The Toronto International Film Festival has become renowned for the bevy of international and Hollywood film stars it brings to Toronto each year. But TIFF’s roots are distinctly Canadian and the festival never forgets about its own. So TIFF saves its most lavish press conference, held in early August, to announce the roster of Canadian films that will make premieres come September at the festival.

It was a packed house of TIFF industry insiders and Canadian filmmakers at the Royal York hotel on a Tuesday afternoon as festival co-directors Cameron Bailey and Piers Handling added to an already announced list of Canadian films – that included Gala premieres from directors David Cronenberg and Sarah Polley. Also announced on August 9th at the Royal York, Starbuck, from director Ken Scott will also join the lineup of TIFF galas.

Canadian entries joining the Special Presentations lineup include Afghan Luke, with Nick Stahl; Mary Harron’s The Moth Diaries, with Lily Cole and Scott Speedman, and Goon, a hockey-themed comedy with Seann William Scott and Jay Baruchel.

Guy Maddin, who premiered a film at TIFF twenty-five years ago, returns in 2011 with Keyhole starring Jason Patric and Isabella Rossellini. Maddin remarked at the packed TIFF press conference, “There’s more people in this room than saw Canadian films in the 1980′s.”