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.
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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.
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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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COMING SOON: Jamie-Lynn Sigler Joins Cast of Megan Freels Johnston’s Thriller HUNTING SEASON
[caption id="attachment_31328" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Jamie-Lynn Sigler[/caption]
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“THE SOPRANOS,” “ENTOURAGE”) will star alongside Deanna Russo (“BEING HUMAN,” “KNIGHT RIDER”) in the upcoming horror film “HUNTING SEASON,” from Look At Me Films. Bruce Davison, Sean Maher and Paula Garces have also joined the cast for the third film from genre director Megan Freels Johnston (“THE ICE CREAM TRUCK,” “REBOUND”).
Russo is set to play near-desperately single Piper opposite Jamie-Lynn (“THE SOPRANOS,” “ENTOURAGE”), who will play her roommate Abby, a street-smart social worker. Frequent Joss Whedon collaborator Sean Maher (“FIREFLY,” “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING”) will play Piper’s dashing new boyfriend, James. When their romantic weekend together goes awry, Abby (Sigler) must track her to his family’s hunting lodge before it’s too late. The real danger in this film isn’t being chased in the woods by a psycho in a mask—it’s the 1%.
Bruce Davison (“X-MEN,” “INSIDIOUS”) is set to play James’ father, a wealthy hunter whose desires have gone beyond “big game” and Paula Garces (“HAROLD AND KUMAR”) also joins the cast alongside frequent Johnston collaborator Hilary Barraford (“GO FOR SISTERS,” “UNITED STATES OF TARA”), who also serves as executive producer.
Johnston’s previous film THE ICE CREAM TRUCK, a horror comedy about a bored housewife, was released last year to critical acclaim. HUNTING SEASON will continue Johnston’s series of films that explore the unique fears that women face in today’s society—a departure from typical indie horror fare, which often looks only at the part (or parts) rather than the whole woman. HUNTING SEASON is set to shoot this fall.
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Netflix Releases Most Inspiring Trailer for ZION on High School Wrestler Born Without Legs
[caption id="attachment_27267" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Zion Clark appears in ZION by Floyd Russ | photo by Gregory Wilson[/caption]
Netflix released the trailer for the Zion, a gripping portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler born without legs who grew up in foster care. The documentary short, premiered earlier this year at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and launches globally on Netflix on August 10.
Zion is a gripping portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler born without legs who grew up in foster care. Clark began wrestling in second grade against his able-bodied peers. The physical challenge became a therapeutic outlet and gave him a sense of family. Moving from foster home to foster home, wrestling became the only constant thing in his childhood. The Netflix original documentary short is directed by Floyd Russ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWo0MN_tY1E
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Watch New Trailer for Indie Comedy DR. BRINKS & DR. BRINKS
Gravitas Ventures has released the trailer for the indie siblings rivalry comedy Dr. Brinks & Dr. Brinks by Josh Crockett. The film opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on August 17th, and On-Demand on September 4th.
Estranged brother and sister, Marcus and Michelle Brinks (Scott Rodgers and Kristin Slaysman) reunite after the sudden death of their parents, a saintly pair of doctors-without-borders they barely knew and never liked. The homecoming goes haywire when the siblings choose to revel in dysfunction rather than face the grief of losing a family they thought they didn’t need.
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Punk-Rock Slasher THE RANGER Scares Theaters on August 17th [Trailer]
The punk-rock slasher The Ranger that world premiered earlier this year at the 2018 SXSW is headed to theaters next week, opening in New York’s IFC Center on August 17th and L.A.’s Laemmle Music Hall on September 7th.
After a run-in with the cops at a punk show goes sideways, Chelsea (Chloe Levine, The Transfiguration) and her pals flee the city in search of a place to lay low. Running to the security of Chelsea’s old, abandoned family cabin in the woods, they fall under the watchful eye of an overzealous park ranger (Jeremy Holm, House of Cards) who holds a secret from Chelsea’s past. Set to the beat of a killer punk soundtrack (Fang The Avengers, The Grim, Rotten UK and more) and presented in eye-popping neon colors, Jenn Wexler’s debut offers a modern take on survivalist horror that both celebrates and subverts the genre’s tropes—with equal parts humor, glitter and gore.
The Ranger is the directorial debut from Jenn Wexler, producer of Ana Asensio’s 2017 SXSW Competition Winner Most Beautiful Island, Robert Mockler’s Like Me (2017), and Mickey Keating’s Psychopaths (2017) & Darling (2016). The Ranger world premiered at SXSW 2018, was in official selection for the inaugural What The Fest!, recently played the Fantasia International Film Festival, and is set to open London’s FrightFest.
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Watch New Brilliant Trailer + Poster for Dan Habib’s INTELLIGENT LIVES
The new trailer and poster dropped this week for Dan Habib’s powerful, timely documentary Intelligent Lives, tackling the label of intellectual disability and what it means to be intelligent. The film narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper opens theatrically on September 21 in NYC at the Village East Cinema with a national release to follow.
From award-winning filmmaker Dan Habib comes Intelligent Lives, a catalyst to transform the label of intellectual disability from a life sentence of isolation into a life of possibility for the most systematically segregated people in America.
[caption id="attachment_31315" align="aligncenter" width="1100"]
Jesse, Marianne, and Chris Cooper in INTELLIGENT LIVES[/caption]
Intelligent Lives stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities – Micah, Naieer, and Naomie – who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce. Academy Award-winning actor and narrator Chris Cooper contextualizes the lives of these central characters through the emotional personal story of his son Jesse, as the film unpacks the shameful and ongoing track record of intelligence testing in the U.S.
Intelligent Lives challenges what it means to be intelligent, and points to a future in which people of all abilities can fully participate in higher education, meaningful employment and intimate relationships.
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World Premiere of MAKING COCO: THE GRANT FUHR STORY Documentary to Close Calgary International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_31309" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Grant Fuhr in Making Coco: The Grant Fuhr Story[/caption]
The world premiere of Making Coco: The Grant Fuhr Story, directed by Don Metz, will screen on September 29, as the Closing Gala film 0f the Calgary International Film Festival. Called the greatest goaltender in hockey history by Wayne Gretzky, Fuhr also struggled with cocaine and had well-known conflicts with the League. Making Coco is the story of his life, both on and off the ice.
The Calgary International Film Festival also announced 11 more films today, all gripping stories of hurdles overcome. This selection includes features, shorts and documentaries from countries including Lebanon, Germany, England and Canada.
“Films give us the opportunity to see into people’s lives that are totally different from our own, to understand and to empathize,” said Stephen Schroeder, Executive Director of the Calgary International Film Festival. “These films all depict a life lived on the edge: stories of obstacles, loss, and pain, but also triumph, hope, and strength when we need it the most.”
ALIVE directed by Rob Grant
A severely injured man (Thomas Cocquerel) and woman (Camille Stopps) awake in an abandoned hospital to discover they are being held hostage by a sadistic caretaker (Angus Macfadyen, BRAVEHART, SAW 3 & 4). As the two decide to find a way out, they realize their caretaker is the only one with answers to their real identity. Vancouver Director Rob Grant (FAKE BLOOD, Calgary Film 2017), produced and shot this film in the Calgary area, using a mostly local crew.
ALL ABOUT NINA directed Eva Vives
Nina Geld (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is a blisteringly provocative stand-up comedian whose career is taking off, but whose personal life is a near-complete disaster. In this narrative feature, Nina flees to Los Angeles where she meets Rafe (Common), who challenges almost every preconception she has – including those around her own troubled past.
ANTHROPOCENE directed by Jennifer Baichwal
Four years in the making, this documentary feature is a stunning and sobering reflection on the human capacity for transforming the planet for our purposes, chronicling the work of an international team of scientists who have spent a decade researching the profound geological change caused by human endeavour.
CAPERNAUM directed by Nadine Labaki
Winner of the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes, this narrative feature from Lebanon tells the story of an extraordinary trial: 12-year old Zain is suing his parents for giving him life, and launches his lawsuit against his parents while serving a prison sentence. The film takes us on an emotionally charged journey through the streets of Beirut and shows us the gritty life that Zain and his siblings had to face while uncovering the decisions made by his parents.
LETTER FROM MASANJIA directed by Leon Lee
When a woman from Oregon finds an SOS note written by a Chinese prisoner stashed in a box of Halloween decorations from Kmart, she never imagined it would eventually lead to the closure of all of China’s labour camps. This nail-biting documentary shows the actions of a few good citizens can truly thwart those of a totalitarian regime.
MAKING COCO: THE GRANT FUHR STORY directed by Don Metz
At 19, Grant ‘Coco’ Fuhr became starting goalie for the Oilers. In his mid-30’s, he played 79 games in an 82-game season to set a league record, then played 73 the following season on a completely rebuilt knee. He backstopped five Stanley Cup champions and two Canada Cup winners. He also got himself demoted to the minors for calling the hometown fans jerks, announced his retirement at the age of 26 in an attempt to renegotiate a long-term contract and was suspended for an entire NHL season for cocaine use, only to return and redeem himself as one of the game’s true greats. Fuhr was the first black superstar in hockey, winning 403 regular season NHL games. He’s a member of the 2003 class of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
MAN RUNNING directed by Gary Burns
In this Alberta feature, a young doctor runs in a grueling 24-hour, 200-kilometer ultra-marathon over rugged mountain terrain as he avoids a police investigation into a recent incident involving his medical practice. Veteran Calgary-based director, Gary Burns (WAYDOWNTOWN, PROBLEM WITH FEAR, RADIANT CITY), once again crafts an innovative story that pushes boundaries and challenges audiences.
PRINCE’S TALE directed by Jamie Miller
This Canadian short portrays the life of Prince Amponsah, a young actor who survived a near-fatal fire in 2012, and the journey of mental recovery that brought him back on stage.
THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS directed by Maxime Giroux
In this Canadian narrative feature, Philippe, a draft-dodger from Quebec, takes refuge from a world war in the American West, surviving by competing in Charlie Chaplin impersonation contests. As Philippe makes his long journey home, he encounters various characters under the sway of a destructive madness. His voyage, both violent and fascinating, is a hallucinatory initiation to the darker side of the American dream.
THE HEAT: A KITCHEN (R)EVOLUTION directed by Maya Gallus
In restaurant kitchens, tight quarters, high pressure and hot tempers combine to create toxic conditions that make it difficult for anyone to survive, let alone climb the ladder to head chef. For women, the situation is even worse. From New York City’s star chefs Anita Lo and Amanda Cohen to the queen of French cuisine Anne-Sophie Pic, seven chefs share their struggles and inspirations in this Canadian documentary feature.
THUNDER ROAD directed by Jim Cummings
A jaw-dropping performance filled with bursts of offbeat humor and unexpected pathos as a small-town police officer struggling to process the death of his mother, an impending divorce, and his own unrecognized cluelessness. This is a Canadian premiere for this independent American feature.
TWO PUDDLES directed by Timothy Keeling
Embarking on a woodland retreat to ease straining family relations, a mother, father and their teenage daughter encounter two connected puddles forcing them to decide whether to sacrifice themselves for another, or risk waiting for help to arrive in time. A short from the UK.
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Charming, Funny Argentinian Film THE LAST SUIT to Opens in Theaters in September [Trailer]
[caption id="attachment_28147" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
EL ÚLTIMO TRAJE (THE LAST SUIT)[/caption]
In The Last Suit (El último traje), the charming, funny and notably poignant new film from Argentine director Pablo Solarz, an elderly Holocaust survivor decides to undertake a trip from Argentina to Poland to tie up some unfinished business. The film which won the Audience Award at the 2018 Miami Film Festival will open in theaters on Friday, September 21 in New York with Los Angeles following on Friday, September 28 and wider national release to follow.
At 88, Abraham Bursztein (Miguel Ángel Solá) is seeing his place in the world rapidly disappear. His kids have sold his Buenos Aires residence, set him up to move to a retirement home, and disagree on how to handle his fading health. But Abraham survived the Holocaust, made a successful life in a foreign land, and isn’t about to quietly fade away. Instead, he plots a secret one-way trip to Poland, where he plans to find the Christian friend who saved him from certain death at the end of World War II, and to keep his promise to return one day.
With its klezmer-driven score, evocative cinematography and fleet pacing, The Last Suit (El último traje) approaches its weighty themes with a light touch that illuminates a serious story. And in its mix of Spanish, Yiddish, German and Polish it is a globe-trotting surprise, a late-in-life road movie with planes, trains and heart.
Pablo Solarz is an Argentine screenwriter and director. He wrote the screenplay for Carlos Sorin’s Intimate Stories (2002) and local Argentine comedy hits A Boyfriend for my Wife (2008) and I Married a Dumbass (2016), who made his feature directorial debut with Together Forever (2010). The Last Suit (El último traje) (2017) is his latest film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLZVMgJoo-k
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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.