Film fest touts range, youthful energy, charm
TIFF’s Next Wave festival offers workshops, contests, free films for those under 25
TIFF’s hipper, more youthful sibling rolls into town this weekend and promises to provide the city with stimulating, interactive entertainment and education for youth and adults alike.
The Next Wave Film Festival boasts 19 carefully curated films that are free for humans under the age of 25 and priced at $11.50 to $14 for those with more years under their belt. It also includes panels with film-industry professionals — Oscar-nominated Moonlight cinematographer James Laxton will be holding a master class on Friday — as well as filmmaking workshops, tours of the TIFF Bell Lightbox studio, Q & As and even a fort to hang out in between movies.
The entire festival is organized, programmed and promoted by 12 high school students — mostly girls — all passionate about different aspects of filmmaking processes and distribution.
“We all love film and we come together from around the GTA and program the festival,” said Dasola Dina, a longtime Next Wave committee member and Grade 12 student. “We also help with youth outreach here at TIFF and provide a voice for other young people and their perspectives.”
The film-selection process is painstaking, careful work for the committee, which is supervised by a TIFF management team that includes Emily Scheer, senior manager of family and youth programming, and Brigid Tierney, senior co-ordinator of youth engagement.
A large pool of submitted films is filtered before being handed down to the committee for final selection.
“We watch a film, we immediately do a review . . . then we have the longest discussion about it afterwards,” said Sariena Luy, a new committee member.
“There’s a lot of films that we’re like, ‘Do we like this film or do we hate it?’ But we appreciate every (one) that comes in.”
The committee gets light guidance from supervisors, but committee member Elena Andreev said that, at the end of the day, the film lineup is “mostly our decision.”
“It . . . makes you think about other people,” Dina added. “Like, I don’t like this movie necessarily, but someone else is going to appreciate whatever’s on the screen.”
They hope the film industry continues improving when it comes to gender and racial disparity and stereotyping in Hollywood.
“Personally, I’d like to see more Asians in mainstream films,” committee member Emma Cheuk said.
They also expressed a desire to see improved minority representation in film that goes beyond stereotyped roles and storylines.
“You learn something from every film you watch — something new,” Cheuk added. And by coming to Next Wave, “you can support young filmmakers . . . young actors, actors and directors of colour.”
Classics like Amelie and The Perks of Being a Wallflower are featured at the festival, alongside several new films, which include: 2 Fists Up (USA): “(It) showcases young black activists fighting to bring lasting change within their education system. It documents and reminds all viewers of how significant it is for all to support creating change for the Black Lives Matter movement.” – Sariena As You Are (USA): “(A) unique take on self-discovery through the early ’90s grunge scene.” – Alyssa The Young Offenders (Ireland): “A hysterical adventure centred on two teenage boys riding across Ireland on their bikes in pursuit of a lost million-dollar cocaine shipment. It will make your stomach hurt from laughing by the end of it.” – Elena Divines (France): “The protagonists are a pair of kick-ass best friends whose relationship will make your heart both swell and shatter.” – Elena Japanese Girls Never Die (Japan): “The extremely experimental film addresses the sexism within Japan in regards to marriage expectations, wage gaps and more.” – Sariena Before the Streets (Canada): “. . . this movie . . . challenged me to reflect on what it means to be a Canadian.” – Isabel Next Wave runs at TIFF Bell Lightbox from Friday to Sunday.