TIFF is fast approaching, and Toronto’s annual film festival is promising another year of buzzy movie premieres, celebrity appearances, and special celebrations for movie lovers from around the world.
There is a strong showing for women and Canadians in this year’s TIFF programming, with so much talent both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. We’re excited to share with you 20 of our most anticipated films coming to the festival in September. With so much taking place over the 10-day festival, we hope our guide helps you plan a memorable TIFF!
Filling up our list this year are exciting directorial debuts, star-studded casts, much-needed queer and trans representation, thrillers with chilling social commentary, emotionally hard-hitting romances, stories of the underdogs and underappreciated, captivating documentaries, dark comedies and much more.
TIFF runs from September 5-15, and the full schedule of hundreds of films and special events is live now. Tickets are available to TIFF members starting August 16, and to the public on August 26.
Nightbitch – Marielle Heller
Nightbitch is shaping up to be one of the most talked about dark comedies of the year, and we can’t wait for its world premiere at TIFF. Amy Adams stars as a stay-at-home mom, overworked and exhausted from caring for her toddler while her husband is travelling. Her domestic life takes a surreal turn when something primal begins to surface within her…is she turning into a dog?
Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, we love that this film explores the sides of motherhood that aren’t talked about enough—and we can’t wait to see this darkly hilarious story play out on screen.
Public Screenings: Sept 7, Sept 8, Sept 12, Sept 13, Sept 15. More info.
Photo by John Platt
The Deb – Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut is here, and this bold musical comedy will be the closing film for TIFF ‘24! Australian cousins Maeve and Taylah are very different — Taylah dreams of being invited to her town’s debutante ball while Maeve wants to push back against such heteronormative traditions. Can the two connect despite their differences? We’re stoked to see Wilson’s humour unfold from behind the camera in what looks to be a sweet, musical story of girlhood.
Public Screenings: Sept 14, Sept 15. More info.
We Live in Time – John Crowley
Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in this uniquely structured romance that questions how we can make the most of our time in this world. Almut and Tobias’ relationship is full of shocking twists and turns—from their meet-cute car accident to giving birth in an unexpected location. As Almut faces an intense medical diagnosis, we move through three distinct timelines of this couple’s compelling story.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 7. More info.
Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
This musical crime comedy is another highly anticipated film set to make a splash at the festival. With a stellar cast of Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Adriana Paz and Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez follows a lawyer who must help a notorious cartel boss who is secretly transitioning, staging his death to make way for a new identity—Emilia Pérez. It is described as a combination of “pop opera, narco thriller, and gender affirmation drama”—we’re so sold.
Public Screenings: Sept 9, Sept 10, Sept 13, Sept 14, Sept 15. More info.
The Last Showgirl – Gia Coppola
We’re so excited to see Pamela Anderson shine in The Last Showgirl. Directed by Gia Coppola, the film follows a seasoned Las Vegas showgirl (Anderson) who must find her place in the world when her show suddenly closes after a 30-year run. Also starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Brenda Song, and Kiernan Shipka—this one to look out for.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 8, Sept 13, Sept 14. More info.
The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
All it takes is one injection of THE SUBSTANCE, and former A-lister Elisabeth Sparkle is reborn as the gorgeous younger version of herself…as long as she splits her time equally between her two bodies. This twisted and provocative thriller is a satirical take on toxic beauty culture with a stacked cast of Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. See this one at TIFF’s Midnight Madness screening for a thrill that will keep you up all night.
Public Screenings: Sept 5, Sept 6, Sept 13. More info.
Bird – Andrea Arnold
If you can’t get enough of Barry Keoghan, you won’t want to miss him in Bird—filmmaker Andrea Arnold’s latest. He stars as Bug, a loving yet distracted father to 12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams). When Bailey retreats into nature to seek comfort, she has an encounter that changes everything, helping her confront her mother’s abusive partner. This is a coming-of-age story that tackles identity, sexism, loneliness, and class struggle.
Public Screenings: Sept 7, Sept 8, Sept 13, Sept 14. More info.
Babygirl – Halina Reijn
In this thrilling erotic drama, Nicole Kidman stars as a high-powered executive who risks everything when she cheats on her husband (Antonio Banderas), beginning a sexual relationship with Samuel (Harris Dickinson), an intern at her company. Writer-director Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies) crafts this story rife with complex power dynamics, sexual tension and difficult emotional truths.
Public Screenings: Sept 10, Sept 11. More info.
Shell – Max Minghella
This dark comedy body horror with a superstar cast shines a light on our society’s obsession with youth and beauty. Down on her luck actress Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss) is invited into the ultra glamorous world of Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson), CEO of health & wellness company Shell. When their patients start to go missing, including starlet Chloe Benson (Kaia Gerber), Samantha realizes Shell may be protecting a monstrous secret…we’re intrigued.
Public Screenings: Sept 12, Sept 13. More info.
Without Blood – Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie directs this intimate portrait of family, war and revenge, continuing her focus on thoughtful war dramas from her previous films The Land of Blood and Honey (2011) and First They Killed My Father (2017). In Without Blood, an adaptation of Alessandro Baricco’s novel of the same name, Salma Hayek Pinault stars as Nina, a woman who returns to confront a man who inflicted horrific violence on her family.
Public Screenings: Sept 8, Sept 10, Sept 12, Sept 13. More info.
Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara – Erin Lee Carr
This gripping documentary shares the story of Canadian queer pop duo Tegan and Sara, and delves into their complex relationship with social media. While the internet helped the duo connect with their fans, it also spurred the creation of fake accounts pretending to be Tegan, spreading lies and personal information about the singer. Tune into this one for a look at parasocial relationships, the ups and downs of internet fanbases, and the rise of Tegan and Sara, trailblazers in music and LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Public Screenings: Sept 13, Sept 14, Sept 15. More info.
The Fire Inside- Rachel Morrison
The Fire Inside is the true-life story of boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport. Rachel Morrison makes her feature directorial debut with this inspirational sports drama that asks what comes after the triumph of an underdog.
Public Screenings: Sept 7, Sept 8, Sept 13, Sept 15. More info.
Canadian Titles:
Paying For It – Sook-Yin Lee
Sook-Yin Lee tells her story in Paying For It, an adaptation of the graphic novel by her ex Chester Brown. In late 90s Toronto, when Sonny (Lee’s alter ego) wants to redefine their relationship, Chester starts sleeping with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy in the process. This is a story about love, sex, non-monogamy, and sex work, told through the female gaze.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 7. More info.
Seeds – Kaniehtiio Horn
Written, directed by and starring Kaniehtiio Horn, Seeds is a tense thriller about Kanien’kéha connections to the land. When Ziggy, a thirty-something Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) woman, is offered her first gig as an online influencer for a seed and fertilizer company she is summoned back to the rez and forced into a battle to save her people’s legacy.
Known for her roles in Letterkenny and Reservation Dogs, and after a strong performance in the TIFF ‘22 film Alice, Darling, we’re thrilled to see Horn’s latest project premiering at TIFF.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 7. More info.
Photo courtesy of CIGAW Productions
Can I Get a Witness? – Ann Marie Fleming
Sandra Oh, Keira Jang, and Joel Oulette star in Can I Get a Witness?, a Canadian sci-fi thriller interwoven with animation. Set in a future where all the world’s problems are solved, from climate change to poverty to inequality, there is a big catch—humans have to end life at the age of 50. Teenage artists are tasked with documenting the deaths, and Kiah (Jang) struggles with her new job. This is a fascinating premise with so many possibilities to explore—it’s on our must-see list for sure.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 7. More info.
Do I Know You from Somewhere? – Arianna Martinez
In Do I Know You from Somewhere? a committed couple finds their life slipping away, not because they’ve done anything in particular, but because their history is unwriting itself. Co-written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Arianna Martinez, this short clip stars Caroline Bell and Ian Ottis Goff trying to make sense of their new reality— it already has us intrigued.
Public Screenings: Sept 6, Sept 7, Sept 13. More info.
Bonjour Tristesse – Durga Chew-Bose
This sun-soaked coming-of-age story centers on Cécile (Lily McInerny), an 18-year-old on summer holiday by the French seaside. When her mother’s stylish friend Anne (Chloë Sevigny) arrives, she uncovers truths about those around her, and herself. Based on Françoise Sagan’s novel of the same name, Bonjour Tristesse is an exploration of growing up and the influence of bonds between women.
Public Screenings: Sept 5, Sept 6. More info.
Village Keeper – Karen Chapman
Set in a community housing project in Toronto’s Lawrence Heights, single mother Jean faces a massive loss. Haunted by the past and grappling with secrets, Jean must help her two teenage children cope. Olunike Adeliyi (Backspot, The Porter), stars in this story of grief and motherhood—Chapman’s first dramatic feature, based on her short film Measure.
Public Screenings: Sept 11, Sept 12, Sept 14. More info.
Really Happy Someday – J Stevens
Really Happy Someday tells the story of Z (Breton Lalama), a star in Toronto’s musical theatre scene who finally feels at home in his body after transitioning. But testosterone changes his voice, and with the help of those around him, he must learn to sing in his new register in order to return to doing what he loves most. Drawn from director J Stevens’ and Lalama’s lived experiences, and set in Toronto, this story about identity and community is sure to make an impact.
Public Screenings: Sept 8, Sept 10. More info.
Sweet Angel Baby – Melanie Oates
Sweet Angel Baby delves into the peril that unfolds when Eliza’s secret social media persona is exposed. As a beloved member of a small Newfoundland fishing community, the discovery puts her relationships in jeopardy. Michaela Kurimsky and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers star in this feature debut from St John’s filmmaker Melanie Oates.
Public Screenings: Sept 9, Sept 10, Sept 13. More info.
The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 5-15. See the TIFF website for the full list and schedule of films.
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