Fans wait at the Princess of Wales theatre at the Toronto International Film Festival.Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press
TIFF highlights for Sept. 12
- Welcome to Day 9 of the Toronto International Film Festival. Mary Bronstein’s film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You gets its Canadian premiere at TIFF and Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s She Has No Name makes its North American premiere.
- On Thursday, film editor Barry Hertz and writer Johanna Schneller answered reader questions about the festival’s 50th edition, including who’s expected to take the festival’s top awards, their personal top picks and more. Here’s an edited transcript of their conversation. Meanwhile, The Globe’s film and art editors also shared the best (Tuner!), weirdest (an industry on edge!) and worst (Ticketmaster!) film festival moments so far.
- Canadian writer-director Lloyd Lee Choi’s feature debut Lucky Lu follows an Uber Eats-like bike courier in Manhattan over the course of 48 anxiety-inducing hours. The Globe’s Barry Hertz caught up with him to talk about his journey taking the film from Cannes to TIFF.
- The TIFF Tribute Awards took place earlier this week in the ballroom of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Writer Nolan Bryant recaps the celebrity-filled gala, including a look at everyone who was in attendance such as Jodie Foster, Idris Elba, Channing Tatum, Catherine O’Hara, Brendan Fraser and more.
The TIFF film premieres happening today
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.Logan White/The Associated Press
Mary Bronstein’s film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You gets its Canadian premiere at TIFF after an initial launch at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Rose Byrne plays a psychologist from Montauk, N.Y., who lives a life of stress and anxiety. Her daughter is suffering from an unknown disease and her husband is away at sea working. Tensions escalate when a hole in the ceiling bursts – a problematic event that metaphorically sums up the crippling pressure weighing on her every minute.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You screens at TIFF on Sept. 12 and 13.
She Has No Name
A scene from the film She Has No Name.TIFF/Supplied
Inspired by a true story, director Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s She Has No Name is based on one of China’s most famous unsolved murder cases. The film is set in 1940s Shanghai and stars Zhang Ziyi as a woman who is falsely accused of killing her husband.
She Has No Name screens at TIFF on Sept. 12, 13 and 14.
Driver’s Ed
A scene from Driver’s Ed.TIFF/Supplied
Director Bobby Farrelly who brought us nostalgic hits such as There’s Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber is back with his latest film, Driver’s Ed. The romantic comedy follows a high school senior who steals the driver’s ed car from his school and hits the road to save his relationship with his college-bound girlfriend – but his principal and driving instructor are in hot pursuit. The cast includes Sam Nivola, Sophie Telegadis, Molly Shannon and Kumail Nanjiani.
Driver’s Ed screens at TIFF on Sept. 12, 13 and 14.
Midnight Madness: The Napa Boys
A scene from The Napa Boys.TIFF/Supplied
Nick Corirossi’s comedy The Napa Boys assembles a set of alt-comedians who deliver some of the smartest dumb jokes, spoofing the motifs and platitudes of Hollywood franchise filmmaking. The film stars Corirossi, Armen Weitzman, Sarah Ramos, Mike Mitchell and Chloe Cherry. The premise: Jack Jr., Miles Jr. and the gang are back for one last wine-related journey set forth by the mysterious “Sommelier.” The TIFF website calls the film “your favourite comedian’s new favourite comedy.”
The Napa Boys screens at TIFF on Sept. 12, 13 and 14.
Star watch
- Rose Byrne and Molly Shannon are among the celebrities expected to be in town and walk the red carpet.
The big parties and other events
People walk along King Street as TIFF returns for its 50th edition in Toronto.Carlos Osorio/Reuters
- The celebrations will continue in Toronto’s David Pecaut Square to Sept. 13 for open-air movie screenings and other activities. Science fiction comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, will have a free outdoor screening Friday evening on Cinema Park in David Pecaut Square, starting at 10 p.m. ET.
How to get TIFF tickets, and other common questions
People wait in a rush line for tickets on King Street as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) returns for its 50th edition.Carlos Osorio/Reuters
How do you buy TIFF tickets?
You can buy curated ticket packages, member bundles or individual tickets to film screenings. Tickets went on sale to the general public Aug. 25, but you are still able to purchase individual tickets to screenings throughout the festival. Prices for regular screenings start at $29 and prices for premium screenings start at $43. Browse films and purchase tickets on TIFF’s website.
Where can I see this year’s festival schedule?
The TIFF schedule is available on the festival’s website and can be sorted by venue, type of screening and date.
What are “rush” tickets, and how do they work?
Festival-goers who are unable to secure a ticket online are able to wait in rush lines for screenings. About 15 minutes prior to a screening’s start time, staff will count the amount of empty seats in the cinema and sell rush tickets to those in line on a first-come, first-served basis. The TIFF website recommends arriving no earlier than 60 minutes before the screening to wait in the rush line.
TIFF25: Essential reads
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On TIFF’s 50th anniversary, 50 moments that define Canada’s glitziest cultural behemoth
In defence of TIFF’s Wavelengths, the incredibly shrinking film festival program
Scarlett the great: At TIFF, Johansson leaves Marvel behind for a deeply Jewish story of forgiveness
