East Coast Editor Edward Douglas looks at the pros and cons of the festival circuit and if it really helps independent films find an audience.
Toronto Film Festival
Directorial debuts by actors Brie Larson and Simon Baker, Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut Molly’s Game, starring Jessica Chastain, and a new movie from comedian Louis C.K. are just some of the many new additions to the 42nd annual Canadian film festival, which runs from September 7 through 17.
The 11 newly-announced TIFF World Premieres includes Mike White’s Brad’s Status, the latest from Veep creator Armando Iannucci, plus other international filmmakers. Last year’s highlight in the program was Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-winning Best Picture, Moonlight.
La La Land, Free Fire, and I Am Not Your Negro took home the People’s Choice Awards at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
The last time Eleanor Coppola sat in the director’s chair for a feature-length film was in 1991 for the documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. Fast forward 25 years later and she has finally made her narrative feature directorial debut with the comedy Paris Can Wait and Sony Pictures Classics has managed to land the North American rights to the pic.
As the Toronto International International Film Festival comes to a close and the last film gets screened for the exhausted festival goer, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite films. Out of the 296 films at the festival, I managed to see 22 of them – just a dent in the grand scheme of things, but impressive enough given the five days I was there.
With only a few days left of the Toronto International Film Festival, yet another deal is close to being sealed. The Leisure Seeker, an upcoming road trip film from Italian director Paolo Virzì, starring Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren, is finalizing a deal for U.S. rights with Sony Pictures Classics. Brokered by CAA and Bac Films, the deal is in the mid-seven figure range.
The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on September 8 and our resident film reviewer Dino-Ray Ramos hit the ground running, catching over a dozen screenings of some of this year’s most talked aboot titles at TIFF.
The Academy Award-winning actress is set for a wave of nominations with this astonishingly nuanced portrayal of the former First Lady. There have been many “Jackies” in TV and film, but none like Natalie Portman’s.
Damien Chazelle’s movie musical La La Land balances levity and humor with auteur-grade filmmaking for an incredibly enchanting movie-going experience that will put a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step.
A major deal has been brokered at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival, with Fox Searchlight picking up the U.S. distribution rights to Jackie starring Natalie Portman.
Helmed by Wolf Creek director Greg McLean and written by Guardians of the Galaxy maestro James Gunn, the blood spattering thriller is a sick, twisted, and ridiculous joyride of murderous insanity.
In the J.A. Bayona-directed A Monster Calls, there’s a little boy and a gigantic talking tree, so it must be a Spielbergian good time, right? Well, not really. The word “monster” in the title may be misleading as this film isn’t as fantastical as one might think.
The film festival hit transcends the typical gay narrative with a rich and poignant story that takes us on a gay black man’s journey of self-discovery, pain, as well as what it means to give and receive love.
The Oscar-nominated actor owns Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, a finely executed and surprisingly stirring sci-fi pic that takes the typical alien invasion film in a refreshingly different direction.
Amirpour’s follow up to A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night has provocative elements and a talented cast, but ends up being more shock and awe than anything else.
Intimate and told with incredible grace, the film further proves Kelly Reichardt’s uniquely naturalistic filmmaking skills with four subdued, yet compelling performances from four astonishing actors.
Tom Ford’s follow-up to A Single Man silences any doubts that the fashion designer-turned-filmmaker’s debut was a fluke. Nocturnal Animals fires on all cylinders when it comes to style, storytelling, and Ford’s vision – one that is becoming increasingly inimitable.
Making its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the drama based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Philip Roth novel of the same name is ambitious but falls far from the hype surrounding it.
When you combine two clueless gangs and one major gun deal there’s a lot that could go wrong. And all of that is illustrated in Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire, a gunfight comedy that lights up the screen with one of the most epic — and ridiculous — gunfights ever.
Taking a different route from his fantastical and thrilling fare, director Jeff Nichols effortlessly grounds his latest film based on the struggles of the real-life interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving with delicate care, subdued emotion, and powerful storytelling.
With Denzel Washington leading the septet, this reboot has all the wares of a typical Western for nostalgia’s sake but leans heavily on its star power and explosive action to carry it through its 133-minute run time. It’s entertaining, but at the same time, mechanical.
The Toronto International International Film Festival officially kicks off on Thursday, boasting 296 feature-length films with 266 being either World, International, or North American Premieres. We’ve gone through the very impressive lineup and put together a list of some of the films we’re most looking forward to catching at this year’s TIFF.
It seems that the 41st annual Toronto International Film Festival can’t stop announcing amazing additions to their program — which is already incredibly robust to begin with. The festival will present a first look at Hidden Figures as well as episodes from critically acclaimed television series Black Mirror and Transparent.
The 2016 Toronto International Film Festival has already unveiled a slate of programming filled with a spectacular slate of world premieres and high-profile films — but why stop there? TIFF has added even more premieres in their gala and special presentations as well as their Masters Program.
An impressive slate of thought-provoking films has been announced for the Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform, a juried program that highlights and champions the work of directors from around the world.
The Toronto International Film Festival has rounded out their 2016 slate of films with a robust lineup of documentaries as well as prime picks for their Midnight Madness and Vanguard programs.
It wouldn’t be the Toronto International Film Festival if it didn’t showcase filmmakers from their own country. From acclaimed veterans to emerging talent, TIFF has an impressive lineup of documentaries, dramas, thrillers and animation.
The first round of titles in the Gala and Special Presentations programs at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival has been announced and as usual, it’s quite an impressive mix of box office draws, international fare, indie picks, and awards season bait.
A guide of what to do after you spend the day watching films.
