The prestigious Toronto International Film Festival welcomes “Black 47,” the Irish epic on the potato famine, to its 2018 lineup.

A US release date for “Black 47,” the Lance Daly Irish famine feature film, appears to be edging ever closer as the North American premiere for the movie is officially announced. On Tuesday, September 11, the movie will appear at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, alongside the likes of Steve McQueen’s “Widows,” Damien Chazelle's’ Neil Armstrong movie, “First Man” and Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut “A Star is Born” in the line-up.  

The inclusion in the 2018 TIFF lineup is great news for those already excited to see the movie, as those selected are generally seen as an early indicator of Oscar-worthy films. Irish films that screened at TIFF and continued on to Oscar success include Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room,” John Crowley’s “Brooklyn” and Nora Twomey’s “The Breadwinner” while international titles include “La La Land,” “The King’s Speech,” “12 Years a Slave,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Argo.”

Read more: "Black 47" famine film is a must-see so we can end the Great Hunger amnesia

Starring Hugo Weaving, Moe Dunford, Jim Broadbent, Sarah Greene, Stephen Rea and Barry Keoghan, “Black 47” focuses on the story of Martin Feeney, played by Australian actor James Frecheville, who returns to Ireland after fighting for the British Army to find his family dead or decimated by hunger.

Adapted from an Irish-language short named “The Ranger,” “Black 47” sees the characters speaking the native Irish language, the speakers of which would have lived in areas of the country which were the most dramatically affected by the Great Hunger in the 1840s.

Black 47 has been officially booked into 100 cinemas across Ireland from 5th September. Is this the widest release ever for an Irish film??? (@Scannain_com you could tell us for sure!). Check https://t.co/gAVOUlJxeY on screens as booking links go live #Black47 #Black47film pic.twitter.com/meQhrFc1k3

— WildcardDistribution (@WildCardDistrib) August 9, 2018

Already a massive hit at the Berlin Film Festival and at a screening at the Audi Dublin International Film Festival, Daly’s famine movie, that was shot on a very small budget over a short seven-week period, had a fantastic debut.

Read more“Black 47,” first major film about famine-era Ireland, getting rave early reviews

And for Irish fans, you’ve even less time to wait to catch the movie as it receives its Irish release on Wednesday, September 5, and its UK release on September 28.

You can find more information and tickets at https://www.black47film.com.  

What do you make of the “Black 47” trailer? Will you be first in line to catch the movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section, below.