And just like that, the Toronto International Film Festival has wrapped for another year. The awards have all been handed out, too, with La Bola Negra taking the top People’s Choice prize and I Play Rocky and Being Heumann coming in as runners-up.
But what about the festival itself? How did it compare to other recent slates? TIFF 2026 featured 2 more titles than last year’s 50th anniversary cinematic showcase, bringing the impressive total to 294 features and shorts, with 72 countries represented. Women helmed 35% of this year’s offerings, with the TIFF Docs programme leading the way, with two-thirds of those films directed by women. That’s also where most music-based features landed, including non-fiction features on The Pretenders, Darlene Love, and an Our Lady Peace super-fan named Gail.
In terms of actual musicals, there were a few—with the stage musical within a film in The Debut possibly the biggest attention-getter among festival attendees. Director and writer Jesse Eisenberg penned seven of the film’s original songs, one of which—”This City May Have Chewed Me Up (But It Hasn’t Spit Me Out)”—is already getting Best Original Song Oscar buzz. We can’t wait for THAT soundtrack. There’s also an original song from David Byrne, “Let Me Sell You a Dream”, from Alex Gibney’s doc Musk that works perfectly for the subject matter, though the single isn’t yet available to hear outside the film. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, on the other hand, has already dropped one of its brand new tracks from band Son Lux ahead of its theatrical release.
At the close of each festival, our staff pull together a playlist of the cinematic needle drops that caught our attention. This year it’s 26 songs (for 2026) that represent just some of the songs that stuck with us long after the film’s credits rolled, or tracks perfectly placed in scenes or moments. From inspiring tracks pushing real life heroes forward (“St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” by John Parr in Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story and “You Say That the Battle is Over” by John Denver in Run Terry Run), to tracks deeply connected to characters’ emotional journeys (“When the Party is Over” by Billie Eilish in Bunker and “So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams in Wild Horse Nine) or just ones that completely set the scene (“Sex With Me” by Rihanna in Club Kid). Whatever your jam, there’s something to groove to and celebrate another successful fortnight of film in the Six.
Tune in below to the tracks we loved, then scroll down to find out which film the songs were featured in:
If the above playlist is down, click below to head to Spotify to listen.
Here’s a list of where the songs were featured:
- “In-a-gadda-da-vida” by Iron Butterfly (from The Pervert’s Guide to Utopia)
- “Bobépine” by Plume Latraverse (from L’AUTRE)
- “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones (from Musk)
- “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” by The Animals (from A Good Little Soldier)
- “Back on the Chain Gang” by Pretenders (from Pretenders)
- “Lost Together” by Blue Rodeo (from All That She Wants)
- “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” by John Parr (from Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story)
- “Man Eater” by Daryl Hall & John Oates (from Up Against It)
- “There’s No Business Like Show Business (Disco Mix)” by Ethel Merman (from Elsinore)
- “Dynamite” by BTS (from We Are All Strangers)
- “When You’re Gone” by The Cranberries (from Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!)
- “Hope” by Our Lady Peace (from Gail)
- “Sex With Me” by Rihanna (from Club Kid)
- “STFU!” by Wiidaaseh (from Turtle Island Rap)
- “Happy Day From Me to You” by Sir Victor Uwaifo (from Clarissa)
- “So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams (from Wild Horse Nine)
- “You Say That the Battle is Over” by John Denver (from Run Terry Run)
- “Dance With Somebody'” by Chaparelle (from Bleeding Hearts)
- “when the battle is over” by Billie Eilish (from Bunker)
- “Thunder” by Lana del Ray (from The Julia Set)
- “Sparks” by Coldplay (from Love of Your Life)
- “Pyramid Song” by Radiohead (from Anchors Aweigh)
- “Now I’m Listening” by Son Lux (from Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother)
- “La Nieve” by Guitarricadelafuente (an original song from La Bola Negra)
- “New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down” by LCD Soundsystem (from The Only Living Pickpocket in New York)
- “Dedicated to the One I Love” by The Orlons (from Babies)
- “I Know Where I’ve Been” by Darlene Love (from Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been)
Did we miss any other songs that stuck with you from this year’s fest? Tell us in the comments and we’ll add them in! Or check back in with our previous TIFF playlists over on our Spotify!
A big thank you to this year’s playlist contributors!
Follow That Shelf for our latest 2026 coverage including reviews, interviews and more, from TIFF.
