New films from StevenZallian, Bob Balaban and Agnieska Holland are among the first titles to beannounced as world premieres at this year's Toronto International Film Festival

Based on Robert PennWarren's novel - itself inspired by the life of notorious US politicianHuey P. Long - Zaillian's All The King's Men is his first feature as director since 1998's ACivil Action. It packs an all-starpunch with Sean Penn as the corrupt politician alongside Jude Law, KateWinslet, Patricia Clarkson, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, and AnthonyHopkins. The Sony Pictures film is presented as a Gala.

Balaban's Bernard AndDoris features Susan Sarandon in therole of eccentric tobacco heiress Doris Duke and Ralph Fiennes as Bernard, hergay Irish butler, to whom she bequeathed her estate and the ire of a host ofastonished potential beneficiaries. The film, described as intimate andhumourous, imagines how their relationship developed. It screens as a SpecialPresentation.

Holland's CopyingBeethoven stars Ed Harris as thecomposer and Diane Kruger as an aspiring protege who gets the chance to workwith the aging genius as he completes his ninth and final symphony. The film,sold by Myriad Pictures, will screen in Contemporary World Cinema.

The fourth world premiere inthe announcement is The Pleasure Of Your Company, the directorial debut of actor Michael Ian Black,stars Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher in a comedy about a deeply depressed man whofinds love with a quirky discontented waitress. It will screen as a SpecialPresentation. Greene Street Films International is handling internationalsales.

The 31st TorontoInternational Film Festival runs Sept 7 to 16, 2006.