Toronto International Film Festival Reveals First Gala and Special Presentation Titles for 2017

Piers Handling, CEO and Director of TIFF, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF, today unveiled the first round of titles premiering in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes of the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival®.

Of the 14 Galas and 33 Special Presentations, this first announcement includes 25 World Premieres, eight International Premieres, six North American Premieres and eight Canadian Premieres.

“Festival-goers from around the world can anticipate a remarkable lineup of extraordinary stories, voices and cinematic visions from emerging talent and some of our favourite masters,” said Handling. “Today’s announcement offers audiences a glimpse at this year’s rich and robust selection of films, including works from Canada, USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, India, Chile, Egypt and Cambodia.”

“Every year we set the stage for film lovers of all ages and cultural backgrounds to come together and embrace the universal power of cinema,” said Bailey. “As the Festival enters its fifth decade, we’ve challenged ourselves to adapt and build on our strengths, and we look forward to championing a new selection of films that will captivate and inspire global film audiences.”

The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.

GALAS 2017

Breathe Andy Serkis, United Kingdom -World Premiere

The Catcher Was A Spy Ben Lewin, USA - World Premiere

*Closing Night Film*

C’est la vie! Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano, France - World Premiere

Darkest Hour Joe Wright, United Kingdom - Canadian Premiere

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool Paul McGuigan, United Kingdom - Canadian Premiere

Kings Deniz Gamze Ergüven, France/Belgium - World Premiere

Long Time Running Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, - Canada World Premiere

Mary Shelley Haifaa Al Mansour, Ireland/United Kingdom/Luxembourg/USA - World Premiere

The Mountain Between Us Hany Abu-Assad, USA - World Premiere

Mudbound Dee Rees, USA International Premiere Stronger David Gordon Green, USA - World Premiere

Untitled Bryan Cranston/Kevin Hart Film Neil Burger, USA World Premiere

The Wife Björn Runge, United Kingdom/Sweden World Premiere

Woman Walks Ahead Susanna White, USA World Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2017

Battle of the Sexes Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton, USA - International Premiere

BPM (Beats Per Minute) Robin Campillo, France - North American Premiere

The Brawler Anurag Kashyap, India - World Premiere

The Breadwinner Nora Twomey, Canada/Ireland/Luxembourg - World Premiere

Call Me By Your Name Luca Guadagnino, Italy/France - Canadian Premiere

Catch the Wind Gaël Morel, France - International Premiere

The Children Act Richard Eyre, United Kingdom - World Premiere

The Current War Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, USA - World Premiere

Disobedience Sebastián Lelio, United Kingdom - World Premiere

Downsizing Alexander Payne, USA - Canadian Premiere

A Fantastic Woman Sebastián Lelio, Chile - Canadian Premiere

First They Killed My Father Angelina Jolie, Cambodia - Canadian Premiere

The Guardians Xavier Beauvois, France/Switzerland - World Premiere

Hostiles Scott Cooper, USA - International Premiere

The Hungry Bornila Chatterjee, India - World Premiere

I, Tonya Craig Gillespie, USA - World Premiere

*Special Presentations Opening Film*

Lady Bird Greta Gerwig, USA - International Premiere

mother! Darren Aronofsky, USA - North American Premiere

Novitiate Maggie Betts, USA - International Premiere

Omerta Hansal Mehta, India - World Premiere

Plonger Mélanie Laurent, France - World Premiere

The Price of Success Teddy Lussi-Modeste, France - International Premiere

Professor Marston & the Wonder Women Angela Robinson, USA - World Premiere

The Rider Chloé Zhao, USA - Canadian Premiere

A Season in France Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, France - World Premiere

The Shape of Water Guillermo del Toro, USA - Canadian Premiere

*Special Presentations Closing Film*

Sheikh Jackson Amr Salama, Egypt - World Premiere

The Square Ruben Östlund, Sweden - North American Premiere

Submergence Wim Wenders, France/Germany/Spain - World Premiere

Suburbicon George Clooney, USA - North American Premiere

Thelma Joachim Trier, Norway/Sweden/France/Denmark - International Premiere

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Martin McDonagh, USA - North American Premiere

Victoria and Abdul Stephen Frears, United Kingdom - North American Premiere

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Festival ticket packages start at $105. Purchase packages online at tiff.net/tickets, by phone (416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433), or in person at TIFF Bell Lightbox until August 13 while quantities last.

About TIFF

TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world, through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution programme Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

The Toronto International Film Festival is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada and the City of Toronto.

The Special Presentations programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Canada Goose.​