The Stunt Driver premieres at Toronto ahead of Sept. 25 release

A mile-long jump across the St. Lawrence River in a rocket car is at the centre of The Stunt Driver, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film played in Special Presentations, a showcase strand for high-profile titles, and is set for a theatre release on Sept. 25 via IFC, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The story follows Canadian daredevil Ken Carter and his bid to clear the river. It is a true story. Carter has been described as Canada's underdog answer to Evel Knievel, according to Deadline.

The jump was real. The film takes its inspiration and blueprint from The Devil at Your Heels, the 1981 documentary about Carter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The cast is led by Jay Baruchel, with Ed Helms and Ben Foster in key supporting roles. Foster plays Knievel himself, described as Carter's nemesis-turned-mentor.

Helms plays engineer Dick Keller. Laurence Leboeuf plays Gloria, Carter's wife. The wider cast includes Dan Bakkedahl, Joe Cobden and Marc Beaupre.

Michael Dowse is the director and screenwriter. He re-teamed with Baruchel for the film, according to the festival, which describes it as a comedy about a Canadian stuntman who dared to dream big and fly high.

The running time is 1 hour 39 minutes. The rating is R.

For audiences unfamiliar with Carter, this means the rocket-car jump is not an invention for the screen. It was a long-planned Canadian stunt with American echoes, and Knievel looms large over it.

Coverage built quickly around the premiere. Variety reported on the film ahead of its Toronto bow on Sept. 11, and Deadline published an interview with Baruchel and Dowse the same week. Reviews have followed from the festival, including the Sept. 12 notice from The Hollywood Reporter.