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 Presentation programs of the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival.
Starting September 6th the annual international film festival which is at the forefront of Hollywood buzz around Oscar-worthy films will have some stellar premieres and notably Black films from biggest and best of talented creators in entertainment.
Here’s a sneak peek of films we’re excited to check out at this year’s festival!
THE HATE U GIVE
We’ve been excited for this film for a while and we’re even more hyped to see it make its premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. George Tillman, Jr.’s The Hate U Give will make its World Premiere debut. Based on the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller by Angela Thomas, a timely, powerful and thought-provoking story of race and identity, told from the perspective of Starr Carter, played by Amandla Stenberg.
WIDOWS
Steve McQueen’s Widows, will make its World Premiere at the festival. The film is a crime drama starring Viola Davis and based on a U.K. TV series. The film is co-written by McQueen and screenwriter Gillian Flynn, and also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Robert Duvall and Liam Neeson.
WHERE HANDS TOUCH
Amma Asante best known for her work in films like Belle and A United Kingdom brings her latest film Where Hands Touch to TIFF. The British romance drama war film stars Amandla Stenberg, and George MacKay.
MONSTERS AND MEN
We here at BGN are familiar with the film Monsters and Men directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. I reviewed it myself during Sundance and the film came with a standing ovation during the premiere.  One night, in front of a bodega in Brooklyn’s Bed–Stuy neighborhood, Manny Ortega witnesses, and records a white police officer wrongfully gun down an unarmed Black man who’s known for selling loosies to the local residents. The film stars Anthony Ramos and John David Washington.
THE WEEKEND
Everything, Everything director Stella Meghie brings her film The Weekend to TIFF. The film, which Meghie also wrote, centers on an acerbic comedian who goes away for the weekend with an ex-boyfriend and his new girl. Over the course of the weekend, they’re drawn into an unexpected romantic entanglement with the arrival of another guest. The film stars Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, and DeWanda Wise
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Based on the James Baldwin novel of the same name, the highly anticipated from Oscar winner Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk will make its debut at TIFF. The film stars Regina King, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Diego Luna, Dave Franco, and Ed Skrein.
More announcements from TIFF will be released soon. Below is a full list of what was presented today via press release:
GALAS 2018
Beautiful Boy Felix van Groeningen, USA
World Premiere
Everybody Knows Asghar Farhadi, Spain/France/Italy
North American Premiere
First Man Damien Chazelle, USA
Canadian Premiere
Galveston Mélanie Laurent, USA
Canadian Premiere
The Hate U Give George Tillman, Jr., USA
World Premiere
Hidden Man Jiang Wen, China
International Premiere
High Life Claire Denis, Germany/France/Poland/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Husband Material Anurag Kashyap, India
World Premiere
The Kindergarten Teacher Sara Colangelo, USA
Canadian Premiere
The Land of Steady Habits Nicole Holofcener, USA
World Premiere
Life Itself Dan Fogelman, USA
World Premiere
The Public Emilio Estevez, USA
World Premiere
Red Joan Sir Trevor Nunn, United Kingdom
World Premiere
Shadow Zhang Yimou, China
North American Premiere
A Star is Born Bradley Cooper, USA
North American Premiere
What They Had Elizabeth Chomko, USA
International Premiere
Widows Steve McQueen, United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2018
Ben is Back Peter Hedges, USA
World Premiere
Burning Lee Chang-dong, South Korea
North American Premiere
Can You Ever Forgive Me? Marielle Heller, USA
International Premiere
Capernaum Nadine Labaki, Lebanon
North American Premiere
Cold War Paweł Pawlikowski, Poland/United Kingdom/France
Canadian Premiere
Colette Wash Westmoreland, United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
Dogman Matteo Garrone, Italy/France
Canadian Premiere
The Front Runner Jason Reitman, USA
International Premiere
Giant Little Ones Keith Behrman, Canada
World Premiere
Girls of the Sun (Les filles du soleil) Eva Husson, France
International Premiere
Hotel Mumbai Anthony Maras, Australia
World Premiere
The Hummingbird Project Kim Nguyen, Canada
World Premiere
If Beale Street Could Talk Barry Jenkins, USA
World Premiere
Manto Nandita Das, India
North American Premiere
Maya Mia Hansen-Løve, France
World Premiere
Monsters and Men Reinaldo Marcus Green, USA
Canadian Premiere
*Special Presentations Opening Film*
MOUTHPIECE Patricia Rozema, Canada
World Premiere
Non-Fiction Olivier Assayas, France
Canadian Premiere
The Old Man & The Gun David Lowery, USA
International Premiere
Papi Chulo John Butler, Ireland
World Premiere
Roma Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico/USA
Canadian Premiere
*Special Presentations Closing Film*
Shoplifters Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan
Canadian Premiere
The Sisters Brothers Jacques Audiard, USA/France/Romania/Spain
North American Premiere
Sunset László Nemes, Hungary/France
North American Premiere
Through Black Spruce Don McKellar, Canada
World Premiere
The Wedding Guest Michael Winterbottom, United Kingdom
World Premiere
The Weekend Stella Meghie, USA
World Premiere
Where Hands Touch Amma Asante, United Kingdom
World Premiere
White Boy Rick Yann Demange, USA
International Premiere
Wildlife Paul Dano, USA
Canadian Premiere
