Portrait of an artist at her artistic height
Lady Gaga to debut Netflix documentary and perform at Toronto film festival
TORONTO Lady Gaga will debut a new documentary about herself and perform at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
Organizers say Gaga: Five Foot Two will make its world première at the fest, which runs Sept. 7 to 17.
The première screening at the Princess of Wales Theatre on Sept. 8, will be followed by an intimate onstage performance.
Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Moukarbel directed the doc, which goes behind the scenes of the life of the singer, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Germanotta. Organizers say the Netflix original follows her over an eight-month period as she records and releases her 2016 album, Joanne.
Cameras also capture her personal struggles as she copes “with intense emotional and physical pain.”
Viewers also get to see her with family members, friends and her dogs at home.
“Moukarbel’s documentary offers an unprecedented look at Lady Gaga in full creative mode: the ideas, the emotion, the sheer work it takes to do what she does,” TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey said Thursday.
“I had a rare opportunity to create a portrait of an artist with such an open heart and mind. I feel really lucky that Gaga trusted me and my vision,” Moukarbel said.
TIFF has also announced four new special events for the fest. Among them is an exclusive first look at footage from Legend of the Demon Cat with Chinese director Chen Kaige, who will do a question-and-answer session and is also on the jury for this year’s Toronto Platform Prize.
Meanwhile, actress Priyanka Chopra will be on hand for an evening celebrating actor and firsttime feature filmmaker Paakhi A. Tyrewala’s Pahuna: The Little Visitors.
Chopra co-produced the film, about three Nepalese children separated from their parents.
Other special events include a Q -and-A for the world première of On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi, directed by Brandon and Skyler Gross.
Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich and comedy star Howie Mandel produced the 40-minute documentary, which profiles two 95-year-old Holocaust survivors.
Avrich and the directors will be at the question session.