TIFF announced earlier today additional Special Events and In Conversations as part of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. While virtual, fans globally can tune-in to chats with the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Steve Yeun, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Kristen Stewart this year.

Additional details below:

Special Events – Part 2

Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine

Before Drake and The Weeknd, there was a different set of Toronto musicians who ruled the roost. Known simply as Triumph, this rock trio dominated North American radio and mainstream charts in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and were the envy of the touring business — with even The Jacksons taking a page out of their live-show book. But despite being one of the world’s biggest rock bands, the trio split at the height of their fame and seemingly disappeared without explanation to their fans or media. Directed by Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli, produced by the Emmy-winning Banger Films in association with Revolver Films and set to a mesmerizing visual backdrop of spandex, ’80s hair, and explosive pyro, Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine reveals a deeper story about fame and the human condition as the band reunites for what might be the very last time they play music together.

Reflecting on 9/11: A day of recollection, 20 years later.

The horrific news from New York City on that bright, late-summer morning 20 years ago tore open the bubble of the Toronto International Film Festival. Everyone was shaken, but, for the hundreds of Americans and New Yorkers in Toronto for the Festival that day, the shock went deeper. TIFF staff, led by then CEO Piers Handling and Executive Director Michèle Maheux, decided immediately to pause screenings, to shut down red carpets altogether, and to help people get home to their families.

Two decades on, memory becomes more important. This year, we remember the filmmakers who have sought to tell the stories of 9/11 with insight and empathy. We remember the still-present threat of Islamophobia, including in film and television. This year, we mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a day of recollection for our Festival community, including a special screening from Yard 44 and NBC News Studios, the new documentary Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11, by Bjørn Johnson and David Belton. This film explores the months following the worst terrorist attacks on the US, via recordings made in a simple video booth that captured the thoughts, feelings, and fears of more than five hundred Americans. Now, 20 years later, as the country and the world faces renewed uncertainty, Memory Box brings to the screen a collective, untold, and relevant story, presented by NBC News Studios, MSNBC Films and Peacock.

Platform Prize Jury

TIFF is also thrilled to announce the full international 2021 Platform Prize Jury. Led by Academy Award–nominated actor Riz Ahmed, the jurors include: Clio Barnard, Valerie Complex, Kazik Radwanski, and Anthony Chen.

In Conversation With…

This year’s In Conversation With… series connects audiences and film lovers around the world with some of the most talented artists working in film and television. The 2021 lineup includes award-winning actors and creators who have helped shape the discourse in the entertainment industry and who are presenting their highly-anticipated new films at the Festival. All In Conversation With… events are taking place digitally and will be accessible worldwide on the TIFF Bell Digital Talks platform.

Kenneth Branagh
The Academy Award–nominated writer, director, and actor joins us to discuss his wide-ranging career in film, television, and theatre; the challenges and joys of adapting Shakespeare’s plays for the big screen; and the journey of making Belfast (2021), a Gala Presentation at this year’s Festival and his most personal film to date.
Monday, September 13, 12pm EDT

Benedict Cumberbatch
The TIFF Tribute Actor Award recipient and Academy Award nominee joins us to discuss his career in film, theatre, and television, and his two films at this year’s Festival: Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog and Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.
Sunday, September 12, 3:30pm EDT

Kristen Stewart
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of TIFF’s ongoing Share Her Journey initiative in support of women in the film industry, we proudly present a conversation with the award-winning actor about her collaborations with the likes of Olivier Assayas and Kelly Reichardt, and her portrayal of Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín’s Spencer, a Special Event at this year’s Festival. Note: This live digital event is accessible to audiences worldwide on TIFF Bell Digital Talks for free as part of TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative, empowering and celebrating women behind and in front of the camera. Audiences can pre-register for this exclusive event here.
Wednesday, September 15, 12:30pm EDT

Steven Yeun
The Academy Award–nominated actor joins us to retrace his extraordinary journey from collaborations with Bong Joon-ho, Lee Chang-dong, and Lee Isaac Chung to his upcoming film, Stephen Karam’s The Humans, a Special Presentation at this year’s Festival.
Sunday, September 12, 6pm EDT

Additional Visionaries speaker added to the 2021 TIFF Industry Conference lineup:

VISIONARIES Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Generously supported by Anne-Marie Canning

Born in Bangkok, director Apichatpong Weerasethakul is one of the most influential and revered visual artists of this time. His incisive, visceral relationship with the moving image often draws on the ancestral myths of his country to reflect on his surroundings, from global social issues to the political concerns of modern Thailand. Join us for a conversation with the filmmaker, whose latest feature, Memoria, was one of two Jury Prize winners at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival moderated by TIFF Artistic Director & Co-Head Cameron Bailey.

TIFF 2021 Industry Selects

“These titles, hand-selected by TIFF’s Festival Programming team presented on our TIFF Digital Cinema Pro platform, are sure to garner interest from buyers,’’ said Diana Sanchez, Senior Director, Film. “They reflect the Festival’s global spirit and showcase a host of new voices and international talent.”

“We’re delighted to present these director-driven and audience-engaging sales titles from around the world to international buyers who rely on our festival to help discover the best cinema from across the globe,” added Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry and Theatrical. “TIFF is thrilled to support buyers, sales agents, producers, and of course filmmakers this year with the TIFF Industry Selects distinction.”

107 Mothers Peter Kerekes | Slovakia
America Latina Damiano D’Innocenzo & Fabio D’Innocenzo | Italy, France
Cadejo Blanco Justin Lerner | Guatemala, USA, Mexico
Carmen Valerie Buhagiar | Malta, Canada
Cool Abdoul Jonas Backeland | Belgium
Domingo Raúl López Echeverría | Mexico, Austria, France
The Hole in the Fence Joaquín del Paso | Mexico, Poland
The King of All the World Carlos Saura | Mexico, Spain
La Civil Teodora Ana Mihai | Belgium, Romania, Mexico
The Last Mark Reem Morsi | Canada
My Night Antoinette Boulat | France
Night Blooms Stephanie Joline | Canada
Nightride Stephen Fingleton | UK
Nr. 10 Alex van Warmerdam | Netherlands, Belgium
Old Henry Potsy Ponciroli | USA
Onoda – 10,000 Nights in the Jungle Arthur Harari | France, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Italy
The Pink Cloud luli Gerbase | Brazil
Quake Tinna Hrafnsdóttir | Iceland
Reflection Valentyn Vasyanovych | Ukraine
The Score Malachi Smythe | UK
Shankar’s Fairies Irfana Majumdar | India
A Tale of Love and Desire Leyla Bouzid | France

The 2021 Toronto International Festival takes place September 9 – 19, 2021.

Official Film Schedule available here.

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan star in the gripping Thriller THE COURIER, and this is your chance to win a Digital Download!

Synopsis:

THE COURIER is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. 

At the behest of the UK’s MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer 

Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

See the Trailer:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Tweet below for an extra chance!

Rules and regulations here.

Elevation Pictures release THE COURIER digitally and on-demand Friday, April 16, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Digital Passes to an Advance Screening of THE MAURITANIAN on February 25th at 8:30PM EST.

Synopsis:

Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir, this is the explosive true story of a fight for survival against all odds.

Trailer:

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for an extra chance.

Rules and regulations here.

Elevation Pictures release THE MAURITANIAN March 2, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Based on true story, THE COURIER starring Rachel Brosnahan and Benedict Cumberbatch is coming soon! See this new Trailer.

Synopsis:

THE COURIER is a true-life Spy Thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into one of the greatest international conflicts in history. At the behest of the UK’s MI-6 and a CIA operative (Rachel Brosnahan), he forms a covert, dangerous partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) in an effort to provide crucial intelligence needed to prevent a nuclear confrontation and defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Elevation Pictures release THE COURIER, coming soon.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Coming to theatres next February, here is the brand-new Trailer for Kevin Macdonald’s THE MAURITANIAN.

Synopsis:

Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy. Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir, this is the explosive true story of a fight for survival against all odds.

See the Trailer:

Elevation Pictures release THE MAURITANIAN February 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Based on the true story of businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) who, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, was sent by MI6 and CIA operatives to the Soviet Union to work with a mole Oleg (Merab Ninidze) and bring back documents.

This unflinching Political Drama pays tribute to the ordinary yet unbelievably strong and brave hero of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Director Dominic Cooke managers to bring something unique to the old Political Drama genre. The use of Lighting, Production Design and Cinematography elevates this important and heartbreaking story along with its stellar cast. Cumberbatch is at the top of his game as Wynne who teaches us that there’s humanity at the centre of every conflict, no matter how big. Jessie Buckley, who plays Wynne’s wife, gives a heartbreaking performance particularly in a scene where she finally gets to see her husband again. The rest of the Cast consisting of Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan and more turns in memorable and powerful performances.

Ironbark screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 24th at 6:30 PM at Eccles, Sat, Jan. 25th at 9 AM at Eccles, Sat, Jan. 25th at 6:15 PM at Grand Theatre, Mon, Jan. 27th at 12 PM at Sundance Resort, Sat, Feb. 1st at 8:30 PM at The MARC, and Sun, Feb. 2nd at Rose Wagner Center.

We are overjoyed to give our Canadian Readers a chance to win a copy of record-shattering AVENGERS: ENDGAME on Blu-ray^TM !

Synopsis:

Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame,” the climactic conclusion to an unprecedented, 11-year cinematic journey in which the Avengers take one final stand against Thanos, delivered the biggest opening weekend in history and is currently one of the highest-grossing films of all time.

Fans who bring home “Avengers: Endgame” will gain hours of additional screen time with their favourite cast members and filmmakers who have shaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Bonus features include a tribute to the great Stan Lee; the tale of Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Iron Man; the evolution of Captain America; Black Widow’s dramatic story arc; directors Anthony and Joe Russo’s experience at the helm of both “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame”; the making of an epic battle scene with the women of the MCU; the creation of Bro Thor; deleted scenes; a gag reel and more.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. CLICK “share” from there or Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

Canadian Readers only, please.

Walt Disney Studios Canada release AVENGERS: ENDGAME Tuesday, August 13, 2019 on DVD, 4K and Blu-ray^TM . It arrives on Digital in HD Friday, July 30, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Canada)

Back in December, we posted this piece pointing to some early images of Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Doctor Strange for the upcoming Marvel Studios project of the same name. The film has flown under the radar to some extent, perhaps because we have some other superhero releases to get through first in 2016, but the argument can be made that Cumberbatch is the biggest star to take up a superhero role since Robert Downey, Jr. and Scarlett Johansson. And that should make this a pretty exciting release when the time comes.

In the meantime all we have is speculation and whatever the studio gives us. And this past week, that included a first look at the character in action! The debut trailer for Doctor Strange was uploaded to YouTube by Marvel Entertainment, and you can view it in its entirety here.

In the meantime, here are some thoughts and questions we had regarding this early look…

First, how about the distinct Christopher Nolan undertones? Upon a first watch of the trailer you may notice that in a very general sense the sounds and cinematography on display are reminiscent of Nolan’s style. But watching more closely, you might see distinct echoes of two films in particular: Batman Begins and Inception. We see Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) in both humble rags and a tuxedo, and then seemingly training and reinventing himself in what looks to be a Far East temple of some sort very much in the image of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins. We also see people manipulating environments and even folding cities in ways that bring Inception visuals to mind. This is by no means to suggest this film will be anything like those Nolan projects, but either way they’re certainly not bad comparisons.

The next thought that came to mind was the question of how familiar this character will be to comic fans, if at all. The truth is that the studio (and larger company) have already made some efforts to plant an image of Doctor Strange in the minds of modern fans. The character exists in multiple games online and on mobile devices, and there may even be a hint of him in a popular casino game at this site. The image for The Magician Trick Picks slot game looks suspiciously like some versions of Strange, and we know that both Marvel and DC like to advertise their characters by licensing their images out to these platforms. In this case, the game isn’t official, but it could easily have been taken as a hint of more to come. Despite all these appearances most of which fall in line with the Entertainment Weekly stills of Cumberbatch in the role that we discussed previously the trailer shows a humbler and more ordinary looking character. It may b e that for this first film we’re pretty much looking at a normal human before he transforms into a costumed hero.

And finally, it’s difficult to watch the trailer without wondering: is this a little bit too much? The imagery and Nolan-like quality are quite exciting, on their own, but the film looks to have a distinctly different tone than most of the other superhero films we’ve seen. Furthermore, it certainly appears as if the school of power that Strange is studying in has secrets that would far surpass the abilities of the other Avengers, and of the villains we’ve seen thusfar. An early review for Captain America: Civil War essentially praises the upcoming film for remaining grounded, whereas so many superhero films have focused on greater powers and enemies emerging from the skies. Frankly it’s all gotten a little bitridiculous and there has to be some concern that Doctor Strange will ramp things up in that department just a few months after Civil War brings the genre back down to Earth.

Purely as its own project, however, Doctor Strange is looking pretty interesting. Its trailer definitely makes you want to know more.

He’s a Buddhist? We had no clue. Entertainment Weekly has a fascinating read on Benedict Cumberbatch this week as he graces the cover in an exclusive DOCTOR STRANGE preview!

Cumberbatch who stars in the titular role of the upcoming Blockbuster reveals that he spent his teen years working with Tibetan monks, teaching them English. “I became interested the meeting point between Western logic and Eastern mysticism”, he says.  The role of Doctor Strange allows him to  explore supernatural forces and alternative dimensions.

Read more here.

DOCTOR STRANGE also stars Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tilda Swinton, Chiewetel Ejiofor and Mads Mikkelsen.

See the Cover:

Marvel Entertainment Canada release DOCTOR STRANGE on Friday, November 4, 2016.

(Photo credit: Marvel/Entertainment Weekly)

Elevation Pictures and Mr. Will want you to get-in on a Film which has Critics and Audiences in overwhelming agreement of its greatness! THE IMITATION GAME premiered here at TIFF ’14 to resoundingly positive response winning the People’s Choice Award. Although it’s been in theatres in limited release for a bit, we want you to experience what is definitively a Contender at the Academy Awards!  Also, we want you to win a copy of Alan Turing: The Enigma, on which the Film is based and if this weren’t enough how about a super-rare authentic signed Photo from BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH himself?

Official Synopsis:
In THE IMITATION GAME, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician, logician, cryptologist and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Turing went on to assist with the development of computers at the University of Manchester after the war, but was prosecuted by the UK government in 1952 for homosexual acts which the country deemed illegal.

THE IMITATION GAME also stars Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong and Allen Leech.

See the Trailer:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook!  Click “share” on this Post from there and get an extra chance.  You also may Re-Tweet the below for another opportunity also:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/theimitationgame @MRWILLW wants us to #win a #THEIMITATIONGAME Prize Pack!

 Good luck, Willionaire$!

A glance at that Cumberbatch Autograph:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Sep 9, 2014 at 8:28am PDT

Mr. Will + The Cast of The Imitation Game:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jan 1, 2015 at 5:31pm PST

Elevation Pictures release THE IMITATION GAME, now in theatres.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)