TIFF highlights for Sept. 5
- Welcome to Day 2 of the Toronto International Film Festival. The opening night of the festival had everything to do with Canada. The evening started off with the world premiere of John Candy: I Like Me, a new documentary about the life and legacy of one of Canada’s comedy heroes. The doc’s producer and B.C. native Ryan Reynolds introduced the film during its Princess of Wales premiere while sporting a “Canada” T-shirt. Meanwhile, the film’s second gala screening at Roy Thomson Hall was prefaced by a semi-surprise appearance from Prime Minister Mark Carney.
- TIFF’s Platform, a juried program designed to trumpet “artistically ambitious” cinema, will open this year’s lineup with the world premiere of Cillian Murphy’s new drama, Steve. This year’s Platform features 10 exceptional films representing 19 countries, including The World of Love from South Korean director Yoon Ga-eun; Between Dreams and Hope, an Iranian trans drama directed by Farnoosh Samadi; and Sk+te’kmujue’katik (At the Place of Ghosts) from Canada’s Bretten Hannam.
- This year’s festival will feature eight Indigenous films from Canada – an important milestone given that for much of TIFF’s history, Indigenous voices were scarce at its panels, screenings and industry events. Aki by Anishinaabe filmmaker Darlene Naponse is set in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and eschews dialogue. Ni‑Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising, co-written and produced by journalist Tanya Talaga, documents the 1974 Anicinabe Park occupation in Kenora, Ont.
The TIFF film premieres happening today
Christy
A scene from David Michôd’s Christy starring Sydney Sweeney.HO/The Canadian Press
David Michôd’s film Christy will make its world premiere (Sept. 5, 11:45 a.m., Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre) today at TIFF. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Ben Foster, the film chronicles the life of pioneering women’s boxer Christy Martin.
Christy screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6 and 10.
The Choral
Ralph Fiennes in The Choral.TIFF/Supplied
The Choral, a period drama from director Nicholas Hytner, makes its world premiere (Sept. 5, 5:30 p.m., Roy Thomson Hall) today at TIFF. The film depicts a British choir director’s efforts to assemble a choral of young men during the First World War. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Simon Russell Beale and Roger Allam.
The Choral screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6 and 12.
Good News
A scene from Good News, an action thriller from South Korean writer-director Byun Sung-hyun.Supplied
The world premiere of Good News, an action thriller from South Korean writer-director Byun Sung-hyun, debuts today (Sept. 5, 5:45 p.m., Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre). Starring Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung and Ryoo Seung-bum, the film takes viewers aboard a hijacked plane that several nations will do anything to bring down to Earth.
Good News screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 9 and 12.
The Lost Bus
America Ferrara, left, and Matthew McConaughey in a scene from The Lost Bus.The Associated Press
Director Paul Greengrass’s film The Lost Bus will make its world premiere on the second day of TIFF (Sept. 5, 9:30 p.m., Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre). Based on real events that happened in 2018, during one of the deadliest fires in California’s history, the docudrama stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera in a desperate struggle to bring a busload of children to safety. Ahead of the film’s world premiere at TIFF, McConaughey sat down for an in-depth conversation with The Globe’s Barry Hertz about life, death and sweat.
The Lost Bus screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6 and 12.
Steal Away
Mallori Johnson, left, and Angourie Rice star in Steal Away.HO/The Canadian Press
Toronto filmmaker Clement Virgo’s latest film Steal Away will make its world premiere on the second day of the festival (Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m., Royal Alexandra Theatre). Loosely based on Karolyn Smardz Frost’s non-fiction book Steal Away Home, which chronicles the journey of a teenage slave named Cecelia Reynolds from Kentucky to Canada and back again, Virgo’s film is half Afrofuturistic fairy tale, half psychosexual potboiler and entirely impossible to pinpoint geographically. In an interview with The Globe’s Barry Hertz, Virgo said: “When I made my first film, Rude, I didn’t really know what I was doing – and my first instinct was to create a world of my own, and that’s what I did. With this one, I wanted to go back to that first instinct. To create a space of my own.”
Steal Away screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6, 11 and 12.
Palestine 36
A scene from Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36, starring Hiam Abbass, Jeremy Irons and Liam Cunningham.TIFF/Supplied
Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36, starring Hiam Abbass, Jeremy Irons and Liam Cunningham, makes its world premiere today (Sept. 5, 1 p.m., Roy Thomson Hall). The movie tells the story of Palestinians in the 1930s under British rule.
Palestine 36 screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 7, 10 and 12.
Steve
Cillian Murphy in a scene from the movie Steve.tiff/Supplied
Director Tim Mielants and actor Cillian Murphy reunite after Small Things Like These and Peaky Blinders with their latest film Steve, which has its world premiere today (Sept. 5, 5:30 p.m., Royal Alexandra Theatre). Murphy plays the head of a crumbling reform school for teenage boys in a powerful adaptation of author and screenwriter Max Porter’s bestselling 2023 novella, Shy.
Steve screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6, 9 and 13.
Midnight Madness: Obsession
A scene from the film, Obsession, starring Michael Johnston.TIFF/Supplied
The second screening featured in TIFF’s Midnight Madness program this year is Obsession (Sept. 5, 11:59 p.m., Royal Alexandra Theatre). Writer-director Curry Barker’s feature debut is about a hopeless romantic who makes a wish for his long-time crush to fall in love with him – while in possession of a trinket with supernatural properties – leading to a sinister enchantment.
Obsession screens at TIFF on Sept. 5, 6 and 11.
Star watch
Ryan Reynolds attends the premiere of John Candy: I Like Me during the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday at Roy Thomson Hall.Chris Pizzello/The Associated Press
- Sydney Sweeney will likely walk the red carpet for the world premiere of her film Christy, which chronicles the life of boxing pioneer Christy Martin.
- Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera are set to be in town for the world premiere of The Lost Bus at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
- Cillian Murphy will likely walk the red carpet for the world premiere of his film, Steve, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.
- South Korean actor Sul Kyung-gu is expected to attend the premiere of Good News at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
- Ralph Fiennes is also expected to walk the red carpet at the world premiere of The Choral at Roy Thomson Hall.
- Ryan Reynolds is set to participate in an “In Conversation With…” session to discuss his work as a producer on the documentary John Candy: I Like Me and the influence Candy had on his own career (Sept. 5, 2:30 p.m., Royal Alexandra Theatre).
The big parties and other events
People walk along King Street as TIFF returns for its 50th edition.Carlos Osorio/Reuters
- There will be an afternoon tea hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Sept. 5 at the Four Seasons Hotel.
- The Variety Cover party is set for Sept. 5 at RBC House inside Petros82 restaurant.
- TIFF’s Festival Street returns for its 10th year, transforming a section of King Street West into a pedestrian-only zone from Sept. 4 to 7. The celebrations will extend into David Pecaut Square from Sept. 4 to 13 for open-air movie screenings and other activities. On Sept. 5, John Hughes’s Uncle Buck will play at Cinema Park at David Pecaut Square.
- The Rogers TIFF 50 Timescape event and installation runs from Sept. 5 to 7 in Yorkville.
How to get TIFF tickets, and other common questions
People wait in a rush line for tickets on King Street.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.
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