While the physical parameters of the Toronto International Film Festival are fixed this year.

While the physical parameters of the Toronto International Film Festival are fixed this year, it will not away 261 features over 10 days, starting Thursday its horizons are as vast and evolving as film itself and the artists in its programs.

This year, as always, "there are several directions running through films" including, "after a not many fallow years, the return of the great European cinema," said festival co-director Noah Cowan.

Cowan, who started working at the festival at the age of 14 and is in his third year as its co-director, said a recurring theme is that many filmmakers are still "contending with violence and war."

"It's a brutal time in world history . . and these dots are being have relationed by some of the greatest in quantity interesting filmmakers" in the world, he said. While, immediately after tribe 11, such films were "emotive and visceral," Cowan said, "what we behold now are . . intellectually rich art films that speak to what it means to be in this world."

Cowan cited Julia Lektov's first attempt "Day Night Day Night," about a female suicide bomber; Ana Kokkinos' "The work of Revelation," about a man who is kidnapped and later tries "to find without how did this happen," to a great degree in the way the world is wondering "how did we realize to this place;" John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus," about the sex lives of of the present day Yorkers after Sept. 11; and "Mon Colonel" about the French in Algeria, written by dint of Costa-Gavras, "which is very long about Iraq right now."

A sampling of films in the festival is to the right.

For a total list of films, go to the festival Web site ( www.e.bell.ca/filmfest).

TORONTO FILMS

"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," mockumentary with Sasha Baron Cohen, creator and star of "Da Ali G Show" as a Kazakhstan journalist reporting forward American life.

"Deliver Us From Evil," documentary by way of Amy Berg, about a pedophile priest in northern California, who cooperated with the filmmaker.

"Hana," a samurai film from Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, director of "Nobody Knows."

"The Lives of Others," about a leash who fall under the suspicion of East German police, a film that has drawn comparisons to "The Conversation."

"Brand with the Brain!" Guy Maddin's silent expressionist film, with live music performed by dint of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

"Candy," Australian film, with Heath Ledger as a heroin-addicted poet

"Penelope" fable about a girl curs with nose of a pig, with Christina Ricci, Peter Dinklage.

"Summercamp!" documentary about kids at a Wisconsin nature camp, on Bradley Beesley and Sarah Price, co-director of "American Movie."

"Copying Beethoven," exploration of Beethoven's last days as he wrote his "Ninth Symphony" with ed Harris, directed by Agnieszka Holland.

"Indignes," about North Africans who fought for France during World War II. The entire cast won best acting award at the Cannes Film Festival.

"Outsourced," comedy about an American telemarketer whose entire department is sent to India.

"Starter for Ten" a working-class kid at an upper-class British university dreams of becoming a quiz present to view contestant, produced by Tom Hanks.

"All the King's Men" adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's novel about a larger-than-life populist politician stars Sean Penn Jude Law, Mark Ruffalo.

"Away From Her," Alice Munro story about a two whose idyllic lives are torn apart when the wife becomes ill, with Julie Christie, directed from Sarah Polley.

"Babel," about interconnected pairs with Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garca Bernal, on Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu who won best director at Cannes.

"Bonneville," Joan Allen, Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates as of long date friends who take a road trip.

"Breaking and Entering," about a landscape architect whose daughter is not a normal child, directed at Anthony Minghella, with Juliette Binoche, Jude Law.

"Dixie Chicks: coop up Up and Sing," documentary about the backlash the singing form into groups experienced after their anti-war comments

"For Your Consideration," mockumentary about the cast of a film up for awards, by way of "Best in Show" director Christopher Guest

"A suitable Year," Russell Crowe as a banker who inherits a vineyard, from the novel from Peter Mayle, directed by Ridley Scott

"Infamous," drama about Truman Capote, with Daniel Craig, Sandra Bullock

Volver" Pedro Almodvar comedy about a sexy housewife, played by way of Penelope Cruz, her dead husband, her departed spirit of a mother. Cruz was named best actress at Cannes, and Almodvar won best screenplay.

"Rescue Dawn," drama about the escape of a Vietnam War POW through Werner Herzog.

"The Wind That Shakes the Barley," cognizance Loach drama about the rise of the Irish Republican Army, won best film at Cannes.

"Ghost of Cit Soleil," family drama wager against the violent backdrop of the Haitian slums

"The U v John Lennon," documentary about Lennon's anti-war activities.

"El Cantante," Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez in a biography of the godfather of salsa music Hector Lavoe.