#TIFF23: WAVELENGTHS AND CLASSICS PROGRAMMES ANNOUNCED AT 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival® is delighted to announce today the 2023 selection for the Wavelengths and Classics programmes. The 2023 Wavelengths lineup is politically charged, geographically diverse, and formally thrilling, with a wide range of work drawn from the worlds of documentary, contemporary art, and international art-house cinema. Expanded in scale from previous editions, this year’s Wavelengths boasts 12 feature films and 19 shorts, as well as a suite of four restored early films by the singular Chantal Akerman.

“Wavelengths is a testament to the range of cinema celebrated at TIFF,” stated Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “It is also evidence that artist-driven experimental films are thriving and growing a new generation of cinephiles.”

“The increasing necessity to support artists willing to take risks, break rules, and challenge the status quo — especially in our over-saturated media landscape — bears repeating,” said Andréa Picard, Senior Curator, TIFF. “Wavelengths continues to be a celebration of subversion, personal expression, and the vast, inexhaustible capabilities of cinema to enlighten, inspire, awe, resist, disrupt, and propose new ways of seeing and being in the world. With this lineup, we hope to demonstrate how Michael Snow’s legacy of mischief making and formal acumen clearly lives on.”

Highlights of the programme include the World Premiere of He Thought He Died, from Canadian artist and filmmaker Isiah Medina, who returns to the Festival with an experimental, deconstructed take on the heist film. Also returning is luminary filmmaker Angela Schanelec with Music, a retelling of the Oedipus myth set between contemporary Greece and Germany; and Denis Côté with Mademoiselle Kenopsia, the latest in the filmmaker’s rich creative collaboration with the talented actor Larissa Corriveau.

Wavelengths also welcomes a number of fiction debuts, including Rosine Mbakam’s Mambar Pierrette, an understated and finely calibrated portrait of a Cameroonian seamstress that builds upon the filmmaker’s formidable documentary background. Also featured is Phạm Thiên n’s contemplative Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, winner of the Caméra d’Or at this year’s Cannes.

Non-fiction remains an important mode of artistic expression, with works ranging from Youth (Spring), the latest triumph from master filmmaker Wang Bing, shot over several years in a Zhili textile factory, to personal essay films from Miko Revereza (Nowhere Near) and Brazilian auteur Kleber Mendonça Filho (Pictures of Ghosts), as well as Paul B. Preciado’s award-winning Orlando, My Political Biography, a rousing, playful take on Virginia Woolf’s classic novel and a daring, joyous celebration of trans life, past and present.

Filmmakers remain ever eager to scrutinize and challenge the current state of our world, as seen in Radu Jude’s scathing and hilarious satire, Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, and Eduardo Williams’ much-anticipated The Human Surge 3, a dizzying deconstruction of borders, gender, and language shot between Peru, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan using 360° cameras.

Short film highlights include World Premieres from filmmakers Jorge Jácome, Philipp Fleischmann, Joshua Gen Solondz, Steve Reinke, Shambhavi Kaul, Simon Liu, Tomonari Nishikawa, and Erica Sheu, as well as notable new work from Rose Lowder, Maryam Tafakory, Ja’Tovia Gary, Viktoria Schmid, Blake Williams, Pedro Costa, and Jean-Luc Godard.

Wavelengths is curated by Senior TIFF curator Andréa Picard and Jesse Cumming, who this year is taking on the new role of Associate Curator. The programme also includes feature film contributions from members of TIFF’s international programming team — namely Giovanna Fulvi, June Kim, Dorota Lech, Jason Anderson, and Norm Wilner.

The Wavelengths programme is named after Michael Snow’s iconic 1967 film Wavelength, and draws continued inspiration from the artist’s boundless exploration, experimentation, and innovation across media. TIFF honoured and celebrated Snow earlier this year at TIFF Bell Lightbox, after his passing in January at the age of 94, and the 2023 Wavelengths programme is dedicated to his memory.

This year’s concise Classics lineup, supported by Ontario Creates and Canada Council for the Arts, presents films that were previously unavailable for decades, films that have been rescued and painstakingly pieced together in new restorations, and a 50th anniversary tribute to Djibril Diop Mambéty’s Touki Bouki.

Films featured in the Classics lineup include the 4K uncut restoration of Chen Kaige’s provocative 1993 Palme d’Or winner Farewell My Concubine. This screening will be the first opportunity for North American audiences to see the film ahead of its North American theatrical release. With new 4K restoration and remastered sound,* Canadian producer-director Brigitte Berman’s Oscar-winning feature documentary Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got (1985) — portraying the life of the restless and gifted clarinettist and bandleader — returns to the screen in a World Premiere presentation. Confined to decades of oblivion and newly made available is Jacques Rivette’s legendary New Wave film, L’amour fou (1969), whose original celluloid elements were damaged in a fire. A special 50th anniversary screening of Touki Bouki (1973), from Sengalese luminary Djibril Diop Mambéty, will include a panel discussion moderated by Tambay A. Obenson, Akoroko Founder and CEO, with special guests. Rounding out the programme is Ousmane Sembène’s Xala (1975), presented in 4K, a landmark satire of patriarchy and class in post-independence Senegal. Classics is curated by Robyn Citizen, Director of Programming and Platform Lead, with contributions from Andréa Picard.

2023 Wavelengths programme:

WAVELENGTHS FEATURES

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World Radu Jude | Romania/Luxembourg/France/Croatia
North American Premiere

Here Bas Devos | Belgium
North American Premiere

The Human Surge 3 Eduardo Williams | Argentina/Portugal/Brazil/Netherlands/Taiwan/Hong Kong/Sri Lanka/Peru
North American Premiere

Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell Phạm Thiên n | Vietnam/Singapore/France/Spain
North American Premiere

Mademoiselle Kenopsia Denis Côté | Canada
North American Premiere

Mambar Pierrette Rosine Mbakam | Belgium/Cameroon
North American Premiere

Music Angela Schanelec | Germany/France/Serbia
North American Premiere
Luminaries

Nowhere Near Miko Revereza | Philippines
North American Premiere

Orlando, My Political Biography Paul B. Preciado | France
Canadian Premiere

Pictures of Ghosts Kleber Mendonça Filho | Brazil
North American Premiere

Youth (Spring) Wang Bing | France/Luxembourg/Netherlands
North American Premiere
Luminaries

WAVELENGTHS PAIRINGS

He Thought He Died Isiah Medina | Canada
World Premiere
preceded by
Laberint Sequences Blake Williams | Canada
North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS SHORTS

Wavelengths 1: Quiet as It’s Kept

Borrowing its title from Ja’Tovia Gary’s latest film, this programme invites and encourages alternate modes of seeing ― through queer abstraction, repurposed fragments, and imagined memories ― as well as new forms of listening: to others, to ourselves, and to the natural world.

Bouquets 31-40 Rose Lowder | France
Canadian Premiere

Film Sculpture (1) Philipp Fleischmann | Austria
World Premiere

Film Sculpture (2) Philipp Fleischmann | Austria
World Premiere

Film Sculpture (4) Philipp Fleischmann | Austria
World Premiere

Film Sculpture (3) Philipp Fleischmann | Austria
World Premiere

It follows It passes on Erica Sheu | Taiwan/USA
World Premiere

Mast-del Maryam Tafakory | United Kingdom/Iran
North American Premiere

Shrooms Jorge Jácome | Portugal
World Premiere

Quiet as It’s Kept Ja’Tovia Gary | USA
International Premiere

Wavelengths 2: Sundown

With sensory delights, overloads, and mysteries, this programme probes the hallucinatory underpinnings of the world around us and its layered, incongruous temporalities.

Let’s Talk Simon Liu | Hong Kong
World Premiere

Light, Noise, Smoke, and Light, Noise, Smoke Tomonari Nishikawa | Japan
World Premiere

NYC RGB Viktoria Schmid | Austria/USA
Canadian Premiere

Slow Shift Shambhavi Kaul | India/USA
World Premiere

Sundown Steve Reinke | USA/Canada/Austria
World Premiere

We Don’t Talk Like We Used To Joshua Gen Solondz | USA/Japan/Hong Kong
World Premiere

Wavelengths 3: Outlines – Akerman/Costa/Godard

Bookended by a recently discovered and restored suite of Chantal Akerman’s first cinema forays and the legendary Jean-Luc Godard’s final testament, alongside the latest mesmerizing film by Pedro Costa, this special programme pays tribute to a trio of iconic artists and their intoxicating, enticing approach to sketches and outlines as a means of expression.

Chantal Akerman: Her First Look Behind the Camera Chantal Akerman | Belgium
North American Premiere

The Daughters of Fire Pedro Costa | Portugal
North American Premiere

Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars Jean-Luc Godard | France/Switzerland
North American Premiere

2023 Classics programme:

TIFF Classics is a cinematic legacy celebrating luminary auteurs, filmmakers, and cinematographers for the novice filmgoer and cinephiles alike.

Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got Brigitte Berman | Canada

Farewell My Concubine Chen Kaige | China/Hong Kong

L’amour fou Jacques Rivette | France

Touki Bouki Djibril Diop Mambéty | Senegal

Xala Ousmane Sembène | Senegal

*The restoration of Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got was overseen by Berman with the generous financial support of Donald Hicks, and made possible through Canadian Cinema – Reignited, a Telefilm Canada initiative, in partnership with TIFF. It will enter the TIFF Film and Reference Library archive, making it available for generations to come. The Telefilm Canada initiative was developed to reinforce the importance of Canadian films in cinemas, festivals, and on digital platforms, and to support the curation, digitization, and preservation of influential Canadian feature films.

#TIFF23: CENTREPIECE PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF is proud to announce this year’s Centrepiece programme presented by Indeed featuring 47 titles from filmmakers representing 45 countries. The programme, previously known as Contemporary World Cinema (CWC), honours and celebrates global cinematic achievements, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a dynamic array of contemporary films.

“We are very excited to present the new Centrepiece programme, a cinematic journey that transcends boundaries and embraces the art of human experience,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “The rebranding of the TIFF programme, formerly Contemporary World Cinema, is a reflection of the Festival’s vision to provide an elevated platform for international cinema, acclaimed titles from festivals around the globe, highly anticipated premieres from Canadian and international talents, and the latest work of influential filmmaking luminaries.”

TIFF is also delighted to present the additional lineup of recently confirmed Galas, Special Presentations, and Documentaries.

CENTREPIECE PROGRAMME 2023

100 Yards Xu Haofeng, Xu Junfeng | China
International Premiere

About Dry Grasses (Kuru Otlar Üstüne) Nuri Bilge Ceylan | Turkey/France/Germany/Sweden
North American Premiere
Luminaries

A Happy Day Hisham Zaman | Norway/Denmark
World Premiere

A Ravaging Wind (El Viento Que Arrasa) Paula Hernández | Argentina/Uruguay
World Premiere

A Road to A Village (गाउ आएको बाटो) Nabin Subba | Nepal
World Premiere

Banel & Adama (Banel e Adama) Ramata-Toulaye Sy | France/Senegal/Mali
North American Premiere

Chuck Chuck Baby Janis Pugh | United Kingdom
International Premiere

City of Wind (сэр сэр салхи) Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir | France/Mongolia/Portugal/Netherlands/Qatar/Germany
North American Premiere

Close Your Eyes (Cerrar Los Ojos) Víctor Erice | Spain/Argentina
North American Premiere
Luminaries

Death of a Whistleblower Ian Gabriel | South Africa
World Premiere

Fallen Leaves (Kuolleet lehdet) Aki Kaurismäki | Finland/Germany
Canadian Premiere
Luminaries

Fitting In Molly McGlynn | Canada
Canadian Premiere
Sloan Science on Film Showcase, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Green Border (Zielona Granica) Agnieszka Holland | Poland/Czech Republic/France/Belgium
North American Premiere
Luminaries

Hey, Viktor! Cody Lightning | Canada
Canadian Premiere

Holiday Edoardo Gabbriellini | Italy
World Premiere

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant) Ariane Louis-Seize | Canada
North American Premiere

I Do Not Come To You By Chance Ishaya Bako | Nigeria
World Premiere

In Flames Zarrar Kahn | Canada/Pakistan
North American Premiere

Inshallah a Boy (Inshallah Walad) Amjad Al Rasheed | Jordan/France/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/Egypt
North American Premiere

Irena’s Vow Louise Archambault | Canada/Poland
World Premiere

Je’vida Katja Gauriloff | Finland
Canadian Premiere

Kanaval Henri Pardo | Canada/Luxembourg
World Premiere

Limbo Ivan Sen | Australia
North American Premiere

Lost Ladies (Laapataa Ladies) Kiran Rao | India
World Premiere

Mountains Monica Sorelle | USA
International Premiere

National Anthem Luke Gilford | USA
International Premiere

Perfect Days Wim Wenders | Japan
Canadian Premiere

Robot Dreams Pablo Berger | Spain/France
North American Premiere

Shadow of Fire Shinya Tsukamoto | Japan
North American Premiere

Shayda Noora Niasari | Australia
Canadian Premiere

Sira Apolline Traoré | Burkina Faso/Senegal/France/Germany
North American Premiere

Snow Leopard (Xue Bao) Pema Tseden | China
North American Premiere

Sweet Dreams Ena Sendijarević | Netherlands/ Sweden/ Indonesia/France
North American Premiere

The Breaking Ice Anthony Chen | China
North American Premiere

The Delinquents Rodrigo Moreno | Argentina/Brazil/Luxembourg/Chile
North American Premiere

The Feeling That the Time for Something Has Passed Joanna Arnow | USA
North American Premiere

The Monk and the Gun Pawo Choyning Dorji | Bhutan/France/USA/Taiwan
International Premiere

The Nature of Love (Simple Comme Sylvain) Monia Chokri | Canada/France
North American Premiere

The Reeds (Son Hasat) Cemil Ağacıkoğlu | Turkey/Bulgaria
World Premiere

The Settlers (Los Colonos) Felipe Gálvez Haberle | Chile/Argentina/France/Denmark/United Kingdom/Taiwan/Sweden/Germany
North American Premiere

The Teachers’ Lounge Ilker Çatak | Germany
North American Premiere

They Shot the Piano Player (Dispararon Al Pianista) Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal | Spain/France
Canadian Premiere

Toll (Pedágio) Carolina Markowicz | Brazil/Portugal
World Premiere

Upon Open Sky (A Cielo Abierto) Mariana Arriaga, Santiago Arriaga | Mexico/Spain
North American Premiere

We Grown Now Minhal Baig | USA
World Premiere

Woodland (WALD) Elisabeth Scharang | Austria
World Premiere

Your Mother’s Son (Anak Ka Ng Ina Mo) Jun Robles Lana | Philippines
World Premiere

GALAS

A Normal Family Hur Jin-ho | South Korea
World Premiere

Finestkind Brian Helgeland | USA
World Premiere

Smugglers Ryoo Seung-wan | South Korea
North American Premiere

Thank You For Coming Karan Boolani | India
World Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Daddio Christy Hall | United States
International Premiere

El Sabor de la Navidad Alejandro Lozano | Mexico
World Premiere

Evil Does Not Exist Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Japan
North American Premiere

Quiz Lady Jessica Yu | USA
World Premiere

Ru Charles-Olivier Michaud | Canada
World Premiere

The Movie Teller Lone Scherfig | Spain/France/Chile
World Premiere

The Promised Land Nikolaj Arcel | Denmark/Germany/Sweden
Canadian Premiere

DOCUMENTARY

I am Sirat A collaboration between Deepa Mehta and Sirat Taneja | Canada
World Premiere

#TIFF23: TIFF ANNOUNCED 2023 SHORT CUTS LINEUP

Today, the Toronto International Film Festival® announced this year’s Short Cuts lineup, supported by Ontario Arts Council, showcasing 42 live action narrative, documentary, and animated shorts by a groundbreaking group of filmmakers representing 23 countries. More than half of this year’s selections are directed or co-directed by female and female-identifying filmmakers. TIFF alumni directors with new films at Short Cuts include Yann Demange, Jasmin Mozaffari, Miryam Charles, Farnoosh Samadi, Halima Ouardiri, Renee Zhan, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and the team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. Among the directors with short films at the Festival for the first time are Malia Ann and Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis. Among the notable performers in this year’s slate of new shorts are Riz Ahmed (DAMMI) and Kaniehtiio Horn (Redlights).

A robust selection of new animated short films will be showcased in the programme this year. Animated films in Short Cuts include the North American Premieres of 27, recipient of the Short Film Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and Electra, director Daria Kashcheeva’s stunning follow-up to Daughter, an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Short and a Short Cuts selection in 2019. Three animated shorts at this year’s Festival are This is TMI by India’s Subarna Dash and Vidushi Gupta, Mboa Matanda by Cameroon’s Jules Kalla Eyango, and Aphasia by Canada’s Marielle Dalpé.

Along with remarkable new works by international filmmakers, Short Cuts includes 19 selections by Canadian filmmakers, including World Premieres of films by Marni Van Dyk (This is Not About Swimming), Eva Thomas (Redlights), Karsten Wall (Modern Goose), and Ivan D. Ossa (Express).

“We are thrilled to be able to present such a diverse array of incredible new works by emergent and established film talents from all over the world,” said Short Cuts lead programmer Jason Anderson. “We were knocked out by the level of craft and ingenuity in these films, as well as the boldness displayed by so many filmmakers as they explore subjects and themes that couldn’t be timelier or more personal. That’s especially true of the films we’re grateful to present that are by female and female-identifying filmmakers, which comprise nearly 60 percent of this year’s selection.”

Short Cuts is also the first place where TIFF audiences discovered many of world cinema’s most acclaimed filmmakers, including such recent breakout talents as Charlotte Wells (Aftersun), Saim Sadiq (Joyland), and Luis De Filippis (Something You Said Last Night). Short Cuts alumni directors with first features at this year’s Festival include Fawzia Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams) and Nora El Hourch (Sisterhood).

The 2023 Short Cuts lineup includes 21 World Premieres, 13 North American Premieres, and 5 International Premieres presented in 19 different languages, with a breadth of new and unique perspectives.

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 1

DAMMI Yann Mounir Demange | France
North American Premiere

La Perra Carla Melo Gampert | Colombia/France
North American Premiere

Been There Corina Schwingruber Ilić | Switzerland
International Premiere

Primetime Mother Sonny Calvento | Philippines/Singapore
World Premiere

Meteor Atefeh Khademolreza | Canada
World Premiere

Nun or Never! Heta Jäälinoja | Finland
North American Premiere

Gaby’s Hills Zoé Pelchat | Canada
North American Premiere

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 2

Fár Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter | Iceland
North American Premiere

The Skates Halima Ouardiri | Canada
World Premiere

Bloom Kasey Lum | Canada
World Premiere

Nada de todo esto Francisco Cantón, Patricio Martínez | Argentina/Spain/USA
North American Premiere

1001 Nights Rea Rajčić | Croatia
World Premiere

Redlights Eva Thomas | Canada
World Premiere

Electra Daria Kashcheeva | Czech Republic/France/Slovakia
North American Premiere

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 3

This is TMI Subarna Dash, Vidushi Gupta | India
International Premiere

Titanic, Suitable Version for Iranian Families Farnoosh Samadi | Iran/France
World Premiere

All the Days of May Miryam Charles | Canada
Canadian Premiere

Bird Ana Cristina Barragán | Ecuador/Spain
World Premiere

Aftercare Anubha Momin | Canada
World Premiere

Shé (Snake) Renee Zhan | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Human Resources Trinidad Plass Caussade, Titouan Tillier, Isaac Wenzek | France
Canadian Premiere

Making Babies Eric K. Boulianne | Canada
North American Premiere

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 4

Alberto and the Beast John Paul Lopez-Ali | USA
World Premiere

Mboa Matanda Jules Kalla Eyango | Cameroon
World Premiere

Mothers and Monsters Edith Jorisch | Canada
World Premiere

Express Ivan D. Ossa | Canada
World Premiere

Baigal Nuur – Lake Baikal Alisi Telengut | Germany/Canada
North American Premiere

The Passing Ivete Lucas, Patrick Xavier Bresnan | USA
North American Premiere

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 5

WOACA Mackenzie Davis | United Kingdom
World Premiere

A Bird Called Memory Leonardo Martinelli | Brazil/United Kingdom
North American Premiere

Sawo Matang Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto | Canada/Indonesia/USA
World Premiere

Aphasia Marielle Dalpé | Canada
World Premiere

Ever Since, I Have Been Flying Aylin Gökmen | Switzerland
International Premiere

I Used to Live There Ryan McKenna | Canada
North American Premiere

This is Not About Swimming Marni Van Dyk | Canada
World Premiere

SHORT CUTS PROGRAMME 6

27 Flóra Anna Buda | France/Hungary
North American Premiere

Xie Xie, Ollie James Michael Chiang | Canada
World Premiere

The Heart Malia Ann | USA
International Premiere

6 Minutes Per Kilometer Catherine Boivin | Canada
Toronto Premiere

Modern Goose Karsten Wall | Canada
World Premiere

Sheephead Spencer Creigh | USA
International Premiere

Motherland Jasmin Mozaffari | Canada
World Premiere

#TIFF23: SYLVESTER STALLONE DOC “SLY” TO CLOSE 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF is delighted to announce Sly as the Closing Night Gala for the 48th edition of the Festival. A vivid exploration of an illustrious life woven through the silver screen, this remarkable documentary about actor, writer, director, and producer Sylvester Stallone will have its World Premiere on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at Roy Thomson Hall.

“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we couldn’t be more honoured to share it with our audiences as our Closing Night film,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. “Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, Sly takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. Sly offers an unexpected and heartfelt exploration of the man behind the action megastar.”

Directed by Thom Zimny (Springsteen on Broadway, Elvis Presley: The Searcher), Sly is an intimate and unexpected look at the early life of the action megastar as well as a reflection on his career that spans nearly 50 years.

Sly shows Stallone’s rough beginnings in New York City as a troubled kid who’d escape his angry household to watch movies all day and then come home to write scripts himself. Zimny leads Stallone through his rollercoaster career, which exploded when Rocky — a role he had to fight to play, despite having written the now iconic movie — catapulted him to a level of stardom for which he was entirely unprepared.

The documentary takes this storied filmography and juxtaposes it with Stallone’s personal journey, exploring how his inspirational underdog story informed both the indelible characters he has brought to life and the man
he has become. There are highs and there are lows. There are regrets and there are triumphs. But Stallone has kept punching.

Lovingly deemed a legend of the action genre, Sylvester Stallone gained international acclaim with his portrayal of Rocky and Rambo, with both projects becoming highly successful franchises over multiple decades. Other film credits include Demolition Man, Cliffhanger, Cop Land, Escape Plan, and more recently The Expendables and Creed, which earned Stallone an Academy Award nomination in 2016. Stallone currently stars in the hit series Tulsa King, which has been renewed for a second season.

The film is produced by Sean Stuart, and executive produced by Braden Aftergood, Bill Zanker, Sam Delcanto, Jon Beyer, Tom Forman, Jenny Daly, and Stallone.

Sly will officially close the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2023.

#TIFF23: PEDRO ALMODÓVAR AND SPIKE LEE TO BE HONOURED AT TRIBUTE AWARDS

Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF, is delighted to announce the first honourees of this year’s Tribute Awards: Academy Award®–winning directors and legends Pedro Almodóvar and Spike Lee. One of the world’s foremost filmmakers and provocative storytellers, Almodóvar will receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, and Lee, a cultural icon who has influenced generations of filmmakers, will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award. The 2023 Tribute Awards presented by Bulgari will take place on Sunday, September 10, 2023 during the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival at Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Now in its fifth year, the TIFF Tribute Awards have served as an awards-season bellwether, with past honourees Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Chastain, Roger Deakins, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Joaquin Phoenix, Taika Waititi, and Chloé Zhao going on to win awards on the international stage.

“It’s a true thrill to acknowledge Pedro Almodóvar as the distinguished recipient of the Jeff Skoll Impact Media Award for 2023,” stated Bailey. “Pedro has been coming to TIFF for years, and each time is better than the time before. His artistic vision, bold storytelling, and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of cinema have had a profound impact. He challenges societal norms, champions diversity, and illuminates the human experience with sensitivity and grace. We applaud his contributions to cinema and celebrate his ability to inspire and provoke audiences worldwide.”

The Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema. Past recipients honoured in the prestigious category include Buffy Sainte-Marie in 2022, Alanis Obomsawin in 2021, and Mira Nair in 2020.

“The TIFF Ebert Director Award recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their career,” continued Bailey. “A foremost storyteller of our era, Spike’s body of work from She’s Gotta Have It, to Do the Right Thing, to Mo’ Better Blues, to his most recent film at TIFF 2020, American Utopia, Spike has inspired audiences and made a lasting impact on the art of filmmaking.”

Named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert, the Award has gone to celebrated visionaries such as Martin Scorsese, Claire Denis, Ava DuVernay, Wim Wenders, and the late Agnès Varda. Past recipients who received the Award since the TIFF Tribute Awards were introduced include Sam Mendes (2022), Denis Villeneuve (2021), Chloé Zhao (2020), and Taika Waititi (2019).

Bulgari returns as a major sponsor and official jewellery partner of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, also presenting the Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award at the 2023 Tribute Awards. The partnership between TIFF and Bulgari highlights a shared commitment to arts and culture.

The Awards night serves as TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser, having raised $1.3 million in 2022. 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.

Pedro Almodóvar Biography
Pedro Almodóvar was born in Calzada de Calatrava, Spain and left for Madrid at 17 to study cinema and direct film, but it became impossible when the National School of Cinema (in Madrid) was closed by the Franco government. As a result, Almdóvar was [mostly] self-taught, making a number of short films from 1974–1978. His first feature film, Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls on the Heap, debuted in 1980. He launched his production company El Deseo with his brother Agustín in 1986, and has since produced, written, and directed his own and other directors’ films. Some of his films have been adapted into plays (All About My Mother) and even into musicals (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown). The Oscar-winning filmmaker has received numerous accolades over his five-decade career, including one of Spain’s top prizes for outstanding achievement, the Prince of Asturias Award (2006), and honourary degrees from Harvard University (2009) and Oxford University (2016).

Spike Lee Biography
Spike Lee is a graduate of Morehouse College, Class of 1979, with a B.A. in Mass Communications. He also is a Graduate of the Numero Uno, NYU Graduate Film School, and a classmate of Ernest Dickerson and Ang Lee 1982. He is also a tenured Film Professor and Artistic Director at NYU Graduate Film School.

#TIFF23: DISCOVERY AND MIDNIGHT MADNESS PROGRAMMES ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival® is thrilled to announce the 2023 selections for the Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes. The infamous Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, 7 of which are World Premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts World and International Premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total programme are featured in this year’s Discovery programme.

Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favourite, iconoclastic programme highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery programme offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.

“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.”

MIDNIGHT MADNESS PROGRAMME 2023

“Sides will be split — both figuratively and literally (on screen) — as Midnight Madness returns to the Royal Alexandra Theatre with another stimulating concoction of unpredictable shock and ‘y’arr!’ cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness. “Featuring two timely satiric provocations from Saudi Arabia (NAGA) and Serbia (Working Class Goes to Hell) — nations that are making their section debut — this year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!”

AGGRO DR1FT Harmony Korine | USA
North American Premiere

Boy Kills World Moritz Mohr | Germany/South Africa/USA
World Premiere

OPENING FILM
Dicks: The Musical Larry Charles | USA
World Premiere

Hell of a Summer Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk | USA/Canada
World Premiere

KILL Nikhil Nagesh Bhat | India
World Premiere

NAGA Meshal Aljaser | Saudi Arabia
World Premiere

CLOSING FILM
Riddle of Fire Weston Razooli | USA
North American Premiere

Sleep Jason Yu | South Korea
North American Premiere

When Evil Lurks Demián Rugna | Argentina
World Premiere

Working Class Goes to Hell Mladen Đorđević | Serbia
World Premiere

DISCOVERY PROGRAMME 2023

“The Discovery section, which is curated by a brilliant team of international programmers, is an integral part of TIFF,” stated Dorota Lech, TIFF Lead Programmer, Discovery, & International Programmer for Central, Eastern, & Southern Europe, the Caucasus, Iran, & Turkey. “It is a bold and exciting showcase of cinema and emerging talent from around the world, and we are honoured to highlight new and distinctive voices from artists creating their first or second feature on our global stage. This year’s programme of 26 titles includes films from 25 countries, accounting for international co-productions and local talent.”

Achilles Farhad Delaram | Iran/Germany/France
World Premiere

After the fire Mehdi Fikri | France
World Premiere

A Match (Sthal) Jayant Digambar Somalkar | India
World Premiere

Andragogy Wregas Bhanuteja | Indonesia/Singapore
World Premiere

An Endless Sunday Alain Parroni | Italy/Germany/Ireland
International Premiere

Arthur&Diana Sara Summa | Germany
World Premiere

Backspot D.W. Waterson | Canada
World Premiere

Frybread Face and Me Billy Luther | USA
International Premiere

OPENING FILM
Gonzo Girl Patricia Arquette | USA
World Premiere

Hajjan Abu Bakr Shawky | Saudi Arabia/Egypt/Jordan
World Premiere

How to Have Sex Molly Manning Walker | United Kingdom
North American Premiere

I Don’t Know Who You Are M. H. Murray | Canada
World Premiere

La Suprema Felipe Holguín Caro | Colombia
World Premiere

Mandoob Ali Kalthami | Saudi Arabia
World Premiere

Mimang Kim Taeyang | South Korea
World Premiere

Seagrass Meredith Hama-Brown | Canada
World Premiere

Solitude Ninna Pálmadóttir | Iceland/Slovakia/France
World Premiere

Tautuktavuk (What We See) Carol Kunnuk, Lucy Tulugarjuk | Canada
World Premiere

The Teacher Farah Nabulsi | United Kingdom/Palestine/Qatar
World Premiere

The Tundra Within Me (Eallugierdi) Sara Margrethe Oskal | Norway
World Premiere

The Queen of My Dreams Fawzia Mirza | Canada
World Premiere

Valentina or the Serenity (Valentina o la serenidad) Ángeles Cruz | Mexico
World Premiere

Widow Clicquot Thomas Napper | France
World Premiere

Wild Woman Alán González | Cuba
World Premiere

Without Air Katalin Moldovai | Hungary
World Premiere

Yellow Bus Wendy Bednarz | United Arab Emirates
World Premiere

#TIFF23: PLATFORM PROGRAM ANNOUNCED AT 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF today unveiled the 10 World Premiere features that comprise the Platform programme for 2023, along with the 2023 Platform jury members: Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins, joined by Cannes Jury Prize–winning director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki, and 2022 Platform Prize–winning filmmaker Anthony Shim.

Since its introduction in 2015, Platform has celebrated and showcased films with unique directorial perspectives. The 10 films in the 2023 programme are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury.

“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki, and Anthony Shim as jury members for the Platform programme at TIFF,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Together, they represent the bold and independent spirit of the Platform Prize.”

Platform is TIFF’s competitive programme that champions bold directorial visions. The films selected for this year’s programme hail from 12 countries across three continents, all of which will be making their World Premiere at TIFF.

“We are thrilled to present this year’s extraordinary films in the Platform programme, and especially delighted to present Kristoffer Borgli’s latest film Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, as Platform’s opening film. This surrealist satire-comedy has sharp, timely observations about social media culture — especially ‘going viral’ — and its impact on the way that we interact with others in our day-to-day life. Cage delivers some of his finest work,” said Robyn Citizen, Director, Programming & Platform Lead. “This year’s diverse selection is distinguished by bold character studies and classic stories told through dynamic narrative and genre approaches. Audiences will witness the emergence of thematic threads like social exile and reconnection, woven in unexpectedly thrilling ways by an array of captivating local and international voices.”

Notable previous Platform selections include 2022 winner Riceboy Sleeps from Canadian director Anthony Shim, Hany Abu-Assad’s Huda’s Salon (2021), Kamila Andini’s Yuni (2021), Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal (2019), Alice Winocour’s Proxima (2019), Kazik Radwanski’s Anne at 13,000 Ft. (2019), Sarah Gavron’s Rocks (2019), Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin (2017), Pablo Larraín’s Jackie (2016), Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight (2016), William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth (2016), and Ben Wheatley’s High-Rise (2015).

2023 Platform Programme

Dear Jassi Tarsem Singh Dhandwar | India

World Premiere

Platform Programme – Opening Night Film

Dream Scenario Kristoffer Borgli | USA

World Premiere

Great Absence Kei Chika-ura | Japan
World Premiere

I Told You So (Te l’avevo detto) Ginevra Elkann | Italy
World Premiere

The King Tide Christian Sparkes | Canada

World Premiere

Not A Word (Kein Wort) Hanna Slak | Germany/Slovenia/France
World Premiere

The Rye Horn (O Corno) Jaione Camborda | Spain/Belgium/Portugal
World Premiere

Sisterhood (HLM Pussy) Nora El Hourch | France

World Premiere

Shame on Dry Land (Syndabocken) Axel Petersén | Sweden
World Premiere

Spirit of Ecstasy (La Vénus d’argent) Héléna Klotz | France
World Premiere

Platform Jury Biographies

Barry Jenkins
Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins has directed three highly acclaimed features that screened at TIFF — Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight, and If Beale Street Could Talk — as well as his award-winning television series The Underground Railroad. Most recently, Jenkins produced Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun and Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. His upcoming directorial work includes the 2024 theatrical release of The Lion King.

Nadine Labaki
Nadine Labaki is a writer, director, and actor. Caramel, her 2007 debut film, opened at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and was Lebanon’s official submission to the 80th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Her next film, Where Do We Go Now?, premiered at Un Certain Regard in 2011 and won the People’s Choice Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Labaki wrote, directed, and starred in both. Most recently, she directed Campernaum, which won the Jury Prize at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Anthony Shim
Anthony Shim began his career as an actor, theatre director, and producer. In 2019, Shim wrote, directed, and produced his first feature film, Daughter. His second film, Riceboy Sleeps, had its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Platform Prize.

#TIFF23: “THE BOY AND THE HERON” TO OPEN 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

TIFF is thrilled to announce that Studio Ghibli’s long-awaited fantastical epic feature film, The Boy and the Heron, from Academy Award–winning visionary director Hayao Miyazaki, will be the Opening Night Gala Presentation for the 48th Toronto International Film Festival® on Thursday, September 7, at Roy Thomson Hall. The original story was written and directed by the Japanese filmmaker and produced by Oscar®-winning Studio Ghibli, which Miyazaki co-founded.

While several of Studio Ghibli’s films have screened at TIFF, including The Red Turtle (2016), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2014), The Wind Rises (2013), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), Spirited Away (2002), and Princess Mononoke (1999), this is the first time a Japanese film or an animated film has opened the Festival.

“We are honoured to open the 48th Toronto International Film Festival with the work of one of cinema’s greatest artists,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “Already acclaimed as a masterpiece in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki’s new film begins as a simple story of loss and love and rises to a staggering work of imagination. I look forward to our audience discovering its mysteries for themselves, but I can promise a singular, transformative experience.”

This announcement comes on the heels of TIFF’s recent showcase and audience favourite, POP Japan, celebrating the convergence of the cult, pulp, and popular in Japanese film and art, in which Miyazaki’s seminal films and most lauded classics, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, were also featured.

The Boy and the Heron opened to record-breaking success in Japan. The hand-drawn, animated feature — director Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years — features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. In an extraordinary break with tradition, Studio Ghibli released the film in Japan without any promotion, marketing materials, or film description, allowing audiences to discover the film for themselves. This screening will be the International Premiere and the first opportunity for audiences outside of Japan to experience the film for themselves. GKIDS is distributing The Boy and the Heron in North America, where it will be released in theatres later in the year.

#TIFF23: DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival® is delighted to announce the 2023 selection for the TIFF Docs programme presented by A&E IndieFilms, featuring 22 titles from 12 countries around the world. The 2023 TIFF Docs lineup brings premieres that showcase a wide variety of documentary filmmaking: personal, political, observational, essayistic, historical, biographical, and indescribable. Audiences will encounter unforgettable figures such as mountain climber Lhakpa Sherpa, Japan’s reality TV star Nasubi, Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, Indigenous activist Layla Staats, historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, and Canadian icon Mr. Dressup.

“We believe documentaries have a unique power to illuminate untold stories, challenge perspectives, and inspire meaningful change,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “We are committed to celebrating the artistry and impact of documentary filmmaking, and it’s an absolute privilege to provide a platform for these remarkable storytellers. As someone with a background in documentary production myself, I know firsthand the dedication and passion that goes into crafting these narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide. We invite all documentary filmmakers to join us at TIFF as we continue to champion their vital contributions to the world of cinema.”

“This year’s slate of TIFF Docs titles is guaranteed to start conversations,” said TIFF Docs programmer Thom Powers. “Audiences can expect big emotions that run the gamut over extraordinary accomplishments, quests for justice, and poignant personal journeys. Many of these attention-getting titles will be coming to the Festival looking for buyers.”

TIFF Docs programme presented by A&E IndieFilms will open with the World Premiere of Copa 71 from Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, which serves to restore the lost legacy of a 1971 international women’s soccer tournament that had record setting crowds in Mexico City but was largely erased from sports history. World Premieres from global veteran doc makers include Raoul Peck’s Silver Dollar Road, which chronicles how a Black family fights over several decades to save their North Carolina property from land grabbing developers; Anand Patwardhan’s The World is Family, which traces his parents’ personal history and their links to the leaders of India’s independence movement; Karim Amer’s Defiant, which gains extraordinary access to Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his colleagues as they wage a war against disinformation; Lucy Walker’s Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, which profiles a single mother working as a dishwasher at a Connecticut Whole Foods who has another life as record-breaking mountain climber; and Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning, based on the best-selling book by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, which examines the history of anti-Black racism in the U.S.

World Premieres from mid-career auteurs and rising stars include Clair Titley’s The Contestant, which tells the jaw-dropping story of a Japanese reality TV show participant, Nasubi, who spent months naked in solitary confinement, trying to win sweepstake prizes for his survival; Robert McCallum’s Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, about the beloved Canadian entertainer and television star who won the hearts of children across the country; Caroline Suh and Cara Mones’ Sorry/Not Sorry, which focuses on women who accused Louis C.K. of sexual harassment and the consequences to their careers; Chris Wilcha’s Flipside, a new doc from the award-winning director of the This American Life TV series about his comical attempt to save a New Jersey record store and confront a mid-life crisis; Boil Alert from Stevie Salas and James Burns, a Canadian doc following activist Layla Staats’ dual journey to explore Indigenous people’s relationship to water and her own identity as a Mohawk woman; Homecoming by Suvi West and Anssi Kömi, in which the Indigenous Sámi people fight to get back their stolen ancestral heritage; Jen Markowitz’s Summer Qamp, chronicling a dynamic session of a LGBTQIA2S+ summer camp nestled around the Canadian Rockies; and Kasia Smutniak’s Walls, a personal journey that plays like a thriller in which Smutniak documents the refugee flow in the “red zone” of the Belarusian-Polish border while evading arrest.

International and North American Premieres from legendary filmmakers include Frederick Wiseman’s Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros, in which the 93-year-old director embeds inside a French restaurant that’s held three Michelin stars for more than 50 years, and Errol Morris’ The Pigeon Tunnel, a masterful portrait of the spy novelist David Cornwell ― a.k.a. John Le Carré ― for what was the author’s final interview.

Rounding out TIFF Docs 2023 with North American Premieres are Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias, in which the director profiles her mother ― Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (Succession) ― exploring her choice to leave her native village 30 years ago in pursuit of her dream of acting; Andrés Peyrot’s God is a Woman, which follows the Kuna Indigenous community in Panama as they seek to gain access to a French documentary made about them 40 years ago; Maciek Hamela’s In the Rearview, an exceptionally intimate film following a Polish vehicle as it traverses the roads of Ukraine to help its passengers flee amidst the Russian invasion; Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother of All Lies, winner of two awards at Cannes in which ― on a handmade set recreating her Casablanca neighbourhood ― a young Moroccan filmmaker enlists family and friends to help solve key mysteries of her childhood; Margreth Olin’s Songs of Earth, which follows the filmmaker’s octogenarian father on walks through Norway’s landscapes of mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls for an immersion into nature with stunning cinematography; and Pierre-Henri Gibert’s Viva Varda!, which profiles the pioneering filmmaker Agnès Varda with fresh perspectives that complement her autobiographical work.

These TIFF Docs titles join a number of documentaries already announced for TIFF 2023 as part of the Gala and Special Presentations programmes, including Leigh Brooks’ Hate to Love: Nickelback, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, Alex Gibney’s In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, and Chelsea McMullan’s Swan Song.

2023 TIFF Docs programme:

Boil Alert Stevie Salas, James Burns | Canada/USA
World Premiere

Bye Bye Tiberias Lina Soualem | France/Belgium/Qatar/Palestine
North American Premiere
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TIFF DOCS OPENING NIGHT FILM
Copa 71 Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine | United Kingdom
World Premiere
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Defiant Karim Amer | Ukraine/United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere
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Flipside Chris Wilcha | USA
World Premiere
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God is a Woman Andrés Peyrot | France/Switzerland/Panama
North American Premiere
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Homecoming Suvi West, Anssi Kömi | Finland/Norway
World Premiere

In the Rearview Maciek Hamela | Poland/France/Ukraine
North American Premiere
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Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros Frederick Wiseman | France/USA
North American Premiere
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Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa Lucy Walker | USA
World Premiere
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Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe Robert McCallum | Canada
World Premiere

Silver Dollar Road Raoul Peck | USA
World Premiere

Songs of Earth Margreth Olin | Norway
North American Premiere
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Sorry/Not Sorry Caroline Suh, Cara Mones | USA
World Premiere
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Stamped From the Beginning Roger Ross Williams | USA
World Premiere

Summer Qamp Jen Markowitz | Canada
World Premiere
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The Contestant Clair Titley | United Kingdom
World Premiere
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The Mother of All Lies Asmae El Moudir | Morocco/Egypt/Saudi Arabia/Qatar
North American Premiere
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The Pigeon Tunnel Errol Morris | United Kingdom/USA/Hungary
International Premiere

The World is Family Anand Patwardhan | India
World Premiere
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Viva Varda! Pierre-Henri Gibert | France
North American Premiere
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Walls Kasia Smutniak | Italy
World Premiere
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The Toronto International Film Festival takes place September 7–17, 2023.

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For more information, contact Alejandra Sosa, Director, Communications at masosa@tiff.net

#TIFF23: NEVE CAMPBELL SIGNS-ON TO PRODUCE “SWAN SONG”

SWAN SONG, a feature documentary that immerses viewers inside The National Ballet of Canada as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake, directed by ballet icon Karen Kain on the eve of her retirement, will make its world premiere at TIFF. Executive producer Neve Campbell is expected to attend the Festival in support of the film, which will screen as part of the Special Presentations program. SWAN SONG is directed by Chelsea McMullan (Ever Deadly, My Prairie Home), who wrote the film with producer Sean O’Neill (Crystal Pite: Angels’ Atlas, LIDO TV). Distributed in Canada by Blue Ice Docs, with international sales handled by Dogwoof, the feature documentary will be released theatrically in Canada on September 22, 2023. The project was developed with CBC and it will air as a four-part limited series on CBC Gem and CBC TV, premiering November 22, 2023.

“This project is deeply personal to me given my longtime admiration for Karen Kain and The National Ballet of Canada, starting with my time as a student at Canada’s National Ballet School,” said Neve Campbell, who joined the project as it entered production and this year celebrates the twentieth anniversary of The Company, the Robert Altman-directed ballet film she conceived of, produced and starred in. “Ballet was my first love, and SWAN SONG beautifully captures the incredible devotion, artistry and sacrifices that dancers make in their pursuit of creating something beautiful and meaningful. I’m so proud of our team and I can’t wait to celebrate the film.”

With full access granted to the filmmakers, the verité-driven SWAN SONG closely follows 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.

“I’m so pleased that Swan Song will premiere at TIFF, and that the wonderful Neve Campbell is a part of the film’s team. Agreeing to open up the creative process of a brand new production of Swan Lake to a crew of filmmakers was a vulnerable act, to say the least,” says Kain, who stepped into the role of Director for the first time in her nearly 50-year career as a dancer and Artistic Director with her production of Swan Lake. “However, the film’s extraordinary crew made the process far more intuitive than I expected and by the end, it felt as if we were all in it together. I look forward to celebrating the film and everyone involved this fall, most especially the extraordinary artists and staff at The National Ballet of Canada who brought Swan Lake to life.”

“Making Swan Song has been an epic, three-year journey and I’m thrilled to finally be sharing the film with audiences, at TIFF and beyond,” says McMullan. “Collaborating with such a talented, dedicated team to realize a project so ambitious has changed me as a filmmaker, and Neve’s sensitivity and deep understanding of the life of a ballet dancer has enriched our process immeasurably. I want to thank our subjects and The National Ballet of Canada for trusting us with their awe-inspiring work and moving stories.”

SWAN SONG is a Visitor Media production in association with Mercury Films Inc. and Quiet Ghost. It is presented by Blue Ice Docs and Dogwoof. O’Neill produces along with Christina Carvalho. McMullan, O’Neill, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Anna Godas and Oli Harbottle are executive producers alongside Campbell. SWAN SONG was produced in association with CBC, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, Ontario Creates, and the Rogers Cable Network Fund. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual, & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary; and Grazyna Krupa is Executive in Charge of Programming, Unscripted Content.

(Photo credit: Tiziano Lugli)