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| Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Demolition. Photo courtesy of TIFF. |
Notable Canadian entries in the Gala slot include Atom Egoyan’s Remember, Deepa Mehta’s Beeba Boys, and Jon Cassar’s Forsaken starring Donald Sutherland and Keifer Sutherland, while Canuck co-pros Brooklyn and Room have slots in the Special Presentations line-up, as does Canuck director Denis Villeneuve with the North American premiere of his US-drug war drama Sicario. (More Canadian titles will be out August 5th.) On the international front, TIFF offers a range of world cinema gems, indies, and presumed awards contenders with films like The Woman in the Van with Maggie Smith; Freeheld starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page; Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl starring Eddie Redmayne; the star-studded The Martian; and Michael Moore’s Who Do We Invade Next? For North American Premiere’s, Toronto offers some notable gets of Cannes titles including Palme winner Dheepan; Youth starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and Jane Fonda; and The Lobster, featuring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz.
The first wave of films is as follows:
GALAS
Beeba Boys
Deepa Mehta, Canada, World Premiere
An adrenaline-charged violent Indo-Canadian gang war mixes
guns, bhangra beats, bespoke suits, cocaine, and betrayal. Gang boss Jeet Johar
and his loyal, young crew are audaciously taking over the Vancouver drug and
arms scene from an old-style crime syndicate. Hearts are broken and family
bonds shattered when the Beeba Boys (known as the "nice boys") do
anything "to be seen and to be feared" — in a white world.
Opening Night Film.
Demolition
Jean-Marc Vallée, USA, World Premiere
In Demolition, a successful investment banker, Davis (Jake
Gyllenhaal), struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite
pressure from his father-in-law (Chris Cooper) to pull it together, Davis
continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine
company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions.
Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Naomi Watts)
and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two strangers form
an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son (Judah Lewis), Davis
starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.
The Dressmaker
Jocelyn Moorhouse, Australia, World Premiere
Based on the best-selling novel by Rosalie Ham, The
Dressmaker is a bittersweet, comedy-drama set in early 1950s Australia. After
many years working as a dressmaker in exclusive Parisian fashion houses, Tilly
Dunnage, a beautiful and talented misfit, returns home to the tiny
middle-of-nowhere town of Dungatar to right the wrongs of the past. Not only
does she reconcile with her ailing, eccentric mother Molly, and unexpectedly
falls in love with the pure-hearted Teddy, but armed with her sewing machine
and incredible sense of style, Tilly sets out to right the wrongs of the past
and transforms the women of the town but encounters unexpected romance along
the way. Starring Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Judy Davis and Hugo Weaving.
Eye in the Sky
Gavin Hood, United Kingdom, World Premiere
London-based military intelligence officer Colonel Katherine
Powell (Helen Mirren) is remotely commanding a top secret drone operation to
capture a group of dangerous terrorists at their safe-house in Nairobi, Kenya.
The mission suddenly escalates from a capture to a kill operation, when Powell
realizes that the terrorists are about to embark on a deadly suicide mission.
American drone pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is poised to destroy the
safe-house when a nine-year-old-girl enters the kill zone just outside the
walls of the house. With unforeseen collateral damage now entering the
equation, the impossible decision of when to strike gets passed up the kill
chain of politicians and lawyers as the seconds tick down. Also stars Alan
Rickman, Barkhad Abdi and Iain Glen.
Forsaken
Jon Cassar, Canada, World Premiere
Tormented by a dark secret, an aging gunfighter abandons a
life of killing and returns home, only to discover his mother has died. He’s
forced to confront his estranged father and the life he left behind. Starring
Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland and Demi Moore.
Freeheld
Peter Sollett, USA, World Premiere
Based on the Oscar-winning documentary and adapted by the
writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester and
Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police
detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard-earned
pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials — the
Freeholders — conspire to prevent Laurel from doing so. Hard-nosed detective
Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein come together in Laurel and Stacie’s
defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their
struggle for equality. Starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon and
Steve Carell.
Hyena Road (Hyena Road: Le Chemin du Combat)
Paul Gross, Canada,
World Premiere
A sniper who has never allowed himself to think of his targets
as humans becomes implicated in the life of one such target. An intelligence
officer who has never contemplated killing becomes the engine of a plot to
kill. And a legendary Mujahideen warrior who had put war behind him is now the
centre of the battle zone. Three men, three worlds, three conflicts — all stand
at the intersection of modern warfare, a murky world of fluid morality in which
all is not as it seems.
LEGEND
Brian Helgeland, United Kingdom, International Premiere
The true story of the rise and fall of London's most
notorious gangsters, brothers Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy
in an amazing double performance. LEGEND is a classic crime thriller that takes
audiences into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events
that secured the infamy of the Kray twins.
Lolo
Julie Delpy, France, North American Premiere
While on holiday in the south of France, Parisian
sophisticate Violette falls in love with carefree geek Jean-René. As their
relationship blossoms, Jean-René heads to Paris to spend more time with
Violette but finds himself up against her possessive teenage son Lolo who is
determined to sabotage their relationship by any means necessary. A razor-sharp
comedy from Julie Delpy.
The Man Who Knew Infinity
Matthew Brown, United
Kingdom, World Premiere
A true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics.
In 1913, Ramanujan, a self-taught mathematics genius from India, travelled to
Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric
professor GH Hardy, and fought to show the world the magic of his mind.
Starring Dev Patel and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.
The Martian
Ridley Scott, USA, World Premiere
During a manned mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is
presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has
survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only
meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and
find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA
and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian”
home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue
mission. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley
Scott, The Martian features a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon,
Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Chiwetel
Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.
The Program
Stephen Frears, United Kingdom, World Premiere
From Academy
Award-nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and producers
Working Title (The Theory of Everything), comes the true story of the meteoric
rise and fall of one of the most celebrated and controversial men in recent
history, Lance Armstrong. Starring Ben Foster, Dustin Hoffman, Chris O’Dowd and
Guillaume Canet.
Remember
Atom Egoyan, Canada, North American Premiere
Remember is the contemporary story of Zev, who discovers
that the Nazi guard who murdered his family some 70 years ago is living in
America under an assumed identity.
Despite the obvious challenges, Zev sets out on a mission to deliver
long-delayed justice with his own trembling hand. What follows is a remarkable
cross-continent road-trip with surprising consequences. Starring Academy Award
winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau.
Septembers of Shiraz
Wayne Blair, USA, World Premiere
A thriller based on the New York Times bestseller, this is
the true story of a secular Jewish family caught in the 1979 Iranian revolution
and their heroic journey to overcome and ultimately escape from the deadly
tyranny that swept their country and threatened to extinguish their lives at
every turn. Starring Salma Hayek and Adrien Brody.
Stonewall
Roland Emmerich, USA, World Premiere
This fictional drama inspired by true events follows a young
man caught up during the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine)
finds himself alone in Greenwich Village, homeless and destitute, until he
befriends a group of street kids who introduce him to the local watering hole,
The Stonewall Inn — however, this shady, mafia-run club is far from a safe
haven. As Danny and his friends experience discrimination, endure atrocities
and are repeatedly harassed by the police, the entire community of young gays,
lesbians and drag queens who populate Stonewall erupts in a storm of anger.
With the toss of a single brick, a riot ensues and a crusade for equality is
born. Starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ron Perlman and Joey King.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Anomalisa
Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, USA, Canadian Premiere
A man struggles with
his inability to connect with other people. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom
Noonan and David Thewlis.
Beasts of No Nation
Cary Fukunaga, USA/Ghana, Canadian Premiere
Based on the highly acclaimed novel, director Cary
Fukunaga’s Beasts of No Nation brings to life the gripping tale of Agu
(newcomer Abraham Attah), a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the
civil war of an African country. Idris Elba dominates the screen in the role of
Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of
war.
Black Mass
Scott Cooper, USA, Canadian Premiere
In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades
Irish-American gangster Jimmy Bulger to act as an informant for the FBI in
order to eliminate their common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the
story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey
to evade law enforcement while becoming one of the most ruthless and dangerous
gangsters in Boston history. Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson,
Julianne Nicholson, Corey Stoll and Peter Sarsgaard.
Brooklyn
John Crowley, United Kingdom/Ireland/Canada, Canadian
Premiere
Set on opposite sides of the Atlantic, this drama tells the
profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish immigrant navigating her
way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs
Ireland and the comfort of her mother’s home for the shores of New York City.
The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps
Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new vivacity is
disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and the
lives that exist within. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen,
Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters.
The Club
Pablo Larraín, Chile North American Premiere
Four men live in a secluded house in a seaside town. Sent to
purge sins of the past, they live under a strict regime and the watchful eye of
a caretaker. Their fragile stability is disrupted by the arrival of a fifth man
who brings with him their darkest secrets.
Colonia
Florian Gallenberger, Germany/Luxembourg/France World
Premiere
Colonia tells the story of Lena and Daniel, a young couple
who become entangled in the Chilean military coup of 1973. Daniel is abducted
by Pinochet’s secret police and Lena tracks him to a sealed off area in the
south of the country called Colonia Dignidad. The Colonia presents itself as a
charitable mission run by lay preacher Paul Schäfer but, in fact, is a place
nobody ever escapes from. Lena decides to join the cult in order to find
Daniel. Starring Emma Watson, Daniel Brühl and Michael Nyqvist.
The Danish Girl
Tom Hooper, United Kingdom, North American Premiere
The Danish Girl is the remarkable love story inspired by the
lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener (portrayed by Academy Award winner
Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander), directed by Academy Award winner Tom
Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables). Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work
evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.
The Daughter
Simon Stone, Australia,
North American Premiere A man returns to his hometown and unearths a
long-buried family secret. As he tries to right the wrongs of the past, his
actions threaten to shatter the lives of those he left behind years before.
Starring Geoffrey Rush, Paul Schneider, Miranda Otto and Sam Neill.
Desierto
Jonás Cuarón, Mexico, World Premiere
Moises is traveling by foot with a group of undocumented
workers across a desolate strip of the border between Mexico and the United
States, seeking a new life in the north. They are discovered by a lone American
vigilante, Sam, and a frantic chase begins. Set against the stunningly brutal
landscape, Moises and Sam engage in a lethal match of wits, each desperate to
survive and escape the desert that threatens to consume them. Starring Gael
García Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Dheepan
Jacques Audiard, France, North American Premiere
To escape the civil war in Sri Lanka, a former Tamil Tiger
soldier, a young woman and a little girl pose as a family. These strangers try
to build a life together in a Parisian suburb.
Families (Belles Familles)
Jean-Paul Rappeneau, France,
World Premiere
When Shanghai-based businessman Jérome Varenne learns that
his childhood home in the village of Ambray is at the centre of a local conflict,
he heads there to straighten things out and finds himself at the centre of
familial and romantic complications.
Starring Mathieu Amalric.
The Family Fang
Jason Bateman, USA, World Premiere
Annie and Baxter Fang have spent most of their adult lives trying
to distance themselves from their famous artist parents. But when both siblings
find themselves stalled in life, they return home for the first time in a
decade where they become entangled in a dark mystery surrounding their parents’
disappearance. Jason Bateman directs and stars, along with co-stars Nicole
Kidman and Christopher Walken, in this film based on the New York Times
bestseller.
Guilty (Talvar)
Meghna Gulzar, India World Premiere Based on true events
that set off a media frenzy all over the world, Guilty follows the 2008 Noida
Double Murder Case of an investigation into the deaths of 14-year-old Aarushi
Talwar and 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade, a domestic employed by Aarushi’s family,
in Noida, India. The controversial case lives on in the mind of the public,
despite a guilty verdict that sentenced the parents of the murdered girl to
life in prison. Starring Irrfan Khan.
I Smile Back
Adam Salky, USA Canadian Premiere Adapted from the acclaimed
novel by Amy Koppelman, I Smile Back explores the life of Laney (Sarah
Silverman), a devoted wife and mother who seems to have it all — a perfect
husband, pristine house and shiny SUV. However, beneath the façade lies
depression and disillusionment that catapult her into a secret world of
reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful
root of her destructiveness and its effect on those she loves.
The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer)
Hany Abu-Assad, United Kingdom/Palestine/Qatar World
Premiere
A young boy in Gaza, Mohammad Assaf, dreams of one day
singing in the Cairo Opera House with his sister and best friend, Nour. One
day, Nour collapses and is rushed to the hospital where it is discovered that
she needs a kidney transplant. Nour leaves Mohammad with a dying wish that
someday, he will become a famous singer in Cairo. Escaping from Gaza to Egypt
against unbelievable odds, Mohammad makes the journey of a lifetime. From
two-time Academy Award nominee Hany Abu-Assad comes this inspirational drama
inspired by the incredibly true story of Mohammed Assaf, winner of Arab Idol
2013.
The Lady in the Van
Nicholas Hytner, USA/United Kingdom, World Premiere
Based on the true story of Miss Shepherd, a woman of
uncertain origins who “temporarily” parked her van in writer Alan Bennett’s
London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years. What begins as a
begrudged favour becomes a relationship that will change both their lives.
Filmed on the street and in the house where Bennett and Miss Shepherd lived all
those years, acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner reunites with iconic writer
Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The History Boys) to bring this rare
and touching portrait to the screen. Starring Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper and
James Corden.
Len and Company
Tim Godsall, USA North American Premiere A successful music
producer (Rhys Ifans) quits the industry and exiles himself in upstate New
York, but the solitude he seeks is shattered when both his estranged son (Jack
Kilmer) and the pop-star (Juno Temple) he's created come looking for
answers.
The Lobster
Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland/United
Kingdom/Greece/France/Netherlands, North American Premiere
In a dystopian near future, single people are obliged to
find a matching mate in 45 days or are transformed into animals and released into
the woods. Starring Colin Farrell, Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz, John C.
Reilly, Léa Seydoux and Ben Whishaw.
Louder than Bombs
Joachim Trier, Norway/France/Denmark, North American
Premiere
An upcoming exhibition celebrating photographer Isabelle Reed
three years after her untimely death brings her eldest son Jonah back to the
family house, forcing him to spend more time with his father Gene and withdrawn
younger brother Conrad than he has in years. With the three men under the same
roof, Gene tries desperately to connect with his two sons, but they struggle to
reconcile their feelings about the woman they remember so differently. Starring
Isabelle Huppert, Gabriel Byrne and Jesse Eisenberg.
Maggie’s Plan
Rebecca Miller, USA,
World Premiere
Maggie’s plan to have a baby on her own is derailed when she
falls in love with John, a married man, destroying his volatile marriage to the
brilliant Georgette. But one daughter and three years later, Maggie is out of
love and in a quandary: what do you do when you suspect your man and his
ex-wife are actually perfect for each other? Starring Julianne Moore, Greta
Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph.
Mountains May Depart (Shan He Gu Ren)
Jia Zhang-ke, China/France/Japan, North American Premiere
The new film from master filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke (A Touch of
Sin) jumps from the recent past to the speculative near-future as it examines
how China's economic boom has affected the bonds of family, tradition, and
love.
Office
Johnnie To, China/Hong Kong, International Premiere
Billion-dollar company Jones & Sunn is going public.
Chairman Ho Chung-ping has promised CEO Chang, who has been his mistress for
more than 20 years, to become a major shareholder of the company. As the IPO
team enters the company to audit its accounts, a series of inside stories start
to be revealed. Starring Chow Yun Fat, Sylvia Chang, Tang Wei and Wang
Ziyi.
Parched
Leena Yadav, India/USA, World Premiere
Three ordinary women dare to break free from the century old
patriarchal ways of their village in the desert heartland of rural India.
Starring Tannishtha Chaterjee, Radhika Apte and Surveen Chawla, this unforgettable
tale of friendship and triumph is called Parched.
Room
Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland/Canada, Canadian Premiere
Told through the eyes of five-year-old-Jack, Room is a
thrilling and emotional tale that celebrates the resilience and power of the
human spirit. To Jack, the Room is the world... it's where he was born, where
he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. But while it's home to Jack, to
Ma it's a prison. Through her fierce love for her son, Ma has managed to create
a childhood for him in their 10-by-10-foot space. But as Jack's curiosity is
building alongside Ma's own desperation — she knows that Room cannot contain
either indefinitely. Starring Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean
Bridgers and William H. Macy.
Sicario
Denis Villeneuve, USA, North American Premiere
In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and
Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elite
government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war
against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past (Benicio
Del Toro), the team sets out on a clandestine journey that forces Kate to
question everything that she believes.
Son of Saul (Saul Fia)
László Nemes, Hungary Canadian Premiere
October 1944, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Saul Ausländer is a Hungarian member of the Sonderkommando, the group of Jewish prisoners isolated from the camp and forced to assist the Nazis in the machinery of large-scale extermination. While working in one of the crematoriums, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son. As the Sonderkommando plans a rebellion, Saul decides to carry out an impossible task: save the child's body from the flames, find a rabbi to recite the mourner’s Kaddish and offer the boy a proper burial.
October 1944, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Saul Ausländer is a Hungarian member of the Sonderkommando, the group of Jewish prisoners isolated from the camp and forced to assist the Nazis in the machinery of large-scale extermination. While working in one of the crematoriums, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son. As the Sonderkommando plans a rebellion, Saul decides to carry out an impossible task: save the child's body from the flames, find a rabbi to recite the mourner’s Kaddish and offer the boy a proper burial.
Spotlight
Tom McCarthy, USA, International Premiere
Spotlight tells the true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning
Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one
of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s
tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the
Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up
at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government
establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Starring
Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci,
Brian d’Arcy James and Billy Crudup.
Summertime (La Belle Saison)
Catherine Corsini, France, North American Premiere
Delphine, the daughter of farmers, moves to Paris in 1971 to
break free from the shackles of her family and to gain her financial
independence. Carole is a Parisian, living with Manuel, actively involved in
the stirrings of the feminist movement. The meeting of the two women changes
their lives forever. Starring Cécile De France, Izia Higelin, Noémie Lvovsky
and Kévin Azaïs.
Sunset Song
Terence Davies, United Kingdom/Luxembourg, World Premiere
Terence Davies’ epic
of hope, tragedy and love at the dawning of the Great War follows a young
woman’s tale of endurance against the hardships of rural Scottish life. Based
on the novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon and told with gritty poetic realism by
Britain’s greatest living auteur, Sunset Song stars Peter Mullan and Agyness
Deyn.
Trumbo Jay Roach, USA, World Premiere
The successful career of 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo
(Bryan Cranston) comes to a crushing end when he and other Hollywood figures
are blacklisted for their political beliefs. Trumbo tells the story of his
fight against the U.S. government and studio bosses in a war over words and
freedom, which entangled everyone in Hollywood from Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren)
and John Wayne to Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger.
Un plus une
Claude Lelouch, France, World Premiere
Charming, successful, Antoine (Jean Dujardin) could be the
hero of one of those films he composes the music for. When he leaves for a job
in India, he meets Anna (Elsa Zylberstein), a woman who isn’t like him at all,
but who attracts him more than anything. Together, they are going to experience
an incredible journey.
Victoria
Sebastian Schipper, Germany, Canadian Premiere
On a night out in Berlin, Victoria meets four young local
guys. After joining their group, she becomes their driver when they rob a bank.
Finally, as dawn breaks, everyone meets their destiny.
Where to Invade Next Michael Moore, USA World Premiere
Oscar-winning director Michael Moore returns with what may be his most
provocative and hilarious movie yet. Moore tells the Pentagon to “stand down”—
he will do the invading for America from now on. Discretely shot in several
countries and under the radar of the global media, Moore has made a searing
cinematic work that is both up-to-the-minute and timeless.
Youth
Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France/United Kingdom/Switzerland,
North American Premiere
Youth explores the lifelong bond between two friends
vacationing in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred
(Michael Caine) has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of
his daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz), Mick (Harvey Keitel) is intent on finishing
the screenplay for what may be his last film for his muse Brenda (Jane Fonda).
And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy (Paul Dano), an
actor grasping to make sense of his next performance? From Italy’s
Oscar-winning foreign language film writer and director Paolo Sorrentino, Youth
asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time —
even late — in life.
Which films are you most excited to see? Watch the TIFF trailers below!
TIFF runs Sept.
10-20, 2015.
Please visit www.tiff.net for more info.
