10 Films We Can’t Wait to See at TIFF 2016

Every year, the Toronto International Film Festival brings the best directors, actors, and work to town. The city is buzzing and so are our top picks for TIFF 2016. 

TIFF is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to get your movie premiere on. Many celebs are coming to town to give us an early look at the films that will make it to the Oscars this year (and also many that will never get a proper release,) so see them while you can.

Here’s what you might want to add to your must-see list at the festival this September.

Snowden
Joseph Gordon-Levitt returns to the big screen as Edward Snowden, the infamous NSA whistleblower in this true story directed by Oliver Stone. Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Timothy Olyphant and Nicolas Cage also star. No matter your opinion on the controversial subject matter, this is one to watch.

La La Land
Damien Chazelle has crafted the musical we’ve all been hoping for, bringing Ryan Gosling together with Emma Stone as a pianist and an actress trying to make it in Hollywood while falling in love. Ryan Gosling in his first musical since The Mickey Mouse Club? Thank you, cinema gods.

Jackie
Natalie Portman stars as Jackie Kennedy in this retelling of the story of her husband’s assassination, this time through her eyes. Focused on her LIFE magazine interview that took place just a week after her husband’s death, this might be the role Portman was built to play.

Blue Jay
Two former high school flames (played by Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass) return to their hometown and run into each other for the first time in over 20 years. Equally dissatisfied with their present lives for different reasons, they walk down memory lane as though it was yesterday. This chamber drama from director Alex Lehmann is sure to resonate with the romantic in all of us.

Christine
Based on the true story of news reporter Christine Chubbuck, who took her own life on live television in 1974 due partly to her dissatisfaction with the “If it bleeds, it leads” narrative of working in the news, this is likely to be a heart-wrenching tale of how loneliness can kill.

Barry
Obviously, I have a thing for true stories and biopics (real people are fascinating). This continues with Barry, Vikram Gandhi’s feature based on Barack Obama’s time studying at Columbia University in New York City in the early 1980s. We know the man as a politician and President of the United States, but seeing a side of him from long before he made history should be captivating.

American Honey
If you’ve seen Andrea Arnold’s previous films (like Fish Tank or Wuthering Heights) you understand why the buzz around this one is so strong. She won the Jury Prize at Cannes for this tale of a young woman (played by Sasha Lane) on the fringe of society, struggling to feed her siblings. When she meets Shia LaBeouf’s character and the sparks fly, they take off with a group of misfits on a cross-country road trip that will change her life.

Amanda Knox
This documentary takes us down a road we’re all familiar with by now, yet still fascinated by. The insane story of Amanda Knox’s Italian imprisonment and release is documented by Brian McGinn and Rod Blackhurst, recounting the trial, conviction and eventual acquittal of the Seattle exchange student for the murder of her roommate in 2007.

Gimme Danger
Iggy Pop is a legendary figure in music for a reason. At 69, he is still performing to large crowds without suffering from the typical “he’s too old to do it right” reviews. His energy now is as strong as it was in the early days of the 1970s, and this look back at his career with The Stooges and his long-term struggle with drug abuse is sure to be a mesmerizing portrait – especially with Jim Jarmusch directing.

RELATED LINK: 12 Movies that will Probably Change your Life

What other movies are you looking forward to at TIFF 2016? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below, or tweet us @ViewtheVibe.