TIFF 2022: Films that have caught our attention at first glance

The Toronto International Film Festival returns with another incredible slate of titles worthy adding to our list of what to see. From September 8 to 18, the movie lovers will enjoy a wide selection of films across many genres and from many parts of the world. Yes, there are the heavy-hitters with Hollywood stars in leading roles but there's more beyond the obvious big players. Either way, we're excited to return to the theatres and take in all the excitement. Here are a few that have already caught our attention at a glance...

THEATRE OF THOUGHT: Directed by Werner Herzog (USA). International Premiere.

Werner Herzog sets his sights on yet another mysterious landscape — the human brain — for clues as to why a hunk of tissue can produce profound thoughts and feelings while considering the philosophical, ethical, and social implications of fast-advancing neural technology.

GOOD NIGHT OPPY: Directed by Ryan White (USA). International Premiere.

This documentary tells the inspirational true story of Opportunity, a rover that was sent to Mars for a 90-day mission but ended up surviving for 15 years. The film follows Opportunity’s groundbreaking journey on Mars and the remarkable bond forged between a robot and her humans millions of miles away.

MOONAGE DAYDREAM: Directed by Brett Morgan (USA). North American Premiere.

A kaleidoscopic weave of archival performances and candid interviews, this portrait of David Bowie from director Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck) immerses us in the restless starman’s singular galaxy of music, art, and identity.

DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA: Directed by Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel (France). North American Premiere.

Shot in several French hospitals over a number of years with a specially designed camera, this film by Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor (Leviathan, Caniba) is an unprecedented cinematic immersion into the human body.

MANTICORE: Directed by Carlos Vermut (Spain). World Premiere

Following a fire, a video-game designer struggles to process his emotional shock and control a frightening new obsession, in Carlos Vermut’s troubling exploration of human behaviour at its extremes.

SUSIE SEARCHES: Directed by Sophie Kargman (USA) World Premiere.

An ambitious college student’s plot to boost her podcast’s reach by investigating the disappearance of a popular rival backfires, in Sophie Kargman’s darkly funny feature debut based on her 2020 short of the same name.

UNREST: Directed by Cyril Schäublin (Switzerland). North American Premiere.

This thrilling, exacting film is an unconventional period tale of love, anarchism, and watchmaking set within the Swiss Jura Mountains.

VIKING: Directed by Stéphane Lafleur (Canada). World Premiere.

The latest from Stéphane Lafleur (Tu dors Nicole) balances absurdist humour with poignant reflection on the human condition as it follows the subjects of behavioural research — and the astronauts they mirror — in advance of the first manned mission to Mars.

WALK UP: Directed by Hong Sangsoo (South Korea). World Premiere

A new chapter to this filmmaker's impressive body of work, takes a gently delightful new perspective on themes dear to his poetics on everyday life. 

ZWIGATO:  Directed by Nandita Das (India). World Premiere.

Director Nandita Das (Manto) trains her sharp sociopolitical gaze on the gig economy, with this story about the trials and tribulations of a food-app delivery driver (played by Indian comedian Kapil Sharma).

The Toronto International Film Festival returns in September 2022 for its 47th edition — 11 days of international and Canadian cinema, special events featuring some of the biggest names in film, and TIFF’s Industry Conference, offering diverse and innovative perspectives on the art and business of film.

You can still purchase single tickets. Become a TIFF Member today to get access to tickets starting September 3. Single tickets go on sale for TIFF Insiders and Under-25 Free Pass Holders on September 4 and public audiences on September 5.

Check out the complete roster of this year’s selection of films and the Official Film Schedule.