Toronto unveils N. American premieres (Variety)

Centenarian helmer Manoel de Oliveira's "Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl" is among 26 pics from the international circuit receiving their North American preems at the Toronto International Film Festival this September, it was announced Tuesday.

Joining Oliveira in the Masters program is Alain Resnais' romantic adventure "Les Herbes folles" and Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Air Doll."

"Police, Adjective," the latest from Romanian helmer Corneliu Porumboiu ("12:08, East of Bucharest"), and 2005 TIFF Discovery winner Sarah Watt's Adelaide fest opener "My Year Without Sex" are highlights in the Contemporary World Cinema section. Program also includes Haim Tabakman's "Eyes Wide Open," Alejandro Fernandez Almendras' "Huacho," Hong Sang-soo's "Like You Know It All," Jessica Hausner's "Lourdes," Asli Ozge's "Men on the Bridge," Elia Suleiman's "The Time that Remains" and Ciro Guerra's "The Wind Journeys."

Tsai Ming-Liang's nouvelle vague homage "Face" and Raya Martin's silent pic homage "Independencia" screen in Visions. TIFF's edgy program also includes: Alain Cavalier's "Irene," Chris Chong Chan Fui's "Karaoke," Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's "Nymph" and Joao Pedro Rodrigues' "To Die Like a Man."

"Fish Tank," U.K. helmer Andrea Arnold's follow-up to "Red Road," is programmed in Vanguard.

Discovery, for first- or second-time directors, will screen Adrian Biniez's "Gigante," Radu Jude's "The Happiest Girl in the World," Ermek Tursunov's "Kelin," Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel's "La Pivellina," Warwick Thornton's "Samson and Delilah" and Ismail Necmi's doc-drama hybrid "Should I Really Do It."

Tel Aviv, turning 100 this year, takes center stage in TIFF's inaugural urban-themed City to City program, also launched Tuesday.

"Films about cities show us how to live as urban citizens while reflecting our fantasies and fears," said TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey. "We need to take a moment to think about what it means to live in these large and growing communities, with increasingly diverse and multicultural populations." The full lineup will be announced later this summer.

The 34th TIFF runs Sept. 10-19.