Top Highlights to Expect at the Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival, known as the fall festival circuit’s clean-up hitter, follows Venice and Telluride, showcasing top films from previous festivals and new additions. The festival has faced challenges recently due to the pandemic affecting several editions and an actors’ strike which left red carpets bare last year.

The festival this year, running until September 15, opened with the premiere of David Gordon Green’s “Nutcrackers,” featuring Ben Stiller. With over 200 feature films to be shown, the event is anticipated to present many of the fall’s standout films, making it hard to predict which will stand out the most.

Questions are arising about the potential breakouts at TIFF this year. While last year’s festival introduced the successful “American Fiction,” this year looks promising with movies like Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” and Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths.” Many films will be aiming to build on their success from previous festivals such as Venice, Telluride, or Cannes.

Toronto’s premieres will not only focus on the awards race but also on attracting buyers, signaling the importance of the festival in the film industry. Some high-profile films include Ron Howard’s “Eden,” the Stephen King adaptation “The Life of Chuck,” and Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb.”

The People’s Choice award at TIFF usually predicts Oscar success, with the winner of Toronto’s top prize typically receiving a nomination for best picture at the Academy Awards. Therefore, the festival holds significance not only for industry professionals but also for regular moviegoers in predicting award season success.

While most of Toronto’s film selections will be released in the coming months, there are exceptions. Some movies, like Azazel Jacobs’s “His Three Daughters,” can take a year or more to reach audiences after their festival debut. Patience may be required for some of the highly-anticipated films from Toronto International Film Festival.