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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Los Angeles, CA, September 16, 2026 — Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced that Apple Original Films’ BEING HEUMANN will close the 40th edition of AFI FEST presented by Canva on Sunday, October 25. The biographical drama is directed, produced and co-written by Academy Award® winner Siân Heder (CODA, AFI DWW+ Class of 2005) and is an adaptation of Judith Heumann’s memoir, “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist.” Led by star Ruth Madeley, and also starring Academy Award® nominee Mark Ruffalo, the cast also includes Dylan O’Brien, Madeline Delp, Rob Delaney, Ray Fisher, Michael Patrick Thornton, Antwan Tolliver, Daniel Durant, Jon Beavers, Roberta Colindrez and Russell Harvard. The film is produced by David Permut for Permut Presentations and Kevin Walsh for The Walsh Company under his overall deal with Apple. Heumann’s managers John W. Beach and Kevin Cleary of Gravity Squared Entertainment also serve as producers. Rebekah Taussig serves as co-writer alongside Heder. Executive producers include Judy Heumann, “Being Heumann” co-author Kristen Joiner, Diana Pokorny, Ann Molin and Jim Lebrecht.
“At a time in history when audiences are in search of humanity – along comes BEING HEUMANN,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “And that it is directed and co-written by a shining star from AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women is cause for even greater celebration!”
“It means a great deal to me to return to AFI, where I first found my voice as a filmmaker. The school and the festival are very meaningful to me, so this feels like a full circle moment,” said Siân Heder. “This film gave me the opportunity to tell the wild story of the 504 protest and its leader, Judy Heumann, a woman whose work changed the lives of millions and whose fight continues today. I hope audiences and fellow filmmakers get to fall in love with Judy as I did and perhaps even carry the mantle of her fight.”
About the film
They wouldn’t take Judy Heumann’s phone calls, so she took their building. In 1977, a young disabled woman (Ruth Madeley) and a scrappy coalition of outsiders decide they’ve had enough. What begins as one impulsive act becomes the longest occupation of a federal building in American history, as hundreds spontaneously seize government offices and refuse to leave until the bureaucrat in their way (Mark Ruffalo) takes action. Bringing rebellion in all its forms to the hallowed halls, a movement’s accidental leaders struggle to find their path forward where none has ever been paved for them. Directed by Academy Award® winner Siân Heder and based on true events, BEING HEUMANN is the revolutionary, irreverent and deeply human story of the least likely people trying to pull off the impossible and change the lives of millions.
As previously announced, the 40th edition of the Institute’s annual film festival will take place October 21–25 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood and will open with the U.S. premiere of WILDWOOD. The festival will feature a curated selection of Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, World Cinema, Documentaries and Short Films.
Passes to AFI FEST 2026 are now available for purchase online at FEST.AFI.com.
Festivalgoers can choose from the Star Pass, Patron Pass and the new Marquee Pass. The AFI FEST Star Pass features access to all screenings (excluding Red Carpet Premieres), early screening selection and theater access, access to the AFI FEST Festival Lounge, AFI FEST merch and free rush access. The Patron Pass features all the benefits of the Star Pass, plus access to Red Carpet Premieres and priority screening selection and theater access.
The full festival lineup will be unveiled on September 29. Individual tickets will be available for purchase on October 3.
AFI FEST is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animated and Documentary Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®. AFI FEST is also a qualifying festival for consideration for the British Short Film categories of both the BAFTA Film Awards and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).
AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI’s Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI events, including AFI FEST. To learn more, email [email protected].
Canva, the all-in-one visual communication and collaboration platform, returns as the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of AFI FEST 2026. Built to empower everyone across the entertainment industry, from screenwriters and directors to producers, production teams and studios, Canva helps bring ideas from early concept to screen. Entertainment professionals use Canva to pitch projects and secure buy-in, develop storyboards and mood boards, plan productions, collaborate with cast and crew, create marketing campaigns and promotional assets, and build presentations that bring creative visions to life.
Canva will be integrated throughout AFI FEST including hosting industry networking events and hands-on training workshops for filmmakers, while powering the festival’s digital and printed materials. Entertainment professionals can explore resources to pitch projects, plan shoots and bring creative visions to life at canva.com/entertainment.
To learn more about AFI FEST, visit FEST.AFI.com.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked one of the top film schools in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Celebrating its 40th edition, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year’s edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 21-25, 2026. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com. Connect with AFI’s film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, X.com/AFIFEST, Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok.com/@AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, the company serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers and students in more than 190 countries worldwide.
Whether you’re a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world’s most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools which elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate and communicate with ease.
Press contact:
American Film Institute: Shari Mesulam, [email protected]
