Midnight Madness has just launched its lineup for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, and opens with Joseph Kahn’s provocative World Premiere of Bodied. Midnight Madness also presents the World Premiere of The Disaster Artist, directed by James Franco and based on the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film, The Room. Kuplowsky also welcomes back several Festival alumni, including David Bruckner, Ryuhei Kitamura, S. Craig Zahler, Hélène Cattet, and Bruno Forzani. A new film directed by Canadian musician Seth A. Smith of Dog Day will also screen, as well as the Canadian Premiere of the acclaimed short-film Great Choice, which will precede the World Premiere of Brian Taylor’s Mom and Dad, starring Nicholas Cage and Selma Blair. Finally, the section will introduce two new feature filmmakers with Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge and the section’s Closing Night presentation of Sôichi Umezawa’s Vampire Clay.
“We can’t wait to unleash Peter on Midnight Madness audiences,” said TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. “He’s tracked down 10 films that preserve the section’s legendary kick-out-the-jams approach, while still putting his own ruthless stamp on it. Just watch.”
“With my inaugural lineup, I’ve sought to assemble an eclectic group of films that expand and explode traditional definitions of genre and shock cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, Programmer for Midnight Madness. “Starting with Joseph Kahn’s proverbial mic-drop Bodied, a transgressive and self-critical battle rap satire produced by Eminem, and ricocheting between occult rituals and brutal brawls, the tropes across these 10 Midnights may be familiar, but the execution always innovates, be it in their distillation, fragmentation or subversion. Some will terrify, and others may mystify, but all will electrify audiences well past the witching hour.”
Under Kuplowsky’s new direction, Midnight Madness will continue to showcase the classically terrifying, as well as boundary-pushing, stylized and innovative films — wiring up and energizing its loyal late-night fang-club!
The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.
Films screening as part of the Midnight Madness program include:
Midnight Madness Opening Film.
Bodied
Joseph Kahn, USA
World Premiere
Brawl in Cell Block 99
S. Craig Zahler, USA
North American Premiere
The Crescent
Seth A. Smith, Canada
World Premiere
The Disaster Artist
James Franco, USA
World Premiere
Downrange
Ryuhei Kitamura, USA
World Premiere
Great Choice
Robin Comisar, USA
Canadian Premiere
Let the Corpses Tan
Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Belgium/France
North American Premiere
Mom and Dad
Brian Taylor, USA
World Premiere
Revenge
Coralie Fargeat, France
World Premiere
The Ritual
David Bruckner, UK
World Premiere
Midnight Madness Closing Film.
Vampire Clay
Sôichi Umezawa, Japan
World Premiere
Related posts:
