Coppola's 'Megalopolis' and 'William Tell' Headline Toronto Film Festival's Final Lineup
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled its final lineup for its 49th edition, featuring a diverse selection of world and North American premieres, including highly anticipated titles from renowned filmmakers.
Among the highlights is the North American premiere of Francis Ford Coppola's dystopian epic *Megalopolis*, which previously debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, along with the world premiere of Nick Hamm's medieval action drama *William Tell*, will receive Gala premieres at Roy Thomson Hall.
*William Tell*, set in 1307 and based on Friedrich Schiller's play, boasts a stellar cast including Claes Bang as the titular huntsman, Ben Kingsley as King Albrecht, Rafe Spall as Stauffacher, and Jonathan Pryce as Attinghausen.
The festival has also secured Special Presentations slots for 12 additional films, including world premieres for:
On Swift Horses: Daniel Minahan's period drama starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, and Will Poulter.
Paul Anka: His Way: John Maggio's biopic chronicling the life of the legendary singer.
Shell: Max Minghella's dark comedy featuring Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, and Kaia Gerber.
The Salt Path: Marianne Elliott's adaptation of the true story about a couple hiking the rugged British coastline, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.
Hold Your Breath: The feature directorial debut of writer-directors Will Joines and Karrie Crous, starring Sarah Paulson.
The Luckiest Man in America: Samir Oliveros' return to TIFF with a new film following his *Bad Lucky Goat*.
Adding to the exciting lineup are North American premieres for a number of films that debuted at the Venice Film Festival:
Queer: Luca Guadagnino's latest work starring Daniel Craig.
Babygirl: A24's erotic thriller directed by Halina Reijn, featuring Nicole Kidman, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde.
The Brutalist: Brady Corbet's film led by Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce.
The Room Next Door: Pedro Almodóvar's latest offering starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
Vermiglio: Maura Delpero's new film.
TIFF 2024 will also showcase the North American premiere of Mati Diop's *Dahomey*, which won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival, and the international premiere of Shemi Zarhin's *Bliss*.
In addition, the festival will host the Canadian premiere of Jason Reitman's *Saturday Night*, a film exploring the origins of the iconic NBC sketch show, set for theatrical release by Sony Pictures on 11 October. Reitman's film, likely to premiere first at Telluride, focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to the first broadcast of *Saturday Night Live
on 11 October 1975.
The Discovery programme will feature world premieres for Karen Chapman's domestic violence drama *Village Keeper
and *You Are Not Alone*, a sci-fi rom-com directed by Marie-Hélène Viens and Philippe Lupien.
TIFF organizers are aiming to attract Hollywood stars to this year's festival after the 2023 edition saw a reduced celebrity presence due to the Los Angeles labour disputes. The festival hopes to provide a platform for major studios and independent filmmakers to showcase their star-studded films to a wide audience, particularly following premieres at Telluride, Venice, and Cannes.
The Toronto International Film Festival will open on 5 September with David Gordon Green's comedy *Nutcrackers*, starring Ben Stiller. The festival will conclude with Rebel Wilson's directorial debut, *The Deb*, a musical adaptation based on the original Australian production.
