The focus of the film world will again turn to Hogtown when Deepa Mehta's period drama Water opens the 30th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 8-17).

TIFF 2005's movie lineup, consisting of 256 features and 79 shorts from 52 countries, is highlighted by entries from several of Canada's heavy-hitting filmmakers.

As with Water, Atom Egoyan's mystery Where the Truth Lies and David Cronenberg's thriller A History of Violence (funded by Hollywood's New Line Cinema) will receive the gala treatment at Roy Thomson Hall. Also highly anticipated is Clement Virgo's sex drama Lie with Me.

A couple of high-profile copros will be making world premieres, including Sturla Gunnarsson's Beowulf & Grendel, a modern take on the ancient adventure story, and Terry Gilliam's Tideland, a Canada/U.K. fantasy shot in Saskatchewan.

Meanwhile, TIFF organizers are vacuuming their red carpets in anticipation of a deluge of Hollywood celebs coming to hawk their flicks. Expected guests include: Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Jeff Bridges, Jackie Chan, Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell, Richard Gere, Anthony Hopkins, Viggo Mortensen, Liam Neeson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron, Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon.

Playback's extensive coverage of TIFF 2005 begins on p. 17.