Look at Me[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival will spotlight 48 films from international filmmakers in this year’s 2018 Contemporary World Cinema roster with a strong presence from Latin America and Eastern Europe — telling stories of identity, depicting family dynamics, and making bold political statements.
Several of the the impressive 27 World Premieres in the program are from TIFF veterans, including Belmonte from Uruguay’s Federico Veiroj, The Other Story from Israel’s Avi Nesher, Stupid Young Heart from Finnish Academy Award nominee Selma Vilhunen, Quién te Cantará from Spain’s Carlos Vermut, and Look at Me from Tunisia’s Nejib Belkadhi.
The program also highlights film selections that have already captivated audiences worldwide this year, including “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians” by Radu Jude, Birds of Passage by directing duo Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra, and Border by Ali Abbasi.
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
The Toronto International Film Festival® ranks among the most prestigious international film festivals in the world. The festival hosts 10 days of international and Canadian cinema, special events featuring some of the biggest names in film, and TIFF’s Industry Conference, offering diverse and innovative perspectives on the art and business of film.
Toronto International Film Festival started in 1976 and takes place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Toronto International Film Festival to Spotlight 48 Films in 2018 Contemporary World Cinema Program
[caption id="attachment_31415" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Look at Me[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival will spotlight 48 films from international filmmakers in this year’s 2018 Contemporary World Cinema roster with a strong presence from Latin America and Eastern Europe — telling stories of identity, depicting family dynamics, and making bold political statements.
Several of the the impressive 27 World Premieres in the program are from TIFF veterans, including Belmonte from Uruguay’s Federico Veiroj, The Other Story from Israel’s Avi Nesher, Stupid Young Heart from Finnish Academy Award nominee Selma Vilhunen, Quién te Cantará from Spain’s Carlos Vermut, and Look at Me from Tunisia’s Nejib Belkadhi.
The program also highlights film selections that have already captivated audiences worldwide this year, including “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians” by Radu Jude, Birds of Passage by directing duo Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra, and Border by Ali Abbasi.
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Toronto International Film Festival to Spotlight 11 Films by International Legends in 2018 Masters Program
[caption id="attachment_31411" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Peterloo[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival today unveiled the lineup for the 2018 Masters program, comprised of 11 daring new films by acclaimed, established auteurs with remarkable bodies of work. Included in the 2018 Masters lineup are new works by three acclaimed European directors that unwaveringly address contemporary adversities: the debut of the single-installment version of Italian maestro Paolo Sorrentino’s corrosive comedy, Loro, which stars Toni Servillo as infamous politician Silvio Berlusconi; legendary French—Swiss auteur Jean-Luc Godard’s The Image Book, winner of the inaugural 2018 Special Palme d’Or at Cannes; and German director Christian Petzold’s daring Transit, an adaptation of Anna Seghers’ World War II novel set in an era resembling the present day, which offers subtle and timely reflections on rootlessness and exile.
Among the auteurs in the lineup are: Algerian visionary Merzak Allouache, who explores religious radicalization with Divine Wind, the latest in a remarkable filmography that spans over four decades; acclaimed Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who is known for his distinct cinematic use of landscape and who returns to the Festival with The Wild Pear Tree; Mexican master Carlos Reygadas, who delivers an existential meditation on a couple’s open relationship in Our Time; South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, who returns to the program with Hotel by the River, a black-and white-drama set in an isolated hotel during a cold winter; British director Mike Leigh, who explores the history of British parliamentary reform in Peterloo; and Iranian maverick Jafar Panahi, who presents 3 Faces, a thoughtful examination of traditional gender roles and artistic independence.
Chinese pioneer Jia Zhang-ke will introduce his largest production to date, Ash Is Purest White, a look at the rapid evolution of Chinese capitalist society explored through the romance between two mismatched people, while veteran Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto will present Killing, an ambitious samurai genre film set in mid-19th century Japan.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
2018 Toronto International Film Festival Masters Program
3 Faces Jafar Panahi | Iran North American Premiere Ash Is Purest White ( Jiang Hu Er Nü) Jia Zhang-ke | China/France North American Premiere Divine Wind ( Rih rabani) Merzak Allouache | Algeria/France/Qatar/Lebanon World Premiere Hotel by the River ( Gangbyun Hotel) Hong Sang-soo | South Korea North American Premiere Killing ( Zan) Shinya Tsukamoto | Japan North American Premiere Loro Paolo Sorrentino | Italy/France World Premiere Our Time ( Nuestro Tiempo) Carlos Reygadas | Mexico/France/Germany/Denmark/Sweden North American Premiere Peterloo Mike Leigh | United Kingdom Canadian Premiere The Image Book ( Le livre d’image) Jean-Luc Godard | Switzerland/France North American Premiere The Wild Pear Tree ( Ahlat Ağacı) Nuri Bilge Ceylan | Turkey/France/Germany/Bulgaria North American Premiere Transit Christian Petzold | Germany North American Premiere
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2018 Toronto International Film Festival Adds More Gala and Special Presentations Films
[caption id="attachment_31408" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Green Book[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival today unveiled its second batch of titles premiering in the Gala and Special Presentations programs in September. Four Gala Presentations and 22 Special Presentations have been added to the selection of titles already announced.
“We’re rounding out the lineup of Galas and Special Presentations with some of the most exciting films of the year,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “Audiences won’t want to miss these premieres from a mix of newcomers and global heavyweights.”
This second announcement brings the total for Galas and Special Presentations to 44 World Premieres, 9 International Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 11 Canadian Premieres.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
GALAS 2018
Green Book Peter Farrelly | USA World Premiere Closing Night Film Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy Justin Kelly | Canada/USA/United Kingdom World Premiere The Lie Veena Sud | Canada World Premiere Opening Night Film Outlaw King David Mackenzie | USA/United Kingdom World PremiereSPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2018
22 July Paul Greengrass | Norway/Iceland North American Premiere American Woman Jake Scott | USA World Premiere Baby ( Bao Bei Er) Liu Jie | China World Premiere Boy Erased Joel Edgerton | USA International Premiere Driven Nick Hamm | Puerto Rico/United Kingdom/USA North American Premiere Duelles (Mothers’ Instinct) Olivier Masset-Depasse | Belgium/France World Premiere A Faithful Man ( L’homme fidèle) Louis Garrel | France World Premiere Gloria Bell Sebastián Lelio | USA/Chile World Premiere Hold the Dark Jeremy Saulnier | USA World Premiere Kursk Thomas Vinterberg | Belgium/Luxembourg World Premiere Legend of the Demon Cat – Director’s Cut Chen Kaige | China/Japan World Premiere Mid90s Jonah Hill | USA World Premiere A Million Little Pieces Sam Taylor-Johnson | USA World Premiere Never Look Away ( Werk ohne Autor) Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck | Germany North American Premiere The Quietude ( La Quietud) Pablo Trapero | Argentina North American Premiere Skin Guy Nattiv | USA World Premiere Teen Spirit Max Minghella | USA World Premiere Tell It To The Bees Annabel Jankel | United Kingdom World Premiere Viper Club Maryam Keshavarz | USA World Premiere Vision Naomi Kawase | Japan/France International Premiere Vita & Virginia Chanya Button | United Kingdom/Ireland World Premiere Wild Rose Tom Harper | United Kingdom World Premiere
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World Premiere of JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY Starring Laura Dern to Close Toronto International Film Festival
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy from director Justin Kelly, based on one of the most famous literary gambits in American history will close this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Adapted from the memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT LeRoy by Savannah Knoop, the film promises a boundary-breaking Closing Night Gala bursting with intrigue.
“With Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy, Justin Kelly brings to the screen a truly unbelievable story that captivated a nation,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “The storytelling is powerful and the characters are vivid, really evoking the idea that you have to see it to believe it.
“I am beyond honored that my film Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy will premiere at TIFF as the Closing Night Film,” said Justin Kelly, director of Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy. “I can’t wait for people to see the fascinating true story behind JT LeRoy, brought to life via incredible performances by a total dream cast.”
This captivating true story goes beyond the headlines to reveal the most compelling literary hoax of our generation. Laura Albert (Laura Dern) is an author who writes under a fictionalized persona, a disenfranchised young queer man named JT LeRoy. When her debut novel becomes a bestseller and JT becomes the darling of the literary world, she comes up with a unique solution to preserve her anonymity while giving life to her nom-de-plume. Enter her boyfriend’s androgynous sister, Savannah Knoop (Kristen Stewart), who connects with Laura’s punk, feminist, outsider universe and agrees to be JT in the public eye. Together, they embark on a wild ride of double lives, infiltrating the Hollywood and literary elite — and discovering who they are in the process.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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World Premiere of Period Drama OUTLAW KING Starring Chris Pine to Open Toronto International Film Festival
The World Premiere of Outlaw King , David Mackenzie’s anticipated period drama chronicling the rise of 14th-century Scottish hero Robert the Bruce, will be the Opening Night Gala Presentation for the 43rd Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday, September 6, at Roy Thomson Hall.
This epic David-versus-Goliath tale reunites award-winning director David Mackenzie ( Starred Up , Young Adam) with his Hell or High Water actor Chris Pine, who takes on the starring role of the legendary Scottish king who leads a band of outlaws to reclaim the throne from the clutches of the English crown and its army. The film also stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, and Billy Howle.
“TIFF’s Opening Night Film, Outlaw King , tells a powerful story that is rich in drama, excitement, romance, and adventure,” said Piers Handling, Director & CEO of TIFF. “Audiences are promised a thrilling journey back in time, as David Mackenzie masterfully unwraps history with taut dramatic flare and brings to life the true story of Scottish hero Robert the Bruce. Gripping performances led by Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson make this a classic, entertaining, and action-packed Festival opener.”
“Thank you, TIFF, for welcoming our film into the world. The Festival is the perfect launch pad for our realistic epic, and we are delighted to be the first Scottish film ever to open Toronto,” said director David Mackenzie. “I cannot imagine a better place to have our World Premiere. Scotland and Canada’s histories are bound together, forged in the crucible of the struggles of history, bringing this day an affinity and sensibility that I hope will translate to a profound, visceral, and riotously entertaining experience. We have an amazing cast and crew working at the top of their game, and we are really looking forward to spreading some Scottish goodwill on the great city of Toronto.”
Outlaw King follows the untold, true story of Robert the Bruce, who transforms from defeated nobleman to outlaw hero during the oppressive occupation of medieval Scotland by Edward I of England. Despite grave consequences, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies an impassioned group of men to fight back against the mighty army of the tyrannical King and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 20
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36 International Short Films in Short Cuts Program of 2018 Toronto International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_31342" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Ambassador’s Wife[/caption]
36 short films will make up the International portion of the Short Cuts program at this year’s 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
The lineup of provocative, exciting shorts includes 14 World Premieres and works from 32 countries, in 19 different languages, with a strong array of new voices. Of the 36 films in the selection, 18 were directed or co-directed by women.
Highlights among the selection of live-action narrative films include Reed Van Dyk’s Interior, a bold follow-up to his recent Academy Award–nominated DeKalb Elementary ; A.V. Rockwell’s vivid and vital drama Feathers; Héctor Silva Núñez’s exceptional exploration of identity in The Foreign Body; and Charles Williams’ All These Creatures, an emotionally wrenching drama that won the Short Film Palme d’Or at Cannes.
The 2018 program also includes such fascinating short documentaries as Theresa Traore Dahlberg’s The Ambassador’s Wife, an elegant study of a woman who represents the complexities of class, women’s roles, and post-colonialism, and Jayisha Patel’s Circle, a haunting documentary that tells the horrifying story of a young woman caught in a cycle of abuse.
Amazing animations are also prominent at this year’s Festival. Standouts include: Emma de Swaef and Marc James Roels’ This Magnificent Cake! , a wildly ambitious and original stop-motion marvel that uses stories set in the Belgian Congo in the 19th century to reveal the absurdity and horror of European colonialism in Africa; Anca Damian’s free-flowing yet astoundingly intricate The Call; and Donato Sansone’s Bavure, a bravura display of eye-popping, mind-bending, and body-morphing ingenuity.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
International Films in 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Short Cuts Program
A New Year ( Akhali Tseli) George Sikharulidze | Georgia World Premiere A Wedding Day ( Un jour de mariage) Elias Belkeddar | Algeria/France North American Premiere All Inclusive Corina Schwingruber Ilić | Switzerland North American Premiere All These Creatures Charles Williams | Australia North American Premiere The Ambassador’s Wife Theresa Traore Dahlberg | Burkina Faso/Sweden Canadian Premiere Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets Yosep Anggi Noen | Indonesia World Premiere Bavure Donato Sansone | France World Premiere Birdie Shelly Lauman | Australia International Premiere The Call ( Telefonul) Anca Damian | Romania North American Premiere Circle Jayisha Patel | United Kingdom/Canada/India North American Premiere Dodgy Dave Charlotte Regan | United Kingdom World Premiere Dulce Guille Isa, Angello Faccini | Colombia/USA International Premiere Everything calms down ( Todo se calma) Virginia Scaro | Argentina World Premiere Facing North ( Bukiikakkono) Tukei Muhumuza | USA/Uganda World Premiere The Fall ( La Chute) Boris Labbé | France North American Premiere Feathers A.V. Rockwell | USA World Premiere The Field Sandhya Suri | France/United Kingdom/India Canadian Premiere The Foreign Body ( El Destetado) Héctor Silva Núñez | Venezuela/France World Premiere Fuck You Anette Sidor | Sweden North American Premiere Guaxuma Nara Normande | France/Brazil North American Premiere Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year ( Ektoras Malo: I Teleftea Mera Tis Chronias) Jacqueline Lentzou | Greece North American Premiere The Imminent Immanent ( Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t Pamahungpahung ) Carlo Francisco Manatad | Philippines/Singapore/Italy World Premiere Interior ( Interiør) Reed Van Dyk | Norway/USA World Premiere Judgement Raymund Ribay Gutierrez | Philippines North American Premiere L’été et tout le reste Sven Bresser | Netherlands North American Premiere Lou Clara Balzary | USA World Premiere Old Thing ( Ha’Alte-Zachen) Roni Bahat | Israel International Premiere The Orphan ( O Órfão) Carolina Markowicz | Brazil North American Premiere Reneepoptosis Renee Zhan | Japan/USA North American Premiere Shadow Cut Lucy Suess | New Zealand North American Premiere Shinaab: Part II Lyle Corbine Jr. | USA World Premiere This Magnificent Cake! ( Ce Magnifique Gâteau!) Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels | Belgium/France/Netherlands Canadian Premiere To Plant a Flag Bobbie Peers | Norway/Iceland World Premiere Umbra ( Tariki) Saeed Jafarian | Iran North American Premiere Viktoría Brúsi Ólason | Iceland International Premiere Winners Bitch Sam Gurry | USA World Premiere
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Toronto International Film Festival Unveils 2018 Docs Program, Opens with Michael Moore’s FAHRENHEIT 11/9
[caption id="attachment_31339" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9[/caption]
The World Premiere of Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9 , a radical and humorous look at the United States under Donald Trump, will open the Toronto International Film Festival 2018 documentary program. The Festival will screen 27 feature-length non-fiction films, representing 19 countries in the 2018 documentary program.
Other World Premieres include Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks’ Quincy, profiling musical icon Quincy Jones; Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble’s The Elephant Queen, narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor, tracing the epic journey of an elephant herd; Billy Corben’s Screwball, a true-crime comedy on doping in Major League Baseball; and Maxim Pozdorovkin’s The Truth About Killer Robots, investigating the lethal consequences of automation.
One-third of this year’s doc features are directed or co-directed by female filmmakers including TIFF Docs closing film, Margarethe von Trotta’s Searching for Ingmar Bergman, which offers a multi-faceted look at the Swedish auteur’s life 100 years after his birth. Women creators, trailblazers, and the #MeToo movement are also examined within the lineup: Naziha Arebi’s Freedom Fields, about a Libyan women’s football team; Alex Holmes’ Maiden recounts the story of the first all-women sailing crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race), skippered by Tracy Edwards; and Tom Volf’s Maria by Callas, narrated by Joyce DiDonato, profiles one of the major icons of the 20th century. More highlights include Alexis Bloom’s Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes, covering the Fox News creator who was ousted for allegations of sexual harassment; and Tom Donahue’s This Changes Everything, an examination of gender dynamics in Hollywood, executive produced by Geena Davis. Mark Cousins’ Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema , narrated by Tilda Swinton, explores international cinema through the lens of women directors.
Global politics and leaders of modern society are put under the microscope with films such as Werner Herzog and André Singer’s Meeting Gorbachev, on the former Soviet leader; Vitaly Mansky’s Putin’s Witnesses, focusing on Russia’s president; and Errol Morris’ American Dharma , looking at controversial Trump strategist Steve Bannon.
Grand adventures are at the heart of several docs in the selection. E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Free Solo captures Alex Honnold’s unprecedented climb of El Capitan without safety ropes; Andrey Paounov’s Walking on Water documents the artist Christo’s project The Floating Piers; John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm chronicles an eight-year struggle to run a family farm; and Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron’s Ghost Fleet captures a nail-biting rescue of fishermen enslaved at sea.
After directing last year’s Festival opener Borg vs McEnroe, Janus Metz teams with Sine Plambech for the World Premiere of Heartbound, a longitudinal study 10 years in the making about the trend of Thai women marrying Danish men. And several documentaries represent eclectic perspectives told from around the world, including: Rithy Panh’s Graves Without a Name, on the legacy of Cambodia’s genocide; Jawad Rhalib’s When Arabs Danced, on Muslim performers pushing boundaries; James Longley’s Angels Are Made Of Light, about a group of Afghan children and their teachers; and Frederick Wiseman’s Monrovia, Indiana , about a small town in America’s Midwest.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
2018 TIFF Docs Program
American Dharma Errol Morris | USA/United Kingdom North American Premiere Angels Are Made Of Light James Longley | USA/Denmark/Norway Canadian Premiere The Biggest Little Farm John Chester | USA International Premiere Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes Alexis Bloom | USA World Premiere The Elephant Queen Victoria Stone, Mark Deeble | United Kingdom/Kenya World Premiere TIFF Docs Opening Film Fahrenheit 11/9 Michael Moore | USA World Premiere Free Solo E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA International Premiere Freedom Fields Naziha Arebi | Libya/United Kingdom/Netherlands/USA/Qatar/Lebanon/Canada World Premiere Ghost Fleet Shannon Service, Jeffrey Waldron | USA International Premiere Graves Without a Name ( Les tombeaux sans noms) Rithy Panh | France/Cambodia Canadian Premiere Heartbound ( Hjertelandet) Janus Metz, Sine Plambech | Denmark/Netherlands/Sweden World Premiere Maiden Alex Holmes | United Kingdom World Premiere Maria by Callas Tom Volf | France North American Premiere Meeting Gorbachev Werner Herzog, André Singer | United Kingdom/USA/Germany Canadian Premiere This Changes Everything Tom Donahue | USA World Premiere Monrovia, Indiana Frederick Wiseman | USA North American Premiere Putin’s Witnesses ( Svideteli Putina) Vitaly Mansky | Latvia/Switzerland/Czech Republic International Premiere Quincy Rashida Jones, Alan Hicks | USA World Premiere Screwball Billy Corben | USA World Premiere TIFF Docs Closing Film Searching for Ingmar Bergman Margarethe von Trotta | Germany/France North American Premiere The Truth About Killer Robots Maxim Pozdorovkin | USA World Premiere Walking on Water Andrey Paounov | Italy/USA North American Premiere When Arabs Danced ( Au temps où les Arabes dansaient) Jawad Rhalib | Belgium North American Premiere Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema Mark Cousins | United Kingdom North American Premiere Previously announced Canadian features at the Festival include Ron Mann’s Carmine Street Guitars, Barry Avrich’s Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz, and Astra Taylor’s What is Democracy?
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Toronto International Film Festival Announces Explosive 2018 Midnight Madness Lineup
[caption id="attachment_31336" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Predator[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival this morning announced its explosive lineup of films in the 2018 Midnight Madness program that will screen every evening at 11:59pm.
“This year’s Midnight Madness slate promises another idiosyncratic confluence of established and emerging genre filmmakers,” said Peter Kuplowsky, Midnight Madness Programmer. “To complement some of the buzziest provocations on the festival circuit, I have sought to curate an eccentric array of World Premieres that demonstrate the dexterity of genre cinema as a canvas for both sublime satisfaction and stunning subversion. That includes the section’s two much-anticipated sequels, The Predator and Halloween, each of which boldly and brilliantly builds upon its mythic iconography to thrilling and surprising effect.”
Kuplowsky continues to put his fearless stamp on the program, starting with the opening film: the World Premiere of Shane Black’s The Predator, the director’s reinvention of the iconic film series. The lineup will also feature the highly anticipated World Premiere of Halloween, directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jamie Lee Curtis. The program closes with the North American Premiere of Diamantino, Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt’s bizarre, genre-bending film that fascinated audiences at Cannes earlier this year. Midnight Madness will also present the North American Premiere of the electrifying Gaspar Noé’s Climax.
The films in this year’s lineup will feature strong performances by actors such as legendary Italian star Monica Bellucci, who plays the queen of a demonic underworld in the World Premiere of Nekrotronic, directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. Other films include Peter Strickland’s highly anticipated In Fabric, which follows the life of a cursed dress, and the Canadian Premiere of Assassination Nation, directed by Sam Levinson.
Additional World Premieres from this year’s selection will include Emma Tammi’s The Wind; The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, directed by Henry Dunham; and Vasan Bala’s The Man Who Feels No Pain, the first Indian film ever selected for the Midnight Madness programme.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
2018 Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness Program
Assassination Nation Sam Levinson | USA International Premiere Climax Gaspar Noé | France North American Premiere Midnight Madness Closing Film Diamantino Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt | Portugal/France/Brazil North American Premiere Halloween David Gordon Green | USA World Premiere In Fabric Peter Strickland | UK World Premiere The Man Who Feels No Pain Vasan Bala | India World Premiere Nekrotronic Kiah Roache-Turner | Australia World Premiere Midnight Madness Opening Film The Predator Shane Black | USA World Premiere The Standoff at Sparrow Creek Henry Dunham | USA World Premiere The Wind Emma Tammi | USA World Premiere
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Toronto International Film Festival Unveils 12 Bold Films on 2018 Platform Lineup
[caption id="attachment_31303" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Her Smell by Alex Ross Perry[/caption]
Ranging from period pieces to police dramas, and even incorporating elements of sci-fi, the Toronto International Film Festival unveiled today the 12 feature films that comprise the 2018 Platform lineup. The program’s lineup includes four features (30%) directed or co-directed by women, and seven titles that feature strong women in leading roles. Hailing from the Americas, Europe, and Asia, all but two of the titles will be making their World Premiere at the Festival. Caroline Poggi & Jonathan Vinel’s Jessica Forever is the standout feature directorial debut in the program.
Now in its fourth year, Platform is the Toronto International Film Festival’s juried program that champions risk-taking, with a lineup of up to 12 works with high artistic merit and a bold directorial vision. A three-person jury selects the winner of the Toronto Platform Prize, an award of $25,000 CAD made possible by Air France, which will be presented to the best film in the lineup at the Awards Ceremony on the last day of the Festival.
Previous titles that have screened as part of the program include Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin (2017), Warwick Thornton’s Sweet Country (2017), Pablo Larraín’s Jackie (2016), Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight (2016), and Eva Husson’s Bang Gang (2015).
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018 PLATFORM PROGRAM
Angelo Markus Schleinzer | Austria/Luxembourg World Premiere Cities of Last Things Ho Wi Ding | Taiwan/China/USA/France World Premiere Destroyer Karyn Kusama | USA International Premiere Platform Opening Film. Donnybrook Tim Sutton | USA World Premiere The Good Girls ( Las niñas bien) Alejandra Márquez Abella | Mexico World Premiere Her Smell Alex Ross Perry | USA World Premiere The Innocent Simon Jaquemet | Switzerland/Germany World Premiere Platform Closing Film. Jessica Forever Caroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel | France World Premiere Mademoiselle de Joncquières Emmanuel Mouret | France World Premiere Out of Blue Carol Morley | UK World Premiere The River Emir Baigazin | Kazakhstan/Poland/Norway North American Premiere Rojo Benjamín Naishtat | Argentina/Brazil/France/Netherlands/Germany World Premiere
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World Premiere of JESSICA FOREVER to Close Toronto International Film Festival’s 2018 Platform Program
The World Premiere of Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel’s highly anticipated feature-film debut, Jessica Forever, will be the closing film of the Toronto International Film Festival’s 2018 Platform program. The duo have previously collaborated on three critically acclaimed short films that have travelled the international festival circuit.
“Jessica Forever is among the most formally inventive titles in the lineup, and we are very pleased that it will be closing the program,” said TIFF Director & CEO Piers Handling. “This is exactly the kind of film that belongs in Platform: audacious, surprising, and effective in its futurism. We are excited to see how TIFF audiences will react to the film.”
Jessica Forever presents a dystopian world where violent youths wreak havoc. Jessica, the first person to show love and understanding to some of these troubled souls, is the leader of a group of rehabilitated marauders who are on a quest to create a more peaceful world.
“We are very happy to have Jessica Forever premiere in such a prestigious selection, and we feel really honored,” said the film’s co-directors. “It will be the first public screening of our movie, so it’s a strange mix between fear and joy. The Festival is also going to be our first trip to North America!”
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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World Premiere of Tim Sutton’s Heartland Drama DONNYBROOK to Open 2018 Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform Program
The World Premiere of Donnybrook, the powerful new film from Tim Sutton (Memphis, Dark Night) will be the opening film of the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform program. Starring Frank Grillo, Margaret Qualley, James Badge Dale and Jamie Bell, the film is Sutton’s fourth directorial effort, most ambitious project to date, and his first title at the Festival.
“Tim Sutton’s unflinching portrayal of the American heartland masterfully captures many of the anxieties that exist in our society today,” said TIFF Director & CEO Piers Handling. “Donnybrook is the perfect choice to open Platform, showcasing not only the calibre of filmmaking in the lineup, but also the depth of the challenging stories that make up the program.”
Set in the shadows of today’s America, Donnybrook tells the story of a young veteran who — seeing no way out for his poverty-stricken family — robs a gun shop to fund his entry fee into a legendary, bare-knuckle tournament, where the winner gets $100,000 and a chance for a new life.
“It’s a profound honor that Donnybrook was chosen to open this year’s Platform section at TIFF,” said Sutton. “I set out to make a film that reckons with the extreme times we are living in. Donnybrook is about the fight to survive — physically, financially, and emotionally. While creating it I found not only darkness, fear, and violence, but also beauty, tenderness, and wonder. I’m thrilled the programmers responded to the film, and I look forward to presenting it to audiences on the big screen with the cast and crew by my side.”
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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Toronto International Film Festival Reveals 24 Canadian Short Films on 2018 Lineup
[caption id="attachment_27110" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Accidence[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival revealed the 24 Canadian short films on the 2018 lineup that will excite, challenge, and inspire Festival audiences this September. The 2018 lineup celebrates the work of 15 female filmmakers, 15 TIFF alumni, and two Indigenous filmmakers.
“We are thrilled to be able to present so many compelling new works by some of the best filmmakers in the country. This year’s program includes both emerging talents and directors who continue to amaze us.” said Lisa Heller and Jason Anderson, Short Cuts Programmers TIFF.
The Festival’s Canadian short-film selection showcases masterful films that tell stories of complex human relationships and introduce a range of characters facing diverse challenges, from coming to terms with one’s own identity to understanding the importance of heritage, family, and the fragility of friendships.
Highlights from returning TIFF alumni include: Galen Johnson, Evan Johnson, and Guy Maddin’s latest film, the action-packed Accidence; award-winning editor Matthew Hannam’s directorial debut, Paseo; Caroline Monnet’s portrait of a Chippewa female mixed martial artist, Emptying the Tank; and Amanda Strong’s stunning new stop-motion animation, Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes).
The Festival’s Canadian short-film slate also includes: Alison Snowden and David Fine’s Animal Behaviour, which marks the Academy Award–winning duo’s first collaboration with the National Film Board in 20 years; Claire Edmondson’s EXIT, a powerful drama starring Maria Bello; Jérémy Comte’s award-winning drama Fauve; a striking film from emerging Toronto filmmaker Sofia Bohdanowicz, Veslemøy’s Song; renowned visual artist Celia Perrin Sidarous’ Slip; and the latest from Colombian–Canadian filmmaker Lina Rodriguez, ante mis ojos.
All 20 Canadian films in the Short Cuts programme are eligible for the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film and the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
SHORT CUTS
7A Zachary Russell | Canada World Premiere Accidence Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson | Canada North American Premiere Animal Behaviour Alison Snowden, David Fine | Canada North American Premiere Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) Amanda Strong | Canada World Premiere Brotherhood ( Ikhwène) Meryam Joobeur | Tunisia/Canada World Premiere Caroni Ian Harnarine | Canada/Trinidad and Tobago/USA World Premiere Dziadzio Aaron Ries | Canada World Premiere Emptying the Tank Caroline Monnet | Canada World Premiere EXIT Claire Edmondson | Canada/USA World Premiere Fauve Jérémy Comte | Canada Toronto Premiere GIRLFRIENDS ( AMIES) Marie Davignon | Canada World Premiere Glitter’s Wild Women Roney | Canada World Premiere Good Boy Fantavious Fritz | Canada World Premiere If This Isn’t Love ( Si ce n’est pas de l’amour) Luiza Cocora | Canada World Premiere Little Waves ( Les petites vagues) Ariane Louis-Seize | Canada World Premiere My Boy ( Mon Boy) Sarah Pellerin | Canada World Premiere Norman Norman Sophy Romvari | Canada World Premiere Paseo Matthew Hannam | Canada World Premiere The Subject ( Le sujet) Patrick Bouchard | Canada Toronto Premiere Veslemøy’s Song Sofia Bohdanowicz | Canada North American PremiereWAVELENGTHS
ALTIPLANO Malena Szlam | Chile/Argentina/Canada World Premiere ante mis ojos Lina Rodriguez | Colombia/Canada World Premiere Sira Rolla Tahir | Canada World Premiere Slip Celia Perrin Sidarous | Canada Toronto Premiere