Toronto Announces First Asian Titles

The 37th Toronto International Film Festival (6-16 Sep 2012) has announced its first batch of titles, in its Gala Premieres and Special Presentations sections.

The festival will open with science-fiction film Looper starring Joseph GORDON-LEVITT. Although the film was partly shot in China, it's Shanghai scenes are believed to be have been edited from the international version screening.

Major literary adaptations with Asian elements at the festival include The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Midnight's Children and Cloud Atlas, featuring BAE Du-na (pictured) and ZHOU Xun.

The selection from China is headlined by the world premiere of LU Chuan's The Last Supper starring LIU Ye, Daniel WU and CHANG Chen, currently scheduled for a domestic October release.

Ahead of its late September China release, the festival is presenting action-fantasy Tai Chi 0. The film is listed as a North American premiere, suggesting that the world premiere will be at the Venice International Film Festival.

Similarly, the listing of KITANO Takeshi's Outrage Beyond as a North American premiere in Toronto suggests that it will host its world premiere at the Italian festival. The gangster sequel opens in Japan in October.

Films from South Korea are notably absent from the first batch of announced titles.

TORONTO IFF 2012 — ASIA-RELATED TITLES (TO BE CONTINUED)

■Caught in the Web; dir. CHEN Kaige [China]

■Cloud Atlas; dirs. Tom TYKWER, etc [US]

■Dangerous Liaisons; dir. HUR Jin-ho [China]

■Dreams for Sale; dir. NISHIKAWA Miwa [Japan]

■English Vinglish; dir. Gauri SHINDE [India]

■The Last Supper; dir. Lu Chuan [China/Taiwan]

■Looper; dir. Rian JOHNSON [US]

■Lore; dir. Cate SHORTLAND [Australia/Germany/US]

■Midnight's Children; dir. Deepa MEHTA [Canada/UK]

■Mr. Pip; dir. Andrew ADAMSON [New Zealand]

■Outrage Beyond; dir; Kitano Takeshi [Japan]

■The Reluctant Fundamentalist; dir. Mira NAIR [US]

■The Sapphires; dir. Wayne BLAIR [Australia]

■Tai Chi 0; dir. Stephen FUNG [China]

■Thermae Romae; dir. TAKEUCHI Hideki [Japan]

Source: Film Business Asia