TIFF 2021 lineup, opening & closing night films announced

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The Toronto International Film Festival is set to welcome back in-person audiences for its festival run and now they are unveiling its first batch of premieres and galas for the 2021 event, including the opening and closing night films.

Co-heads Joanna Vicente and Cameron Bailey have placed Dear Evan Hansen as its Opening Night Gala Presentation. The film, directed by Stephen Chbosky and an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, will premiere at TIFF on September 9, 2021, at Roy Thomason Hall. TIFF will close with the Zhang Yimou-directed One Second. The movie was just picked up by Neon for a North American release after debuting in China last November. The movie pulled in $12 million during its run and arrived on the big screen after being plagued by censorship problems. One Second was yanked from competition at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival due to "technical reasons" but many speculated that it was removal was politically motivated. One Second will close out the Toronto Film Festival on September 18, 2021.

As of now, TIFF has 11 Galas and 21 Presentations. The current list of the films below is what the festival has locked so far but more will be added at a later date. The slate so far is pretty interesting with films from Barry Levinson, Antoine Fuqua, Jacques Audiard, Edgar Wright, and Melanie Laurent, to name a few. Even Clifford the Big Red Dog is making an appearance which seems like an offbeat festival choice but it has been an offbeat couple of years so we'll just go with it.

You can check out the list of films that will be featured below and remember that TIFF kicks off on September 9, 2021, and concludes on September 18, 2021.

GALA PRESENTATIONS
(*previously announced)

*Belfast
Kenneth Branagh | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Clifford the Big Red Dog
Walt Becker | USA/United Kingdom/Canada
World Premiere

Opening Night Film
Dear Evan Hansen
Stephen Chbosky | USA
World Premiere

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
Will Sharpe | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Michael Showalter | USA
World Premiere

*Jagged
Alison Klayman | USA
World Premiere

*Last Night in Soho
Edgar Wright | United Kingdom
North American Premiere

*The Mad Women’s Ball (Le Bal des folles) Mélanie
Laurent | France
World Premiere

*Night Raiders
Danis Goulet | Canada/New Zealand
North American Premiere

Closing Night Film
One Second
Zhang Yimou | China
North American Premiere

The Survivor
Barry Levinson | USA/Canada/Hungary
World Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
(*previously announced)

Ali & Ava
Clio Barnard | United Kingdom
North American Premiere

All My Puny Sorrows
Michael McGowan | Canada
World Premiere

*Benediction
Terence Davies | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Bergman Island
Mia Hansen-Løve | France
International Premiere

*Charlotte
Eric Warin, Tahir Rana | Canada/France/Belgium
World Premiere

*Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over
Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner | USA
World Premiere

Drive My Car
Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Japan
North American Premiere

Encounter
Michael Pearce | United Kingdom/USA
International Premiere

*The Guilty
Antoine Fuqua | USA
World Premiere

I’m Your Man
Maria Schrader | Germany
North American Premiere

Inexorable
Fabrice du Welz | Belgium/France
International Premiere

*Lakewood
Phillip Noyce | Canada
World Premiere

The Middle Man
Bent Hamer | Norway/Canada/Germany/Denmark
World Premiere

Official Competition (Competencia Oficial)
Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat | Spain/Argentina
North American Premiere

Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades)
Jacques Audiard | France
North American Premiere

*Petite Maman
Céline Sciamma | France
Canadian Premiere

*The Starling
Theodore Melfi | USA
World Premiere

The Story of My Wife
Ildikó Enyedi | Hungary/Germany/Italy/France
North American Premiere

Three Floors (Tre Piani)
Nanni Moretti | Italy/France
North American Premiere

Violet
Justine Bateman | USA
International Premiere

The Worst Person In The World (Verdens Verste Menneske)
Joachim Trier | Norway/France/Sweden/Denmark
North American Premiere