TIFF lineup features Monteith, Gyllenhaal, Radcliffe
Scope ‘as broad as Canada’s filmmaking community,’ festival says
The Toronto International Film Festival has announced its Canadian programming for this year’s festival, with a lineup that includes films featuring performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan and the late Cory Monteith, in one of his final film performances.
The TIFF lineup will feature world premieres of films by Denis Villeneuve, Peter Stebbings, Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky, Michael Dowse, Catherine Martin and Bruce McDonald.
“The scope of this year’s feature films is as broad as Canada’s filmmaking community and demonstrates the deep versatility of our filmmakers,” said Steve Gravestock, one of TIFF’s programmers. “From clever, biting satire to intimate social commentary, powerful dramas and even a truly magical comedy, the settings and themes vary, but the perspectives are always uniquely Canadian.”
TIFF announced the schedule to a packed room at Toronto’s Royal York hotel, with less than a month before the festival kicks off.
One highly anticipated film is Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Based on The Double by Nobel laureate José Saramango, it explores “the troubled psyche of a man who is torn between his mistress and his wife.” Gyllenhaal plays Adam and his “double,” Anthony.
Another world premiere is Michael Dowse’s The F Word, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan and Adam Driver. The film explores every young romantic’s least favourite F-word: friendship. It also stars Canadian Megan Park, who was named of this year’s TIFF “Rising Stars.”
Gia Milani’s All the Wrong Reasons will also make its world premiere at TIFF. It’s an ensemble drama exploring the relationships that form at a department store between employees. All the Wrong Reasons features one the final film performances by Cory Monteith, the Calgary-born, B.C.-raised star of the hit TV show Glee who died last month in Vancouver.
“Canadian films and filmmakers are gaining more and more influence on global audiences each year,” said Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo, the Canadian features programmer. “The diversity and curiosity of Canada’s filmmakers give them a unique ability to make films with wide ranging appeal and impact.”
Many of the Canadian filmmakers were present for the announcement, including First Nations auteur Jeff Barnaby, whose film Rhymes for Young Ghouls will make its world premiere at the festival.
‘Canadian films and filmmakers are gaining more and more influence on global audiences each year.’
AGATA SMOLUCH DEL SORBO Canadian features programmer, TIFF
Rhymes for Young Ghouls follows the story of young Aila, who decides to fight back when she is forced into a residential school against her will.
This is the first feature for Barnaby, who said he made it to spark a discussion about the legacy of Canada’s residential schools. First Nations issues have been in the news a lot lately, he said, but there is still much to be done to move the agenda forward.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s apology “didn’t go over that well, so we decided to raise a bit more awareness to the struggle,” Barnaby told the crowd in a brief speech. “I don’t like to talk too much about my movies, because I kind of let them speak for themselves.”
The 38th edition of TIFF runs Sept. 5-15. For more information, visit tiff.net.