Here’s Your First Look At A Bushy-Bearded Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley, Charlie Hunnam & More From TIFF 2019 Films

While films starring Scarlett Johansson (two of them, in fact), Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix, and other major stars seem to dominate the headlines coming out of this morning’s 2019 TIFF lineup announcement, there are plenty of under-the-radar films from acclaimed directors that are screening at the fest that are worthy of your attention.

READ MORE: TIFF 2019 Line-up: New Films By Rian Johnson, Steven Soderbergh, Safdie Brothers, Noah Baumbach, & The Joker Lands A North American Premiere

One of the most anticipated films comes from indie director Drake Doremus, called “Endings, Beginnings.” The film, which stars Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan, and Jamie Dornan, tells the story of a love triangle between an idealistic woman, a bad boy, and a scholar. Doremus is an acclaimed filmmaker that’s probably best known for his dramas “Like Crazy,” “Breathe In,” and “Douchebag.” His most recent film is last year’s “Zoe.”

Filmmaker Pablo Larraín returns with his follow-up to his Oscar-nominated film “Jackie” with a film with a similarly simple title, “Ema.” However, instead of focusing on the life and times of a First Lady, “Ema” stars Mariana Di Girolamo in a film about a woman that has to deal with a devastating accident that fractures her family and her marriage.

The Toronto International Film Festival has always been a good place to premiere films for director Wayne Wang. In 2007, the director had two films at the fest, “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” and “The Princess of Nebraska.” However, he’s probably best known for his seminal film “The Joy Luck Club.” Wang returns in 2019 with his latest work, “Coming Home Again,” which is about a Korean American man that has to care for his ailing mother.

Justin Kurzel, who is probably best known for his films “Macbeth” and “Snowtown,” arrives at TIFF with a screening of his historical drama “True History of the Kelly Gang.” Despite the title, the film is a fictionalized re-telling of the life and crimes of infamous 19th-century Australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Kurzel’s film stars a bushy-bearded Russell Crowe, Charlie Hunnam, and Nicholas Hoult.

The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival begins September 5.