It's hardly a surprise that while things are slowly getting back to normal, there's still a very real need for this year's Toronto International Film Festival to provide a hybrid experience in order to accommodate the many thousands of people that would like to watch movies in a safe and socially distanced way.

Luckily some terrific options are available for those who wish to have a personally curated digital slate screened in the comfort of their home, with the added flexiblity of being able to pause if you need a break. 

Here are some of the best movie options available for you to stream at TIFF 2021.

Encounter

TIFF audiences love Riz Ahmed for very justifiable reasons, so count us in for what looks to be a strange, atmospheric thriller about a father who is convinced he must defend his kids from parasitic alien bugs. Add Octavia Spencer to the mix and you've got the makings of a real discovery outside the big hitters.

Premium Stream Available Saturday, Sep 11, 7:00pm

Petite Maman

I went in slightly reticent about Céline Sciamma's follow up to her unabashed masterpiece Portrait of a Lady on Fire, worrying that she may have slipped back into the form of her previous works. I couldn't have been more wrong - this is such an assured work, so very touching and relatable and real, that it further establishes her as a giant of international cinema, and a rare talent indeed. Do. Not. Miss.

Premium Stream Available Thursday, Sep 9, 9:00pm

Attica

Yes, another doc, this one by the legendary filmmaker Stanley Nelson who looks to have crafted the definitive telling of the story of the prison uprising. Going well beyond the Dog Day Afternoon shout-out, Nelson's film mixes contemporary interviews with archival footage to give justice to this harrowing, complex tale.

Available Thursday, Sep 9, 9:00pm

Drive My Car

Yeah, it's been mentioned before, but I really want audiences to go along with journey with this tremendously accomplished film. Yes, it runs well over three hours, but it's a tale so deftly told, with a rich narrative and exquisitely drawn characters, that carving out a bit of your TIFF for this wonderful journey is essential.

Available Sunday, Sep 12, 7:00pm

Colin in Black and White

Activist and athlete Colin Kaepernick joins TIFF stalwart Ava DuVernay to tell his story from childhood to the NFL to global attention for taking a knee. Combining documentary interviews, dramatic recreations and narration by Colin himself, this is your chance to catch the Netflix Limited Series before its official kickoff.

Available Sunday, Sep 12, 7:00pm

Benediction

English director Terence Davies returns to TIFF with this portrait of poet Siegfried Sasson and his tumultuous relationship with another man following the horrors of the Great War. With Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi at the centre of the tale, this looks to be a dark, provocative, deeply cinematic examination of a mercurial character.

Available Monday, Sep 13, 10:00am

Beba

Docs make up some of the best films at every TIFF, and the buzz around Rebeca Huntt's autobiographical debut is already palpable. Shot on 16mm over the period of 8 years, this tale of race, class and survival promises to be something quite special.

Available Sunday, Sep 12, 3:00pm

I'm Your Man

We all kind of know that Dan Stevens is a pretty perfect specimen of our species (just watch THIS if you don't already believe me), so I'm intrigued by Maria Schrader's tale of navigating affection with a cyborg. Maren Eggert won an acting award in Berlin in what looks to be a strange and wonderful film.

Premium Stream Available Tuesday, Sep 14, 9:00pm

Wolf

A tale of "species dysphoria", where Jacob (George MacKay who was fantastic in 1917) gets a bit loup-y, while his Doctor (the ever exquisite Paddy Considine) uses a dash of cruelty in his therapeutic endeavours. Director Nathalie BIancheri looks to have crafted something unsettling and provocative that's well worth howling about.

Premium Stream Available Friday, Sep 17, 9:00pm

Wildhood

Bretten Hannam directs Phillip Lewitski in this coming of age tale, where Two-spirit Mi’kmaw teenager Link must deal with both his burgeoning sexuality an troubles at home. Mixing road movie tropes with this tale of individuals and communities long underrepresented, this looks to be a moving, visually impactful film with an emotional bite.

Available Sat, Sep 11, 1:00pm

Note: some titles require you have premium stream access, while dozens of other films are available to all streamers.