The first round of titles have been announced for the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The meaty first batch of announcements includes the opening night selection (that would be Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt), the galas, special presentations and the closing night title (The Edge of Seventeen starring Hailee Steinfeld). TIFF holds a distinction as one of the largest film festivals in the world and due to its place in the calendar can be not just a robust place for acquisitions but also a launching pad for films trying to earn awards season momentum.

Some of the notable selections this year includes Arrival, Denis Villeneuve’s anticipated science fiction film starring Amy Adams (previously known as Story of Your Life), Tom Ford’s new feature Nocturnal Animals (also starring Adams), Ewan McGregor’s directorial debut American Pastoral, the musical La La Land from Whiplash director Damien Chazelle (which will open the Venice Film Festival) and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Birth of a Nation. Toronto runs from September 8th – 18th.

Check out the first round of announcements below:

OPENING NIGHT FILM: The Magnificent Seven (USA) – directed by Antoine Fuqua (World Premiere)

GALAS

• Arrival (USA) – directed by Denis Villeneuve (Canadian Premiere)
• Deepwater Horizon (USA) – directed by Peter Berg (World Premiere)
• The Headhunter’s Calling (Canada) – directed by Mark Williams (World Premiere)
• The Journey is the Destination (UK/South Africa) – directed by Bronwen Hughes (World Premiere)
• JT + The Tennessee Kids (USA) – directed by Jonathan Demme (World Premiere)
• LBJ (USA) – directed by Rob Reiner (World Premiere)
• Lion (Australia) – directed by Garth Davis (World Premiere)
• Loving (USA) – directed by Jeff Nichols (North American Premiere)
• A Monster Calls (USA/Spain) – directed by J.A. Bayona (World Premiere)
• Planetarium (France/Belgium) – directed by Rebecca Zlotowski (North American Premiere)
• Queen of Katwe (South Africa/Uganda) – directed by Mira Nair (World Premiere)
• The Rolling Stone Olé Olé Olé!: A Trip Across Latin America (UK) – directed by Paul Dugdale (World Premiere)
• The Secret Scripture (Ireland) – directed by Jim Sheridan (World Premiere)
• Snowden (Germany/USA) – directed by Oliver Stone (World Premiere)
• Strange Weather (USA) – directed by Katherine Dieckmann (World Premiere)
• Their Finest (UK) – directed by Lone Scherfig (World Premiere)
• A United Kingdom (UK) – directed by Amma Asante (World Premiere)

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

• The Age of Shadows (South Korea) – directed by Kim Jee woon (North American Premiere)
• All I See Is You (Thailand) – directed by Marc Forster (World Premiere)
• American Honey (USA) – directed by Andrea Arnold (North American Premiere)
• American Pastoral (USA) – directed by Ewan McGregor (World Premiere)
• Asura: The City of Madness (South Korea) – directed by Kim Sung-soo (World Premiere)
• Barakah Meets Barakah (Saudi Arabia) – directed by Mahmoud Sabbagh (North American Premiere)
• Birth of the Dragon (USA/China/Canada) – directed by George Nolfi (World Premiere)
• The Birth of a Nation (USA) – directed by Nate Parker (International Premiere)
• Bleed for This (USA) – directed by Ben Younger (Canadian Premiere)
• Blue Jay (USA) – directed by Alex Lehmann (World Premiere)
• Brimstone (Netherlands/Germany/France/Belgium/Sweden/UK) – directed by Martin Koolhoven (North American Premiere)
• BrOTHERHOOD (UK) – directed by Noel Clarke (International Premiere)
• Carrie Pilby (USA) – directed by Susan Johnson (World Premiere)
• Catfight (USA) – directed by Onur Tukel (World Premiere)
• City of Tiny Lights (UK) – directed by Pete Travis (World Premiere)
• The Commune (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands) – directed by Thomas Vinterberg (North American Premiere)
• Daguerrotype (France/Japan/Belgium) – directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (World Premiere)
• A Death in the Gunj (India) – directed by Konkona Sensharma (World Premiere)
• Denial (USA/UK) – directed by Mick Jackson (World Premiere)
• Elle (France) – directed by Paul Verhoeven (North American Premiere)
• Foreign Body (Tunisia/France) – directed by Raja Amari (World Premiere)
• Frantz (France/Germany) – directed by François Ozon (Canadian Premiere)
• The Handmaiden (South Korea) – directed by Park Chan-wook (North American Premiere)
• Harmonium (Japan/France) – directed by Kôji Fukada (North American Premiere)
• I Am Not Madame Bovary (China) – directed by Feng Xiaogang (World Premiere)
• The Journey (UK) – directed by Nick Hamm (North American Premiere)
• King of the Dancehall (USA/Jamaica) – directed by Nick Cannon (World Premiere)
• La La Land (USA) – directed by Damien Chazelle (Canadian Premiere)
• The Limehouse Golem (UK) – directed by Juan Carlos Medina (World Premiere)
• Manchester by the Sea (USA) – directed by Kenneth Lonergan (Canadian Premiere)
• Mascots (USA) – directed by Christopher Guest (World Premiere)
• Maudie (Canada/Ireland) – directed by Aisling Walsh (Canadian Premiere)
• Neruda (Chile/Argentina/Spain/France) – directed by Pablo Larraín (Canadian Premiere)
• Nocturnal Animals (USA/UK) – directed by Tom Ford (North American Premiere)
• The Oath (Iceland) – directed by Baltasar Kormákur (World Premiere)
• Orphan (France) – directed by Arnaud des Pallière (World Premiere)
• Paris Can Wait (USA) – directed by Eleanor Coppola (World Premiere)
• Paterson (USA) – directed by Jim Jarmusch (North American Premiere)
• The Salesman – directed by Asghar Farhadi (North American Premiere)
• Salt and Fire (Germany/USA/France/Mexico) – directed by Werner Herzog (North American Premiere)
• Sing (USA/France) – directed by Garth Jennings (World Premiere)
• Souvenir (Belgium/Luxembourg/France) – directed by Bavo Defurne (North American Premiere)
• Things to Come (France/Germany) – directed by Mia Hansen-Løve (Canadian Premiere)
• Toni Erdmann (Germany) – directed by Maren Ade (Canadian Premiere)
• Trespass Among Us (UK) – directed by Adam Smith (World Premiere)
• Una (UK) – directed by Benedict Andrews (Canadian Premiere)
• Unless (Canada/Ireland) – directed by Alan Gilsenan (World Premiere)
• The Wasted Time (China) – directed by Cheng Er World Premiere

CLOSING NIGHT FILM: The Edge of Seventeen (USA) – directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (World Premiere)