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| Jennifer Connelly in Shelter. Photo courtesy of TIFF. |
Today’s list also includes the popular global potpourri line-up in the Contemporary World Cinema programme, which showcases the best in international independent cinema, and the City to City programme, which spotlights Seoul this year. Finally, today’s list features the inaugural slate of films for the Short Cuts International programme of the Festival. SCI looks pretty darn good with a World Premiere of a new Claire Denis flick and a 3D long take portrait of artist Marina Abramovic! SCI also offers a sweet cash prize of $10000 sponsored by Vimeo, who should be paying the TIFF through the nose for all the traffic it receives as bloggers hit up the local Starbucks and catch the best of the fest on their laptops! Catch the world on a screen or, better yet, take a trip around the world on the big screens at the Festival with some of these hot titles:
GALAS
Boychoir
François Girard, USA
World Premiere
An orphaned 12-year-old boy is sent to prestigious music
school where he struggles to join an elite group of world-class singers. No one
expects this rebellious loner to succeed, least of all the school’s
relentlessly-tough conductor who wages a battle of wills to bring out the boy’s
extraordinary musical gift. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Josh Lucas,
Kevin McHale, Eddie Izzard, Debra Winger and Garrett Wareing.
The Connection (La
French)
Cédric Jimenez,
France/Belgium World Premiere
Marseille, 1975. Pierre Michel, a young police magistrate
with a wife and children, has just been transferred to help crack down on the
city’s organized crime. He decides to take on the French Connection, a
Mafia-run operation that exports heroin all over the world. Not paying heed to
any warnings, he leads a one-man campaign against Mafia kingpin Gaëtan Zampa,
the most untouchable godfather of all. But Pierre Michel soon discovers that to
get results he will have to change his methods. Starring Jean Dujardin, Gilles
Lellouche, Céline Sallette and Benoît Magimel.
Escobar: Paradise
Lost
Andrea Di Stefano,
France World Premiere
Young surfer Nick thinks all his dreams have come true when
he visits his brother in Colombia. Against an idyllic backdrop of blue lagoons
and white beaches, he falls madly in love with Maria, a beautiful Colombian
girl. It all seems perfect until he meets her uncle, Pablo Escobar. Starring
Benicio del Toro, Josh Hutcherson and Claudia Traisac.
The Forger
Philip Martin, USA
World Premiere
A former art prodigy and second generation petty thief buys
his way out of prison to spend time with his ailing son. To do so, he must team
up with his father for one last job to pay back the syndicate that arranged his
release. Starring John Travolta, Christopher Plummer, Tye Sheridan, Jennifer
Ehle, Marcus Thomas, Anson Mount, Abigail Spencer and Travis Wade.
Infinitely Polar Bear
Maya Forbes, USA Canadian
Premiere
Set in the late ’70s, a manic-depressive mess of a father
tries to win back his wife by taking responsibility of their two young
daughters. The spirited girls don’t make the overwhelming task any easier.
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide,
Beth Dixon and Keir Dullea.
Laggies
Lynn Shelton, USA
International Premiere
Overeducated and underemployed, 28-year-old Megan is in the
throes of a quarter-life crisis. Squarely into adulthood with no career
prospects or motivation to think about her future, Megan is comfortable lagging
a few steps behind while her friends check off milestones and celebrate their
new grown-up status. When her high-school sweetheart proposes, Megan panics and
— given an unexpected opportunity to escape for a week — hides out in the home
of her new friend, 16-year-old Annika, and her world-weary single dad Craig. A
romantic coming-of-age comedy about three people who find their lives
intertwined in the most unconventional of ways. Starring Keira Knightley, Sam
Rockwell and Chloë Grace Moretz.
Ruth & Alex
Richard Loncraine,
USA World Premiere
Based on Jill Ciment’s novel, Heroic Measures. Ruth &
Alex is set over a weekend where a couple (Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton)
must decide whether or not to sell their Brooklyn walk up of 40 years. The
story takes a comedic turn when the dynamic couple have to contend with
eccentric open house guests, their pushy realtor niece, and the health of their
beloved family dog — all while navigating a New York on edge from what turns
out to be an media-generated terror threat.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Beyond the Lights
Gina Prince-Bythewood, USA World Premiere
Noni is the music world’s latest superstar, but the
pressures of fame have her on edge — until she meets Kaz Nicol, a young cop and
aspiring politician. Can Kaz’s love give Noni the courage to find her own voice
and become the artist she was meant to be? Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate
Parker, Minnie Driver, Colson “MGK” Baker and Danny Glover.
Clouds of Sils Maria
Olivier Assayas, France/USA North American Premiere
At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders is
asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous 20 years ago.
But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms
and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she’s asked to step into
the role of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant to rehearse in
Sils Maria, a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a
penchant for scandal is to play the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on
the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman
who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself. Starring Juliette
Binoche, Chloë Grace Moretz, Kristen Stewart and Lars Eidinger.
The Cobbler
Thomas McCarthy, USA World Premiere
Max Simkin repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has
been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life,
Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of
his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another
man’s shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are. Starring Adam
Sandler, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Ellen Barkin, Melonie Diaz, Dan Stevens,
Fritz Weaver, Yul Vazquez, Steve Buscemi and Dustin Hoffman.
Don’t Go Breaking My
Heart 2 (Dan Shen Nan Nu 2)
Johnnie To, Hong
Kong/China World Premiere
After losing his girl in a love triangle, Shen Ran falls in
love with another woman, only to find himself still attached to his old flame.
Meanwhile, his new love also finds herself torn between him and another young
man. Starring Louis Koo, Miriam Yeung, Gao Yuanyuan and Vic Chou.
Gemma Bovery
Anne Fontaine, France World Premiere
Martin, an ex-Parisian well-heeled hipster passionate about
Gustave Flaubert who settled into a Norman village as a baker, sees an English
couple moving into a small farm nearby. Not only are the names of the new
arrivals Gemma and Charles Bovery, but their behaviour also seems to be
inspired by Flaubert’s heroes. Starring Gemma Arterton, Fabrice Luchini, Jason
Flemyng and Niels Schneider.
Gentlemen
Mikael Marcimain, Sweden World Premiere
Beaten, bruised and afraid, young author Klas Östergren
hides out in a Stockholm apartment, writing the story of its vanished
inhabitants: the flamboyant, charismatic, enigmatic Morgan brothers. Gentlemen simultaneously
celebrates and mourns the post-WWII era — its liberation, wild jazz music and
poetry, economic boom and rampant corruption. Starring David Dencik, Ruth Vega
Fernandez, David Fukamachi Regnfors, Sverrir Gudnason, Boman Oscarsson and
Pernilla August.
Gomorrah
Stefano Sollima, Italy North American Premiere
This is the inside story of the Camorra, the fierce
Neapolitan crime organization, told through the eyes of 30-year-old Ciro, the
right hand of the clan’s godfather, Pietro Savastano.
Human Highway
(Director's Cut)
Bernard Shakey and
Dean Stockwell, USA World Premiere
The road to the ’80s is reflected through the hi-tech,
fantasy lens of Neil Young’s 1982 film, Human Highway. This absurdist
comedy-musical deals with one of the most serious issues of our time: the
threat of nuclear destruction. Starring Dean Stockwell, Neil Young, Devo, Russ
Tamblyn, Dennis Hopper, Charlotte Stewart, Sally Kirkland and Geraldine Baron.
Madame Bovary
Sophie Barthes,
United Kingdom/Belgium World Premiere
In 19th-century France, Emma Bovary, the wife of a dull
country doctor, embarks on a series of love affairs and spends well beyond her
means. Although the affairs provide moments of perceived bliss, Emma’s
idealized notions of love evade her and leave her in ruinous debt. Starring Mia
Wasikowska, Laura Carmichael, Ezra Miller, Paul Giamatti, Rhys Ifans, Logan
Marshall-Green and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.
Maggie
Henry Hobson, USA World Premiere
A Midwestern farmer stays by the side of his beloved teenage
daughter even as she slowly turns into a cannibalistic zombie, in this daring,
genre-bending debut feature from director Henry Hobson. Starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin and Joely Richardson.
Pride
Matthew Warchus,
United Kingdom North American Premiere
Inspired by an extraordinary true story, Pride follows a
group of gay and lesbian activists who come together to support the families of
striking mine workers in 1984 England. As the strike drags on, the two groups
discover that standing together makes the strongest union of all. Starring Bill
Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott, Joseph
Gilgun, George MacKay and Ben Schnetzer.
Revenge of the Green
Dragons
Andrew Lau and Andrew
Loo, USA World Premiere
In the vein of crime classics like Mean Streets and Infernal
Affairs, this film follows two immigrant friends, Sonny and Steven, who survive
the hard streets of New York in the 1980s by joining Chinatown gang The Green
Dragons. Sonny and Steven quickly rise up the ranks, drawing the unwanted
attention of the city’s police force. Starring Ray Liotta, Justin Chon, Kevin
Wu, Harry Shum Jr., Shuya Chang and Geoff Pierson.
The Search
Michel Hazanavicius,
France North American Premiere
The Second Chechen War, 1999. The Search recounts a powerful
story of conflict told through four lives that will be brought together by a
shocking twist of fate. Starring Bérénice Bejo, Annette Bening, Maxim
Emelianov, Abdul-Khalim Mamatsuiev and Zukhra Duishvili.
Shelter
Paul Bettany, USA
World Premiere
Hannah and Tahir come from two different worlds. But when
their lives intersect, they’re at the same place: homeless on the streets of
New York. A love letter to the great New York dramas of the 1970s, Shelter is
an unsparing story of loss, love, sacrifice, redemption and ultimately, hope.
Starring Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Mackie.
Three Hearts (3
Coeurs)
Benoît Jacquot,
France North American Premiere
One night in a French provincial city, Marc meets Sylvie.
They wander the streets until morning and set a date to meet in Paris a few
days later. When Marc doesn’t show up on time a twist of fate leaves him
romantically torn between two sisters. Starring Benoît Poelvoorde, Charlotte
Gainsbourg, Chiara Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve.
Two Days, One Night (Deux jours, une nuit)
Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne,
Belgium/France Canadian Premiere
Sandra has only one weekend to visit her colleagues and —
with the help of her husband — convince them to sacrifice their bonuses so she
can keep her job. Starring Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Pili Groyne and
Simon Caudry.
Welcome to Me
Shira Piven, USA World Premiere
A woman with Borderline Personality Disorder wins the
Megamillions lottery, quits her meds and buys herself a talk show on an
infomercial channel where she talks and creates segments exclusively about
herself. This movie is a dark comedic look at our obsession with celebrity and
narcissism. Starring Kristen Wiig, James Marsden, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Wes
Bentley, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack and Linda Cardellini.
SHORT CUTS INTERNATIONAL
( NULL )
David Gesslbauer and Michael Lange, Germany, 4’ North
American Premiere
Routine or vicious cycle? An unknown girl breaks out of her
daily grind by undergoing an intense audio-visual trip. Starring Sylvia Bryjok.
130919 • A Portrait
of Marina Abramović
Matthu Placek, USA,
7’ Canadian Premiere
A one-take film in 3D, 130919 • A Portrait of Marina
Abramović is a majestic document of legendary performance artist, Marina
Abramović. In the film, Abramović stands nude in the middle of an abandoned
building in Hudson, NY. It will soon be the Marina Abramović Institute, a
palpable legacy to an art pioneer. A 50-foot crane spans to capture the breadth
of space in infinite detail; the life of an artist, her keen sense of
transition, a space’s decay, and the ripeness of rebirth. An original score is
sung by world-renowned Serbian folk singer, Svetlana Spajic.
8 Bullets (8 balles)
Frank Ternier,
France, 13’ North American Premiere
This feverish, suspenseful mixed-media animation follows a
grief-stricken French expat in Taipei who obsessively tracks down the man he
believes is responsible for killing his family. Starring Stéphane Gasc, Laurent
Serron-Keller and Camille Trophème.
Aïssa
Clément
Trehin-Lalanne, France, 8’ Canadian Premiere
Aïssa is Congolese and is presently residing illegally on
French territory. She claims to be a minor however the authorities believe she
is over 18. In order to determine whether or not she can remain in the country,
a doctor must give her a physical examination. Starring Manda Touré and Bernard
Campan.
Boogaloo and Graham
Michael Lennox,
Northern Ireland/United Kingdom, 14’ International Premiere
Jamesy and Malachy are over the moon when their soft-hearted
Dad presents them with two baby chicks to care for, but the two boys are in for
a shock when their parents announce that big changes are coming to the family.
Starring Martin McCann, Charlene McKenna, Riley Hamilton and Aaron Lynch.
A Ceremony for a
Friend (Marasemi baraye yek doost)
Kaveh Ebrahimpour,
Iran, 14’ World Premiere
Having decided that their comrade Mansour has “gone too
far,” a group of friends resolve to hang him. As they discuss details of the
coming execution, the condemned is graciously allowed the time to make a few
last requests and accept his fate. Starring Mehrdad Iranmanesh, Maryam
Noormohamadi and Parham Yadollahi.
Chop My Money
Theo Anthony, Congo, 13’ World Premiere
Director Theo Anthony’s vibrantly stylized doc follows three
street kids in the Eastern Congo who share their dreams and philosophies to the
rhythm of Montreal-based musician Dirty Beaches. Featuring Manu “Patient”
Bahiti Jean Christophe, Guillain Paluku and David Muhindo.
Discipline
Christophe M. Saber, Switzerland, 12’ World Premiere
Near closing time in a Lausanne grocery store, a man loses
patience with his child, which prompts a woman to intervene. Other patrons join
in, and what started as an impromptu debate on proper parenting rapidly
descends into a full-on ideological showdown. Starring Florence Quartenoud,
Frank Semelet and Garance Rohr.
everything &
everything & everything
Alberto Roldán, USA,
15’ World Premiere
The oppressively vapid life of Morgan is forever transformed
when a mystical blue pyramid — that inexplicably produces doorknobs — appears
in his apartment. What follows is a Charlie Kaufman-esque tale of greed and
loss as Morgan builds an impossible, absurd corporate empire of doorknobs.
Starring Shane Carruth, Makeda Declet, Ethan Leaverton and Kirsten Roquemore.
Eye & Mermaid (Houreya
Wa Ein)
Shahad Ameen, Qatar/Saudi Arabia, 14’ North American
Premiere
Ten-year-old Hanan lives in a fishing village on the coast
of the Arabian Peninsula. She has always wanted to join her father on his
night-time fishing trips, but he refuses. Every morning he returns with
wonderful black pearls, but where do they come from? Does he harbour a secret?
Hauntingly beautiful and brutally metaphorical, Eye & Mermaid is an
unsettling reminder that the lovely things in life may come at a hefty cost.
Starring Baseema Hajjar, Nadine Fadayel, Sarah Dorani and Rashid Al-Sheeb.
German Shepherd
Nils Bergendal, Sweden, 10’ North American Premiere
Growing up as an American Jew with a Holocaust survivor
mother, David is haunted by “the Nazi thing”, an irrational fear of Germans and
an obsession with Holocaust movies. Nils Bergendal interprets David’s interview
into a wry animated introspection, questioning whether it’s wise to look to the
past for answers. Featuring David Paul.
The Goat (Ibhokhwe)
John Trengove, South
Africa, 13’ Canadian Premiere
A young Xhosa initiate recuperates in a mountain hut after a
ritual circumcision. When he learns that his elders have abandoned him, the
initiate is left with no one but his young brother to care for him. Caught
between observing the sacred protocols of his culture and the secret of his gay
sexuality, the initiate’s panic turns to desperation. Starring Nkosipendule
Cengani, Thando Mhlontlo, Mbasa Tsetsana and Hlangi Vundla.
Growing Pains (Vokseværk)
Tor Fruergaard, Denmark, 21’ International Premiere
Fabian is a shy, introverted teenager who lives with his
bossy and prudish mother. Fabian’s world gets turned upside down when he meets
the fun and cool Felicia and they fall in love. But there is one small problem.
Whenever Fabian gets horny, he turns into a werewolf. A twisted coming of age
film about a young man who has to discover and accept who he really is.
Starring Elliott Crosset Hove, Amalie Lindegård and Iben Hjejle.
Here is the
Concatenation (Voilà l'enchainement)
Claire Denis, France,
30’ World Premiere
With two actors and no sets, master filmmaker Claire Denis
traces the arc of a strained relationship, with a focus on race and language.
In this fraught arena, words omitted can be as potentially devastating as words
used, and what is not seen can have greater
political consequences than what is.
Ice Cream (Dondurma)
Serhat Karaaslan, Turkey, 16’ World Premiere
Eleven-year-old Rojhat lives in a small and remote village.
On a hot summer day, an ice cream seller arrives on his motorbike and is
immediately surrounded by the village children. The children bring what they
can find from their home and in return they get ice cream. Rojhat also runs
home and asks his mother for something he can bring to the ice cream seller but
his mother has nothing to give him. When Rojhat starts crying, his mother gets
really angry. Her anger gives Rojhat an idea. Starring Rojhat Deli, Ubeydullah
Hakan and Ebru Ojen Sahin.
I’m in the Corner
with the Bluebells
Ako Mitchell, United
Kingdom, 20’ World Premiere
Julie, a happily-married mother meets her half-brother for
the first time at a family gathering. Their meeting stirs unexpected emotions
in Julie and sends unwelcome ripples through her family. Starring Alice Bird,
Alberto Maneiro and Nathan Osgood.
An Immortal Man
Josh Koury and Myles
Kane, USA, 15’ World Premiere
Ted Williams was one of the most beloved and well documented
baseball icons of all time. When the record-setting hitter's life ended on July
5, 2002, his body was cryonically preserved and the unconventional decision
shocked the nation. From contradicting facts and multiple wills to family
disputes, the line between fact and fiction was blurred in the media hysteria
that followed the icon’s death. An Immortal Man walks the viewer through the
winding tale of family drama to unravel the mystery surrounding Ted Williams’
end of life.
The Last Day of
Summer (De Laatste Dag van de Zomer)
Feike Santbergen,
Netherlands, 18’ World Premiere
The inherent melancholia of the end of summer is suddenly
intensified for three teenage friends on a quiet beach when one of them
receives a phone call with tragic news. Reeling from shock and realizing that
the future has changed irrevocably, the trio desperately seeks some kind of
solace beneath the expansive, uncaring canopy of the overcast skies.
Lava
James Ford Murphy, USA, 7’ Canadian Premiere
Inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the
explosive allure of ocean volcanoes, Lava is a musical love story that takes
place over millions of years. Starring Kuana Torres-Kahele and Napua Greig.
Listen Hamy Ramezan and Rungano Nyoni, Denmark/Finland 13’
North American Premiere
A foreign woman in a burqa brings her young son to a
Copenhagen police station to file a complaint against her abusive husband, but
the translator assigned to her seems unwilling to convey the true meaning of
her words.
Midfield (Meio Campo)
Pedro Amorim,
Portugal, 5’ World Premiere
In Lisbon’s port, the world’s midfield, a group of
stevedores carries out another day of work. What appears to be just a group of
colleagues reveals itself as an example of unity and friendship. In the
midfield there’s Paulo, the stevedore, the captain — an ordinary man with an
extraordinary strength. Starring Paulo Azevedo.
Newborns
Megha Ramaswamy,
India, 8’ World Premiere
Newborns attempts to provide a lens to the survivors of acid
violence, to look forward and gaze back. They take us through the ennui of
their domestic and public spaces in a nameless dystopian city, its factories,
houses and motels, and its promises, never honoured. Featuring Laxmi, Nasreen
and Sapna.
Oh Lucy!
Atsuko Hirayanagi, Japan/Singapore/USA, 22’ North American
Premiere
Setsuko, a 55-year-old single office lady in Tokyo, is given
a blonde wig and a new identity, “Lucy,” by her young unconventional English
instructor. “Lucy” awakens desires Setsuko never knew she had. When the
instructor suddenly disappears, Setsuko must come to terms with what remains —
herself. Starring Kaori Momoi, Miyoko Yamaguchi and Billy Scott.
Papa Machete
Jonathan David Kane,
USA, 10’ World Premiere
Alfred Avril is an aging Haitian farmer who has lived
through dictatorships, droughts, and even the devastating earthquake of 2010.
As one of the few remaining masters of Tire Machèt — Haitian machete fencing —
he has inherited a cultural legacy of fortitude that allows him to endure
through it all. Featuring Alfred Avril, Jean-Paul Avril, Roland Avril and Mike
Rogers.
Persefone
Grazia Tricarico,
Italy, 18’ World Premiere
In this dark fable rendered in golden, sun-kissed images, a
young diver on the coast of the Adriatic in southern Italy finds another kind
of natural wonder amidst the bounty of the sea: a beautiful woman. As his
strange romantic obsession grows, he withdraws ever further into silence.
Starring Ciro Contessa and Olga Shuldyk.
Pineapple Calamari
Kasia Nalewajka,
United Kingdom, 9’ Canadian Premiere
Pineapple Calamari dreams of being a horse-racing champion.
He lives with two inseparable women who share a very special connection. When
tragedy befalls this happy family, their social dynamic takes a drastic turn to
the unexpected.
Playing with Balls (Tvíliðaleikur)
Nanna Kristín
Magnúsdóttir, Iceland, 8’ World Premiere
A lesbian in a midlife crisis acts on her desire to escape
the day-to-day routine only to find disappointment. Now she has to live with
the fact that she betrayed her loved ones and disgraced her own beliefs and
rights. Starring Guðrún Gísladóttir, Svandís Dóra Einarsdóttir and Kristbjörg
Kjeld.
Seven Boats
Hlynur Pálmason,
Denmark/Iceland, 10’ World Premiere
In a single, black-and-white 360-degree shot that traverses
seven boats surrounding a man lost at sea, director Hlynur Pálmason crafts a
simple yet potent statement about mankind’s struggle to survive. Starring
Olgeir Karl Ólafsson, Einar Örn Thorlacius and Ómar Frans Fransson.
The Shove (Knuffen)
My Sandström, Sweden,
14’ International Premiere
Tobbe works as a bouncer at a night club. One night he
confronts a drunken guest and it ends with Tobbe shoving the guest down the
street. A council inspector happens to witness the event and gives Tobbe an
on-the-spot penalty: to settle the matter in kind. The inspector informs Tobbe
that he will be shoved within one to two weeks. Tobbe now has no choice but to
endure a long, drawn-out, fraught-filled wait. A wait that proves far more
arduous than Tobbe could have imagined. Starring Hanna Ullerstam and Magnus
Sundberg.
A Single Body (Un
seul corps)
Sotiris Dounoukos, Australia/France, 19’ International
Premiere
Set against the raucous and grisly backdrop of an abattoir,
best friends and skilled workers David and Wani diligently ply their trade as
they dream of opening their own butchery.
A Single Life
Job, Joris &
Marieke, Netherlands, 2’ World Premiere
When playing a mysterious vinyl single, Pia is suddenly able
to travel through her life.
Skinner (Sintér)
Gábor Fabricius, Hungary, 12’ World Premiere
In economically depressed Budapest, to avoid being evicted
from your home means you need to evict others — and Tibi, a hardcore bouncer
with a conscience, soon finds that he must turn against his own to save himself.
Skinner takes a raw, incisive look at how the global financial crisis
transforms the life of the disenfranchised into brutal gladiatorial combat.
A Spark at Darkest
Night
Paul De Silva, USA, 3’ World Premiere
Two lamp posts in a park at night experience a brief
connection before one of them shatters, falling into darkness. The other must
sacrifice himself so that she may be reignited, now twice as bright.
Tatuapé Mahal Tower (Edifício
Tatuapé Mahal)
Carolina Markowicz
and Fernanda Salloum, Brazil, 10’ International Premiere
An existential drama set in a scalemodel-sized São Paulo,
this animated short follows Javier Juarez Garcia, who abandons his tiresome job
with a residential tower developer and makes a life-changing decision — but
even the new possibilities he discovers are not enough to wipe out his desire
for revenge against those who have betrayed him. Starring Daniel Hendler.
Tricycle Thief (Sánlúnchē
fū)
Maxim Bessmertnyi,
Macau, 17’ World Premiere
After discovering his eviction notice, a tricycle driver
goes on a desperate hunt for money in night-time Macau. Starring Sam Leung,
Aeson Lei and Chu Wing Mui.
The Warren (L'Warren)
James Adolphus,
Israel/Palestine/USA, 11’ World Premiere
The Warren is a dramatization of a raid to capture a
militant in the maze of Balata Refugee Camp by the Israeli Defense Forces
during the Second Palestinian Intifada. Starring Ali Suliman, Mohammad Bakri
and Guy Elhanan.
CITY TO CITY: SEOUL
A Dream of Iron (Cheol-ae-kum)
Kelvin Kyung Kun
Park, South Korea/USA Canadian Premiere
Multi-media artist Kelvin Kyung Kun Park looks back to the
“heroic age” of heavy industry in 1960s South Korea and the contemporary ruins
of those utopian dreams of modernity.
A Girl at My Door (Dohee-Ya)
July Jung, South
Korea North American Premiere
Banished to provincial purgatory after a censure for
misconduct, a former star of the Seoul police force finds her maternal
instincts unexpectedly awakened when she meets a troubled teenage girl.
Starring Kim Sae-ron, Bae Doona and Song Sae-byuk.
A Hard Day (Kkeut-kka-ji-gan-da)
Kim Seong-hun, South
Korea North American Premiere
A luckless police detective becomes the target of blackmail
after trying to cover up a hit-and-run in this wild neo-noir thriller. Starring
Lee Sun-kyun and Cho Jin-woong.
Alive (Sanda)
Park Jung-bum, South
Korea North American Premiere
A simple labourer in a remote mountain village is driven to
desperate measures to provide for the women in his life in this wrenching yet
beautiful drama. Starring Park Jung-bum, Lee Seung-yeon, Park Myung-hoon and
Shin Heat-bit.
Cart (Ka-teu)
Boo Ji-Young, South
Korea World Premiere
The employees of a big-box discount retail store band
together when contract workers are summarily laid off. Starring Yum Jung-Ah,
Moon Jeong-Hee, Kim Young-Ae, Kim Gang-Woo, Hwang Jung-Min, Chun Woo-Hee and
D.O.
Confession (Jo-Eun-Chin-Goo-Deul)
Lee Do-yun, South
Korea International Premiere
When a faked robbery ends in tragedy, three long-time
friends have their fierce loyalty to one another put to the test in this
noir-ish action thriller. Starring Ji Sung, Ju Ji-hoon and Lee Kwang-soo.
Gyeongju
Zhang Lu, South Korea North American Premiere
In this charmingly off-kilter romantic comedy, a Beijing
university professor visits the ancient Korean capital of Gyeongju on a
nostalgic quest to revisit a “dirty” café painting he first saw years before,
and finds an unexpected connection with the beautiful present owner of the
establishment. Starring Park Hae-il and Shin Min-a.
Scarlet Innocence
Yim Pil-sung, South
Korea World Premiere
A university professor gradually succumbing to blindness is
entranced by an obsessive love in this modern-day adaptation of a classic
Korean fairy tale. Starring Jung Woo-sung and Esom.
Please visit www.tiff.net for the complete details of today’s
line-up.
The Toronto
International Film Festival runs Sept. 4-14.
