TIFF 2021 Lineup Unveiled
by KM, Movie Lightbox
The first wave of films selected for the 46th Toronto International Film Festival have been announced. The list of films features 10 titles in the Gala section and 22 in Special Presentations. This year’s edition of the fest will move forward with its hybrid version, a combination of in-person and digital screenings, with over 100 films in the Official Selection, a much larger slate compared to last year’s slimmed-down edition.
The award-winning Broadway musical adaptation Dear Evan Hansen by Stephen Chbosky will kick off the 10-day festival on September 9 at the Roy Thomson Hall. Zhang Yimou’s film One Second, described as a “love letter to cinema” will be the Closing Night Gala of TIFF 2021.
“We’re so excited to be able to share this year’s lineup with audiences in theatres. These films reflect passion, creativity, and break new ground to tell their stories. We’re honored to have them as part of TIFF 2021.”, said Joana Vicente, TIFF’s Executive Director and Co-Head.
Notable high profile features selected as part of the Official Selection include Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast starring Judi Dench, Catriona Balfe, Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Dornan, a coming of age tale set around the tumult of 1960’s Northern Ireland, The Eyes of Tammy Faye starring Jessica Chastain as flamboyant televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker and Edgar Wright’s thriller Last Night in Soho with Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie. A surprising choice for the Gala lineup is Walt Becker’s Clifford the Big Red Dog, a children book series movie adaptation about a giant red pooch.
“We’re thrilled to announce these films as Galas and Special Presentations. Our programming team has been hard at work for months searching for the most compelling stories, acclaimed filmmakers, and top onscreen talent that comprise two of TIFF’s highest-profile sections.”, said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF.
Here’s the list of films selected for the Galas and Special Presentations:
Belfast
GALA PRESENTATIONS 2021
Belfast Kenneth Branagh | United Kingdom World Premiere
Clifford the Big Red Dog Walt Becker | USA/United Kingdom/Canada World Premiere
Dear Evan Hansen Stephen Chbosky | USA World Premiere
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Will Sharpe | United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
Jagged Alison Klayman | USA World Premiere
Last Night in Soho Edgar Wright | United Kingdom North American Premiere
The Mad Women’s Ball (Le Bal des folles) Mélanie Laurent | France World Premiere
Night Raiders Danis Goulet | Canada/New Zealand North American Premiere
One Second Zhang Yimou | China North American Premiere
The Survivor Barry Levinson | USA/Canada/Hungary World Premiere
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2021
Ali & Ava Clio Barnard | United Kingdom North American Premiere
All My Puny Sorrows Michael McGowan | Canada World Premiere
Benediction Terence Davies | United Kingdom World Premiere
Bergman Island Mia Hansen-Løve | France International Premiere
Charlotte Eric Warin, Tahir Rana | Canada/France/Belgium World Premiere
Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner | USA World Premiere
Drive My Car Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Japan North American Premiere
Encounter Michael Pearce | United Kingdom/USA International Premiere
The Eyes of Tammy Faye Michael Showalter | USA World Premiere
The Guilty Antoine Fuqua | USA World Premiere
I’m Your Man Maria Schrader | Germany North American Premiere
Inexorable Fabrice du Welz | Belgium/France International Premiere
Lakewood Phillip Noyce | Canada World Premiere
The Middle Man Bent Hamer | Norway/Canada/Germany/Denmark World Premiere
Official Competition (Competencia Oficial) Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat | Spain/Argentina North American Premiere
Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades) Jacques Audiard | France North American Premiere
Petite Maman Céline Sciamma | France Canadian Premiere
The Starling Theodore Melfi | USA World Premiere
The Story of My Wife Ildikó Enyedi | Hungary/Germany/Italy/France North American Premiere
Three Floors (Tre Piani) Nanni Moretti | Italy/France North American Premiere
Violet Justine Bateman | USA International Premiere
The Worst Person In The World (Verdens Verste Menneske) Joachim Trier | Norway/France/Sweden/Denmark North American Premiere
The 46th edition of Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 9 - 18.
Images courtesy of TIFF