TORONTO: Miwa Nishikawa’s “Unspeakable Children” opens the platform competition

Japanese director Miwa Nishikawa Unspeakable childrenThe film, about a 12-year-old girl who disguises herself as a boy to survive post-World War II Tokyo, will open the 2026 Platform Competition at the Toronto Film Festival.

Ami Koyai, Fumi Nikaido and Koji Yakusho star in the Japanese drama based on Nishikawa’s unpublished novel. TIFF on Tuesday unveiled 12 films as world premieres for the festival’s section where international films compete outside the orbit of Hollywood studios.

There’s also Theja Rio’s debut Ang from India; Jan Holubek wild Wild East, Set in occupied Poland during World War II; Amanda Kernell Prepare your heart, The third drama by the Swedish director. And the coming-of-age story of Korean director Yeon Dan-bi The world before.

Other world premieres include Fred Karahan’s film Jinn weddingTurkish family drama; The smell of applesJohn Trengove’s third feature film about a young white boy learning about his country’s apartheid system; Irene Dionisio Ida, The Italian director’s second feature yet Pawn Street; and silent nights, Lawrence Fajardo’s drama revolves around a witness to an extrajudicial killing in a slum in the Philippines.

The platform program has also booked global brackets for Nyla Innuksuk In the heart of the southled by North North Star Anna Lambe; Bertil Nelson mask, A debut film inspired by the director’s experiences as a neurodivergent gay man; And Gabriel Martinez On behalf of my son, It stars Regan Faria and follows a grieving mother seeking forgiveness after a tragic bus accident.

This year’s “Platform” jury is chaired by Argentine director Pablo Trapero and includes British director Ama Asante, Taiwanese actress Sylvia Chang, Canadian independent producer Luke Derry, and Hong Kong film executive Albert Lee.

TIFF previously announced it had won an Oscar Coda The upcoming film is directed by Sian Hedder Being a human It will open its 51st edition. The Toronto Film Festival is scheduled to run from September 10 to 20. More films will be announced in the coming weeks.

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