#TIFF: 2023 TIFF NEXT WAVE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW

Back for its 12th edition, the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival invites young audiences and cinephiles for a weekend of bold new films and special events, with free movies for anyone under 25*. Hot off the heels of its Berlin premiere, where it won the Crystal Bear for best film in the Berlinale’s Generation 14plus sidebar, Mexican director Sofía Auza’s unconventional coming-of-age feature debut Adolfo will kick-off the Festival as the Opening Night Film. From April 14–16, 2023 audiences hungry for original stories can celebrate rising filmmakers and diverse programming, representing the hope, creativity, and power of the next generation. Additional programming and special guests will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Programmed for youth, by youth, the Next Wave Film Festival offers free Official Selection films for anyone under 25. Tickets are available starting today for TIFF Members and TIFF Under-25 Pass holders, and to the general public on March 17, 2023.

This year’s Official Selection shines a spotlight on nine debut and sophomore features ― from Spain, France, Mexico, Iran, United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, USA, and Canada ― that bring an authentic and diverse representation of youth-centric perspectives, without feeding into the “angsty teen” stereotypes. Highlights include: Auza’s North American premiere of Adolfo, which follows two strangers who meet by chance at a bus stop and decide to find a new home for their cactus companion; Pilar Palomero’s Canadian premiere of San Sebastián–winning La Maternal, exploring vulnerability and hardships of teen motherhood and chosen families, featuring many first-time actors; Simon Rieth’s North American premiere of the genre-mixing debut feature Summer Scars, following two brothers bound by a dark secret; So Yun Um’s Canadian premiere of the hybrid documentary-memoir feature debut Liquor Store Dreams, asking personal and resonant questions on reconciliation and generational healing through stories of Korean liquor store owners and their families; Charlotte Regan’s Canadian Premiere of the Sundance-winning hit and feature debut Scrapper, a reconnection story between a precocious girl and her child-like father (Regan was listed as “28 Rising Female Filmmakers to Watch in 2023” by IndieWire); and Zeno Graton’s North American premiere of the debut feature The Lost Boys, exploring questions of masculinity, found family, and freedom when a new detainee enters a youth detention facility.

Some screenings will be followed by in-person Q&As with the directors including: Auza, Um, Holland, and Regan; and more special events to be announced in the following weeks. Select titles will also be available on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox starting April 12.

“Dedicated to increasing access to cinema for young audiences, the Next Wave Committees’ brilliant voices and vision permeate through this year’s festival lineup with powerful stories of love, community, and family, in all its forms,” said Ikoro Huggins-Warner, Senior Coordinator, Youth Impact. “Look no further than the Opening Night Film, Adolfo, a heartwarming journey of unlikely friendship formed over the course of one fateful, fleeting night. Punctuated by bold, refreshing direction, like so many of the incredible films in this year’s selection, Adolfo finds its honesty in overcoming struggles together, and discovering connection and resilience in unexpected places.”

TIFF Bell Lightbox will be transformed into a retro time machine, promising interactive activations at the Opening Night Party with basement slumber party vibes, dance floors, and a clothing swap. Young audiences can revel in the weekend festivities: Battle of the Scores, a live musical showdown where four bands settle the score; Young Creators Co-Lab, presented by the City of Toronto, a full day of connective and engaging industry talks and workshop for emerging filmmakers and creatives; Young Creators Showcase of short films by emerging filmmakers from across Canada; and Lost & Found: There are so many worlds, a free public art exhibition featuring multi-media works by artist kaya joan and curated by the TIFF Next Wave Committee. Complete festival details, schedules, and ticket information are all available at tiff.net/nextwave.

Ranging in age from 15 to 18, the TIFF Next Wave Committee is made up of 12 teen film enthusiasts, many of whom are young creators and filmmakers from across the Greater Toronto Area. With the guidance of TIFF staff, the Committee is charged with planning major teen-oriented events year-round at TIFF Bell Lightbox, including the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival, a one-of-a-kind talent incubator.

“I am beyond excited to share this incredible lineup of films that young people wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to with our audience. We care deeply about amplifying diverse and innovative creators at TIFF Next Wave, and so celebrating these unique films that explore underrepresented themes and stories is going to be such a joy,” said Ellie Tripp, TIFF Next Wave Committee Member. “Beyond the film lineup, this year’s festival is centered around the theme of Lost & Found ― an exploration of world-building, futurity, and how the stories we carry with us as young people inform our relationship to place.”
TIFF Members and TIFF Under-25 Free Pass Holders receive access to year-round TIFF benefits including free access to more than 300 Cinematheque screenings. To learn more and join as a TIFF Member, visit tiff.net/under25.

*Free tickets are limited to 2 tickets per film screening for anyone under 25

2023 TIFF NEXT WAVE FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

TIFF Next Wave Presents: Rye Lane
March 29, 7pm

Celebrate the upcoming TIFF Next Wave Film Festival with this advance screening of Raine Allen-Miller’s funny and touching debut film, Rye Lane. Prior to the screening, audiences are invited to attend the opening reception of Lost & Found: There are so many worlds exhibition at 5pm.

Lost & Found: There are so many worlds by kaya joan
March 21 to April 30

Lost & Found: There are so many worlds features multi-media works by kaya joan created on found and recycled substrates from around the city, investigating the stories that exist in the in-between spaces held in place. The works in this exhibition reach into the infinities that stretch between past, present, and future to explore multiplicities of being in relation. Audiences are also invited to join a collective collage-making workshop facilitated by kaya joan on April 1. For more information on kaya joan and the event visit: tiff.net/events/art-exhibition-lost-and-found.

TIFF Next Wave Film Festival Official Selection
April 14–16
Films marked with an asterisk (*) will be available to rent on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox starting April 12.

Adolfo dir. Sofía Auza *
Mexico/USA | 2022 | Spanish | North American Premiere

Egghead & Twinkie dir. Sarah Kambe Holland
USA | 2022 | English | Canadian Premiere

La Maternal dir. Pilar Palomero
Spain | 2022 | Spanish | Canadian Premiere

Liquor Store Dreams dir. So Yun Um
USA | 2022 | English, Korean | Canadian Premiere

Scrapper dir. Charlotte Regan
United Kingdom | 2022 | English | Canadian Premiere

Summer Scars dir. Simon Rieth
France | 2022 | French | North American Premiere

Summer With Hope dir. Sadaf Foroughi *
Canada/Iran | 2022 | Persian

The Lost Boys dir. Zeno Graton
Belgium | 2023 | French | North American Premiere

The Ordinaries dir. Sophie Linnenbaum *
Germany | 2022 | German | Toronto Premiere

Battle of the Scores & Opening Night Party
April 14, 8:30pm

Discover the next wave of movie and music talent as four up-and-coming bands score a short film for one big prize. Visit @TIFF_NET on Instagram in April to see the films, hear the scores, and cast your vote. The final showdown will take place at TIFF Bell Lightbox on April 14, during the TIFF Next Wave Opening Night Party, featuring retro sights and sounds, with a variety of interactive Lost & Found activations.

Young Creators Co-Lab
April 15, 9am – 3pm

The Young Creators Co-Lab, presented by the City of Toronto, is a gathering space for young and emerging artists in Toronto to connect with industry professionals and learn about all things film. The Co-Lab offers a full day of connective and engaging programming for filmmakers and creatives. Session topics include Screenwriting for Film & Television with Vera Santamaria (How to Be Indie, Bojack Horseman, PEN15), a deep dive into the writing process and the keys to being a great storyteller; an IndustryTok panel with content creators discussing their process from ideation to production, and TikTok’s growing influence as a platform for innovative storytelling; and a series of breakout sessions with industry professionals discussing their experience navigating the film landscape, and advice for young students and graduates about various Pathways into the Industry.

Young Creators Showcase
April 16, 7:30pm

Celebrating the work of young and emerging filmmakers, this shorts programme touches on themes of belonging, family, and finding connection in the people and communities closest to us. From animation to documentary, these 13 films by the next wave of Canadian filmmaking talent feature a dynamic mix of voices, visions, and methods of storytelling. They showcase daring new ways youth are engaging in film to create honest, intersectional stories about their experiences.

Castaway dir. Shamiso Chigwende
Canada | 2021 | English | Canadian Premiere

Execution Triptych dir. Giran Findlay
Canada | 2022 | English

Hoa dir. Tram Anh Nguyen
Vietnam/Canada | 2022 | Vietnamese

In the Whiteness dir. Niya Ahmed Abdullahi
Canada | 2022 | English, Harari | Canadian Premiere

Inside Groove dir. Elizabeth Wei Yun Albrecht
Canada | 2022 | English | Canadian Premiere

Late Bloomer dir. Emma Cheuk
Canada | 2022 | English | Toronto Premiere

majboor-e-mamool (What Will You Do When I’m Gone?) dir. Haaris Qadri
Canada | 2022 | Urdu, English

Ms. Butterworth’s Cherry Pie dir. Cameron Lightly
Canada | 2021 | English | North American Premiere

On the Cosmic Shore dir. Luvleen Hunjan
Canada, India | 2022 | Punjabi | International Premiere

Ozigwan (Tail of Serpent) dir. Cole Forrest
Canada | 2021 | English, Anishinaabemowin | World Premiere

Bawang Merah Bawang Putih (Shallots and Garlic) dir. Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto
Canada/Indonesia | 2021 | Bahasa Indonesia, English

The Mess We’re In dir. Jamie Lam
Canada | 2022 | English, Cantonese | Toronto Premiere

The Year Long Boulder dir. Brielle LeBlanc
Canada | 2022 | English | Toronto Premiere

Additional information is available at tiff.net/nextwave.

#TIFF: 2023 TIFF WRITERS’ STUDIO PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED

TIFF is delighted to announce the 2023 TIFF Writers’ Studio participants. Now in its 12th year, Writers’ Studio is a collaborative, five-day intensive lab offering Canadian and international screenwriters and writer-directors a space to consolidate skills, exchange ideas, and navigate challenges, while participating in workshops, artist talks, peer-to-peer mentorships, and one-on-one project development consultations guided by industry experts. Writers’ Studio will take place March 20–24, 2023, at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

With more than 200 submissions from around the world, TIFF is proud to announce that the following writers have been selected: Teyama Alkamli, Berkley Brady, Harry Cepka, Luis De Filippis, Idil Ibrahim, Aaron Lucas, Nesaru Tchaas, and Farida Zahran. Five participants from the 2023 class will also be awarded a grant generously supported by CHANEL to further the development of their feature-length script. The selected participants are Teyama Alkamli, Berkley Brady, Luis De Filippis, Idil Ibrahim, and Farida Zahran.

“Programmes like the Writers’ Studio help spark the next generation of storytellers, both in Canada and internationally,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “At TIFF, we are committed to providing professional development and access to the industry, with leading experts to foster new talent. We see the big impact every year.”

This year’s lab will support the development of feature-film scripts through dedicated one-on-one discussions with international story consultants Andrew Ahn, Trey Ellis, Christina Lazaridi, and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith. Additionally, the participants will engage in daily artist talks and workshops facilitated by renowned filmmakers and industry experts including Ashley Comeau, Brad Fraser, Marilyn McCallum, and Anthony Shim. From the Canadian Film Centre’s CBC Actors Conservatory, alumni including Getenesh Berhe, Vivien Endicott-Douglas, and Araya Mengesha will join for a full-day table read of the projects in development.

As a major supporter of Share Her Journey, the CHANEL Women Writers’ Network provides funding to advance the careers of women and non-binary participants and alumni of TIFF Writers’ Studio. The multi-year program, launched in 2021, includes additional access to script consultants and established screenwriters, peer-to-peer sessions with emerging filmmakers, and a talent summit that allows writers to showcase their work to producers and other industry insiders. CHANEL’s participation extends and enriches TIFF’s support for writers and writer-directors by facilitating the acceleration and development of their projects and by offering opportunities to connect with a diverse network of mentors and peers.

TIFF’s Talent Development programmes are produced by Jane Kim, Industry Programming Producer, and Anita Tavakol, Talent Development Manager, and supported in part by TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative. Now a permanent initiative, Share Her Journey began in 2017 as a five-year campaign and commitment to address gender parity and to champion women in front of and behind the camera through TIFF’s Festival and year-round initiatives.

Now in its second year, the Renee Perlmutter Memorial Fellowship for Literary Adaptation will provide one writer focusing on adapting literary work for the screen with an additional grant toward developing their project. This year’s recipient is Berkley Brady, who is working on an adaptation of the novel The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson.

Notable TIFF Studio alumni include filmmakers Cory Bowles (Black Cop), Romeo Candido (Another Life), Tracey Deer (Beans), Martin Edralin (Islands), Lisa Jackson (Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier), Molly McGlynn (Mary Goes Round), Fawzia Mirza (Noor & Layla), Jasmin Mozaffari (Firecrackers), Sanja Živković (Easy Land), Silvina Schnicer (Carajita), and Taratoa Stappard (Taumanu). Following their involvement in TIFF Studio, many of these filmmakers have gone on to present their films at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Berlinale, and SXSW.

More here including Participant Bios.

#FIRSTLOOK: TIFF PARTNERS WITH WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY ACCESS CANADA

In memory of Festival programmer Ravi Srinivasan, The Toronto International Film Festival® announced today its exciting partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada for the Warner Bros. Discovery Curatorial Programming Fellowship, a training and development programme that will support Canadian talent who are Indigenous, Black, people of colour, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2IA+, and Francophone members of the aforementioned communities. Running from April 2023 to September 2023 and with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the fellowship will empower one individual to build and advance their career in film festival programming, curation, and communication through one-on-one expert mentorship.

“The film industry is an ecosystem, and film programmers play a defining role,“ said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “We are very proud to launch our first curatorial programme in honour of Ravi Srinvivasan, our late Canadian programmer who represented TIFF’s commitment to discover and champion diverse stories on screen. This programming Fellowship focuses on equity and inclusion, taking us one step further in transforming how we see the world by growing the next generation of Canadian curatorial talent.”

The successful applicant will become an integral part of the curatorial process, taking on the role of Programming Associate to one of TIFF’s International Programmers for the duration of the 2023 Festival Programming Cycle. With a commitment of up to 25 hours a week over the 24 week fellowship, the Fellow will be supported in the development of both their administrative and stakeholder management skills in order to grow a comprehensive toolkit for the future of their career. Compensation of $15,000 over the course of the fellowship will be paid to the successful applicant to support their learning experience. The Fellowship also includes a complimentary one-year TIFF Membership and complimentary Festival accreditation to the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

“The continued diversification of roles of influence, like film programmers and curators, is a meaningful area of opportunity for Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada to contribute to impactful change in the Canadian industry,” said WBD Access Canada Executive Director, Melanie Nepinak Hadley. “We are thrilled to be partnered with TIFF on this innovative program.”

Over the course of the programme, the Fellow will have the opportunity to connect with a variety of international professionals and build on their knowledge of the Canadian and international film industries. Upon completion of the Fellowship, the successful applicant will have an extensive understanding of film curation, as well as a demonstrable set of practical skills in the craft of curation with which to advance their career.

Applications for the 2023 Warner Bros. Discovery Curatorial Programming Fellowship will be open from Monday, February 13 to Monday, March 13. Visit tiff.net/careers for full eligibility.

For more than 20 years, TIFF Industry has delivered tailor-made professional development programmes, which include curated, bespoke opportunities to fast-track the careers and projects of the next generation of filmmakers, writers, directors, and actors. TIFF Industry provides emerging film industry professionals with critical professional development training throughout the year and during the Festival. Industry meetings and workshops push participants to explore film as a business, and to expand their creative approach.

The 48th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7–17, 2023.

#FIRSTLOOK: CANADA’S TOP TEN FILMS TO SCREEN AT TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX

TIFF is delighted to announce its Canada’s Top Ten list of both features and short films for 2022. Selected by TIFF’s programmers in consultation with industry panelists, including filmmakers and festival programmers from across Canada, this year’s list represents a diverse range of new voices in fiction and documentary. It celebrates some of our most storied and award-winning filmmakers offering audiences a variety of perspectives, insights, and experiences from coast to coast.

TIFF would also like to recognize the privilege we have to celebrate these filmmakers on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, the Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee. Today, the meeting place of Toronto (also known as Tkaronto) is home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island, and we are grateful to work on this land and to be able to screen works of Indigenous filmmakers at TIFF Bell Lightbox for audiences. 

“Bold and unapologetic, this year’s Canada’s Top Ten reflects one of the most diverse editions to date and heralds an exciting new wave of Canadian storytelling,” stated Anita Lee, TIFF, Chief Programming Officer. “I am so thrilled to present this stellar selection of films in my first year as TIFF’s Chief Programming Officer.”

Canada’s Top Ten Official Selections of 2022
Features
Black Ice | dir. Hubert Davis 
Brother | dir. Clement Virgo
Cette Maison | dir. Miryam Charles
Crimes of the Future | dir. David Cronenberg
I Like Movies | dir. Chandler Levack
Something You Said Last Night | dir. Luis De Filippis
To Kill a Tiger | dir. Nisha Pahuja
Riceboy Sleeps | dir. Anthony Shim
ROSIE | dir. Gail Maurice
Viking | dir. Stéphane Lafleur

Shorts 
Belle River | dir. Guillaume Fournier, Samuel Matteau, Yannick Nolin
Bill Reid Remembers | dir. Alanis Obomsawin
The Flying Sailor | dir. Wendy Tilby, Amanda Forbis
Lay Me by the Shore | dir. David Findlay
Municipal Relaxation Module | dir. Matthew Rankin
Nanitic | dir. Carol Nguyen
No Ghost in the Morgue | dir. Marilyn Cooke
Same Old | dir. Lloyd Lee Choi
Simo | dir. Aziz Zoromba
Violet Gave Willingly | dir. Claire Sanford

Canada’s Top Ten selections will screen January 26–29 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. More details to come in 2023. 

On January 26, the Canada’s Top Ten programme will feature a multi-session Industry Conversations featuring special guests and TIFF Talent alumni, as well as an opening reception to celebrate this year’s selections. 

Canada’s Top Ten Industry Forum – January 26, 2023

Addressing Systemic Racism in Canada’s Media Sector Part 2: Where Are We Now?
Time: 12pm–1:30pm
Guests confirmed to date: 
Chanda Chevannes, Executive Producer, National Film Board of Canada
Marcia Douglas, Director, English Content, International and Export, Canada Media Fund
Joan Jenkinson, Executive Director, Black Screen Office
Gosia Kamela, Head of CBC Films
Mehernaz Lentin, National Director of Feature Film, Telefilm Canada
Kerry Swanson, Executive Director, Indigenous Screen Office
Moderator: Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF

SPOTLIGHT: New Canadian Talent
Time: 2:30pm–3:30pm
Guest details to come
Moderator: Jason Anderson, Programmer, Short Cuts, TIFF

PERSPECTIVES: The Future of Canadian Content
Time: 4:30pm–5:30pm
Guests confirmed to date: 
Valerie Creighton, President and CEO, Canada Media Fund
Noah Segal, Co-President, Elevation Pictures
Moderator: Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor and Film Editor, The Globe and Mail 

Ticket holders for the Canada’s Top Ten Industry Forum receive access to all three sessions in addition to a catered lunch and an invitation to the Canada’s Top Ten Opening Cocktail Reception on the evening of January 26. Tickets on sale December 14. For more information, and additional guest details to come, visit tiff.net/ctt.

---

A special selection of titles will be available on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox, celebrating previous Canada’s Top Ten breakouts. More information coming soon to http://digital.tiff.net/. 

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR “THE SWIMMERS”

With the distinction of having been TIFF ’22‘s official Opening Night Selection, here is a new Trailer for THE SWIMMERS, based on an unbelievable true story.

ABOUT THE SWIMMERS
Based on a true story, THE SWIMMERS follows the journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Two young sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and champion swimming skills to heroic use. Starring Nathalie Issa, Manal Issa, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, Kinda Alloush and Ali Suliman. Directed by Sally El Hosaini, with a screenplay written by El Hosaini and multi-award-winning screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne. Produced by Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner alongside Ali Jaafar and Tim Cole with Stephen Daldry executive producing.

THE SWIMMERS is coming November 23, 2022 to Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: TIFF ANNOUNCE “MAKE IT FASHION” SERIES

How exciting! TIFF today have announced upcoming programming as part of their MAKE IT FASHION Series!

Beginning December 2, 2022, TIFF Cinematheque will launch Make It Fashion. Drawn from the catwalks of fashion’s most lauded houses, this series celebrates nearly a century of fashion history through film. From Elsa Schiaparelli’s work within French film noir, to Prada channeled through Baz Luhrman, and Audrey Hepburn’s iconic collaboration with Givenchy, the fashion runway and film co-exist as one of cinema’s most mutually beneficial relationships.                                                                                          

Some key highlights about the series below:

• The series will feature 14 films curated by external programmer Alicia Fletcher (Hollywood Suite)
• Make It Fashion spans almost 100 years of couture in film and the vital relationships between these iconic fashion houses (1924-2016)
• A few films within this series include Charade (1963), Cabaret (1972), Mahogany (1975), Romeo & Juliet (1996) and Marie Antoinette (2006), which will open the series on December 2nd
• In addition to this selection of films, there will also be a public spaces art exhibit and an In Conversation With event featuring a leading Hollywood costume designer. More details on these activations coming soon

More to come…

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FROM “THE WONDER”

THE WONDER, starring Florence Pugh and adapted from Emma Donoghue‘s acclaimed Novel, just premiered at TIFF ’22 and here’s a first look at the Trailer.

About THE WONDER:

The Irish Midlands, 1862 – a young girl stops eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright is brought to a tiny village to observe eleven-year old Anna O’Donnell. Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. Is the village harbouring a saint ‘surviving on manna from heaven’ or are there more ominous motives at work?

A psychological thriller inspired by the 19th century phenomenon of the “fasting girls” and adapted from the acclaimed novel by Emma Donoghue (writer of Room).

THE WONDER streams November 16, 2022 on Netflix.

(Photo credit: Netflix)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $70 GIFT CARD TO ANY BISHA HOTEL ESTABLISHMENT

You’ve heard us going on about them during TIFF ’22 and now’s your chance to experience the magic that is INK Entertainment all for yourself! INK Entertainment x Mr. Will are giving our Readers a chance to win a $70 Gift Card to Bisha Hotel or any of its establishments: Kōst, Akira Back, French Made or Mister C. 

The stunning Bisha Hotel was an official TIFF ’22 Hospitality Partner and hosted various official afterparties this year, plus the official Getty Images lounge, where several of the A-List talent in town were hosted.

BISHA HOTEL TORONTO

Located in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district, the glamourous Bisha Hotel welcomes some of the world’s trendiest guests each year during TIFF. Known as a celebrity hotspot, Bisha is preparing for the return of the glitz and glamour to the city, with incredible events, and premiere parties lined up throughout the Festival. 

This year, the hotel will be home to Getty Images’ Portrait Studio, with many A-list celebrities expected to stop by for their stunning close-ups throughout TIFF.

Stars spotted in the past include: Bryce Dallas Howard, Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, Riz Ahmed, Sarah Paulson, Susan Sarandon, Antonio Bandaras, Eddie Redmayne, Ellen Page, Kristen Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Wesley Snipes, Cynthia Erivo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, Elle Fanning, Ben Stiller, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Carrell, Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Lenny Kravitz and Olivia Munn.

MISTER C

The Bisha Hotel’s cozy and avante-garde lobby bar, complete with velvet walls and a seductive atmosphere, has been home to many pre and after parties for TIFF films. Stars spotted in the past include Julianne Moore, Jake Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney and Greta Gerwig.

AKIRA BACK

Located on the second floor of the Bisha Hotel is Michelin-Starred Chef Akira Back’s first Canadian namesake restaurant, featuring a unique blend of modern Japanese cuisine and authentic Korean flavours, within a glamorous setting. Designed by the award-winning Studio Munge, the restaurant’s glamorous gold staircase, black and charcoal tones and lavish materials, make this a celeb favourite for dining out. Most recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger was seen enjoying dinner with his son and even took some photos with the staff. 

KOST

On the 44th floor of The Bisha Hotel sits one of Toronto’s most Instagrammable restaurants and late-night bars, with unparalleled panoramic views of Toronto and a fantastic open-air patio that has been a popular location for many TIFF parties and events, with celebs such as Julia Roberts, Siena Miller, Christina Hendricks, Halle Berry, Geena Davis and Martin Short making an appearance in the past.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post on MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK, MR. WILL ON INSTAGRAM or MR. WILL ON TWITTER. Tag a friend and comment there which Bisha Hotel establishment you’d want to check-out! You must be following.

They were most certainly bustling #TIFF22 and we want our Readers and Followers to have a chance to enjoy a $70 Gift Card to any dining establishment including Kōst, Akira Back, French Made or Mister C at the gorgeous BISHA HOTEL in Toronto!

Details: https://t.co/u0c7AsigBj pic.twitter.com/dnrvRRPjpv

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 29, 2022

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong)

Rules and regulations here.

Good luck!

(Photo credit: INK Entertainment)

#TIFF: TIFF ANNOUNCE UPCOMING FALL 2022 PROGRAMMING

Today, TIFF Cinematheque unveiled an exciting fall programming slate with a series of retrospectives, special screenings, new restorations, commemorative events, the return of Wavelengths Presents, exclusive New Releases, and many special guests at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Starting October 14, TIFF Cinematheque shines a light on contemporary Italian cinema with its comprehensive focus on four visionary filmmakers — Alessandro Comodin, Michelangelo Frammartino, Pietro Marcello, and Alice Rohrwacher — who have revitalized their national scene on a global level. The first series of its kind to draw resonances between these singular bodies of work, Lost and Beautiful: New Italian Cinema is a major 17-film retrospective curated by TIFF Cinematheque Senior Curator Andréa Picard and co-presented in partnership with Cinecittà, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Consulate General of Italy, Toronto. Comodin and Frammartino will be in attendance for the opening weekend.

This Halloween season, TIFF is inviting audiences to explore HERROR, a series of honest, daring, and darkly satisfying horror films created by women, co-presented by Rue Morgue. Midnight Madness Presents will complement the lineup with a special presentation of Stephanie Rothman’s under-screened classic The Velvet Vampire, featuring a virtual Q&A with the filmmaker on October 29. Horror fans will be able to enjoy a lineup of women-centric films on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox on October 7: The Blair Witch Project, Crawl, The Lair Of The White Worm, The Ring, and You Won’t Be Alone.

TIFF will spotlight Nordic Noir films in November, the final of three retrospectives in a year-long series celebrating the best of Nordic cinema, which includes Morten Tyldum’s adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s novel Headhunters; and the adaptation of Arnaldur Indriðason’s book Jar City by director Baltasar Kormákur — made possible as part of Nordic Bridges 2022 in collaboration with Harbourfront Centre, Toronto.

Audiences can also look forward to the Canadian premiere of Pedro Costa’s haunting debut film and TIFF Official Selection O Sangue, newly restored in 4K; the Toronto premiere of the 2K restoration of Arthur Bressan’s Buddies on World AIDS Day, featuring an introduction by filmmaker John Greyson; the return of TIFF Wavelengths Presents, with the Toronto premiere of C.W. Winter & Anders Edström’s monumental, multiple–award-winning The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin); and the Canadian premiere of The African Desperate from installation artist and filmmaker Martine Syms, featuring a Q&A with Syms presented in partnership with Mercer Union.

Other in-person guests include Academy Award–winning writer John Irving, who will discuss his highly anticipated new novel The Last Chairlift, as well as The Cider House Rules; pop culture critic and podcaster Elamin Abdelmahmoud, who will present a screening of his favourite film, Moneyball, as part of TIFF’s Loved It series; American filmmaker and screenwriter Lodge Kerrigan to present the 4K restoration of Keane, his startling third feature and a 2004 TIFF Official Selection; and Argentine filmmaker Matías Piñeiro will present the Toronto premiere of his latest film, Isabella as part of MDFF Selects. Also, writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour joins us for a live remote Q&A following a screening of her cult hit A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night.

In addition, TIFF Bell Lightbox will be showing New Releases fresh off their run at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival, including Denmark’s entry for best international feature at the Oscars 2023, Ali Abbasi’s Holy Spider; Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winning film Triangle of Sadness; Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook’s Cannes Best Director prize–winning film and Best International 2023 Oscar entry for South Korea; and Michael Grandage’s My Policeman, which was honoured with the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance (Ensemble). Additional internationally acclaimed films include Santiago Mitre’s Argentina, 1985, Best International 2023 Oscar entry for Argentina; Juan Pablo González’s Sundance winner Dos estaciones; and Canadian actor Charlotte Le Bon’s directorial debut feature, Falcon Lake.

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

Boosie Fade Film Club — October 6 and December 1
Presented in 35mm
TIFF’s ongoing series of cult classics that have made a huge impact on hip-hop and R&B culture is back in October with Spike Lee’s controversial cult favourite Bamboozled, in which a TV writer (Damon Wayans) pitches a minstrel show at the television network where he works in an attempt to get fired, only to have it become a huge success. Then in December, see the 1997 buddy comedy film BAP*S, about two diner girls (Halle Berry, Natalie Desselle) who become embroiled in a scheme to take advantage of a rich older man, only to find themselves growing emotionally attached to their victim.

HERROR — October 7–30
Panel Discussion – October 7
HERROR presents six women-written, -directed, and -centred films from the past decade that use genre and a gendered gaze to explore all manner of trauma: grief and motherhood (The Babadook, Prevenge), sexual (Revenge), racial (Master), intergenerational (Relic), and the sum total of patriarchal oppressions (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night). Following the screening of The Babadook on October 7, TIFF Cinematheque will feature a panel discussion with Andrea Subissati, Rue Morgue magazine executive director and the producer and co-host of the Faculty of Horror podcast; film writer and curator Sarah-Tai Black; and film critic and writer Carolyn Mauricette.

To Sidney, with Love — October 8–November 22
To mark the passing of icon and actor Sidney Poitier earlier this year and to celebrate his life, TIFF is a featuring a selection of Poitier’s filmography including Buck and the Preacher, which he also directed; Paris Blues; A Raisin in the Sun; To Sir, with Love; and In the Heat of the Night.

Forever Godard — October 9–15
After Jean-Luc Godard’s death just a few weeks ago, TIFF examines what his legendary work means to cinema with this trio of 35mm films from our Film Reference Library collection, including Breathless, Week-end, and Numéro deux.

New and Restored — October 13–December 1
A diverse and thrilling selection of recent restorations that have been painstakingly brought back to life. Films include Alain Resnais’ The War is Over (La guerre est finie), Sarah Maldoror’s Sambizanga, Edward Yang’s A Confucian Confusion, Lodge Kerrigan’s Keane, Pedro Costa’s O Sangue, Sara Gómez’s One Way or Another, Djibril Diop Mambéty’s Hyenas, Robin Phillips’s The Wars, Arthur Bressan’s Buddies, Jacques Rivette’s Love on the Ground, and a 35th anniversary screening of Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys.

Lost and Beautiful: New Italian Cinema — October 14–November 29
Filmmaker panel discussion – October 14
Lost and Beautiful: New Italian Cinema shines a light on four internationally celebrated contemporary Italian filmmakers — Alessandro Comodin, Michelangelo Frammartino, Pietro Marcello, and Alice Rohrwacher — who have revitalized their national cinema with uncompromising and visionary films. Frammartino and Commodin will attend in person for a panel discussing their work before their screening of Roberto Rossellini’s masterpiece Journey to Italy on October 14. Comodin will also introduce the Canadian premiere of his latest, award-winning film, The Adventures of Gigi the Law, and Frammartino will present his Festival favourite, Le Quattro Volte. In addition to numerous premieres and rarities, a free, accompanying publication Cinema According to Alessandro Comodin, Michelangelo Frammartino, Pietro Marcello, Alice Rohrwacher published by Cinecittà and Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Toronto will be available at TIFF Bell Lightbox for the duration of the series.

MDFF Selects — October 27–November 24
MDFF co-founder Kazik Radwanski will host a Q&A (virtual and in-person) with directors following their screenings.
MDFF Selects features a showcase of the world’s best, most challenging, and most provocative new international cinema. Films in this series include the folkloric film One Man Dies a Million Times, Jessica Oreck’s first narrative feature about a seed bank and the botanists who worked throughout the Siege of Leningrad during World War II, preceded by Canadian Filmmaker Carol Nguyen’s emotionally complex and meticulously composed portrait of intergenerational trauma in the TIFF 2019 Official Selection No Crying at the Dinner Table — winner of the Short Documentary Jury Award at SXSW, and selected by TIFF for Canada’s Top Ten Shorts.

Then on November 24, the Toronto Premiere of Isabella by Festival favourite Matías Piñeiro, who will be on hand to present the screening, starring longtime collaborators María Villar and Agustina Muñoz as two actors vying for the lead role in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, the director’s most structurally daring and artistically striking film to date.

Midnight Madness Presents — October 29
Virtual Q&A with filmmaker Stephanie Rothman
Since 1988, TIFF’s annual Midnight Madness programme has presented the wildest and strangest cinematic provocations from around the world. Inspiring contemporary films and feminist filmmakers, the undeniably stylish conceit of The Velvet Vampire and the playfulness of Rothman’s directorial voice will delight and dare the audience to reflect on the centuries of vampire fantasy.

Nordic Noirs — November 6–23
This retrospective traces the Nordic crime-fiction phenomenon to its roots in modern literature and the foundations of the region’s cinema itself. Each of the films in this series uses local elements to craft compelling and unique mysteries which stand with the best of the genre. Films include: Bodil Ipsen’s Melody of Murder, Baltasar Kormákur’s Jar City, Óskar Jónasson’s Reykjavik Rotterdam, Reynir Oddsson’s Story of a Murder, Morten Tyldum’s Headhunters, and Mikael Marcimain’s Call Girl.

Pure Cinematic Oxygen: The Films of Michael Roemer — November 16–25
This spotlight on the celebrated independent writer-director Michael Roemer features three of his narrative features: The Plot Against Harry, Nothing But a Man, and Vengeance is Mine — the only ones to have ever received theatrical release. Roemer suffered a disproportionate amount of bad release luck, which initially prevented his singular films from reaching audiences. The 94-year old filmmaker is finally being recognized for his astounding contributions to American independent filmmaking.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Nuit Blanche — October 1, 7pm–October 2, 7am – FREE
TIFF is proud to host Toronto-based artist Haneen Dalla-Ali’s animation and augmented reality installation Between a Rock and a Hard Place, bringing a remote, Southern Ontario landscape to downtown Toronto and showcasing it through the eyes of the immigrant. Dalla-Ali’s installation is part of Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s all-night celebration of contemporary art, which takes place from sunset on October 1 to sunrise on October 2

imagineNATIVE iNdigital Space — October 18 to 23 – FREE
The iNdigital Space is back and bigger than ever. Flowing from the TIFF Gallery into the TIFF Atrium, imagineNATIVE and TIFF are excited to share Indigenous new media with audiences! Featuring virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), video games, interactive web, audio, and more! Visit @imaginenative on socials for more information.

Sexual Politics and Storytelling, According to John Irving — October 25, 7pm
In-person talk by author John Irving
For more than 40 years, literary icon John Irving has been weaving themes of tolerance for sexual differences throughout his writing. His novels advocate for sexual minorities and reproductive rights with urgency and sincerity, while captivating readers with tragicomic turns and unforgettable characters. At this moment — with the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court, and with US state legislators moving to curtail protections for 2SLGBTQ+ youth — Irving’s work has never felt more vital or timely.

Audiences are invited for a special evening as Irving reflects on the sexual politics that compel his storytelling. The author and screenwriter will launch his new novel, The Last Chairlift, look back at the Academy Award–winning film adaptation of The Cider House Rules, and speak to the parallel impulse of both works.

Viola Desmond Day — November 8–27 – FREE
Public Spaces Art — Activation in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Atrium
When Morning Comes screening — November 8

To commemorate the 76th anniversary of Viola Desmond’s historic stand against racial segregation on November 8, 1946, TIFF is presenting a special screening of Kelly Fyffe-Marshall’s debut feature that premiered at TIFF 2022, When Morning Comes, followed by a conversation about representation, authentic storytelling, and community with Black-led organizations that are at the forefront of supporting Black creators in the entertainment sector. In addition, from November 8 to November 27, TIFF is presenting free public artist activations programmed in partnership with Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND) and Vintage Black Canada. Join us on November 8 at 6pm in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Atrium for a celebration of Black Toronto-based artists and creators. More details to be announced in the coming weeks.

TIFF Next Wave Presents: Open Screen — November 15, 6:30pm
Open Screen invites emerging filmmakers to share something on screen that they’ve created with a community of supportive peers. It can be a finished project or a work-in-progress, something they’ve screened before or something they’ve been sitting on for a while. Filmmakers will receive helpful perspectives and feedback on their work after it plays on the big screen.

His Name is Ray — November 22, 7pm – FREE
In acknowledgment of National Housing Day on November 22 and National Addictions Awareness Week (November 22–28), TIFF is screening Michael Del Monte’s documentary His Name is Ray followed by a conversation about the devastating opioid and housing crises in Toronto ― exacerbated by COVID-19 ― and the vital role of harm-reduction approaches in reducing the negative consequences associated with drug use.

Loved It: Elamin Abdelmahmoud on Moneyball — November 30, 7pm
Pop culture critic and podcaster supreme Elamin Abdelmahmoud revisits Moneyball, a baseball movie with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill that is not totally about baseball. Featuring Aaron Sorkin’s signature dialogue, it is one of the most riveting and defining movies of the 2010s.

NEW RELEASES

PLAYING AT TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX

Opens September 29
Ponniyin Selvan: I, KW Talkies
Mani Ratnam | India | 2022 | 170 mins.

Vandiyathevan (Karthi), sets out to cross the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram). Kundavai (Trisha Krishnan) attempts to establish political peace in the land as civil war is seemingly being plotted by vassals and petty chieftains.

Opens September 30
Argentina, 1985, Amazon Studios
Santiago Mitre | Argentina, United States | 2022 | 140 mins.

Inspired by the true story of Julio Strassera, Luis Moreno Ocampo, and their young legal team of unlikely heroes in their David-vs-Goliath battle in which, under constant threat, they dared to prosecute Argentina’s bloodiest military dictatorship against all odds and in a race against time to bring justice to the victims of the Military Junta.

Opens October 6
Triangle of Sadness, Elevation Pictures
Ruben Östlund | Sweden, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Greece | 2022 | 150 mins.

Ruben Östlund’s latest Palme d’Or–winning satire explores hypocrisy, greed, and thirst for power amongst the idle rich (and the luxury-cruise industry).

Opens October 7
Dos estaciones, Cinema Guild
Juan Pablo González | Mexico | 2022 | 99 mins.

In the bucolic hills of Mexico’s Jalisco highlands, iron-willed businesswoman Maria Garcia fights the impending collapse of her tequila factory.

Opens October 14
Falcon Lake, Sphère Films
Charlotte Le Bon | Canada, France | 2022 | 100 mins.

Canadian actor Charlotte Le Bon’s directorial debut, based on Bastien Vivès’s graphic novel, is part summertime coming-of-age story and part eerie gothic.

Opens October 21
My Policeman, Amazon Studios
Michael Grandage | United Kingdom, United States of America | 2022 | 113 mins.

This tale of forbidden romance and changing social conventions follows three people — policeman Tom (Harry Styles/Linus Roache), teacher Marion (Emma Corrin/Gina McKee), and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson/Rupert Everett) — and their emotional journey spanning decades.

Opens October 28
Decision to Leave, Mongrel Media
Park Chan-wook | South Korea | 2022 | 138 mins.

A dramatic love story is the beating heart of Park Chan-wook’s mesmerizing and lavish noir masterpiece, featuring the charismatic Chinese star Tang Wei.

Opens November 18
Holy Spider, Sphère Films
Ali Abbasi | Denmark, Germany, Sweden, France | 2022 | 116 mins

In Iran’s spiritual capital, Mashhad, a dangerous and brutal cat-and-mouse-game unfolds between a serial killer and a journalist seeking justice.

RENT ON DIGITAL TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX

Available September 30
Carmen, Vortex
Valerie Buhagiar | Malta, Canada | 2022 | 87 mins.

In a small Mediterranean village in Malta, Carmen (Natascha McElhone) has looked after her brother, the local priest, for her entire life. When the Church abandons Carmen and she is mistaken for the new priest, Carmen begins to see the world, and herself, in a new light.

God’s Creatures, Sphère Films
Saela Davis, Anna Rose Holmer | Ireland, United Kingdom, United States | 2022 | 94 mins.

A mother (Emily Watson) tells a lie to protect her son (Paul Mescal), ripping apart their family and close-knit community in this sweepingly emotional drama.

Available October 4
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Elevation Pictures
Dean Fleischer-Camp | United States | 2021 | 90 mins.

In this heartwarming mockumentary that mixes live action and stop-motion animation, a one-inch-tall shell (gently voiced by Jenny Slate) searches for his long-lost family.

Available to rent now
Celebrating Steven Spielberg Shelf
Now that he’s shown us his origin story with The Fabelmans, digital TIFF Bell Lightbox is happy to showcase a selection of Steven Spielberg’s work over the decades.

Schindler’s List (1993)
Amistad (1997)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Announced late last year, a new membership benefit has been added to TIFF Memberships for the duration of 2022: Members now receive free access to over 200 Cinematheque screenings, which includes new essentials, classics, rarities and recent restorations. Additionally, TIFF recently introduced the TIFF Under-25 Free Pass, which offers young film lovers under the age of 25 a pass to access a range of free benefits, such as tickets to Cinematheque screenings, encouraging them to take advantage of exclusive year-round benefits and be part of a community of up-and-coming film lovers.

(Photo credit: Prime Video)

.

.

P

p.vp

p

p

.

.v

v

p

pv

m

pmp

o

mo

.v.

m

mvp

mm

p

p

mvvkmmvp

m

mom

mvvp

mpvvpvp

vpovvpvp

m

mvv

Pvp

m

mvmm

p

mmvvpp

m

mvmvmvhpmmvbv

mp

p

mb

mom

mo

mpp

Pvp

mom v

m

vm.pv

vpp

momvpvp

Vp

v

mvpvpmmmp

Vp

m

m

p

m

p

mvp

mv

p

V

mvpp

mvmpvm

p

m

Vvvpm

Pvk

ov

m.ovmmmmmp

p

m

m

v

mvpvp

m

mmovp

mvvp mvmvm

p

mmmp

V

m

kvvmmv

mvm

m

m

p

mmvm

mmmvv

mmvp

mvvv

mmv

mvpmmv

vmm

mm

mmb

mmv

mvvp

Vp mmvp

b

pm

Ovp

Vp

v

mmvpvpmv

mvv

vv

mvpp

pmmv

mmv

v

pv

m

mv

momv

m

m

mnvp

m

mvkmv

m

m

mmvp

mvp

mvv

mm

mvpm

mvv

p

m

mv

mv

mvp

vopp

mv

mmm

mvpmvpmvo.

m

mmvp

p

p

vp

mvo

mvvvm

Vp p

Vvp

p

plvmvv

P

mv

p

p

vhbuhbh

vhup

Hvp

p

p

vp

p

m g

vvhhhv

hp

mbv

p

p

p

mvp

p

p

p

p

mvphp

vp

v

p

p

pp

Vv

vp

mv

mo

mv

mv

mv

p

p

mbvo h

p

p

k

m

mv

v

o

p

v

m

pmv

kov

p

p

m

p

mbp

mv

vo

kbpvp

pvpvvm

Pvo

p

m

Pm

Ovp

V

vp

b

hbhmvh

m phg

mm

p

v

p

vgp

mm

vvp

m

mvv

Ovp

v

p

p

vhup

v

but

vhbup

p

p

p

p

gvbhgbhhp

p

n

know

#TIFF22: TIFF x BVLGARI Portrait Studio PHOTOS

TIFF Bell Lightbox was buzzing with energy all Festival long this year and if you noticed, there was a door marked “BVLGARI Portrait Studio” on the Widmer Street entrance? Ever wondered what these photos actually turned out like? Well here you go! Such gorgeous portraits and you won’t believe the names that went through the studio for this official TIFF partner.

See more of Carlyle Routh’s portraits at The Hollywood Reporter here.

(Photo credit: Carlyle Routh)