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The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival has just announced its Vanguard programming, which features the very latest in cutting-edge cinema. The Vanguard offerings, over a dozen films, have been described by TIFF Programmer Colin Geddes as “a bold and dangerous world where genre meets art house cinema.” Highlights to watch for:

Thale (dir. Aleksander Nordaas) – A woman with a tail is discovered in a cellar. She’s been there for decades, held captive. Based on a mythical creature of Norwegian Folklore, a huldra, we soon find out that sometimes creatures are hidden away for a reason. Awesome creepy horror.

Room 237 (dir. Rodney Ascher) – Director Stanley Kubrick is responsible for some of the most compelling films every made. Turns out, many of his fans are just as compelling.  Room 237, looks at Kubrick’s horror classic The Shining (1980) and five of its extremely devoted fans, who have spent years “decoding” the film’s secret messages.

Motorway (dir. Soi Cheang) – What could be better than a Hong Kong action film? Pretty much nothing, I say. The latest from the director of Accident is an action flick starring Anthony Wong as a tired and cranky veteran cop who has to train the new kid. Full of sleek cars and high speed chases.

iLL Manors (dir. Ben Drew) –   This crime thriller is the directorial debut of British music artist Ben Drew (aka Plan B) and follows the stories of six Londoners attempting to survive their violent environment. Gorgeous and brutal, the film also features Drew’s own music for the chart-topping soundtrack.

Other films of note include the North American premiere of Michel Gondry’s new film The We and the I, a film written, directed by, and starring Canadian electronic musician, Peaches, called Peaches Does Herself, and Pusher, Luis Prieto’s remake of the 1996 Danish cult classic of the same name.

Vanguard is part of the TIFF 2012 festival programming, which runs from September 6 to 16. For all the details on the festival or to purchase tickets, please visit tiff.net.

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