The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
The Toronto International Film Festival has announced its award recipients for the 47th edition of the Festival, which concluded last evening with the Closing Night screening of Mary Harron’s Dalíland at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall.
“2022 brought an exceptional selection of films that excited festival audiences around the world,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. “Our lineup showcased beloved auteurs alongside fresh voices in filmmaking, including numerous women powerhouses. TIFF welcomed guests, press, industry, international stars, and directors back to the city and into cinemas. The sweeping range in cinematic storytelling from around the world is a testament to the uniqueness of the films that are being made. We’re so grateful and proud of this year’s Festival.”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
For the 45th year, the People’s Choice Awards distinguish the audience’s top title at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All films in TIFF’s Official Selection were eligible.
TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Award winner is The Fabelmans dir. Steven Spielberg
The first runner-up is Women Talking dir. Sarah Polley The second runner-up is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery dir. Rian Johnson
TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award winner Weird: The Al Yankovic Story dir. Eric Appel
The first runner-up is Pearl dir. Ti West The second runner-up is The Blackening dir. Tim Story
TIFF 2022 People’s Choice Documentary Award winner Black Ice dir. Hubert Davis
The first runner-up is Maya and the Wave dir. Stephanie Johnes The second runner-up is 752 is not a Number dir. Babak Payami
IMDbPro SHORT CUTS AWARDS
The 2022 IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are for Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman. Each winning film will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD and a one-year membership to IMDbPro, the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, to help them continue achieving success in their careers. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, IMDbPro empowers entertainment professionals to discover new talent and projects and has an ongoing commitment to supporting and collaboratively working with organizations that create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry, including TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign. IMDbPro also supported the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance presented by IMDbPro, which was presented to Brendan Fraser for his outstanding performance in The Whale at the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser on September 11, 2022.
“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of IMDbPro, we are honoured to present four TIFF Awards that so perfectly align with our mission to help entertainment industry professionals launch and grow their careers and our commitment to highlighting diverse artists and inclusive storytelling,” said Col Needham, Founder & CEO of IMDb. “We congratulate these Award recipients and all professionals whose work was featured at TIFF, and look forward to watching their careers continue to grow following this breakthrough moment.”
The winners of the three awards are:
IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Film: Snow in September dir. Lkhagvadulam (Dulmaa) Purev-Ochir
Jury’s statement: “Told through a bold and sophisticated lens, this tense yet poignant portrayal follows a young man’s shift from wide-eyed boy to yearning pursuer. The jury is pleased to present the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film to Snow in September directed by Mongolia’s Lkhagvadulam (Dulmaa) Purev-Ochir.”
Honourable Mention: For its wildly entertaining and incredibly realized portrait of a flight attendant’s personal crisis, the jury is very pleased to present an honourable mention for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film to Airhostess-737 by director Thanasis Neofotistos. Centred on Lena Papaligoura’s impressive performance, the film is an unhinged, compelling, and memorable tragicomedy.
IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film: Simo dir. Aziz Zoromba Jury’s statement: “Featuring convincing, natural performances and tight direction, the film astutely plays off of narrative conventions to deliver an unexpectedly tender take on growing up in an all-male immigrant family. The jury is delighted to give the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short to Aziz Zoromba for Simo.”
Honourable Mention: For its intensely taut and pulsating tale following an aging delivery driver’s movement through a gritty, desperate night in the city, the jury is pleased to present an honourable mention for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film to Same Old by director Lloyd Lee Choi.
IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award: Nanitic dir. Carol Nguyen (2022 TIFF Filmmaker Lab) Jury’s statement: “With skill, precision, and sensitivity, this film stood out for its delicate and assured portrayal of love and sacrifice within a multi-generational household. The jury is thrilled to give the IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award to Carol Nguyen for Nanitic.”
The 2022 jurors for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are Sally Lee, Thyrone Tommy, and Lisa Haller.
NETPAC AWARD
The 2022 NETPAC jury members include: Ida Yoshinaga and Diana Ashimova. TIFF is delighted to announce that the 2022 NETPAC Jury has selected Sweet As, dir. Jub Clerc as this year’s NETPAC winner.
The 2022 NETPAC jury released the following statement: “A model road film in all aspects with great locations and a strong cast, Jub Clerc’s Sweet As convincingly tells the story of an Indigenous girl on a youth-therapy bus tour — dealing with family, friendship, inspiration and self-identity.”
FIPRESCI PRIZE
The 2022 FIPRESCI jury members include: Andrew Kendall, Marriska Fernandes, Márcio Sallem, Andrea Crozzoli, and Max Borg. The jury is delighted to announce Basil Khalil’s A Gaza Weekend as this year’s FIPRESCI winner.
The 2022 FIPRESCI jury released the following statement: “For its empathy and intelligence in capturing the zeitgeist, and with its daring approach to contemporary satire and world cinema, we award Basil Khalil’s A Gaza Weekend the 2022 FIPRESCI Prize. Basil Khalil’s direction finds space for the more sorrowful, more tender moments of interpersonal crises even as he deftly escalates the bawdy humour on display, capturing the nature of survival as very serious and very funny business for these characters.”
AMPLIFY VOICES AWARDS PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE
Canada Goose embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including technique and passion that transports storytelling to the screen. This year, Canada Goose presents the Amplify Voices Awards to the three best feature films by under-represented filmmakers. All feature films in Official Selection by emerging filmmakers who are Black or Indigenous or persons of colour and Canadian, were eligible for these awards, and the three winners will receive a cash prize of $10,000 each, made possible by Canada Goose.
The three Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose winners are:
Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film: To Kill a Tiger dir. Nisha Pahuja Jury’s statement: “It’s not easy to film love. In Nisha Pahuja’s To Kill a Tiger, a father defends his daughter, and together they change a village, a country and, maybe, the world.”
Special Mention for Best Canadian Feature Film: Viking dir. Stéphane Lafleur Jury’s statement: “The jury would like to acknowledge Stéphane Lafleur’s brilliant satire, Viking, exploring the intersection of technology and ego.”
Amplify Voices Award: Leonor Will Never Die dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar Jury’s statement: “Leonor Will Never Die, for its original voice, made by a fearless filmmaker who knows how to bring the fun and an incredible lead performance. This film is truly one of one.”
Amplify Voices Award: While We Watched dir. Vinay Shukla Jury’s statement: “While We Watched is a compelling, urgent film that collapses our differences. It is a wake-up call to how perilous and fragile the relationship between a free press and democracy is everywhere.”
Special Mention for Best Feature from an Emerging BIPOC Filmmaker: Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On dir. Madison Thomas Jury’s statement: The jury would also like to give special mention to Madison Thomas’s Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On, because “everyone should know about Buffy Sainte-Marie.”
The 2022 jurors for the Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose are Ann Marie Fleming, Anne Emond, Nathan Morlando, Jennifer Holness, Albert Shin, and Luisa Alvarez Restrepo.
SHAWN MENDES FOUNDATION CHANGEMAKER AWARD
Presented by the Shawn Mendes Foundation, the 2022 Changemaker Award is awarded to a Festival film that tackles issues of social change, and comes with a $10,000 cash prize. The winning film was selected by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee, a group of young film lovers who recognize cinema’s power to transform the world. The Shawn Mendes Foundation will also be making an annual contribution in support of TIFF Next Wave, helping TIFF deliver key initiatives to elevate young voices.
The 2022 jurors for the Changemaker Award are members of TIFF’s Next Wave Committee: Naiya Forrester, Arjun Persaud, Norah Daudi, Honora Murphy, Ellie Tripp, Celina Tang, Simona Williams, Faven Tesfamichael, Tara Sidhu, Keertan Somasundaram, Maggie Kane, and Dev Desai.
The 2022 Changemaker Award is presented to Luis De Filippis’ Something You Said Last Night. Director De Filippis (2018 TIFF Filmmaker Lab, 2020 TIFF Talent Accelerator) offered this statement: “It is an honour to have Something You Said Last Night be acknowledged by the next generation of filmmakers. Thank you to the Next Wave Committee for seeing this story. I am so excited to watch you lead our industry in the coming years. Thank you to the team behind this film who supported, and believed, and put their all into it, even on the bad days — which there were a few. It’s hard not to ignore the building tide of new voices this year at TIFF, and I am so happy to see our stories finally being told and celebrated — a new wave is coming.”
TIFF’s Next Wave Committee provided this statement: “The TIFF Next Wave Committee announces Luis De Filippis as the 2022 Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award recipient for her debut feature Something You Said Last Night, an honest, immersive, and intensely relatable portrayal of an Italian Canadian family on a summer vacation. Ren (Carmen Madonia, 2022 TIFF Rising Stars) is a character unlike any other we’ve seen. She is talented, she is struggling, she is flawed, she is loved, she is passionate, and she is accepted. She is all of these things, and she is also a young trans woman finding her place in the world. Created with queer and trans creators in front and behind the camera, Something You Said Last Night finds its power in the complex, imperfect truth of humans and our relationships with family. With her film, Luis De Filippis is changing the game — giving a voice to trans people along the way, and creating a future where queer representation exists beyond the one-dimensional stories and characters we’ve seen over and over again. We hope the visibility and recognition of this award will help more young people see and be inspired by the film like we were, and support De Filippis in her development and journey as a filmmaker.”
PLATFORM PRIZE
Named after Jia Zhang-ke’s trailblazing second feature, Platform is the Toronto International Film Festival’s competitive programme championing bold directorial visions. Platform was curated by Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer; and Robyn Citizen, Director, Festival Programming and TIFF Cinematheque. The Platform Prize Jury members for 2022 are Patricia Rozema (Jury Chair), Iram Haq, and Chaitanya Tamhane and they are delighted to announce that their selection is Riceboy Sleeps, dir. Anthony Shim.
The Platform jury provided this statement: “The 2022 TIFF Platform Jury announces the unanimous choice for the Platform Prize — Riceboy Sleeps, written and directed by Anthony Shim for its deeply moving story and precisely-observed characters as they navigate racism, dislocation, family, and love. It balances social realism with pure poetry. Plus, it’s very funny. The leads Choi Seung-yoon (2022 TIFF Rising Stars), Ethan Hwang, and Dohyun Noel Hwang deserve top honours. Riceboy Sleeps touches on, in a most accessible way, some of humanity’s biggest challenges — how to merge cultures without erasing individuals, how to grow up whole in fragmented families, and how to defend ourselves from internalizing the subtle and not so subtle discriminations of the privileged.”
About TIFF TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, Visa and BVLGARI and Major Supporters the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
TIFF is grateful for the generous support of the 2022 festival from the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario and Telefilm Canada.
TIFF is grateful to Canada Goose for their generous support of the Amplify Voices Awards.TIFF is grateful to IMDbPro for their generous support of IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards for Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman.TIFF Short Cuts Programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of TikTok, and supported by the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Toronto.
Abby (voiced by Hyein Park), Miriam (voiced by Ava Morse), Priya (voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) in “Turning Red” (Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar Animation Studios)
Culture Representation: Taking place in Toronto in 2002, the animated film “Turning Red” features a racially diverse cast of characters (Asian, white and a few black people and Latinos) portraying the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: Due to an inherited family trait, a 13-year-old girl finds out that she can turn into a giant red panda when she gets very emotional, and she has to decide if she will keep or get rid of this family trait.
Culture Audience: “Turning Red” will appeal primarily to people interested in entertaining but somewhat predictable animated films that are stories about coming of age and about mother-daughter relationships.
Ming (voiced by Sandra Oh) and Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) in “Turning Red” (Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar Animation Studios)
The comedic animated film “Turning Red” can at times get too one-note and formulaic in its themes of identity and self-discovery, but the movie has enough offbeat charm to make it a memorable coming-of-age story. The movie explores issues that are familiar to movies about children who are descendants of immigrants, such as whether to follow “old country” traditions or “current country” lifestyles. It’s a story that people of many generations and cultures can enjoy.
“Turning Red” is the feature-film debut of director Domee Shi, who won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short, for her 2018 film “Bao.” According to the “Turning Red” production notes, “Turning Red” (which was co-written by Shi and Julie Cho) is based on a lot of Shi’s real-life experiences as a Canadian child in a Chinese immigrant family. The story, which takes place in Toronto in the spring of 2002, is about a 13-year-old girl who finds her own identity, even when she has people telling her who she should be and what she should do.
The 13-year-old protagonist of “Turning Red” is Meiling “Mei” Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a smart, obedient and admittedly dorky eighth grader at Lester B. Pearson Middle School in Toronto. Mei is the only child of domineering, overprotective mother Ming Lee (voiced by Sandra Oh) and laid-back and mild-mannered father Jin Lee (voiced by Orion Lee), who both moved to Canada before Mei was born. Ming is the boss of the Lee Family Temple, which is a tourist attraction in Toronto’s Chinatown district. Jin appears to be a stay-at-home father. Mei works part-time as an assistant temple keeper at the Lee Family Temple, where she does menial tasks such as cleaning.
Mei is a self-described overachiever who’s not very popular at school, but she has a tight-knit trio of friends who are students at the same school. Miriam (voiced by Ava Morse) is tomboyish and goofy. Priya (voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) is bookish and sarcastic. Abby (voiced by Hyein Park) is feisty and hot-tempered. All four girls are somewhat obsessive fans of a boy band named 4*Town, which will be performing an upcoming concert at the Toronto SkyDome, a stadium that can seat 40,000 to 50,000 people. (In real life, the Toronto SkyDome name was changed to Rogers Centre in 2005.)
Because Ming is very strict and suspicious of anything that she thinks could lead Mei to rebel, she won’t let Mei go to the concert. Ming tells Mei that 4*Town’s inoffensive pop music is “filth.” It’s around this time that Mei finds out that the women in her family have inherited a trait where they turn into giant red pandas when they get emotional. When Mei is a panda, she’s about 8 feet tall. Mei discovers this family gene when she wakes up as a giant panda. And later, she predictably turns into a panda when she’s in school, which leads to a humiliating experience.
Mei’s parents tell her that the red panda trait can be suppressed/cured with an ancient ritual during the next red moon, which takes place the following month, on May 25. Meanwhile, Mei finds out that her schoolmates actually like when she transforms into Red Panda Mei, because she’s more spontaneous and fun-loving as a panda. And so, Mei and her three pals come up with a scheme to get enough money to go to the 4*Town concert, which will cost them $200 a ticket. The red panda ritual and the concert are part of a “race against time” aspect to this movie.
“Turning Red” infuses this somewhat simplistic comedic story with more complex commentary about generational traditions and mother-daughter relationships, especially toward the end of the film. Ming expects Mei to put family duties above Mei’s social life, which is why Mei doesn’t hang out with her friends after school as much as she would like to because Mei often has to work at the temple. “Turning Red” has many nods to Eastern culture (which puts emphasis on family/community) and Western culture (which puts emphasis on individuality), as well as the conflicts that can arise when someone, such as Mei, is caught between the contrasts of these cultures.
For example, Ming tells Mei that the red panda trait originated from an ancient female ancestor named Sun Yee, who was a warrior, scholar and poet at a time when women rarely had those roles. During a war, when most of the men were off fighting in the war, Sun Yee prayed to the gods to give her a way to defend her daughter and their village. The gods answered her prayer by giving her the ability to turn into a giant red panda. This ability was passed on to all of Sun Yee’s female descendants. This inherited trait could be considered a blessing for those who see it as good for a community, or it could be seen as a curse for those who see it as bad for an individual.
In the movie’s opening scene, Mei makes a comment that shows how she’s conflicted between the need to get the approval of her family (namely, her mother) and her need to be her own person who can make her own decisions. She says in a voiceover as a montage of her life flashes on screen: “The No. 1 rule in my family: Honor your parents … The least you can do is everything they ask. Honoring your parents is great, but if you take it too far, you might forget to honor yourself.”
Other parts of the movie repeat scenarios where Mei would like to think that she’s independent and free to do what she wants, but then something happens (usually involving Mei’s mother Ming) where Mei is made to feel guilty or pressured to do things that will make her parents proud and honor the family. Ming already has Mei’s life mapped out for her and expects Mei to have a career as secretary-general of the United Nations. Ming is also extremely judgmental and wants to control every aspect of Mei’s life.
For most of the movie, Ming is a caricature of a “helicopter mom,” who hovers and often interferes with Mei’s life to the extent that it causes a series of embarrassments for Mei. For example, when Mei wakes up one morning to find out that she has turned into a giant red panda, Mei is so confused and frightened, she won’t let her parents in her bedroom, but she wails through the door: “I’m a gross red monster!”
Ming misinterprets Mei’s “gross red monster” comment as Mei getting her menstrual period for the first time. That misunderstanding leads to a scene where Ming shows up unannounced at Mei’s school to deliver sanitary pads to her. Much to Mei’s understandable mortification, Ming gets into a fight with a security guard over it in front of Mei and her classmates, while Ming shouts that she just wants to deliver sanitary pads that Mei forgot at home. Of course, Ming eventually finds out the truth, and that’s when Mei’s parents tell Mei about their family’s red panda secret.
It isn’t until the last third of “Turning Red” that Ming stops being a caricature and starts being more of a fully developed character, as some of her human frailties and vulnerabilities emerge. This gradual reveal of Ming’s true character is one of the best aspects of “Turning Red,” which skillfully shows how physical appearances aren’t the only traits that can be passed down through generations. Parenting habits and the ways that parents teach children how to interact with others can also be inherited.
The movie falters a bit in how it introduces a few potential storylines for Mei’s peers, and then just lets those storylines dangle unresolved. There’s a 17-year-old boy named Devon (voiced by Addie Chandler), who’s a heartthrob to Mei, her friends and some of the other girls at Mei’s school. Devon works as a clerk at a convenience store called Daisy Mart. And when Ming finds that Mei has drawn some romantic (non-sexual) fantasy illustrations about Devon in Mei’s sketchbook/journal, Ming goes on a rampage by yelling Devon at his job and wrongfully accusing him of taking sexually advantage of Mei. And then, Devon and his storyline are completely dropped, as if his only purpose in the movie was to be a target of Ming’s misguided parental rants.
Ming also hugely disapproves of Mei’s friend Miriam, for reasons that aren’t made very clear and should have been given better explanation or context. The only explanation put forth in the movie is that Miriam, who likes to skateboard and is comfortable with herself, is perceived by Ming as a threat to Ming’s idea that Mei should be a prim and proper girl. Even though Miriam is a nice person and a supportive friend, Ming has this unsubstantiated idea that Miriam is a troublemaker who’s a bad influence on Mei. At one point in the movie, Miriam briefly mentions that Miriam’s parents aren’t very strict, which could be another reason why Ming doesn’t trust Miriam.
One of the biggest flaws of “Turning Red” is that Miriam, Priya and Abby are underdeveloped characters overall. The movie gives no sense of who these three friends are outside of any context of reacting to Mei’s emotions, offering to help Mei with any problems that she has, or discussing things that they have in common with Mei. Teenage girls talk to their close friends a lot about their personal hopes/goals and their families, but that kind of talk is very absent in this movie for Miriam, Priya and Abby. It makes Mei’s friendship with them look more one-sided than it should be.
Every movie with a school of underage children inevitably has a character who’s a school jerk/bully. In “Turning Red,” this character is Tyler (voiced by Tristan Allerick Chen), a spoiled and privileged kid, who likes to taunt Mei for being nerdy. Not much else is revealed about Tyler. That lack of information about Tyler is a missed opportunity for “Turning Red” to give better context for why school bullies like this exist and why they target certain people. The way that the movie handles the bully storyline is a little problematic, because it’s oversimplified and has a morally questionable message of buying friendships with cash, when the lesson should be that real friendships can’t be bought.
A montage near the beginning of the movie shows what a few people at the school think of Mei. A teacher says, “She’s a very enterprising, mildly annoying young lady.” A female student says that Mei is a “major weirdo.” A male student describes Mei as “an overachieving dork narc.” Mei is then seen commenting cheerfully, “I accept and embrace all labels.” Viewers of “Turning Red” are left to speculate, with nothing shown in the movie, why some students have such hostile feelings toward Mei that they would call her a “narc” (in other words, a snitch) and a “major weirdo.”
The music group 4*Town is meant to be a parody of boy bands that were popular in the early 2000s. The five members of the group—don’t ask why they’re called 4*Town, because there’s no explanation—also mirror the stereotypes of boy bands: One or two members of the group are the most popular heartthrob lead singers, while the other members are more forgettable and tend to fade in the background.
In 4*Town, the two most popular members are Robaire (voiced by Jordan Fisher) and Jesse (voiced by Finneas O’Connell), who overshadow the group’s other members: Tae Young (voiced by Grayson Villanueva), Aaron T. (voiced by Topher Ngo) and Aaron Z. (voiced by Josh Levi). All of the members of 4*Town are not in the movie long enough for them to show distinctive personalities, even though the group’s concert is at the center of the movie’s climactic action.
In real life, O’Connell is the Grammy-winning producer/songwriter who’s best known for his work with his younger sister, Billie Eilish. O’Connell and Eilish wrote three original 4*Town songs for the “Turning Red” soundtrack: “1 True Love,” “Nobody Like U” and “U Know What’s Up.” These songs are meant to sound “boy-band generic,” so don’t expect this music to win any prestigious awards. Ludwig Göransson (who won an Oscar and a Grammy for his 2018 “Black Panther” movie score) composed the musical score for “Turning Red,” which is a serviceable score but not Göransson’s best work.
All of the voice cast members are perfectly fine in their roles, while the visuals are very good but not exceptional. Many parts of the movie are predictable, but “Turning Red” is ultimately satisfying for anyone who can enjoy animated entertainment that hits all the expected notes when the protagonist is a plucky teenager.
Disney+ will premiere “Turning Red” on March 11, 2022, the same date that Disney will release the movie for a limited engagement in select U.S. cinemas.
Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson in “Dune” (Photo by Chiabella James/Warner Bros. Pictures)
The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
On September 9, 2021, the Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF) will kick off 10 days of exceptional international and Canadian cinema with over 100 films in its Official Selection, unparalleled events featuring acclaimed industry guests, and TIFF’s Industry Conference. Recognized as the world’s largest public film festival, TIFF is poised to bring the theatrical experience back to life and continue its reputation as both a leader in amplifying under-represented cinematic voices and a bellwether for programming award-winning films from around the globe.
In-person screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and Festival Village at the iconic Ontario Place punctuate this year’s Festival. Festival Village at Ontario Place comprises the Cinesphere IMAX Theatre, Visa Skyline Drive-in, RBC Lakeside Drive-In and the West Island Open Air Cinema. TIFF 2021 highlights also include screenings across Canada, and the return of the digital TIFF Bell Lightbox and TIFF Bell Digital Talks platforms.
The Festival’s public digital experience is presented by Bell, with film screenings on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox available across Canada. In Conversation With…talks and interactive Q&A sessions with actors and creators will be hosted on TIFF Bell Digital Talks, available worldwide. To increase the accessibility of the Festival, all films screened digitally will be closed-captioned.
TIFF is excited to announce the following twelve films as a sampling of what is to come in the Festival’s Official Selection for 2021:
“Le Bal des Folles,” directed by Mélanie Laurent (France) from Amazon Studios
“Benediction,” directed by Terence Davies (United Kingdom) from Bankside Films
“Belfast,” from director Kenneth Branagh (United Kingdom) from Focus Features
“Charlotte,” directed by Eric Warin and Tahir Rana (Canada/Belgium/France) from Elevation Pictures and MK2 Mile End
“Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over,” directed by Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner (USA)
“The Guilty” by director Antoine Fuqua (USA) from Netflix
“Jagged,” HBO’s documentary on iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, directed by Alison Klayman (USA)
“Lakewood,” directed by Philip Noyce (Canada)
“Last Night in Soho,” directed by Edgar Wright (United Kingdom) from Focus Features
“Night Raiders,” directed by Danis Goulet (Canada/New Zealand) from Elevation Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films
“Petite Maman,” directed by Céline Sciamma (France) from Elevation Pictures and NEON
“The Starling” by director Theodore Melfi (USA) from Netflix
The Festival’s Gala and Special Presentations presented by Visa, will be announced on July 20. Films selected for TIFF’s programmes — Contemporary World Cinema presented by Sun Life, Discovery, TIFF Docs presented by A&E Indie Films, Midnight Madness, Primetime,and Wavelengths — will be announced July 28. TIFF Short Cuts and the Platform Programme will be announced August 11.
TIFF is also delighted to announce that award-winning Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” will screen as a World Exclusive IMAX Special Event at the Cinesphere Theatre at Ontario Place. The film, based on Frank Herbert’s seminal novel and featuring an impressive all-star ensemble cast, will be showcased in Toronto and Montreal, in partnership with Warner Bros. Canada and venue partner Cineplex. “Dune,” from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is in theatres nationwide this fall.
“We are so proud of the calibre of the films and the diversity of the stories we will be presenting this year,” said Joana Vicente, TIFF Executive Director and Co-Head. “It is so powerful to be able to share these films with Festival-goers in theatres. And while the world is definitely moving towards a degree of normalcy, many of our industry and press colleagues may not be able to travel across international borders.
In response, we have brought back the TIFF Digital Cinema Pro platform that will host Press & Industry screenings, the Industry Conference, press conferences, as well as the TIFF Industry Selects market. We believe that digital access is an important part of providing accessibility to audiences and will be vital to the future of film festivals. This inclusivity across all our offerings helps to ensure that, no matter where you are located, you can participate in the Festival.”
“It’s been a tough year and we’re so glad to be back,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head. “We’re thrilled to be presenting the latest by Alison Klayman, Edgar Wright, Philip Noyce, Kenneth Branagh and many more to audiences in our Toronto cinemas, and to Canadians all across the country at home. We can’t wait for September. We’re also honoured to introduce the world to outstanding Canadian debuts such as Eric Warin and Tahir Rana’s Charlotte and Danis Goulet’s Night Raiders. We’ve been inspired by the quality, range, and diversity of the films we’re inviting, and we couldn’t wait to give everyone an early glimpse.”
“We are confident in our planning for a return to in-person screenings as part of TIFF as both the province and country accelerate vaccination rollout,” offered Dr. Peter Nord, Chief Medical Officer, Medcan, and TIFF’s consultative partner on health and safety for the pandemic. “Canada’s first-dose immunization rate has surpassed the US, and recently reached the best rates in the world. As of today in Toronto, more than 75% of adults have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 25% have received their second dose. We fully anticipate that by the time the Festival arrives, all Ontarians will have the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. Public health indicators, such as hospitalizations, ICU occupancy, and case rates indicate that we’re on the right — and safe — path to fully reopening. In addition, audiences will confidently be able to enjoy in-cinema screenings by maintaining a safe physical distance and wearing a mask.”
New this year, audiences across Canada can enjoy the excitement of TIFF in their own communities with TIFF’s “Coast-to-Coast Screenings.” Film Circuit, TIFF’s film-outreach programme since 1995, will host in-cinema screenings in select locations across the country for one evening in each location, to help ignite theatrical exhibition across Canada and celebrate audiences’ return to theatres. Locations and films to be announced at a later date.
“TIFF remains a must-attend festival,” said Vicente. “Last year’s industry offerings led to a record-breaking year in film sales, new highs in Conference attendance, the introduction of TIFF’s pass-gifting initiative for under-represented voices, gender parity across all Industry programming streams, and TIFF’s curated Industry Selects film programme devoted to international sales titles. Our commitment to diverse voices, to removing allbarriers for their work to be seen, to creating an accessible space for business, and to sharing creators’ stories is in our DNA. In 2021, TIFF is ensuring every initiative and event will have diversity, equity, and inclusion woven into its implementation.”
Industry registration for this year’s Festival (September 9–18) and Industry Conference (September 10–14) will open on June 25 and a full outline of this year’s pass benefits can be found at tiff.net/industry-accreditation. More details on the digital Conference programming, Talent Development initiatives, and Industry programmes will follow throughout the summer. TIFF will announce talent appearances and update accredited professionals on in-person offerings for Press & Industry delegates, such as Press & Industry screenings, in late July as government plans for reopening the city and the country are finalized.
Since its inception, one of TIFF’s guiding principles has been to celebrate and amplify the voices of exceptional filmmakers working in Canada. Award-winning filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin’s prolific body of work will be highlighted at TIFF 2021 with a retrospective entitled “Celebrating Alanis.” “Alanis is one of the most important figures in Canadian film, documentary film, and Indigenous film,” said Bailey. “Curated by Jason Ryle, one of the world’s leading Indigenous curators, this retrospective captures a national moment when Canadians are looking for ways to better understand and access how central Indigenous history and culture are to this nation.” “Celebrating Alanis” is co-presented with the National Film Board of Canada.
TIFF will build on its unwavering commitment to greater representation of voices by challenging the status quo, celebrating diverse storytellers and audiences, and making space for Black, Indigenous, people-of-colour, women, and LGBTQ+ creators and other under-represented talent. “TIFF’s programming team works to ensure that the films they curate are reflective of the audiences they serve,” continued Bailey. “Films and film festivals help shape our culture, which is why access and representation are so important. Our team strives to bring under-represented voices to the table, and we build on this year after year.”
To ensure that under-represented voices and perspectives are sought out and welcomed into its press corps, TIFF’s media team works with outlets and editors around the globe, encouraging a diverse contingent. In addition, TIFF will host the fourth year of its Media Inclusion Initiative (MII), a mentorship programme committed to growing the diversity of the press corps covering the Festival. This year, TIFF welcomes 45 new critics and writers who will offer greater representation in the areas of race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. The MII participants will have access to films, talks, specialized workshops, and one-on-one mentoring opportunities for eligible participants. TIFF is delighted to welcome Rotten Tomatoes as a supporter of this year’s Media Inclusion Initiative.
The 2021 TIFF Tribute Awards, will be co-produced by Bell Media Studios and for the second straight year will be broadcast nationally by CTV and streamed internationally by Variety. More information on the TIFF 2021 Tribute Awards event and this year’s honourees to follow in the coming weeks. Past recipients of the Tribute awards have gone on to win awards on the international stage such as Chloé Zhao, Mati Diop, Joaquin Phoenix, Tracey Deer, Taika Waititi and Sir Anthony Hopkins.
TIFF will once again celebrate outstanding filmmaking with its jury awards: the Federation of International Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) Awards, the Platform Prize, the IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards, the Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose, and the Shawn Mendes Foundation Changemaker Award. Known for its discerning audiences that predict box-office and critical success, the TIFF People’s Choice Awards series returns, comprising the People’s Choice Award, the People’s Choice Documentary Award, and the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award. All films in TIFF’s Official Selection areeligible for the People’s Choice Award and are voted on by Festival audiences.
TIFF is more accessible than ever in 2021, and public audiences across Canada can be among the first to make exciting cinematic discoveries. There are several ticket options available to audiences, from single film tickets for in-person screenings to packages for digital film screenings that allow access for up to 20 digital films. Digital ticket package sales start June 30 for TIFF’s Contributors Circle Members and all ticket dates are available at tiff.net/tickets.Ticket sales are serviced online and by phone only.
TIFF continues to work closely with the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and public health officials on the safe execution of the Festival, with its number-one priority being the health and well-being of both Festival filmgoers and residents of the community. Based on the provincial government’s recently announced reopening plan, TIFF is planning to operate at a higher capacity for indoor theatres by September, likely with mandatory mask usage for Festival-goers. To help ensure the safest possible experience, TIFF has once again partnered with Medcan, a global health care leader providing medical expertise, consultation, and health inspiration to achieve its mission to help people “Live Well, For Life.” Based on the pillars of evidence-based care, exceptional client service, and the latest in technology, Medcan’s team of over 90 physicians supports employee health care across the continuum of health, including its “Safe at Work System,” which helps organizations navigate the pandemic.
Social Media: Twitter: @TIFF_NET @TIFF_Industry Instagram / Letterboxd: @tiff_net Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris, and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
TIFF Film Circuit is presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada and supported by Ontario Creates.
The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival took place from September 5 to September 15 in Toronto. Here are the 2019 winners of the festival’s awards, which were announced on September 15 at an awards-ceremony brunch:
The Toronto Platform Prize offers a custom award and a $20,000 cash prize.
The Festival welcomed an international jury comprised of award-winning filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari, Berlinale Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian, and international film critic Jessica Kiang.
THE PRIZE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZE)
The jury was comprised of Jury President Rita di Santo (UK), Frédéric Jaeger (Germany), Liam Lacey (Canada), Ruben Peralta Rigaud (Dominican Republic), Müge Turan (Turkey), and Claire Valade (Canada).
The jury, selected from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, included Chairperson Beckie Stocchetti, Kanako Hayashi, and Albert Shin.
Honourable Mention: The jury awarded a special mention to Theodore Ushev’sThe Physics of Sorrow for its impressive filmmaking and detailed craftsmanship.
The award offers a $10,000 cash prize, made possible by IWC Schaffhausen.
The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival unveiled its In Conversation With… slate. Honoring five remarkable, multi-talented industry heavyweights, this year’s lineup stands out for the richness and diversity of the experiences that these accomplished artists will share with Festival goers. TIFF audiences will have the opportunity to hear about the fascinating careers — both in front of and behind the camera — of Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx, Antonio Banderas, Allison Janney, and Kerry Washington during intimate onstage conversations at TIFF Bell Lightbox. “Through our In Conversation With… series, TIFF is proud to give fans and film lovers an opportunity to connect with and learn from the most talented artists working in film and television today,” said Christoph Straub, Lead Programmer, In Conversation With… and Senior Manager, Adult Learning, TIFF. “This year’s lineup includes award-winning creators who have helped shape the discourse in the entertainment industry, moving it forward and charting new territory on the big and small screens. We are incredibly honoured to have these leaders join us for a series of empowering and exciting conversations.” This year’s series will also be more accessible to all audiences, as open-captioning will be offered onscreen in real time.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019. The In Conversation With… programme includes:
In Conversation With… Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx
Michael B. Jordan Jamie Foxx (Photo by Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)
Hollywood megastars Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx are both at the top of their game. They first gained fame for roles on television: Foxx with ”In Living Color” in 1991 and later ”The Jamie Foxx Show,” and Jordan with his heartbreaking turn as Wallace in HBO’s ”The Wire.” In 2013, Jordan made his major feature-film breakthrough in Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed ”Fruitvale Station.” He has collaborated with Coogler on two more game-changers: “Creed,” their acclaimed expansion of the Rocky saga; and the mega-hit ”Black Panther.” In 2016 Jordan founded his production company, Outlier Society, in order to focus on more eclectic and diverse stories and voices. Outlier Society recently co-produced HBO Films’ Emmy-nominated adaptation of ”Fahrenheit 451,” which netted Jordan a Producers Guild Award. Foxx is renowned for powerful lead performances in ”Ray,” for which he won an Academy Award, Michael Mann’s neo-noir ”Collateral,” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.” TIFF proudly presents this conversation with two iconic artists and producers about their creative process, their desire to tell inclusive stories, and ”Just Mercy,” their highly anticipated new film premiering at the Festival.
In Conversation With… Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas in “Pain and Glory” (Photo courtesy of El Deseo)
Antonio Banderas is a superstar of international and Hollywood cinema. An alumnus of the famed Cervantes Theatre in Málaga, Spain, Banderas burst onto the film scene with performances in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Labyrinth of Passion” and ”Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” paving his way to a series of acclaimed roles in Hollywood films directed by the likes of Jonathan Demme (”Philadelphia”), Neil Jordan (“Interview with the Vampire”), and Robert Rodriguez (”Desperado”). Deftly moving between blockbuster (“The Mask of Zorro”; the ”Shrek” franchise) and independent films (Julie Taymor’s ”Frida”), and with his recent portrayal of Picasso in the National Geographic miniseries “Genius,” Banderas has cemented his iconic status as one of the most versatile performers in film and television. TIFF is proud to welcome this award-winning actor, producer, director, and humanitarian for an inspiring conversation about his career in front of and behind the camera, his numerous philanthropic efforts, as well as his highly anticipated films at this year’s Festival: Almodóvar’s ”Pain and Glory,” for which he won Best Actor at Cannes, and Steven Soderbergh’s ”The Laundromat.”
In Conversation With… Allison Janney
Allison Janney (Photo by Kelsey McNeal/ABC)
Allison Janney swept the 2018 Awards season with an Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe Award, Critic’s Choice Award and SAG Award for her acclaimed portrayal of Tonya Harding’s mother, LaVona Golden in “I, Tonya.” Janney will next be seen opposite Hugh Jackman in director Cory Finley’s upcoming film, ”Bad Education,” written by Mike Makowsky about the true, twist-filled conspiracy that occurred during his middle school years in Long Island in the early 2000’s. The film will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Additionally, Janney stars alongside Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and Charlize Theron in Lionsgate’s “Bombshell” film directed by Jay Roach and written by Charles Randolph about the fall of Roger Ailes at Fox News. Janney lent her voice to MGM’s animated feature film The Addams Family with Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac. She recently wrapped production for Tate Taylor’s ”Breaking News in Yuba County,” opposite Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, and Regina Hall. She has previously starred in ”The Help,” based on the best-selling novel of the same name, where the cast won ensemble awards from the Hollywood Film Awards, SAG, National Board of Review and Broadcast Film Critics and the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the Independent Spirit Awards in Todd Solondz’s film, ”Life During Wartime.” Janney also delivered outstanding performances in the Oscar nominated “Juno,” the movie version of the Tony Award winning play ”Hairspray,” “Girl on The Train,” Tim Burton’s ”Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,””The Hours”and ”American Beauty.” On television, Janney has won seven Emmy Awards for her work on CBS’ “Mom,” Showtime’s groundbreaking drama ”Masters of Sex,” and for her indelible portrayal of CJ Cregg in Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed series ”The West Wing.”
In Conversation With… Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington (Photo courtesy of BFA)
Award-winning actor, producer, director, and activist Kerry Washington is always charting new territory. Following a number of guest-starring roles in network television and a breakout role in ”Save the Last Dance,” Washington starred opposite Jamie Foxx in ”Ray” (2004), and quickly added a string of notable roles in such acclaimed features as ”The Last King of Scotland,””Miracle of St. Anna,” and 2012’s ”Django Unchained.” That same year, she landed the lead role of Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes’ series ”Scandal,” on which Washington also went on to work as a producer and director. When ”Scandal” premiered, Washington became the first Black woman in nearly four decades to headline a network television drama. A fearless and outspoken advocate for civil rights and liberties, she served on President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and is leading by example, producing diverse and inclusive content for various platforms through her production company Simpson Street. In this in-depth conversation, Washington will speak about her remarkable career, the Festival premiere of “American Son” — in which she reprises her lauded role from the Broadway production — and her highly anticipated adaptation of Celeste Ng’s ”Little Fires Everywhere.”
For synopses, images, and more information, see tiff.net/icw
Festival tickets go on sale September 2 at 10am (TIFF Member pre-sale August 31, 10am–4pm). Buy tickets online at tiff.net, by phone at 416.599.2033 or 1.888.258.8433, or in person at a box office. See box office locations and hours at tiff.net/tickets.
TIFF prefers Visa.
Social Media: @TIFF_NET #TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net. TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris, and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
The following are press releases from the Toronto International Film Festival:
Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep will be honored with the TIFF Tribute Actor Award, Sponsored by RBC at this year’s new TIFF Tribute Gala awards event. Taking place on Monday, September 9 at Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival, the Gala is an annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors.
With an extensive film, television, and stage career spanning over 40 years, Streep has won three Academy Awards — for her roles in ”Kramer vs. Kramer,” ”Sophie’s Choice,” and ”The Iron Lady” — and, in 2018, she set an unsurpassed record with her 21st Oscar nomination for her role in “The Post.” She has been nominated for 31 Golden Globes, winning eight times, and in 2017 she was the recipient of the Cecil B. deMille Award. Streep currently stars in the Emmy Award–winning series ”Big Little Lies” and will star with Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming film ”The Laundromat,” which will have its North American Premiere at TIFF this September.
“Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the most talented and versatile actors of her generation,” said Vicente. “Her tremendous contribution to cinema, television, and the stage spans five decades; from her early roles in ‘The Deer Hunter,’ ’Kramer vs. Kramer,’ and ’Sophie’s Choice’ to later films including ’The Devil Wears Prada,’ ‘The Iron Lady,’ and ’The Post,’ she has portrayed characters that are as compelling as they are timeless. TIFF could not be more thrilled to honor such a skilled and exemplary artist.”
Joaquin Phoenix (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Grey Goose Vodka)
Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that three-time Academy Award–nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix will be honored with one of two TIFF Tribute Actor Awards at this year’s TIFF Tribute Gala awards event. Taking place on Monday, September 9 at Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival, the Gala is an annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors.
With a wide-ranging career spanning over 35 years, Phoenix has starred in such films as “The Master,” “Inherent Vice,” “Walk the Line,” ”Gladiator,” “To Die For,” and “Her.” He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his roles as Commodus in ”Gladiator,” Freddie Quell in ”The Master” and Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line,” for which he won a Golden Globe. This fall, Phoenix portrays the title character in Todd Phillips’ ”Joker,” a standalone origin story that will have its North American Premiere at TIFF.
“Displaying both raw instinct and consummate technical skill, Joaquin Phoenix is the complete actor, and one of the finest in contemporary cinema,” said Bailey. “Over three decades, he has brought a piercing truth to each groundbreaking role. TIFF is thrilled to be celebrating an artist of his caliber with this inaugural award. We can’t wait for Festival audiences to experience his electric turn in Joker.”
“We’re thrilled that the extraordinarily talented Joaquin Phoenix will be honored at the TIFF Tribute Gala this September,” said Vicente. “His outstanding contribution to cinema acts as a testament to TIFF’s core mission to transform the way people see the world through film.”
Director Todd Phillips’ “Joker” centers on the iconic arch-nemesis and is an original, fictional story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fractured society.
Taika Waititi (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios/Disney)
Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that Academy Award–nominated New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi will be honored with the TIFF Ebert Director Award at this year’s new TIFF Tribute Gala awards event. The award recognizes and honors a distinguished filmmaker for their outstanding contribution to cinema. Taking place on Monday, September 9 at Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival, the Gala is an annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors.
“Taika Waititi is one of the most innovative, bold, and exciting filmmakers working in the industry right now,” said Vicente. “TIFF is thrilled to honor his extraordinary talent with the inaugural TIFF Ebert Director Award.”
“Taika Waititi is the rock star cinema needs right now,” said Bailey. “His films are full of razor-sharp humor, faultless style, and boundless generosity. Somehow he manages to stuff both indie hits and massive crowd-pleasers with big, radical ideas. We’re thrilled to be premiering his latest, “Jojo Rabbit,” at the Festival and to hand over the inaugural TIFF Tribute Award for direction to this 21st-century master.”
Waititi directed the superhero film ”Thor: Ragnarok,” which made over $850 million at the box office worldwide, and will write and direct the upcoming ”Thor: Love and Thunder.” His films as writer-director also include ”Boy” and ”Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” and he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in ”What We Do in the Shadows” with Jemaine Clement. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his short ”Two Cars, One Night.” Waititi’s upcoming anti-hate satire “Jojo Rabbit,” starring Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, and Waititi himself, will have its world premiere at TIFF and will be released by Fox Searchlight on October 18, 2019.
The TIFF Ebert Director Award is an evolution of the organization’s former Roger Ebert Golden Thumb Award, which celebrated a remarkable filmmaker who reflected renowned film critic Roger Ebert’s passion for cinema. Past recipients include Claire Denis, Martin Scorsese, Ava DuVernay, Agnès Varda, and Wim Wenders.
Roger Deakins (Photo by Rick Rowell/ABC)
Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, announced that Academy Award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins will be honored with the Variety Artisan Award at this year’s TIFF Tribute Gala awards event. The award recognizes a distinguished filmmaker who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema. Taking place on Monday, September 9, at the Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival, the Gala is an annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors. Variety is proud to be the exclusive trade media partner on the event.
Deakins won an Academy Award for Blade Runner 2049, and was nominated for an additional 13 Oscars for his work on films including ”The Shawshank Redemption”; “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”; “No Country for Old Men”; “Skyfall” and ”Sicario.” His illustrious career, spanning more than 40 years, also includes four ASC Award wins for Outstanding Cinematography, four BAFTA Awards, and collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Angelina Jolie, Sam Mendes and Denis Villeneuve, making him one of the most sought-after cinematographers in the industry. Deakins’ latest work will be featured in the upcoming film ”The Goldfinch.” Directed by John Crowley and starring Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright and Nicole Kidman, ”The Goldfinch” will have its World Premiere at TIFF and will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 13, 2019.
“For nearly half a century, the name Roger Deakins has exemplified both breathtaking cinematic beauty and fearless cinematic risk-taking,” said Steven Gaydos, EVP of Content at Variety. “From his early-career work on music docs and small British features through his decades of stellar work for the world’s greatest filmmakers, Deakins has carved out a unique place in the history of cinematography. Capable of exquisite painterly flourishes as well as groundbreaking technological advances in the cinematographic arts, his Oscar win for ‘Blade Runner 2049’ capped a run of nominations that included everything from blockbusters like ’Skyfall’ to Best Picture winners like ’No Country for Old Men.’This year, with both ’The Goldfinch’ and ’1917′ on the horizon, Deakins continues to dazzle and inspire as he pushes the boundaries of his craft and helps make masterpieces with equally fearless auteurs.”
TIFF previously announced that Participant Media will receive the TIFF Impact Award, accepted by Founder and Chairman Jeff Skoll and CEO David Linde. The recipient of the inaugural Mary Pickford Award supported by MGM, honoring a female emerging talent in the industry in celebration of United Artists’ 100th anniversary, will be announced in the coming days.*
Mati Diop (Photo by Huma Rosentalski)
*August 20, 2019 UPDATE: Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, today announced director Mati Diop as the inaugural recipient of the Mary Pickford Award supported by MGM, to be presented at the TIFF Tribute Gala on Monday, September 9. The award, named in honor of Toronto native Mary Pickford, recognizes an emerging female talent who is making groundbreaking strides in the industry. Pickford was the pioneering actor, producer, and Co-Founder of United Artists, and the award is being launched in conjunction with United Artists’ centennial this year. The creation of the award follows TIFF’s continued commitment to championing women and diverse voices in front of and behind the camera.
“We’re thrilled to honor the incredible Mati Diop as our inaugural Mary Pickford Award recipient, as United Artists marks its centennial year,” said Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head of TIFF. “She is a vibrant and important new voice within the industry and one to watch closely.”
“Mati Diop’s film ‘Atlantics’ is a profound and unsettling work of art,” said Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF. “We know this is just the start for such an original and authentic voice, and we’re delighted to celebrate her success at this year’s TIFF Tribute Gala.”
“Like Mary Pickford, Mati Diop has demonstrated her trial-blazing influence both in front of and behind the camera, making her the ideal inaugural awardee. We look forward to partnering with TIFF to honor Pickford’s legacy and United Artists in celebration of their 100th year,” said Jonathan Glickman, President of MGM Studios’ Motion Picture Group.
She has directed the short films ”Atlantiques,” “Big in Vietnam,” and the documentary ”A Thousand Suns” — all of which played the Festival — as well as Snow Canon and Liberian Boy. ”A Thousand Suns” was presented by Claire Denis in 2013 as part of TIFF’s year-round Cinematheque programme. In 2019, Diop became the first Black female director to screen a film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival with her debut feature ”Atlantics,” which was based on the short ”Atlantiques” and went on to win the prestigious Grand Prix at the festival. The film, written by Diop and Olivier Demangel, stars Mama Sané, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traoré, Nicole Sougou, Amina Kane, Mariama Gassama, Coumba Dieng, Ibrahima Mbaye, and Diankou Sembene. ”Atlantic”s will have its North American Premiere at TIFF and will be released by Netflix later this year. The film is produced by Les Films du Bal, Cinekap and FraKas.
Of all Festival titles in this year’s lineup, 36% are directed, co-directed, or created by women, and women comprise half the Festival’s programming team. Following the organization’s signing of the 50/50×2020 pledge at last year’s Festival, TIFF has steadfastly worked to integrate responsible data management and practices to understand the diversity and inclusion of its film programming. TIFF gave filmmakers the opportunity to self-identify to inform gender representation in the Official Selection. As part of TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign, the organization will continue to provide over 120 female creators free access to TIFF’s Industry Conference and year-round programming. The overall number of speakers at this year’s Conference represents a 50/50 gender split, as do TIFF Talent Development initiatives such as TIFF Studio, Filmmaker Lab, and TIFF Rising Stars.
Mary Pickford was the highest-paid actor — male or female — during the late 1910s and was a savvy businesswoman who helped shape the industry as we know it today. In 1919, she revolutionized film distribution by partnering with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith to form United Artists. Pickford, who also went on to co-found what is today the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, continued to be a part of United Artists through the early 1950s. The award will be supported by MGM Studios, whose retains the United Artist library as part of its global film and television library of content.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019.
For information on purchasing a table for the TIFF Tribute Gala, please contact [email protected].
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Social Media: @TIFF_NET #TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net. About Variety Variety has been the seminal voice of the entertainment industry for 114 years and counting. Featuring award-winning breaking-news reporting, insightful award-season coverage, must-read feature spotlights, and intelligent analysis of the industry’s most prominent players, Variety is the trusted source for the business of global entertainment. Read by a highly engaged audience of industry insiders, Variety’s multi-platform content coverage expands across digital, mobile, social, print and branded content, events, and summits. Follow Variety on Facebook at facebook.com/variety, Twitter @variety, and Instagram @Variety. The Variety Group — Variety, Variety.com, Variety Insight, and Indiewire — is owned by Variety Media, LLC, a division of Penske Media Corporation.
TIFF Co-Heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente today announced the second set of selections in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes screening this September at the 44th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“We’re thrilled to announce this second wave of Galas and Special Presentations, which I believe are some of the most compelling in the lineup,” said Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF. “Audiences will be delighted by the artistry present in this year’s splashiest sections.”
“Our TIFF programmers have given us a lot to look forward to this year,” said Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head of TIFF. “These final films add even more emotional resonance and gravitas to this year’s already stellar lineup.”
These films round out the Gala and Special Presentations programmes for a total of 20 and 55 films, respectively.
GALAS
The Aeronauts
Directed by Tom Harper | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
The Burnt Orange Heresy
Directed by Giuseppe Capotondi | USA/United Kingdom
North American Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
American Son
Directed by Kenny Leon | USA
World Premiere
Deerskin (Le Daim)
Directed by Quentin Dupieux | France
International Premiere
Dirt Music
Directed by Gregor Jordan | United Kingdom/Australia
World Premiere
The Elder One (Moothon)
Directed by Geetu Mohandas | India
World Premiere
Guns Akimbo
Directed by Jason Lei Howden | Germany/New Zealand
World Premiere
Human Capital
Directed by Marc Meyers | USA
World Premiere
Jungleland
Directed by Max Winkler | USA
World Premiere
Lucy in the Sky
Directed by Noah Hawley | USA
World Premiere
Lyrebird
Directed by Dan Friedkin | USA
International Premiere
Mosul
Directed by Matthew Michael Carnahan | USA
North American Premiere
Seberg
Directed by Benedict Andrews | USA/United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Sibyl
Directed by Justine Triet | France/Belgium
North American Premiere
SYNCHRONIC
Directed by Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson | USA
World Premiere
The Truth (La vérité)
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda | France/Japan
North American Premiere
Wasp Network
Directed by Olivier Assayas | France, Brazil, Spain, Belgium
North American Premiere
Waves
Directed by Trey Edward Shults | USA
International Premiere
Albert Shin’s Clifton Hill was previously announced as part of the Special Presentations programme.
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/galas and tiff.net/specialpresentations.
MASTERS
The Toronto International Film Festival® has revealed the 11 films that will comprise the 2019 Masters programme, with Brad Deane assuming the role of Lead Programmer. Deane continues in his role as Director of TIFF Cinematheque and as a member of the Festival’s Platform Selection Committee.
Featuring films set in Asia, Europe, North America, and Central America, the Masters lineup has titles that run the gamut, from dramatic true stories to dark comedies, from a black-and-white narrative to a documentary film, with a healthy dose of introspection and socio-political commentary throughout. The slate will bring two World Premieres to Toronto.
“One of the most exciting things about leading the vision for this programme so far has been the opportunity to explore what defines a Master and the role that these directors play in pushing the future of cinema forward,” said Deane. “I made it a priority to bring filmmakers into the fold that haven’t previously screened in this programme so their films can play alongside some of the more established names. By looking at the films in the programme, it’s apparent that mastering the form is only the jumping-off point for unique and powerful storytelling, and I am looking forward to the discussions that will emerge among Toronto audiences about what makes a master.”
In Devil Between the Legs, Arturo Ripstein directs a script written by his wife, Paz Alicia Garciadiego, about a warring old couple and their maid, who eventually takes matters into her own hands. Swedish filmmaker Roy Andersson will come back to the Festival with About Endlessness, a series of vignettes documenting our lack of awareness.
American-Canadian Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin will premiere her latest documentary, Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger, about the long struggle of Indigenous activists to ensure equitable access to government-funded services for First Nations children. British legend Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You presents a bittersweet tale of the gig economy in modern-day England.
Marco Bellocchio’s The Traitor is a biographical drama about Tommaso Buscetta, a mafia informant whose testimony led to the largest prosecution of the Sicilian Mafia in Italian history. To the Ends of the Earth, the latest from Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, tells the story of an introverted travel-show host on assignment in Uzbekistan.
There are five first-timers in Masters this year. A Hidden Life, a portrait of Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious Austrian who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II, will mark American director Terrence Malick’s first time attending the Festival in this category. Angela Schanelec’s I Was at Home, But… chronicles the aftermath of a 13-year-old student’s disappearance and his mysterious reappearance. Zombi Child, from France’s Bertrand Bonello, spans 55 years, jumping between 1962 Haiti and present-day Paris and dealing with the repercussions of colonialism. In The Whistlers, from Romanian New Wave director Corneliu Porumboiu, a corrupt cop travels to the Spanish island of La Gomera, home to a secret whistling language. And Elia Suleiman stars in his latest film, It Must Be Heaven, a dark comedy centred on a man who leaves Palestine only to find that his problems follow him everywhere he goes.
Films screening as part of the Masters programme include:
A Hidden Life
Directed by Terrence Malick | USA/Germany
Canadian Premiere
About Endlessness
Directed by Roy Andersson | Sweden/Germany/Norway
North American Premiere
Devil Between the Legs (El Diablo entre las Piernas)
Directed by Arturo Ripstein | Mexico/Spain
World Premiere
I Was at Home, But… (Ich war zuhause, aber…)
Directed by Angela Schanelec | Germany/Serbia
North American Premiere
It Must Be Heaven
Directed by Elia Suleiman | France/Qatar/Germany/Canada/Palestine/Turkey
North American Premiere
Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger
Directed by Alanis Obomsawin | Canada
World Premiere
Sorry We Missed You
Directed by Ken Loach | United Kingdom/France/Belgium
North American Premiere
To the Ends of the Earth (Tabi no Owari Sekai no Hajimari)
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Japan/Uzbekistan/Qatar
North American Premiere
The Traitor
Directed by Marco Bellocchio | Italy
North American Premiere
The Whistlers
Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu | Romania/France/Germany
North American Premiere
Zombi Child
Directed by Bertrand Bonello | France
North American Premiere
Alanis Obomsawin’s Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger was previously announced.
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/masters
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sru6plmWc3o
The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival® unveiled today the lineup for its 2019 Contemporary World Cinema (CWC) programme. The rich slate of titles from 48 countries features a wide range of thought-provoking stories that delve into cultural issues and social struggles in poetic and captivating ways. Introducing 21 works directed and co-directed by women, this year’s edition of CWC focuses on fractured families, self-exploration, female-driven narratives, and the consequences of social and political crises.
“Contemporary World Cinema is a place where different cultures meet,” said Kiva Reardon, International Programmer and new Lead Programmer for the section. “The vision for the programme is to help expand the cinematic canon and push the definition of what has previously been deemed as fundamental. This is a selection of essential, urgent cinema. It has been a pleasure to work with my fellow programmers in this new role to offer bold stories and invigorating films that ask our audiences to reflect on their position in the world.”
“Contemporary World Cinema is the heartbeat of the Festival,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head. “This is where audiences feel the pulse of what’s happening now all around the world in screen storytelling. It takes a strong curatorial vision to shape that vast variety of films. I’m glad we have Kiva Reardon on the job as CWC Lead Programmer.”
With contributions from Cameron Bailey, Brad Deane, Giovanna Fulvi, Steve Gravestock, Dorota Lech, Michael Lerman, Michèle Maheux, Diana Sanchez, and Ravi Srinivasan, Reardon has decided to emphasize the importance of showing the current state of the world through the lens of international, deeply talented filmmakers who help guide us through the reality of our social and political environments.
The African continent is represented in the lineup by eight films beaming with creativity. Opening the programme is Atiq Rahimi’s third feature, Our Lady of the Nile, which follows a group of Rwandan girls in a Catholic boarding school. The bewitching work, which boasts hypnotic cinematography, foreshadows the country’s 1994 genocide. The programme also serves as a platform for acclaimed regional projects such as Jenna Bass’ South African road movie Flatland, Jahmil X.T. Qubeka’s Knuckle City, Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche’s Terminal Sud, and Amjad Abu Alala’s mystical You Will Die at Twenty.
Winner of the Grand Prix in Cannes, Mati Diop’s exploration of migration, Atlantics, leads a bold wave of films exploring pressing global issues: Guatemalan director Jayro Bustamante presents an examination of his country’s political wounds with La Llorona, in which civil war victims haunt their torturer’s life; Laos’ first and only female director to ever present a film at TIFF, Mattie Do, couples family loss and time-travelling in The Long Walk; and Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu offers a daring allegory on toxic masculinity in a remote Indian village. Other award-winning films included in the slate are Synonyms, the Golden Bear–winning film from Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, and the recipients of the 2019 Cannes Jury Prize: French director Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables and the Brazilan film Bacurau, co-directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles.
This year’s CWC slate is also rich in contributions from internationally renowned actors — both in front of and behind the camera — with Mexican actor Gael García Bernal’s second film as director, Chicuarotes; Austrian performer Karl Markovics’s third feature, Nobadi; Dutch actor-turned-director Halina Reijn’s Instinct; and an extraordinary performance from Iranian icon Golshifteh Farahani in Manele Labidi’s Arab Blues. Produced by US powerhouse Jada Pinkett Smith, Minhal Baig’s Hala is a coming-of-age story about an American Muslim teenager trying to balance her relationship with her strict parents and her own desires. The film is inspired by Baig’s own life and brings to the screen a fresh look at the teen experience.
Other highlights in the programme study the complexity of family dynamics, such as Taiwanese Chung Mong-Hong’s lyrical A Sun, which focuses on a fractured father–son relationship. Balloon, directed by Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden, tells the conflicting struggles of a family dealing with China’s one-child policy. And Yaron Zilberman returns to TIFF with the World Premiere of Incitement, the first-ever fiction film to depict the cataclysmic assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Spotlighting the struggles and triumphs of women in societies around the world are: Maryam Touzani’s domestic epic Adam; Hikari’s 37 Seconds, which follows a young manga artist who uses her craft as a tool of self-discovery; and Sharipa Urazbayeva’s Mariam, the story of a strong Kazakhstani mother and her drive to help her family survive. Films centring on working-class women include internationally acclaimed Bengali director Rubaiyat Hossain’s Made in Bangladesh, which follows a factory worker fighting for dignity in the world of fast fashion; The County, from Cannes prize–winning Icelandic director Grímur Hákonarson; and Edward Burns’ intriguing family portrait Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies.
Films screening as part of the Contemporary World Cinema programme include:
37 Seconds
Directed by Hikari | Japan/USA
Canadian Premiere
Adam
Directed by Maryam Touzani | Morocco/France/Belgium
North American Premiere
Arab Blues (Un Divan à Tunis)
Directed by Manele Labidi | France
North American Premiere
Atlantics
Directed by Mati Diop | France/Senegal/Belgium
North American Premiere
Atlantis
Directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych | Ukraine
North American Premiere
Bacurau Kleber
Directed by Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles | Brazil
North American Premiere
Balloon (Qi Qiu)
Directed by Pema Tseden | China
North American Premiere
The Barefoot Emperor
Directed by Jessica Woodworth, Peter Brosens | Belgium/Netherlands/Croatia/Bulgaria
World Premiere
Beanpole (Dylda)
Directed by Kantemir Balagov | Russia
North American Premiere
Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies
Directed by Edward Burns | USA
World Premiere
Blow the Man Down
Directed by Danielle Krudy, Bridget Savage Cole | USA
International Premiere
Bombay Rose
Directed by Gitanjali Rao | India/United Kingdom/Qatar
North American Premiere
Chicuarotes
Directed by Gael García Bernal | Mexico
North American Premiere
The Climb
Directed by Michael Angelo Covino | USA
Canadian Premiere
Corpus Christi (Boze Cialo)
Directed by Jan Komasa | Poland/France
North American Premiere
The County (Héraðið)
Directed by Grímur Hákonarson | Iceland/Denmark/Germany/France
International Premiere
Dogs Don’t Wear Pants (Koirat eivät käytä housuja)
Directed by J-P Valkeapää | Finland/Latvia
North American Premiere
The Father (Bashtata)
Directed by Petar Valchanov, Kristina Grozeva | Bulgaria/Greece/Italy
North American Premiere
Flatland
Directed by Jenna Bass | South Africa/Luxembourg/Germany
North American Premiere
A Girl Missing (Yokogao)
Directed by Koji Fukada | Japan/France
North American Premiere
Hala
Directed by Minhal Baig | USA
Canadian Premiere
Henry Glassie: Field Work
Directed by Pat Collins | Ireland
World Premiere
Incitement
Directed by Yaron Zilberman | Israel
World Premiere
Instinct
Directed by Halina Reijn | Netherlands
North American Premiere
The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão (A Vida Invisível de Eurídice Gusmão)
Directed by Karim Aïnouz | Brazil/Germany
North American Premiere
Jallikattu Lijo
Directed by Jose Pellissery | India
World Premiere
Knuckle City
Directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka | South Africa
International Premiere
La Llorona
Directed by Jayro Bustamante | Guatemala/France
North American Premiere
Les Misérables
Directed by Ladj Ly | France
North American Premiere
The Long Walk (Bor Mi Vanh Chark)
Directed by Mattie Do | Laos/Spain/Singapore
North American Premiere
Made in Bangladesh
Directed by Rubaiyat Hossain | France/Bangladesh/Denmark/Portugal
World Premiere
Mariam
Directed by Sharipa Urazbayeva | Kazakhstan
North American Premiere
Maria’s Paradise (Marian paratiisi)
Directed by Zaida Bergroth | Finland/Estonia
World Premiere
Nobadi
Directed by Karl Markovics | Austria
World Premiere
*Contemporary World Cinema Opening Film*
Our Lady of the Nile (Notre-Dame du Nil)
Directed by Atiq Rahimi | France/Belgium/Rwanda
World Premiere
The Perfect Candidate
Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour | Saudi Arabia/Germany
North American Premiere
Red Fields (Mami)
Directed by Keren Yedaya | Israel/Luxembourg/Germany
International Premiere
Resin (Harpiks)
Directed by Daniel Joseph Borgman | Denmark
World Premiere
So Long, My Son (Di Jiu Tian Chang)
Directed by Wang Xiaoshuai | China
North American Premiere
Spider (Araña)
Directed by Andrés Wood | Chile
International Premiere
A Sun (Yang Guang Pu Zhao)
Directed by Chung Mong-Hong | Taiwan
World Premiere
Synonyms (Synonymes)
Directed by Nadav Lapid | France/Israel/Germany
North American Premiere
Terminal Sud (South Terminal)
Directed by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche | France
North American Premiere
Three Summers (Três Verões)
Directed by Sandra Kogut | Brazil/France
World Premiere
Verdict Raymund
Directed by Ribay Gutierrez | Philippines/France
Canadian Premiere
A White, White Day (Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur)
Directed by Hlynur Pálmason | Iceland/Denmark/Sweden
North American Premiere
The Wild Goose Lake (Nan Fang Che Zhan De Ju Hui)
Directed by Diao Yinan | China/France
North American Premiere
You Will Die at Twenty
Directed by Amjad Abu Alala | Sudan/France/Egypt/Germany/Norway/Qatar
North American Premiere
Previously announced Canadian features screening at the Festival as part of the Contemporary World Cinema programme include: And the Birds Rained Down, Antigone, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, Castle in the Ground, The Last Porno Show, Tammy’s Always Dying, and White Lie.
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/cwc
WAVELENGTHS
The Toronto International Film Festival’s Wavelengths programme revealed today the lineup for its 19th edition, consisting of international shorts and features by established and emerging talents. With a total of 37 titles, this year’s selection is a testament to political fortitude and artistic experimentation, seen across a captivating mix of genres and perspectives.
The selection comprises four programmes of experimental short films, two curated pairings, and 10 features, each contributing to a dynamic survey of some of today’s most exciting moving-image work. Wavelengths is curated and overseen by Andréa Picard, with contributions from members of TIFF’s international programming team — namely Brad Deane, Giovanna Fulvi, Dorota Lech, and Kiva Reardon — and programming associate Jesse Cumming.
“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Wavelengths, one can discern an important shift in formal language and experimentation, and an even wider range of artistic expression, which reflects — in some cases seriously, and others surprisingly playfully — a refusal to be contained, confined, or even labelled,” said Picard. “As the world runs further amok, it is comforting and inspiring to see filmmakers and artists continue to make work that is personal, committed, generous, aesthetically alert, and rigorous. The films in this year’s programme perfectly exemplify the essential role art plays in resistance and resilience, but also in our capacity for imagination.”
Wavelengths is pleased to host a number of alumni to present some of their most provocative and accomplished work to date, including Catalan artist-filmmaker Albert Serra with Liberté, his award-winning tale of 18th-century decadence and desire; Portuguese auteur Pedro Costa with Vitalina Varela, a continuation of his pathos-laden tales of life in Lisbon’s margins; Sergei Loznitsa with State Funeral, in which he repurposes footage shot in 1953, in the days following the death of Joseph Stalin, into a trenchant reflection on cults of personality; and Anocha Suwichakornpong and Ben Rivers, who return to TIFF with Krabi, 2562, a collaborative work on memory, landscape, and social awareness.
Resistance and tenacity — both political and personal — are the theme of several Wavelengths selections, including two highlights from the burgeoning “Galician New Wave”: Oliver Laxe’s quietly monumental Fire Will Come, the follow-up to his Festival selection Mimosas (TIFF 2016), and Eloy Enciso’s Endless Night, set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, with its script drawn from letters and other texts of the era. A different strength is exhibited in Hassen Ferhani’s understated documentary 143 Sahara Street, which presents the world in a microcosm as seen through a portrait of octogenarian Malika, who lives and works alone in her roadside diner in the Sahara Desert.
Wavelengths 2019 also welcomes many newcomers to the programme, with a number of works that reflect on the state of contemporary geopolitics through a mix of styles that range from non-fiction to the speculative. Highlights from contemporary Brazil include The Fever by director Maya Da-Rin, an Indigenous-led tale of a father who must navigate his daughter’s imminent departure for medical school; Affonso Uchôa’s forceful yet elegant documentary experiment Seven Years in May (which screens with Gabino Rodríguez and Nicolás Pereda’s previously announced My Skin, Luminous); and the short film The Bite by artist Pedro Neves Marques, a science fiction–tinged story about a queer love triangle struggling to survive an encroaching mosquito epidemic in the rainforest.
This year’s shorts programmes feature formally impressive and surprising work by a number of leading international talents, including World Premieres by Zachary Epcar, Luke Fowler, Gastón Solnicki, Mike Gibisser, and Tomonari Nishikawa, as well as the North American Premieres of Turner Prize–winning artist Charlotte Prodger’s entry in this year’s Venice Biennale, SaF05, and Marwa Arsanios’s Who’s Afraid of Ideology? Part 2, which premiered at the Sharjah Biennial. As ever, the programme is rounded out by a number of restorations and rediscoveries, including Edward Owens’s Remembrance: A Portrait Study (1967), a touching and playful tribute to the artist’s mother, and 2minutes40seconds (1975), an experimental documentary by Korean filmmaker Han Ok-hee, founding member of the feminist film collective Kaidu Club.
Wavelengths’ complete 2019 lineup is as follows:
Wavelengths’ complete 2019 lineup is as follows:
SHORT FILM PROGRAMMES
Wavelengths 1: WLS19
Austrian Pavilion
Directed by Philipp Fleischmann | Austria
World Premiere
SaF05
Directed by Charlotte Prodger | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Slow Volumes
Directed by Mike Gibisser | USA
World Premiere
The Bite (A Mordida)
Directed by Pedro Neves Marques | Portugal/Brazil
World Premiere
Wavelengths 2: Sun Rave
2008
Directed by Blake Williams | Canada
World Premiere
Amusement Ride
Directed by Tomonari Nishikawa | Japan
World Premiere
Black Sun (Sol Negro)
Directed by Maureen Fazendeiro | Portugal/France
International Premiere
A Topography of Memory
Directed by Burak Çevik | Turkey/Canada
North American Premiere
Sun Rave (Lafhat Shams)
Directed by Roy Samaha | Lebanon
North American Premiere
(tourism studies)
Directed by Joshua Gen Solondz
USA | Canadian Premiere
Wavelengths 3: Look Around
2minutes40seconds
Directed by Han Ok-hee | South Korea
International Premiere
Hrvoji, Look at You From the Tower
Directed by Ryan Ferko | Canada/Serbia/Croatia/Slovenia
World Premiere
Circumplector
Directed by Gastón Solnicki | Argentina
World Premiere
Cézanne
Directed by Luke Fowler | United Kingdom/France
World Premiere
Second Generation
Directed by Miryam Charles | Canada
North American Premiere
Transcript (Lín Mó)
Directed by Erica Sheu | USA/Taiwan
Canadian Premiere
Who’s Afraid of Ideology? Part 2
Directed by Marwa Arsanios | Lebanon/Kurdistan/Syria
North American Premiere
Wavelengths 4: Lives of Performers
Billy
Directed by Zachary Epcar | USA
World Premiere
Remembrance: A Portrait Study
Directed by Edward Owens | USA
Festival Premiere
Vever (for Barbara)
Directed by Deborah Stratman | Guatemala/USA
Canadian Premiere
Book of Hours
Directed by Annie MacDonell | Canada
World Premiere
We Still Have to Close Our Eyes
Directed by John Torres | Philippines
North American Premiere
This Action Lies (Cest Action Gist)
Directed by James N. Kienitz Wilkins | USA/Switzerland
North American Premiere
PAIRINGS
Those That, at a Distance, Resemble Another
Directed by Jessica Sarah Rinland | United Kingdom/Argentina/Spain
North American Premiere
preceded by
Heavy Metal Detox
Directed by Josef Dabernig | Austria
World Premiere
Seven Years in May (Sete Anos em Maio)
Directed by Affonso Uchôa | Brazil/Argentina
North American Premiere
and
My Skin, Luminous (Mi Piel, Luminosa)
Directed by Gabino Rodríguez, Nicolás Pereda | Mexico/Canada
North American Premiere
FEATURES
143 Sahara Street (143 rue du désert)
Directed by Hassen Ferhani | Algeria
North American Premiere
Endless Night (Longa noite)
Directed by Eloy Enciso | Spain
North American Premiere
The Fever (A Febre)
Directed by Maya Da-Rin | Brazil/France/Germany
North American Premiere
Fire Will Come (O que arde)
Directed by Oliver Laxe | Spain/France/Luxembourg
North American Premiere
Heimat is a Space in Time (Heimat ist ein Raum aus Zeit)
Directed by Thomas Heise | Germany/Austria
North American Premiere
Krabi, 2562
Directed by Anocha Suwichakornpong, Ben Rivers | Thailand/United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Liberté
Directed by Albert Serra | France/Spain/Portugal/Germany
North American Premiere
State Funeral
Directed by Sergei Loznitsa | Netherlands/Lithuania
North American Premiere
Un Film Dramatique
Directed by Éric Baudelaire | France
North American Premiere
Vitalina Varela
Directed by Pedro Costa | Portugal
North American Premiere
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/wavelengths
DISCOVERY
At this year’s Toronto International Film Festival®, the revamped Discovery programme features a robust lineup of 37 films from emerging filmmakers representing 35 countries, including 33 World Premieres and four films making international debuts.
“This year’s Discovery builds on our track record of identifying major new filmmakers early,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF’s Co-Head and Artistic Director. “This is where you want to look for the next decades’ masters, and it’s great to see longtime TIFF programming associate Dorota Lech shaping the section as Discovery’s Lead Programmer.”
“I’m thrilled to be curating the Discovery programme, a showcase of films that — regardless of form — expand, embolden, or even challenge notions of storytelling beyond what is established or expected,” said Lech. “TIFF has long held a space for first- and second-time directors, acting as a springboard for launching the international careers of cinematic giants such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Maren Ade, Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuarón, Lav Diaz, Kim Seung-woo, Barry Jenkins, Jean-Marc Vallée, Dee Rees, and Jafar Panahi. Expect the programme to push cinematic boundaries, pointing us in unexpected directions. As in previous years, it is a place to find work that could be poetic, bold, or challenging, but that is always passionate.”
Discovery continues to celebrate and reflect TIFF’s unwavering commitment to championing women’s directorial voices, with 54% of its selection directed by women. This year’s programme opens with Chiara Malta’s Simple Women, in which a director serendipitously meets Elina Löwensohn, an actor she idolized in her youth, prompting her to question her filmmaking process. Malta was inspired by her own encounter with Löwensohn in this tender, playful, and multi-layered fiction debut. Women’s journeys are also explored as central themes in Antoneta Kastrati’s ZANA, Filippo Meneghetti’s Two of Us, Hinde Boujemaa’s Noura’s Dream, Hisham Saqr’s Certified Mail, Ina Weisse’s The Audition, Jorunn Myklebust Syversen’s Disco, Kim Seung-woo’s Bring Me Home, Klaudia Reynicke’s Love Me Tender, Mahnaz Mohammadi’s Son-Mother, María Paz González’s Lina from Lima, Maria Sødahl’s Hope, Neasa Hardiman’s Sea Fever, and Tamar Shavgulidze’s Comets.
Discovery is curated and overseen by Lech, with contributions from members of TIFF’s international programming team, namely Cameron Bailey, Giovanna Fulvi, Steve Gravestock, Michael Lerman, Michèle Maheux, Kiva Reardon, Diana Sanchez, and Ravi Srinivasan.
Films screening as part of the Discovery programme include:
1982
Directed by Oualid Mouaness | United States/Lebanon/Norway/Qatar
World Premiere
AFRICA
Directed by Oren Gerner | Israel
World Premiere
The Antenna (Bina)
Directed by Orçun Behram | Turkey
World Premiere
The Audition (Das Vorspiel)
Directed by Ina Weisse | Germany/France
World Premiere
August (Agosto)
Directed by Armando Capó | Cuba/Costa Rica/France
World Premiere
Black Conflux
Directed by Nicole Dorsey | Canada
World Premiere
Bring Me Home (Na-reul cha-ja-jwo)
Directed by Kim Seung-woo | South Korea
World Premiere
A Bump Along The Way
Directed by Shelly Love | United Kingdom
International Premiere
Calm With Horses
Directed by Nick Rowland | United Kingdom/Ireland
World Premiere
Certified Mail (Bi Elm El Wossul)
Directed by Hisham Saqr | Egypt
World Premiere
Comets
Directed by Tamar Shavgulidze | Georgia
World Premiere
Disco
Directed by Jorunn Myklebust Syversen | Norway
World Premiere
Easy Land
Directed by Sanja Zivkovic | Canada
World Premiere
Entwined
Directed by Minos Nikolakakis | Greece
World Premiere
The Giant
Directed by David Raboy | USA
World Premiere
The Good Intentions (Las Buenas Intenciones)
Directed by Ana García Blaya | Argentina
World Premiere
Hearts and Bones
Directed by Ben Lawrence | Australia
International Premiere
Hope (Håp)
Directed by Maria Sødahl | Norway/Sweden
World Premiere
Kuessipan
Directed by Myriam Verreault | Canada
World Premiere
Lina from Lima
Directed by María Paz González | Chile/Argentina/Peru
World Premiere
The Lost Okoroshi
Directed by Abba Makama | Nigeria
World Premiere
Love Me Tender
Directed by Klaudia Reynicke | Switzerland
International Premiere
Murmur
Directed by Heather Young | Canada
World Premiere
My Life as a Comedian (En komikers uppväxt)
Directed by Rojda Sekersöz | Sweden/Belgium
World Premiere
Noura’s Dream
Directed by Hinde Boujemaa | Tunisia/Belgium/France
World Premiere
The Obituary of Tunde Johnson
Directed by Ali LeRoi | USA
World Premiere
Pompei
Directed by Anna Falguères, John Shank | Belgium/Canada/France
World Premiere
Raf
Directed by Harry Cepka | Canada/USA
World Premiere
The Rest of Us
Directed by Aisling Chin-Yee | Canada
World Premiere
Sea Fever
Directed by Neasa Hardiman | Ireland/Sweden/Belgium/United Kingdom
World Premiere
*Discovery Opening Film*
Directed by Simple Women
Chiara Malta | Italy/Romania
World Premiere
Sole
Directed by Carlo Sironi | Italy/Poland
International Premiere
Son-Mother (Pesar-Madar)
Directed by Mahnaz Mohammadi | Iran/Czech Republic
World Premiere
Stories From The Chestnut Woods (Zgodbe iz kostanjevih gozdov)
Directed by Gregor Božič | Slovenia/Italy
World Premiere
Sweetness in the Belly
Directed by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari | Ireland/Canada
World Premiere
Two of Us (Deux)
Directed by Filippo Meneghetti | France/Luxembourg/Belgium
World Premiere
ZANA
Directed by Antoneta Kastrati | Albania/Kosovo
World Premiere
Previously announced Discovery films include Nicole Dorsey’s Black Conflux, Sanja Zivkovic’s Easy Land, Myriam Verreault’s Kuessipan, Heather Young’s Murmur, Harry Cepka’s Raf, and Aisling Chin-Yee’s The Rest of Us.
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/discovery
TIFF DOCS
The Toronto International Film Festival® documentary programme reveals its lineup of 25 non-fiction works, including 18 World Premieres with representation from 18 countries. The films cover many high-profile figures, both famous and infamous — including Truman Capote, Merce Cunningham, Ron Howard, Bikram Choudhury, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and Imelda Marcos — and a broad range of themes, including artistic achievement, the power of journalism, immigration, global politics, and resistance against corrupt leaders. Three films use sports as a framework to look at environmentalism, capitalism, and racism. “This year’s programme captures characters you’ll never forget: lovers, fighters, dancers, athletes, despots, rebels, hustlers, and heroes,” said Thom Powers, serving his 14th year as TIFF Docs programmer this Festival. “We’ll be talking about these films for a long time to come.”
The section will open with the World Premiere of The Cave from Oscar-nominated director Feras Fayyad, about an underground hospital led by a female doctor in war-torn Syria. Other World Premieres from renowned directors include Alan Berliner’s Letter to the Editor, a personal reflection on photojournalism; Barbara Kopple’s Desert One, chronicling a perilous mission to rescue hostages in Iran; Thomas Balmès’ Sing Me A Song, following a young monk in Bhutan who forms a long-distance relationship via his smartphone; And We Go Green, about racers in the Formula E competition for electric cars, directed by Fisher Stevens and Malcolm Venville and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio; and Eva Orner’s Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator, about the controversial yoga teacher who had multiple lawsuits filed against him for sexual misconduct.
First-time documentarians present films on prominent figures: Bryce Dallas Howard’s Dads explores fatherhood with leading comedians and her own father, Ron Howard; Alla Kovgan’s Cunningham, shot in 3D, captures the artistry of dancer Merce Cunningham; and Ebs Burnough, who previously served in the Obama administration, makes his debut with The Capote Tapes, a biography of American writer Truman Capote.
The everyday lives of refugees and migrants are brought to centre stage in Eva Mulvad’s Love Child, following a couple at risk of execution for their love affair; Ready for War, directed by Andrew Renzi and executive produced by Drake, Future, and David Ayer, which tells the story of immigrants who served in the US military only to be deported; Hind Meddeb’s Paris Stalingrad which follows migrants from Africa and Afghanistan living on the streets in the city of lights; and My English Cousin, Karim Sayad’s portrait of the director’s real-life Algerian cousin who discovers the challenges of returning home. Russian politics and the rise of capitalism are examined in Gabe Polsky’s Red Penguins, recounting a comic tale of American hustlers bringing NHL-style hockey to Moscow, and Alex Gibney’s Citizen K, profiling the oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who turned against Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Rounding out the section are stories from around the globe, including Garin Hovannisian’s I Am Not Alone, about a peaceful resistance movement in Armenia; and Mark Cousins’ Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema, a recently completed 14-hour exploration of female directors around the world. The first four hours of Women Make Film, which was executive produced by Tilda Swinton, were previewed at last year’s Festival. Alexander Nanau’s Collective follows crusading Romanian journalists who uncover a scandal; Daniel Gordon’s The Australian Dream, executive produced by Ben Simmons, tells the story of football legend Adam Goodes, who battled racism in the AFL; and Lina Al Abed’s Ibrahim: A Fate to Define centres on the mysterious disappearance of a Palestinian secret agent. Also featured are Patricio Guzmán’s The Cordillera of Dreams, completing the director’s trilogy about the Chilean landscape, and Lauren Greenfield’s The Kingmaker, a profile of Imelda Marcos.
Last year’s TIFF Docs lineup showcased Free Solo, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The 2018 Festival also presented a strong market for distribution deals for titles such as The Biggest Little Farm, The Elephant Queen, and Maiden.
Films screening as part of the TIFF Docs programme include:
And We Go Green
Directed by Fisher Stevens, Malcolm Venville | USA
World Premiere
The Australian Dream
Directed by Daniel Gordon | Australia/United Kingdom
International Premiere
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator
Directed by Eva Orner | USA
World Premiere
The Capote Tapes
Directed by Ebs Burnough | United Kingdom
World Premiere
TIFF Docs Opening Film*
The Cave
Directed by Feras Fayyad | Syria/Denmark/Germany/USA/Qatar
World Premiere
Citizen K
Directed by Alex Gibney | USA/United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Collective (Colectiv)
Directed by Alexander Nanau | Romania/Luxembourg
North American Premiere
Coppers
Directed by Alan Zweig | Canada
World Premiere
The Cordillera of Dreams (La Cordillera de los Sueños)
Directed by Patricio Guzmán | France/Chile
North American Premiere
Cunningham
Directed by Alla Kovgan | Germany/France/USA
World Premiere
Dads
Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard | USA
World Premiere
Desert One
Directed by Barbara Kopple | USA
World Premiere
I Am Not Alone
Directed by Garin Hovannisian | Armenia/USA
World Premiere
Ibrahim: A Fate to Define
Directed by Lina Al Abed | Lebanon/Palestine/Denmark/Qatar/Slovenia
North American Premiere
The Kingmaker
Directed by Lauren Greenfield | USA/Denmark
Canadian Premiere
Letter to the Editor
Directed by Alan Berliner | USA
World Premiere
Love Child
Directed by Eva Mulvad | Denmark
World Premiere
My English Cousin
Directed by Karim Sayad | Switzerland/Qatar
World Premiere
Paris Stalingrad
Directed by Hind Meddeb | France
International Premiere
Ready for War
Directed by Andrew Renzi | USA
World Premiere
Red Penguins
Directed by Gabe Polsky | USA/Russia
World Premiere
Sing Me A Song
Directed by Thomas Balmès | France/Germany/Switzerland
World Premiere
There’s Something in the Water
Directed by Ellen Page, Ian Daniel | Canada
World Premiere
This Is Not a Movie
Directed by Yung Chang | Canada/Germany
World Premiere
Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema
Directed by Mark Cousins | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Previously announced TIFF Docs films include Alan Zweig’s Coppers, Ellen Page and Ian Daniel’s There’s Something in the Water, and Yung Chang’s This Is Not a Movie.
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information, see tiff.net/docs.
Festival tickets go on sale September 2 at 10am (TIFF Member pre-sale August 31, 10am–4pm). Buy tickets online at tiff.net, by phone at 416.599.2033 or 1.888.258.8433, or in person at a box office. See box office locations and hours at tiff.net/tickets.
TIFF prefers Visa.
Social Media: @TIFF_NET #TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
The Toronto International Film Festival is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
Tom Hanks in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (Photo by Lacey Terrell)
The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
TIFF Co-Heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente today announced the first round of titles selected for the Gala and Special Presentations programmes at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival. This first batch of films from the 2019 Official Selection features 18 Galas and 38 Special Presentations.
“Some of the year’s biggest films will land in Toronto this September,” said Bailey, Co-Head and Artistic Director of TIFF. “We’re thrilled to unveil Galas and Special Presentations that bring the brightest lights in film to our Festival audience. Our new programming team has been hard at work for months to deliver the compelling stories, acclaimed filmmakers, and top onscreen talent that mark our two highest-profile sections.”
“I’m delighted to step into my first Festival as TIFF Co-Head to such a powerful slate of films,” said Vicente, Co-Head and Executive Director of TIFF. “Fast-paced, boundary-pushing, satirical — this lineup has films representing every corner of the cinematic landscape on top of a strong number of World Premieres. It’s a pleasure to be able to share these films with audiences for the first time.” Of the Gala films announced today, 50% of titles are directed or co-directed by women — a record number for the programme. This year’s selection also includes 29 World Premieres, six International Premieres, 13 North American Premieres, and eight Canadian Premieres.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019.
TIFF Co-Heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente today announced the first round of titles selected for the Gala and Special Presentations programmes at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival. This first batch of films from the 2019 Official Selection features 18 Galas and 38 Special Presentations.
“Some of the year’s biggest films will land in Toronto this September,” said Bailey, Co-Head and Artistic Director of TIFF. “We’re thrilled to unveil Galas and Special Presentations that bring the brightest lights in film to our Festival audience. Our new programming team has been hard at work for months to deliver the compelling stories, acclaimed filmmakers, and top onscreen talent that mark our two highest-profile sections.”
“I’m delighted to step into my first Festival as TIFF Co-Head to such a powerful slate of films,” said Vicente, Co-Head and Executive Director of TIFF. “Fast-paced, boundary-pushing, satirical — this lineup has films representing every corner of the cinematic landscape on top of a strong number of World Premieres. It’s a pleasure to be able to share these films with audiences for the first time.” Of the Gala films announced today, 50% of titles are directed or co-directed by women — a record number for the programme. This year’s selection also includes 29 World Premieres, six International Premieres, 13 North American Premieres, and eight Canadian Premieres.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019.
GALAS 2019
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Directed by Marielle Heller | USA
World Premiere
Abominable
Directed by Jill Culton | USA
World Premiere
American Woman
Directed by Semi Chellas | Canada
Canadian Premiere
Blackbird
Directed by Roger Michell | United Kingdom World Premiere
Clemency
Directed by Chinonye Chukwu | USA International Premiere
Ford v Ferrari
Directed by James Mangold | USA Canadian Premiere
The Goldfinch
Directed by John Crowley | USA World Premiere
Harriet
Directed by Kasi Lemmons | USA
World Premiere
Hustlers
Directed by Lorene Scafaria | USA
World Premiere
Joker
Directed by Todd Phillips | USA
North American Premiere
Just Mercy
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton | USA World Premiere
*Opening Night Film*
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band
Directed by Daniel Roher | Canada
World Premiere
Ordinary Love
Directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn | United Kingdom
World Premiere
*Closing Night Film*
Radioactive
Directed by Marjane Satrapi | United Kingdom
World Premiere
The Sky Is Pink
Directed by Shonali Bose | India
World Premiere
The Song of Names
Directed by François Girard | Canada
World Premiere
True History of the Kelly Gang
Directed by Justin Kurzel | Australia
World Premiere
Western Stars
Directed by Thom Zimny, Bruce Springsteen | USA
World Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2019
A Herdade
Directed by Tiago Guedes | Portugal
North American Premiere
Bad Education
Directed by Cory Finley | USA
World Premiere
Coming Home Again
Directed by Wayne Wang | USA/South Korea
World Premiere
Dolemite Is My Name
Directed by Craig Brewer | USA
World Premiere
Ema
Directed by Pablo Larraín | Chile
North American Premiere
Endings, Beginnings
Directed by Drake Doremus | USA
World Premiere
Frankie
Directed by Ira Sachs | France/Portugal
North American Premiere
The Friend
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite | USA
World Premiere
Greed
Directed by Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Guest of Honour
Directed by Atom Egoyan | Canada
North American Premiere
Heroic Losers (La odisea de los giles)
Directed by Sebastian Borensztein | Argentina/Spain
International Premiere
Honey Boy
Directed by Alma Har’el | USA
International Premiere
Hope Gap
Directed by William Nicholson | United Kingdom
World Premiere
How to Build a Girl
Directed by Coky Giedroyc | United Kingdom
World Premiere
*Opening Special Presentations Film*
I Am Woman
Directed by Unjoo Moon | Australia
World Premiere
Jojo Rabbit
Directed by Taika Waititi | USA
World Premiere
Judy
Rupert Goold | United Kingdom
Directed by Canadian Premiere
Knives Out
Directed by Rian Johnson | USA
World Premiere
La Belle Époque
Directed by Nicolas Bedos | France
North American Premiere
The Laundromat
Directed by Steven Soderbergh | USA
North American Premiere
The Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers | USA
North American Premiere
Marriage Story
Directed by Noah Baumbach | USA
Canadian Premiere
Military Wives
Directed by Peter Cattaneo | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Motherless Brooklyn
Directed by Edward Norton | USA
International Premiere
No.7
Directed by Cherry Lane Yonfan | Hong Kong
North American Premiere
The Other
Directed by Lamb Malgorzata Szumowska | Belgium/Ireland/USA
World Premiere
Pain and Glory
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar | Spain
Canadian Premiere
The Painted Bird
Directed by Václav Marhoul | Czech Republic/Ukraine/Slovakia
North American Premiere
Parasite (Gisaengchung)
Directed by Bong Joon-ho | South Korea
Canadian Premiere
Pelican Blood (Pelikanblut)
Directed by Katrin Gebbe | Germany/Bulgaria
North American Premiere
The Personal History of David Copperfield
Directed by Armando Iannucci | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu)
Directed by Céline Sciamma | France
Canadian Premiere
The Report
Directed by Scott Z. Burns | USA
International Premiere
Saturday Fiction (Lan Xin Da Ju Yuan)
Directed by Lou Ye | China
North American Premiere
The Two Popes
Directed by Fernando Meirelles | USA/United Kingdom/Italy/Argentina
Canadian Premiere
Uncut Gems
Directed by Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie | USA
International Premiere
Weathering With You
Directed by Makoto Shinkai | Japan
North American Premiere
While at War (Mientras Dure La Guerra)
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar | Spain/Argentina
World Premiere
For film synopses, cast lists, images, and more information see tiff.net/galas and tiff.net/specialpresentations.
Festival ticket packages start at $110. Purchase packages online at tiff.net/tickets, by phone (416.599.2033 or 1.888.258.8433), or in person at TIFF Bell Lightbox until August 11 while quantities last.
TIFF prefers Visa.
Social Media: @TIFF_NET #TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
The Toronto International Film Festival is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.
The Gala programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Fairmont.
“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” (Photo by Elliott Landy, courtesy of TIFF)
The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
TIFF Co-Heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente announced today that the World Premiere of Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, Daniel Roher’s touching tale of Robertson’s young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music, The Band, will be the Opening Night Gala Presentation for the 44th Toronto International Film Festival® on Thursday, September 5, 2019, at Roy Thomson Hall. The premiere marks the first time a Canadian-made documentary opens the Toronto International Film Festival.
The documentary film, directed by Roher (”Ghosts of Our Forest”), inspired by Robertson’s 2016 memoir, Testimony, tells the moving story of Robertson’s personal journey as he overcame adversity and found camaraderie alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music, and who together made their mark on music history.
“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band” blends rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs, and interviews with many of Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Taj Mahal, Dominique Robertson, and Ronnie Hawkins.
“This is one of Toronto’s great stories of a hometown hero,” said Bailey, Artistic Director & Co-Head of TIFF. “From his early years in this city, to the inspiration he took from life on the Six Nations reserve, to the impact he’s had on generations of music lovers, Robertson emerges in Roher’s film as a truly Canadian-made superstar. In our first year as TIFF’s Co-Heads, Joana and I are thrilled to open the Festival with a Canadian story that speaks to the world.”
“This stirring documentary takes audiences on a musical journey and shows us just what it takes to build one of the most significant groups in rock history,” said Vicente, Executive Director & Co-Head of TIFF. “Robertson is a Canadian music icon, and his moving story of persistence and passion is the perfect way to begin Festival 2019 for both Cameron and me. We’re eager to share the excitement of Opening Night with Toronto’s film lovers, and audiences can expect some very special guests joining us to help celebrate.” “Robertson’s tale is a remarkable reminder of how vision, ambition, and hard work can empower one’s wildest dreams,” said Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band director Daniel Roher. “Robbie took a chance on me, and I will be forever grateful that he rolled the dice on a kid from Toronto to helm his story. Opening the Toronto International Film Festival is beyond some wildest dreams of my own and I am thankful for everyone who believed in me.”
“I’m so tremendously honored that the premiere of Once Were Brothers, inspired by my memoir Testimony, will be the opening movie at TIFF this year, in my hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada,” said Robertson.
In a career spanning six decades, Robbie Robertson has continued to create as a songwriter, producer, performer, actor, author, and film composer. His raw talent thrust him into the spotlight and put him at the center of a cultural revolution, backing Bob Dylan on his notorious 1966 electric world tour and later collaborating with Dylan on the groundbreaking Basement Tapes, then as a member of The Band, inventing the musical hybrid known as Americana with songs like “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Of late, Robertson has been working on a new solo album, due this fall.
Made in conjunction with Imagine Documentaries, White Pine Pictures, Bell Media Studios and Universal Music Canada’s Shed Creative, the project is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Imagine Entertainment Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein for Imagine Documentaries; White Pines Pictures’ president Peter Raymont, and COO Steve Ord; Bell Media president, Randy Lennox; Jared Levine; Michael Levine; Universal Music Canada president and CEO Jeffrey Remedios; and Shed Creative’s managing director Dave Harris. The film was produced by Andrew Munger, Stephen Paniccia, Sam Sutherland and Lana Belle Mauro. Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band will stream on Crave in Canada later this year.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019. TIFF announces more Gala and Special Presentations on July 23.
Festival ticket packages start at $110. Purchase packages online at tiff.net/tickets, by phone (416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433), or in person at TIFF Bell Lightbox until August 11 while quantities last.
TIFF prefers Visa.
Social Media:
@TIFF_NET
#TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
The Toronto International Film Festival is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto. This film is eligible for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award. The Gala programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Fairmont.
The following is a press release from the Toronto International Film Festival:
Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads of TIFF, today announced the TIFF Tribute Gala, an annual awards fundraiser to support TIFF’s year-round programmes and core mission to transform the way people see the world through film, and to celebrate the film industry’s outstanding contributors. The event takes place Monday, September 9, 2019, at the Fairmont Royal York, during the 44th Toronto International Film Festival. To recognize their leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema, the TIFF Tribute Gala will introduce the new TIFF Impact Award. Participant Media will receive the inaugural award, which will be accepted by Founder and Chairman Jeff Skoll and CEO David Linde, marking an incredible 15 years of social action through storytelling. The TIFF Tribute Gala will also include the new Mary Pickford Award, honouring a female emerging talent in the industry. The inaugural award is given this year in celebration of United Artists’ 100th anniversary. The recipient of this award, as well as additional honourees for the TIFF Tribute Gala, will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Through our programming, we have had the privilege of celebrating new talents and showcasing works from renowned veterans in the industry over the past four decades. We wanted to build on the success of last year’s tribute gala to outgoing Director and CEO Piers Handling in the form of a new annual awards event that highlights some of the year’s best films, as well as longtime contributors to our industry,” said Vicente. “The TIFF Tribute Gala will recognize and celebrate the lifetime achievements of leading industry members, like the outstanding Jeff Skoll and David Linde; acting talent and directorial expertise; and new talent. It will also showcase a below-the-line artist and creator and their significant work.”
Founded by Jeff Skoll in 2004 based on his prescient vision of entertainment to inspire social change, Participant Media — celebrating its 15th anniversary this year — has expanded into a multi-platform content company that produces impact campaigns alongside its content designed to accelerate the reach and impact of solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. To date, Participant has produced more than 100 feature and documentary films that have collectively earned 73 Academy Award® nominations and 18 wins, including Best Picture for “Green Book” (2019) and ”Spotlight” (2016), Best Foreign Language Film for ”Roma” (2019) and “A Fantastic Woman” (2018), and Best Documentaries ”Citizenfour” (2015) and ”An Inconvenient Truth” (2007). Participant has partnered with many of the world’s most renowned filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Alfonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Laura Poitras, George Clooney, Cary Fukunaga, Julia Reichert, Steve James, Stephen Gaghan, Steven Soderbergh, Jonathan Demme, Mimi Leder, Richard Linklater, Gus Van Sant, John Madden, Tom McCarthy, Alex Gibney, Errol Morris, Davis Guggenheim, Robert Kenner, Margaret Brown, and Joshua Oppenheimer.
In recognition of outstanding female talent, TIFF will present the Mary Pickford Award, named in honor of Mary Pickford, the pioneering actor, producer, and Co-Founder of United Artists. The annual award will launch in conjunction with United Artists’ 100th anniversary this year, and will honor an emerging female talent who is making groundbreaking strides in the industry, as Pickford did. A Toronto native, Pickford was the highest-paid actor — male or female — during the late 1910s and was a savvy businesswoman who helped shape the industry as we know it today. In 1919, she revolutionized film distribution by partnering with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith to form United Artists. Pickford, who also went on to co-found what is today the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, continued to be a part of United Artists through the early 1950s. The award will be presented by MGM.
The 44th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–15, 2019.
For information on purchasing a table for the TIFF Tribute Gala, please contact [email protected].
TIFF prefers Visa.
Social Media:
@TIFF_NET
#TIFF19 Facebook.com/TIFF
About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net. TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L’Oréal Paris, and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the City of Toronto.
