The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled the 35 exceptional short films that make up the International portion of the 2017 Short Cuts program. A lineup that stands out for its diversity of voices and backgrounds, the International selection for 2017 includes works from over 30 countries in 16 different languages, with a strong presence from the Middle East and South America. Of the 35 selected films, 17 were directed by women.
The International lineup also includes seven stunning short animations, including Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s The Burden (Min börda), winner of the Cristal for a Short Film award at the 2017 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and The Death, Dad & Son by Denis Walgenwitz and Winshluss, the renowned French comic book artist whose film credits include co-writing and co-directing the Oscar-nominated Persepolis (07). Another well-known name featured in the lineup is Justine Bateman; the former Family Ties star’s short film directorial debut, FIVE MINUTES, will be premiering at the Festival.
Program highlights also include Ifunanya Maduka’s heartbreaking Waiting for Hassana, which shares a brave teenager’s devastating account of the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping; Mahdi Fleifel’s A Drowning Man, the dramatic story of a young immigrant trying to survive in a new and strange city; and Yang Qiu’s A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue), which will be screening fresh off its Short Film Palme d’Or win at Cannes.
Films in the Short Cuts program are eligible for the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Film. This year’s jury includes Marit van den Elshout, Head of CineMart at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; TIFF 2016 City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film winner Johnny Ma (Old Stone); and Cannes 2017 Art Cinema Award winner Chloé Zhao (The Rider).
The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.
International titles screening as part of the Short Cuts program include:
Airport Michaela Müller, Switzerland/Croatia
North American Premiere
Blue Christmas Charlotte Wells, UK/USA
World Premiere
Bonboné Rakan Mayasi, Palestine/Lebanon
World Premiere
The Burden (Min börda) Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden
North American Premiere
Catastrophe Jamille van Wijngaarden, Netherlands
International Premiere
Damiana Andrés Ramírez Pulido, Colombia/Brazil
North American Premiere
The Death, Dad & Son (La Mort, Père & Fils) Winshluss, Denis Walgenwitz, France
International Premiere
Drop by Drop (Água Mole) Xá, Laura Gonçalves, Portugal
North American Premiere
A Drowning Man Mahdi Fleifel, Denmark/Greece/UK
North American Premiere
Everlasting MOM (Ima Lanetzah) Elinor Nechemya, Israel
International Premiere
Fifteen (Khamastashar) Sameh Alaa, Egypt
World Premiere
FIVE MINUTES Justine Bateman, USA
World Premiere
A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue) Yang Qiu, China
Canadian Premiere
I Didn’t Shoot Jesse James (Je n’ai pas tué Jesse James) Sophie Beaulieu, France
North American Premiere
Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month Carlo Francisco Manatad, Philippines/Singapore
North American Premiere
Long Distance Relationship (Namoro À Distância) Carolina Markowicz, Brazil
World Premiere
Lower Heaven Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi, France/Iran
International Premiere
Magic Moments Martina Buchelová, Slovakia
World Premiere
Marlon Jessica Palud, France/Belgium
North American Premiere
Möbius Sam Kuhn, Canada/USA
North American Premiere
Mon amour mon ami Adriano Valerio, Italy/France
International Premiere
Mother (Madre) Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain
International Premiere
Preparation (Proetimasia) Sofia Georgovassili, Greece
World Premiere
The President’s Visit Cyril Aris, Lebanon/Qatar/USA
World Premiere
Push It Julia Thelin, Sweden
North American Premiere
Roadside Attraction Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas, USA
World Premiere
Shinaab Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr, USA
International Premiere
SIGNATURE Kei Chikaura, Japan
North American Premiere
Still Water Runs Deep Abbesi Akhamie, USA/Nigeria
World Premiere
Together Alone (Nosotros solos) Mateo Bendesky, Argentina
International Premiere
Treehouse (La casa del árbol) Juan Sebastián Quebrada, Colombia/France
World Premiere
Waiting Amberley Jo Aumua, New Zealand
International Premiere
Waiting for Hassana Ifunanya Maduka, Nigeria
Canadian Premiere
We Love Moses Dionne Edwards, UK
Canadian Premiere
WICKED GIRL (KÖTÜ KIZ) Ayce Kartal, France/Turkey
North American Premiere