The Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Ontario

The Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Ontario

© eskystudio/Shutterstoc

Plot twist pending. 51st Toronto International Film Festival

Ready for eleven days of movie mania? TIFF starts today, and Toronto is slipping into festival mode: coffee in one hand, screening schedule in the other. The event began in 1976 as the Festival of Festivals, giving Canadian audiences access to standout films from around the world. Fifty-one editions later, Roy Thomson Hall, along with other venues, is once again welcoming premieres, filmmakers and crowds hoping to catch the next big conversation before everyone else does.

This year's lineup features 293 films, with 'Being Heumann' by Siân Heder opening the festival and 'Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend' by Yan Lanouette Turgeon bringing it to a close. Along the way, audiences can expect gala premieres, documentaries, shorts, industry events and late-night discussions that continue well beyond the theatre doors. One of the most entertaining TIFF traditions is the race for the People's Choice Award, where ordinary cinemagoers help decide which film leaves Toronto with the loudest buzz. So, which film gets your first popcorn at the festival?

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