TIFF: Melissa Barrera and Paul Mescal in the Dazzling ‘Carmen’

By Abe Friedtanzer

There have been many films recently about young women crossing the border from Mexico to the United States and coming across someone whose attitude towards illegal immigrants softens considerably after the chance meeting. But Carmen is something different entirely, an update of much older material, based on a Seville-set novella and opera from the 1800s by Prosper Mérimée. This time the setting is present day in surroundings that will be more familiar to audiences but just as enchanting…

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74th Emmys in Quick Review: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lee Jung Jae, Jennifer Coolidge and more...

by Nathaniel R

The 74th Emmys last night were a good time, don'cha think? Further proof that you dont really need a host (sorry Kenan Thompson!) just a lively crowd, memorable speeches, and good presenter bits. Herewith a quick list of the sky highs (and a couple of lows) of the evening.

And the winners too of course...

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Baby Clyde's TIFF Diary #2: "The Woman King", Oprah, and "Sidney"

by Baby Clyde

You think I’m just here enjoying myself, don’t you? You think it’s all World Premieres and swanky parties, hobnobbing with the stars and swilling champagne. Unfortunately, that is not quite the case. My trip so far has been somewhat more mundane. Saturday, I had 5 films to see but spent most of my time visiting various electrical shops trying to find a US/UK travel adapter (I idiotically left the half dozen I own back in London). Instead of sipping Mimosas over a leisurely breakfast I was in Best Buy at 10am perusing plug sockets. At time of speaking, I still haven’t found one. I didn’t eat anything until 6.30pm. I’m now home and hastily throwing together this dispatch before my laptop dies. I’ve got about 20 minutes. Here goes.

First film of the day was a particular treat for this Brit after all who needs a Queen when we have The Woman King...

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International Oscars: Mexico's finalists and more submission titles

by Nathaniel R

THE HOLE IN THE FENCE

Mexico has chosen their Oscar submission finalist list. We'd do a whole huge post on it but we suspect by the time we did they'd have named their winner and despite divisive reviews thus far we suspect they won't be able to resist sending Iñarritu again. As it stands now they're looking at three films we've already reviewed here at TFE: Alejandro G Iñarritu's Bardo (False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths), Lorenz Vigas' very dark father/son drama The Box, and Joaquin del Paso's allegorical summer camp drama The Hole in the Fence. The other two they're looking at are the sexual drama Nudo Mixteco by Angeles Cruz and the thriller Presencias by Luis Mandoki. Among those filmmakers Inarritu (Biutiful, Amores Perros) and Mandoki (Innocent Voices) have represented Mexico before while Vigas's debut film, the gay drama From Afar, was sent to represent Venezuela in its year.

But that's not all. We now know which films Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Turkey,and Uganda  are submitting. Details after the jump...  

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TIFF: Noémie Merlant in ‘Baby Ruby’

By Abe Friedtanzer

 

It’s only been a few years since Portrait of a Lady on Fire, that visually stunning and deeply engaging French romance starring Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant. The latter had a starring role in a low-key film that showed at AFI Fest in 2020, Jumbo, and she’s sure to become even more well-known with Tár which next shows at the New York Film Festival ahead of its October release. But Merlant is in Toronto this week to debut another film, which marks her second English-language role, the parental horror film Baby Ruby… 

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