51 years ago, Toronto launched the “Toronto Festival of Festivals,” which served as a collection of the best films from other festivals around the world. The first year saw 35,000 people watch 127 films from 35 countries in mid-October of 1976, with the festival based at the Windsor Arms Hotel. 

Over the years it has grown significantly, becoming a major stop for the world’s most noteworthy films which often receive massive awards recognition. In 1978, they added the name “Toronto International Film Festival,” which became its primary name in 1994. By 2016, attendance had increased to 480,000 with films from 83 countries.

This year, the festival runs from September 10-20, and press accreditation has closed. Penélope Cruz, Siân Heder, Isabelle Huppert, Rosalind Eleazar and Lee Chang-dong are set to receive TIFF Tribute Awards. Cruz has two films at the fest that previously screened at Cannes: the Spanish drama La Bola Negra, and Florian Zeller’s Bunker.