Xavier Dolan’s The Death and Life of John F. Donovan will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival this September.
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan follows the story of a young actor (Jacob Tremblay) as he reminisces on the letters he once shared with an American TV star (Kit Harington), who passed away a decade earlier, and the impact those letters had on both their lives. The film also stars Natalie Portman, Ben Schnetzer, Susan Sarandon, Jared Keeso, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Emily Hampshire, and former TIFF Rising Star Sarah Gadon.
“In only a few short years, Xavier Dolan has drawn film lovers all over the world into his personal vision,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “That vision and his remarkable skill as a filmmaker are on full display in his English-language debut. We are honoured to premiere it in Toronto.”
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan will screen as part of the Special Presentations programme.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.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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Xavier Dolan’s THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN to World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival
Xavier Dolan’s The Death and Life of John F. Donovan will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival this September.
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan follows the story of a young actor (Jacob Tremblay) as he reminisces on the letters he once shared with an American TV star (Kit Harington), who passed away a decade earlier, and the impact those letters had on both their lives. The film also stars Natalie Portman, Ben Schnetzer, Susan Sarandon, Jared Keeso, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Emily Hampshire, and former TIFF Rising Star Sarah Gadon.
“In only a few short years, Xavier Dolan has drawn film lovers all over the world into his personal vision,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “That vision and his remarkable skill as a filmmaker are on full display in his English-language debut. We are honoured to premiere it in Toronto.”
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan will screen as part of the Special Presentations programme.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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2018 Toronto International Film Festival Reveals First Wave of Films
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Ben is Back[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival today unveiled the first round of films premiering in the Gala and Special Presentation programs of the upcoming 43rd edition. Of the 17 Galas and 30 Special Presentations, today’s announcement includes 13 features directed by women.
“We have an exceptional selection of films this year that will excite Festival audiences from all walks of life,” said Handling. “Today’s lineup showcases beloved auteurs alongside fresh voices in filmmaking, including numerous female powerhouses. The sweeping range in cinematic storytelling from around the world is a testament to the uniqueness of the films that are being made.”
“Every September we invite the whole film world to Toronto, one of the most diverse, movie-mad cities in the world. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to put together a lineup of Galas and Special Presentations that reflects Toronto’s spirit of inclusive, passionate engagement with film. We can’t wait to unveil these films for our audience.”
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
GALAS 2018
Beautiful Boy Felix van Groeningen, USA World Premiere Everybody Knows Asghar Farhadi, Spain/France/Italy North American Premiere First Man Damien Chazelle, USA Canadian Premiere Galveston Mélanie Laurent, USA Canadian Premiere The Hate U Give George Tillman, Jr., USA World Premiere Hidden Man Jiang Wen, China International Premiere High Life Claire Denis, Germany/France/Poland/United Kingdom World Premiere Husband Material Anurag Kashyap, India World Premiere The Kindergarten Teacher Sara Colangelo, USA Canadian Premiere The Land of Steady Habits Nicole Holofcener, USA World Premiere Life Itself Dan Fogelman, USA World Premiere The Public Emilio Estevez, USA World Premiere Red Joan Sir Trevor Nunn, United Kingdom World Premiere Shadow Zhang Yimou, China North American Premiere A Star is Born Bradley Cooper, USA North American Premiere What They Had Elizabeth Chomko, USA International Premiere Widows Steve McQueen, United Kingdom/USA World PremiereSPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2018
Ben is Back Peter Hedges, USA World Premiere Burning Lee Chang-dong, South Korea North American Premiere Can You Ever Forgive Me? Marielle Heller, USA International Premiere Capernaum Nadine Labaki, Lebanon North American Premiere Cold War Paweł Pawlikowski, Poland/United Kingdom/France Canadian Premiere Colette Wash Westmoreland, United Kingdom Canadian Premiere Dogman Matteo Garrone, Italy/France Canadian Premiere The Front Runner Jason Reitman, USA International Premiere Giant Little Ones Keith Behrman, Canada World Premiere Giant Little Ones (Les filles du soleil) Eva Husson, France International Premiere Hotel Mumbai Anthony Maras, Australia World Premiere The Hummingbird Project Kim Nguyen, Canada World Premiere If Beale Street Could Talk Barry Jenkins, USA World Premiere Manto Nandita Das, India North American Premiere Maya Mia Hansen-Løve, France World Premiere Monsters and Men Reinaldo Marcus Green, USA Canadian Premiere Special Presentations Opening Film MOUTHPIECE Patricia Rozema, Canada World Premiere Non-Fiction Olivier Assayas, France Canadian Premiere The Old Man & The Gun David Lowery, USA International Premiere Papi Chulo John Butler, Ireland World Premiere Roma Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico/USA Canadian Premiere Special Presentations Closing Film Shoplifters Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan Canadian Premiere The Sisters Brothers Jacques Audiard, USA/France/Romania/Spain North American Premiere Sunset László Nemes, Hungary/France North American Premiere Through Black Spruce Don McKellar, Canada World Premiere The Wedding Guest Michael Winterbottom, United Kingdom World Premiere The Weekend Stella Meghie, USA World Premiere Where Hands Touch Amma Asante, United Kingdom World Premiere White Boy Rick Yann Demange, USA International Premiere Wildlife Paul Dano, USA Canadian Premiere
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Canadian Premiere of SHOPLIFTERS to Close 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Special Presentations Program
[caption id="attachment_29298" align="aligncenter" width="926"]
MANBIKI KAZOKU(Shoplifters) by KORE-EDA Hirokazu[/caption]
The Canadian Premiere of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters will close the 2018 Special Presentations program of the Toronto International Film Festival. After a remarkably successful run in Japan and abroad, TIFF is excited to bring this thoughtful drama by the Japanese master to Canada for the very first time.
“Shoplifters is about connections, family, and what keeps us together,” said Piers Handling, Director & CEO of TIFF. “We’ve been fortunate to present many films by Kore-eda at TIFF, including After Life (1998), Like Father, Like Son (2013), and Our Little Sister (2015). We’re delighted to share his Palme d’Or–winning film with Toronto audiences.”
Equal parts incisive social critique and nuanced family portrait, the latest from Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda — winner of this year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes — follows a small band of marginalized misfits struggling to make ends meet in a merciless urban environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lqgxmq24qE
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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World Premiere of MOUTHPIECE to Open 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Special Presentations Program
The World Premiere of Mouthpiece will be the opening film of the Special Presentations program of the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Patricia Rozema and written by Rozema, Amy Nostbakken, and Norah Sadava, the film stars Nostbakken, Sadava, and Maev Beaty.
Mouthpiece is a powerful and amusing look into the female psyche that harnesses the essence of Nostbakken and Sadava’s award-winning play, from which it was loosely adapted. Cassandra Haywood (played by both Nostbakken and Sadava) is a strong, single woman, a writer who lives by her own rules. She is also a bit of a disaster. Following the sudden death of her mother, Elaine (Beaty), Cassandra begins to recognize the resemblances between her more traditional mother and herself, and the frightening similarities between the struggles of past generations of women and the realities of today.
“We are thrilled to be opening the Special Presentations programme with Patricia Rozema, an iconic Canadian filmmaker,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “Based on the play of the same name, Mouthpiece is one of Rozema’s most vibrant films, an honest and heart-wrenching portrayal of a young woman finding her voice after the passing of her mother.
“I can’t thank the TIFF programmers enough for the special spotlight on Mouthpiece,” said Rozema. “I’m thrilled to introduce Amy Nostbakken, Norah Sadava, and Maev Beaty to cinema audiences. That this movie was written, directed, shot, designed, edited, produced, and costume designed by women shouldn’t feel special, but it is — and makes it all the more sweet.”
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.
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Toronto International Film Festival Cancels #TIFF18 Press Conference Following Shooting
The Toronto International Film Festival has canceled the planned #TIFF18 press conference scheduled for Tuesday, July 24, following the shooting in a popular Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood late Sunday night when a gunman opened fire killing two and wounding 13. The gunman is also dead, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said. Instead, the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival’s first slate of Galas and Special Presentations will be announced by press release on Tuesday, July 24.
In light of the tragedy that occurred last night in Toronto and out of respect for those affected, TIFF is cancelling its scheduled press conference tomorrow, July 24th. Instead, the film announcements will go out via press release at 10am.
The Toronto Danforth area is the gold standard of our city’s vibrancy and we stand with our fellow Torontonians in condemnation of this violence.
https://twitter.com/TIFF_NET/status/1021441193564098568
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TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival Unveils 2018 Jury + New Share Her Journey Prize
The TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival, launched in 2016, in partnership with Instagram to discover and celebrate emerging, diverse, and creative voices from the global film community is back for a third year. This year, the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival is committed to meeting gender parity within its final selection with the addition of the new Share Her Journey Prize.
TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign is a five-year commitment to championing women, both in front of and behind the camera, by investing in their skill development. The TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival is supporting this initiative by enlisting an all-woman jury made up of some of the industry’s most creative, knowledgeable, and experienced experts.
This year’s jury features award-winning UK writer, director, and Share Her Journey Ambassador Amma Asante (@iammasante); leading arts-marketing guru and #oscarssowhite creator April Reign (@reignofapril); TCM and FilmStruck host, author Alicia Malone (@aliciamalone), rapper, comedian, and Ocean’s 8 star Awkwafina (@awkwafina), and activist, artist, and actor Sarain Fox (@sarainfox).
Since the launch of TIFFxInstagram Shorts Film Festival, jury members have included Isabelle Huppert, Lake Bell, Ava DuVernay, Xavier Dolan, Ashton Sanders, Director X, and Priyanka Chopra. The Share Her Journey Prize recipient will be selected by Amma Asante. Eligibility for the prize is based solely on a film’s direction by an individual who identifies as a woman. Additional jury members will be revealed in the coming weeks.
“In many ways, the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival is reflective of the ever-evolving nature of storytelling and digital media. The film industry is going through a period of change, and the addition of the new Share Her Journey Prize reinforces our commitment to achieving gender parity,” said Malcolm Gilderdale, Director of Content, Creative, and Digital at TIFF. “With the support of our amazing partners at Instagram and the generous participation of our jury, we are grateful to have the opportunity to champion the brilliant work that we know will be presented during this year’s edition of the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival.”
Last year saw entrants from regions all over the world — including submissions from America, Europe, Asia, and Africa — whose films reached more than 64 million users on the social platform. The 2017 TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival featured the Fan Favourite Award winner, Canadian-born, Paris-based filmmaker Justin Wu for Overtime, and Jury’s Choice Award winner Confession, by Russia’s Natalia Gurkina. In early 2018, the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival was nominated for a Webby Award in the category of Social: Promotions & Contests.
“We’re thrilled to once again collaborate with TIFF to celebrate the craft of short filmmaking through the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival.” said Claudine Cazian, Head of Entertainment Partnerships at Instagram. “More than 800 million people come to Instagram to engage with a positive, highly engaged community where they can express their creativity around shared interests. The TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival is just another way in which creators can showcase their inspiring work and connect with new fans all over the world.”
To enter, filmmakers may submit a 60-second-or-less film on Instagram using the hashtag #TIFFxInstagram and complete the submission form at tiff.net/shortsfestival. The deadline for submissions is June 18. Entries must be submitted from a public Instagram account that must remain open until August 21. Winners will receive a round-trip flight to Toronto and three nights’ accommodation to attend the Toronto International Film Festival this September, and get a chance to network with the film community at the popular Industry Conference and see a selection of exciting film premieres. The winning short films will also be showcased on TIFF and Instagram’s digital channels.
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Toronto International Film Festival Selects 3 Filmmakers for 2018 Platform Program Jury
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Margarethe von Trotta, Béla Tarr, and Lee Chang-dong[/caption]
New German Cinema legend Margarethe von Trotta, Hungarian long-take, existential master Béla Tarr, and South Korean director and novelist Lee Chang-dong, together will make up the 2018 jury for the Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform program.
Now in its fourth year, Platform champions up to 12 works with high artistic merit that also demonstrate a strong directorial vision. The three-person jury will select the winner of the Toronto Platform Prize, an award of $25,000 CAD presented to the Best Film in the program.
“We are privileged to have a Platform jury that so perfectly embodies the program’s essence,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF. “Our 2018 jurors’ bold and daringly uncompromising artistic visions have not only influenced, but helped mold the next generation of filmmakers. The wealth of experience, passion, and knowledge that they will bring to this year’s edition will be priceless, and exciting to watch this September.”
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018. The lineup for this year’s Platform program will be announced on August 7.
Toronto International Film Festival 2018 Platform Program Jury
Margarethe von Trotta Margarethe von Trotta is considered one of the leaders of the New German Cinema movement. After studying Germanic and Romance languages in Munich and Paris (where she encountered the Nouvelle Vague and the films of Ingmar Bergman), von Trotta pursued a career in acting, working closely with both Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Volker Schlöndorff. Starting with her first independent directorial effort, The Second Awakening of Christa Klages (1978), von Trotta’s filmography includes numerous critically acclaimed titles such as Marianne & Juliane (1981), which won the Golden Lion in Venice and became her first feature to ever screen at TIFF; Rosa Luxemburg (1986) and Love and Fear (1988), both of which were nominated for the Palme d’Or in Cannes; Rosenstraße (2003), which earned actor Katja Riemann the Coppa Volpi Award in Venice; and Hannah Arendt (2012), which won the German Film Award. Her first feature documentary, Searching for Ingmar Bergman (2018), is set to premiere at Cannes. Margarethe von Trotta first attended TIFF (then the Festival of Festivals) in 1985, when three of her films were part of the 10 to Watch program, which also included Andrei Tarkovsky, Chantal Akerman and Lino Brocka in its lineup. Béla Tarr Béla Tarr grew up in Budapest, Hungary. He began making amateur documentaries at the age of 16 and shot his feature debut, Family Nest (1977), at the age of 22. His work made a dramatic shift with his 1982 video adaptation of Macbeth which is comprised of only two shots, and in subsequent films, Tarr developed a durational aesthetic revolving around extended shot lengths, most famously in Sátántangó, which screened at the Festival in 1994. Through his entire body of work, Tarr has established himself as one of the defining filmmakers and greatest innovators in contemporary cinema. Béla Tarr first attended TIFF (then the Festival of Festivals) in 1988, when his feature Damnation screened at the Festival. He has since returned several times, including a visit for a spotlight on his work in 1995. Lee Chang-dong Lee Chang-dong was born in Daegu, South Korea, and studied Korean literature at Kyungbuk University. Already established as a novelist, he made his directorial debut with Green Fish (1996), which was followed by the critically acclaimed Peppermint Candy (1999) and Oasis (2002), the latter of which won Best Director and Best New Actress awards at Venice, and became his first film to ever screen at TIFF. After serving as South Korea’s Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2002 to 2004, he directed his fourth film, Secret Sunshine (2007) which won the Best Actress award at Cannes, while his fifth, Poetry (2010), won Best Screenplay three years later. His latest film, Burning (2018), is set to premiere at Cannes. Lee Chang-dong first attended TIFF in 2007, when Secret Sunshine screened at the Festival.
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Toronto International Film Festival Reveals 2018 Programs and Programmers
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today revealed their 2018 lineup of programs and programming team, comprised of 22 of the industry’s most seasoned and talented film experts and curators, consisting of nine men and 12 women.
“In 2017, the TIFF programming team worked tirelessly to curate a Festival experience that resulted in the release of some of year’s most critically acclaimed films, including Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri (Winner, TIFF 2017 Grolsch People’s Choice Award), The Shape of Water, Lady Bird, I, Tonya, Faces Places and A Fantastic Woman, among many others,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “As the 2018 Festival lineup comes together, the programming team is working to curate the most memorable experience possible for our audiences, through a diverse selection of the highest-quality films from around the globe.”
TIFF’s representation of women amongst its programmers is reflective of the organization’s continuing commitment to normalizing gender parity and equality for future generations. With a clear understanding that there is still much more work to be done, TIFF intends to continue its strong representation of women in the Festival programming team.
“Being a woman in a leadership position at TIFF allows me to be the change I want to see by supporting, inspiring and empowering the women around me,” comments Kerri Craddock, Director of Programming for the Festival. “With TIFF’s mission being to transform the way people see the world through film, we need to create an environment where people have what they need to be their best. Diversity across all levels of our Festival programming team is key to achieving that goal.”
This year, Danis Goulet will be programming Canadian Features alongside Steve Gravestock. Goulet programmed Short Cuts, the Festival’s annual showcase of the best in Canadian and international short film, between 2015 and 2017, previously worked as Short Cuts Programming Associate and has had her own short films presented at TIFF.
Lisa Haller, Festival Programming’s Manager and Shorts Programmer, will be filling Goulet’s shoes as co-programmer for Short Cuts. Haller has worked for TIFF since 2010. In addition to her work as the Programming Associate for Short Cuts for the last three years, she has also managed Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival, including programming the student shorts selection for the past three years, and began programming short films for TIFF Kids International Film Festival in 2018.
Jennifer Barkin, Senior Manager of Festival Programming, will be making her debut as the TIFF Kids programmer for the Festival after managing and programming for the TIFF Kids International Film Festival for the last eight years. Barkin will also continue in her role as the programmer for Festival Street, TIFF’s annual closure of King and John Streets near TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features stage performances, nightly film screenings, and other fun activities during the first four days of the Festival.
2018 Toronto International Film Festival Programs
Contemporary World Cinema Compelling stories, global perspectives. Discovery Directors to watch. The future of world cinema. Gala Presentations Movie stars. Red-carpet premieres. Major audience interest. In Conversation With… Engaging onstage conversations with leaders in the film industry and beyond. Masters The latest from the world’s most influential art-house filmmakers. Midnight Madness The wild side: midnight screenings of the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy cinema. Platform Directors’ cinema now. Launched in 2015, this juried programme shines a light on up to 12 selections that demonstrate directorial vision from international filmmakers. Primetime Serial storytelling: television in its artistic renaissance. Short Cuts The world. In short form. Special Presentations High-profile premieres and the world’s leading filmmakers. TIFF Cinematheque Curated gems from the history of Canadian and international cinema. TIFF Docs Candid and unscripted: the best non-fiction cinema from around the world. Wavelengths Daring, visionary and autonomous voices. Works that expand our notions of the moving image.2018 Toronto International Film Festival Sub-Programs
TIFF Kids Entertaining and illuminating family-friendly films from around the world. TIFF Next Wave Perspectives for the next generation of film lovers. TIFF Speaker Series Watch, experience, and participate in post-screening discussions with film directors and subject experts.2018 Toronto International Film Festival Programmers
Piers Handling Western Europe, Italy, Poland; Gala Presentations, Platform Cameron Bailey South Asia; Gala Presentations, Special Presentations Michèle Maheux Ireland, the Netherlands; Gala Presentations Kerri Craddock Western Europe, USA, Turkey; Gala Presentations, Special Presentations Jennifer Barkin TIFF Kids & Festival Street Brad Deane TIFF Cinematheque Dimitri Eipides Central and Eastern Europe, Central and Western Asia Giovanna Fulvi East and Southeast Asia Steve Gravestock Canada, the Philippines, Nordic Region Danis Goulet Canada Peter Kuplowsky Midnight Madness Michael Lerman Primetime Andrea Picard Wavelengths Thom Powers TIFF Docs Kiva Reardon Africa and the Middle East Diana Sanchez Spain, Portugal, Latin America, Caribbean Theresa Scandiffio In Conversation With… Jane Schoettle Australia, New Zealand, Israel, USA Producer, TIFF Talent Jason Anderson Short Cuts Lisa Haller Short Cuts Karina Rotenstein Industry programming Natalie Semotiuk Producer, Rising Stars
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Cameron Bailey Promoted to Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF
The Board of Directors of TIFF this week promoted Cameron Bailey to the newly created position of Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF. The role is a promotion and expansion of Bailey’s current position of Artistic Director, which he has held since 2012. Prior to that, Bailey held the role of Festival Co-Director from 2008-2012. Bailey will report directly to the Board of Directors effective October 1, 2018.
Since CEO Piers Handling’s announcement last July that the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival would be his last, the TIFF Board engaged in a process for CEO transition, including a review of the organization’s current structure. After their assessment, the Board decided on a two-headed structure for TIFF, with one position (Bailey’s) focused on the artistic direction of the organization, and the other, Managing Director & Co-Head, focused on the business and revenue optimization. These two positions will work closely together to set the tone and lead the organization, bringing the new strategic plan to life. They will both report directly to the Board of Directors.
“With a five year strategic plan for TIFF launched this year, and more changes on the horizon for our industry, we believe a two-headed structure is right for the future success of TIFF,” explained Jennifer Tory. “Cameron is a film industry veteran who has earned a reputation for discerning, expansive curation since joining TIFF as a programmer in 1990. Combined with his accomplishments as TIFF’s Artistic Director, we have full confidence in his vision for the direction of the organization.”
“Piers has done a remarkable job during his tenure as Director & CEO and Artistic Director before that,” continued Tory. “We are indebted to him for the vision and strategy – and the elegance he brought to the role.”
“I have tremendous respect for Cameron and his longstanding contribution to TIFF’s success,” said Piers Handling. “His passion and vision for the future of the organization underlines his deep leadership skills. It gives me great comfort to know TIFF is in such good hands.”
“I’ve been fortunate to work alongside Piers for so many years. We programmed Canadian films together, we made our first programming trip to Burkina Faso together and we’ve spent countless hours working out how best to engage audiences with the power of film,” said Cameron Bailey. “I am honoured to be entrusted with guiding the future of TIFF.”
A search committee of the Board of Directors has been working with Caldwell Partners to identify candidates for the Managing Director & Co-Head role. The search is international in scope and is expected to result in an announcement prior to this September’s Festival.
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“Rock My Heart,” “Shadow Boxer,” and “The Witch Hunters” Win Prizes at 2018 TIFF Kids International Film Festival
2018 TIFF Kids International Film Festival Young People’s Jury Hanno Olderdissen’s coming-of-age tale Rock My Heart came out on top as the TIFF Kids Festival People’s Choice Favourite Feature Film award winner at this year’s 2018 TIFF Kids International Film Festival.
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2017 Toronto International Film Festival Awards: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Wins Top Award
The Toronto International Film Festival announced its award winners and the Grolsch People’s Choice Award went to Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The second runner-up is Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. The first runner-up is Craig Gillespie’s I, Tonya.
The Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award goes to Joseph Kahn’s Bodied. The second runner-up is Craig Zahler’s Brawl in Cell Block 99. The first runner-up is James Franco’s The Disaster Artist.
The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award goes to Agnès Varda and JR’s Faces Places. The second runner-up is Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! The first runner-up is Long Time Running directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas De Pencier.
IWC SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
The IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film goes to Marc-Antoine Lemire’s Pre-Drink. The jury remarked the film “is a monumental yet intimate portrayal of a woman in transition. Lead by the towering performances of the film’s two actors, both of who are worthy of receiving their own awards. The jury were especially taken by the leading actress who gives one of the best performances we saw in the Short Cuts programs. The 2017 Short Cuts jury honors Pre-Drink for Best Canadian short film.”IWC SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
The IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film goes to Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s The Burden (Min Börda). The jury remarked, “Whimsical but tragic, imaginative and just plain weird, this is exactly what one can expect from a Scandinavian musical with fish in bath robes singing out their existentialist crisis. This is a film that stands out in this program and any film program it will ever be part of.” The award offers a $10,000 cash prize made possible by IWC Schaffhausen. The jury gave honourable mentions to Matthew Rankin’s The Tesla World Light (Tesla: Lumière Mondiale) and Qiu Yang’s Xiao Cheng Er Yue (A Gentle Night).CITY OF TORONTO AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM
The City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film goes to Wayne Wapeemukwa’s Luk’ Luk’l. The jury remarked, “The award goes to a striking debut film that disrupts borders – of form and content and suggests new cinematic territories.This beautifully realized film offers a unique Canadian perspective, made with real compassion, insight and remarkable characters from Vancouver’s East Side.” This award carries a cash prize of $15,000, made possible by the City of Toronto. The jury gave honourable mention to Sadaf Foroughi’s Ava.CANADA GOOSE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM
The Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film goes to Robin Aubert’s Les Affamés. The jury remarked, “This year the Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film goes to a hybrid art-house film that proved to be something of a revelation. Wonderfully scripted and perfectly cast, this film managed the rare feat of featuring genuinely interesting and well-rounded characters; surprising dramatic and comedic moments with well thought-out multi-generational female roles (who were totally badass, I might add) while also dealing with poignant and contemporary issues, set against a striking rural backdrop and hundreds of ‘ravenous’ zombies.” The jury gave honorable mention to Simon Lavoie’s The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches (La petite fille qui aimait trop les allumettes).THE PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI PRIZES)
Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for the Discovery program is awarded to Sadaf Foroughi for Ava. Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for Special Presentations is awarded to Manuel Martín Cuenca for The Motive (El Autor).NETPAC AWARD
As selected by a jury from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema for the sixth consecutive year, the NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere goes to Huang Hsin-Yao’s The Great Buddha+. The jury remarked, “The NETPAC Jury awards The Great Buddha+ for depicting the interface between the haves and have-nots, with black humor and style, innovating with noir in representing the social reality of Taiwan today.”TORONTO PLATFORM PRIZE PRESENTED BY AIR FRANCE
This is the third year for Platform, the Festival’s juried program that champions directors’ cinema from around the world. The Festival welcomed an international jury comprised of award-winning filmmakers Chen Kaige, Małgorzata Szumowska, and Wim Wenders who unanimously awarded the Toronto Platform Prize, presented by Air France, to Warwick Thornton’s Sweet Country. “This is a spiritual epic taking place in 1929 in Australia’s Northern Territory,” said the jury in a statement. “It is a great saga of human fate, and its themes of race and struggle for survival are handled in such a simple, rich, unpretentious and touching way, that it became for us a deeply emotional metaphor for our common fight for dignity. Speaking about their deliberations, the jury added: “We saw 12 films from all over the world that took us into very different universes of the soul and to extremely different places on our planet. We were thankful to be able to see these films and we very much appreciated that actually exactly half of them were made by women. TIFF is leading the way, we feel.” “As we only had one award to give, we had to be quite radical. We also limited ourselves to only one special mention, even if other films might have imposed themselves for best acting, writing or directing.” Awarding a special mention to Clio Barnard’s Dark River, the jury said: “This film, deeply rooted in the Yorkshire countryside, convinced us, as its characters and actors, its photography, its story and its sense of place were all so much ONE, so utterly believable and controlled, that we were totally taken by it.”GROLSCH PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
This year marked the 40th year that Toronto audiences were able to cast a ballot for their favorite Festival film for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award. This year’s award goes to Martin McDonagh for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The award offers a $15,000 cash prize and custom award, sponsored by Grolsch. The second runner-up is Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. The first runner-up is Craig Gillespie’s I, Tonya. The Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award goes to Joseph Kahn’s Bodied. The second runner-up is Craig Zahler’s Brawl in Cell Block 99. The first runner-up is James Franco’s The Disaster Artist. The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award goes to Agnès Varda and JR’s Faces Places. The second runner-up is Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! The first runner-up is Long Time Running directed by Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas De Pencier.
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Showtime Releases ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS Trailer + Poster, Doc to Debut at Toronto Fest
Ahead of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, Showtime has released the trailer and poster for Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, directed by Oscar-winner Lili Fini Zanuck (Rush, Driving Miss Daisy).
Following the festival, the film will make its world television debut exclusively on Showtime on Saturday, February 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Also making its debut at TIFF this weekend is the new Showtime Documentary Film Love Means Zero, which presents an in-depth look at famed tennis coach Nick Bollettieri and will premiere on Showtime in 2018.
Told through his own words and songs, Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars is a moving and surprising film about one of the great artists of the modern era – a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the only artist ever inducted three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Spanning more than half a century of legendary popular musical innovation, the film contextualizes Eric Clapton’s role in contemporary music and cultural history. This rare and deeply intimate film reflects on Clapton’s traumatic childhood, his long and difficult struggle with drugs and alcohol, the tragic loss of his son and how he always found his inner strength and healing in music.
The documentary features extensive interviews with Clapton himself, along with his family, friends, musical collaborators, contemporaries and heroes – including late music icons B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison. Incorporating exclusive access to Clapton’s extensive personal archive, audiences will see the sheer raw talent and ambition that was blighted by personal tragedy, sacrifice and addiction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrAvDFmE9i4