It’s the most wonderful time of the year for film lovers in Toronto—the Toronto International Film Festival, also known as TIFF! In the coming days, hundreds of films will premiere right here in the heart of the city, meaning TONS of superstar guests and lots to do for festival-goers.

With the festival fast approaching (September 5-15), we wanted to compile a list of the must-know info about TIFF 2024, including which celebrities will be in Toronto, free activities on Festival Street, some of our favourite annual events, and of course, which films are on our radar.

Stay up to date with all things TIFF by following SheDoesTheCity on Instagram and subscribing to our newsletter! Keep an eye out for exciting giveaways, star-studded interviews, and on-the-ground coverage of festival happenings.

Celebrity Guests

This is shaping up to be a star-studded year at TIFF! The festival has released a list of 700+ guests that are expected to appear at the festival in the coming days—they can be spotted on red carpets, at film premieres, at In Conversation With… talks, exploring the city, or sometimes even sitting down for a meal at your favourite spot on King West. There are countless stars we’re excited to see, including:

  • Amy Adams
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Aubrey Plaza
  • Cate Blanchett
  • Chloë Sevigny
  • Daisy Edgar-Jones
  • Demi Moore
  • Florence Pugh
  • Jennifer Coolidge
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Julianne Moore
  • Kate Hudson
  • Lily James
  • Lupita Nyong’o
  • Malala Yousafzai
  • Margaret Qualley
  • Nicole Kidman
  • Pamela Anderson
  • Rachel Sennott
  • Rebel Wilson
  • Salma Hayek Pinault
  • Sandra Oh
  • Sarah Polley
  • Selena Gomez
  • Stephanie Hsu
  • Sydney Sweeney
  • Teresa Palmer
  • Tilda Swinton
  • Uma Thurman
  • Zoe Saldaña

See the full list of expected talent here!

Festival Street

One of our favourite parts of TIFF is taking in the buzz and excitement of Festival Street. A stretch of King Street West (from Peter St. to University Ave.) will transform into a pedestrian-only zone for the first few days of TIFF, from September 5-8. Festival Street offers tons of free events and activations that anyone can take part in, whether or not you scored movie tickets this year. Here’s a few to keep on your radar. The full rundown is here!

Cinema Park

David Pecaut Square will be transformed into an open-air cinema park for several nights during TIFF! You can see classics like Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (Sept 5), Ghost (Sept 6), Gattaca (Sept 7), Arrival (Sept 8), Drumline (Sept 9), The Outsiders (Sept 10), Ghostbusters (Sept 11), Footloose (Sept 12), The Karate Kid (Sept 13) and Pitch Perfect (Sept 14). Screenings start at 10pm.

Festival Street Art Market

Support, shop, and learn about a bunch of Toronto arts organizations at the Festival Street Art Market. If you’re looking to get connected to Toronto’s arts scene, this is a great place to start. Local organizations including Toronto Film School, Inside Out Film Festival, Reel Asian Film Festival, imagineNATIVE, OCAD, Luminato Festival, and Workman Arts will be present to share initiatives, activities, programming information and more.

Choir! Choir! Choir! — The Tragically Hip Sing-a-Long

On September 5, sing your heart out at this massive outdoor sing-a-long in celebration of The Tragically Hip’s 40th anniversary. Following the premiere of the four-part docu-series The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, Choir! Choir! Choir! will lead fans outside the Royal Alexandra Theatre in a musical tribute to the beloved Canadian rock band.

Must-See Film Premieres

Not sure where to start when it comes to TIFF films? We’ve compiled a guide to 20 of our most anticipated films coming to the festival this year, from the buzzy dark comedy Nightbitch, to Rebel Wilson’s musical comedy The Deb, to debuts from Canadian filmmakers and so, so much more. Read our guide to TIFF 2024 here!

The Firecracker Department Annual TIFF Brunch

The Firecracker Department is a community of women and non-binary artists coming together to take creative action, and their annual TIFF brunch is always a delightful, inspirational event. On September 7 at CSI Annex, participate in an art auction, make art at a creative action table, shop for thrifted clothes, connect with like-minded creatives and hear from this year’s Firecracker Department award winners, Allana Harkin and Robin Duke. More info. 

Bask-It-Style Giveaway

Who doesn’t love free things? We will once again be partnering with Bask-It-Style for an epic giveaway of the luxurious products featured in their gift lounge at The Fairmont Royal York. Featured brands include Bag & Bougie, Browns Shoes, Peak Human, SodaStream, Toronto Popcorn Company and many more! Bask-It-Style is known for gifting swag during TIFF to celebs like Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, John Legend and Olivia Wilde. You deserve the V.I.P. treatment this TIFF — keep an eye on our Instagram for your chance to win this awesome gift basket.

For more information about TIFF and the full schedule events, visit their website.