TIFF Unveils Star-Studded Lineup: Jolie, Grant, Fiennes Headline Gala & Special Presentations

The 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced its full lineup for the prestigious Gala and Special Presentations sections, boasting a dazzling array of world premieres and star-studded titles. The festival, returning after last year's actors' strike, will feature 29 movies with rights available for sale, signifying a robust marketplace for film acquisition.

Hollywood A-Listers Take Center Stage

The lineup promises a feast for cinema lovers, with prominent names taking the spotlight. Angelina Jolie directs the war drama *Without Blood*, starring Salma Hayek and Demián Bichir, based on Alessandro Baricco's novel. Mike Leigh, after a six-year hiatus, returns with *Hard Truths*, starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, billed as a "tragicomic study of human strengths and weaknesses."

Other notable premieres include Gia Coppola's *The Last Showgirl*, featuring Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka, and Billie Lourd; William Goldenberg's Amazon sports biopic *Unstoppable*, starring Jennifer Lopez; and Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison's directorial debut, *The Fire Inside*.

Fresh Faces and Genre-Bending Titles

The festival will also showcase several feature directorial debuts, including *Argo

editor William Goldenberg's *Unstoppable* and Rachel Morrison's *The Fire Inside*. The acclaimed director David Mackenzie, known for *Outlaw King*, returns with the thriller *Relay*, starring Lily James, Sam Worthington, and Willa Fitzgerald.

A24 presents the previously announced Florence Pugh-Andrew Garfield romantic drama *We Live in Time*, alongside the new Hugh Grant horror thriller *Heretic*, penned by *A Quiet Place

writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.

International Premieres and Cannes Favorites

Adding to the international flavor, the festival will host the international premiere of Edward Berger's papal movie *Conclave*, starring Ralph Fiennes, which also features Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow. Fiennes is making a double appearance at TIFF, also starring in Juliette Binoche's *The Return*.

Several Cannes Film Festival darlings will grace the screens, including Neon's Palme d'Or winner *Anora

by Sean Baker, the award-winning Spanish musical noir *Emilia Pérez*, acquired by Netflix, David Cronenberg's *The Shrouds*, and Andrea Arnold's *Bird*.

Documentaries and Musical Offerings

The festival will also spotlight the world premiere of Hulu's documentary *Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band*. The 20-time Grammy winner's presence at the festival wouldn't be surprising.

Focus Features will present the international premiere of *Piece by Piece*, Morgan Neville's Lego documentary about Pharrell Williams, set for release on October 11.

A Global Celebration of Cinema

The Gala and Special Presentations programs, comprising 63 films from 25 countries, highlight the very best of contemporary cinema across all genres and styles. TIFF aims to celebrate cinematic excellence from diverse corners of the world, promising an unforgettable experience for film enthusiasts.

Full Lineup:

This is a partial list of the confirmed titles for the Gala and Special Presentations sections. The full lineup can be found on the official TIFF website.

Galas 2024

*Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe* (Cosima Spender, UK, World Premiere)

*Better Man* (Michael Gracey, USA, Canadian Premiere)

*Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight* (Embeth Davidtz, South Africa, Canadian Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Eden* (Ron Howard, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Elton John: Never Too Late* (R.J. Cutler, David Furnish, USA, World Premiere)

*Harbin* (Woo Min-ho, South Korea, World Premiere)

*Meet the Barbarians* (Julie Delpy, France, International Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Nutcrackers* (David Gordon Green, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Oh, Canada* (Paul Schrader, USA, North American Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band* (Thom Zimny, USA, World Premiere)

*Superboys of Malegaon* (Reema Kagti, India, World Premiere)

*The Deb* (Rebel Wilson, Australia, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Friend* (Scott McGehee, David Siegel, USA, International Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Penguin Lessons* (Peter Cattaneo, Spain/United Kingdom, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Return* (Uberto Pasolini, Italy/United Kingdom, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Shrouds* (David Cronenberg, Canada/France, North American Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Wild Robot* (Chris Sanders, USA, World Premiere)

*Unstoppable* (William Goldenberg, USA, World Premiere)

*Will & Harper* (Josh Greenbaum, USA, International Premiere)

Special Presentations 2024

*40 Acres* (R.T. Thorne, Canada, World Premiere)

*All of You* (William Bridges, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*All We Imagine as Light* (Payal Kapadia, France/India/Netherlands/Luxembourg, Canadian Premiere)

*Anora* (Sean Baker, USA, Canadian Premiere)

*Bird* (Andrea Arnold, United Kingdom, North American Premiere)

*Bring Them Down* (Christopher Andrews, Ireland/Belgium, World Premiere)

*Can I Get a Witness?* (Ann Marie Fleming, Canada, World Premiere)

*Carnival is Over* (Fernando Coimbra, Brazil/Portugal, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Caught by the Tides* (Jia Zhang-Ke, China, North American Premiere)

*Conclave* (Edward Berger, USA/United Kingdom, International Premiere)

*Emilia Pérez* (Jacques Audiard, France/USA/Mexico, Canadian Premiere)

*Hard Truths* (Mike Leigh, United Kingdom/Spain, World Premiere)

*Harvest* (Athina Rachel Tsangari, United Kingdom, North American Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Heretic* (Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Canada, World Premiere)

*I’m Still Here* (Walter Salles, Brazil/France, North American Premiere)

*I, the Executioner* (Ryoo Seung-wan, South Korea, North American Premiere)

*K-Pops* (Anderson .Paak, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Love in the Big City* (E.oni, South Korea, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Millers in Marriage* (Edward Burns, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Misericordia* (Alain Guiraudie, Spain/Portugal/France, Canadian Premiere)

*Nightbitch* (Marielle Heller, USA, World Premiere)

*On Becoming a Guinea Fowl* (Rungano Nyoni, Zambia/United Kingdom/Ireland, North American Premiere)

*Piece by Piece* (Morgan Neville, USA, International Premiere)

*Quisling – The Final Days* (Erik Poppe, Norway, International Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Relay* (David Mackenzie, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Rez Ball* (Sydney Freeland, USA, World Premiere)

*Riff Raff* (Dito Montiel, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Rumours* (Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson, Canada/Germany, North American Premiere)

*Sharp Corner* (Jason Buxton, Canada/Ireland, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Shepherds* (Sophie Deraspe, Canada/France, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Sketch* (Seth Worley, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Assessment* (Fleur Fortuné, United Kingdom/Germany/USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Cut* (Sean Ellis, United Kingdom, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The End* (Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark/UK, Canadian Premiere)

*The Fire Inside* (Rachel Morrison, USA, World Premiere)

*The Girl with the Needle* (Magnus von Horn, Denmark/Poland/Sweden, North American Premiere)

*The Last Showgirl* (Gia Coppola, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Life of Chuck* (Mike Flanagan, USA, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*The Order* (Justin Kurzel, Canada/USA, North American Premiere)

*The Piano Lesson* (Malcolm Washington, USA, International Premiere)

*We Live in Time* (John Crowley, United Kingdom/France, World Premiere)

*Went Up the Hill* (Samuel Van Grinsven, New Zealand/Australia, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Without Blood* (Angelina Jolie, USA/Italy, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)

*Young Werther* (José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço, Canada, World Premiere, Sales Title – Rights Available)