TIFF 2026: Chinese & Diaspora Cinema Watchlist
Written by Fête Chinoise Editorial team (Kayla Lo)
Images Credit: Courtesy of TIFF
September 10th – 20th | Toronto, Canada
The Toronto International Film Festival returns, bringing with it a powerful cohort of filmmakers who continue to expand, challenge, and redefine the landscape of Chinese-language cinema.
As a global platform for storytelling, TIFF offers a vital space to examine how directors across the diaspora and the Asian continent navigate the complexities of identity, memory, and modern life. This year’s selections reflect a broad and varied lineup, spanning intimate family portraits, boundary-pushing indie dramas, and visually arresting genre works across diverse regions and perspectives.
At Fête Chinoise, we look to cinema as a mirror to our collective heritage and evolving cultural narratives. Stay tuned as we share ongoing updates, reviews, and detailed spotlights from TIFF 2026!
Master Auteurs & Heavyweight Dramas
Diary of a Mad Old Man
Directed by Wayne Wang
World Premiere
Starring Lily Franky, Fan Bingbing
Acclaimed filmmaker Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club) transforms Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s revered novel into a hypnotic, psychologically charged chamber drama. Japanese cinema icon Lily Franky stars as a stroke survivor whose quiet isolation devolves into an intense, boundary-pushing bond with his daughter-in-law, portrayed with striking elegance by Fan Bingbing. Anchored by two masterclass performances, Wang’s latest is a delicate, provocative examination of aging, family duty, and the dark corners of human desire.
The Road Not Taken
Directed by Peter Ho-Sun Chan
World Premiere
Starring Zhou Xun, Wang Xiao, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Diana Lin, Wen Qi
Peter Ho-Sun Chan tackles the weight of early-onset Alzheimer’s in this emotionally charged, star-studded drama. Chinese cinema icon Zhou Xun stars as a renowned television host confronting the terrifying dissolution of her daily reality, flanked by standout performances from Wen Qi and celebrated auteur Tian Zhuangzhuang. Weaving domestic friction with harrowing psychological decline, Chan delivers a sophisticated, devastatingly human reflection on identity, family dynamics, and the resilience of love.
We are All Strangers
Directed by Anthony Chen
North American Premiere
Starring Yeo Yann Yann, Koh Jia Ler, Andi Lim, Regene Lim
Anthony Chen completes his heralded "Growing Up" trilogy (Ilo Ilo, Wet Season) with a emotionally charged family drama. Reuniting powerhouse talents Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler in a chronicle filmed over 13 years, We Are All Strangers explores the parallel love lives and class struggles of a father and son in modern Singapore. Anchored by Chen’s signature empathy and nuance, this final chapter is a tender, captivating meditation on family dynamics, societal pressures, and human connection.
Sweeping Mysteries & Period Stories
Bloodline
Part of Short Cuts 2026 Programme 05
Directed by Fala Chen
World Premiere
Rooted in the history of systemic erasure and oppression of Chinese-American communities, Fala Chen’s elegant and spine-chilling turn behind the camera, produced by Colin Farrell, follows two siblings in 1952 Utah on a mission to find their family treasure.
The Age of Goodbyes
Directed by Edmund Yeo
World Premiere
Starring Vivian Sung, Stanley Yau, Troy Liu, Lixuan Siow
Taiwanese star Vivian Sung and Hong Kong talent Stanley Yau lead Edmund Yeo’s hypnotizing, timeline-bending drama based on Li Zi Shu’s acclaimed novel. Unfolding from a dark chapter in 1969 Malaysian history, The Age of Goodbyes weaves a spellbinding web of mystery, lost love, and family secrets passed down through a strange book. Visually lush and structurally daring, this exquisite adaptation is a haunting reflection on memory, myth, and the stories that outlast us.
Trailblazing Comedy & Feel-Good Favourites
It’s My Time
Directed by Bai Xue
North American Premiere
Starring Michelle Yeoh, Liu Haoran
International superstar Michelle Yeoh shines in a joyful, defiant comedy from acclaimed director Bai Xue (The Crossing). Playing a rebellious senior who refuses to conform to retirement life, Yeoh joins forces with a disgraced Gen-Z magic-cube whiz (Liu Haoran) to tackle the World Cubing Championship, confronting her past with every turn of the cube. Anchored by Yeoh's warmth and effortless charm, It’s My Time is a triumphant, intergenerational crowd-pleaser celebrating independence at any age.
We Are Born Good
Directed by Leung Chuen Yeung
World Premiere
Starring Suet Ying Chung, Wai Lun Yeung
Golden Horse winner Suet Ying Chung and Wai Lun Yeung deliver electrifying performances in Leung Chuen Yeung’s brilliant debut feature. What begins as a chaotic feud over a wrong takeout order devolves into a hilarious, deeply moving exploration of two struggling Hong Kongers at their breaking points. Equal parts witty and poignant, We Are Born Good is an impressive, highly accessible piece of contemporary Hong Kong cinema that heralds the arrival of a major new voice.
Happily Ever After
Directed by Feng-I Fiona Roan
World Premiere
Starring Shuhua Yeh, Kuei-Mei Yang, Jack Kao, Xuan Chen, Kent Tsai
Following her acclaimed debut American Girl, director Feng-I Fiona Roan delivers a heartwarming and witty exploration of sisterhood and independence. Featuring a standout acting debut by i-dle’s Shuhua Yeh alongside rising star Xuan Chen, Happily Ever After follows two polar-opposite sisters forced to confront long-buried emotional wounds and rigid family standards. Supported by screen legends Kuei-Mei Yang and Jack Kao, this vibrant Taiwanese feature is a charming, beautifully observed ode to modern womanhood.
Whatcha Want
Directed by Mina Shum
World Premiere
Starring Isabella Wei, Ming-Na Wen, Tzi Ma, Helen Dang, Russell Lee, Hugh Tran
Asian-Canadian director Mina Shum (Double Happiness) delivers a witty, empowering crowd-pleaser set in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinese diaspora. Starring Isabella Wei alongside Asian-American screen legends Ming-Na Wen and Tzi Ma, Whatcha Want follows a lonely Hong Kong newcomer who breaks free from her gilded routine through a newly discovered passion for dance. Energetic, stylish, and deeply human, Shum’s latest is a triumphant celebration of autonomy, sisterhood, and second starts.
Poetic Coming-of-Age & Indie Visions
Ah Girl
Directed by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla
North American Premiere
Starring Ong Xuan Jing, Sydney Wong, Doreen Toh, James Seah, Carrie Wong
Awarded at Rotterdam, Ah Girl is a bittersweet yet heartwarming Singaporean coming-of-age drama from debut director Ang Geck Geck Priscilla. Inspired by Ang’s own 1990s childhood, the film follows a curious seven-year-old girl navigating the quiet heartbreaks of her parents' separation and the premature end of innocence. Luminous, nostalgic, and deeply personal, Ang’s feature debut captures the unyielding, rebellious spirit of youth learning to bloom on its own terms.
A Girl Unknown
Directed by Zou Jing
North American Premiere
Starring Li Gengxi, Shen Jiani, Zu Feng, Cao Ruofan
Rising star Li Gengxi (Resurrection) and Cao Ruofan lead Zou Jing’s masterful debut drama about identity, survival, and the search for home. Unfolding under the shadow of China’s one-child policy, A Girl Unknown chronicles a young girl’s journey through three different adopted families and constantly changing identities as she grows into adulthood. Visually stunning and emotionally restrained, Zou’s film is a haunting, triumphant ode to resilience and independence.
Explore our curated playlist “In Films & Theatre,” featuring conversations with standout voices from the worlds of cinema and stage, including exclusive interviews from past TIFF festivals!
More from Fête Chiniose
Explore our editorial guide to the must-watch Chinese and Asian diaspora films at the Toronto International Film Festival 2026. Discover powerful stories of identity, family, and resilience starring Michelle Yeoh, Zhou Xun, Fan Bingbing, Shuhua Yeh, and more.