The Toronto Film Critics Association met today to determine winners of the 26th annual TFCA Awards. The Awards, to be held March 6, 2023 at the OMNI King Edward Hotel will see a winner named for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. Up for the $100k prize are Clement Virgo’s Brother, David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future and Anthony Shim’s Riceboy Sleeps. Runners-Up will each receive $5,000.
Leading the winners this year is Charlotte Wells’ AFTERSUN, the semi-autobiographical Drama follows an 11 year-old girl’s recollections of a trip to a Turkish resort with her troubled father for his 31st birthday, following her parents’ separation. The Film is Wells’ first Feature, impressively seeing her sweep Best Picture, Director and Best First Feature. Star Paul Mescal also won Best Actor.
The full list of 26th annual TFCA Awards winners and runners-up below:
Best Picture
Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures), Women Talking (Universal Picture Canada)
Best Director
Charlotte Wells – Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures); Sarah Polley, Women Talking (Universal Pictures Canada)
Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted
The Banshees of Inisherin – Martin McDonagh (Searchlight Pictures)
Runners-up: Todd Field, Tár (Universal Pictures Canada); Sarah Polley, Women Talking (Universal Picturs Canada)
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in Tár (Universal Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Danielle Deadwyler in Till ((Universal Pictures Canada; Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Best Actor
Paul Mescal in Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures); Brendan Fraser in The Whale (Elevation Pictures)
Best Supporting Actress
Keke Palmer in Nope (Universal Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Jessie Buckley in Women Talking (Universal Pictures Canada); Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Best Supporting Actor
Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Runners-up: Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures); Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures)
Best Animated Feature
Turning Red, directed by Domee Shi (Walt Disney Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix); Marcel the Shell with Shoes on (Elevation Pictures)
Allan King Documentary Award
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras (Elevation Pictures)
Runners-up: Fire of Love (Mongrel Media); Moonage Daydream (Elevation Pictures)
Best International Feature
Saint Omer, directed by Alice Diop (Films We Like)
Runners-up: Decision to Leave (Mongrel Media); EO (Films We Like)
Best First Feature
Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Marcel the Shell with Shoes on (Elevation Pictures); Turning Red (Walt Disney Pictures Canada)
Rogers Best Canadian Feature Award Nominees
Brother, directed by Clement Virgo (Elevation Pictures)
Crimes of the Future, directed by David Cronenberg (Sphere Films)
Riceboy Sleeps, directed by Anthony Shim (Game Theory Films)
Special Citation
To Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Al-Ahmad, who are currently in jail in Ira yet continue to make subtle movies that talk about life in their country, in spite of threats and restrictions from the regime. We stand in solidarity with them and add our voices to the international arts community calling for their release.
(Photo credit: Sphere Films)
Sphere Films x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of David Cronenberg‘s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE as a VOD rental or on Blu-ray! One lucky winner also will get a David Cronenberg-signed Poster!
Synopsis:
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart, the film follows the story of a performance artist who turns the removal of his metamorphosized organs into real-time art. Receiving a six-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere this year, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE is, as Guillermo del Toro likes to put it, “100% Cronenbergian body gospel.”
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Indiciate in the comments there if you are requesting to win a VOD rental or a Blu-ray copy. One winner will get a signed Poster! Contest open within Canada only.
Enter for a chance to #win a copy of David Cronenberg's CRIMES OF THE FUTURE as a Video-on-Demand Rental, or on Blu-ray! Tell us which works better for you!
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) August 2, 2022
One lucky winner also gets a David Cronenberg-signed Poster!https://t.co/NjYPg5SHSV pic.twitter.com/shdcNdUZgt
Rules and regulations here.
Sphere Films release CRIMES OF THE FUTURE on-demand starting August 2, 2022 and Blu-Ray on August 9, 2022.
More here how to see it!
(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films)
The Canadian Star System in full forcelast night at the North American Premiere of David Cronenberg’s Body Horror, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. The Film, shot in Athens, got its World Premiere earlier this month in Cannes.
The Film looks Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) and Caprice (Léa Seydoux), the former, a celebrity Performance Artist, who publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
The film has received wide-acclaim, sticking to Cronenberg‘s shocking sensibilites.
In attendance at the Red Carpet Premiere at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX was a who’s-who of Canadian Cinema including:
David CronenbergDon’t forget to visit TIFF Bell Lightbox as they celebrate Cronenberg‘s iconic career with display pieces from the David Cronenberg Permanent Collection throughout the building for a limited time only. TIFF will screen Crash (1996), setting the stage for both the theatrical release of Crimes of the Future and a four-film TIFF Cinematheque series spotlighting Cronenberg’s earlier work, titled Cronenberg: Crimes of the Past and running July 2 to July 10. The series features screenings of Videodrome (1983), Dead Ringers (1988), eXistenZ (1999), and a second screening of Crash. More at tiff.net.
Sphere Films will release CRIMES OF THE FUTURE June 3, 2022.
(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films/Mr. Will Wong)
By Amanda Gilmore
This latest effort from Auteur David Cronenberg takes place sometime in the future when the human species has adapted to a synthetic environment. In doing so, the human body undergoes new transformations and mutations. Saul (Viggo Mortensen) is a man whose organs metamorphosis. This leads him and his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux) to put on performance art shows where she operates on him, removing one of these mysterious organs at a time. However, a mysterious underground group believe that Saul’s ever-growing insides might just be the next step toward evolution.
Cronenberg opens with a young boy searching the ocean as a rotted shipwreck is just off the coast. It’s clear something has happened to Earth due to climate change. His mother warns him to not eat anything he finds. From her urgent, disgusted tone it’s clear he does this a lot. Soon we watch as he eats a plastic garbage bin. It’s a powerful opening to a film that works best as a commentary on climate change.
The impact of this climate change has caused the human body to transform in order to survive. However, this has led the species to feel no pain. As mentioned in the Film, pain acts as a warning sign. This brings into question how one can survive without it. The hollowness that comes with these characters causes them to crave something to feel.
The surgeries, and performance art, act as a substitute for sex in Crimes of the Future. As Kristen Stewart’s character Timlin explains: “Surgery is the new sex.” Stewart steals the show with her portrayal of the mousey Timlin. Particularly, in her advances upon Saul. It’s a shame she’s underused. But this statement is true as we see when watching Caprice (a daring and captivating performance from Seydoux) perform the surgeries on Saul. The look of desire and lust spreads across her face as she controls the procedure.
This theme of sex throughout the Film directly correlates to the idea of reproduction that continuously comes up. The evolution of humans won’t happen if no one is reproducing. One scene has Caprice unzip a part of Saul’s stomach and perform what is akin to oral sex. It’s as though Cronenberg is asking: how will the human race continue if they don’t procreate? They can adapt all they want, but without procreating the species will cease to exist.
The stylistic world Cronenberg and his Production Design team have created brings us into this futuristic world. The bed Saul sleeps in resembles a cocoon. He eats in a chair shaped like a skeleton that constantly moves. When he’s getting operated on, the machine looks like he’s in an incubator. This world and Cronenberg’s vision are fully realized.
There are Subplots that Cronenberg explores in the Film. He touches on how the Government police human bodies. They don’t want the characters to stray from the natural transformation their bodies are going through. This is the significance and the young boy from the beginning and the underground group who are attempting to perform surgeries to progress the human body. This Subplot is an intriguing one and we wish we had more time spent to evaluate it.
Crimes of the Future does have its share of queasy moments, however, it might not be as nauseating as was promised. The gruesome aspects come from the operations Caprice performs on Saul. Although, even then these scenes aren’t horrific – unless you are terrified of organs. The brutal aspects come more from the child. These two segments of the Film aren’t for the faint of heart, but they do tie everything together.
Crimes of the Future screens at Cannes ’22:
Mon, May 23 at 9:30 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Tue, May 24 at 12:00 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Tue, May 24 at 7:00 PM at LICORNE
Tue, May 24 at 7:30 PM at SALLE BAZIN
Wed, May 25 at 12:30 PM at CINEUM IMAX
Thu, May 26 at 9:30 AM at CINEUM AURORE
The 2022 Cannes Film Festival might have started a week ago, but the excitement continues to build as David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE premiered tonight. In attendance were none other than Kristen Stewart, whom our Amanda Gilmore spotted at the Press Junket and Photo Call earlier in a pink Chanel suit. Also in attendance were Léa Seydoux, Scott Speedman and Viggo Mortensen.
The Horror centers on a Performance Artist couple Caprice (Léa Seydoux) and Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), whom publicly showcase the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
The Horror received both walkouts and a standing ovation, divisive as Cronenberg expected. CRIMES OF THE FUTURE arrives in theatres June 3, 2022 via Sphere Films.
Also spotted around town were Jamie Foxx, seen enjoying the French Riviera on a yacht.
Canada’s Nina Dobrev and Shaun White also were spotted around town at both the Top Gun: Maverick Premiere last week, and a Fundraiser for Ukraine, the With Love for Peace Gala.
Review here for CRIMES OF THE FUTURE.
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore/Mr. Will Wong)
The 2022 Cannes Film Festival, now in its 75th edition, has officially begun and we’re so thrilled to be a part of the festivities this year! Our Amanda Gilmore is on-foot out on the French Riviera as the Festival runs today through May 28, 2022.
Canada certainly is making its presence felt and even has its own Festival Village! Canada Tent set-up, the Pavillion having been absent for two years. Our Country is represented by CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (David Cronenberg) – which also will be getting a Canadian Premiere in June at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX – and FALCON LAKE (Charlotte Le Bon).
Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker in addition to producing Documentary For the Sake of Peace, is receiving an honourary Palme d’Or as well. He says this is the first time he has ever felt internationally-recognized as an Artist!
The Festival’s Jury Conference featured some deep talent with names like Deepika Padukone, Rebecca Hall, Noomi Rapace, Jasmine Trinca, Asghar Farhadi, Ladj Ly, Jeff Nichols and Joachim Trier.
Some key quotes from the Panel conducted in both French and English. A recurring theme with the Jury is their humility and love of Cinema, helping spotlight talent versus “judging” and “critiquing”, which is refreshing.
Noomi Rapace: “It’s a dream come true. Thank you. Thank you for having me.”.
Rebecca Hall: “Not here was no hesitation it was obviously a tremendous honour.”. On bring a Juror, the Actress/Director says, “I don’t like the word judge…There is a huge responsibility, but also a creative responsibility.”.
Deepika Padukone: “We made a promise to each other that we won’t burden ourselves with the responsibility.”. The Bollywood icon tells the room, “Cinema is such a powerful tool and medium it has the ability to impact people’s lives.”.
Joachim Trier: “Together we will have some really interesting and difficult conversations.”. The Director of acclaimed THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD also reveals, “I’m looking forward to watching 21 movies.”.
Jeff Nichols: “I once waited tables at the American Pavilion and someone tipped me a ticket and I was blown-away by how beautifully this Festival honours Filmmakers.”. Nichols, excited like Trier about seeing some movies says, “I guarantee you I will watch every single one of these films with the same energy and awe as when I was 21. “.
A view of the Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière Red Carpet:
The famed Theatre Debussy Red Carpet:
TOP GUN: MAVERICK also will get is eagerly-awaited Premiere tomorrow night. See this amazing installation set-up to celebration the Blockbuster!
Bookmark this link and check daily as we will be bringing you your latest Reviews from Cannes!
So excited to deliver you our coverage on the world stage!
(Photo credit: Amanda GIlmore for Mr. Will Wong)
Huge news! Hot off its Premiere at Cannes, David Cronenberg‘s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE will get a Canadian Premiere in Toronto at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX on May 30, 2022. This event is brought to us by TIFF, Sphere Films (known formerly as MK2 | MILE END) and Seredipity Point Films.
The event will be followed by Q&A with the Director, the Producer, and members of the Cast at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the exclusive Canadian venue to screen the film’s North American premiere. The Film opens across North America on Friday, June 3, 2022 including TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Tickets for the Crimes of the Future special one-night-only event as well as tickets for the film’s regular theatrical screenings go on sale starting at 10am on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 for TIFF Members, and to the general public on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Tickets will be limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Synopsis:
Crimes of the Future is a meditation on human evolution. As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission — to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
Following its North American premiere on May 30, Crimes of the Future will start its theatrical run at TIFF Bell Lightbox on June 3, 2022. On Tuesday, May 31, the day after the premiere, TIFF will screen Crash (1996), setting the stage for both the theatrical release of Crimes of the Future and a four-film TIFF Cinematheque series spotlighting Cronenberg’s earlier work, titled Cronenberg: Crimes of the Past and running July 2 to July 10. The series features screenings of Videodrome (1983), Dead Ringers (1988), eXistenZ (1999), and a second screening of Crash. Tickets for Cronenberg: Crimes of the Past go on sale Wednesday, June 22 for TIFF Members and to the public the following week on June 29. All screenings will take place at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Pieces from David Cronenberg‘s collection will be on-display also throughout TIFF Bell Lightbox in celebration of the Film.
(Photo credit: Sphere Films)
The 2022 Cannes Film Festival kicks-off Tuesday, May 18, 2022 and runs till Saturday, May 28, 2022. This will be our first official year at the Festival as our Amanda Gilmore will be on the French Riviera covering the Festival!
Returning to its traditional May slot, the Festival serves as a major precursor to what we might see Awards Season later this year. But timed perfectly, some huge Blockbusters like TOP GUN: MAVERICK and Baz Luhrmann‘s ELVIS will be getting their chance to premiere before the world. Many eyes will be on Openight Night film Michel Hazanavicius’ FINAL CUT, David Cronenberg’s Athens-filmed CRIMES OF THE FUTURE and Closing Night selection SHOWING UP from Director Kelly Reichardt.
Amanda previews for us her six-most eagerly-anticipated titles of the Festival.
Canada’s David Cronenberg is finally back at Cannes and is bringing Kristen Stewart, Lea Seydoux and Viggo Mortensen with him. Crimes of the Future takes place in the not-so-distant future where the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. In a recent interview, Cronenberg said he’s expecting walkouts at the Festival screenings. This only makes us want to see it more! It will compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or.
After spending some time making television, Director Park Chan-wook has returned to Film with Decision to Leave. It’s a mystery thriller that follows a detective who falls for a widow after she becomes the prime suspect in his latest murder investigation. We are fans of Chan-wook’s prior films such as Oldboy and Stoker. We can’t wait to see what he’s got up his sleeve for Decision to Leave. It will compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or.
We have been waiting for this biopic of Elvis Presley for some time now after production was halted at the beginning of the pandemic. Finally, it will be having its world premiere at the Festival and we couldn’t be happier. Baz Luhrmann is bringing his dazzling direction to the Rock Legend’s life and he’s assembled quite the cast. We can’t wait to see Austin Butler become the man himself and Tom Hanks’ portrayal of his manager Colonel Tom Parker.
This Film tells the true, eerie story of twin sisters who were entirely silent, communicating only with each other as children. As teenagers, they became obsessed with writing fiction, then with teenage boys, and finally, with crime. It’s Written and Directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska and stars Letitia Wright as both sisters. It will screen in-competition for the Un Certain Regard Award.
Writer-Director George Miller is returning to Cannes for this Fantasy Romance starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton. It follows a lonely scholar on a trip to Istanbul who discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. What she wants is love, but can and should he grant it to her? We can’t wait to see what epic journey Miller brings us on this time.
Actress Riley Keogh is making her Director Debut with War Pony. She Co-Directs with Gina Gammell and the Film is based on real events. It follows the interlocking stories of three Lakota men living on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The three tales explore the concept of belonging: a child belonging to a family, a man belonging to “America,” and an elder belonging to his Tribe. It will screen in-competition for the Un Certain Regard Award.
Stay tuned for our coverage and bookmark this link for updated Reviews and coverage!
David Cronenberg‘s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE will be premiering at Cannes! This is the sixth time the Canadian Filmmaker has appeared at the Festival in competition.
Shot in Athens, the Film stars Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart and Scott Speedman.
Synopsis:
As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
From Sphere Films (formerly MK2 | MILE END), the Film will be opening across Canada on June 3, 2022, following its world premiere in the Official Competition at the Festival de Cannes
(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films)
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