The Toronto International Film Festival is returning for its fiftieth edition and is slated to bring a slew of A-list celebrities to town for 10 straight days of red carpet movie premieres.
This year’s festival will take place from September 4-14 and will include an official selection of 291 films. While it may be too late to score tickets for most of the high-profile premieres, there are dozens of hotspots across the city where fans can spot celebrities.
Below is everything you need to know about the festival, who’s coming to town and what events they’re most likely to attend.
TIFF’s Festival Street returns for its 10th year
A section of King Street West between Peter Street and University Avenue will be transformed into a pedestrian-only zone from September 4-7 for the tenth year of TIFF’s street festival.
The four-day celebration is said to include free entertainment, immersive activities and a lively mix of food, drinks, art and culture. Officials say this year’s festival will also include an outdoor dining activation with additional seating by the Food Market.
The celebrations will extend into David Pecaut Square from September 4-13 for open-air movie screenings and other activities.
The CN Tower will also light up in gold at the top of each hour after sunset throughout the festival.
High-profile premieres and special presentations
This year’s festival includes dozens of high-profile premieres and special presentations with some of the world’s leading filmmakers. Here are 10 of the most buzziest movies:
- Bad Apples
- Ballad of a Small Player
- Christy
- Couture
- Dead Man’s Wire
- Degrassi: Whatever It Takes
- Frankenstein
- Mile End Kicks
- Rental Family
- The Wizard of the Kremlin
Which celebrities are rumoured to be coming to Toronto?
The TIFF red carpet will be rolled out for Hollywood’s biggest stars. Here’s a list of the celebrities who are expected to show up at the festival:
- Aaron Taylor‑Johnson
- Al Pacino
- America Ferrera
- Angelina Jolie
- Ben Foster
- Blair Underwood
- Brendan Fraser
- Callum Turner
- Channing Tatum
- Charli XCX
- Chris Evans
- Cillian Murphy
- Catherine O’Hara
- Daniel Craig
- Dwayne Johnson
- Elle Fanning
- Elliot Page
- Ethan Hawke
- Guillermo del Toro
- HIKARI
- Idris Elba
- Ian McKellen
- Jacob Elordi
- James Corden
- James McAvoy
- Jessica Gunning
- Jodie Foster
- Katherine Hytner
- Kazu Hiro
- Keanu Reeves
- Kirsten Dunst
- Lee Byung‑hun
- Lily James
- Maude Apatow
- Margaret Qualley
- Matthew McConaughey
- Mila Kunis
- Nelly Furtado
- Nia DaCosta
- Nina Hoss
- Park Chan‑wook
- Paul Mescal
- Pratik Gandhi
- Rian Johnson
- Ryan Reynolds
- Russell Crowe
- Sandra Oh
- Scarlett Johansson
- Seth Rogen
- Shawn Desman
- Simu Liu
- Sydney Sweeney
- Theo James
- Tom Felton
- Tessa Thompson
- Zacharias Kunuk
Rogers TIFF 50 Timescape
The Rogers TIFF 50 Timescape event and installation runs from Sept. 5 to 7 in Yorkville and is free and open to the public. It’s located on Yorkville Avenue between Hazelton Avenue and Bellair Street.
Live nightly musical acts will include performances by a few members from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and the Casa Loma Symphony Orchestra. The music will be movie scores from films that screened at TIFF.
The installation will also include interactive multimedia content, archival images, on-stage conversations with directors and even a large screen featuring live feed moments from the red carpet at Roy Thomson Hall and recaps of the previous day’s events.
Where to spot celebrities around town?
Star-studded events:
- “Hollywood North” party on Thursday, Sept. 4 at The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto & Abrielle from 7 p.m. to midnight.
- TIFF annual kick-off event on Tuesday, September 2 at d|bar in the Four Seasons Hotel.
- “Road to the Golden Globes” party on Saturday, September 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel.
- Variety Cover Party on Friday, September 5 at Petros82 restaurant.
- TIFF Black Excellence Brunch at Petros82 restaurant.
- TIFF Tribute Awards Gala on Sunday, September 7 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
Celebrity-frequented restaurants:
- Harbour 60, Jacobs & Co., Chotto Matte, Milos, Daphne, Soho House, Nervosa, Sotto Sotto, Joso’s, Don Alfonso, Nobu Toronto, Akira Back Toronto, KOST, Blue Bovine and many more.
Fan activities and events:
- TIFF Festival Street
- Campari bar at the south fan zone on the Roy Thomson Hall red carpet
- RBC Red Carpet Gallery situated in David Pecaut Square
Rogers Communications is the official presenting partner of the Toronto International Film Festival and the parent company of this website.
