TIFF sets the stage, announces 6 films making world debut on the big screen – NOW Toronto

The Toronto International Film Festival is returning this fall and has announced six exciting titles premiering at its 49th edition. 

TIFF will roll out the red carpet from Sept. 5 to 15, holding screenings for films from all over the world, hosting live Q&A’s and a multiple-day industry conference. 

The festival revealed six highly anticipated titles full of renowned stars making their world premiere at the 11-day affair.  

“We know the TIFF audience has been eagerly anticipating what films will be coming to Toronto this September,” Anita Lee, chief programming officer at TIFF, said in a press release. 

Lee says the announcement is only a peak at the wonderful range of titles to come this year. 

Film lovers, here’s what you need to know about the first six films coming to TIFF this fall.

Elton John: Never Too Late

Elton John: Never Too Late is a documentary following the “Rocket Man” singer through his last tour, “Farewell Yellow Brick Road,” which lasted five years due to being postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first tour in history to gross over $900 million. Directed by R.J. Cutlet and John’s husband, David Furnish, the documentary will contain concert footage from over the past 50 years, hand-written journals and never-before-seen precious moments of the 77-year-old and his family. The film will be available for streaming on Disney+ at a later date. 

Harbin 

Hyun Bin stars in Harbin,, a Korean spy movie set in 1909. The espionage thriller depicts the suspenseful pursuit between those heading to Harbin in northern China for a secret mission, at a time where Korea was under brutal Japanese colonial rule. Among them is a renowned Korean independence fighter, Ahn Jung-geun, who shot and killed Ito Hirobumi, Japan’s first prime minister and resident-general of Korea, at Harbin Station, according to The Korea Times.

The Life of Chuck

Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck is an adaptation of the Stephen King novella of the same name. From the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, the horror-induced film tells the unusual story of a seemingly ordinary man over the course of three chapters. The star-studded leading cast includes Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Lilard, Jacob Tremblay and Kate Siegel. 

Nightbitch

Amy Adams will star in Nightbitch, a comedy-horror film based on the 2021 novel of the same name. The film follows an artist who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon realizes the struggles of motherhood. The pent-up loneliness and exhaustion suddenly takes a surprising feral turn for her one night when she starts to notice some intense bodily changes. 

Rez Ball

Rez Balls tells the story of the Chuska Warriors, a Native American high-school basketball team from Chuska, New Mexico. After losing their star player, the team must band together if they want to keep their quest for a state championship alive, describes the film’s IMDb page. The coming-of-age story is co-written and directed by Navajo filmmaker Sydney Freeland and produced by NBA star Lebron James. The film will be available for streaming on Netflix at a later date. 

The Wild Robot 

From the mind of Lilo & Stitch director Chris Sanders, The Wild Robot follows an intelligent robot called Roz who becomes stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose, according to the film’s IMBd. The sole animated film released in this season’s lineup thus far, the sci-fi adventure film stars Lupita Nyong’o in a voice acting role for the first time in an animated feature-length film, as well as Pedro Pascal and Toronto’s own Catherine O’Hara.