'Obsession' returns to TIFF as 'The Face of Horror' leads Midnight Madness line-up

The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled its 2026 Midnight Madness programme, with breakout horror hit Obsession returning to the festival alongside a slate of genre films led by Anna Biller's highly anticipated The Face of Horror.

Following its breakout premiere at TIFF in 2025, Obsession will receive a special return screening as part of the festival's new market programme. Director Curry Barker and star Inde Navarrette will also take part in an on-stage conversation, reflecting on the micro-budget horror film's remarkable rise from festival favourite to global box office success.

This year's Midnight Madness section features 10 late-night genre films from around the world. Opening the programme is Duncan Jones' sci-fi action film Rogue Trooper, while Anna Biller's gothic horror The Face of Horror will close the section with its world premiere. Other titles include HALF, Kick On, River, Vintage Violence, Anchors Aweigh, Arrested Memory, The Spiral and Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney.

Midnight Madness curator Peter Kuplowsky described this year's selection as a celebration of bold and unconventional filmmaking, spanning horror, action, dark comedy and experimental cinema. The programme will also include a special screening of Na Hong-jin's sci-fi thriller Hope ahead of the festival's official opening.

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 10 to 20, with Midnight Madness once again taking over the Royal Alexandra Theatre for its traditional late-night screenings. The section has long served as a launchpad for genre films, and organisers are hoping this year's line-up will produce another breakout success following the runaway popularity of Obsession.