's own unpublished novel, starring Ami Koyae, Fumi Nikaido and Koji Yakusho. The announcement forms part of TIFF's ongoing rollout of its lineup ahead of the festival's 51st edition.
TIFF unveiled 12 features as world premieres in the Platform section, including works from India, Poland, Sweden, South Korea, Turkey, South Africa, Italy, the Philippines, Canada and Brazil, covering themes ranging from wartime occupation to apartheid-era South Africa and grief following tragedy. The competition jury will be chaired by Argentine director Pablo Trapero and includes British filmmaker Amma Asante among its members. The festival, which previously announced Sian Heder's "Being Heumann" as its opening-night film, runs from 10 to 20 September, with further programming announcements expected in the coming weeks.
In short
- "Children Untold" by Miwa Nishikawa opens TIFF's Platform competition
- 12 world premieres unveiled from countries including Japan, India and Sweden
- Pablo Trapero chairs the jury; TIFF runs 10–20 September
Explained simply
The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the world's largest and most influential annual cinema events, held each September. The festival comprises multiple sections, each showcasing different types of films from around the world.
Platform is a dedicated section of TIFF focused on showcasing innovative international films from independent filmmakers and producers working outside major commercial studio systems. Being selected for Platform carries prestige within the film industry and can significantly increase a film's international visibility.
TIFF's 2026 edition is its 51st year and runs in September. The festival announces its full programming across several weeks, with each section receiving its own announcement.