The Royal Alexandra Theatre was ablaze with excitement as the cast and crew of HALF arrived for its world premiere during the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario.
HALF World Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals
The red carpet brought together the creative minds behind this unique cinematic vision. Attendees stepping out for the world premiere included:
Twin half-blooded vampires wage war “HALF”
Blending cinematic styles, writer-director Samjad and action choreographer Very Tri Yulisman (The Raid 2, The Night Comes for Us, Headshot) bring audiences a gory martial arts curry western.
Building on the popular 1970s “curry western” genre style across the Indian film industry, which remixed American and Italian western tropes with rural Indian frontiers and roving gangs of dacoits, HALF introduces vampires into the subgenre. The story follows twin half-blooded vampires, Ethan (played by Ranjith Sajeev) and Ivy (played by Aiswarya Raj). Born from a human mother and a revenant dad, their interspecies parentage grants them supernatural abilities. After a wintery prologue, the siblings traverse the desolate roads of the Rajasthan desert, where they are suddenly ambushed by local marauders. Surviving the vicious attack under the cover of darkness, brother and sister set out to maul, maim, and murder everyone responsible.
Powered by kinetic martial arts choreography and an eclectic Malayalam soundtrack, featuring the nonverbal Ivy’s cellphone playlist and the percussive pummeling of Ethan’s fists, the premiere marked a thrilling milestone at the festival.
For More TIFF 2026 coverage, check out:
TIFF 2026 | Nyla Innuksuk and Cast Premiere ‘In the Heart of the South’
‘Sunburn’ Acquired by MoreThan Films Following TIFF World Premiere
