Judy Heumann Biopic 'Being Heumann' Set to Launch Toronto Film Festival

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival will open with "Being Heumann," an Apple Original Films feature directed by Oscar winner Siân Heder ("CODA") and starring Ruth Madeley as pioneering disability activist Judy Heumann. The festival runs from September 10 to 20, according to Deadline.

DeadlineTIFF 2025 Opens with Siân Heder's 'Being Heumann'; Also Premieres 'Prima Facie' and 'The Assassin(s)'

"will open its 51st edition running September 10-20"

Deadline's announcement frames the selection as a powerful start for a festival that often champions social-issue storytelling. Heder, who won the Oscar for "CODA," returns to TIFF with a biographical drama centered on a figure whose work shaped the disability rights movement.

Alongside the opener, The Hollywood Reporter noted that TIFF has confirmed two additional world premieres. Susanna White's "Prima Facie," a legal drama starring Cynthia Erivo, will debut at the festival, as will Hur Jin-ho's "The Assassin(s)." The inclusion of these high-profile titles early in the lineup signals a broad range of cinematic styles from international filmmakers.

The Hollywood Reporter‘CODA’ Director Sian Heder’s ‘Being Heumann’ to Open Toronto Film Festival

"The Apple Studios feature joins a 2026 TIFF lineup to include world premieres for Susanna White's 'Prima Facie' legal drama starring Cynthia Erivo, and Hur Jin-ho's 'The Assassin(s).'"

While The Hollywood Reporter's phrasing suggests a 2026 edition, the article clearly refers to the same event that Deadline identifies as the 51st edition in 2025, and both outlets agree on the opening film and companion premieres. With Heder at the helm and a cast led by Madeley, "Being Heumann" promises to bring an urgent and inspiring story to the festival's opening night.