Writer/Director Parker Finn‘s SMILE will be opening this year’s Fantastic Fest! Here’s a first look at the upcoming Horror starring Sosie Bacon.

Synopsis:

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Cast: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Caitlin Stasey with Kal Penn and Rob Morgan

Paramount Pictures release SMILE September 30, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)

Oprah Winfrey produces SIDNEY, an intimate portrait of screen legend, Sidney Poitier. Just released is a new Trailer of this TIFF ’22 selection.

Synopsis:

From producer Oprah Winfrey and directed by Academy Award nominee Reginald Hudlin, this revealing documentary honours the legendary Sidney Poitier and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the centre of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring candid interviews with Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Robert Redford, Lenny Kravitz, Barbra Streisand, Spike Lee and many more, the film is also produced by Derik Murray, in close collaboration with the Poitier family.Produced by Oprah Winfrey, and hailing from Harpo Productions and Network Entertainment, the documentary is directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Jesse James Miller. Derik Murray also serves as producer. Terry Wood, Catherine Cyr, Brian Gersh, Paul Gertz, Reginald Hudlin, Joanna Shimkus Poitier, Anika Poitier and Barry Krost executive produce.

In addition to premiering at TIFF ’22, “Sidney” will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on September 23, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

We loved X so much and how amazing is it that the Prequel is on its way already? Those of us attending TIFF will be so lucky to see it first!

Synopsis: 

Filmmaker Ti West returns with another chapter from the twisted world of X, in this astonishing follow-up to the year’s most acclaimed horror film. Trapped on her family’s isolated farm, Pearl must tend to her ailing father under the bitter and overbearing watch of her devout mother. Lusting for a glamorous life like she’s seen in the movies, Pearl’s ambitions, temptations, and repressions all collide, in the stunning, technicolor-inspired origin story of X’s iconic villain.

VVS Films release PEARL September 16, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

It was just announced earlier today that Director Sam Mendes will be honoured with the TIFF EBERT DIRECTOR Award at this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards Gala, taking place Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Royal York Hotel.

TIFF will be presenting the Canadian Premiere of Mendes’ most recent work Empire of Light, which he wrote, directed, and produced. Mendes made his feature film debut at the Festival in 1999 with the World Premiere of American Beauty, a TIFF People’s Choice Award winner, for which he was honoured with an Oscar in the Best Director category.

“From his first appearance at TIFF with American Beauty, director Sam Mendes brought his exacting and lyrical vision of cinema to Toronto,” said Bailey. “We are delighted to honour his unique voice and body of work with this year’s TIFF Ebert Director Award.” 

Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, Searchlight Pictures’ Empire of Light is a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema. Starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, with Toby Jones and Colin Firth, Mendes also teams up with award-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins, who was also a TIFF Tribute Award recipient in 2019.

The TIFF Ebert Director Award recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their careers. Named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert, the Award marks an evolution of the Festival’s Roger Ebert Golden Thumb Award, which in past has gone to celebrated visionaries such as Martin Scorsese, Claire Denis, Ava DuVernay, Wim Wenders, and the late Agnès Varda. Past recipients who received the Award since the TIFF Tribute Awards were introduced include Denis Villeneuve (2021), Chloé Zhao (2020), and Taika Waititi (2019).

Mendes joins the recently announced list of 2022 TIFF Tribute Award honourees, the ensemble of My Policeman, who will receive the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance presented by Polestar. More information on the 2022 TIFF Tribute Awards event and this year’s honourees will follow in the coming weeks.

The TIFF Tribute Awards have served as an awards-season bellwether, with past honourees such as Deakins, Waititi, Zhao, Jessica Chastain, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and Joaquin Phoenix going on to win awards on the international stage. The TIFF Tribute Awards honour the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements, recognizing leading industry members, acting talent, directorial expertise, new talent, and a below-the-line artist and creator. The Awards event also serves as TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser to support TIFF’s Every Story fund, which promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in film and TIFF’s core mission to transform the way people see the world through film. 

You know how much we love RuPaul’s Drag Race! We’re a little bummed that we’re out of town while this is taking place over three nights in the GTA in Hamilton (FirstOntario Centre) and Toronto (Meridian Hall), but how lucky are we to have spotted RuPaul’s Drag Race Season Season 14 First Runner-Up, LADY CAMDEN in-town? This actually is her second time back to the City this Summer after having headlined before a packed house at Starry Night as part of this year’s Pride celebrations.

Lady Camden hails from Camden Town, a district in Northwest London, but now is based in the U.S. where she’s found major success on the Drag Circuit really making a huge splash with her classically-trained dance skills and amazing theatrical ability. We will never forget her rendition of Queen‘s “I Want to Break Free“. Epic! Legendary!

It was a total fluke running into Lady Camden out-of-drag but we got so excited and had to profess our love! She was so sweet and pleasantly-surprised to be spotted!

This really made our day as we were really sad about not being able to attend Werq the World! It’s still not too late to check-out Werq the World with limited tickets still available. Click here for more!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/World of Wonder)

Check-out this brand-new Trailer for BANDIT, starring Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert and Mel Gibson!

Synopsis:

In 1985, Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming career criminal, escapes from a US prison in Michigan and crosses the border into Canada where he assumes the identity Robert Whiteman. After falling in love with Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert), a caring social worker he can’t provide for, he turns to robbing banks and discovers that he’s exceptionally good at it. Under the guise of a security analyst, Robert begins flying around the country robbing multiple cities in a day, eventually catching the attention of national news outlets that dub him The Flying Bandit. Addicted to the rush and money that provides his double life, Robert eventually turns to loanshark and reputed gangster Tommy Kay (Mel Gibson) for bigger opportunities. But with Robert’s notoriety growing in record time, he is put into the direct sights of a ruthless detective (Nestor Carbonell) who will stop at nothing to bring him down.

Vortex Media release BANDIT digitally and on-demand September 23, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Vortex Media)

Have we ever missed Charlie Hunnam! Though he’s back in Toronto later this month for Fan Expo, you next can see him in SHANTARAM, coming to Apple TV+ later this year. The Series is based on the internationally best-selling novel by Gregory David Roberts. The highly anticipated Apple Original series is a hopeful cinematic love story coupled with a thrilling epic adventure that follows one man’s journey to redemption through a country that changes his life. “Shantaram” will make its global debut with the first three episodes of its 12-episode first season on Friday, October 14, 2022, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through December 16, 2022, on Apple TV+.

“Shantaram” follows a fugitive named Lin Ford (Hunnam) looking to get lost in vibrant and chaotic 1980s Bombay. Alone in an unfamiliar city, Lin struggles to avoid the trouble he’s running from in this new place. After falling for an enigmatic and intriguing woman named Karla, Lin must choose between freedom or love and the complications that come with it.

In addition to Hunnam, the series also stars Shubham Saraf, Elektra Kilbey, Fayssal Bazzi, Luke Pasqualino, Antonia Desplat, Alyy Khan, Sujaya Dasgupta, Vincent Perez, David Field, Alexander Siddig, Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Elham Ehsas, Rachel Kamath, Matthew Joseph, and Shiv Palekar.

The series is co-created, written and executive produced by Steve Lightfoot, who also serves as showrunner. Bharat Nalluri directs and executive produces. Andrea Barron, Nicole Clemens, Steve Golin, Justin Kurzel, and Eric Warren Singer who co-created the series with Lightfoot, also executive produce. The series is produced for Apple by Paramount Television Studios and Anonymous Content’s AC Studios.

(Photo credit: Apple TV+)

Based on the best-selling, debut novel from Author, Science Editor and Copywriter Bonnie Garmus, “Lessons in Chemistry” will make its global debut on Apple TV+ in 2023. The Series stars Oscar winner Brie Larson, who also produces.

Starring alongside Larson and rounding out the cast for the highly anticipated drama are:
-Lewis Pullman (“Top Gun: Maverick,” “Outer Range”) as ‘Calvin’
-NAACP Image Award-winner Aja Naomi King (“How to Get Away with Murder,” “Sylvie’s Love,” “The Upside,” The Birth of a Nation”) as ‘Harriet Slone’
-Stephanie Koenig (“The Flight Attendant,” “The Offer”) as ‘Fran Frask’
-Patrick Walker (“Gaslit,” “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”) as ‘Wakely’
-Thomas Mann (“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”) as ‘Boryweitz’
-Kevin Sussman (“The Big Bang Theory,” “The Dropout,” “Better Call Saul”) as ‘Walter’
-Multi Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Beau Bridges (“Acting: The First Six Lessons,” “Homeland,” “Goliath,” “Bloodline,” “Masters of Sex,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys”) as ‘Wilson’

Synopsis:

Set in the early 1950s, “Lessons in Chemistry” follows Elizabeth Zott (played by Larson), whose dream of being a scientist is put on hold in a society deeming that women belong in the domestic sphere, not the professional one. When Elizabeth finds herself pregnant, alone and fired from her lab, she musters the ingenuity only a single mother has. She accepts a job as a host on a TV cooking show, and sets out to teach a nation of overlooked housewives – and the men who are suddenly listening – a lot more than recipes… all the while craving a return to her true love: science.

Hailing from Apple Studios, “Lessons in Chemistry” is produced by Aggregate Films. Six-time Emmy Award-nominee Lee Eisenberg (“WeCrashed,” “Little America”) serves as showrunner. The series is executive produced by Academy Award-winner Brie Larson and co-executive producer Elijah Allan-Blitz of their The Great Unknown Productions; Emmy Award-winner Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan (“Ozark,” “A Teacher”) executive produce for Aggregate Films; and, Academy Award-nominee Susannah Grant (“Unbelievable,” “Erin Brockovich”). Natalie Sandy executive produces through Piece of Work Entertainment alongside Eisenberg. Louise Shore also serves as executive producer and Bonnie Garmus serves as co-EP.

(Photo credit: Apple TV+)

Is it a coincidence that so many of our recent favourites on TV and the Big Screen were inspired by Books? Canada’s favourite Book Store INDIGO is celebrating PAGE-TO-SCREEN right now. This Summer alone, THE SUMMER IN TURNED PRETTY (Jenny Han) and HEARTSTOPPER (Alice Oseman) had audiences falling in-love!

And coming this Fall are the likes of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER (J.R.R. Tolkien) and HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (George R.R. Martin) are poised to break streaming records! You’ve got some time to get caught-up in anticipation of these arrivals!

TIFF ’22 also is just around the corner did you know that Festival selections like My Policeman, Black Ice, Butcher’s Crossing, The Greatest Beer Run Ever and The Hummingbird all were based on Books! MY POLICEMAN already has won an Ensemble Performance Award which Emma Corrin and Harry Styles will be in-town to accept, if this is any indication of Awards Season success!

See some titles here featured as part of Indigo‘s PAGE-TO-SCREEN celebrations.

Some additional Canadian titles screening at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival were announced earlier this week.

ROSIE

A film about family, love and misfits, ROSIE tells the story of a young, orphaned, Indigenous girl who is forced to live with her reluctant, street-smart Aunty Fred (Frédérique). Rosie is thrust into the fringes of 1980’s Montréal into the care of Fred, who just lost her job, is on the verge of eviction, and who looks and sounds nothing like her. Fred, an artist who creates art from found and discarded objects or other peoples’ trash, introduces Rosie to her two best friends Flo and Mo, glamorous, gender-bending street workers. In the end, Rosie transforms the lives of these colourful characters and finds love, acceptance, and a true HOME with her new chosen family of glittering outsiders.

Cast: Mélanie Bray, Keris Hope Hill, Constant Bernard, Alex Trahan, Josée Young, Brandon Oakes, Jocelyne Zucco, Arlen Aguayo Stewart

UNTIL BRANCHES BEND

Grace Glowicki (TIFF Rising Star 2016) plays Robin, a cannery worker who struggles to get an abortion. When she finds an invasive bug in a peach at work, she turns her focus towards proving to her community that the danger it poses is real. As her obsession alienates her from friends and family, she sinks deeper into her task. “Until Branches Bend” is a psychological drama about how trouble beneath the surface will always come to light.

Cast: Grace Glowicki, Alexandra Roberts, Quelemia Sparrow, Lochlyn Munro, Antoine DesRochers

LIDO TV

LIDO TV is a variety show with a mission: to help people cope in a world that feels like it’s falling apart. Created and hosted by Lido Pimienta, the award-winning Colombian-Canadian artist and musician, the series tackles themes ranging from feminism and colonialism to privilege and success, with unhinged sketches, inspiring interviews, immersive documentaries, original songs, and surreal puppets.

Dates and times still to be confirmed shortly by TIFF.