The Fantasia International Film Festival unleashed the final wave of films and programming for the 2019 edition of the festival revealing a full lineup featuring over 130 incredible features from across the globe. Of note, the festival will host the World Premieres of MYSTERY OF THE NIGHT, BLOOD ON HER NAME, STARE, 1BR, THE DEEPER YOU DIG, and HOMEWRECKER; the North American Premieres of VIVARIUM, DREADOUT, and LES PARTICULES; the Canadian Premieres of THE LODGE, PROMARE, ANOTHER CHILD, and SWALLOW; and Special Advance Screenings of READY OR NOT and A GOOD WOMAN IS HARD TO FIND.
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 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.