Megan Rapinoe documentary premieres as TIFF Docs opener in Toronto
Megan Rapinoe brought her own story to the big screen in Toronto, with the world premiere of the documentary Rapinoe at the Toronto Film Festival.
The film is directed by Rebecca Huntt and stars Rapinoe herself, according to Deadline. It is the opening film of the festival's TIFF Docs 2026 programme, the section devoted to non-fiction cinema. A world premiere means no public audience has seen it before.
The first screening took place on Friday, 11 September at the Scotiabank Theatre. Shortly before that, Rapinoe and Huntt appeared together at the Deadline Studio in Toronto's Bisha Hotel for an interview published on 12 September, according to Deadline. UTA Independent Film Group is handling sales on the film, the company that shops distribution rights to buyers such as cinemas and streamers.
Rapinoe is an Olympic champion and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup winner with the United States women's national team. The film traces her path from childhood in Redding, California, where she grew up in a religious family, through her soccer career. Toronto describes it as an intimate portrait of soccer star Megan Rapinoe exploring what it means to win and lose, in its listing on TIFF.
Off the pitch, Rapinoe has advocated for equal pay for women and for LGBTQIA+ rights. The documentary follows those campaigns alongside her coming-out story and her kneeling protest. In the Deadline interview, she discussed her coming-out process and embracing her identity.
She also spoke about the backlash she faced after taking a knee during the national anthem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. That protest, her equal pay battle and her coming-out story form the spine of the film alongside the football, as outlined by the festival and by advance interviews.
Rapinoe told interviewers she did not want a highlight reel, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. She wanted the film to be "something different," in her words to TheWrap. Toronto bills the treatment as "as bold and original as her career."
Huntt previously made Beba, which played at Toronto in 2021. Both director and subject were listed among the expected talent at this year's festival, the 51st edition of the event.
What makes this stand out for festival watchers is the slot. An athlete-led documentary opening a major docs programme puts activism on the same screen as match action. With a sales agent now taking it to buyers, the next decision is where audiences beyond Toronto will get to see it.
