Affleck film to debut at Toronto film fest

BURBANK, Calif., Aug. 2 (UPI) -- "The Town," a Boston-set crime drama directed by and starring Ben Affleck, is to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The offering from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures will be given a gala presentation Sept. 11. This marks the movie's North American debut and Affleck's second directorial effort after "Gone Baby Gone."

"The Town" is to open in North America theaters Sept. 17.

"There are over 300 bank robberies in Boston every year. And most of the professionals live in a 1-square-mile neighborhood called Charlestown. One of them is Doug MacCray, but he is not cut from the same cloth as his fellow thieves," Warner Bros. said in a synopsis of the film. "Unlike them, Doug had a chance at success, a chance to escape following in his father's criminal footsteps. Instead, he became the leader of a crew of ruthless bank robbers, who pride themselves on taking what they want and getting out clean. The only family Doug has are his partners in crime, especially Jem, who, despite his dangerous, hair-trigger temper, is the closest thing Doug ever had to a brother. However, everything changes on the gang's last job when Jem briefly took a hostage: bank manager Claire Keesey. When they discover she lives in Charlestown, Jem gets nervous and wants to check out what she might have seen. Knowing what Jem is capable of, Doug takes charge."

The film co-stars Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite and Chris Cooper.