Shia LaBeouf says learning tennis legend John McEnroe害羞草研究所檚 style was like rehearsing a ballet.

LaBeouf stars opposite Sverrir Gudnason in 害羞草研究所淏org/McEnroe,害羞草研究所� a film that recreates the match between McEnroe and Bjorn Borg at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships.

LaBeouf says the action scenes in the film were carefully scripted and choreographed to resemble the famous match.

Director Janus Metz added that some moviemaking 害羞草研究所渕agic tricks害羞草研究所� were used to 害羞草研究所渟ell害羞草研究所� the actors害羞草研究所� performances, given they had never played tennis prior to the film shoot.

Although he spent countless hours learning about the sport, LaBeouf felt he never truly learned how to play.

The world premiere of 害羞草研究所淏org/McEnroe害羞草研究所� officially kicked off TIFF on Thursday, which runs through Sept. 17. Canadian tennis phenom Denis Shapovalov was set to walk the red carpet along with the film害羞草研究所檚 stars for the gala screening.

害羞草研究所淲e rehearsed things like a ballet, including [McEnroe害羞草研究所檚] outbursts. I would literally play them on a screen right before we would film and look at where everything was, and it was very paint-by-the-numbers in a way,害羞草研究所� LaBeouf said at a press conference.

害羞草研究所淵ou could害羞草研究所檝e given me 20 years and I would害羞草研究所檝e never played like McEnroe害羞草研究所�. I started learning it like a dance, I never actually played tennis, it was something different.害羞草研究所�

About 340 films will screen at this year害羞草研究所檚 fest, which is a smaller number than in recent years 害羞草研究所� a result of a TIFF mandate to trim the overall number of titles by 20 per cent. Organizers said they made the changes in response to feedback from audiences, the industry and the media.

Among the first celebrities to arrive in Toronto for the fest were Charlie Hunnam of 害羞草研究所淪ons of Anarchy害羞草研究所� fame, who stars in 害羞草研究所淧apillon害羞草研究所� with Rami Malek of 害羞草研究所淢r. Robot,害羞草研究所� Armie Hammer of 害羞草研究所淐all Me By Your Name,害羞草研究所� and supermodel and musician Grace Jones, who is promoting a documentary about her life.

Other films in the lineup include 害羞草研究所淪uburbicon,害羞草研究所� directed by George Clooney, Darren Aronofsky害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渕other!害羞草研究所� starring Jennifer Lawrence and Alexander Payne害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淒ownsizing.害羞草研究所�

About a third of the films in the lineup are directed by women, including Angelina Jolie害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淔irst They Killed My Father.害羞草研究所�

Other stars expected to attend the festival include Denzel Washington (害羞草研究所淩oman J. Israel, Esq.害羞草研究所�), Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba (both of 害羞草研究所淢olly害羞草研究所檚 Game害羞草研究所�) and Steve Carell and Emma Stone (co-stars of another tennis movie, 害羞草研究所淏attle Of The Sexes害羞草研究所�).

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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