TIFF Highlights and Films to Keep an Eye On
The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. It runs for 10 days, starting on the Thursday after Canada's Labour Day. From big crowd pleasers to hidden gems by emerging filmmakers, TIFF debuts some of the year’s most anticipated titles, prompting on what performances and films might get nominations in the awards season.
This year, TIFF ended the 18th of September with much to be excited about from the upcoming slate of movies awaiting worldwide release. Here are the films that had everyone talking at TIFF 2022, and we are likely to be hearing about in the coming months.
The festival kicked off with the premiere of The Swimmers. This remarkable documentary tells the inspiring story of two Syrian refugee sisters who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after fleeing their home in Syria. According to TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey: “An exciting, epic journey and the arrival of an important filmmaker. I’m thrilled that audiences in Toronto will be the first to discover Sally El Hosaini’s remarkable film, and that this year on our opening night we can honour everyone who risks everything to reach a better, safer life.”. The Swimmers will be available to stream on Netflix later in the autumn, being one of their biggest Oscar hopefuls.
Another Oscar front-runner is Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans. Despite arguably being one of the most influential filmmakers, Spielberg had never taken one of his films to this prestigious festival until now. The Fabelmans did not only debut at TIFF, but it also received the top prize, the People’s Choice Award, which is voted by festival goers. The coming-of-age semi-autobiographical film follows the story of a kid falling in love with movies whilst his parents fall out of love with each other, with excellent performances by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano.
Another heart-felt title to keep an eye out for is Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, adapted for the screen by Samuel D. Hunter from his own stage play. The film stars Brendan Fraser as Charlie, a 600-pound English teacher who reaches out to his long-estranged daughter (Sadie Sink) in the hopes of mending their relationship, as his health is threatened by a heart condition. Grief, regret, and redemption are major themes of this film, which received a 6-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival, where it had its debut. At TIFF, it had an equally favourable reception, and will most certainly be a strong contender in the upcoming awards season.
With buzzy films like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, My Policeman and The Menu, this year’s red carpet was star-studded. The former did not only bring together Kate Hudson and Kathryn Hahn after having worked together for How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days in 2003, but was also the 2nd Runner-up for the People’s Choice Award. This is an elaborate sequel to the acclaimed thriller Knives Out, which will be released on Netflix on December 23rd. It follows Daniel Craig’s character, detective Benoit Blanc, as he gets involved in another whodunnit-style murder case with improved visuals, more complex mystery, and eclectic suspects played by a cast of A-listers.
On another note, the cast of My Policeman, which includes Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson, and Rupert Everett, received the Tribute Award for Performance, the first to be given to an ensemble cast. Set in 1950s and 1990s Britain, a trio get involved in a complicated love triangle, including a homosexual romance which was looked down upon at the time. From the award-winning novel of the same name, the story was adapted for the screen by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Ron Nyswaner. He wrote the screenplays for Philadelphia and Freeheld, both similarly touching stories involving homosexual leads, making him an ideal fit for the role. The film will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video on November 4th.
Despite being less of a poignant story, The Menu also received a great response, carrying a social commentary on class warfare and consumerism. The black-comedy horror is set in an exclusive restaurant located on a remote island where the wealthy and famous pay exorbitant amounts of money for lavishing plates created by celebrity chef Slowik. Yet the origin of their meal is questionable, which they will get to discover. The movie also features a stellar cast, with top performances from Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy and Hong Chau.
Another favourite from this year’s slate was Saint Omer. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Alice Diop, Saint Omer is a tense story about a journalist who attends the trial of a woman accused of murdering her young daughter. The courtroom drama is Diop’s narrative debut after having directed several critically acclaimed documentaries, mainly featuring intimate stories from underrepresented voices. Saint Omer is not an exception, featuring a provocative examination of immigration and motherhood. The director dedicated the screening to legendary French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard, just hours after the news of his passing made headlines.
To bring the festival to a close, the selected Closing Night Gala film was Dalíland, a biopic revolving around the later years of the marriage between Salvador Dalí and Gala, played by Ben Kingsley and Barbara Sukowa respectively. The film was directed by Canadian filmmaker Mary Harron, who also directed the iconic psychological thriller American Psycho. It was rumoured that co-star Ezra Miller would be removed from the final cut due to recent controversial altercations. However, his scenes were kept as ‘the film was completely finished and wrapped’, said Harron.
It is certain that this year’s line-up was filled with exceptional titles. Further films to keep an eye on are The Woman King, starring Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood; The Banshees of Inisherin by Academy Award-winning writer/director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), which reunites Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson; Women Talking adapted by Sarah Polley from the critically acclaimed novel by Miriam Toews, starring Frances McDormand, Rooney Mara and Claire Foy; and a Jordan Peele stop-motion feature Wendell & Wild, co-directed with Henry Selick, who directed notorious stop-motion animations like Coraline, James and the Giant Peach, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
With buzzy titles, awards contenders, and arthouse gems, the Toronto International Film Festival has become one of the most prestigious of its kind, bringing attention to exceptional films that communicate ideas, stories, and perceptions. As stated by themselves, TIFF's mission is ‘to transform the way people see the world through film’. Which of these movies will you be checking out? Let us know!
