By Amanda Gilmore
The latest from Writer-Director Kaouther Ben Hania, who was the Co-Winner of the Cannes ’23 Golden Eye Award, tells a heartbreaking story through a hybrid Documentary and Drama model.
It tells the true story of Olfa Hamrouni and her four daughters. Documenting the story of how her two eldest daughters, Ghofrane and Rahma, disappeared in 2015 (aged 16 and 15) and how that shaped and emotionally affected the lives of Olfa and her two youngest daughters, Eya and Tayssir (aged 10 and 12).
Olfa’s story could be told through as a whole Documentary or Drama but this hybrid model adds a layer of cinematic dynamism. Ben Hania patiently allows Olfa and her youngest daughters as they tell their story to the Actors, who play Olfa and her eldest daughters. The stories Olfa, Eya and Tayssir share with the Actors give an unflinching glimpse into the pain they live with. We watch as they confront their grief in a different way through this process and uncover how they’ve moved forward, yet in some regards remained, still since the disappearance.
Four Daughters is a captivating portrait of the pain that accompanies familial love. An honest look at the kind of love that never fades no matter the decisions they make.
Four Daughters screens at TIFF ’23:
Wednesday, September 13 at 2 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
Thursday, September 14 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By Mr. Will Wong
Christos Nikou makes his English feature directorial debut in Toronto-filmed FINGERNAILS. It’s quirky, cute and will make you squeamish. All of that in one sitting.
Though the Film dons a nostalgia to it, it is set in the future. Couples now have the ability to test if in fact their love is true at an institute specializing in finger nail tests, putting couples through intimacy-enhancing activities. Anna (Jessie Buckley) lands a job at the institute after testing “positive” for true love with her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White). Something doesn’t sit right still. She takes on this job secretly, telling Ryan she’s teaching at an elementary school. Anna works with Amir and while working with the institute’s clientele, they form a bond that has Anna questioning if her true “positive” with Ryan is in fact real.
Nikou tells an age old love triangle story through a new lens, opting for 35mm which together with the styling and soundtrack of the Film, make us feel we’re in the past, even though we’re in the future. His commentary on society’s dependence on technology doing the thinking for us makes this a biting satire, but with a unique mixture of grotesque (yes, these fingernail pulling will have you covering your eyes!), yet charming at once.
Buckley and Ahmed have a believable chemistry, while White isn’t given quite as much to work with, painting the mundane backdrop whereby Anna‘s life is set against. Nikou crafts something thought-provoking though it takes a different route to get there.
FINGERNAILS screens at TIFF ’23 as follows:
Tuesday, September 12
Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium, Descriptive Sound
Wednesday, September 13
TIFF Bell Lightbox
Closed Captioning
As TIFF ’23 begins to wind down, we enjoyed a much more leisurely pace today. Any time Jessica Chastain comes to town, we show up just like she always shows up for her fans. Despite only having four minutes to greet her fans, who lined the street outside Royal Alexandra Theatre for Michel Franco‘s MEMORY, she made the most of it, walking the line interacting with everyone. She is just absolutely lovely and still despite her stature and success, THE NICEST CELEBRITY ON THE PLANET. Her care and compassion for her supporters is unparalleled and we hope she never changes. Exemplary.
Was great seeing her Co-Star Peter Sarsgaard, fresh off his win in Venice for his performance in the Film for Best Actor, which sees two high school friends reunited, with things take a concerning turn when Sarsgaard‘s character follows Chastain‘s character home.
The Cast and Director head over to Margo on King West for post-premiere celebrations. The newly-launched hotspot situated inside members-only club, Clio.
Another high-profile film to premiere tonight was John Carney’s FLORA AND SON which won raves earlier this year in Sundance. The Film centers on a single mother looking to bond with her son over music lessons. In town for the debut at Roy Thomson Hall were Carney his one of the Film’s breakout stars, Oren Kinlan.
Filmed right here in Toronto, Director/Writer Christos Nikou’s FINGERNAILS got a full circle moment at Princess of Wales Theatre where the Sci-Fi Romance premiered. He dedicated the Premiere in memory of his friend, late TIFF Programmer Ravi Srninivasan, who generously gave him his Raptors season tickets while filming in the City. Both this and Flora and Son arrive later this year on Apple TV+, both getting celebrated with a pre-party at Ace Hotel.
We’re pretty much wrapping-up our star sighting content and look forward to quite a few screenings these next few days! Keep checking back for our Team’s reviews!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
By Amanda Gilmore
Flora and Son is the feel-good film of the year.
Dubliner Flora (Eve Hewson) is a young mother struggling to connect with her teenage son Max (Orén Kinlan). Max has stolen and been caught one too many times. If caught again he’ll be sent to juvie. Knowing Max has an interest in music, Flora brings home an acoustic guitar with the hopes it’ll keep him out of trouble. Unfortunately, Max doesn’t take the bait. Stuck with the guitar, Flora decides to learn it and takes online lessons from Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a soft-spoken teacher and mildly talented musician who lives in Los Angeles. Slowly, Flora and Jeff begin to fall for each other with each lesson.
No stranger to the musical genre, Writer-Director John Carney is in top form delivering a film about the power of music. Flora and Son stands out from his prior work because it focuses on the touching relationship between mother and son. Hewson is a revelation and gives a star-making performance as the direct, caring and angry Flora. As Flora learns the guitar, Max begins exposing his own musical talents to her. Music breaks down the walls between the two and becomes the bridge that connects them.
Carney furthers the theme of music connecting each of us through Flora’s relationship with Jeff. The two are on different continents, with an 8-hour time difference between them. However, the music they make together creates an intimate and deep connection. One Flora — possibly — has never experienced romantically before. Carney shows this connection smartly by removing the laptop Jeff is on and placing him in the room with Flora.
Overall, Flora and Son is funny, affecting and uplifting. An instant classic.
Flora and Son screens at TIFF ’23:
Tuesday, September 12 at 9:30 PM at Roy Thompson Hall
Wednesday, September 13 at 9 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Saturday, September 16 at 2:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By Amanda Gilmore
Australian auteur Ivan Sen delivers a slow-burning Crime Drama that plays as a commentary on the justice system.
Detective Travis Hurley (Simon Baker) arrives in the Southern Australian mining town of Limbo to investigate the 20-year-old cold case of Charlotte, a local Indigenous girl. Travis has a hunch that the killer may still live locally.
Charlotte’s murder was met with apathy by the investigating officers and the non-Indigenous townsfolk at the time…and still 20 years later. The girl’s siblings Emma (Natasha Wanganeen) and Charlie (Rob Collins) have lost hope in justice. So when Travis arrives and claims he’s there to help find the killer, they both doubt he’ll solve the case. Especially since there’s little evidence and there appears to be little — if any — community support.
Limbo is beautifully-shot with black-and-white Cinematography and works as an important critique of the failures of colonial law enforcement and judicial systems in serving Indigenous peoples. Baker turns in a strong performance as the drug-addicted detective determined to close the case. Although, the Film does lag at times.
Limbo screens at TIFF ’23:
Tuesday, September 12 at 5:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Wednesday, September 13 at 3:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By George Kozera
Germany’s official entry for Best International Feature for the 2023 Academy Awards, THE TEACHERS LOUNGE is an extraordinary movie that tackles issues as diverse as racism, teenage rebellion, and misinterpreted events or comments with aplomb and startling finesse. Due to a series of thefts at a high school, a seventh-grade Turkish student is interrogated by school executives, where new math teacher Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch in a hypnotic performance) is an unwilling participant. Believing the young boy’s parents’ explanation of why there was a large amount of cash found in his wallet, Carta is on a mission to discover who the actual thief is. She sets up a “sting” in the teachers’ lounge and it appears that the school’s administrator may be the thief. Ironically, this person is also the mother of Oscar (Leo Stettnisch, a performance so accomplished, it belies his young age), a student that Carla has taken a special interest in.
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE genuinely made me feel off-kilter. Exceptionally well-written with nary a false note, Director and Co-Writer Biker Catak plays with and manipulates the cinematic Thriller genre with her own incomparable vision. I strongly urge everyone to see this remarkable piece of art.
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE screens at TIFF ’23:
Tuesday Sept. 12-3:30 pm-Scotiabank 4 Wednesday-Sept. 13-9:45 pm-Scotiabank 14
By: Amanda Gilmore
Kate Winslet delivers another superb performance in this biopic about model-turned war-correspondent Lee Miller.
The Film follows Lee from the start of her photography career in 1938. The Second World War is just beginning and Lee has a desire to be more than a former model. When she moves to London with her partner Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgård), the blitz begins and Lee knows she must show the destruction of war.
She became a Photojournalist for British Vogue, getting to publish her photos that capture the impact of the war in London. However, she’s determined to go to continental Europe as a war correspondent. Thanks to her determination, her renowned photographs show what happened inside concentration camps and on the ground during WWII.
Lee is an inspiring story of a woman breaking barriers in a male-dominated world, and risking her life to change the way we see it. Winslet shines as the courageous Lee, exposing her courage, fear and grief.
The story is told through Lee later in her life speaking to her son Antony (Josh O’Connor). It’s these intimate moments of listening to her tell the story that we see the longing effects of anguish and trauma Lee carried her whole life. The moments of Lee on the frontline are impactful. Showing the grotesque nature of war upon women rather than the men who are fighting.
Lee is an important film about a monumental woman in our history.
Lee screens at TIFF ’23:
Saturday, September 9 at 6 PM at Roy Thompson Hall
Sunday, September 10 at 5:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By George Kozera
A DIFFICULT YEAR opens with a series of televised clips, spanning decades, where French government officials warn the citizens of France that they will be facing a difficult year. The audience then is thrown into a frantic “Black Friday’ sales event at a store where shoppers stampede over each other in a frenzied attempt to score a big screen TV or air fryer at affordable prices. We see Albert (Pio Marmai) get one of the last televisions, then arrive at the home of Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) who was to pay for the TV. Instead, Albert arrives to see creditors removing everything from Bruno’s home as he staggers to the bedroom and passes out due to a lacklustre suicide attempt. Albert and Bruno are compulsive consumers, deeply in debt, and as they await to see if a debt-reduction expert (Matthieu Amalric) can help them to have the government forgive their overwhelming backlog of money owed, the two men go to a meeting held by young environmental activists, where free beer and food (repurposed snacks that expired years ago) is offered. It’s an idealistic group with big dreams and the two men are bemused, but when Albert sees group leader (Noemie Merlant), he immediately is smitten and convinces Bruno to tag along with him and join the group.
Whereas comedies from France tend to be simplistic, the French filmmakers excel at satire and social commentary. Writers/directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache succinctly and successfully tackle a variety of topics with panache and loads of humour. A DIFFICULT YEAR shines.
A DIFFICULT YEAR screens at TIFF ’23:
Wednesday. September 13, 9:30PM, Princess of Wales Theatre
Thursday, September 14, 5:30PM, Scotiabank
By Amanda Gilmore
Director Kitty Green and Actor Julia Garner, who worked together on critically-acclaimed The Assistant, reunite to deliver one of the most intense films of the year.
When Hanna (Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick), who are backpacking across Australia, run out of money they take the only job available which is at a pub in the outback. Every day the two are forced to serve rowdy, sexist men who come into The Royal Hotel. Soon, Hanna becomes unsettled by the unwarranted male advances and aggression aimed at them that grows more sinister by the day.
With this follow-up to her feature debut, Green continues her examination of the power dynamics between men and women but this time using a bigger setting to delve deeper and more explicit. As soon as Hanna and Liv arrive at The Royal Hotel tension hangs in the air. The suspense grows through Hanna who becomes increasingly anxious about staying at this isolated and toxic testosterone-loaded pub.
Garner turns in a towering performance as Hanna. Her subtle, nuanced performance has us gripped by the anxiety that consumes Hanna. Green’s assured direction enhances this headspace, creating tension in every corner and conversation within the pub. This tension builds with each frame leading to one of the most engrossing, stressful viewing experiences of the year.
The Royal Hotel screens at TIFF ’23:
Monday, September 11 at 9:30 PM at Roy Thompson Hall
Wednesday, September 13 at 12:05 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
By Amanda Gilmore
Sasha (Sara Montpetit) is a teenager — who is really a 68-year-old vampire stuck in a teenage body because vamps age slowly — who has an empathy problem. This problem started at a childhood birthday party when her entire family drank and killed a clown she adored. Now in teenage form, Sasha hasn’t killed a single human. She survives on blood bags from victims of her family.
With the hopes of getting Sasha to finally kill someone, her parents send her to live with her Aunt. But still, Sasha doesn’t want to kill anyone…except herself. That brings her to a depression and suicide meeting where she formally meets Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard). Previously, she observed him standing on the ledge of a building. Coincidentally, this event developed her vampire teeth. Following the meeting, the two hatch a plan for Sasha to kill the consenting meal: Paul. But will she be able to do it?
This delightful deadpan Horror-Comedy delivers an inventive coming-of-age story and a top-notch performance from Montpetit. The Vampire-Romance subgenre has kind of gotten a bad rap and has since been buried. But Director Ariane Louis-Seize has come and resurrected it well.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicide Person reminds us all of the importance of finding someone worth living an eternity for.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicide Person screens at TIFF ’23:
Monday, September 11 at 6:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Tuesday, September 12 at 4 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox
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