It’s that time of year again! The fall festival season is upon us, with big and small titles hitting Venice, then Telluride, and then the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It’s the festival’s 50th anniversary, so the lineup is stacked with all of the most anticipated titles and awards contenders from all over the world. With nearly 300 films slated over roughly 2 weeks, there is simply too much to see and too many films to wrap your head around. Luckily we’ve had the privilege of being able to check out a few films before the festival, and wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the smaller features to put on your festival radar.
Of course we’ll have plenty of coverage for the big ones, but TIFF is unique in that the massive slate serves to provide opportunities and give voice to a plethora of filmmakers and creatives, championing global, independent cinema and giving smaller titles huge platforms to share their art.This helps uncover plenty of hidden gems and films you didn’t know even existed, and you get to join in on the early buzz being one of the first people in the world to experience the film. We were able to catch up with a ton of films pre-festival, so here are 10 films we recommend to catch at TIFF
“Wasteman” – World Premiere
To be fair, you had me at David Johnson and Tom Blyth. Johnson in particular is having an incredible run as of late, and will continue that streak with “The Long Walk” later this month and now “Wasteman,” in which he plays a soft spoken prisoner on the verge of early release. Though freedom and reuniting with his family seems within reach, an upredictable and violent cellmate (an unrecognizable Tom Blyth) enters the picture and threatens to upend his chances at freedom. Powered by phenomenal lead performances and a confident direction from Cal McMau, “Wasteman” is sure to be a hidden gem for festival goers who carve out some time to check this one out. Intense, visceral, and gripping, “Wasteman” is can’t miss cinema and is a definite must at TIFF. You can catch the World Premiere of “Wasteman” on Saturday Sept. 6th at 6:25pm at the Scotiabank Theater.
“Little Amelie or The Character of Rain” – North American Premiere
Fill my heart with joy and sweetness: “Little Amelie or The Character of Rain” has both in spades. An absolute knockout of animation and discovering life and the world through the eyes of a child, there is simply no way to come away from this film without a big giant smile on your face. Technically brilliant and deeply moving, “Little Amelie” masterfully oscillates between childlike wonder and cultural displacement, managing both the fascination of a vaccum without understanding and the post-WWII scars left between European and Japanese traditions and relationships. It is a fascinating watch, all the while never losing sight of the hopefulness and beauty that lies in the world that only someone like “Little Amelie” can remind us of in some profound ways. Put this on your schedule, folks. It just might be one of the best animated films of the year. You can catch the North American Premiere of “Little Amelie or The Character of Rain” on Saturday Sept. 13th at 12:30pm at TIFF Lightbox.
“A Useful Ghost” – North American Premiere
I went into “A Useful Ghost” completely blind, and I was not prepared for how weird and funny yet still emotional the film would be. Almost too fantastical to describe, director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke approaches his vision with such confidence it’s hard to believe “A Useful Ghost” is a directorial debut. Blending horror, romance, comedy, and even traditional and political satire, the film packs a ton of thematic resonance into a strange, bizarre tale but never loses sight of its intentions. Visually creative and uniquely brilliant, “A Useful Ghost” will have you laughing one minute then hugging your loved one the next. It’s a tricky balance usually reserved for veteran filmmakers, but “A Useful Ghost” manages to make it work and rank high on the list of must see festival cinema. You can catch the premiere of “A Useful Ghost” on Sept. 10th at 2:45pm at Scotiabank Theater.
“The Ugly” – World Premiere
Trading out visual spectacle for a more contained, intimate thriller, “The Ugly” sees the return of acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho in a new film about family secrets coming to light and proving that the past never stays buried. Powered by an incredible dual performance from Park Jeong-min, “The Ugly” delivers an indie vibe kind of mystery, smaller in scale and patient unraveling as it cuts between present day investigation and events of the past as both uncover more and more truths about family, beauty, and morally ambiguous characters. It’s a film that requires some rumination, as its core themes and more thought provoking ideas don’t really come to light until “The Ugly” has had some time to bounce around in your brain. It’s powerful stuff that does take some patience but rewards you for your efforts. You can catch the World Premiere of “The Ugly” on Sept. 9th at 9:45pm at the VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
“The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” – North American Premiere
Break out the tissues, folks. “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” is a masterwork from Diego Céspedes, making his feature film debut and imbues a story of isolation, found family, and humanity into a modern western set in the seemingly forgotten deserts of Chile in the early 80s. We watch a fractured community of old miners vs a fierce queer community wrestling with the AIDs crisis through the eyes of a young 11 year old girl, who doesn’t understand the world around her any more than the adults. “The Mysterious Gaze of The Flamingo” is profoundly poetic and sometimes absurd but always engaging and emotional. Love can destroy us or overcome everything, and the film gives us glimpses of both with great effect. Truly blown away by how much this resonated with me, and you should certainly put it on your list. You can catch the North American Premiere of “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” Sept 9th at 8:30pm at TIFF Lightbox.
“Lucky Lu” – North American Premiere
I’ll admit that ‘very bad day” cinema isn’t usually my thing. It’s rare enough to make it compelling without falling into the pitfalls of repetitiveness and a sort of disdain for its protagonist, and rarely do you leave the film feeling hopeful about anything. “Lucky Lu” is one of the better entries, leaning on all of the strengths of the genre while never feeling exploitative. Director Lloyd Lee Choi smartly opts to focus on the immigrant experience as a whole – the struggles, the desperation, the feeling of invisibility and the abandonment felt across so many just trying to make it. Sure, “Lucky Lu” is rife with desperation to survivie and provide, and it has plenty of downer moments, but it never feels so incalculable and dramatic that starts to divert from reality. “Lucky Lu” is a grounded, engaging experience that – for all its troubles and hardships – never truly loses hope. You can catch North American Premiere of “Lucky Lu” on Sept. 7th at 6:15pm at Scotia Bank Theater.
“Modern Whore” – World Premiere
I typically focus on features at TIFF, but “Modern Whore” caught my attention and dazzled me with is razor sharp, quirky humor and shocking vulnerability. Andrea Werhun easily converts her book of the same name into an engrossing, honest look at sex work from sex workers themselves. Werhun and director Nicole Bazuin paint a tapestry of absurd sketch comedy style recreations of true life encounters and her journey through sex work. “Modern Whore” is equal parts silly, sincere, and honest about its complex subject matter, shying away from nothing and allowing sex workers to tell their own stories with confidence and freedom. It also focuses on the idea of shame, literally manifested in a very funny heckler type caricature to help set “Modern Whore” apart from other documentaries that deal with the same subject matter. It seeks to recontextualize our preconceived notions about sex and sex workers and succeeds in paving a way forward to redefine “whore” and create a new “Modern Whore.” Loved this one. You can catch the World Premiere of “Modern Whore” Friday Sept 5th at 6:25pm at Scotiabank Theater.
“Noviembre” – World Premiere
I’m a sucker for a good chamber piece pressure cooker, and “Noviembre” more than scratches that itch. a single setting thriller that drops you into the middle of conflict and rarely releases the tension until the final frame. A hybrid of fictionalized accounts and archival footage, “Noviembre” creates a claustrophobic atmosphere as daunting as the trapped hostages and frantic captors. Regardless of your knowledge of the real life events, the film does two things really well: creates an intense cinematic experience and prompts you to look into the historical events of which the film is based on. “Noviembre” isn’t an easy watch and there aren’t any easy answers, but it is a truly edge of your seat movie experience and one that you should not miss if you can find the time. It deserves it, I promise, You can catch the World Premiere of “Noviembre” Sept 6th at 3:15pm at Scotiabank Theater.
“Dust Bunny” – World Premiere
One of the most fun experiences of TIFF is the Midnight Madness section. A collection of off the beaten path films showing at – surprise surprise – midnight that feature action, horror, comedy, and weird to a rowdy, ready crowd of cinema lovers ready to burn the midnight oil. “Dust Bunny” fits the bill in every single way, checking off all of the previously mentioned genres in a fun, violent, bizarre tale of monsters under the bed and an underworld of men who kill said monsters. Bryan Fuller is all over this, and fans of “Pushing Daises” and “Hannibal” will find this a satisfying entry into his works. “Dust Bunny” is definitely a vibes check, and you do have to be dialed into Fuller’s cadence and characters. If you are then you’re treated to ruckus riot of a ride that is sure to have the midnight crowd cheering and laughing. It stars Mads Mikkelsen, Sigourney Weaver, and David Dastmalchian. You can catch the World Premiere of “Dust Bunny” on Sept. 8th at 11:59pm at Royal Alexandria Theater.
“The Sun Rises on Us All” – North American Premiere
Discovery of hidden gems is why we seek out so many films at TIFF, and “The Sun Rises on Us All” absolutely fits the bill. A somber, patient, emotional exploration of unresolved trauma between two former lovers that manifests in isolation, sacrifice and longing. While it runs a little long, Cai Shangjun patiently guides her audience into the lives of her characters, with each seemingly mundane action adding another building block to the profound sadness and regret that overtakes every aspect of the characters lives. “The Sun Rises on Us All” may feel as though it’s leading to nothing and nowhere, and each interaction between the two leads can feel deeply unsettling and uncomfortable. But there is intentionality behind it all, and culminates in a devastating yet cathartic ending that left me floored and an emotional wreck. “The Sun Rises on Us All” is a commitment, but it is certainly a film I can’t get out of my mind and one that will surely sit with you if you’re willing to let it inside. You can catch the North American Premiere of “The Sun Rises on Us All” on Sept. 10th at 3:30pm at Scotiabank Theater.
There are at least another 30 films we’ve seen so far, and many more to come when we touch down in Toronto. Keep checking back for more reviews and definitely put these films on your radar!
