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| The Magnificent Seven. Courtesy of TIFF. |
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| The Edge of Seventeen. Courtesy of TIFF. |
The fest highlights female filmmakers with the Closing Night
selection The Edge of Seventeen,
directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and starring Hailee Steinfeld in a John
Hughes-esque coming of age story. Most exciting in the announcement is
Christopher Guest’s new ensemble comedy Mascots
starring regulars Parker Posey, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jane Lynch in a farce
about the competitive world of sports mascots. Other films high on the Cinemablographer radar are the Holocaust
trial drama Denial starring Rachel
Weisz in what looks to be an award-calibre performance, Frantz from In the House director
François Ozon, and Maren Ade’s Toni
Erdmann, which many critics felt should have won the Palme d’Or at Cannes
this year. Plus Sundance hit Birth of a Nation, Ewan McGregor's American Pastoral, and Lone Scherfig's Their Finest are all topic picks. Ditto the two docs so far, which you can read about at POV.
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| Mascots. Courtesy of TIFF |
Also notable is the respectable presence for Canadian productions,
co-productions, and Canadian talent at the fest. TIFF includes four Canadian
films in the first wave of announcements. Gala selection The Headhunter’s Calling starring Gerard Butler and Alison Brie
marks the directorial debut of producer Mark Williams. Three co-pros appear in
the Special Presentations line-up: Bruce Lee biopic Birth of a Dragon, a co-production between Canada, USA, and China; Unless, which stars Catherine Keener and
Martha Henry in an adaptation of Carol Shields’ final novel; and one I’m really
excited for, Maudie, starring Sally
Hawkins and Ethan Hawke. Other Canadian talents with films at the fest include Incendies director Denis Villeneuve with
the Gala selection Arrival starring
Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, The Journey
is the Destination from Toronto-born director Bronwen Hughes, and new
flicks starring Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
and Sandra Oh, whose Catfight might
have received the best response among the announced titles.
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| Maudie. Courtesy of TIFF. |
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| Denial. Courtesy of TIFF. |
Films Announced so far for TIFF are:
Galas
Arrival
Denis Villeneuve | USA | Canadian Premiere
When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an
elite team, led by expert linguist Louise Banks, are brought together to
investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team
race against time for answers. To find them, she will take a chance that could
threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity. Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy
Renner, Forest Whitaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
Deepwater Horizon
Peter Berg |USA | World Premiere
Inspired by the true story of the oil rig explosion in the
Gulf of Mexico that rocked the globe on April 20, 2010, comes this chronicle of
the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme
moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the
biggest man-made disasters in history. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell,
John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O'Brien, and Kate Hudson.
The Edge of Seventeen
Kelly Fremon Craig | USA | World Premiere
The directorial debut of writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig
follows high school junior Nadine, who is already at peak awkwardness when her
all-star older brother Darian starts dating her best friend Krista. All at
once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until the unexpected friendship of a
thoughtful boy gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so
terrible after all. Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick,
Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner and Hayden Szeto.
The Headhunter's Calling
Mark Williams | Canada | World Premiere
A ruthless corporate headhunter in Chicago battles his rival
for control of their job placement firm, until a family tragedy brings his
personal and professional lives into conflict. Starring Gerard Butler, Alison
Brie, Willem Dafoe, Gretchen Mol, Alfred Molina, and Max Jenkins.
The Journey is the Destination
Bronwen Hughes | United Kingdom/South Africa | World
Premiere
The inspiring life story of late photojournalist, artist and
activist Dan Eldon, who abandoned a comfortable life in London to document the
struggle, heartbreak and hope of a war-torn and famine-ridden region of Africa.
Inspiring and irreverent, the film follows a young man coming of age to realize
his purpose, his place in the world, and his belief that we can all create
positive change. Starring Ella Purnell, Maria Bello, Sam Hazeldine, Ben
Schnetzer, and Kelly Macdonald.
JT + The Tennessee Kids
Jonathan Demme | USA | World Premiere
In this thrilling concert documentary, Academy Award–winning
director Jonathan Demme captures the charismatic and highly acclaimed artistry
of Justin Timberlake and The Tennessee Kids’ spectacular closing performances
from The 20/20 Experience World Tour at the legendary MGM Grand Garden Arena in
Las Vegas.
LBJ
Rob Reiner | USA | World Premiere
On November 22, 1963, one president's life was taken while
another's was resurrected. LBJ tells the story of politician Lyndon B. Johnson
who was at risk of fading into irrelevancy but, upon John F. Kennedy's
assassination, seized his moment to rescue a nation and claim his place among
the most influential US presidents. LBJ is an intimate look into Johnson's
masterful political manoeuvring during one of the most difficult times in
America's history. Starring Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Richard
Jenkins, Bill Pullman, Jeffrey Donovan, and Michael Stahl-David.
Lion
Garth Davis | Australia | World Premiere
After a wrong train takes a five-year-old Indian boy
thousands of kilometres from home and family, he survives many challenges
before being adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, armed
with only the scantest of clues, he learns of a new technology called Google
Earth, and sets out to find his lost family. This true story stars Dev Patel,
Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, and David Wenham.
Loving
Jeff Nichols | USA | North American Premiere
This film celebrates the real-life courage and commitment of
Richard and Mildred Loving, who waged a decade-long legal battle that led to
the overturning of the state of Virginia’s law prohibiting interracial
marriage. Their civil rights case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which
in 1967 reaffirmed the very foundation of the right to marry. Starring Joel
Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Marton Csokas, Nick Kroll, and Michael Shannon.
The Magnificent Seven
Antoine Fuqua | USA | World Premiere
Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a 1960
western classic. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of
industrialist Bartholomew Bogue, the desperate townspeople, led by Emma Cullen,
employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns.
As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming,
these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money. Starring
Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee,
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Haley Bennett and Peter Sarsgaard.
A Monster Calls
J.A. Bayona | USA/Spain | World Premiere
This visually spectacular drama follows a lonely 12-year-old
boy struggling with his mother’s illness, until an ancient, wild, and
relentless monster appears, guiding him on a journey of courage, faith, and
truth. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis
MacDougall, and Liam Neeson.
Planetarium
Rebecca Zlotowski | France/Belgium | North American Premiere
Kate and Laura Barlow, two young American spiritualists in
1930s Paris, finish their world tour. Fascinated by their gift, a powerful
French film producer hires them to shoot a highly ambitious film. In the vortex
of cinema, experiments, and feelings, this new family doesn’t yet see what
Europe will soon go through. Stars Natalie Portman, Lily-Rose Depp, Emmanuel
Salinger, Amira Casar, Pierre Salvadori and Louis Garrel.
Queen of Katwe
Mira Nair | South Africa/Uganda | World Premiere
This vibrant true story follows a young girl from the
streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to
the game of chess. The support from her family and community instills her with
confidence and determination, as she sets out to pursue her dream of becoming
an international champion. Starring David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, and Madina
Nalwanga.
The Rolling Stones Olé Olé Olé! : A Trip Across Latin America
Paul Dugdale | United Kingdom | World Premiere
This documentary film follows The Rolling Stones on a
cultural adventure across Latin America, as the band heads towards their
historic tour finale — being the first ever rock band to play to a crowd of 1.2
million in Havana, Cuba.
The Secret Scripture
Jim Sheridan | Ireland | World Premiere
A once vibrant and lively beauty in her youth, Roseanne
McNulty has spent the majority of her adult life confined to a mental hospital
in rural Ireland. She has been institutionalized for so long, no one seems to
remember why she was hospitalized in the first place. When a new chief
psychiatrist takes a keen interest in her, he finds a hidden memoir she has
written over the course of decades. It unravels the mystery of her
incarceration, telling the tale of her passionate, yet tortured, life. Starring
Vanessa Redgrave, Rooney Mara, Theo James, Eric Bana, and Jack Reynor.
Snowden
Oliver Stone | Germany/USA | World Premiere
Academy Award–winning director Oliver Stone tackles one of
the most important and fascinating true stories of the 21st century. This
politically charged, pulse-pounding thriller reveals the incredible untold
personal story of Edward Snowden, the polarizing figure who exposed shocking
illegal surveillance activities by the NSA and became one of the most wanted men
in the world — considered a hero by some, and a traitor by others. Starring
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom
Wilkinson, Scott Eastwood, Logan Marshall-Green, Timothy Olyphant, Ben
Schnetzer, Lakeith Lee Stanfield, Rhys Ifans, and Nicolas Cage.
Strange Weather
Katherine Dieckmann | USA | World Premiere
A lyrical, emotionally rich drama tracking Darcy as she
travels the Deep South with her friend in an effort to process her grief over
the loss of her son. A story about forgiveness, redemption, grace, and how to
be fully alive when facing death. Starring Holly Hunter, Carrie Coon, and Kim
Coates.
Their Finest
Lone Scherfig, United Kingdom World Premiere
Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig’s period comedy-drama follows
a group of filmmakers struggling to make an inspirational film to boost morale
— and inspire America to join the war — during the London Blitz in World War
II. A witty, romantic and moving portrayal of a young woman finding her way,
and her voice, in the mayhem of war…and movies. Starring Gemma Arterton, Sam
Claflin, Bill Nighy, Jack Huston, Helen McCrory, Eddie Marsan, Jake Lacy,
Rachel Stirling, and Richard E. Grant.
A United Kingdom
Amma Asante, United Kingdom World Premiere
This biopic tells the true story of Seretse Khama, King of
Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he
married in 1947 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the
British and South African governments. Starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund
Pike.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
The Age of Shadows (Miljeong)
Kim Jee woon | South Korea | North American Premiere
The latest from cutting-edge director Kim Jee woon is an
epic-scale period thriller about a double agent sent to infiltrate a band of
freedom fighters during the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1920s. Starring
Korean superstars Song Kang ho, Han Ji min, and Gong Yoo.
All I See Is You
Marc Forster | Thailand | World Premiere
Set in exotic locations, this unique and visually-driven
psychological drama tells the story of a blind woman and her husband, who upon
restoration of her sight, begins to discover previously unseen and disturbing
details about themselves, their marriage, and their lives. Stars Blake Lively,
Yvonne Strahovski, and Jason Clarke.
American Honey
Andrea Arnold | USA | North American Premiere
Star, an adolescent girl from a troubled home, runs away
with a travelling sales crew who drive across the American Midwest selling
subscriptions door to door. Finding her feet in this gang of teenagers, she
soon gets into the group's lifestyle of hard-partying nights, law-bending days,
and young love. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keogh, and Sasha Lane.
American Pastoral
Ewan McGregor | USA | World Premiere
Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning Philip Roth novel, American
Pastoral follows a family whose seemingly idyllic existence is shattered by the
social and political turmoil of the 1960s. Ewan McGregor stars in his
directorial debut as Seymour “Swede” Levov, a once legendary high school
athlete who is now a successful businessman married to a former beauty queen.
But turmoil brews beneath the polished veneer of Swede’s life, when his beloved
teenage daughter disappears after being accused of committing a violent act.
Dedicated to finding her, what he discovers shakes him to the core, forcing him
to look beneath the surface and confront the chaos that is shaping the world
around him. Also starring Academy Award–winner Jennifer Connelly, Dakota
Fanning, Emmy–winner Uzo Aduba, David Strathairn, Valorie Curry, Peter Riegert,
and Rupert Evans.
Asura: The City of Madness
Kim Sung-soo | South Korea | World Premiere
A shady cop finds himself in over his head when he gets
caught between Internal Affairs and the city’s corrupt mayor, in this
scintillating crime drama from Korean maestro Kim Sung-soo. Stars Hwang
Jung-min, Kwak Do-won, Ju Ji-hoon, and Jung Woo-sung.
Barakah Meets Barakah (Barakah yoqabil Barakah)
Mahmoud Sabbagh | Saudi Arabia | North American Premiere
Saudi Arabia’s first rom-com features comedian and
social-media superstar Hisham Fageeh as a mild-mannered civil servant who runs
up against his society’s strict mores when he sets out to romance the outspoken
daughter of a wealthy couple. Also starring Fatima Al Banawi.
Barry
Vikram Gandhi, USA World Premiere
New York City, 1981. Inspired by true events, a young Barack
Obama tries to find his way as a college student in a new city as he is faced
with questions about race, culture, and identity in this inspiring drama
centered on a crucial year in the future President’s life. Starring Devon
Terrell, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Ellar Coltrane.
Birth of the Dragon
George Nolfi, USA/China/Canada World Premiere
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Chinatown in
1964, this cross-cultural biopic chronicles Bruce Lee’s emergence as a
martial-arts superstar after his legendary secret showdown with Shaolin master
Wong Jack Man. While details of the fight are hotly disputed to this day, one
thing is clear — out of that epic fight, Bruce Lee emerged as The Dragon, the
man who brought Kung Fu to the world. Starring Billy Magnussen, Xia Yu, and
Philip Ng.
The Birth of a Nation
Nate Parker, USA International Premiere
Filmmaker-actor Nate Parker reclaims the title of D.W.
Griffith’s 1916 milestone for this epic chronicle, set against the antebellum
South, of the life of Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose
financially strained owner accepts an offer to use his preaching to subdue
unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities — against himself and his
fellow slaves — Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people
to freedom. Starring Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo,
Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomi King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur
Smith, Gabrielle Union, Penelope Ann Miller, and Jackie Earle Haley.
Bleed for This
Ben Younger | USA | Canadian Premiere
This film tells the incredible true story of one of the most
inspiring and unlikely comebacks in sports history. Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil”
Pazienza, shoots to stardom after winning two world title fights before a
near-fatal car accident leaves him with a broken neck, and he is told he may
never walk again. Against all odds and doctor’s orders, renowned trainer Kevin Rooney
agrees to help Vinny return to the ring just a year after the accident, for
what could be the last fight of his life. Stars Miles Teller, Katey Sagal, and
Aaron Eckhart.
Blue Jay
Alex Lehmann | USA | World Premiere
Meeting by chance when they return to their tiny California
hometown, two former high-school sweethearts reflect on their shared past
through the lens of their differently dissatisfied presents, in this tender,
wise and affecting chamber drama from first-time feature director Alex Lehmann.
Starring Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson.
Brimstone
Martin Koolhoven |
Netherlands/Germany/France/Belgium/Sweden/United Kingdom | North American
Premiere
A triumphant epic of survival set in the searing wilds of
the Badlands, the menacing inferno of the old American West. This tale of
powerful womanhood and resistance against the unforgiving cruelty of a hell on
earth follows Liz, a heroine carved from the beautiful wilderness, full of
heart and grit, and accused of a crime she didn’t commit, hunted by a vengeful
preacher. Stars Guy Pearce, Dakota Fanning, Emilia Jones, Carice Van Houten and
Kit Harington.
BrOTHERHOOD
Noel Clarke | United Kingdom | International Premiere
Writer-director-star Noel Clarke completes the British
crime-drama trilogy he began with KiDULTHOOD and AdULTHOOD, in this gritty tale
of an ex-con whose dreams of settling down and going straight run up against
the long memories (and itchy trigger fingers) of a crew of old enemies. Stars
Noel Clarke, Arnold Oceng, David Ajala, Cornell S. John, and Michael
"Stormzy" Omari.
Carrie Pilby
Susan Johnson | USA | World Premiere
Carrie, a person of high intelligence who graduated Harvard
at 18, struggles to make sense of the world as it relates to morality,
relationships, sex and leaving her New York City apartment. Susan Johnson makes
her feature directorial debut in this beautiful adaptation of the acclaimed
novel. Stars Bel Powley, Nathan Lane, Gabriel Byrne, Vanessa Bayer, and Jason
Ritter.
Catfight
Onur Tukel, USA World Premiere
A reunion between two old school friends sparks a
no-holds-barred war of attrition, in this outrageously madcap black comedy.
Stars Sandra Oh, Anne Heche, Alicia Silverstone, Craig Bierko, and Dylan Baker.
City of Tiny Lights
Pete Travis, United
Kingdom World Premiere
Tommy Akhtar — cricket fan, devoted son and deadbeat private
eye — is just emerging from another hangover when his next case walks through
the door. Hooker Melody wants him to find her friend who has gone missing. As
he delves deeper into the case, Tommy’s journey to uncover the truth leads him
into the hidden layers of modern London, unlocking shocking secrets about past
loves, friendships, and family. Starring Riz Ahmed, Cush Jumbo, James Floyd,
Billie Piper and Roshan Seth.
The Commune (Kollektivet)
Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands North American
Premiere
Danish auteur Thomas Vinterberg’s new film focuses on a
middle-aged professional couple in 1970s Denmark who decide to experiment with
communal living by inviting a group of friends and random eccentrics to cohabit
with them in a sprawling house. With Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, and Helene
Reingaard Neumann.
Daguerrotype (Le Secret de la chambre noire)
Kiyoshi Kurosawa, France/Japan/Belgium World Premiere
Kiyoshi Kurosawa makes his first film outside Japan with
this French-language ghost romance fantasy, about an aging photographer whose
obsession with an archaic technique draws his young assistant and beautiful
daughter into a dark and mysterious world. With Tahar Rahim, Constance
Rousseau, Olivier Gourmet, and Mathieu Amalric.
A Death in the Gunj
Konkona Sensharma, India World Premiere
Set in 1979, this coming of age story follows a shy young
Indian student who quietly and fatefully unravels during a family road trip to
McCluskiegunj. Stars Vikrant Massey, Ranvir Shorey, Kalki Koechlin, Gulshan
Devaiah, Tillotama Shome, Jim Sarbh, Tanuja Mukherjee, Om Puri, and Arya
Sharma.
Denial
Mick Jackson, USA/United Kingdom World Premiere
Based on the book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a
Holocaust Denier, this riveting, true-life drama recounts the courtroom
showdown between historian Deborah E. Lipstadt and notorious Holocaust denier
David Irving, who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust
denier. In the English legal system, in cases of libel, the burden of proof is
on the defendant, therefore it was up to Lipstadt and her legal team to prove
that the Holocaust had occurred. Starring Academy Award-winner Rachel Weisz,
Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall, Andrew Scott, Jack Lowden, Caren Pistorius and
Alex Jennings.
Elle
Paul Verhoeven, France North American Premiere
Michèle seems indestructible. As the head of a leading video
game company, she brings the same ruthless attitude to her love life as to
business. Being attacked in her home by an unknown assailant changes Michèle’s
life forever. When she resolutely tracks the man down, they are both drawn into
a curious and thrilling game — a game that may, at any moment, spiral out of
control. Stars Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles
Berling, Virginie Efira, Christian Berkel, Judith Magre, Jonas Bloquet, Alice
Isaaz, Vimala Pons, Raphaël L Lenglet, Arthur Mazet, Lucas Prisor, Hugo
Conzelmann, and Stéphane Bak.
Foreign Body (Jassad gharib, Corps etranger)
Raja Amari, Tunisia/France World Premiere
Samia immigrates to France illegally. Obsessed by the idea
her radical islamist brother might be stalking her, she first finds refuge with
Imed, an acquaintance from her village, then with Leila, her employer. Desire
and fear heightens the tension between the three protagonists. With Hiam
Abbass, Sarra Hannachi, and Salim Kechiouche.
Frantz
François Ozon, France/Germany Canadian Premiere
Set in a small German town in the aftermath of World War I,
this elegiac tale of love and remembrance follows a young woman mourning the
death of her fiancé, Frantz, who was killed in battle in France. She forms a
bond with a mysterious Frenchman who has arrived to lay flowers on her
beloved’s grave. Starring Paula Beer, Pierre Niney, Marie Gruber, Ernst
Stötzner, Johann Von Bülow, and Anton Von Lucke.
The Handmaiden (Agassi)
Park Chan-wook, South Korea North American Premiere
A crook-turned-servant falls for the vulnerable heiress she
had originally schemed to swindle, in this audacious, visually sumptuous, and
highly erotic period piece from writer-director Park Chan-wook. Starring Kim
Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Hae-sook, and Moon So-ri.
Harmonium (Fuchi ni tatsu)
Kôji Fukada, Japan/France North American Premiere
A Japanese family’s humdrum daily routine is fatefully upset
by the arrival of a stranger from the father’s past, in this slow-burning dramatic
thriller. Stars Tadanobu Asano, Mariko Tsutsui, Kanji Furutachi, Taiga, Momone
Shinokawa, and Kana Mahiro.
I Am Not Madame Bovary
Feng Xiaogang, China World Premiere
A café proprietor spends a decade petitioning the Chinese
legal system after being swindled by her ex-husband, in this caustically comic
contemporary fable. Stars Fan Bingbing.
The Journey
Nick Hamm, United Kingdom North American Premiere
A dramatization of the events preceding the historic 2006
St. Andrews Agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland after years of
violent strife between Unionist and Republican factions. Stars Timothy Spall,
Colm Meaney, John Hurt, Toby Stephens and Freddie Highmore.
King of the Dancehall
Nick Cannon, USA/Jamaica World Premiere
Nick Cannon directs and stars in this high-energy musical
about a young man from Brooklyn who gets caught up in the vibrant Kingston
music scene during a visit to Jamaica. Starring Nick Cannon, Whoopi Goldberg,
Busta Rhymes, Peter Stormare, Kimberly Patterson, Louis Gossett Jr., Kreesha
Turner, Kamani Marley, Collie Budz, Killer Bean, and Beenie Man.
La La Land
Damien
Chazelle, USA Canadian Premiere
Writer-director Damien Chazelle captures the story of Mia,
an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician, who are
struggling to make ends meet in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking
hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday
life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams. Starring Ryan Gosling,
Emma Stone, John Legend, and Rosemarie DeWitt.
The Limehouse Golem
Juan Carlos Medina, United Kingdom World Premiere
In the notorious Limehouse district of 19th-century London,
a series of murders have shaken the city. The crimes are so monstrous that the
press claim they’re the work of The Golem — a mythic creature from European
legend. With no leads and in a desperate attempt to avoid the mobs wrath,
Scotland Yard promote the seemingly inexperienced Detective Kildare to stop the
slaughtering. Stars Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam
Reid, Maria Valverde, and Eddie Marsan.
Manchester by the Sea
Kenneth Lonergan, USA Canadian Premiere
A reclusive handyman must face his painful past when he
returns to his Massachusetts hometown after the sudden death of his beloved
older brother, in this emotionally overwhelming and critically acclaimed drama
from writer-director Kenneth Lonergan. Stars Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler,
Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Gretchen Mol, and Matthew Broderick.
Mascots
Christopher Guest, USA World Premiere
Starring many of his regular troupe of actors, Christopher
Guest’s new comedy takes place in the ultra-competitive world of sports mascots
where they compete for the most prestigious award in their field, the Gold
Fluffy. Cast includes Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Fred Willard, Parker
Posey, Bob Balaban, Harry Shearer and Ed Begley Jr.
Maudie
Aisling Walsh, Canada/Ireland Canadian Premiere
Maudie tells the true story of Maud Lewis, who overcame the
physical challenge of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis to become one of Canada’s
premier folk artists. Stars Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke.
Neruda
Pablo Larraín, Chile/Argentina/Spain/France Canadian
Premiere
Pablo Larraín weaves an engrossing metafictional fable
around the 1948 manhunt for celebrated poet and politician Pablo Neruda, who
goes underground when Chile outlaws communism and is pursued by an ambitious
police inspector hoping to make a name for himself by capturing the famous
fugitive. Starring Gael García Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Luis Gnecco, Mercedes
Morán, Diego Muñoz, Pablo Derqui, and Michael Silva.
Nocturnal Animals
Tom Ford, USA/United Kingdom North American Premiere
The second feature from writer-director Tom Ford follows the
story of a woman who is forced to confront the demons of her past, as she is
drawn into the world of a thriller novel written by her ex-husband. This
romantic thriller of shocking intimacy and gripping tension explores the thin
lines between love and cruelty, and revenge and redemption. Stars Amy Adams,
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Karl
Glusman, Armie Hammer, Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough, and Michael Sheen.
The Oath
Baltasar Kormákur, Iceland World Premiere
Icelandic action ace Baltasar Kormákur directs and stars in
this psychological thriller about a father who tries to pull his daughter out
of her world of drugs and petty crime, only to find that danger can be found in
unexpected places. Also stars Gísli Örn Garðarsson and Hera Hilmar.
Orphan (Orpheline)
Arnaud des
Pallières, France World Premiere
Four moments in the lives of four female characters.
Sandra’s youth as she moves to Paris and has a brush with disaster. Karine’s
teenage years, an endless succession of runaways, men and mishaps, because
anything is better than her desolate family home. The childhood of a little
girl called Kiki, captured as a game of hide and seek turns to tragedy. And
finally the grown-up life of Renée, a woman who thought she was safe from her
own past. Gradually, we come to understand that these four characters are
actually different sides of the same woman. Starring Adèle Haenel, Adèle
Exarchopoulos, Gemma Arterton and Sergi López.
Paris Can Wait
Eleanor Coppola, USA World Premiere
An American woman in a tired marriage finds herself on an
unforeseen road trip from Cannes to Paris with a dashing Frenchman. What should
be a seven-hour drive unexpectedly takes two days with many diversions:
picturesque sites, fine food and wine, humour, fun, wisdom — and romance.
Starring Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard and Alec Baldwin.
Paterson
Jim Jarmusch, USA North American Premiere
Paterson is a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New
Jersey. He adheres to a simple routine, writing poetry and observing the city
on his route. His wife, Laura, lives in an ever-changing world. He supports her
newfound ambitions; she champions his secret gift for poetry. The film channels
the history and energy of the City of Paterson. The quiet triumphs and defeats
of daily life are observed over one week, along with the poetry evident in its
smallest details. Stars Adam Driver and Golshifteh Farahani.
The Salesman (Forushande)
Asghar Farhadi, Iran/France North American Premiere
A sudden eruption of violence creates an atmosphere of
simmering tension between a husband and wife, in this work of slow-burning
domestic suspense from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Featuring Shahab
Hosseini and Taraneh Alidousti.
Salt and Fire
Werner Herzog, Germany/USA/France/Mexico North American
Premiere
Shot in Bolivia, writer-director Werner Herzog’s Salt and
Fire follows a mysterious hostage-taking where the leader of a small scientific
delegation is deliberately stranded with two blind boys in an area of gigantic
salt flats. Starring Michael Shannon, Gael García Bernal and Veronica Ferres.
Sing
Garth Jennings, USA/France World Premiere
A show-biz impresario who happens to be a koala attracts a
menagerie of musical hopefuls when he holds a singing contest to try and save
his theatre. Written and directed by Garth Jennings, this animated musical
comedy features more than 85 hit songs. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Reese
Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron
Egerton, and Tori Kelly.
Souvenir
Bavo Defurne, Belgium/Luxembourg/France North American
Premiere
Liliane was once “Laura”, a rising star in the singing
world, who had her moment of glory when she finished second behind Abba in the
1974 European Song Contest. Now working in a meat factory, Liliane’s brush with
fame has been all but forgotten. But when she meets Jean, a 21-year-old boxer,
her dreary life is suddenly turned upside down. With Isabelle Huppert, Kévin
Azaïs, and Johan Leysen.
Things to Come (L'Avenir)
Mia Hansen-Løve, France/Germany Canadian Premiere
A delicate and affecting tale about a middle-aged professor
whose carefully structured life is thrown into disarray when her husband leaves
her for another woman, and who finds an unlikely new companion in a former
student and radical young communist. With Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Roman
Kolinka, Edith Scob, Sarah Le Picard, and Solal Forte.
Toni Erdmann
Maren Ade, Germany Canadian Premiere
An alternately hilarious and mortifying comedy about the
fraught relationship between a repressed corporate consultant and her
incessantly prank-playing dad. Starring Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller,
Michael Wittenborn, Thomas Loibl, Trystan Pütter, Hadewych Minis, Lucy Russell,
Ingrid Bisu, Vlad Ivanov, and Victoria Cocias.
Trespass Against Us
Adam Smith, United Kingdom World Premiere
Three generations of the Cutler family live as notorious
outlaws among some of the wealthiest lands in Britain. They spend their time
hunting, raiding large estates, and tormenting the police. In the midst of it
all, Chad finds himself torn between respect for his father and a desire for a
better life for his children. The law is cracking down on his clan, and the
decision might not be his to make. Stars Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson,
Lyndsey Marshal, Killian Scott, Rory Kinnear, and Sean Harris.
Una
Benedict Andrews, United Kingdom Canadian Premiere
When a young woman unexpectedly arrives at an older man's
workplace looking for answers, the secrets of the past threaten to unravel his
new life. Their confrontation will uncover buried memories and unspeakable
desires shaking them both to the core. Starring Rooney Mara, Ben Mendelsohn,
and Riz Ahmed.
Unless
Alan Gilsenan, Canada/Ireland World Premiere
Reta Winters has many reasons to be happy, but all the quiet
satisfactions of her well-lived life suddenly disappear when her eldest
daughter Norah inexplicably drops out of college and is found on a Toronto
street corner, panhandling and refusing to speak. An adaptation of the final
novel by the late, great Canadian novelist Carol Shields. Starring Catherine
Keener, Matt Craven, Hannah Gross, Martha Henry, and Hanna Schygulla.
The Wasted Times (Luo Man Di Ke Xiao Wang Shi)
Cheng Er, China World Premiere
Love, hatred, and betrayal abound in Shanghai during the
chaotic, war-torn 1930s. Mr. Lu is ambushed during an important meeting with
the Japanese army, but his sister’s husband, Watabe, sacrifices himself to save
Mr. Lu. Worse still, the Japanese brutally murder Mr. Lu’s children and sister.
To avenge their deaths, Mr. Lu’s mistress attempts to kill the culprit but ends
up dead. Years later as the Sino- Japanese war comes to a close, Mr. Lu visits
Mrs. Wang, the abandoned wife of his former boss who reveals an astonishing
truth about the tragedy. Cast includes Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, and Tadanobu Asano.
TIFF runs Sept. 8 – 18.
Please visit www.tiff.net
for more information on this year’s festival.
