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Poster of TIFF 2026

Fall festival season will kick off with eight South Korean and Korean American productions in Venice and Toronto. The two major industry festivals of the season, Venice International Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), are known for setting the stage of the rest of the festival season in Europe and North America, respectively.

This year, they have selected the full range of Korean cinema. From house-hold names to emerging starlets, from historical action-thrillers to domestic dramas, this year's selections will showcase the full breadth of Korean cinema.

Oasis (2002)

In Venice, veteran filmmaker Lee Chang-dong (Oasis (2002); Burning (2019)) will compete with the world premiere of Possible Love (2026), a drama following the intertwined lives of two married couples. In the Orizzonti Short Films International Competition, Korean American animator Shannon Lee will compete with Head of a Camel, a Daoist reflection on her Asian heritage.

Train to Busan (2016)

At Toronto, Possible Love will play in North American theaters in the Special Presentations selection. In this section, Lee Chang-dong is joined by the prolific Train to Busan (2016) director, Yeon Sang-ho and the world premiere of Paradise Lost (2026). Unlike Yeon Sang-ho's earlier zombie-focused, Cannes-competing film, Colony (2026), Paradise Lost revolves around the domestic tension between a mother, her lost son, and his AI-generated, virtual reality persona.

A Normal Family (2023)

Some TIFF returnees will be visible at Gala Presentations, as well. Hur Jin-ho (A Normal Family (2023)) returns to Canada with the World Premiere of The Assassin(s) (2026), a Korean and Japanese language production on the attempted murder of Korean President Park Chung-hee. Sue Kim – who previously directed the haenyeo-centered, Malala Yousafzai-produced feminist documentary, The Last of the Sea Women (2024) – will also shine in the Gala line-up with her latest BLACKPINK documentary, Always Lalisa.

Moving On (2019)

In Platform, indie darling Yoon Dan-bi will compete with her slice-of-life teenage drama, The World Before (2026). Yoon first made a name for herself with her award-winning debut, Moving On (2019). Similar to her previous feature, The World Before will also revisit what it means to stick together – or to come apart – at the height of a steamy summer.

Among the Discovery presentations, Fast and Furious alum Sung Kang appears as both the director and star of his own racetrack character study, Drifter. Stephanie Ahn, who inspired a buzz at Sundance earlier this year, will make her International Premiere with her gritty slice-of-life enemies-to-lovers romance, Bedford Park. 

Overall, the selections at both Venice and TIFF this year reveal a notable rise in Korean American presence. Of the eight discussed here, four were not simply of Korean diaspora origin, but rather, diaspora productions made and produced specifically in the US. This is a remarkable shift from previous years, where Korean Canadian and Korean European voices have often found a place at TIFF. Moreover, of the Korean filmmakers, three of four were already major blockbusters. While this is par for course – TIFF is known for its appeal with the public – it is truly exciting for film critics to see the presence of more independent filmmakers, such as Yoon Dan-bi, make her long-awaited return.

The theatrical release of many of these films is still pending. The 83rd Venice International Film Festival runs from 2-12 September 2026, and the Toronto International Film Festival runs from 10-20 September 2026.

Written by Grace Han
Edited by kofic