It looks like the Toronto International Film Festival is bringing out the stars for its opening and closing films. The Chris Pine epic “Outlaw King” is expected to open the prestigious event, while Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart headline “Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy,” which will close out the festival.
“Hell or High Water” filmmaker David Mackenzie is teaming up with Pine for his upcoming “Outlaw King.” The film tells the untold, true story of Robert the Bruce, who transforms from defeated nobleman to outlaw hero during the oppressive occupation of medieval Scotland by Edward I of England.
“TIFF’s Opening Night Film, ‘Outlaw King,’ tells a powerful story that is rich in drama, excitement, romance, and adventure,” said Piers Handling, Director & CEO of TIFF. “Audiences are promised a thrilling journey back in time, as David Mackenzie masterfully unwraps history with taut dramatic flare and brings to life the true story of Scottish hero Robert the Bruce. Gripping performances led by Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson make this a classic, entertaining, and action-packed Festival opener.”
“Thank you, TIFF, for welcoming our film into the world. The Festival is the perfect launch pad for our realistic epic, and we are delighted to be the first Scottish film ever to open Toronto,” said Mackenzie. “I cannot imagine a better place to have our World Premiere. Scotland and Canada’s histories are bound together, forged in the crucible of the struggles of history, bringing this day an affinity and sensibility that I hope will translate to a profound, visceral, and riotously entertaining experience. We have an amazing cast and crew working at the top of their game, and we are really looking forward to spreading some Scottish goodwill on the great city of Toronto.”
But as mentioned, Chris Pine and David Mackenzie aren’t the only showstoppers newly announced for TIFF. Dern and Stewart are bringing their “Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy” to TIFF, courtesy of filmmaker Justin Kelly. Kelly is probably best known for his films “King Cobra” and “I Am Michael,” but it’s obvious that his latest will have a ton of buzz leading to it’s closing night premiere. “Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy” tells the true story Laura Albert (Dern) is an author who writes under a fictionalized persona, a disenfranchised young queer man named JT LeRoy. When her debut novel becomes a bestseller and JT becomes the darling of the literary world, she comes up with a unique solution to preserve her anonymity while giving life to her nom-de-plume. Enter her boyfriend’s androgynous sister, Savannah Knoop (Stewart), who connects with Laura’s punk, feminist, outsider universe and agrees to be JT in the public eye.
“With Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy, Justin Kelly brings to the screen a truly unbelievable story that captivated a nation,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “The storytelling is powerful and the characters are vivid, really evoking the idea that you have to see it to believe it.”
“I am beyond honored that my film ‘Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy’ will premiere at TIFF as the Closing Night Film,” said Kelly. “I can’t wait for people to see the fascinating true story behind JT LeRoy, brought to life via incredible performances by a total dream cast.”
TIFF is scheduled to begin on September 6.
Here are two first look pictures for the above-mentioned films:
