Premiering at TIFF ’23, SWAN SONG gets a new Trailer premiere today! The Film saw Actress Neve Campbell sign-on as Executive Producer recently.

An expanded four-part limited series will premiere on
CBC Gem and CBC TV November 22, 2023

Synopsis:

SWAN SONG immerses viewers inside one of the world’s leading ballet companies as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake, directed by ballet icon Karen Kain on the eve of her retirement. With full access granted to the filmmakers, the verité-driven documentary closely follows Karen Kain and a group of young dancers drawn from across The National Ballet of Canada’s ranks, weaving Swan Lake’s dramatic creation process with intimate scenes from the subjects’ personal lives as they push toward one of the most significant nights in their company’s history. The film’s intimate, character-driven approach chronicles creative conflicts, devastating injuries and personal sacrifices amongst its subjects who, in various ways, confront ideals of race, class and body standards as they navigate a tradition that has historically valued uniformity and compliance.

Directed by: Chelsea McMullan
Produced by: Sean O’Neill
Written by: Chelsea McMullan & Sean O’Neill
Executive Producers: Sean O’Neill, Chelsea McMullan, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Anna Godas, Oli Harbottle, Neve Campbel
Producer: Christina Carvalho
Directors of Photography: Tess Girard & Shady Hanna
Edited by: Brendan Mills
Additional Editing: Sabrina Budiman, John Gallagher
Original Score by: Katie Stelmanis

(Photo/video credit: Visitor Media)

The Toronto International Film Festival® is excited to announce this year’s global cohort of Rising Stars for 2023. The TIFF Rising Stars programme features actors on the verge of making a large impact on the international stage and provides them with an exclusive opportunity to experience and engage in professional development and mentorship sessions and industry events that provide valuable networking opportunities with established creatives at the Festival. All Rising Stars are featured in films and series from TIFF 2023’s Official Selection, and join the Festival from around the world.

“Every year, we see the incredible impact of TIFF’s Rising Stars initiative and are thrilled to announce the new 2023 cohort of the most exciting and up and coming on-screen talent,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “If you don’t know who they are, you will soon.”

TIFF Rising Stars will be celebrated at a special moment during the 2023 TIFF Tribute Awards presented by Bulgari. The annual event, taking place at the Royal York Hotel on Sunday September 10th, celebrates achievements across the film industry. New this year, the TIFF Rising Stars Tribute After Party will follow the dinner and awards ceremony with current and past Rising Stars mingling with film lovers for an evening of glamour and fun in celebration of emerging talent. Sarah Gadon, a former Rising Star from the program’s first cohort, is chairing this fundraising event which also features DJ Karim Olen Ash. Other committee members include: Zubby Achara, Jordyn Benattar, Kyla Doering, Elizabeth Heggie, Sarah Jenkins, Carmen Madonia, Pooja Sihra, Nicole Tapscott, and Jorey Worb. Tickets are available by reaching out to development@tiff.net.

Adwa Bader (Saudi Arabia/USA)
NAGA
(dir. Meshaal Al Jaser)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow
Adwa Bader is a Saudi American multihyphenate and interdisciplinary artist, actor, poet, and screenwriter. She’s a Riyadh native who landed many roles as a commercial actor and model since 2008, working on short films and campaigns for many local and international brands and outlets such as Harvey Nichols, Destination, FarFetch, and Burberry. Bader published a limited and exclusive compilation of her poetry in 2020, and most recently landed her first lead role to star in director Meshal Al Jasser’s feature film NAGA, which is set to be released in 2023.

Almudena González (Argentina)
The Ravaging Wind
(dir. Paula Hernández)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow
Almudena González is an actor born in Buenos Aires in 1999. Having graduated from the Vocational Institute of Art in 2016, she also trained with Federico León, Francisca Ure, Juan Onofri Barbato, Laura Sbdar, and Martín Flores Cárdenas. In 2021, she filmed Argentina, 1985, directed by Santiago Mitre; and in 2022, she filmed A Ravaging Wind, her first leading role, directed by Paula Hernández. She is currently studying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting at UNA, which she entered in 2017. She teaches acting and poetry classes in self-managed, private workshops.

Amrit Kaur (Canada)
The Queen of My Dreams
(dir. Fawzia Mirza)
TIFF Share Her Journey Giving Circle Fellow
Amrit Kaur is an artistic hyphenate: an actor, comedian, director, and writer. She believes in acting as a humanitarian art form with the power to heal, transcend, and empower. Kaur will star in Fawzia Mirza’s The Queen of My Dreams opposite Hamza Haq and Nimra Bucha. The film, premiering at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, follows a Pakistani woman and her Canadian-born daughter as they come of age in two eras. The actor is best known for her breakout role on Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble’s HBO Max hit series, The Sex Lives of College Girls. Amongst myriad raving reviews, The Chicago Sun Times’ Richard Roeper hailed Kaur’s performance, where “in a cast of standouts, Kaur is the superstar… that funny, that clever, that captivating.” Off-screen, Kaur continues to maintain a strong connection to theatre. She is an ensemble member of Gracemoon Arts Company, which is building an off-Broadway theatre opening in Brooklyn, NY later this year.

Aria Mia Loberti (USA)
All The Light We Cannot See
(dir. Shawn Levy)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow

Aria Mia Loberti is an American actress, writer, scholar, and human rights advocate. She plays the lead role in Shawn Levy’s adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel All The Light We Cannot See. Loberti earned the part after a global search of thousands of actresses, despite no formal training; it’s her first-ever acting role and is a leading example of authentic blind representation. A Fulbright Scholar with a master’s degree in ancient rhetoric from Royal Holloway University of London, she is also a PhD candidate at Penn State University. Furthermore, as a supporter of UNICEF, Loberti is actively a passionate advocate for human rights, environmental justice, and educational equity.

Cody Lightning (Canada)
Hey, Viktor!
(dir. Cody Lightning)

Cody Lightning is a world-class, generation-defining actor. Hailing from Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta, Lightning began acting at age five in the film Geronimo. Since then, he has become one of Hollywood’s most active Indigenous actors, best known for his roles in Smoke Signals, The Brave, Brick, and many more. In 2023, Lightning will star in Marvel’s upcoming Echo series. His debut feature film as a writer-director, Hey Victor!, sees Lightning revisit his iconic role in Smoke Signals. In recent years, Lightning has taken on greater creative responsibilities, including producing, directing, and writing, focusing on projects that highlight how fucking hilarious Indigenous people are.

Kudakwashe Rutendo (Canada)
Backspot
(dir. D. W. Waterson)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow
Kudakwashe Rutendo is a fast-rising actor from Fort McMurray, Alberta, currently based in Toronto. She was first introduced to the performing arts through LIVE poetry, and since then her passion for performance has only grown. After graduating high school, she moved to Toronto to attend the University of Toronto and pursue a career in acting. Recently, Rutendo landed a role starring alongside actor Tatyana Ali in the feature film Giving Hope: The Ni’cola Mitchell Story (Lifetime). She is also a theatre actor featured in productions such as Lost Heroes of Oro (Theatre by the Bay), and Vierge (Factory Theatre). Rutendo is expected to have her breakout role in the upcoming feature film Backspot (Page Boy Productions), starring opposite Devery Jacobs (Rising Stars 2018), Thomas Antony Olajide (Rising Stars 2021), and Evan Rachel Wood.

Léah Aubert (France)
Sisterhood
(dir. Nora el Hourch)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow
Always passionate about cinema, Leah Aubert started acting when she was seven in a musical comedy. Since then, Aubert never stopped acting, going from theatre class in school to acting in front of a camera. Her first step in front of the camera was in a 2021 student film. Recently, she starred in the movie Sisterhood by Nora el Hourch, and has also created her own short movie, which she both acted in and directed.

Mark Clennon (Canada)
I Don’t Know Who You Are
(dir. M.H. Murray)

Mark Clennon is a Jamaican-born artist whose art is expressed through various mediums. As a musician, he has garnered fans worldwide with music that The Recording Academy describes as “mesmerising,” MTV News recently described his art as “intimate and groundbreaking.” In 2022, Clennon made history with the first music video set and shot in Jamaica to depict a same-sex on-screen romance instantly highlighting him as one of Jamaica’s only openly gay performers. Clennon began his career in entertainment as an actor, but took a hiatus to focus on music. I Don’t Know Who You Are marks his triumphant return to acting, with which he is able to marry his love and passion for music.

Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne (New Zealand)
The Convert
(dir. Lee Tamahori)
TIFF Share Her Journey Fellow
Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne is a Māori Storyteller who is of Ngāti Porou and Ngai Tūhoe descent. She grew up on the East Coast attending Te Kohanga Reo o Itinoa and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti. After completing school, Ngatai-Melbourne auditioned and was accepted into New Zealand’s leading drama school, Toi Whakaari, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Acting (BA) in 2020. Ngatai-Melbourne is well known for her roles in feature films such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Kahu), Cousins (Adult Makareta), and Whina (Teenage Whina), as well as the TV series We are still here (Te Mauniko), Mystic (Maia), and Kairākau (Ruamahu). Ngatai-Melbourne has also discovered a passion for creating her own work, and most recently wrote, directed, and starred in her debut short film E Rangi Rā (Paea), supported by Māoriland Film. Her hopes and aspirations are to break the stereotypical way Māori are portrayed by decolonizing the screen and spaces, and above all, to make her Māori whanau, hapu, and iwi proud.

TIFF Rising Stars is produced by Jane Kim, Industry Programming Producer, with the support of Emma Bulpin, Rising Stars Programmer, and, Taelor Lewis-Joseph, Associate Programmer, Industry.

Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, is delighted to announce that award-winning actor Colman Domingo will receive the TIFF Tribute Performer Award. This Award recognizes an overall body of exceptional work, and is one of seven awards being handed out at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala, presented by Bulgari on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

A prolific actor of the screen and the stage, Domingo’s career spans over 30 years. Domingo will next be seen in Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing premiering at the Festival. Past recipients honoured in the prestigious acting category were Brendan Fraser and the ensemble cast of My Policeman in 2022; Jessica Chastain and Benedict Cumberbatch in 2021; Kate Winslet and Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2020; and Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix in 2019.

Sing Sing is about a theatre troupe that finds escape from the realities of incarceration through the creativity of putting on a play. Based on the real-life arts rehabilitation program founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, the film is being distributed in Canada by Elevation Pictures.

“Colman Domingo’s performances are a masterclass in the art of storytelling,” said Bailey. “Domingo’s presence, on stage and on screen, is a gift to audiences, and his work continues to resonate, leaving an indelible impact. He is a true visionary in the world of performance, and we’re excited to honour him this year.”

Domingo joins the recently announced 2023 TIFF Tribute Award honourees Andy Lau, recipient of the Special Tribute Award; Carolina Markowicz, recipient of the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios; Łukasz Żal, recipient of the TIFF Variety Artisan Award; Shawn Levy, recipient of the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award presented by The Budman Family; Pedro Almodóvar, recipient of the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant; and Spike Lee, recipient of the TIFF Ebert Director Award. Once again, the TIFF Tribute Awards honour the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements, recognizing leading industry members, acting talent, directorial expertise, new talent, and a below-the-line artist and creator.

The Tribute Awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser, having raised $1.3 million in 2022, and is presented by Bulgari, sharing their commitment to arts and culture along with TIFF. This year, the Tribute Awards gala will support the Viola Desmond Cinema campaign, which was launched through the Every Story Fund in 2022. For more information, visit tiff.net/tribute.

Colman Domingo bio
Colman Domingo is an Emmy Award–winning actor, and has been nominated for a Tony®, Independent Spirit, Gotham, Lawrence Olivier, Drama Desk, Drama League, NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award as an actor, playwright, and producer. He stars in and executive produced Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing, which will make its World Premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is based on the real-life arts rehabilitation program founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. In June 2023, he appeared in and produced the unscripted AMC travel show You Are Here and was a producer on the Tony-nominated Fat Ham. He is well known for his Spirit Award–nominated role in Janicza Bravo’s Zola as well as his work on stage in The Scottsboro Boys and Broadway’s Passing Strange. Domingo and his husband Raúl Domingo have produced a myriad of work under their Edith Productions banner, including four seasons of the award-winning variety talk show Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s. Domingo co-wrote, produced, and starred in the Academy Award–shortlisted animated short film New Moon, based on his play A Boy and His Soul. He also starred in and executive produced the award-winning short North Star.

Today we get a brand-new Trailer for RUSTIN starring Colman Domingo. The Film by George C. Wolfe premieres at TIFF ’23 and arrives November 17, 2023 on Netflix.

Synopsis:
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten. Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom. Produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe, the film features an all-star cast including Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, CCH Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, with Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald.

Director: George C. Wolfe
Screenplay By: Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black
Story By: Julian Breece
Produced By: Bruce Cohen, Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis, George C. Wolfe
Executive Producers: Higher Ground’s Barack & Michelle Obama, Mark R. Wright, Alex G. Scott, David Permut, Daniel Sladek, Chris Taaffe
Cast: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, CCH Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Lilli Kay, Jordan-Amanda Hall, Jakeem Powell, Grantham Coleman, Jamilah Rosemond, Jules Latimer, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper, Frank Harts, Kevin Mambo, Carra Patterson, Bill Irwin, Cotter Smith, Adrienne Warren, with Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

The Toronto International Film Festival® is delighted to announce its Award categories, jury members, and prizes for 2023, along with the return of three distinguished international film juries to honour outstanding works in this year’s lineup. The juries, featuring renowned film critics and filmmakers, include five members for FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics; three jurors for NETPAC, the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema; and three jurors for Platform (previously announced). All awards will be announced on September 17 at the annual Awards Breakfast at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Details to follow in the coming weeks.

“A crucial component of the film industry’s ecosystem, the annual awards presented by TIFF are dedicated to honouring creativity, vision, and excellence,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Every year, we unite to applaud the diverse array of cinematic voices with the support of respected colleagues from the global industry, and this year will be no exception.”

BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD
TIFF continues to celebrate the unique craft and storytelling within Canadian cinema with the Best Canadian Feature Film Award. All 27 Canadian feature films in Official Selection — ranging from debut features to documentaries to films from well-established directors — will be considered for the award.

AMPLIFY VOICES AWARDS PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE
Canada Goose embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including the technique and passion that transports storytelling to the screen. This year, Canada Goose will again present the Amplify Voices Awards to under-represented filmmakers in Canada. Feature films in Official Selection by Canadian BIPOC filmmakers are eligible for the Best Feature and Best First Feature Award. The Amplify Voices Award will also celebrate a Canadian BIPOC trailblazer, recognizing a producer who has made significant contributions to the Canadian film landscape. The three winners will receive a cash prize of $10,000 each, made possible by Canada Goose. The jurors are:

V.T. Nayani is a multi-hyphenate storyteller working across the screen industries. She is an alumni of the Canadian Film Centre, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, The Gotham, and BIPOC TV & Film. Nayani’s feature directorial debut, This Place, premiered at TIFF in 2022.

Nisha Pahuja’s documentary credits include To Kill a Tiger, which won the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature in 2022 and fifteen other awards. Other directorial credits include The World Before Her (2012), which received an Emmy nomination, and Diamond Road (2008).

Ricardo Acosta is a film editor, script consultant, and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Canadian Cinema Editors. His editing and story consulting credits include Once Upon a Time in Venezuela (2020), The Letter (2019), The Silence of Others (2018), Sembene! (2015), and Marmato (2014). His films have premiered at Sundance, Cannes, and IDFA, among other international film festivals.

SHORT CUTS AWARDS
Films in the Short Cuts programme are eligible for three jury-selected Short Cuts Awards: Best Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, and the Share Her Journey Award for best short film by a woman filmmaker. These awards provide each of the three winners with a bursary of $10,000 CAD to help them continue achieving success in their careers. Short Cuts Awards Jurors are:

Aisha Jamal is an Afghan Canadian filmmaker and film programmer. Since 2016, she has been programming Canadian films for the Hot Docs Documentary Festival. Her feature debut A Kandahar Away premiered in 2019 and is now playing on Documentary Channel and screening on CBC Gem in Canada. Her previous short films have played at venues and festivals worldwide.

Araya Mengesha is an Ethiopian Eritrean award-winning filmmaker and actor. His co-written/directed short film DEFUND was a TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten 2021 selection after its World Premiere at TIFF ’21, collecting wins and nominations along the festival circuit, as well as becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick. As an actor, he is a Gemini Award (now called Canadian Screen Award) winner, CSA Best Lead Performer (Digital Series), and multi–ACTRA Award nominee. Currently in development is the feature film The Section based on the short work TEF, which Mengesha wrote and starred in during his residency at the Canadian Film Centre.

Shasha Nakhai is a Toronto-based storyteller with more than a decade of experience. Her work has aired on the BBC, CBC, ZDF, and Arte; screened at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); been nominated for 16 Canadian Screen Awards; named as part of TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten; and shortlisted for an Oscar.

CHANGEMAKER AWARD
The Changemaker Award is presented to a feature film in Official Selection that explores issues relevant to young people and is focused on themes of social change and youth empowerment. The award embraces the power in young people seeing their communities represented on screen and celebrates the next generation of storytellers and changemakers in cinema. The winning film is selected by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee, a group of young film lovers who recognize cinema’s power to transform the world. All Next Wave–selected films in Official Selection are eligible, and the winning director(s) receives $10,000 CAD. In 2022, the Changemaker Award went to Luis De Filippis’ Something You Said Last Night.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
A longstanding tradition at TIFF, the People’s Choice Award is celebrating its 46th year, and TIFF audience members are encouraged to vote for their favourite films online at tiff.net/vote. All feature films in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible for this Award. TIFF has two other Awards also voted on by the audience: the People’s Choice Documentary Award and the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award. The 2022 winners are The Fabelmans, Black Ice, and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

FIPRESCI JURY
The FIPRESCI Prize is presented by an international jury selected by the International Federation of Film Critics. Founded in 1930, the Federation awards the prize at international film festivals and film festivals of particular importance to promote film-art and to encourage new and young cinema. The FIPRESCI Jury will award the Prize of International Critics, dedicated to emerging filmmakers for the 30th year, to one feature film having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery programme. Last year’s winner was A Gaza Weekend. The 2023 FIPRESCI jurors are:

Cem Altinsaray is a film critic with 28 years of experience in writing, editing, creating, and publishing movie magazines. He is now focused on enjoying and spreading his love of cinema at MUBI.

Elijah Baron is a Montreal-based film critic, translator, and editor, mostly known for his affiliation with 24 images, one of Quebec’s leading and oldest French-language film magazines.

Jindřiška Bláhová is a film critic and film industry analyst for the leading Czech weekly Respekt, an editor-in-chief of the film magazine Cinepur, and a film historian.

Diego Faraone is a Uruguayan film critic and journalist. He collaborated in publications such as Dossier, El Boulevard, Guía 50, and Argentinian websites Revista Caligari and Otros Cines, among others.

Jenni Zylka is a freelance writer focusing on film, media, and music. She is head of the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section of the Berlinale.

NETPAC JURY
Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific region. The jury consists of three members of the international community selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the best film by an emerging Asian and/or Pacific Islander filmmaker in the Centrepiece and Discovery programmes. In 2022, the NETPAC Award went to Sweet As. The 2023 NETPAC Award jurors are:

Sung Moon, 2023 NETPAC Jury Chair, is a programmer at the Jeonju International Film Festival.

Haolun Shu is a Shanghai-based filmmaker and teaches film directing and screenwriting at Shanghai Film Academy.

Lalita Krishna is the Co-Chair of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. She is a critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker.

Premiering at TIFF ’23, we are so stoked to see FLORA AND SON! Here’s a new Trailer for this Apple TV+ release, arriving September 29, 2023 on the streaming service.

Synopsis:

Single mom Flora (Eve Hewson) is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max (Orén Kinlan). Encouraged by the police to find Max a hobby, Flora tries to occupy him with a beat-up acoustic guitar. With the help of a washed-up LA musician (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Flora and Max discover the transformative power of music. From the musical mind of John Carney, “Flora and Son” explores the bond between a mother and son on a journey toward a new harmony.

“Flora and Son” is directed by John Carney. The film is produced by John Carney along with Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron, Rebecca O’Flanagan and Robert Walpole. Cathleen Dare, Milan Popelka and Alison Cohen are executive producing.

Director: John Carney

Cast: Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jack Reynor, Orén Kinlan

Writer: John Carney

Producers: Peter Cron, Rebecca O’Flanagan, Robert Walpole, Anthony Bregman, John Carney

Exec. Producers: Cathleen Dore, Milan Popelka, Alison Cohen

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favourite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 376 wins and 1,567 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

TIFF is delighted to announce additional honourees who will be receiving a TIFF Tribute Award at this year’s Festival. Recipients include award-winning Brazilian filmmaker Carolina Markowicz who will be honoured with the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios. This award is in the spirit of Torontonian Mary Pickford, the groundbreaking actor, producer, and co-founder of United Artists, whose impact continues today. Two-time Academy Award–nominated Polish cinematographer Łukasz Žal will receive the TIFF Variety Artisan Award, which recognizes a distinguished creative who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema and entertainment. Both Markowicz and Žal will be honoured on September 10 at the fifth annual TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser at Fairmont Royal York Hotel, presented by Bulgari.

On September 15, TIFF will be honouring Andy Lau, the multi-hyphenate Hong Kong artist with a Special Tribute Award at the World Premiere Gala presentation of Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, in which he stars. This marks Lau’s first visit since he last attended the Festival in 2001. He will also be participating in the In Conversation With… (ICW) series on September 16. Lau is one of Hong Kong’s most popular entertainers, with a career spanning more than four decades and over 160 films in his filmography. He has received recognition from critics for his work in both television and film, with memorable roles in Ann Hui’s Boat People (1982), Wong Kar Wai’s As Tears Go By (1988), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s Infernal Affairs trilogy, and reteaming with Hui in the hit drama A Simple Life (2011). Previous recipients of the Special Tribute Award include David Foster (2019) and Dionne Warwick (2021).

“We are thrilled to honour the remarkable talents and contributions of Andy Lau, Carolina Markowicz, and Łukasz Žal,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “An industry icon and multi-faceted artist with an impressive filmography, Lau has paved the way for a generation of performers. Emerging Talent honoree Markowicz has an exciting future ahead as one of the most fearless directors of her generation, and Žal’s cinematography continues to evoke emotion in The Zone of Interest.”

Confirming herself as one of Brazil’s clearest voices in current cinema, writer-director Carolina Markowicz returns to the Festival with the World Premiere of her second feature, Toll, on September 9. Following the acclaim of her 2022 dark and twisted comedy Charcoal, Toll is a film about a Brazilian mother who falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. Previous recipients of the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios include Sally El Hosaini in 2022; Danis Goulet in 2021; Tracey Deer in 2020; and Mati Diop in 2019.

Žal, best known for his stunning cinematography in Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War and Ida, returns to the Festival with the Jonathan Glazer–directed The Zone of Interest. The film, adapted from a 2014 novel of the same title by Martin Amis, was awarded the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Entirely shot in Poland, Žal’s lens has a chilling effect — detached from the horrors of the prison camp, the camera captures the banality of the Höss family living their everyday life outside the walls of Auschwitz, contrasted by unforgettable reminders of resistance at night, and shot in monochrome by thermal-imaging cameras. Previous recipients of the TIFF Variety Artisan Award include Hildur Guðnadóttir in 2022; Ari Wegner in 2021; Terence Blanchard in 2020; and Roger Deakins in 2019.

“Variety is honoured to be giving Łukasz Žal our annual Artisan Award at the Toronto International Film Festival,” said Jazz Tangcay, Senior Artisans Editor at Variety. “We have been fans of his work from Ida and Cold War and with his most recent film, The Zone of Interest, Łukasz continues to raise the bar for inventive and avant-garde cinematography.”

The Tribute Awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser, having raised $1.3 million in 2022, and is presented by Bulgari, sharing their commitment to arts and culture along with TIFF. This year, the Tribute Awards gala will support the Viola Desmond Cinema campaign, which was launched through the Every Story Fund in 2022. For more information, visit tiff.net/tribute.

Andy Lau bio
The star of Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, Andy Lau has been a leading figure in Asian cinema for the past four decades. Like many of his contemporaries, Lau started out in the early 1980s as an actor for Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Hong Kong’s premier television network. He landed his first feature film role in Ann Hui’s Boat People (1982), a central work of the Hong Kong New Wave. In the late 1980s, Lau fully transitioned to working in film and enthralled audiences and critics alike in Wong Kar Wai’s As Tears Go By (1988) and Days of Being Wild (1990). Lau launched his own production company in the early 1990s and has starred in over 160 feature films, including Johnnie To’s relentless police thriller Running Out of Time (1999), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s twisty and unpredictable Infernal Affairs (2002) and Infernal Affairs III (2003), Zhang Yimou’s martial arts extravaganza House of Flying Daggers (2004), Tsui Hark’s delirious fantasy whodunit Detective Dee: The Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010), Hui’s grounded drama A Simple Life (2011), and Frant Gwo’s mega-action blockbuster The Wandering Earth 2 (2023). A natural entertainer and multi-faceted artist, Lau has won three Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor, received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 2006 Busan International Film Festival, and holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Awards Won by a Cantopop Male Artist.” He joins us for an in-depth conversation about his storied career as an actor, producer, and celebrated Cantopop singer-songwriter, as well as his new film The Movie Emperor, which is a Gala Presentation at this year’s Festival.

Carolina Markowicz bio
Carolina Markowicz has written and directed six award-winning short films that have been selected for more than 300 festivals. Her 2018 short film, The Orphan, premiered in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and won the Queer Palm. Since 2021, Carolina has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her debut feature, Charcoal, premiered at TIFF in 2022. Toll, her second feature, will premiere at TIFF 2023.

Łukasz Žal bio
Łukasz Žal is a cinematographer based out of Poland. He most recently shot Charlie Kaufman’s critically acclaimed I’m Thinking of Ending Things, as well as Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2019. Previously, he was nominated for an Academy Award in 2016 for Pawlikowski’s Ida and was one of two cinematographers of the 2017 Oscar-nominated animated feature Loving Vincent (dir. DK Welchman, Hugo Welchman). In addition, he received the Golden Frog Award at Camerimage twice for his work on Ida and Paparazzi (dir. Piotr Bernas), as well as the Silver Frog Award for Cold War. Žal also shot Dovlatov (dir. Aleksiej German Jr.), which premiered at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival, and The Here After (dir. Magnus von Horn), an official selection of the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. He is a Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, European Film Academy, and Polish Society of Cinematographers.

Premiering November 3, 2023 on Netflix and next month at TIFF, here is a first look at NYAD starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster!

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

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.

TIFF is excited to share the 2023 Industry Selects lineup. Screening for accredited buyers during the Festival, this curated selection of 12 films go beyond the Official Selection, and are all available for worldwide acquisition. 

“As the media industry continues to evolve, TIFF strives to foster creative innovation in both the development and business of storytelling,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We will continue to expand our successful Industry Selects initiative, a TIFF curated selection of films for the marketplace to find global audiences and are very excited to present a very high level calibre showcase.”

TIFF is also proud to announce new additions to the 2023 Industry Conference, with a dynamic array of Connections, Microsessions, and Spotlight sessions. TIFF’s Industry Conference is supported by Ontario Creates and Telefilm Canada. All sessions will take place at Glenn Gould Studio.

“Our Connections, Microsessions, and Spotlight sessions are intimate opportunities for professionals to learn from and connect with decision makers who can help forward their future projects and careers,” said Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical. “They include a mix of curated and co-produced sessions designed to fuel co-production, sustainability, and responsible storytelling.”

2023 INDUSTRY SELECTS 

Amelia’s Children (Gabriel Abrantes, Portugal) 
Goodfellas, CAA
Diamantino co-director Gabriele Abrantes and star Carloto Cotta reunite for a Euro-Gothic creeper about an American and his girlfriend (Brigette Lundy-Paine) who discover he’s the long-lost heir to a Portuguese fortune, which comes with some very strange family ties.

Bonus Track (Julie Jackman, United Kingdom)
Bankside Films
Sixteen-year-old George Bobbin (Joe Anders) insists he’s a future pop star, although no one else in his tiny English town agrees. Then he meets the son (Samuel Paul Small) of a famous musical duo who helps him rehearse for their school’s talent show, leading both boys to grow closer creatively and personally.

Borderline (Jimmy Warden, United States)
CAA/Radiant
Los Angeles, 1996: Recovering from their last encounter, a devoted bodyguard (Eric Dane) must thwart the very persistent stalker (Ray Nicholson) of a Madonna-level pop star (Samara Weaving) when he breaks out of an institution and takes her hostage in her own home. 

The Boy in the Woods (Rebecca Snow, Canada) 
Myriad Pictures
Jett Klyne stars in the remarkable true-life story of Maxwell Smart, a Jewish boy who survived the Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe by hiding out in the forests of Poland.

Dance First (James Marsh, United Kingdom) 
Film Constellation  
Gabriel Byrne plays the literary giant Samuel Beckett in this biographical drama from Oscar-winner James Marsh (Man on Wire, The Theory of Everything), co-starring Sandrine Bonnaire, Maxine Peake, Aidan Gillen, and Fionn O’Shea.

The Home (James DeMonaco, United States)
CAA
The squishy new horror film from James DeMonaco, creator of the Purge series, stars Pete Davidson as a twentysomething screwup who’s assigned community service at a fancy retirement home and comes to suspect some very unpleasant things are going on upstairs. 

Inheritance (Neil Burger, United States/United Kingdom/Egypt/India) 
CAA
When Maya (Phoebe Dynevor) learns her father Sam (Rhys Ifans) was once a spy, she suddenly finds herself at the centre of an international conspiracy in this nervy, fast-moving thriller from director Neil Burger (The Illusionist, The Upside, Voyagers).

Les Hommes de Ma Mere (Anik Jean, Canada)
Jessie Films
After her mother’s death, Elsie (Léane Labrèche-Dor) sets out to find her five ex-husbands and scatter her ashes with each of them ― tracing her own history in the process, and seeing her mother’s life in an entirely new way. Directed by Anik Jean and co-starring Patrick Huard, Marc Messier, Colm Feore, and Anne-Marie Cadieux.

Orah (Lonzo Nzekwe, Canada) 
Orah Productions Inc.
When her teenaged son is murdered back home in Nigeria, a Toronto cabbie (Star Trek Discovery’s Oyin Oladejo) decides to bring down the international money launderers responsible for his death as violently as possible.

Queen of Bones (Robert Budreau, Canada/United States) 
CAA
Martin Freeman, Taylor Schilling, Julia Butters, and Jacob Tremblay star in this dark Depression-era folktale focused on twin siblings who suspect their father is hiding secrets about their deceased mother’s connection with the supernatural. Directed by Robert Budreau (Born to Be Blue, Stockholm).

Umbrella Men II: Escape from Robben Island (John Barker, South Africa) 
Africa Entertainment in America 
They pulled off the perfect heist, and went to prison anyway ― so now it’s up to the women of the Umbrella gang to orchestrate their escape from Robben Island Prison, in this sequel to John Barker’s 2022 crime comedy.

Vera and the Pleasure of Others (Romina Tamburello & Federic Actis, Argentina) 
m-Appeal
Vera (Luciana Grasso) is 17, and like any teenager, she divides her days between volleyball, school… and renting out an empty apartment in her mother’s building to classmates looking for a place to have sex. An inventive new look at desire and longing from directors Romina Tamburello and Federico Actis.

2023 Industry Conference Additions

CMPA Indiescreen Awards
Back at TIFF once again on Thursday, September 7, the Indiescreen Awards have recognized producers whose vision and entrepreneurship demonstrate a commitment and passion for producing Canadian feature films. Join CMPA and TIFF in acknowledging and celebrating the award recipients, followed by cocktails, food, and networking. The Indiescreen Awards are open to all registered delegates and are presented by the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), in partnership with Telefilm Canada.

MICROSESSIONS
Collaborative programming with TIFF’s brand partners in sessions that emphasize the opportunities and expertise that many working professionals can gain from some of the world’s leading brands and cultural organizations. Microsessions include: 

• Turning on the Light in the Basement: From the Vaults to the Screens — Led by Iron Mountain Entertainment Services 
• Informed Choices: New Insights for Environmentally Sustainable Filmmaking — Led by Telefilm Canada
• Empowering Rising Voices: Advocating for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through Film — Led by Indeed
• Transnational Cinema: Industry Perspectives from Quebec — Led by the Mel Oppenheimer School of Cinema at Concordia University and Grande Studios
• Your Next Film is a Co-pro with UK — Led by the British Film Institute
• Lights, Camera, Collaboration: ‘Orah’ and the Roadmap to a Nigeria-Canada Co-Production Treaty — Led by the Black Screen Office and supported by Ontario Creates

CONNECTIONS
Intimate networking sessions giving emerging to mid-career filmmakers the opportunity to interact with industry experts and gain practical knowledge to move their projects and understanding of the industry forward. The Media Partner for Connections is ok Playback. Connections sessions include: 

• Breaking barriers, shattering ceilings: Advancing accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities in the screen industry
• Making Shorts That Get Seen  
• Disney’s Writing and Directing Programmes — Guest includes: Liz Kelly, Director of Creative Talent Development & Inclusion at Disney General Entertainment (DGE) 
• BAFTA: Navigating an International Career 
• Beyond Co-pros: Cross-border Collaborations & Funds for Canadians 
• Activating Grassroots Movements with Gold House

SPOTLIGHTS
A great way to expand one’s network, build bridges, and develop new business opportunities in Toronto. Spotlights are a collaboration with leading partner organizations, and are designed to maximize the B2B experience over a breakfast networking session. Sessions Include: 

• The Big Pitch presented by CaribbeanTales Media Group — 12 BIPOC Projects pitch to a live audience and jury for feedback and funding support. Funded by Telefilm in partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival.
• Do it the Spanish Way! International Co-production Forum — 5 Spanish film teams pitch development projects, with curated B2B speed meetings with Canadian and International professionals to follow. Led by ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones and ICAA Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 
• Explore the Northern Ontario Film Industry — Unlocking the sometimes untapped potential and lucrative benefits of Ontario’s north for producers and creators. Led by Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION).
• Polish Cinema at TIFF — This year’s selection of Polish cinema is unmatched. Connect with Polish talent, learn about incentives and benefits of co-production, and meet new talent. Powered by the Polish Film Institute.
• Everything Under the Sun and… More! — Appealing incentives, versatile locations, industry-friendly visas, amazing talent — everything Spain has to offer and more. Led by ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones.

Full session pitches will be available on tiff.net.

TIFF is excited to announce Sylvester Stallone as the newest addition to the In Conversation With… (ICW) series for TIFF 2023. Stallone joins an illustrious roster of cinematic superstars including Pedro Almodóvar, Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun, and Andy Lau. TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… is presented by Visa.

“The 2023 In Conversation With… series embodies our conviction that film possesses the remarkable ability to ignite perspectives and drive profound change,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are truly thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Sylvester Stallone and this lineup of icons. This series promises to captivate film aficionados of all genres.”

The subject of the highly anticipated Netflix original documentary Sly, Sylvester Stallone is a towering figure in cinema history. As a writer, director, actor, and producer, Stallone’s journey has mirrored the inspirational trajectory of his cinematic creations. His screenplay for Rocky (1976) and his raw portrayal of the titular underdog propelled him to superstardom and Academy Award nominations for acting and writing. The film went on to inspire one of the most successful and enduring movie franchises of all time, with five sequels and the Creed (2015) spinoffs. Stallone introduced the world to Vietnam veteran John Rambo in First Blood (1982). The sequel Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) solidified the character as an iconic action hero and spawned multiple follow-ups and video games. As a director, Stallone captured the spirit of the original Rocky films and brought further depth to his title character in Rocky Balboa (2006). He delivered the knock-out blockbuster The Expendables (2010), directing the most impressive cast of action stars ever assembled. Alongside these classics are standout roles in Demolition Man (1993), Cliffhanger (1993), Cop Land (1997), and as Dwight Manfredi in the hit television show Tulsa King (2022) that together showcase his range and charisma. Stallone joins us to consider his prolific career, his immense contributions to the action genre, and his enduring legacy behind and in front of the camera.

Starting today, August 21, Visa Infinite cardholders will be given early access to secure tickets to TIFF 2023. For more information visit tiff.net.