TIFF 2015: Jake Gyllenhaal’s ‘Demolition’ Will Open The Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will be full of Hollywood names, starting with Jake Gyllenhaal‘s Demolition, which will open the festival on Thursday, Sept. 10.

Gyllenhaal is just one of many Hollywood stars heading up to Toronto for TIFF this September. Many Hollywood actors, including Julianne Moore, Johnny Depp and Matt Damon, are starring in new films premiering at the festival. Here are five to look out for:

Demolition

Demolition will open the Toronto International Film Festival this year on Sept. 10 with its World Premiere. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who directed Matthew McConaughey all the way to an Oscar win in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), Demolition stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an investment banker who spirals after his wife is killed (not unlike the plot to Gyllenhaal’s most recent film, Southpaw). Gyllenhaal stars alongside Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper in the highly anticipated drama.

Demolition isn’t set for wide release until April 8, 2016.

Beasts of No Nation

Cary Fukunaga, the award-winning director of True Detective’s first season, directed this film, which he also adapted from the book by Uzodinma Iweala. Beasts of No Nation stars Idris Elba as Commandant, a ruthless warlord who captures and trains child solders. The film will have its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 13.

After the film’s premiere at TIFF, Beasts of No Nation will premiere on Netflix on Oct. 16.

Freeheld

Freeheld will have its World Premiere at TIFF on Sunday, Sept. 13, and is sure to have the festival talking. Starring Oscar-winner Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, Freeheld tells the true story about a terminally ill woman (Moore) who became an LGBTQ activist when she fought to have her pension benefits passed on to her domestic partner (Page).

Freeheld will hit theaters on Oct. 2.

The Martian

The Martian will also have its World Premiere at TIFF this year, premiering on Friday, Sept. 11. This highly anticipated adaptation stars Matt Damon as NASA astronaut Mark Watney, who finds himself stranded on Mars after a space mission gone awry. Directed by Ridley Scott and co-starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain and Michael Pena, The Martian is pure Oscar-bait, and sure to be a hit at the festival.

Fans will have to wait until Oct. 2 to see The Martian in theaters.

Black Mass

Black Mass is gearing up to be Johnny Depp’s first strong starring role in years. From Scott Cooper, director of Crazy Heart, Black Mass tells the story of Whitey Bulger, an American gangster turned FBI informant. As if Depp wasn’t enough star power, the film also stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton and Dakota Johnson.

Black Mass will have its Canadian premiere at TIFF on Monday, Sept. 14, and will be released in theaters four days later on Sept. 18.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.