Stars, soccer and open-air cinema coming to the Distillery District this summer
Patrick Dempsey and Ornella Muti will headline the 15th anniversary edition of the ICFF Lavazza IncluCity Festival, returning to Toronto's Distillery Historic District from June 25 to July 19, 2026, according to a festival announcement.
Dempsey, the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor known for Grey's Anatomy, Can't Buy Me Love, Enchanted and the recent series Memory of a Killer, will serve as Guest of Honour at the festival's Closing Gala on July 17. He will take part in an On the Couch conversation at TIFF Lightbox, followed by a gala dinner at the Ritz-Carlton. Off screen, Dempsey has raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona with his Dempsey-Proton Racing team and founded The Dempsey Center, a non-profit providing free support to families affected by cancer.
Muti, the Italian screen icon whose credits include Flash Gordon, To Rome with Love and Oscar, will headline closing festivities at the Distillery on July 19. She received a Special David at the 2025 David di Donatello Awards and will attend the Canadian premiere of Giuseppe Tornatore's Brunello: The Gracious Visionary.
This year's defining themes are energy, community, and innovation. With a mandate that has always focused on evolving and creating new experiences, we are tremendously proud to present a festival that once again goes above and beyond the classic cinema experience featuring a new 40-foot digital screen and a never-before-seen infinity mirror tower in the heart of the main square.
Cristiano de Florentiis, ICFF's executive director, said in the festival announcement.
AI art, fashion and world cinema
New this year is AiRTIFICIAL VISIONS, a 30-day immersive exhibition at Illuminarium Toronto exploring artificial intelligence and visual storytelling, presented in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University and running June 25 to July 25. The festival is also bringing Fashion Frames, a costume showcase from Rome celebrating Italy's Golden Age of cinema, presented by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Toronto.
Film premieres from more than 20 countries — including Argentina, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and Nigeria — are on the program, along with a Focus on China featuring two AI artists and opening night guest Yaxi Liu, lead actress of Gabriele Mainetti's The Forbidden City.
Soccer fever and live music
Soccer watch parties begin June 11 at Spirit Theatre, ahead of Toronto hosting World Cup matches. The festival's Soccer Film Series includes Voy! Voy! Voy!, A Summer in Italy: World Cup 1990, La Casaca de Dios and classics such as Bend It Like Beckham. Italian football legend Antonio Cabrini, a member of the 1982 World Cup-winning side, will attend a screening of Il viaggio degli eroi.
The TO The Beat music series returns with more than 40 concerts and performances, while Ferrero Foosball Park will host an interactive play area and the Canadian Foosball Tournament from July 10 to 12, organized by the Toronto Foosball Club.
Industry Days panels will cover costume design, international co-productions and AI in film, featuring designers whose credits include The Shape of Water, The Handmaid's Tale and The Boys. The Architettura & Design program includes a keynote by Rome architect Maria Claudia Clemente and a documentary on design house Pininfarina.
