Major A-listers and global talent just announced for this year’s TIFF

A huge selection of A-list programming is set to debut at this year’s 51st annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Known for a staggering number of movie premieres and events, TIFF has also become an incubator for the award winners of tomorrow, as numerous films that make their debut here in the GTA go on to sweep at award ceremonies.

The TIFF Gala and its corresponding Special Presentations programmes are known for welcoming acclaimed artists, all of whom are gathered to debut some of the year’s most highly anticipated films to the world stage.

According to an official release from the festival, both this year’s gala and programming will host creatives from nearly 30 countries.

Industry players like Danny Boyle and Chris Rock, Jesse Eisenberg, Gael García Bernal, and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, who was behind the iconic documentary Free Solo, will all be in attendance, alongside countless other heavy hitters in the world of filmmaking.

To close out the selection of premieres and special presentations, the official ‘Closing Night Film’ will be Yan Lanouette Turgeon’s Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend, which chronicles the early years of Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve.

Announcements for this year’s festival aren’t stopping there, as it was also announced that the ‘Platform programme’ — TIFF’s only competitive section — will also be returning.

This annual selection of platform picks has launched talents like Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, TIFF ’16), Darius Marder (Sound of Metal, TIFF ’19), and William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth, TIFF ’16).

“Platform was created to spotlight directorial voices and this year’s 12-film selection is an imaginative reflection of new auteur cinema now,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer of TIFF, in an official statement. “We are honoured to welcome a jury of distinguished artists and industry leaders to inspire and support with their expertise and commitment to global cinema.”

Some of this year’s selections include Lawrence Fajardo’s Silenced Nights, John Trengove’s The Smell of Apples, Yoon Dan-bi’s The World Before, and Jan Holoubek’s Wild Wild East.

The winning filmmaker will receive a $20,000 cash prize, while the Platform Award will be presented on the last day of the Festival on Sunday, September 20.

TIFF is set to run for its 51st year, in the heart of downtown Toronto, from Sept. 10 to Sept 20.