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  programmes of the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival.  Of the 17 Galas and 30 Special Presentations, this first announcement includes 21 World  Premieres, 7 International Premieres, 8 North American Premieres and 11 Canadian Premieres.  The selection announced today includes 13 features directed by women.

Piers Handling commented to say

“We have an exceptional selection of films this year that will excite Festival audiences from all  walks of life. Today’s lineup showcases beloved auteurs alongside fresh voices in  filmmaking, including numerous female powerhouses. The sweeping range in cinematic  storytelling from around the world is a testament to the uniqueness of the films that are being  made. Every September we invite the whole film world to Toronto, one of the most diverse, movie-mad  cities in the world. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to put together a lineup of Galas and Special  Presentations that reflects Toronto’s spirit of inclusive, passionate engagement with film. We can’t  wait to unveil these films for our audience.”

The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.  List of announced Galas and special presentations below:

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 M c Queen, 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