TIFF adds Cate Blanchett, Margaret Qualley and Mahershala Ali films
The Toronto festival’s Special Presentations lineup has five new titles, including Alpha Gang, Love of Your Life and Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
The Toronto International Film Festival has added five films to its 2026 Special Presentations program, bringing Cate Blanchett, Margaret Qualley and Mahershala Ali into the latest batch of titles.
TIFF announced the additions on July 16, with the new selections spanning sci-fi comedy, romance, crime, journalism drama and a decades-long Brazilian tale of desire and revenge.
Alpha Gang brings aliens with a change of heart
David Zellner and Nathan Zellner, the filmmakers behind Sasquatch Sunset, are headed to the program with Alpha Gang, according to TIFF.
The festival describes the film as a sci-fi comedy about a group of human-like aliens who arrive on Earth planning to destroy humanity. Their mission gets messy when they start warming to the people they came to eliminate.
The cast includes Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Lily-Rose Depp and Adria Arjona, TIFF said.
Glaxo spans decades in Brazil
Benjamín Naishtat, whose earlier work includes Rojo, is also joining the Special Presentations slate with Glaxo.
According to TIFF, the film is set in a small provincial town and stretches from the 1950s through the 1980s. Its story follows four young men whose paths cross in a drama involving lust, revenge and unrest in Brazil.
Margaret Qualley leads a Ryan Gosling-produced romance
Love of Your Life, directed by Rachel Morrison, marks Morrison’s second feature as a director, TIFF said. Morrison is also known as a cinematographer and was the first woman nominated for the Academy Award for best cinematography, earning that recognition in 2018 for Mudbound.
The festival describes Love of Your Life as a romantic drama produced by Ryan Gosling. Margaret Qualley stars as a nurse caught up in a sweeping love story.
Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aaron Pierre, Gabriel Basso and Catherine Keener also appear in the film, according to TIFF.
The Housewife follows a journalist’s dangerous lead
Ben Shirinian will make his feature directing debut with The Housewife, another new addition to the program.
TIFF said the film centers on a young New York Times journalist, played by Tye Sheridan, who sets out to find a possible Nazi officer in Queens, New York. His investigation becomes more complicated after he becomes involved with the man’s wife, played by Naomi Watts.
Michael Imperioli and Luke Evans are also in the cast, the festival said.
Mahershala Ali plays a religious hitman
Bassam Tariq, director of Mogul Mowgli, will bring his second feature, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, to the Special Presentations lineup.
TIFF said the film stars two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as Latif, a devoutly religious hitman who travels across Houston, Texas, to protect his family as enemies move in.
The cast also includes John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito and Tramell Tillman, according to the festival.
The five additions expand TIFF’s Special Presentations program with a mix of established stars, returning filmmakers and first-time feature directing work.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.