22/09/2026
South Asian Stories at TIFF 2026
From a Platform Prize-winning debut to world premieres across Short Cuts, this year’s festival brought together filmmakers and stories from across South Asia and its diaspora.
Here are a few of the films and teams we’re excited to celebrate.
ANGH — Theja Rio
Angh, directed by Theja Rio, took home the TIFF Platform Prize, marking a significant moment for the film and its team at this year’s festival.
Set in Nagaland and rooted in the Konyak community, the film is a story of family, tradition and change. Gaurav Dhingra Dhingra serves as Executive Producer, alongside producers Nancy Nisa Beso, Theja Rio, Jai Vir Rodgers and Bernardo Angeletti.
A wonderful recognition for the team, and a proud moment for a story from the region to be recognised on the international festival stage.
TERMITE — Shaunak Sen
Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Shaunak Sen, Termite marks his first fiction short and premiered at TIFF 2026 as part of the Short Cuts programme.
Set in Old Delhi, the film follows two middle-aged friends as their lives begin to shift, bringing Sen’s observational sensibility into a fictional setting.
Dimpy Agrawal Gubbara Entertainment serves as Producer, with the film produced through Janato Cinema, an initiative of the Azim Premji Foundation.
A new chapter for Sen, and another South Asian story finding its place in an international festival programme.
AMAN — Rahul Roye
Rahul Roye’s Aman had its world premiere at TIFF 2026 as part of the Short Cuts programme.
The film follows Aman, a trans man who discovers he is pregnant shortly before undergoing gender-affirming surgery, and explores questions of identity, family, belonging and self-discovery.
Neeraj Churi Lotus Visual Productions 🌈 serves as Producer, alongside Roye as writer-director.
An intimate story making its way from a deeply personal starting point to an international audience at TIFF.
ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG — Abinash Bikram Shah
Abinash Bikram Shah’s Elephants in the Fog arrived at TIFF 2026 following a major festival moment at Cannes, where the film received the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize.
The Nepalese filmmaker’s feature debut centres on Pirati, the mat
