Toronto 2013: The Films

'12 Years a Slave'

Set in the pre-Civil War United States, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt and Chiwetel Ejiofor as a free black man from upstate New York who's abducted and sold into slavery.

'All Is by My Side'

Jimmy James, an unknown backup guitarist, left New York City for London in 1966. A year later he returned as Jimi Hendrix. Singer Andre 3000 will play the legendary guitarist.

'American Dreams in China'

In the midst of China’s economic reform period, three college students bond over a shared fascination with Western literature, music and movies, and an ambition to live the American dream, a fascination that leads to the foundation of a wildly successful English-language tutorial institute.

'Attila Marcel'

Paul, an orphan since the age of two, lives with his aunts in a Parisian apartment and leads a somewhat sad life as a pianist, until the day he meets the enigmatic Madame Proust.

'August: Osage County'

The black comedy is based on Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award–winning 2007 play, which tells the story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family that come together after the suicide of the family's patriarch. The large ensemble cast includes Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch and Abigail Breslin.

'Bad Words'

Jason Bateman plays a disruptive 40-year-old who, after discovering a loophole in the rules of the National Spelling Bee, dominates the pre-pubescent competition. Bateman also acts as the film's director.

'Belle'

Belle is inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate bi-racial daughter of an aristocratic Royal Navy Admiral, whose lineage affords her certain privileges, yet keeps her from others. Belle stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as well as Tom Felton and Matthew Goode.

'Blue Is the Warmest Color'

Starring Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos, Blue is the story of a young lesbian couple and the trajectory of their relationship.

'Can a Song Save Your Life?'

'Cannibal'

Carlos is the most prestigious tailor in Granada, and also a murderer. He feels no remorse for his crimes, until a girl named Nina comes along and makes him realize the true nature of his actions.

'Cold Eyes'

Cold Eyes is a 2013 South Korean film that's a remake of the 2007 Hong King film Eye in the Sky. It follows a veteran leader of the Special Crime Department Surveillance Team and a rookie female detective that have to keep a close watch over a vicious criminal organization.

'Dallas Buyers Club'

This fact-based drama stars Matthew McConaughey as the real-life Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, who was blindsided with an HIV diagnosis and procures non-toxic alternatives treatments from all over the world through both legal and illegal means.

'Devil's Knot'

'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby'

Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy star in this two-part love story seen through the eyes of a New York couple trying to understand each other as they cope with personal hardship.

'Dom Hemingway'

'Don Jon'

Writer, director and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a Jersey Shore-esque guy that finds his bliss while in front of the computer watching pornography, that is until he meets Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson), a bright, beautiful, good old fashioned girl, that is determined to find her Prince Charming.

'Double'

'The Fifth Estate'

The highly anticipated story behind the controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch plays Assange in the film that also stars David Thewlis, Stanley Tucci and Laura Linney.

'Gloria'

Gloria is a 2013 Chilean drama directed by Sebastian Lelio that follows a 58-year-old who fills her nights seeking love in ballrooms for singles, and eventually finds a passionate lover in Rodolfo, a relationship that leaves her dancing between hope and despair.

'Grand Seduction'

In order to secure a petrochemical plant, a tiny, financially unstable Newfoundland town needs needs to find a doctor. When one candidate, Dr. Paul Lewis, lands in their lap, the town rallies to seduce him to stay beyond his one-month trial. Starring Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch and Gordon Pinsent.

'Gravity'

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney play astronauts on a seemingly routine spacewalk when disaster strikes. Their shuttle is destroyed, leaving them alone, tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

'Great Beauty'

Great Beauty is an Italian film that follows Jep Gambardella, an aged successful journalist who, in his youth, wrote a novel that earned him a literary acclaim and a reputation as a frustrated writer. Haunted by memories of a youthful love, which he still hangs on to, Jep attempts to take up his pen again.

'Half of a Yellow Sun'

'Ida'

'Invisible Woman'

Ralph Fiennes plays the literary genius Charles Dickens, who is controlling and emotionally isolated within his success, as he falls for Nelly (Felicity Jones), a young girl who comes from a family of actors.

'Joe'

An adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel, the indie stars Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage as the hot-tempered ex-con Joe Ransom, who becomes the fierce protector of a hard-luck kid.

'Kill Your Darlings'

'Labor Day'

'Life of Crime'

'Love Punch'

Richard Jones enlists the help of his ex-wife to track down the shady business man that caused his company to go bankrupt. Love Punch stars Emma Thompson and Pierce Brosnan.

'Man of Tai Chi'

Keanu Reeves and Tiger Chen star in the movie about a young martial artist's unparalleled Tai Chi skills, which land him in a highly lucrative underworld fight club.

'Mandela Long Walk To Freedom'

'Mystery Road'

From writer-director Ivan Sen comes the story of Jay Swan, a detective that returns to his outback hometown to investigate the brutal murder of a teenage girl found in a drain under a highway outside of town.

'Only Lovers Left Alive'

'Pioneer'

A conspiracy thriller that is set in the early '80s, at the beginning of the Norwegian oil boom and follows the exploits of a professional diver obsessed with reaching the bottom of the Norwegian Sea.

'Prisoners'

Keller Dover's (Hugh Jackman) 6-year-old daughter Anna is missing. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is heading the investigation that has multiple leads and suspects, while Dover takes matters into his own hands.

'Quai d'Orsay'

Alexandre Taillard de Vorms is the forceful Minister of Foreign Affairs for France, whose speech writer Arthur must contend with the sensibilities of his boss and the dirty dealings within the Quai d'Orsay, the ministry's home.

'Right Kind of Wrong'

'Rush'

The high-speed, Ron Howard-directed biopic cinematically depicts the merciless 1970s rivalry between James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl).

'Those Happy Years'

'Tracks'

Tracks is the unbelievable true story of Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) who trekked from Alice Springs in Central Australia through almost 2,000 miles of sprawling desert to the Indian Ocean, accompanied only by her loyal dog and four unpredictable camels.

'Violette'

The film centers around author Violette Leduc's relationship with the intellectual Simone de Beauvoir in postwar Saint-Germain-des-Près.

'Visitors'

The film, which features an original score by Philip Glass and is presented by Steven Soderbergh, is director Godfrey Reggio’s portrayal of modern life through the experience of technology and emotionality.

'Young and Beautiful'

Young and Beautiful is a French drama about the coming-of-age of a 17-year-old girl as seen over the four seasons.

'Mary, Queen of Scots'

A movie about the infamous royal who was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I, and was subsequently beheaded.

'Walesea. Man of Hope.'

A Gdansk shipyard electrician fighting for workers’ rights awakens a hidden desire for freedom in millions of people. Walesea. Man of Hope. is an attempt to capture this common man’s metamorphosis into a charismatic leader.