For decades the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has been the face of the Canadian film industry, showcasing local filmmakers and productions to thousands of people from abroad as well as closer to home.

Every year a large portion of the slate is devoted to Canadian content, and this year seems to have an even stronger commitment to presenting our stories to the world.

Beyond our National cinema there are tales set even closer to home, works that not only are crafted by people that may live here but that choose to set portions of their films within the environs of our community.

Selected with the guidance of several TIFF's programmers, I've curated a list of titles that are local as well as global interest.

Here are some Toronto specific films that are set to play TIFF 2022.

Brother

It's fair to say that Clement Virgo's 1995 Cannes-competing Rude is one of the most important in our city's history, so the director's return with his most recent Scarberian saga is a welcome one.

Based on David Chariandy’s novel about two Trini-Canadians in the 1990s, this tale of brotherhood, kindness and violence is one of the premiere showcases of this year's slate.

Pussy

Joseph Amenta's debut promises to pull no punches with this coming-of-age film set in the GTA. A tale of young LGBTQ+ classmates that find strength in each other as they look to help out a friend, this looks to be a raw yet remarkable debut feature from a filmmaker to watch.

Black Ice

Executive produced by LeBron James, Drake and Maverick carter, Hubert Davis' probing look into the experience of Black players in what's promoted as our national pastime, providing historical context of Hockey's evolution and how racist toxicity remains a disturbing part of the modern game.

752 Is Not A Number

Babak Payami's harrowing documentary about one man's search for justice has deep resonance for many members of the greater Toronto community.

The tale of a Dentist who becomes a crusader for the truth about a Ukrainian airline that was shot down by Iran, this tale of tenacity looks to be pretty terrific.

Ever Deadly

Music docs have long found a home at TIFF, and this celebration of the sensational Tanya Tagaq promises a fair share of some local elements as she brings her music to her rapturous fans.

Of course, this singer uses her voice for more than performance, and her calls for justice are equally resonant in this sympathetic portrayal.

Something you said last night

Another exciting debut focusing on an LGBTQ+ story, Luis De Filippis tale of Ren (Carmen Madonia) and her sister (Paige Evans) takes place just outside the city, bringing a very different lens onto the local Italian community that has long been a part of our city's fabric.

When Morning Comes

Kelly Fyffe-Marshall's debut feature following her award-winning Black Bodies short promises to explore complex emotions and painful themes. Mostly set in Jamaica, the film nonetheless has a direct local narrative connection, telling the story that has direct resonance for so many in this city.

So Much Tenderness

For years many of us knew Lina Rodríguez for her work at TIFF, but for years now she has firmly established herself as a filmmaker unafraid to be experimental while giving audiences something to hold onto.

Her latest film about a Colombian-Canadian who cannot outrun her past looks to be both bittersweet and extremely compelling.

This Place

V.T. Nayani's debut stars Priya Guns and the ever extraordinary Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs in a love story between a Tamil woman and a Iranian-Kanien’kehá:kan woman, providing a profound, polyglot look in to the complexity of both love and the city both characters have found themselves living in.

TIFF Shorts

Many of the short films that are selected for the festival are set in Toronto and helmed by local filmmakers. As an example, Rita Ferrando's Pleasure Garden is the tale of a woman ending a pregnancy looks to be tender and thoughtful.

Tyler Mckenzie Evans directs Diaspora, described as a satirical thriller about gentrification. Karen Chapman's Quiet Minds Silent Streets looks at the effect of gun violence on this city's streets.

Karimah Zakia Issa's Scaring Women At Night is a drama about a late night walk home. Finally, there's Untold Hours, Daniel Warth's documentary about the painstaking work of an artist with a unique if unsettling eye.