Before the line-up for the 2026 Venice Film Festival was revealed, there was much frenzied speculation about what might show up on it. Others, though, have chosen to premiere at rival autumn film festivals instead – the New York Film Festival (Behemoth! Toronto and New York Film Festival, in turn, feel more accessible to the general public, and are, on the whole, like Telluride, friendlier places to land new releases. Marty Supreme, for instance, was warmly received at its New York Film Festival premiere, and ended up with nine Oscar nominations. So, a Toronto debut can massively boost a movie – but, if it bombs, it doesn’t feel as seismic as a major Venice flop.