Growing presence of the Middle East in the Toronto Film Festival shocks viewers

This year at the Toronto Film Festival, there is a new star in the building, and it is not any actor or director. At the Toronto International Film Festival and other festivals alike, Middle East-themed films are becoming increasingly popular among audiences and filmmakers.

CBS News states that this year's Venice Film Festival featured over 10 films made by Arab filmmakers. Along with a large Arab filmmaker presence, a large portion of the films have plot lines that center around Middle Eastern countries. Many of these Oscar-worthy films feature actors who are globally known.

Argo, directed by Ben Affleck, is a film that centers around the 1979 hostage situation in Iran, and follows the capture and rescue of six Americans in Tehran. It may be a shock to know that Ben Affleck is not a rookie in the directing world, as Argo will be his third film according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The growing interest in the Middle East will not slow down any time soon. Many of the films screened at the Toronto International Film Festival are said to have Oscar potential, and based on all the Hollywood buzz about them, this is not an understatement.

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