The madness of the fall festival season is about to start and organizers at Venice, Telluride, and TIFF are always angling to have the biggest, starriest attractions. Well, the team in Toronto has pulled a pretty great surprise move with this last minute addition.
TIFF has announced that “Nightcrawler” director Dan Gilroy‘s new movie, “Roman J. Israel, Esq” has been added to the lineup, and will make its World Premiere in Toronto. The film had appeared and was quickly scrubbed from TIFF’s Schedule Changes page earlier this week, so those in the know had this announcement on their radar.
“We always hoped to premiere at Toronto and couldn’t be happier that TIFF audiences will be the first to see the film,” Gilroy said in a statement. “Thanks to Cameron and the entire Festival crew for embracing us and bringing Roman Israel to the world.”
Coming to #TIFF17: The World Premiere of Dan Gilroy’s @RomanJIsraelEsq, featuring Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell and @CarmenEjogo. pic.twitter.com/yPBUztDP87
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) August 31, 2017
“Roman J. Israel, Esq.” is a dramatic thriller set in the underbelly of the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system. Denzel Washington steps into the lead role, playing a driven, idealistic L.A. defense attorney whose life is upended when a turbulent series of events challenge the activism that has defined his career. The lawyer is then offered a job at a prestigious law firm after the death of his longtime partner, and takes on a case that has life-altering repercussions. Colin Farrell co-stars as the ambitious, monied lawyer who recruits Roman to his firm, and the pair will likely set off some real fireworks. Gilroy was previously at TIFF with “Nightcrawler,” and things went rather well, so he’ll certainly be welcome back with open arms.
The movie also features Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt, Amanda Warren, Hugo Armstrong, Sam Gilroy, Tony Plana, DeRon Horton and Amari Cheatom. Of course, “Roman Israel, Esq” is being seen by Sony as their awards horse, and has already been slated to open on November 3rd.
