Our neighbors to the north are readying one heck of a welcome wagon next month, when some of Hollywood’s finest are set to hit the red carpet—and debut a movie or two—at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival.

Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Canada’s own Rachel McAdams are among the latest crop of A-listers set to make the Gala scene during the fest, which runs Sept. 4-13.

Booked to appear, though not to premiere films, at the fest are Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Julian Schnabel who, along with several other Industry vets, will appear on the fest’s Mavericks roster, giving informal talks throughout the week on their filmmaking experiences.

Also expected at the fest to introduce their films: Appaloosa‘s Viggo Mortensen and Renée Zellweger and Blindness‘ Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore and Gael García Bernal.

Roughly 249 films in all are expected to be screened during the cinematic week, with premieres from Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Colin Farrell, Peter O’Toole, Tim Robbins, Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Biel and Jeff Goldblum all making the cut.

Claiming a bulk of the potentially appearing talent is the scheduled premiere of New York, I Love You, the follow-up to Paris, Je T’aime, a collection of 12 short films directed by Johansson and Portman, among others, and starring Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, Shia LaBeouf and Christina Ricci.

Also making its North American premiere at the fest is Ethan and Joel Coen‘s Burn After Reading, starring a couple of little-known actors: George Clooney and Pitt. The film will get its worldwide premiere at the Venice Film Festival, which Clooney is booked to attend, just days before Toronto.

Meanwhile, Beckinsale’s dramatic turn in Nothing But the Truth is also scheduled to premiere during the fest, with the actress playing a political reporter who is jailed for naming a CIA agent.

Norton, Farrell and Jon Voight will also grace the big screen during the week, appearing in the premiere of the cop-family drama Pride & Glory. Rounding out the politically minded films is The Lucky Ones, starring McAdams and Tim Robbins, following a group of returning U.S. soldiers who embark on a road trip.

Proving her absurd saturation of the market, a film about, though not starring, Paris Hilton, is also set to premiere at the festival. The documentary Paris, Not France, examines the pop culture phenom and is directed by Adria Petty.

Another documentary film that’s been added to the Contemporary World lineup is an as-yet unnamed biography chronicling the life of late Real World: San Francisco housemate Pedro Zamora. Showing in the same lineup is the comedy $5 a Day, starring Christopher Walken, Amanda Peet and Sharon Stone.

source: eonline.com