By Mr. Will Wong

Wim Wenders is back with a gorgeous portrait of every day life, that leaves its audience with a renewed sense of appreciation of life and living.

The Film centers around Japanese screen legend Kôji Yakusho who plays Hirayama, a middle-aged man working as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, residing within a throw’s reach of the Tokyo Tower. He lives a quiet, mundane life, obsessed with caring for his plants, clocked down to a routine. A series of unexpected encounters with others around him peel off layers and from there we get glimpses into his past. Through his interactions with others around, we learn more and more about the perpetually cool, calm and collected Hirayama.

Wenders pairs an eclectic and nostalgic Soundtrack highlighted by Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones and more and this works remarkably well with the story. Though we spend an inordinate amount of time with Hirayama scrubbing toilets and cleaning bathrooms, never for once do we lose sight of his quiet zest for life and his endless willingness to help others around him. It isn’t till late that you realize that you have built a deep emotional connection with him. Yakusho is charming, captivating and spellbinding, a phenomenal performance.

PERFECT DAYS screens at TIFF ’23:

Thursday, September 7
TIFF Bell Lightbox
5:30 PM

It’s official TIFFMAS! It was a bit of running about today but thrilled that TIFF ’23 finally has kicked-off. While the Opening Night Gala took place at Roy Thomson Hall and Princess of Wales Theatre for Hayao Miyazaki’s THE BOY AND THE BLUE HERON, it was just like every other TIFF we’ve loved with King Street lit abuzz with starpower in front of Royal Alexandra Theatre for the Premiere of GONZO GIRL, based on true accounts by Hunter S. Thompson‘s assistant. This marks Oscar winner Patricia Arquette‘s first time directing, and in addition to starring in the Film, we also get Camila Morrone (Daisy Jones & The Six) and icon Willem Dafoe also! Arquette receives TIFF’s Share Her Journey Changemaker Award this weekend as well. Well deserved.

We’re only getting started but this is a promising start!

Some Snaps:

Not sure if you had a chance to check-out our chat with Sonia Mangat in the CTV eTalk TIFF Lounge, but it was so much fun!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By George Kozera

Winner of the Palme d’Or this year at the Cannes Film Festival, Co-Writer and Director. Justine Triet‘s, ANATOMY OF A FALL makes its Canadian Premiere at TIFF and this auspicious movie deserves a plethora of critical and awards laden attention. Sandra Hüller plays Sandra, a successful German Novelist on trial for the murder of her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis). Living in a chalet not far from Grenoble with her husband and their visually impaired 11-year- old son Daniel (Mio Machado Graner), the Movie opens with Sandra being interviewed by a graduate student when an instrumental version of 50 Cent‘s PIMP begins to loudly blast from the husband’s office in attic. Unable to continue the interview, the graduate student leaves followed by Daniel taking the dog for a walk. When he returns he finds his father dead on the ground, lying in a pool of blood. Did Samuel fall..did he jump…was he pushed by Susan? When the autopsy is incondusive, Sandra is arrested and along with an old friend of hers who happens to be a lawyer, Vincent (Swann Artaud), it is decided to go the suicide route as their legal defense.

ANATOMY OF A FALL is the fourth legal drama I’ve seen from France in eight months and the country’s courtroom proceedings fascinate me to no ends. Prosecutors and defense lawyers seem to be less concerned with justice than they are with winning and think nothing of regaling the jurors with conjectures, outlandish theories, distortions of facts and, in this movie, blatant homophobia. The prosecutor (expertly played by Antione Reinartz) is the most hissable villain I have seen on screen in recent history. Triet directs the court sequences with Hitchcockian assurance, but her masterpiece moment occurs when the court hears (and the audience sees) a 15-minute recording, taped in secret by Samuel, of him and Sandra in an intense argument that literally had me palpitating. It is up there with one of the most powerful moments I’d ever seen captured on celluloid.

I am uncertain if France will choose ANATOMY OF A FALL as its submission for Oscar consideration for 2023; there may be just too much English spoken in this Movie. But let’s start a hype campaign and have Sandra Hüller‘s name on the Best Actress list of nominees. Whereas the Actress may currently be best known for her role in “Toni Erdmann“, her performance here is superb. Sublime. Astonishing. As are Mio Machado Graner and Snoop the dog.

ANATOMY OF A FALL SCREENS at TIFF ’23:

Thursday Sept.7-Royal Alexandra Theatre-5pm

Friday Sept.8-Scotiabank -4pm

In this exclusive new video, go behind the scenes for a sneak peek at TIFF ’23 selectiin All the Light We Cannot See, a groundbreaking new limited series premiering on November 2, 2023.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr and starring Mark Ruffalo, Hugh Laurie, Dark breakout Louis Hoffman, and newcomer Aria Mia Loberti, the series is directed and executive produced by Shawn Levy, written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), and will have its world premiere at TIFF this coming Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Watch never-before-seen interviews with the cast and the creative team of All the Light We Cannot See discussing adapting the award-winning novel, casting the character of Marie Laure authentically and equitably with an actress who is blind, and hear from Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie on working with Aria Mia Loberti in her first ever acting role.

Today we get a new official Trailer from NYAD, premiering at TIFF ’23!

ABOUT NYAD

DIRECTORS: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin
WRITER: Julia Cox
BASED ON: The Book “Find A Way” by Diana Nyad
PRODUCERS: Andrew Lazar, Teddy Schwarzman
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bill Johnson, Jim Seibel, Michael Heimler, Vanessa Humphrey, Julia Cox, D. Scott Lumpkin
KEY CAST: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Ethan Jones Romero, Luke Cosgrove, Jeena Yi, Eric T. Miller

RELEASE DATE | In Select Theaters October 20 | On Netflix November 3

SYNOPSIS | A remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit, NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana (four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team.

The inspirational and thrilling film marks the narrative directorial debut of Academy Award-winning documentary filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, The Rescue). NYAD is produced by Andrew Lazar, p.g.a. and Teddy Schwarzman, p.g.a. with a screenplay by Julia Cox, adapted from the memoir “Find a Way” by Diana Nyad.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

We approach the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival with managed expectations and full-on expect things a little lower key this year. But how exciting is it to capture some of the first sightings already around town?

Seen in-town tonight already are Oscar-nominated Actor Viggo Mortensen who tries writing and directing a second time in his feature THE DEAD DON’T HURT, premiering Friday at the Princess of Wales Theatre. The Feminist Western also stars TIFF Tribute Gala honouree Vicky Krieps. He also speaks at an In-Conversation next Monday at CBC.

While we’re on the topic of excellence, Oscar-winning Filmmaker Barry Jenkins was seen arriving as well. You remember him as the Director of Best Picture-winning MOONLIGHT and he’s set to direct MUFASA, a Lion King Prequel. In additon to being a Platform Programme Juror, he will be here supporting his partner Lulu Wang as she premieres series EXPATS at TIFF ’23 as well! She wasn’t with him, but we can’t wait to see her too. Obsessed with THE FAREWELL and have been waiting since!

We’ve only just begun. Don’t forget to check back daily for sightings!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Amanda Gilmore

Writer-Director Joanna Arnow’s feature debut follows thirty-something Ann (played by Arnow) in a series of vignettes. Over the course of these vignettes, we watch her idle in her meaningless corporate job, dabbling in different BDSM relationships while stagnating in a long-term submissive sexual relationship with an older man, Allen (Scott Cohen).

Arnow has crafted an acerbic Dark Comedy about being a millennial. Right from the start it’s clear that no one listens — or even thinks — of Ann. Not even her decade-long casual BDSM partner Allen can remember what college she attended. And her employer gives her an award for making it a year at the company…but she’s worked there for over three years. Ann responds to these moments with a fed-up ambivalence that comes across as someone who can’t be bothered to fight something that’s happened a million times before.

Arnow gives an alluring performance as Ann. Her often deadpan delivery leaves immense mystery. At times Ann seems to be content with her life at others it feels like she’s internally screaming for something more. This becomes more apparent when she meets Chris (Babak Tafti) who gives her the chance at a more mutually engaged relationship. Arnow plays Ann with an uneasiness about the change in her mundane life. A life that’s full of others making decisions for her.

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed is an audacious first feature that cements Arnow not only a new voice behind the camera but a force in front of it.

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed screens at TIFF ’23:

Saturday, September 9 at 6 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sunday, September 10 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sámi voices are being given a significant elevation at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, with acclaimed documentarians Suvi West and Anssi Kömi’s quietly powerful indigenous repatriation non-fiction feature Homecoming (Máhccan) leading a trio of Sámi films at the festival for the first time ever.

Homecoming (Máhccan), premiering as part of the prestigious TIFF docs section, joins fiction features Sara Margrethe Oskal’s The Tundra Within Me from Norway and Katja Gauriloff’s Je’vida from Finland.

For Sámi director Suvi West, who co-directed Homecoming (Máhccan) with partner Anssi Kömi, she sees the significance in such representation on screen at the festival, not just for the Sámi people, but female voices.

Homecoming (Máhccan) shares a personal story about the return of Sámi artifacts, long held in museums, to their homeland. Its World premiere screening is slated for Friday, September 8th at 4:15 p.m. EST at Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre. A 2nd screening will be held on Saturday, September 9th, at 9:15 p.m. at Scotiabank.

Synopsis

The film is set in the museum world at a turning point, where the national museums have to deal with their colonialistic history. The National Museum of Finland returned thousands of everyday objects taken from the indigenous Sámi people back to them.

Filmmaker Suvi West (Along with co-director Anssi Kömi) takes the audience behind the scenes of the museum world, revealing a visual, philosophical, and spiritual realm. She seeks a connection with ancestors through old museum objects, eventually arriving at the collective pain points of the Sámi people. How can the damage caused by outsiders be repaired so that collective pains can be left behind?

Homecoming (Máhccan) is a Finnish/Norwegian co-production produced by Janne Niskala of Vaski Filmi (Finland) in association with Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas and Johanna Dorothea Raita of Ten Thousand Images (Norway).

Screening Times:

Public 09/08/2023 4:15PM Scotiabank 11

Press & Industry 09/09/2023 3:05 p.m. Scotiabank 8

Public 09/09/2023 9:15PM Scotiabank 13

Press & Industry 09/13/2023 9:10 a.m. Scotiabank 5

Premiering at TIFF ’23, today we get a new Teaser Trailer for PAIN HUSTLERS starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans!

SYNOPSIS:

Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices. Pain Hustlers is a sharp and revealing look at what some people do out of desperation and others do out of greed. The film is directed by BAFTA award winner David Yates, produced by Lawrence Grey, and also starring Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass and Brian d’Arcy James.

DIRECTOR: David Yates
SCREENPLAY BY: Wells Tower
BASED ON THE BOOK BY: Evan Hughes
PRODUCERS: Lawrence Grey, David Yates
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Emily Blunt, Mark Moran, Yvonne Walcott-Yates, Lewis Taylor, Ben Everard
CAST: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Catherine O’Hara, Chloe Coleman, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James, Amit Shah, Aubrey Dollar, Willie Raysor and Andy Garcia

In select theatres October 20, 2023
On Netflix October 27, 2023

Today we get a new Trailer for THE DELINQUENTS, getting an October 27, 2023 release via Mongrel Media and Mubi following its TIFF ’23 premiere.

Global film distributor, streaming service and production company MUBI and Canadian distributor Mongrel Media have announced that Rodrigo Moreno’s (El Custodio) critically-acclaimed The Delinquents will open theatrically in Canada on October 27 following the film’s North American premiere at TIFF.

Starring Daniel Elías, Esteban Bigliardi, Margarita Molfino and Germán De Silva, The Delinquents received its World Premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2023Cannes Film Festival, where now on Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 95%.

Beguiling and unpredictable, Cannes Un Certain Regard breakout THE DELINQUENTS reinvents the heist film as a free-flowing adventure like no other.

Buenos Aires bank employee Morán (Daniel Eliás) dreams up a scheme to liberate himself from corporate monotony: he’ll steal enough money to support a modest retirement, then confess and serve prison time while his co-worker holds on to the cash.

Soon under pressure by a company investigator, accomplice Román (Esteban Bigliardi) heads to a remote rural idyll to hide the funds. There, he encounters a mysterious woman who will transform his life forever.

The latest from Argentinian writer-director Rodrigo Moreno, THE DELINQUENTS melds the existential and the playful to explore the nature of freedom itself. Suffused with timeless beauty, this cinematic discovery is at turns surreal, relatable, funny, romantic, surprising, restorative – and above all – a delight.

THE DELINQUENTS WILL BE IN CINEMAS IN CANADA FROM OCTOBER 27, 2023.