Here are five reasons why, after 50 years, Toronto’s film festival still matters

by

1

In Toronto, starting on Thursday evening, the Toronto International Film Festival commences its 50th anniversary celebration this year. This event gathers an exciting mix of art, commerce, and celebrity.

The festival serves as a trusted platform for films to debut in North America, especially those aiming for the Oscars. Despite facing stiffer competition in recent years from related events in Telluride and Venice, it remains undoubtedly significant, holding an essential place on the annual calendar of any film year.

Robyn Citizen, the festival’s programming director, expressed during a recent Zoom call that TIFF is incredibly flexible. She acknowledged that predicting the direction of the industry can be challenging, but emphasized their commitment to providing the best service possible to both their audience and industry.

Here are just a handful of reasons why TIFF has maintained such a significant role for so long.

It’s the ultimate one-stop shop

At this year’s upcoming festival, over 200 films will be showcased. Among them are several world premieres, such as Aziz Ansari’s comedy about wealth inequality titled “Good Fortune,” Nia DaCosta’s modern adaptation of Ibsen’s play named “Hedda,” Derek Cianfrance’s true-crime thriller “Roofman,” Hikari’s family drama “Rental Family,” Nic Pizzollatto’s film set in Las Vegas titled “Easy’s Waltz,” David Michôd’s boxing drama starring Sydney Sweeney called “Christy,” and Rian Johnson’s newest installment of the Benoit Blanc mystery series, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The festival will commence with the first-ever screening of Colin Hanks’ documentary about John Candy titled “John Candy: I Like Me.

At Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), films that have recently premiered at Venice, Telluride, or both, such as Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Chloé Zhao’s Shakespeare-inspired “Hamnet,” Mona Fastvold’s historical musical “The Testament of Ann Lee,” and Edward Berger’s gambling drama “Ballad of a Small Player,” also find significant value. Despite their previous screenings, they continue to hold importance at TIFF.

Movies that had their premieres earlier in the year at festivals like Sundance, Berlin, or Cannes are included in the lineup for TIFF. Among these are Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” Rebecca Zlotowski’s “A Private Life,” Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning “It Was Just an Accident,” and Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” and “Nouvelle Vague.” All of these will be screened at TIFF.

What sets TIFF apart is its distinctive blend of top-notch selections from various festivals and different periods of the year. Originally dubbed as the “Festival of Festivals,” it has always been committed to showcasing the finest films of the year. In essence, TIFF strives to cater to a wide audience.

Citizen emphasized their focus on carefully selecting films they believe both their current viewers would appreciate and those they consider essential for them to watch. In essence, their goal is to serve as a connector between filmmakers, the movie world, and the audience.

Media professionals attending the event could review films produced earlier in the year, thereby gaining an early advantage over upcoming awards-season movies that are just starting to reach viewers. Additionally, they might also get a glimpse of projects slated for release at some point within a year or more ahead.

Moreover, let’s not forget that many American news organizations are now opting for Toronto due to its cost-efficient nature compared to more expensive locations like Cannes, Telluride, or Venice, making it a popular choice for budget-focused media outlets.

These are the festival world’s friendliest audiences

Born and raised in Toronto, filmmaker Chandler Levack is debuting her movie “Mile End Kicks,” featuring Barbie Ferreira. The film is loosely based on Levack’s personal experiences as a young music journalist and explores similar themes. Levack shares her anticipation to gauge the reaction of local viewers when a scene depicts Ferreira’s character giving the middle finger to Toronto’s iconic CN Tower.

Levack has encountered TIFF from various angles throughout his career. Initially, he was a film student eagerly queuing up for last-minute passes, then he transformed into a journalist, striving to secure interviews, followed by a role within the festival itself as a writer. Currently, he finds himself back as a returning filmmaker.

Levack believes that these films screened at TIFF continue to shape cultural discussions in cinema. The impact these movies had on him, particularly with their audience, has made for some of the most deeply moving cinematic encounters he’s ever experienced.

At TIFF, it’s known as an “audience festival” because the attendees are exceptionally responsive and eager, showing heartfelt enthusiasm. The downtown core near King Street, where many of the main venues are found, can become bustling with fans desperate to snag an autograph, selfie, or merely a glimpse of their favorite celebrities. The festival’s most coveted prize is the People’s Choice audience award, which has frequently served as a reliable predictor for the success of its recipients in the Academy Awards.

As a film enthusiast and reviewer, I’m thrilled to share that Sony Pictures Classics is gracing this year’s Toronto International Film Festival with no less than eight captivating cinematic offerings! Among them are “Blue Moon,” Haifaa Al Mansour’s enigmatic “Unidentified,” and Scarlett Johansson’s spellbinding portrayal in “Eleanor the Great.” Over the years, Sony Pictures Classics has been a festival staple, introducing over 400 films to TIFF’s rich tapestry of cinema. Get ready for an extraordinary journey through storytelling at its finest!

Tom Bernard, co-founder and co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, stated, “The audience here is exceptionally perceptive, as far as I’m concerned. They grasp every subtle detail and emotional beat in any film, whether it’s a comedy, drama, or even a sudden gasp. When you watch a movie in Toronto, you need to be cautious because the response can be so infectiously enthusiastic that you might think, ‘Wow, this movie is fantastic.’ However, it may not play as well elsewhere.

The road to the Oscars often goes through Toronto

Last year’s award-winning films such as “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Conclave,” “Flow,” “I’m Still Here,” “The Substance” and “No Other Land” were screened at the festival, although they did not have their world premieres there. On the other hand, the Oscar-nominated film “Sing Sing” made its world debut at the 2023 edition of TIFF.

As a follower, I’m excited to share that the third installment in Rian Johnson’s intriguing mystery series, titled “Wake Up Dead Man,” featuring Daniel Craig, is now out. This film marks our fifth collaboration where we premiere one of our projects at TIFF. Interestingly enough, both of the earlier “Knives Out” mysteries that we worked on together earned Johnson an Oscar nomination for his original screenplay. Here’s to hoping for another successful venture!

As a cinephile, I had the pleasure of witnessing the extraordinary success of “American Fiction,” a masterpiece produced by T-Street Productions that graced our screens in 2023. This movie made its grand debut at a prestigious film festival and claimed the highly coveted People’s Choice audience award, joining an esteemed lineup that includes films like “The Fabelmans,” “Belfast,” “Nomadland,” and “Jojo Rabbit.” The recognition this film received was well-deserved, as it went on to secure five Academy Award nominations, including the prestigious Best Picture award, and even took home an Oscar for its exceptional adapted screenplay. It’s a testament to the power of great storytelling and a reminder of why we all love cinema.

The recently completed “Knives Out” movie is slated for another premiere in Toronto, according to Bergman’s original intentions. Interestingly, it’s planned to be shown simultaneously in the same theater where the previous two films were screened on the same day.

Bergman enjoys performing in Toronto and finds the audience wonderful,” he said. “In fact, our films are primarily meant for the people. We’re not focused on winning awards or strategizing; we simply want people to enjoy themselves. Over the years, Toronto has been a source of great joy for us during film screenings, so it seems fitting that we should continue showing our movies there. It’s all about having fun and sharing our creations with wonderful audiences.

Provocative documentaries often stir the pot

Since its founding, non-fiction works have consistently played a significant role in shaping Toronto’s identity. Films like “Harlan County, USA.” and “Roger & Me” have graced the city’s festivals right from the start.

Laura Poitras, an Academy Award winner, comes back to Toronto with “Cover-Up”, a film she co-directed with Mark Obenhaus that focuses on investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. Meanwhile, Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the minds behind “Free Solo”, are back in Toronto with “Love+War”, a movie that delves into the life story of photojournalist Lynsey Addario.

In 2021, Ben Proudfoot’s film “The Eyes of Ghana,” featuring African cinematographer Chris Hesse, will make its debut on the global stage for the first time. Notably, Proudfoot has already claimed two Academy Awards for his documentary shorts “The Queen of Basketball” and “The Last Repair Shop.” The latter was jointly distributed by LA Times Studios.

The World Premiere of ‘Paula Deen’s Fall from Grace: A Journey in the Food World,’ and that of ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,’ Baz Luhrmann’s documentary, are set to occur.”

A Journey in the Food World’ and ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,’ directed by Baz Luhrmann, will make their debut on the global stage.

Documentaries dealing with controversial topics may pose challenges for a festival too. For instance, last year’s film “Russians at War” by Anastasia Trofimova, which saw the director joining Russian soldiers to portray the Ukraine war, stirred up controversy, resulting in threats of protest and safety issues that eventually led to its screening post-TIFF event conclusion.

This year’s festival initially included the documentary “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” which tells the story of a hostage rescue mission carried out by a retired Israeli defense force officer after Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. The festival later removed the film from its schedule, directed by Toronto filmmaker Barry Avrich (who was once a member of TIFF’s board), and eventually scheduled a single public screening due to public outcry, which prompted a rescheduling.

Thom said that people can get very argumentative about films without watching them first, especially in today’s politically tense environment and the era of fast-paced social media, a trend that is evident at many film festivals.

A proven half-century track record

For the initial four years, Sony Classics’ Bernard often competed in tennis matches against festival director Wayne Clarkson, a tradition set by both men where the loser covered the travel costs of the film talent. (Bernard usually emerged victorious.)

Additionally, he mentioned the occasion when the training team from the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) visited Pedro Almodóvar’s hotel room specifically to help him alleviate his back pain.

But mainly there are memories of movies, times the festival’s specific magic cast its spell.

Bernard recounted his experience in a 1994 film screening of ‘Il Postino’. The man selling tickets was seated beside him. As the movie progressed, this man’s grin grew wider and wider, reflecting his anticipation that he would be able to significantly increase the ticket price after the film received multiple Oscar nominations and won one.

In a contrasting manner, I found myself alone at the conclusion of the festival, nestled within Sally Potter’s 1992 film, ‘Orlando’, a groundbreaking piece for Tilda Swinton. As the crowd dispersed, I was left behind, and being the only one there, I returned the film to the office. Upon sharing it with everyone, they too found it captivating. Now, it’s a movie that stands the test of time, not just because of its artistic merit, but also because of the memories we shared during its screening.

For Levack, the festival served as a springboard for her success. Following the premiere of her debut feature “I Like Movies” at the festival in 2022, it eventually caught Adam Sandler’s eye. Now, Levack is wrapping up work on “Roommates,” which she’s producing for Sandler’s Happy Madison studio.

In Levack’s words, “TIFF played an incredibly significant role in bringing our first film into being, and making it matter significantly.” He further added, “Our debut truly gained widespread attention and went viral unexpectedly at that festival. This unexpected success not only boosted the movie but also marked the beginning of my successful career from then on.

Despite the evolving landscape of the film industry and the challenges posed by competing festivals in Toronto, there remains a distinctive magic in the air when some of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year are unveiled to their eager audiences.

In a statement, Bernard said, “They claim that by showing the film in Toronto, they’ll be in contention for an Oscar. But let me tell you, it’s ultimately the viewers who decide, and no one can trick the audience in Toronto.

Read More

2025-09-04 20:01