At the Toronto Film Festival, searing portraits of today

More than usual, this year’s Toronto International Film Festival radiates with urgent topicality, both on screen and off.

In the 343 films to unspool over the next 10 days at North America’s largest film festival, there will be films that investigate democracy in the face of terrorism like Paul Greengrass’ “22 July,” that pry into the intimate tragedies of police brutality, like Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and that directly confront the Trump era, like Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9.”

Toronto will also host a women’s rally in the ongoing push to improve gender equality in the movie industry. It’s diversifying the festival’s press corps, paying the way for approximately 180 journalists from underrepresented groups.

The festival opens Thursday with “Outlaw King,” starring Chris Pine.