By Amanda Gilmore

Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield deliver emotionally raw performances in Director John Crowley’s latest.

We Live in Time tells the exhilarating romance between Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield). Their endearing romance begins in the quirkiest way when Almut hits Tobias with her car. From then on, they’re a unit. The two face life’s joys and upheavals together. They fight. They love. But most importantly, they experience life.

Romance films are hit-and-miss. It’s rare we get one that haunts us. We Live in Time is one that will haunt us. Almut and Tobias share a rare love. One based on unflinching honesty, intimate humor, and loaded with infinite love.

Nick Payne’s script tells their story non-linearly over three distinct timelines. One follows them as they meet. Another while they are pregnant. And the final is when Almut is given a medical diagnosis that treatment may or may not cure. Telling the story in this way allows the audience to understand their love on a deeper level.

This romance is exquisitely acted between Pugh and Garfield. Their chemistry is astronomical. Pugh is a powerhouse as a woman who wants to balance her professional life as a chef with her personal one as a mother. Garfield gives a gut-wrenching performance as a man who’s terrified he’s going to lose the woman he loves. He gives a restrained performance that shows a well of intense emotions.

We Live in Time screens at TIFF ’24:

Fri, Sept 6 at 9:30 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sat, Sept 7 at 10:30 AM at Roy Thompson Hall

An exciting second day of TIFF ’24 with many star-studded adventures!

•Orlando Bloom and Catriona Balfe for THE CUT
•Tom Hiddleston, Mike Flanagan, Karen Gillan, Kate Siegel and Chiwetel Ejiofor for THE LIFE OF CHUCK
•Eddie Huang for VICE IS BROKE
•Shamier Anderson and Samir Oliveros for THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA
•Sandra Oh, Honourary Chair of TIFF TRIBUTE Awards Gala
•Teresa Palmer for ADDITION
•Elton John, David Furnish and R.J. Cutler for ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE
•Demi Moore for THE SUBSTANCE
•Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh for WE LIVE IN TIME

Our chat with Cutler and Furnish:

A Q&A of WE LIVE IN TIME with Florence Pugh, Andrew Garfield and John Crowley:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By David Baldwin

Chester Brown (Dan Beirne) is a Cartoonist who lives with his girlfriend Sonny (Emily Lê) in the late ’90s. Sonny wants to redefine and open-up their relationship so she can better explore her feelings for other men. Chester is okay with the idea, but has no intention of pursuing romantic love with someone else. Instead, he decides to explore a new kind of intimacy by paying and sleeping with sex workers.

Based on Brown’s controversial best-selling graphic novel, PAYING FOR IT is a truthful portrait of a taboo subject. At the same time, it is an honest and intimate piece about romantic and platonic love, sex and all of the feelings that come along with it. Co-Writer/Director Sook-Yin Lee threads the needle between all of these themes wonderfully and brings an additional layer of authenticity to the story – she is the real-life Sonny – depicting her memories of what she was doing in-between the panels of Brown’s novel. Where other filmmakers and creators may shy away from self-reflection, Lee hones in on Sonny’s flaws and failings, making the piece feel introspective and often devastating. Her candid matter-of-factness is admirable and is a perfect match for this story.

I also admire the raw nakedness of the characters, both physically and emotionally. It gives weight to every performance and never feels disingenuous or voyeuristic. Our two leads, Beirne and Lê, benefit the most from this as it gives them the space to develop their characters and make them feel genuinely lived-in and real. Their work here is so strong that I often felt like I was no longer watching a film and was watching a documentary instead. Keep an eye out as well for Andrea Werhun who enters late in the film and leaves a lasting impression as one of the sex workers whom Chester engages with. Her real-life work as an escort and exotic dancer informs her performance, and her chemistry with Beirne is palpable.

PAYING FOR IT screens at TIFF’24:

Friday, September 6 at 9:30PM at TIFF Lightbox

Saturday, September 7 at 11:45AM at TIFF Lightbox

By David Baldwin

Anora (Mikey Madison), or Ani as she prefers to be called, is a sex worker working at a New York gentlemen’s club. One evening, a guest requests a dancer who can speak Russian. Ani fits the bill and meets Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the charming, high-rolling son of a Russian oligarch. He is instantly enamoured by Ani and asks to spend more time with her outside of the club. They begin a transactional relationship which turns into marriage soon after. When Vanya’s parents find out, they are none too pleased.

Multi-hyphenate Writer/Director Sean Baker won the Palme d’Or for ANORA at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for a good reason – it is a magnificent film and one of the best of the year. Full stop.

The Filmmaker, whose previous films include Red Rocket and The Florida Project, has crafted a one-of-a-kind film that starts off like a romantic fever dream before evolving into a wildly intense ride akin to something the Safdie Brothers would make. It is a genuinely delirious pivot that Baker crafts beautifully and carefully, subverting expectations as he goes along. Everything that happens remains grounded in reality and never veers into the fantastical. That may disappoint some people, but it never feels disingenuous. His eye for realism extends into his depiction of sex work as well, not treating it or the strip club that factors into much of the film with the typical Hollywood glow-up. Instead, he avoids any voyeuristic gazes and depicts what it really looks like and more importantly, depicts it with the respect it deserves. Baker has long been a proponent of sex work and his inability to play into antiquated notions of it works to the Film’s benefit greatly.

All of this praise would be meaningless however without Madison, who gives a star-making performance as Ani. She is a whip-smart firecracker who speaks her mind (often profanely) and takes shit from absolutely no one. Madison infuses Ani with a ferocious energy that propels her through the entire film, only briefly hinting at the emotional interior underneath her warrior-hardened exterior. She is expressive in her pleasure with her profession and will gleefully and ravenously take down anyone who writes her off as a mere prostitute. Madison’s raw physicality and intimacy adds depth to the performance, as does the New York accent she uses to deliver every hilarious and devastating line. You hang on every moment of it, unable to look away for fear of missing out on another expressively brilliant layer she adds to Ani.

While all of the supporting players are great (Eydelshteyn’s Vanya and Yura Borisov’s Igor are the standouts), none of them can even dream of matching the strength of Madison’s performance. It is spectacular, must-see work that will stay with you long after the credits roll and will thankfully, ensure she will not be typecast as the villain who gets set on fire at the end ever again.

ANORA screens at TIFF’24:

Sunday, September 8 at 8:00PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Monday, September 9 at 8:30PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

TIFF ’24 officially has kicked-off and it was an action-packed start to the Festival!

Sightings from the day include:

•Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor and David Gordon Green here for NUTCRACKERS – the official Opening Night Gala
•Katy Perry surprising at the premiere of husband Orlando Bloom‘s THE CUT, plus his Co-star, Catriona Balfe
•The Tragically Hip unveil new Prime Video Docu-Series: THE TRAGICALLY HIP: NO DRESS REHEARSAL; it was celebrated on Festival Street with a singalong
•The Cast of Bonjour Tristesse including Chloe Sevigny and Lily McInerny
•Kiernan Shipka at the Festival with THE LAST SHOWGIRL
•Shamier Anderson with THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA

…and more!

In case you missed our chat with CP24‘s Bill Coulter earlier in the day!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By David Baldwin

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) was once Hollywood royalty. Fearing she may fade into total obscurity after getting sacked from her TV fitness show, she turns to a black-market injection program called “The Substance”. Using it creates a younger version of herself, Sue (Margaret Qualley), but it comes with a catch: each body is only allowed to exist for a week at a time before they need to swap back or else they risk irreversible consequences.

You may have an idea of where it goes from there, but trust me when I tell you that nothing can prepare you for THE SUBSTANCE. You will not be the same after watching this satirical nightmare that is as much an indictment of archaic female beauty standards as it is a masterpiece of Body Horror that would make even the genre’s Maestro David Cronenberg blush. I will not mince words – THE SUBSTANCE is disgusting and goes to some absolutely revolting places. In other words, this is one the Midnight Madness sickos are going to adore and anyone else should probably avoid.

I am one of those sickos and I loved every minute of THE SUBSTANCE.

Writer/Director Coralie Fargeat’s first film, the bloody thriller Revenge, was awesome. What she does here in only her second picture makes that film look like an angry Disney Princess movie. She swings for the fences right from the jump, crafting an experience that gradually takes over nearly every one of your senses. The way she incorporates sound is impeccable and her Editing (done alongside Jerome Eltabet and Valentin Féron) is magnificent. While I was not a fan of some of the CGI effects, the stunning makeup work more than makes up for it.

Even better are the genuine special effects on display here: the performances by Moore and Qualley. They are both incredible, firing on all cylinders and delivering the best performances of their careers. They both tap into something primal and give off an aura of raw, animalistic energy that continually grows stronger throughout. They compliment each other and breathe frighteningly real life into Fargeat’s poison-laced dialogue. And though he is used sparingly, Dennis Quaid is deliciously over-the-top as the shit weasel studio executive named (of course he is), Harvey. For my money, he has the most sickening, stomach-churning scene in the entire film – which says a lot given the places this theme park ride from hell takes you.

THE SUBSTANCE screens at TIFF’24:

Thursday, September 5 at 11:59PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre

Friday, September 6 at 7:30PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Friday, September 13 at 5:45PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

So thrilled for TIFF ’24 to kick-off finally tomorrow and tonight the stars began to descend upon the City for what in my opinion always, is the greatest Festival in the world! Running till September 15, 2024, we cannot wait for Toronto finally to get the TIFF they deserve after multiple setbacks and restrictions these past few years!

Some stars we spotted already in town for TIFF ’24, including acting icon Demi Moore who makes a big comeback with Body Horror THE SUBSTANCE, premiering as part of the Midnight Madness programme, eight-time Grammy winner Anderson.Paak who makes his directorial debut in K-POPS, in which he also stars, plus Omar Apollo, whom we’re a huge fan of. He stars alongside the likes of Daniel Craig and Lesley Manville in this latest from Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name). And TIFF Tribute Award honouree Zhao Tao, Chinese screen legend, also made her way to town! She stars in Caught by the Tides, directed by her husband, legendary Jia Zhang-ke.

Stay tuned, there will be MANY sightings this year. And we will be on CP24 AM in the 9 o’clock hour as well… twice! Tune in!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

We’re so excited. The moment we’ve all been waiting for as TIFF ’24 kicks off tomorrow! Here’s the list of attending talent this year.

Tribute Award Presenters:
Julie Delpy
Karla Sofía Gascón
Selena Gomez
Salma Hayek Pinault
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Franklin Leonard

Viggo Mortensen
Lupita Nyong’o
Sandra Oh (Honorary Chair)
Zoe Saldaña
Denis Villeneuve

Tribute Award Performers:
Randy Bachman, Tal Bachman & KoKo Bachman
The Thompson Egbo-Egbo trio ft. Mirian Katrib

Expected Talent:
Adam Driver
Adam Kinzinger
Adarsh Gourav
Adebowale Adedayo
Adriana Paz
Afolabi Olalekan
Akiko Fujiwara
Alberto Guerra
Alejandro Speitzer
Alexander Farah
Alexandre Bacon
Alfonsina Carrocio
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfredo Castro
Ali Garrison
Ali Samadi Ahadi
Ali Weinstein
Alicia K. Harris
Alicia Vikander
Aliocha Schneider
Alison McAlpine
Alison Pill
Alma Pöysti
Amanda Collin
Amanda Strong
Amar Chadha-Patel
Amar Wala
Amber Midthunder
Amina Salem Castaing
Amrit Kaur
Amy Adams
Ana de Armas
Ana Endara
Anastasia Trofimova
Anastasiia Bortuali
Anastasiia Karpienko
Anderson .Paak
André Hayato Saito
Andrea Arnold
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Werhun
Andrés Baiz
Andrés Ramírez Pulido
Andrew DeYoung
Andrew Garfield
Anette Sidor
Angelina Jolie
Anina Reed
Ann Marie Fleming
Anna Hints
Anthony Robles
Antoinette Jadaone
Antonia Zegers
Arian Moayed
Arianna Martinez
Arleigh Patrick Snowdon
Arlo Janson
Arshia Shakiba
Arshile Khanjian Egoyan
Athina Rachel Tsangari
Atlas Janson
Atom Egoyan
Aubrey Plaza
August Wittgenstein
Aurora Ribero
Avery Hale
Avery Nayman
Aydin Malakooti
Ayo Tsalithaba
Bala Hijam
Barry Jenkins
Beatrice Gibson
Beatrice Granno
Beatriz Arjona
Bec Pecaut
Bekir Behrem
Belén Funes
Belkıs Bayrak
Bella Kim
Ben Foster
Ben Stiller
Benairen Kane
Benedict Nguyễn
Benjamin Bratt
Bernard White
Bev Klingensmith
Beza Hailu Lemma
Bianca Belle
Bill Murray
Billy Corben
Bing (dog)
Bisola Akinmuyiwa
Blaise Tardif
Bobby Cannavale
Boris Lojkine
Boss Kuno
Brady Corbet
Brandon Routh
Breton Lalama
Brett Goldstein
Brian d’Arcy James
Brian Tyree Henry
Bruce Springsteen
Bryan Woods
Bryce Leavitt
Caleb Landry Jones
Callina Liang
Camille
Campbell Scott
Captain Javier Nieto
Carla Gugino
Carlos Diehz
Carlos Marqués-Marcet
Caroline Bell
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Boivin
Catherine O’Hara
Caitríona Balfe
César Augusto Acevedo
Charlie Plummer
Charlotte MacInnes
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chloe East
Chloë Sevigny
Chris Kennedy
Chris Sanders
Chris Sullivan
Christian
Christopher Andrews
Christopher Wagelin
Claes Bang
Claudio Cataño
Claressa Shields
Clement Ducol
Cobie Smulders
Cole Vincent
Colm Meaney
Connor Jessup
Connor Swindells
Constanza Romero
Coralie Fargeat
Corey Hawkins
Cory Michael Smith
Cosima Spender
Courtney Montour
Crispin Glover
d’bi.young anitafrika
Dacre Montgomery
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Dakota Johnson
Dallas Goldtooth
Damian Castellane
Damian Kocur
Damien Chazelle
Damien Jalet
Daniel Beirne
Daniel Bruehl
Daniel Klimek
Daniel Minahan
Danielle Deadwyler
Daphne Xu
Davaasuren Dagvarsuren
David Cronenberg
David Furnish
David Gordon Green
David Mackenzie
David Siegel
David Webber
David Webster
Debra Wilson
Demi Moore
Denis Villeneuve
Denzel Washington
Deragh Campbell
Devin Sampson-Craig
Diego Calva
Dimitris Athiridis
Dimitris Nakos
DINH
Dito Montiel
Don Cheadle
Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan
Dorjpagma Dugar
Dorothy A. Atabong
Dorothy Sing Zhang
Douglas Booth
Drew Starkey
Duong Dieu Linh
Durga Chew-Bose
Dylan O’Brien
Dylan River
E.oni
Ed Harris
Eddie Huang
Edgar Ramirez
Edith Martínez
Edward Berger
Edward Burns
Egil Pedersen
Elena Manrique
Elijah Atinkpo
Elisa Gilmour
Elizabeth Dicker
Elizabeth Lo
Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Saunders
Ella Hunt
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers
Ellie Bamber
Elmi Rashid Elmi
Elvira Lara
Elyas Rahimi
Emanuela Postacchini
Embeth Davidtz
Emile Schneider
Emily Lê
Emma Healey
Emmett James Snowdon
Erik Poppe
Erin Lee Carr
Espoir Segbeaya
Este Haim
Ethan Burnett
Eugenia “China” Suárez
Eugenie Liu
Eva Thomas
Evan Johnson
Fabian Stumm
Fabián Velasco
Fatiha Ouarad
Fedir Pugachov
Félix-Antoine Duval
Fernanda Torres
Fernando Coimbra
Finn Constantine
Fleur Fortuné
Florence Pugh
Fouad Trifi
Francis Ford Coppola
Francisco Rodríguez Teare
François Papineau
Franklin Leonard
Frederik Louis Hviid
Frida Gustavsson
Frida Kempff
Frosina Pejcinovska
Fumani Shilubana
Gabriel Labelle
Gabrielle Brady
Gabrielle Union
Gail Maurice
Galen Johnson
Gard Bjørnstjerne Eidsvold
Garrett Hnatiuk
Garry Wickham
Gavin Kaisers
George MacKay
Gia Coppola
Giancarlo Esposito
Gillian Salmon
Gingle Wang
Gints Zilbalodis
Giovanni Tortorici
Golshifteh Farahani
Gord Sinclair
Graham Greene
Gretchen Mol
Guillaume Senez
Gustav Giese
Gustav Lindh
Gugun Kipgen
Guy Maddin
Haile Amare
Haley Joel Osment
Halima Elkhatabi
Halina Reijn
Hanaa Mansour
Harley James Flett
Harper Steele
Harrison Cone
Harry Melling
Hassan Najib
Héctor Kotsifakis
Helen Lee
Henry Golding
Henry Wilson Jr.
Hichem Benmesbah
Himesh Patel
Hind Meddeb
Hiroshi Okuyama
Homer Janson
Huang Xi
Hugh Grant
Hunter Redhorse Arthur
Huo Xin
Hyun Bin
Ian Bawa
Ian Ottis Goff
Ibrahima Sambou
Ila Firouzabadi
Ilinca Hărnuț
Ilse Salas
Imogen Poots
Ingvar E. Sigurðsson
Isabella Rossellini
ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
J Stevens
J.K. Simmons
Jack Dylan Grazer
Jacob Elordi
Jacob Gabriel
Jacques Audiard
Jaeda LeBlanc
Jake Dunn
Jamal Henderson
James Rathbone
James Tayler
Jamie Lee Curtis
Janicza Bravo
Jang Sue-Deo
Jaren K Robledo
Jasmin Gordon
Jason Buxton
Jason Isaacs
Jason Reitman
Jeff Pope
Jen Gatien
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Lopez
Jenny Eliscu
Jenny Navarrete
Jessica Elbaum
Jessica Matten
Jessica Sarah Rinland
Jharrell Jerome
Jia Zhang-Ke
Joana Santos
Joanne Robertson
Joe DeBoer
Joe Dempsie
Joe Jennings
Joe Weiland
Joe Wright
Joel Oulette
Johann Lurf
John Crowley
John David Washington
John Hsu
John Maggio
John Smith
John Turturro
John Yu Chun Chen
Johnny Fay
Johnny Ma
Jojo Jackson
Jonah Hauer-King
Jonathan Kim
Jonathan Pryce
Jonno Davies
Jordan Tannahill
José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço
Josefin Neldén
Joseph Kahn
Josh Greenbaum
Joshua Oppenheimer
Joyce A. Nashawati
Juanes
Jude Law
Julia Jones
Julianna Margulies
Julianne Moore
Julie Delpy
Juliette Binoche
Juliette Roy
Jurnee Smollett
Justin Kurzel

K’naan Warsame
Kaia Gerber
Kalon Cox
Kaniehtiio Horn
Karen Chapman
Karen Gillan
Karla Sofía Gascón
Karrie Crouse
Kataem O’Connor
Kate Hudson
Kate Mara
Katia Washington
Kauchani Bratt
Kazik Radwanski
Kě Xīn Li
Keira Jang
Keith LaJambe
Kenichi Ugana
Kenneth Christensen
Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah
Khan May
Khang Pham
Kim Go-eun
Kim Ho-jung
Kim Savarino
Kim Sewon
Kit Connor
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Koji Nishiyama
KoKo Bachman
Kostas Nikouli
Koya Kamura
Kue Lawrence
Kusem Goodwind
Kyle McConaghy
Lakshmipriya Devi
Lamorne Morris
Landon Boyer
Laura Carreira
Laura Gonçalves
Laura Nikolov
Laura Osma
Laura Piani
Lauren Beatty
Lawrence Valin
Leah Dou
Lee Dong-wook
Lee Hee-Soon
Leenah Robinson
Leila Amini
Leila George
Lena Endre
Lenardon Lucie
Leo Imamura
Leonardo Pirondi
Leonardo van Dijl
Lexi Venter
Liao Fan
Lily James
Lily McInerny
Lina Vdovii
Lío Mehiel
Lionel Boyce
Liz Adjei
Lizhou Hu
Louis Bhose
Luca Guadagnino
Luca Marinelli
Lucy Liu
Luis Ortega
Lupita Nyong’o
Lyraël Dauphin
Maan Youssouf Ahmed
Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich
Magnus von Horn
Mahan Mohammadinasab
Mahdi Fleifel
Majid Bakhtiari
Maksud Hossain
Malala Yousafzai
Malcolm Washington
Malena Szlam
Malin Ingrid Johansson
Malina Weissman
Mallory Amirault
Mandeep Sodhi
Manfredi Marini
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
Marah Strauch
Marcelle Lunam
Margaret Qualley
Margaret Rose
Maria Bakalova
Mariana Wainstein
Marianne Elliott
Marianne Fortier
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Marie-Hélène Viens
Marielle Heller
Marin Hinkle
Mark Hamill
Marlowe Granados
Martha Ojeda Alcalá Cordones
Mary Margaret O’Hara
Massey Ahmar
Mathew Cerf
Matt Johnson
Matthew Rankin
Matty Crawford
Maura Delpero
Max Minghella
Maxine Simpson
Mayra Batalla
Mayra Hermosillo
Megan Murphy
Mehazabien Chowdhury
Melanie Oates
Melanie Scheiner
Mena Suvari
Micah Mensah-Jatoe
Michael Gracey
Michael Greyeyes
Michael Imperioli
Michael Potts
Michaela Kurimsky
Michele Austin
Mick Robertson
Miguel Gomes
Mike Downie
Mike Feswick
Mike Flanagan
Mike Leigh
Mikey Madison
Milad Tangshir
Milanni Mines
Milcania Diaz-Rojas
Miles J. Harvey
Miloš Mitrović
Mina Shum
Minnie Driver
Miron Karahoda
Mo Harawe
Mo Matton
Monalisa Jennings
Monica Almirall
Morena Baccarin
Morgan Neville
Moses Ingram
Mostafa Monwar
Mostafa Shaker
Mounir Al Shami
Muhammed Hamdy
Nabil Asli
Nacho Vigalondo
Nadah El Shazly
Naïlia Harzoune
Nancy Utley
Naomi Watts
Natalie Abbott
Nathalie Emmanuel
Natsuko
Nebojša Slijepčević
Neil Diamond
Neo Sora
Nguyễn Thị Xuân Trang
Nicholas Hoult
Nick Gordon
Nick Hamm
Nick Toti
Nico Tran Trần Thị Ngọc Lan
Nicolas Gebbe
Nicolás Pereda
Nicolas Piret
Nicole Kidman
Noah Zulfikar
Nora Tuili Karahoda
Nora-Jane Noone
Nykiya Adams
Ogungbamila Temitope
Okechukwu Samuel
Olivier Sarbil
Olunike Adeliyi
Omolola Ajao
Ophelia Kolb
Orlando Bloom
Otgonzaya Dashvezeg
Oyin Oladejo
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Sinha
Panthea Vatandoost
Patrice Jetter
Patrick Wilson
Patti Harrison
Paul Anka
Paul Besnier
Paul Langlois
Paul Rudd
Paul Schrader
Paulina García
Pavlo Ostrikov
Pêpê Rapazote
Petar Valchanov
Pete Docter
Peter Cattaneo
Peter Kerekes
Pharrell Williams
Philippe Lupien
Phyllis Ellis
Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Pier-Luc Funk
Pirouz Nemati
R.J. Cutler
R.T. Thorne
Rachel House
Rachel Kempf
Rachel Morrison
Rachel Samson
Rachel Sennott
Radouan Leflahi
Radu Ciorniciuc
Rafael Marmor
Randy Bachman
Raoul Peck
Rashid Masharawi
Ray Fisher
Rebecca Hall
Rebel Wilson
Reda Kateb
Reema Kagti
René W. Solomon
Rhayne Vermette
Richard Gere
Richard Jutras
River Rayne Thomas
Rob Baker
Robbie Williams
Roberto Minervini
Rocko Zevenbergen
Rodrigo Prieto
Romain Duris
Ron Howard
Roohafza Hazarat
Roxana Samadi
Roy Dupuis
Rúnar Rúnarsson
Ryan Cooper
Ryan Destiny
Ryoo Seung-wan
Saamer Usmani
Sadie Scott
Sally Tran
Salma Hayek Pinault
Sam Worthington
Samir Karahoda
Samuel Van Grinsven
Sandra Oh
Sandrine Holt
Sandrine Kiberlain
Sandro DiBari
Santiago Esteinou
Sara Johnsen
Sara Keirsten Quin
Sarah Olaussen Eira
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Pidgeon
Sarah Polley
Sarra Tsorakidis
Sasha Calle
Sasson Gabay
Scandar Copti
Scoot McNairy
Scott Beck
Scott McGehee
Sean Baker
Sean Ellis
Selena Gomez
Selton Mello
Seth Worley
Shadi Janho
shalan joudry
Shashank Arora
Shemi Zarhin
Shiloh O’Reilly
Simone Faoro
Sinéad O’Shea
Sir Elton John
Sofiia Berezowska
Sofia Bohdanowicz
Sonia Barba
Sook-Yin Lee
Sophie Deraspe
Sophie Thatcher
Soul Rasheed
Spencer Beighley
Srinivas Krishna
Stacie Hamulka
Stephanie Hsu
Steve Pink
Steve Sanghyun Noh
Steve Taylor
Steven Moffat
Steven Schneider
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Van Zandt
Sue Kim
Sunnyi Melles
Susan Hanson
Sydney Freeland
Sydney Sweeney
Sylvia Chang
Taia Sophia
Tal Bachman
Tallulah H. Schwab
Tantoo Cardinal
Tanya Talaga
Ted Passon
Tegan Rain Quin
Temiloluwa Ami-Williams
Tenoch Huerta
Teraania Ormsby-Teki
Terence Daniel
Teresa Palmer
Tessa Van den Broeck
Theodore Ushev
Thiago Thomé
Thibault Emin
Thom Zimny
Thomas Vinterberg
Tiffany Sia
Tilda Swinton
Tim Robinson
Timo Tjahjanto
Tina Edukpo
Tingying Ma
Todd Black
Tom Hiddleston
Tomas Alfredson
Tony Hale
Tumpal Tampubolon
Türker Süer
Tushar Prakash
Tye Sheridan
Tyler Measom
Tyrone Benskin
Ubah Egal
Uberto Pasolini
Uli Janson
Uma Thurman
Vanessa Kirby
Vicky Krieps
Viggo Mortensen
Viktor Korotovskyi
Vineet Kumar Singh
Vishka Asayesh
Vivian El Jaber
Walter Salles
Wang Bing
Will Ferrell
William Kosovic
Will Poulter
Willem Dafoe
William Bridges
William Goldenberg
Will Joines
Won-Jae Lee
Woo Min-ho
Xavier Lopez
Yuka Taga
Yuqing Lai
Yusuf Mahardika
Yutaka Kyan
Yuya Endo
Zahra Bentham
Zeke Jones
Zhao Tao
Zhou You
Zikhona Bali
Zoe Saldaña
Zulfa Maharani

Social Media:
X: @TIFF_NET & @TIFF_Industry
Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd: @tiff_net
Pinterest: @tiffnet
Facebook.com/TIFF

TIFF prefers Visa.

TIFF’s Festival Street is back for its ninth year, offering thousands of film fans free entertainment and fun activations along King St. W. between Peter St. and University Ave. Open to all, this four-day celebration of food, drinks, art, and culture will take place from September 5–8. As well, free open-air screenings and activities will take place in David Pecaut Square September 5–14.

Kicking off the excitement on opening day is the World Premiere of The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal from producer-director Mike Downie — brother of Gord Downie, who alongside Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair went on to make music that defined Canada to the world, and more importantly, Canada to Canadians. Following the screening of the four-part docu-series, Choir! Choir! Choir! will lead a giant outdoor sing-a-long from the Royal Alexandra Theatre onto Festival Street to celebrate 40 years of The Tragically Hip, presented by Prime Video. Fans are invited to join this unforgettable moment at the Amazon Music Bus on John St. (between King St. and Wellington St.) on Thursday, September 5, 4:30pm–5:45pm. Approximate start time is 5:00pm, exact timing is subject to change.

For movie lovers who can’t get enough films, Cinema Park is back with free open-air screenings in David Pecaut Square, featuring 40th-anniversary screenings of Ghostbusters (September 11), Footloose (September 12), and The Karate Kid (September 13); as well as screenings of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (September 5), Ghost (September 6), Gattaca (September 7), Arrival (September 8), Drumline (September 9), The Outsiders (September 10), and Pitch Perfect (September 14). These can’t-miss classics will be presented with open captions and screened nightly at 10pm.

Festival Street Art Market, in partnership with Toronto Film School, will have booths along Simcoe St. and King St. Toronto’s local film festivals and arts organizations will be on hand to share initiatives, activities, programming information, and more. Participants include Toronto Film School, Inside Out Film Festival, Reel Asian Film Festival, imagineNATIVE, OCAD, Luminato Festival, Regent Park Film Festival, Muse Arts, Toronto Latin American Film Festival, REEL CANADA, and Workman Arts.

New this year, TIFF welcomes Campari, whose iconic Negroni is the Official Cocktail of the TIFF Red Carpet. Festival-goers will stay hydrated with TIFF’s new Official Water, FLOW, have the opportunity to get up close with the stars in the SHINGRIX fan zone at Roy Thomson Hall, and snap selfies with Visit California & Brand USA. When the clock strikes 12am, Intrepid Travel will invite film fans to take a walk on the wild side as the Presenting Sponsor of TIFF’s Midnight Madness programme. On Festival Street, families can enjoy plant-based BEYOND MEAT burgers, and take a moment to relax and enjoy a Ferrero Rocher Bar at the Ferrero Rocher® Golden Lounge. TIFF has also teamed up with OVO x 1 LOVE T.O. for a Festival Street pop-up that brings the soundtrack of Toronto and raises funds for TIFF’s Every Story Fund.

Festival Street would not exist without the tremendous support from our fellow Torontonians and the City of Toronto. To thank the City and the people who call it home, TIFF has partnered with the TTC again to give Torontonians more access to Festival films. On Saturday, September 14 at 3pm, fans are invited to Roy Thomson Hall for the TTC Free Screening of a surprise TIFF ’24 Festival title. More details will be announced closer to the date.

FESTIVAL STREET PARTNER ACTIVATIONS (September 5–14)
Rogers Fan Zone — Rogers Beyond the Seat welcomes winning Rogers customers to its TIFF Red Carpet Fan Zone. Complete with movie snacks, elevated viewing levels, and a unique Rogers red carpet interview area that brings attendees closer than ever to the celebrities they love. Located in David Pecaut Square, Rogers customers will get closer to the stars with Rogers Beyond the Seat on the TIFF red carpet throughout the Festival.

RBC Red Carpet Gallery — One of the most coveted destinations for celebrity spotting during TIFF, Avion Rewards members will have access to an exclusive viewing experience of the world’s biggest stars arriving to their Gala premieres on the Roy Thomson Hall red carpet. The activation will feature interactive elements, including a fun photo booth experience in which each guest stars in their own movie poster.

Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre — Offering an unforgettable, star-studded experience at the Visa Screening Room, Visa Infinite cardholders will enjoy exclusive perks such as priority line access, and entry to the Visa Infinite Lounge. Now in its third year, the Visa Sharing the Screen program will continue to advance equity for communities by providing unparalleled access to films, engaging creator talks, and more.

Campari Red Carpet Lounge on the Gala Red Carpet — As a first-of-its-kind at TIFF, there will be a fully immersive bar on the Gala red carpet for filmmakers and talent before their World Premieres. Pre-screening toasts and conversations can be viewed live in the South Fan Zone on the red carpet at Roy Thomson Hall.

TIFF Fan Zone presented by SHINGRIX — Festival-goers can get closer to their favourite stars in the TIFF Fan Zone at the Gala Red Carpet, presented by new partner, SHINGRIX.

Lavazza Festival Village Experience — Step into Lavazza’s immersive photo booth, grab a sample of their Qualita Oro coffee, and enjoy exclusive giveaways (while supplies last). Plus, enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Lavazza coffee.

OVO X 1 LOVE T.O — OVO x 1 LOVE T.O. fosters community unity in Toronto and will be hosting live sessions and merchandise sales in support of the TIFF Every Story Fund, supporting equity, inclusion, and diversity in film.

House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro — Experience the best of Italian hospitality with Peroni Nastro Azzurro lager, and gourmet bites by celebrity chef David Rocco at the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro. All proceeds from any purchases made beyond a complimentary sample will be donated to the TIFF Every Story Fund.

Say Ciao to Cravings with Pizza Nova — Drop by this booth to enjoy some freshly prepared and full of flavour pizza!

TIFF Scavenger Hunt (September 6–8) — In partnership with the Toronto Downtown West BIA, TIFF presents an exciting Festival Street Scavenger Hunt! Enter for the chance to win a host of prizes including movie tickets, TIFF merchandise, and more goodies.

LISTERINE (TIFF Lightbox) — LISTERINE plays a starring role at TIFF, transforming restroom mirrors into your very own movie poster. Get ready for your closeup, showcase your best swish, and enter the spotlight.

TIFF’s Festival Street Art Market in Partnership with Toronto Film School —
In partnership with Toronto Film School, Toronto’s local film festivals and arts organizations will have booths sharing art exhibits, programming information, and more. Featuring 11 of the city’s most exciting community film festivals and arts organisations including Toronto Film School, Inside Out Film Festival, REEL ASIAN Film Festival, imagineNATIVE, OCAD, Luminato Festival, Regent Park Film Festival, Muse Arts, Toronto Latin American Film Festival, REEL CANADA and Workman Arts. Check them out on King Street (West Zone) and Simcoe Street (East Zone)!

TIFF Founders’ Lounge presented by Air France (TIFF Lightbox) — Step into elegance at the Founders’ Lounge presented by Air France. Take in the buzz and excitement of the Festival while enjoying fine food and drinks. Whether you’re networking, people watching, or relaxing between screenings, the Founders’ Lounge presented by Air France is where to be.

For more information, visit TIFF.net.
Social Media:
X: @TIFF_NET & @TIFF_Industry
Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd: @tiff_net
Pinterest: @tiffnet
Facebook.com/TIFF

TIFF24

About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; and the innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

We are so excited at all the possibilities the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival might hold. This is after all our first full-capacity TIFF in some time and some huge A-Listers and exciting emerging names will be here! We’ve seen all the roadblocks these past few years and it feels so good to know that nothing is standing in our way this time. This will be the TIFF that we all deserve!

We are delighted to announce to return of some of our longtime partners and new ones this year. TIFF ’24 runs September 4-14, 2024. The Team (David Baldwin, Nicholas Porteous and Amanda Gilmore) and I are thrilled to bring you our best coverage yet! New this year for us will be one-minute immediate reactions to some of the Festival’s key titles!

Team Mr. Will round-up their most-anticipated films of TIFF ’24. In what will finally be the TIFF we all deserve after many setbacks these past few years, it almost is a little tough to choose from a pool of so many great films!

DAVID BALDWIN (@DaveMABaldwin)

1. THE SUBSTANCE
2. ANORA
3. MEGALOPOLIS
4. SATURDAY NIGHT
5. QUEER

TIFF ’24 is here and I am positively pumped for the 11 days of Cinema ahead of us. My top five must-sees are films I have not stopped thinking about since they were announced and can barely hide my excitement for finally being able to have them blasted into my eyeballs. Even looking past those titles, there is so much to see at this year’s Festival that even if they somehow miss the mark, I know there are dozens more that are going to outdo every single one of my expectations. This year’s crop of films is shaping up to be an all-timer, so get ready for the best time of the year. Fingers and toes crossed that the Scotiabank Escalator does not fail us!

NICHOLAS PORTEOUS (@PICOLAS)

1. MEGALOPOLIS
2. FRIENDSHIP
3. THE LIFE OF CHUCK
4. THE BRUTALIST
5. UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

I’m thrilled for TIFF ’24 to be my first as an accredited member of the press, because it offers a MASSIVE trove of potential cinematic goodness. If I had to narrow my list of most anticipated movies down to five, and I do, I would start by giving a shout out to Matthew Rankin‘s Universal Language. After experiencing his absolutely cuckoo bananas debut, Mackenzie King “biopic” The Twentieth Century in IMAX at TIFF ’19, I’m ready to see absolutely anything with his name on it. Next up, Andrew Deyoung‘s Friendship. I’m a fan of Deyoung‘s short-form collaborations with Kate Berlant and John Early (check out “555” on Vimeo). On top of that, I cannot resist the potentially explosive comic chemistry between Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd. Although The Life of Chuck is another Stephen King adaptation from Mike Flanagan, it may represent a fun tonal departure for the two masters of terror, as Tom Hiddleston tumbles backwards through his life. The Brutalist is Brady Corbet‘s followup to his relatively unseen debut gem Vox Lux, which included one of Natalie Portman‘s best performances. It’s a three-and-a-half-hour period piece featuring Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones as Laszlo and Erzsébet Toth, who escape the Holocaust to make their way in America. Finally, Megalopolis is a long, long, longgggg gestating project of Francis Ford Coppola that he financed with his own (roughly) $135 million. Though word of mouth isn’t exceptionally positive, it promises to be a singular and completely unrestrained vision from a legendary Filmmaker. You will not find big swings like this every year.

AMANDA GILMORE (@GilmoreAmanda)

(in alphabetical order only)

ANORA
BABYGIRL
THE BRUTALIST
HERETIC
SATURDAY NIGHT

It’s already that time of year again! TIFFmas has arrived and this year packs a punch! After the strikes in Hollywood last year, TIFF just wasn’t the same. But this year, it will be in full swing and the films selected reflect it! There are so many names both behind and in front of the camera that’s making me anticipate a slew of great films. It’s been hard to narrow it down to only five. But below are my five most anticipated of this year’s Fest. I chose them because the talent involved and the stories being told are all unique from the next yet have gripped me since hearing about them!

MR. WILL (@mrwillwong)

1. ANORA
2. QUEER
3. SATURDAY NIGHT
4. NIGHTBITCH
5. BABYGIRL

We’ve already had the joy of seeing one of TIFF ’24‘s hottest tickets following all the buzz of its Palme d’Or victory at Cannes. ANORA is masterful storytelling, with a sublime breakthrough performance from its star Mikey Madison. Luca Guadagnino can do no wrong in my books, hence I am ecstatic that his latest, QUEER will be at the Festival. Addes bonus that it stars Daniel Craig. Anyone who knows me, knows that I adore SNL, so it should come as no shock I’m ecstatic Jason Reitman‘s telling of the late night staple gets its own origins story! And will this finally be Amy Adams‘ year? The six-time Oscar nominee is back after a hiatus with NIGHTBITCH, which has her convinced she is turning into a dog. Here for this. BABYGIRL received tons of praise in Venice, propelling it up my list with queen Nicole Kidman doing what she does best, embodying complex women and their intimate struggles.

Bookmark this link and check daily for exciting contests, reviews and star sightings!

Announcing Mr. Will Wong‘s official TIFF partners for TIFF ’24

We would like to thank your supporters and partners for the Festival this year! What a star-studded group!

HONDA CANADA – We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with our friends at HONDA CANADA, allowing us to travel in style this TIFF! We will be piloting the Passport Trail Sport – a gorgeous five-seater midsize SUV with an amazing combined fuel economy of 11.3 litres/100 km, running on a 3.5-litre, 24-valve, Direct Injection, SOHC, i-VTEC® V6 engine, at 280 horsepower. Fit for the fall, its seating is a black leather orange contrast!

STARBUCKS CANADA – Starbucks Canada have been there for us for several TIFFs and the Festival in a way for us has always been synonymous with their main character, a warm Pumpkin Spice Latte. But have you tried their Apple Crisp Nondairy Chai, Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte, Baked Apple Croissant and endearing Raccoon Cake Pop? Readers and followers will get a chance to win some Gift Cards throughout the Festival. Be following our channels for more!

CP24 – For a 15th year in-a-row, we will be a subject matter expert on films and star sightings at TIFF. Stay tuned for our upcoming appearances on Southern Ontario’s most-widely watched news station! It streams worldwide for free on their website CP24.com. For now, we are appearing Labour Day in the 11 AM timeslot and Thursday, September 5, 2024 in the 8 AM timeslot!

NIKON CANADA – We are thrilled to be using the Nikon Z-30, a superb compact mirrorless camera with a range of lens options, made especially for creators, vloggers and streamers want. Crisp, clean 4K video will make our content pop more than ever! Can’t wait to show you our captures!

OEB BREAKFAST CO. – This is one of our favourite Brunch spots in the City and simply, our lives are better since they’ve come out east! Now with two locations in Toronto, their new partnership with TIFF as an official hospitality sponsor, also comes timed with new Fall menu items exclusive to Toronto for now, with additional cities to follow. More here.

MINAMI TORONTO – Situated right across from the excitement at TIFF Lightbox, this is a refined Japanese dining experience, chic and ambient for lunch or dinner. And their cocktails are sublime! You must try their world-famous Aburi (torched) Sushi and they just recently launched Sunday Afternoon AYCE Japanese BBQ. Book your tickets now here. Minami are an official TIFF Hospitality partner.

LITTLE SISTER – With two beautiful locations in Toronto – one within walking distance from all thr star-studded action on Portland St. – this very popular hotspot showcases a marriage of Dutch and Indonesian cuisine, with a phenomenal drink list. Dishes are made with authentic, imported herbs and spices. The perfect spot for an intimate dinner or casual drinks. More here.

SANDBANKS WINERY – Located in scenic Prince Edward County, Sandbanks Winery are a huge success story having launched in 2003 – just as I was a sorta newbie at TIFF – and very quickly have propelled to the upper echelon of Canadian wineries with offerings now readily available at LCBOs, a part of the ARTERRA Wines family. More here.

ETIKET – Everyone has different beauty needs and Etiket‘s goal is to provide everyone with a personalized, educational and friendly experience offering results oriented skin care and treatment services, niche fragrances, and luxury beauty products. In addition to an oustanding selection of products, Spa services also are available at their Toronto The Well location, now open. Etiket will be keeping our face fresh throughout the Festival and helping curating an olfactory experience for us.

UNIQLO CANADA – Not only are we a huge fan of Uniqlo‘s style, comfort and quality, this is our first TIFF collaborating with the globally-adored Japanese clothier. Fall is our favourite season and we cannot wait to wear some pieces from their latest collection at some of our appearances and snaps with the stars! Their round quilted shoulder bag is touted as the must-have accessory of the season! It stores everything!

Now for the even more exciting stuff! Keeping with our annual tradition, one lucky follower will be getting our amazing TIFF ’24 Survival Pack which includes:

-$25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card
-$50 Gift Card to OEB Breakfast Co.
-$100 Gift Card to MINAMI Toronto
-$100 Gift Card to LITTLE SISTER Portland St.
-3 bottles of Sandbanks Winery wines
-1 Uniqlo Quilted Shoulder Bag

Value: $400 CAN

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL WONG on Facebook, X or IG! Tag a friend in the comments you’ll share some of your goodies with! Enter as many times as you wish! Let’s blow this up! Winner must be available to meet in the Greater Toronto area.

Rules and regulations here.

Be following us:

IG: mrwillwong
X: mrwillw
FB: mrwillwongblog
TikTok: mrwillwong

Happy TIFF!  We are so grateful for the support of the Team, our partners and you. Couldn’t do it with YOU!

Mr. Will