The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opens Thursday with more than 200 films and a star-studded line-up featuring John Malkovich, Penélope Cruz, Chris Rock, Helen Mirren and K-pop star Lisa.
The 51st edition of North America’s largest film festival runs through September 20, following the major festivals in Venice and Telluride. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend screenings and red-carpet events across Toronto.
The festival opens with the world premiere of Being Heumann, directed by Oscar winner Sian Heder, best known for CODA. Ruth Madeley stars as US disability rights activist Judy Heumann, with Mark Ruffalo also in the cast.
Among the major premieres is I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly of Green Book. The film follows Sylvester Stallone’s struggle to get Rocky made and establish himself as its star, with Anthony Ippolito playing the young Stallone.
Chris Rock returns behind the camera with Misty Green, a Hollywood satire starring Rosalind Eleazar, Daniel Kaluuya, Adam Driver and Anna Kendrick. Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, is also among the high-profile titles.
Other major films include Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman; Jesse Eisenberg’s musical comedy The Debut; and Zack Snyder’s The Last Photograph, starring Stuart Martin and Fra Fee.
Helen Mirren plays author Patricia Highsmith in the psychological thriller A Talent for Murder. Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz star as a couple in crisis in Bunker, which arrives in Toronto after premiering in Venice.
The festival will also screen documentaries, including Always Lalisa, which follows Lisa’s solo career and her move into acting after her work with Blackpink and appearance in The White Lotus.
