TIFF welcomes A-list celebrities back to Toronto

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will mostly be hybrid this year, but some A-listers are heading to the city.

On Thursday, the festival shared a complete list of celebrity guests, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield, among others.

Other confirmed A-listers include Dune director Denis Villeneuve, Silent Night's Keira Knightley and The Good House's Sigourney Weaver.

Canadians will have a chance to attend limited in-person screenings in Toronto or digital screenings online throughout the 10-day festival period. Some celebrities will appear at restricted red carpet events during film premieres.

"We are inspired by the excitement and anticipation we can already feel in the city," Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, co-heads of TIFF, said in a statement. 

Changes to festival in 2021

TIFF organizers announced in June that the festival would be "hybrid," with theatres functioning at reduced capacities and limited gatherings. 

"It is a hybrid festival, but we love the word hybrid - It doesn't have to be a bad word," festival co-head Vicente said in a June interview with CBC News.

"We actually think there will be a hybrid component there of the festival that will continue for years to come… so that's here to stay."

Last week organizers announced staff, visitors and audience members entering TIFF would have to show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to entering any venues.

"TIFF has taken great care and consideration in implementing these TIFF specific protocols to mitigate risk to audiences and guests attending TIFF," Vicente and Bailey said in a press release last week.

The 46th festival will feature a slate of 100 international and local films, including Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho and The Eyes of Tammy Faye featuring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield.

The festival will run from Sept. 9 to Sept. 18.