TIFF teased us with a trickle of eye emojis and it was worth the wait! The Toronto International Film Festival announced 18 Galas and 45 Special Presentations for the 2022 festival today, and September promises to be a star-studded affair. The announcement comes one day after Sally El Hosaini’s Syrian refugee drama The Swimmers was unveiled as TIFF’s opening gala.
Galas announced today include the Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin reunion Moving On from director Paul Weitz. Also tapped for Roy Thompson Hall is the rom-com What’s Love Got to Do with It? starring Lily James, Shazad Latif, and Emma Thompson. The film is the latest from director Shekar Kapur (Elizabeth). Catherine Hardwicke’s Prisoner’s Daughter, meanwhile, stars Kate Beckinsale and Brian Cox in a drama about an ex-con seeking to repair his relationship with his family. Family drama also fuels Rodrigo García’s Raymond & Ray. The film stars Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke as half-brothers who reunite at their father’s funeral.
On the Canadian front, Hubert Davis’s documentary Black Ice gets the gala treatment. The film examines the history and ongoing challenge of anti-Black racism in hockey.
Stacked Special Presentations
Perhaps even more likely to stir excitement in the TIFF ’22 announcement are the Special Presentations titles. There are lots of stars, auteurs, and high-profile projects. As expected, Sarah Polley’s highly anticipated Women Talking will have its international premiere at TIFF. The American film is an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ book about women in a Mennonite community summoning their courage to defend themselves following rampant sexual abuse. Admittedly, losing the world premiere to Telluride must sting.
Meanwhile, The Banshees of Inisherin (pictured) brings Martin McDonagh back to Toronto after scooping the People’s Choice Award for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The drama stars Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, and Brendan Gleeson. McDonagh is joined by fellow People’s Choice alum Sam Mendes, who will bow the buzzy Empire of Light with festival favourites Olivia Colman and Colin Firth. Mendes’ TIFF win for American Beauty in 1999 was arguably a game-changer for the festival’s status as an Oscar launchpad Ditto Gala presentation The Greatest Beer Run Ever, from Peter Farrelly. His Green Book, for better or for worse, also translated a TIFF win into an Oscar win.
TIFF seems to have rebounded after a somewhat subdued string of films in the hybrid festivals. Many of award season hopefuls are here, including Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, Edward Berger’s adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, and Lila Neugebauer’s Causeway starring Jennifer Lawrence, although nothing quite topped the previous announcement of Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans last week. The news that TIFF snagged the world premiere for Spielberg’s latest remains, arguably, the biggest get for any festival this fall. Among the previously announced titles are Clement Virgo’s Scarborough-set drama Brother, Nicholas Stoller and Billy Eichner’s gay rom-com Bros, and the Viola Davis action flick The Woman King.
The Galas and Special Presentations announced for TIFF ’22 are:
GALA PRESENTATIONS 2022
*Previously announced
Alice, Darling Mary Nighy | Canada, USA
World Premiere
Black Ice Hubert Davis | Canada
World Premiere
Butcher’s Crossing Gabe Polsky | USA
World Premiere
The Greatest Beer Run Ever Peter Farrelly | USA
World Premiere
The Hummingbird Francesca Archibugi | Italy, France
World Premiere
Hunt Lee Jung-jae | South Korea
North American Premiere
A Jazzman’s Blues Tyler Perry | USA
World Premiere
Kacchey Limbu Shubham Yogi | India
World Premiere
World Premiere
Paris Memories Alice Winocour | France
North American Premiere
Prisoner’s Daughter Catherine Hardwicke | USA
World Premiere
Raymond & Ray Rodrigo García | USA
World Premiere
Roost Amy Redford | USA
World Premiere
Sidney Reginald Hudlin | USA
World Premiere
The Son Florian Zeller | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Opening Night Film
*The Swimmers Sally El Hosaini | United Kingdom
World Premiere
What’s Love Got To Do With It? Shekhar Kapur | United Kingdom
World Premiere
*The Woman King Gina Prince-Bythewood | USA
World Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2022
*Previously announced
Allelujah Sir Richard Eyre | United Kingdom
World Premiere
All Quiet on the Western Front Edward Berger | USA, Germany
World Premiere
The Banshees Of Inisherin Martin McDonagh | United Kingdom, Ireland, USA
North American Premiere
Blueback Robert Connolly | Australia
World Premiere
The Blue Caftan Maryam Touzani | Morocco, France, Belgium, Denmark
North American Premiere
Broker Hirokazu Kore-eda | South Korea
Canadian Premiere
*Brother Clement Virgo | Canada
World Premiere
*Bros Nicholas Stoller | USA
World Premiere
*Catherine Called Birdy Lena Dunham | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Causeway Lila Neugebauer | USA
World Premiere
Chevalier Stephen Williams | USA
World Premiere
Corsage Marie Kreutzer | Austria, France, Germany
North American Premiere
Decision to Leave Park Chan-wook | South Korea
North American Premiere
Devotion JD Dillard | USA
World Premiere
Driving Madeleine Christian Carion | France
International Premiere
El Suplente Diego Lerman | Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Spain, France
World Premiere
Empire of Light Sam Mendes | United Kingdom, USA
Canadian Premiere
The Eternal Daughter Joanna Hogg | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
*The Fabelmans Steven Spielberg | USA
World Premiere
*Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Rian Johnson | USA
World Premiere
Good Night Oppy Ryan White | USA
International Premiere
The Good Nurse Tobias Lindholm | USA
World Premiere
Holy Spider Ali Abbasi | Denmark, Germany, Sweden, France
Canadian Premiere
Joyland Saim Sadiq | Pakistan
North American Premiere
The King’s Horseman Biyi Bandele | Nigeria
World Premiere
The Lost King Stephen Frears | United Kingdom
World Premiere
A Man of Reason Jung Woo-sung | South Korea
World Premiere
The Menu Mark Mylod | USA
World Premiere
*On the Come Up Sanaa Lathan | USA
World Premiere
One Fine Morning Mia Hansen-Løve | France
Canadian Premiere
Other People’s Children Rebecca Zlotowski | France
North American Premiere
Moonage Daydream Brett Morgen | USA
North American Premiere
*My Policeman Michael Grandage | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Nanny Nikyatu Jusu | USA
International Premiere
No Bears Jafar Panahi | Iran
North American Premiere
The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile Kathlyn Horan | USA
International Premiere
Saint Omer Alice Diop | France
North American Premiere
Sanctuary Zachary Wigon | USA
World Premiere
Stories Not to be Told Cesc Gay | Spain
World Premiere
Triangle of Sadness Ruben Östlund | Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, France, Greece
North American Premiere
Walk Up Hong Sangsoo | South Korea
World Premiere
Wendell & Wild Henry Selick | USA
World Premiere
The Whale Darren Aronofsky | USA
North American Premiere
Women Talking Sarah Polley | USA
International Premiere
The Wonder Sebastián Lelio | United Kingdom, Ireland
Canadian Premiere
