The Toronto Film Festival unveiled 54 new film titles for its global-film-focused Centerpiece program, featuring auteur-driven works by Daniel Oriahi, Marie Clements, David Bezmozgis, and Cody Lightning, according to festival organizers.
Global World Premieres Dominate the Centerpiece Sidebar
Toronto booked world bows for several high-profile comedies and dramas. Kris Rey brings the comedy Trash Mountain, starring Caleb Hearon, Zooey Deschanel, Jacki Weaver, Kyle Marvin, and Jaboukie Young-White. Simon Rex stars in the comedy thriller God Bless You, Mr Kopu, directed by Alex Liu. Barry Keoghan anchors the Irish feature Lemonade, written and directed by documentary filmmaker Kim Bartley in her narrative feature debut. Michelle Yeoh stars in the action film The Surgeon, from writer-director Rohsan Sethi and Patrick Wachsberger’s 193. Additionally, writer-director Cody Lightning helms the sports feature Smudge the Blades, starring Ed Helms, Paulina Alexis, and Jana Schmieding alongside Lightning.
Did you know?
The Toronto Film Festival Centerpiece program specifically highlights acclaimed international cinema, regional storytelling, and distinct auteur voices from around the globe.
Auteur Features and International Co-Productions
The lineup features significant auteur-driven entries, including Ron Murphy’s Back in Black, starring Christopher Walken, Ella Ballentine, and Jane Curtin, which was shot locally in Toronto. Shawn Garry presents his sophomore feature After Elena, starring Alfredo Castro, a frequent collaborator with Pablo Larrain. Indian director Karthik Subbaraj brings his tenth feature, the Tamil-language film Dorothy. Indonesian director Kamila Andini showcases Four Seasons in Java, focusing on a woman returning to her village after prison. Jenna Cato Bass directs the time-travel sci-fi picture Future Tense, which follows rich tourists escaping the past and an interracial couple testing their relationship.
Additional world premieres include Marie Clements’ How We Stand, a drama about an Indigenous family relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s, starring Amber Midthunder, Cara Jade Myers, and Alyssa Wapanatâhk. Banjong Pisanthanakun, the Thai filmmaker behind Shutter and Pee Mak, brings the horror film Inherit. Alexandre Franchi directs The Other (L’Autre), starring Antigone actor Nahema Ricci. Other notable world premieres include Youm Kyu Bock’s 3D animated drama Long Long Night, Neto Villalobos Brenes’ dystopian thriller Love Is the Monster starring Paulina García, Avi Nesher’s October 7 tragedy drama Our Loves, and Rodrigo Barriuso’s Neverman, starring Laura Wilson and Duane Murray.
Regional Stories and Animation Additions
Further international selections round out the slate outside the Hollywood orbit. Hosam Abu Dan debuts with Thirteen in Gaza. Serville Poblete directs Sunburn, a story about friends escaping summer heat during a massive power outage. David Bezmozgis adapts his earlier novel for the Crimea-set psychological drama The Betrayers. Omar E. Ospina Giraldo directs The Bovine With the Curved Horns from Colombia. Daniel Oriahi adapts the novel The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives from Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Films, and Juan Andres Arango directs Where the River Begins.
Animation also holds a prominent place in the Centerpiece roster. Oscar-nominated director Louise Bagnall presents her debut 2D animated feature Julian, which previously bowed in Annecy. Julien Chheng brings the mythic 2D animated odyssey Muyi. Ervin Han and Raúl García direct the hand-drawn 2D and CGI epic The Violinist, and Sebastien Laudenbach presents Viva Carmen, a 2D-animated reimagining of Bizet’s opera.
North American Premieres and Additional Selections
The Centerpiece sidebar secured high-profile North American premieres as well. Anthony Chen presents We Are All Strangers, alongside Diego Luna’s immigrant drama Ashes, Sandra Wollner’s Cannes family drama Everytime, and Yonfan’s autobiographical documentary Intermission. Marine Atlan brings La Gradiva, Xu Zao directs Light Pillar, and Franco-Chadian auteur Mahamat-Saleh Haroun showcases Soumsoum, The Night of the Stars.
The final wave of Centerpiece titles includes Rafiki Farlala’s Congo Boy, Louis Clichy’s Iron Boy, Marie-Clementine Dusabejambo’s Ben’Imana, Valeska Grisebach’s The Dreamed Adventure, May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown, Muayad Alayan’s Conversation With The Sea, Manuel Wetscher’s Eklipse, and Abinash Bikram Shah’s directorial debut thriller Elephants in the Fog.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Toronto Film Festival take place?
The festival runs from September 10 to 20.
What is the Centerpiece program at TIFF?
The Centerpiece program focuses on global cinema, featuring international features, regional storytelling, and auteur-driven titles from around the world.
Are there animated films in the Centerpiece lineup?
Yes, the program includes animated works such as Louise Bagnall’s Julian, Julien Chheng’s Muyi, the epic The Violinist, and Sebastien Laudenbach’s Viva Carmen.
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