Like the other summer festivals, TIFF had to cope with the effects of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes last year. The organisers are therefore even more looking forward to making this year's festival that bit more special. "This year's festival will be a top-class event with films that reflect the world around us with humour and empathy," Anita Lee, TIFF’s Programme Director, said.

There are several international and North American premieres as well as a world premiere among the German productions being shown in Toronto. EDGE OF NIGHT (MFP) will have its North American premiere in the Centrepiece section. Writer-director Türker Süer's debut is set in a climate of mistrust where the state demands absolute - if not even blind - loyalty and the only options are to conform or rebel. Also premiering in North America is HAPPY HOLIDAYS (Red Balloon Film). This family drama by the Oscar-nominated Palestinian director Scandar Copti sees a fateful mix of personal quest, bad decisions and persistent social pressure putting the endurance of cherished relationships to the test. Ali Samadi Ahadi will also have the world premiere of SEVEN DAYS (brave new work) in Toronto. The drama revolves around the imprisoned human rights activist Maryam, who is granted a rare medical leave, giving her the chance to aescape Iran - but at a cost to her fight for equality and democracy. Mohammad Rasoulof's THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (Run Way Pictures) is already well known from Cannes and Locarno. The social drama about an Iranian investigating judge is being programmed as a Canadian premiere.

SAD JOKES (Postofilm) will have its international premiere in the Discovery sidebar which shows debut and second films by up-and-coming filmmakers from contemporary international cinema. This tragicomic second feature film by the writer-director-actor Fabian Stumm is set in contemporary Berlin and delivers a poignant depiction of modern queer life and the ability of an artist to persevere through all odds.

THE SUNSET SPECIAL 2 can be seen in the Short Cuts sidebar. Three years after the first part, filmmaker Nicolas Gebbe now returns with his sequel to take another ironic look at the formulaic nature of social media and luxury tourism.

Apart from the German productions and co-productions screening at the festival, German director Edward Berger, known for the Oscar® winner ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, will have the international premiere of his new film CONCLAVE in the section of Special Presentations.  The German actor Daniel Brühl (GOOD BYE, LENIN!) can be seen in EDEN by Ron Howard, which will be shown as a world premiere in the Gala Presentation section.