TIFF 2015 coming soon

Organisers have announced a 21-strong competition lineup that includes Drake Doremus’ futuristic Equals, with Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult; Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash, with Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson and Ralph Fiennes; and Cary Fukunaga’s African-set war story Beasts Of No Nation, starring Idris Elba.

Piers Handling, chief executive and director of TIFF, said: “We are celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2015 and this first round of films offers a taste of the incredible line-up at this year’s festival”.

Talvar, the film which is based on the true life events of Aarushi Talwar, will make its world premiere at the 40 Toronto global Film Festival.

While all 49 of the films announced Tuesday will surely be given the appropriate levels of love and affection once they play TIFF – the festival unquestionably draws more world press than Telluride, and still has a higher industry presence than Venice – the lineup can’t help but underline TIFF’s evolving role in the awards season battleground.

Valle is not the only Canadian director to be featured at the festival. “We are really glad that the film will be screened at the film festival and are looking forward to the feedback of the audience”, said Priti Shahani, President, Junglee Pictures.

Moore’s first movie in six years, few details of which have been released in advance, will have its world premiere in Toronto.

Those titles are among the first 13 features tapped to receive gala treatment at Roy Thomson Hall, with Matt Damon, Liam Hemsworth, Salma Hayek, Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Donald Sutherland and son Kiefer Sutherland, Christopher Plummer and Kate Winslet among those set to walk its red carpet.

Benedict Cumberbatch fans may get a chance to see their idol for a third year in a row: the British actor is expected to attend the festival as part of the star-studded film Black Mass. Directed by American Scott Cooper, the mob thriller co-stars Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon and Joel Edgerton.

“Alien” director Ridley Scott’s eagerly-awaited space adventure “The Martian” will also be among the highlights at the movie fest that runs September 10-20.

I had visited the Toronto film festival for “Maqbool” and will now be taking “Talvar” there.

Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan, which won this year’s Palme d’Or, will get its North American premiere during the festival.