TIFF Special Presentations & Galas: Ford v Ferrari, Joker, Radioactive, and more...
Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 8:06PM by Nathaniel R
"I Am Woman" is one of many biopics at TIFF
The Toronto International Film Festival has made its first lineup announcements. They begin with the Galas and the Special Presentations. This is the section that is most "movie star" friendly. They get red-carpet premieres and parties and the like. Special Presentations are also high profile premieres and movies from top filmmakers. We've never quite understood the difference in these two sections. The films and a few notes are after the jump...
GALAS
ABOMINABLE (US, world premiere)
A Dreamworks animated film about a yeti and a teenage girl that features the voices of Eddie Izzard, Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, and Sarah Paulson. Jill Culton & Todd Wilderman direct.
AMERICAN WOMAN (Canada)
There have literally been three feature films called American Woman in the past 12 months or so! This is not the Sienna Miller picture currently in limited release but the Hong Chau picture that uses the kidnapping of the heiress Patty Hearst in 1974 as its jumping off point for a fictional story. It previously screened at Tribeca and we reviewed right here.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (US, world premiere)
Marielle Heller's follow up to Can You Ever Forgive Me? is the true story of a journalist (Matthew Rhys) assigned to interview Mr Rogers (Tom Hanks) for an Esquire profile.
CLEMENCY (US)
Alfre Woodard stars as a death row prison warden. Previously reviewed right here.
FORD V FERRARI (US)
James Mangold directs Matt Damon and Christian Bale in the true story of the famous 1966 "24 Hours of Le Mans" race.
THE GOLDFINCH (US)
John Crowley (Brooklyn) is back (yay!) with an adaptation of the bestseller about a grown man (Ansel Elgort) who was traumatized as a boy when his mother was killed in a terrorist attack. We discussed the trailer here.
HARRIET (US, world premiere)
Kasi Lemmons directs Cynthia Erivo as the iconic abolitionist. We discussed the trailer here.
HUSTLERS (US, world premiere)
Lorene Scafaria directs this stripper drama with an all star cast: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, KeKe Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B.
JOKER (US)
Joaquin Phoenix stars in an origin story of Batman's arch-nemesis. Remember when Phoenix turned down Doctor Strange because he didn't want to be locked into multiple films? Wonder what the WB promised him here.
JUST MERCY (US, world premiere)
Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12) directs Michael B Jordan as a lawyer trying to save a death-row inmate (Jamie Foxx). It's based on a true story.
ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND (Caanda, world premiere)
A documentary on the roots-rock group The Band from Daniel Roher (Ghosts of Our Forests).
ORDINARY LOVE (UK, world premiere)
Liam Neeson steps away from violent revenge films for a hot second to co-star with Lesley Mannville in a drama about a married couple facing a cancer diagnosis. Only 92 minutes, bless them, so we'll schedule it.
RADIOACTIVE (UK, world premiere)
Rosamund Pike stars as Marie Curie in this biopic from Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis). Sam Riley co-stars as her husband Pierre Curie.
THE SKY IS PINK (India, world premiere)
A romantic dramedy from India in which a deceased daughter narrates her parents romance. Priyanka Chopra stars.
THE SONG OF NAMES (Canada, world premiere)
Clive Owen and Tim Roth star in this historical drama in which a man tries to find his childhood best friend who was orphaned during the Holocaust.
TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG (Australia, world premiere)
Australia's Justin Kurzel delivers a biographical movie about the 19th century outlaws. This one stars Russell Crowe, Nicolas Hoult, and George MacKay (Pride, Captain Fantastic) as Ned Kelly. (You may recall that Heath Ledger previously starred in a 2003 Kelly biopic but that won't didn't cross over to the mainstream so they won't be facing lots of comparisons.)
WESTERN STARS (US, world premiere)
A concert film of Bruce Springsteen's latest album. The shortest film at the festival (thus far) at only 83 minutes.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
BAD EDUCATION (USA)
Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, and Ray Romano star in this dramedy about a school-larceny scandal. From Cory Finley (of Thoroughbreds fame).
LA BELLE ÉPOQUE (France)
A comedy about a cartoonist who hires a VR company to recreate his happy marriage.
COMING HOME AGAIN (South Korea, US, world premiere)
Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club) directors this story of a Korean man caring for his sick mother. At 86 minutes this is the shortest narrative feature announced for the festival so as a reward we will absolutely schedule it.
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (US, world premiere)
Eddie Murphy stars as the actor who found fame in the 70s as the blaxploitation character Dolemite. Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) directs.
EMA (Chile)
Pablo Larraín (Jackie, No, Neruda) is one of the greatest of all South American directors so we'll be there for his new film an "incendiary drama about art, desire, and family".
ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS (US, world premiere)
A love triangle from director Drake Doremus (Like Crazy) starring Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan, and Jamie Dornan). Either way that goes, Shailene Woodley wins, right?
FRANKIE (France, Portugal)
Ira Sach's english language drama is about an extended family on holiday. Isabelle Huppert headlines with Marisa Tomei, Brendan Gleeson, Greg Kinnear, and Jérémie Renier co-starring.
THE FRIEND (US)
A cancer drama starring Jason Segel, Dakota Fanning, and Casey Affleck.
GREED (UK, world premiere)
Ever prolific Michael Winterbottom always has something at festivals. This time it's a comedy about a billionaire's (Steve Coogan) lavish birthday party and the chaos that ensues.
GUEST OF HONOUR (Canada)
Atom Egoyan returns for a father daughter drama about trauma and its consequences.
A HERDADE (Portugal)
A drama from Tiago Guedes about a family line of wealthy homesteaders and the political, economic, and social history of Portugal.
HEROIC LOSERS (Argentina, Spain)
A heist movie but here's the big selling point: the co-stars are Argentinian superstar Ricardo Darín and his relentlessly hot son Chino Darín who we loved last year in El Angel.
HONEY BOY (US)
Shia Labeouf writes and stars in this autobiographic drama about his own youth as a child star. He plays his father while the great child actor Noah Jupe and Oscar nominated Lucas Hedges play Shia (or this thinly veiled version of him) as a child and young adult respectively. Alma Har'el directs and we reviewed it right here. Only 93 minutes long!!!
HOPE GAP (UK, world premiere)
The Bening alert! Annette Bening and Bill Nighy costar in this drama about a couple splitting up from writer/director William Nicholson.
HOW TO BUILD A GIRL (UK, world premiere)
Beanie Feldstein plays a working class teenager in this coming of age drama. Her amazing supporting cast: Chris O'Dowd, Emma Thompson, and Paddy Considine. wow.
I AM WOMAN (Australia, opening night film and world premiere)
A biopic of Helen Reddy, the singer behind the titular hit anthem of the women's movement.
JOJO RABBIT (USA, world premiere)
Taiki Waitit's comedy about a mother (Scarlett Johansson) who hides a Jewish girl during World War II and her son's nationalism and imaginary best friend Adolf Hitler (Taikia Waitit).
JUDY (UK)
The Judy Garland biopic starring Renée Zellweger. It's based on the stage play "End of the Rainbow" for those familiar with Garland lore. We discussed the teaser here.
KNIVES OUT (US, world premiere)
Rian Johnson's all star comedy. We discussed the trailer here. For some reason it's over two hours though, yikes... that's rarely a good sign for comedies.
La Streep. What is that silly blue hat about?
THE LAUNDROMAT (US)
Steven Sodebergh directs an all tstar cast in the financial crime story involving the leak of the Panama Papers. Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, and Antonio Banderas headline. One of only three films announced that are under 100 minutes. Bless you Soderbergh!
THE LIGHTHOUSE
A psychological period thriller from Robert Eggers (The VVitch) starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as lighthouse keepers. In black and white!
MARRIAGE STORY (USA)
Noah Baumbach directs Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in a marital drama.
We're so glad Kristin Scott Thomas's retirement lasted just like a year or something
MILITARY WIVES (UK, world premiere)
A "feel good" film about wives forming a choir while their husbands are at war. Kristin Scott Thomas headlines.
MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN
Edward Norton directs himself in this mystery about a private investigator with Tourette's Syndrome, based on the novel of the same name.
NO. 7 CHERRY LANE (Hong Kong)
Yonfan makes his first animated feature. It's a love story set during the 1960s in Hong Kong.
THE OTHER LAMB (Belgium, Ireland, Poland, USA)
An English language debut for the Polish director Malograzata Szumowska (The Body) starring Raffey Cassidy (Vox Lux) as a member of a cult led by Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones)
PAIN & GLORY (Spain)
Antonio Banderas plays a thinly veiled version of Pedro Almodovar himself in this autographical memoir drama. Banderas took Best Actor at Cannes. We cannot wait to see this.
THE PAINTED BIRD (Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovakia)
Based on the famous Holocaust novel about a young Jewish boy wandering Eastern Europe during World War II.
PARASITE
Bong Joon-ho's Palme d'Or winning drama about class struggles and a criminally inclined family.
PELICAN BLOOD (Germany, Bulgaria)
A dramatic thriller about a mother whose newly adopted daughter turns out to be a bad seed.
Dev Patel looking delicious in period garb
THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD (world premiere)
Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin) directs this new adaptation of the literary classic starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Gwendolyn Christie and more.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (France)
Celine Sciamma's acclaimed feminist romantic drama about a bride to be and her portrait painter. It premiered at Cannes to much hoopla and could well become France's Oscar submission (though it has stiff competition from Les Miserables)
THE REPORT (US)
Scott Z Burns directs Adam Driver and Annette Bening in this political thriller that premiered at Sundance. Previously reviewed right here.
The great Gong Li. What are the binoculars for?
SATURDAY FICTION (China)
Gong Li alert! The legendary actress plays an actress in 1941 who returns to Shanghai only to learn about the imminent Pearl Harbor attack. From director Lou Ye (Suzhou River, Summer Palace)
THE TWO POPES (Multiple Countries)
Fernando Meirelles (City of God) is back with the true story of a progressive incoming Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) and conversative outgoing Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins)
UNCUT GEMS (USA)
Josh & Benny Safdie have made another crime thriller. This one stars Adam Sandler as a NYC jeweller.
WEATHERING WITH YOU (Japan)
Makoto Shinkai (Your Name) returns with another fantastical tale of teenage strangers -- this time the girl has the ability to stop the rain and clear the sky.
WHILE AT WAR (Spain)
Alejandro Amenábar (The Others) returns with a drama about Span's slide into fascism set during the first months of the Civil War.
Chris Feil and I will both be attending TIFF again like last year. Which of these are you most curious about?
Reader Comments (17)
Judy is doing the rounds at all three initial fall festivals - is the hype real?
Other than that - I'm really excited to hear about a lot of these films, seems like the most starry line-up in a while or is my memory that short or has this year been so dearth of quality films?
I'm dying to see The Lightouse and I'm super ready to hate Ford v Ferrari.
Meryl will be attending... and now the first official pic.... still not sure if we are dealing with supporting or lead actress .... does not feel like a simple cameo though
No word of Balckbird? Kate Winslet + Susan Sarandon + Sam Neil + Mia Wasikowska + Other people? Euthanasia? Family reunion? Remake of a awarded Scandinavian film?
SHAME! SHAME!
One of the unusual things about this current festival season is that PARASITE has already had its general release here in Australia, but is now popping up in the major festival lineups. Such a weird feeling.
Interested in The Laundromat for cast and Soderbergh. Matt Damon is becoming a homely schlub. Zero interest in a big budget car movie. I also will pass on Tom Hanks playing yet another hero. Documentary on Fred Rogers was enough.
I'm most interested in "Jojo Rabbit" because Taika Waititi hasn't missed yet, and this looks like a big swing.
Also interested in "Bad Education" because Ray Romano obviously has depth and poignancy (e.g. "The Grand", "The Big Sick") that wasn't present in his sitcom; "Clemency" for Alfre Woodard; "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" for Fred Rogers, an amazing person; "Coming Home Again" for Wayne Wang; "Marriage Story" b/c Adam Driver was so great in previous Baumbach; "Parasite"; and "The Personal History of David Copperfield" b/c Armando Ianucci also has never missed.
Keep in mind I won't be able to see any of these at TIFF, I'll just be hanging out until they platform.
i love your short attention span
Since Good Time was my top film for 2017, I guess Uncut Gems must be my answer, despite the involvement of Adam Sandler.
Helen Reddy is my favorite singer, ever since I was a boy, so I am very excited for I Am Woman. The fact that it is the opening night film is even more encouraging. More young people need to know this extraordinary artist. Yes, I am roaring.
A LOT to absorb as usual. Had no idea about the Neeson/Manville movie. I would love for that one to be great.
There was a mention of a movie, a while back, about a young wealthy couple who live in an apt or penthouse and the wife is trying to get pregnant or something like that. It was a psychological thriller/drama. I don't think there was a trailer out yet but it was mentioned this site of MNPP. Does anyone know the name or does this sound familiar to anyone?
I have a feeling by September Renee will be our first real Best Actress contender and Laura Dern in Marriage Story our first real Supporting Actress contender.
Excited for those of you who are going... I am determined to get to TIFF in the next few years.
American Woman is written and directed by Semi Challas, who wrote several of the best episodes of Mad Men. It would be great if she could forge a directing career.
Uncut Gems and Marriage Story are probably my top 2, because I love Sandler when he actually uses his talent and I can't wait to see what Baumbach does with Dern. But I'm also looking forward to Parasite, Pain & Glory, The Laundromat, Hustlers, Clemency.... and I don't know what to think about Jojo Rabbit, but it could be great.
Goldfinch - a Nicole Kidman world premiere YAS!
Surprised Ad Astra isn't here with its Sept release date, star and Gravity/Martian did same.
I hadn’t heard of “Radioactive” before.
But Marjane Satrapi! Rosamund Pike! And such a fascinating subject, so many different kinds of movies could be made.
I picked up a copy of Marie Curie’s daughter’s autobiography in a second hand store in a little town I was travelling through.
She talks about Albert Einstein, a family friend, who would often come to visit. They really liked Uncle Albert, who was a lot of fun. But it made them sad too, because they felt they got so little time with their mother.
And Albert would always come with some problem he’d got stuck on, and go off with their mother for hours, while she figured it out for him.
In his later life, Einstein said he had never met Marie Curie.
Gong Li!!!!! Saturday Fiction sounds interesting
JoJo Rabbit sounds so golden though :)
I like the pairing of Adam Driver and ScarJo in the same movie.
Anything with Christian Bale, I will watch
The Lighthouse sounds like dynamite with two great leads.
Radioactive: Fingers cross for Rosamund Pike