#TIFF16: SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS + GALAS ANNOUNCED FOR 2016 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

It’s 21 days till TIFFmas and part of the fun is that lead-up to the world’s greatest Film Festival! Announcements were made in July at TIFF Bell Lightbox for some of the Films premiering at TIFF ’16 this September, including Galas and Special Presentations. Week by week, more Films were unveiled including Canadian titles Documentaries, Midnight Madness, Vanguard and City to City Programme Films were announced!

Highlighting the Festival this year are marquee titles and Awards Season contenders like the much-delayed SNOWDEN from Oliver Stone, DEEPWATER HORIZON from Peter Berg, PATERSON from Jim Jarsmuch, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS from Fashion Icon and Filmmaker Tom Ford, Venice Opening Night Film LA LA LAND by Damien Chazzelle who brought us 2014’s stellar WHIPLASH, QUEEN OF KATWE gives us a rare Disney selection from Mira Nair, LBJ from Rob Reiner, ARRIVAL from Canadian darling Denis Villeneuve, BIRTH OF A NATION by Actor/Director Nate Parker, PERSONAL SHOPPER from Festival darling Olivier Assayas, AMERICAN HONEY comes with much fanfare from Andrea Arnold, and highly-buzzed LOVED from Jeff Nichols.

Veering to the dark, Films like disaster flick COLOSSAL starring Anne Hathaway, dystopian cannibal Fairy Tale THE BAD BATCH, Adam Wingard‘s BLAIR WITCH and FREE FIRE starring Brie Larson, will premiere as part of the Vanguard and Midnight Madness Programmes!

Although not confirmed yet if he’ll be coming, many eyes will be on Documentary THE TURNING POINT which has Leonardo DiCaprio interviewing various subjects, shedding light how society can save endangered species, ecosystems and native communities.  AMANDA KNOX also will draw plenty of attention, giving us never-before-seen footage and accounts with those close to her much-publicized story.

Opening the Festival this year is Antoine Fuqua‘s THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and closing it will be coming-of-age Dramedy EDGE OF SEVENTEEN by Kelly Fremon Craig. Lucky number 7 is rather prevalent at #TIFF41!

Canadian titles announced include IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD from auteur Xavier Dolan, BELOW HER MOUTH from April Mullen, MEAN DREAMS from Nathan Morlando, TWO LOVERS AND A BEAR from Kim Nguyen, WEIRDOS from Bruce McDonald and Animated Feature WINDOW HORSES from Ann Marie Fleming. As part of the Masters Program, Deepa Mehta‘s ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE also will get a World Premiere.

Jim Jarsmuch, Isabelle Huppert, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon and David Oyelowo will be front and center at the Festival this year, each with two Films apiece. Michael Fassbender will be kicking the Festival off appearing at the annual TIFF Soirée at Lightbox. He stars in TRESPASS AGAINST US which will get its World Premiere at TIFF ’16.

Lagos, Nigeria has been announced as the City of focus at the Festival’s City to City Programme, showcasing Filmmakers living in that City.

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe and Pharrell Williams will appear at a special presentation of Theodore Melfi’s HIDDEN FIGURES LIVE which will for the first-time give TIFF members a chance to see footage from the upcoming Feature, followed by a live performance.

For the second time, TIFF presents its PRIMETIME Programme, focusing on Television. Episodes of series TRANSPARENT, BLACK MIRROR, WASTELAND and TUKO MACHO will be screening this year.

Here are some highlights from the first batch of TIFF ’16  Films announced:
“Arrival,” Denis Villeneuve, USA, Canadian Premiere
“Deepwater Horizon,” Peter Berg, USA, World Premiere
“The Headhunter’s Calling,” Mark Williams, Canada, World Premiere
“The Journey is the Destination,” Bronwen Hughes, United Kingdom/South Africa, World Premiere
“JT + The Tennessee Kids,” Jonathan Demme, USA, World Premiere
“LBJ,” Rob Reiner, USA, World Premiere
“Lion,” Garth Davis, Australia, World Premiere
“Loving,” Jeff Nichols, USA, North American Premiere
“A Monster Calls,” J.A. Bayona, USA/Spain, World Premiere
“Planetarium,” Rebecca Zlotowski, France/Belgium, North American Premiere
“Queen of Katwe,” Mira Nair, South Africa/Uganda, World Premiere
“The Rolling Stones Olé Olé Olé! : A Trip Across Latin America,” Paul Dugdale, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“The Secret Scripture,” Jim Sheridan, Ireland, World Premiere
“Snowden,” Oliver Stone, Germany/USA, World Premiere
“Strange Weather,” Katherine Dieckmann, USA, World Premiere
“Their Finest,” Lone Scherfig, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“A United Kingdom,” Amma Asante, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“The Age of Shadows” (Miljeong), Kim Jee woon, South Korea, North American Premiere
“All I See Is You,” Marc Forster, Thailand, World Premiere
“American Honey,” Andrea Arnold, USA, North American Premiere
“American Pastoral,” Ewan McGregor, USA, World Premiere
“Asura: The City of Madness,” Kim Sung-soo, South Korea, World Premiere
“Barakah Meets Barakah” (Barakah yoqabil Barakah), Mahmoud Sabbagh, Saudi Arabia, North American Premiere
“Barry,” Vikram Gandhi, USA, World Premiere
“Birth of the Dragon,” George Nolfi, USA/China/Canada, World Premiere
“The Birth of a Nation,” Nate Parker, USA, International Premiere
“Bleed for This,” Ben Younger, USA, Canadian Premiere
“Blue Jay,” Alex Lehmann USA, World Premiere
“Brimstone,” Martin Koolhoven, Netherlands/Germany/France/Belgium/Sweden/United Kingdom, North American Premiere
“Brotherhood,” Noel Clarke, United Kingdom, International Premiere
“Carrie Pilby,” Susan Johnson, USA, World Premiere
“Catfight,” Onur Tukel, USA, World Premiere
“City of Tiny Lights,” Pete Travis, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“The Commune” (Kollektivet), Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands, North American Premiere
“Daguerrotype” (Le Secret de la chambre noire), Kiyoshi Kurosawa, France/Japan/Belgium, World Premiere
“A Death in the Gunj,” Konkona Sensharma, India, World Premiere
“Denial,” Mick Jackson, USA/United Kingdom, World Premiere
“Elle,” Paul Verhoeven, France, North American Premiere
“Foreign Body” (Jassad Gharib, Corps Etranger), Raja Amari, Tunisia/France, World Premiere
“Frantz,” François Ozon, France/Germany, Canadian Premiere
“The Handmaiden” (Agassi), Park Chan-wook, South Korea, North American Premiere
“Harmonium” (Fuchi ni tatsu), Kôji Fukada, Japan/France, North American Premiere
“I Am Not Madame Bovary,” Feng Xiaogang, China, World Premiere
“The Journey,” Nick Hamm, United Kingdom, North American Premiere
“King of the Dancehall,” Nick Cannon, USA/Jamaica, World Premiere
“La La Land,” Damien Chazelle, USA, Canadian Premiere
“The Limehouse Golem,” Juan Carlos Medina, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan, USA, Canadian Premiere
“Mascots,” Christopher Guest, USA, World Premiere
“Maudie,” Aisling Walsh, Canada/Ireland, Canadian Premiere
“Neruda,” Pablo Larraín, Chile/Argentina/Spain/France, Canadian Premiere
“Nocturnal Animals,” Tom Ford, USA/United Kingdom, North American Premiere
“The Oath,” Baltasar Kormákur, Iceland, World Premiere
“Orphan” (Orpheline), Arnaud des Pallières, France, World Premiere
“Paris Can Wait,” Eleanor Coppola, USA, World Premiere
“Paterson,” Jim Jarmusch, USA, North American Premiere
“The Salesman,” Asghar Farhadi, North American Premiere
“Salt and Fire,” Werner Herzog, Germany/USA/France/Mexico, North American Premiere
“Sing,” Garth Jennings, USA/France, World Premiere
“Souvenir,” Bavo Defurne, Belgium/Luxembourg/France, North American Premiere
“Things to Come” (L’Avenir), Mia Hansen-Løve, France/Germany, Canadian Premiere
“Toni Erdmann,” Maren Ade, Germany, Canadian Premiere
“Trespass Against Us,” Adam Smith, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“Una,” Benedict Andrews, United Kingdom, Canadian Premiere
“Unless,” Alan Gilsenan, Canada/Ireland, World Premiere
“The Wasted Times” (Luo Man Di Ke Xiao Wang Shi) Cheng Er, China, World Premiere

 

Second batch of announcements:
“A Cool Sound from Hell,” Sidney J. Furie, Canada
“nirvanna the band the show,” Matt Johnson, Canada, World Premiere
“Nelly,” Anne Émond, Canada, World Premiere
“X Quinientos Juan Andrés Arango,” Canada/Colombia/Mexico, World Premiere
“Boundaries,” Chloé Robichaud, Canada, World Premiere
“Werewolf,” Ashley McKenzie, Canada, World Premiere
“Prank,” Vincent Biron, Canada, World Premiere
“Old Stone,” Johnny Ma, Canada/China, World Premiere
“Jean of the Joneses,” Stella Meghie, Canada, Canadian Premiere
“Hello Destroyer,” Kevan Funk, Canada, World Premiere
“ARQ,” Tony Elliott, USA/Canada, World Premiere
“The Stairs,” Hugh Gibson, Canada, World Premiere
“The Skyjacker’s Tale,” Jamie Kastner, Canada, World Premiere
“The River of My Dreams,” Brigitte Berman, Canada, World Premiere
“Mostly Sunny,” Dilip Mehta, Canada, World Premiere
“Giants of Africa,” Hubert Davis, Canada, World Premiere
“Black Code,” Nicholas de Pencier, Canada, World Premiere
“All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and The Spirit of I.F. Stone,” Fred Peabody, Canada, World Premiere
“We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice,” Alanis Obomsawin, Canada, World Premiere
“Anatomy of Violence,” Deepa Mehta, Canada/India, World Premiere
“Window Horses (The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming),” Ann Marie Fleming, Canada, North American Premiere
“Weirdos,” Bruce McDonald, Canada, World Premiere
“Two Lovers and a Bear Kim,” Nguyen, Canada, North American Premiere
“Mean Dreams,” Nathan Morlando, Canada, North American Premiere
“It’s Only the End of the World,” Xavier Dolan, Canada/France, North American Premiere
“Below Her Mouth,” April Mullen, Canada, World Premiere

 

Third batch of Films including Documentary, Midnight Madness and Vanguard Programmes:
“The 6th Beatle,” Tony Guma and John Rose, USA/United Kingdom/Germany, World Premiere
“ABACUS: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, USA World Premiere
“Amanda Knox,” Brian McGinn and Rod Blackhurst, USA/Denmark, World Premiere
“An Insignificant Man,” Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, India, World Premiere
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography,” Errol Morris, USA, International Premiere
“Beauties of the Night María,” José Cuevas, Mexico, Canadian Premiere
“Bezness as Usual,” Alex Pitstra, Netherlands, North American Premiere
“Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary,” John Scheinfeld, USA. International Premiere
“The Cinema Travellers,” Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya, India, North American Premiere
“Citizen Jane: Battle for the City,” Matt Tyrnauer, USA, World Premiere
“Forever Pure,” Maya Zinshtein, Israel/United Kingdom/Ireland/Norway, International Premiere
“Gaza Surf Club,” Philip Gnadt and Mickey Yamine, Germany, World Premiere
“Gimme Danger,” Jim Jarmusch, USA, North American Premiere
“Girl Unbound,” Erin Heidenreich, Pakistan/Canada/Hong Kong/South Korea, World Premiere
“I Am Not Your Negro,” Raoul Peck, USA/France/Belgium/Switzerland, World Premiere
“India in a Day,” Richie Mehta, India/United Kingdom, International Premiere
“In Exile Tin Win Naing,” Germany/Myanmar, World Premiere
“Into the Inferno,” Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, United Kingdom/Austria, International Premiere
“The Ivory Game Kief,” Davidson and Richard Ladkani, Austria/USA, International Premiere
“Karl Marx City,” Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker, USA/Germany, World Premiere
“Mali Blues,” Lutz Gregor, Germany North, American
“Politics, Instructions Manual (Política, manual de instrucciones),” Fernando León de Aranoa, Spain, International Premiere
“Rodnye (Close Relations),” Vitaly Mansky, Latvia/Germany/Estonia/Ukraine, North American Premiere
“The Turning Point,” USA, World Premiere
“The War Show Andreas Dalsgaard and Obaidah Zytoon,” Denmark/Finland/Syria, North American Premiere
“Water and Sugar: Carlo Di Palma, the Colours of Life,” Fariborz Kamkari, Italy, International Premiere

“The Autopsy of Jane Doe,” André Øvredal, USA World Premiere
“Blair Witch,” Adam Wingard, USA, World Premiere
“Dog Eat Dog,” Paul Schrader, USA, North American Premiere
“Free Fire,” Ben Wheatley, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“The Girl With All the Gifts,” Colm McCarthy, United Kingdom, North American Premiere
“Headshot,” Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto, Indonesia, World Premiere
“Rats Morgan,” Morgan Spurlock, USA, World Premiere
“Raw (Grave),” Julia Ducournau, France/Belgium, International Premiere
“Sadako vs. Kayako,” Kōji Shiraishi, Japan, International

“The Bad Batch Ana Lily Amirpour,” USA, North American Premiere
“Blind Sun Joyce,” A. Nashawati, France/Greece, North American Premiere
“Buster’s Mal Heart,” Sarah Adina Smith, USA, World Premiere
“Colossal,” Nacho Vigalondo, Canada, World Premiere
“Godspeed,” Chung Mong-Hong, Taiwan, World Premiere
“I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House,” Osgood Perkins, Canada/USA, World Premiere
“Interchange,” Dain Iskandar Said, Malaysia/Indonesia, North American Premiere
“Message from the King,” Fabrice Du Welz, United Kingdom/France/Belgium, World Premiere
“My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea,” Dash Shaw, USA, World Premiere
“Prevenge,” Alice Lowe, United Kingdom, North American Premiere
“The Untamed (La región salvaje),” Amat Escalante, Mexico/Denmark/France/Germany/Norway/Switzerland, North American Premiere
“WITHOUT NAME,” Lorcan Finnegan, Ireland, World Premiere

 

Fourth wave of Films announced including respectively Galas, Special Presentations, Masters, City to City and Contemporary World Cinema Programmes:

“Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer,” Joseph Cedar, USA/Israel, International Premiere
“The Promise,” Terry George, USA/Spain, World Premiere

“(Re)Assignment,” Walter Hill, Canada, World Premiere
“150 Milligrams (La Fille de Brest),” Emmanuelle Bercot, France, World Premiere
“The Bleeder,” Philippe Falardeau, USA, North American Premiere
“Brain on Fire,” Gerard Barrett, Ireland/Canada, World Premiere
“Burn Your Maps,” Jordan Roberts, USA/Mongolia, World Premiere
“Christine,” Antonio Campos, USA, Canadian Premiere
“The Duelist,” Alexey Mizgirev, Russia, World Premiere
“The Exception,” David Leveaux, United Kingdom, World Premiere
“I, Daniel,” Blake Ken Loach, United Kingdom/France/Belgium, North American Premiere
“In Dubious Battle,” James Franco, USA, North American Premiere
“The Long Excuse (Nagai Iiwake),” Miwa Nishikawa, Japan, World Premiere
“Rage,” Sang-il Lee, Japan, World Premiere
“Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey,” Terrence Malick, Germany, North American Premiere
“Wakefield,” Robin Swicord, USA, International Premiere
“After the Storm,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan North, American Premiere
“Afterimage (Powidoki),” Andrzej Wajda, Poland, World Premiere
“The Bait (Tope),” Buddhadeb Dasgupta, India, World Premiere
“The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez (Les Beaux Jours d’Aranjuez),” Wim Wenders, France/Germany, North American Premiere
“Certain Women,” Kelly Reichardt, USA, Canadian Premiere
“Fire at Sea (Fuocoammare),” Gianfranco Rosi, Italy/France, Canadian Premiere
“Graduation (Bacalaureat),” Cristian Mungiu, Romania, Canadian Premiere
“Hissein Habré, A Chadian Tragedy,” Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, France/Chad, North American Premiere
“J: Beyond Flamenco (JOTA),” Carlos Saura, Spain, World Premiere
“Julieta,” Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, North American Premiere
“Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi),” Goran Paskaljević, India/Serbia, World Premiere
“Ma’ Rosa Brillante,” Ma Mendoza, Philippines, North American Premiere
“The Net (Geumul),” Kim Ki-duk, South Korea, North American Premiere
“Never Ever (À jamais),” Benoît Jacquot, France/Portugal, North American Premiere
“Once Again (Pinneyum),” Adoor Gopalakrishnan, India, International Premiere
“Personal Shopper,” Olivier Assayas, France, North American Premiere
“A Quiet Passion,” Terence Davies, United Kingdom/Belgium, North American Premiere
“Safari,” Ulrich Seidl, Austria, American Premiere
“Sieranevada,” Cristi Puiu, Romania, North American Premiere
“Sweet Dreams (Fai bei sogni),” Marco Bellocchio, Italy, North American Premiere
“The Unknown Girl (La Fille inconnue),” Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Belgium/France, North American Premiere
“Yourself and Yours (Dangsinjasingwa dangsinui geot),” Hong Sang-soo, South Korea, World Premiere

“76,” Izu Ojukwu, Nigeria, World Premiere
“93 Days,” Steve Gukas, Nigeria, World Premiere
“The Arbitration,” Niyi Akinmolayan, Nigeria, International Premiere
“Green White Green,” Abba Makama, Nigeria, World Premiere
“Just Not Married,” Uduak-Obong Patrick, Nigeria, International Premiere
“Okafor’s Law,” Omoni Oboli, Nigeria, World Premiere
“Oko Ashewo (Taxi Driver),” Daniel Emeke Oriahi, Nigeria, North American Premiere
“The Wedding Party,” Kemi Adetiba, Nigeria, World Premiere

“A Decent Woman (Los Decentes),” Lukas Valenta Rinner, Austria/South Korea/Argentina, North American Premiere
“After Love (L’économie du couple),” Joachim Lafosse, France/Belgium, North American Premiere
“The Animal’s Wife (La Mujer del Animal),” Víctor Gaviria, Colombia, International Premiere
“Apprentice,” Boo Junfeng, Singapore/Germany/France/Hong Kong/Qatar, North American Premiere
“Aquarius,” Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil/France, North American Premiere
“Ayiti Mon Amour,” Guetty Felin, Haiti/USA, International Premiere
“Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces (Al Ma’ wal Khodra wal Wajh al Hassan),” Yousry Nasrallah, Egypt, North American Premiere
“Clair Obscur (Tereddüt),” Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Turkey/Germany/Poland/France, World Premiere
“Death in Sarajevo (Smrt u Sarajevu),” Danis Tanović, Bosnia and Herzegovina/France, North American Premiere
“Ember (Kor),” Zeki Demirkubuz, Turkey/Germany, International Premiere
“The Fixer (Fixeur),” Adrian Sitaru, Romania/France, World Premiere
“Handsome Devil,” John Butler, Ireland, World Premiere
“Heaven Will Wait (Le ciel attendra),” Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, France, North American Premiere
“In Between (Bar Bahr),” Maysaloun Hamoud, Israel/France, World Premiere
“Indivisible (Indivisibili),” Edoardo de Angelis, Italy, International Premiere
“Marie Curie, The Courage of Knowledge,” Marie Noëlle, Germany/France/Poland, World Premiere
“Mister Universo,” Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, Austria/Italy, North American Premiere
“Past Life,” Avi Nesher, Israel, World Premiere
“The Patriarch (Mahana),” Lee Tamahori, New Zealand, North American Premiere
“Pyromaniac (Pyromanen),” Erik Skjoldbjærg, Norway, International Premiere
“The Rehearsal,” Alison Maclean, New Zealand, North American Premiere
“The Road to Mandalay,” Midi Z, Taiwan/Myanmar/France/Germany, North American Premiere
“Santa & Andres (Santa y Andrés),” Carlos Lechuga, Cuba/Colombia/France, World Premiere
“Soul on a String,” Zhang Yang, China, International Premiere
“Tamara and the Ladybug (Tamara y la Catarina),” Lucía Carreras, Mexico/Spain, World Premiere
“Tramps,” Adam Leon, USA, World Premiere
“Vaya,” Akin Omotoso, South Africa, World Premiere
“We Are Never Alone (Nikdy nejsme sami),” Petr Vaclav, Czech Republic/France, North American Premiere
“The Wedding Ring (Zin’naariyâ!),” Rahmatou Keïta, Niger/Burkina Faso/France, World Premiere
“The Women’s Balcony (Ismach Hatani),” Emil Ben Shimon, Israel, World Premiere
“Zaćma: Blindness Ryszard Bugajski,” Poland, World Premiere
“Zoology (Zoologiya),” Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Russia/France/Germany, North American Premiere

 

Individual Tickets for TIFF ’16 go on-sale on Sunday, September 4, 2016 at 9:00 AM here. Bookmark that link!

TIFF ’16 takes over the City Thursday, September 8, 2016 through Sunday, September 18, 2016.

We’ll see you there!

(Photo credit: Fox Searchlight, Focus Features, Elevation Pictures, eOne Films)