Inside the Market: Mafiosxs Take on TIFF 2026

This year, BGDM provided eight complimentary passes to TIFF: The Market 2026, opening the door for members to experience one of the international film industry’s major gathering spaces during the Toronto International Film Festival. The opportunity was made possible through funding from the Government of Canada to help remove financial barriers for emerging film professionals from underrepresented communities.

TIFF: The Market brings filmmakers together with producers, financiers, distributors, sales agents, broadcasters, streamers and other industry leaders from around the world. For BGDM, creating access to spaces like these is about giving women and gender-expansive filmmakers of color more opportunities to make connections, champion their projects and learn how the industry moves.

Here’s how the Mafia spent their time at TIFF.

Radha Mehta

For Radha, her first TIFF was as much about the unexpected encounters as the sessions on her calendar. The festival was a reminder that some of the most memorable moments happen outside the meeting room.

TIFF was a beautiful and surreal experience. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with sales agents and producers at the market, but reveled in the chance encounters I had with people on King Street and at various events throughout the festival. I’d say the experiences that’ll stay with me forever are 1) trying (unsuccessfully) to do rush lines for films “The Surgeon” and “Your Mother x3,” yet feeling that vibrant energy around my diaspora filmmakers, and 2) watching (witnessing) Spain’s Academy-nominated film “La Bola Negra” to a full house in one of TIFF’s most grand theaters, followed by a standing ovation and Q&A with their entire team. That audience experience was absolute magic! Thank you, BGDM, for my very first TIFF experience, hopefully the first of many!

Laura Bustillos

Laura used her Market access to meet with potential producers and share her project while also experiencing virtual reality programming that opened up new possibilities for how stories can be told.

“Attending TIFF with a Market pass from BGDM was such a special and exciting experience for me. Getting to watch so many incredible films, from powerful documentaries to moving fiction pieces, left me feeling completely inspired.

Beyond the screenings, I had wonderful meetings with potential producers where I could share my project and make genuine connections. I was also blown away by the incredible virtual reality experiences, which really opened my eyes to new ways of telling stories.

Overall, it was such a nurturing and welcoming environment. Connecting with other filmmakers and sharing our love for cinema broadened my creative horizons and left me feeling deeply energized about my work ahead.”

Chithra Jeyaram

Sometimes access also means learning how to navigate the room once you’re inside it. Chithra’s first day at the Market came with a learning curve, but after getting a few pointers from friends, she began setting up meetings that led to ongoing conversations and potential next steps for her work.

TIFF was intense and amazing. It took a hot minute to navigate the market on day one, but with a few pointers from friends, I got the swing of things and started setting up meetings. That led to several great meetings, some ongoing conversations, a few screeners shared, and the potential for some tangible next steps. I can’t share much more until things are finalized, but going to TIFF really helped push my thinking on distribution forward. Highlights included meeting Radha at a South Asian gathering and bonding with Saf and Laura at the Doc mixer while getting completely caught in the rain!

Grace Gay

For Grace, the magic of TIFF was in the mix: industry professionals sharing the festival with audiences who simply really love movies.

I really enjoyed the diversity of TIFF. What makes it such a special festival is the mixing of industry folk with regular people who just love the movies. Every screening I went to was packed, full of so much energy and excitement. I loved how close everything was; it made it easier to navigate once I got the lay of the land. I loved the Market pass because it provided access to such specific, interesting panels. I loved getting to curate my calendar on the app and figure out what spoke to me as the day went on. The highlight was going to the world premiere of YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER.

Access Is Only the Beginning

To everyone who represented BGDM in Toronto, we can’t wait to see what comes from the seeds you planted. And to the rest of the community: keep an eye on Mighty Networks for future festival and industry pass opportunities. The next Mafiosx pitching their project in the room could be you.