News

Eight high-profile films were added yesterday as special presentations for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, including Brad Pitt's portrayal of notorious U.S. outlaw Jesse James, a directorial debut from Irish actor Stuart Townsend, a directorial resurrection by Sean Penn, an ambitious biopic in which Cate Blanchett channels her inner Bob Dylan and a cinematic return of Canada's golden boy, Paul Haggis.

Oscar-winner Haggis, who is expected to land in Toronto fresh from screening The Valley of Elah at the Venice Film Festival, will present his political drama inspired by the murder of a young American soldier. Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon and Charlize Theron star.

It's not known if Pitt, who filmed Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg in the summer of 2005, will make an appearance at TIFF.

Chances are also good that Academy Award-winner Theron (2003's Monster) may show up in Toronto, since she is also cast in boyfriend Stuart's Battle in Seattle, about the riots of 80,000 anti-globalization protesters against the World Trade Organization. Townsend shot the film in Vancouver.

Penn may also show his face to plug his new movie, Into the Wild. It stars Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Catherine Keener and Vince Vaughn.

From Academy Award-nominated writer-director Todd Haynes comes I'm Not There, a biographical film about the iconic singer/songwriter Bob Dylan. Six actors portray six distinct stages of Dylan's career, including Blanchett, Christian Bale, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ben Whishaw, Heath Ledger and Richard Gere.

Two comedies focused on contemporary American families will also be special presentations. Margot at the Wedding, written and directed by Noah Baumbach, stars Nicole Kidman and Baumbach's wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh.

In Tamara Jenkins's The Savages, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney are cast as estranged siblings who reunite to care for their ailing father.

Joe Wright's Atonement, based on Ian McEwan's acclaimed novel, will screen in Toronto after it opens the Venice festival. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy.