The 42nd annual Toronto International Film Festival is nearly upon us. The massive event runs from September 7 to 17 and today, TIFF's CEO Piers Handling and artistic director Cameron Bailey announced the first batch of films screening at the festival this year.
Previously, TIFF announced that its 2017 edition would be tightening its programming and would feature 20 percent fewer films. But if this initial roster is any indication, there will be just as much star power this year.
Among the 13 galas and 33 special presentation screenings, there are 25 world premieres. Notable films including the Tragically Hip documentary from Jennifer Baichwal, the animated adaptation of Canadian children's video The Breadwinner, the new Darren Aronofsky movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and of course, the Tonya Harding biopic.
Start making your TIFF wish list STAT.
Galas
Breathe, dir: Andy Serkis, starring: Andrew Garfield (United Kingdom, World Premiere)
The Catcher Was A Spy, dir: Ben Lewin, starring: Paul Rudd (USA, World Premiere)
C'est la vie! dir: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano, (France, World Premiere, closing night film)
Darkest Hour, dir: Joe Wright, starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James (United Kingdom, Canadian Premiere)
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, dir: Paul McGuigan, starring: Annette Bening (United Kingdom, Canadian Premiere)
Kings, dir: Deniz Gamze Ergüven, starring: Daniel Craig, Halle Berry (France/Belgium, World Premiere)
Long Time Running, dir: Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier (Canada World Premiere - this is the Tragically Hip documentary)
Mary Shelley, dir: Haifaa Al Mansour, starring: Maisie Williams, Elle Fanning (Ireland/United Kingdom/Luxembourg/USA, World Premiere)
The Mountain Between Us, dir: Hany Abu-Assad, starring: Kate Winslet, Idris Elba (USA, World Premiere)
Mudbound, dir: Dee Rees (USA, International Premiere)
Stronger, dir: David Gordon Green, starring: Jake Gyllenhaal (USA, World Premiere)
Untitled Bryan Cranston/Kevin Hart Film, dir: Neil Burger, (USA World Premiere)
The Wife, dir: Björn Runge, starring: Glenn Close (United Kingdom/Sweden, World Premiere)