01/08/2016 - The Toronto IFF (8-18 September) has invited, amongst its Special Presentations, Salt and Fire and Cannes hit and LUX Prize finalist Toni Erdmann

The Toronto International Film Festival (8-18 September)has unveiled a large number of its Special Presentations and Galas titles. The former sidebar, which is reserved for outstanding films by major directors, will feature Maren Ade's Cannes hit and LUX Prize finalist Toni Erdmann [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Maren Ade
film profile], Werner Herzog’s Salt and Fire [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and four other German co-productions. 

Toni Erdmann, a German and Austrian coproduction involving Komplizen Film and Missing Link Films on the German side, caused a major sensation at Cannes, where it ran in competition and was saluted by long standing ovations at the world premiere, spontaneous applause at the press screening, the FIPRESCI Prize for best film in competition, euphoric reviews, and the ensuing sales all over the world. The film, starring Sandra Hüller and Peter Simonischek, was recently announced as one of the three finalists for this year’s LUX Prize (read more). 

Herzog’s latest, Salt and Fire, coproduced by Construction Film with French and American partners, had its world premiere in competition at the 19th Shanghai International Film Festival. This feature, shot in Bolivia with German actress Veronica Ferres as well as Michael Shannon and Gael Garcia Bernal in the leads, recounts a mysterious hostage taking where the leader of a small scientific delegation is deliberately stranded with two blind boys in an area of gigantic salt flats.   

The Special Presentations section will also present Martin Koolhoven’s big European coproduction Brimstone [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Martin Koolhoven
film profile] (German co-producer: X Filme Creative Pool), Paul Verhoeven’s Elle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (co-produced by Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion with French and Belgian partners), François Ozon’s Frantz [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: François Ozon
film profile] (German co-producer: X Filme Creative Pool), with the German actress Paula Beer in a lead role, and Mia Hansen-Løve’s Berlin-awarded Things to Come [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Mia Hansen-Løve
film profile] (German co-producer: DETAiLFILM).

Oliver Stone’s Snowden [+see also:
trailer
interview: Oliver Stone
film profile], an American and German title shot in Germany and involving KrautPack Entertainment, will screen in the Galas section. 

The Toronto International Film Festival will announce the programme of its other sections by the end of this month.