“Stuffed” Leads the 2026 Toronto Film Festival Discovery Program

The musical “Stuffed,” starring Emmy-winner Jodie Comer and Harry Melling, will open the Discovery program at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. The twisted romance follows Comer’s character, a taxidermist obsessed with preserving a human specimen, who encounters a lonely volunteer played by Melling. Their pact spirals into an unexpected love story where affection and mortality intersect.

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“Stuffed” marks the feature-length debut of writer-director Theo Rhys, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joss Holden-Rea. The film adds to Comer’s recent high-profile projects and showcases Melling’s transition from supporting roles to leading parts in festival cinema.

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The 2026 Discovery slate features a diverse array of international premieres and debuts:

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• David Turpin’s “Ancestors” (Ireland) starring Eanna Hardwicke and Rupert Everett

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• “Drifter,” the directorial debut of Sung Kang (Fast & Furious) exploring race-car culture

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• “Head to Head,” an absurd Iranian satire on state control by Ghasideh Golmakani

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• “Krux,” a post-World War II German drama by Ulrike Tony Vahl

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• “Magazine,” a look inside a New York literary magazine starring Lily McInerny

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• “Salvation,” a critique of online self-improvement culture by Tom Nicoll

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• International titles such as “Bedford Park” (Stephanie Ahn), “Voices” (Deantè Gray), and a Motown-infused 1960s musical

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The full program also includes works from Italy, Sweden, Mexico, France, Belgium, Guatemala, Canada, the United States, Spain, Greece, Hong Kong, Denmark, and Ghana, covering genres from sci-fi (“Arne Goes to Space”) to family drama (“I Am Mario”) and experimental narratives (“The Burdens of Excess”).

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The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival will run in September 2026, with additional Discovery program announcements expected in the coming weeks. The festival’s Discovery strand traditionally highlights emerging filmmakers and bold storytelling, positioning “Stuffed” as a high-profile entry that blends musical form with dark thematic material.

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Audiences and industry observers will watch how “Stuffed” and the broader Discovery lineup influence the festival’s reputation for championing innovative cinema. Further details on screening dates and distribution plans are slated for release as the festival approaches.

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