My TIFF Picks - Documentaries and Platform features

Over the past few years of attending TIFF, I’ve seen excellent documentaries on political heroes (girls’ education activist Malala Youfsafzai, the late urban planning activist Jane Jacobs), musicians (Arcade Fire, the late Sharon Jones) and obscure Hollywood players (the late costume designer Orry Kelly, who had a long affair with Cary Grant).

This year is no exception with famous subjects including Andy Kaufman, Eric Clapton, Grace Jones, Sammy Davis Jr and diverse topics from filmmakers across the globe.  Here are some of my picks from the 23 documentaries announced on August 1st in no particular order (unlike my feature film picks, you will see a bit more ethnic diversity represented here.)

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (Sophie Fiennes): Now 69, Jamaican born model, actress, musician and icon Jones is profiled over a ten year period. I remember when Jones was everywhere in the 80s and she’s always been a bit of a mystery.  Hopefully Fiennes (the sister of actors Ralph and Joseph) will offer some insight into her life as an artist.

Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! (Morgan Spurlock): This sequel to 2004’s “Super Size Me” sees filmmaker Spurlock opening his own fast food restaurant and battling the food industry once again.

One of Us (Heidi Ewing/Rachel Grady): Ewing and Grady, who are Oscar nominated directors for their 2006 documentary Jesus Camp, continue their religious exploration of three Hasidic Jews who wish to break away from their insular Brooklyn, NY community while facing threats of retaliation.  This will stream on Netflix later this fall.

Jane (Brett Morgen): A portrait of primatologist Jane Goodall, using footage from the 1960s with a score by Phillip Glass? Enough said.

Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (Sara Driver): The pre fame years in the late ‘70s NYC of the American artist are explored in this documentary. Basquiat has been the subject of feature films and documentaries before, so I hope this one adds to the canon of his short life.

The Gospel According to Andre (Kate Novack): Vogue’s larger than life contributing editor Andre Leon Talley has long been a fun commentator in numerous fashion documentaries, so it’s about time he was the subject.  Vogue Editrix Anna Wintour, and desginers such as Mar Jacobs, Tom Ford and Valentino offer insight into his life and career.  I always enjoy a dishy fashion doc, so I hope this one is up there with The September Issue.

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Matt Tymauer): Speaking of dish, this screened-at- Cannes documentary profiles Scotty Bowers, an ex- marine who landed in Hollywood after WWII and became a sexual procurer to the stars.  Bowers, who is in his 90s, discusses the sex lives of stars during a time before coming out of the closet was acceptable.

The China Hustle (Jed Rothstein): This is billed as an “unsettling and eye-opening Wall Street horror story about Chinese companies, the American stock market, and the opportunistic greed behind the biggest heist you’ve never heard of.”  Wall Street, China, and greed?  This will probably be the dishiest one of all!

Far from boring, documentaries are often my favorite movies from TIFF. Sometimes I find myself looking forward to the documentaries more than the feature films because truth is stranger (and more interesting sometimes) than fiction!

TIFF Platform Picks

Platform is a relatively new category of programming from TIFF that highlights “visionary directors” with a prize chosen by a jury of fellow visionary directors (including Wim Wenders). One of last year’s entries Barry Jenkin’s Moonlight, went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.  Of the 12 films chosen for this exclusive category, here are my picks.

The Death of Stalin (Armando Iannucci): Veep creator Iannucci mines familiar territory, lampooning the political machinations following the death of Soviet leader Stalin in 1953.  Steve Buscemi plays his eventual successor Nikita Kruschev.  Looks like a great supporting cast including Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin and Jason Isaacs.

If You Saw His Heart (Joan Chemla):  I usually see Gael Garcia Bernal films (Rosewater, Neruda) that come to TIFF.  This year’s entry is from France.  Bernal plays Daniel, a damaged man who teeters between a life of crime and the path to redemption in the form of a woman (Marine Vacth).

Mademoiselle Paradis (Barbara Albert):  This entry is based on the life of Austrian composer Maria Theresa von Paradis (Maria-Victoria Dragus) and her attempts to cure her blindness with the help of Franz Anton Mesmer (Devid Striesow).  Yes, another biopic/period piece but I’m not familiar with Paradis’ story and I’m sure there will be some lovely classical music on the soundtrack.

Euphoria (Lisa Langseth): A story about two estranged sisters (Eva Green and Alicia Vikander) traveling through Europe to a mystery destination.  Game of Throne’s Charles Dance also stars.  The cast and premise sounds interesting and I hope the scenery will be amazing.

More films TBA as the festival gets closer, so if anything catches my eye, I will sure to keep posting!

My TIFF Picks - First Slate

I recently wrote a post about my experiences attending the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which will be happening this coming September 7-17.  On July 25th, TIFF heads Piers Handling and Cameron Bailey held a press conference to announce the first slate of films vying for Oscar buzz and eventual accolades.  High profile directors such as Darren Aronofsky (Mother!), Alexander Payne (Downsizing), Angelina Jolie (First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers), George Clooney (Suburbicon) and Joe Wright (The Darkest Hour) will have their features screened at TIFF.

TIFF happens right after the Telluride and Venice Film Festivals, which often snag highly sought after titles first and create buzz via social media.  According to the Hollywood Reporter, of the 47 films announced thus far, only 11 are world premieres.  (Apparently TIFF cut its lineup this year by about 60 movies overall to make the festival more navigable and is no longer showing films at venues outside the downtown core of Toronto)

Onto my picks for TIFF 2017. I tend to pick films based on the director, actors and film subject matter (I also like biopics – as you will see below).  Here are my top picks so far, in no particular order, with links to trailers, if available. 

Professor Marston & the Wonder Women (Angela Robinson): Luke Evans plays William Moulton Marston, the creator of the Wonder Woman comics and explores his unconventional relationship with his wife (Rebecca Hall) and another woman (Bella Heathcote).  Given the success of the recent Wonder Woman film, I’m curious to learn more about the man who started it all.  Plus, Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall always give strong performances.

The Darkest Hour (Joe Wright): Gary Oldman as Sir Winston Churchill, during World War 2?  Yes, please.  After watching John Lithgow play Churchill in Netflix’s The Crown, I’m curious to see how Oldman’s portrayal compares (and Oldman is one of my favorite character actors and I try to see everything he’s in).

 

The Shape of Water (Guillermo Del Toro):  Del Toro’s films are hit and miss for me, but TIFF loves him.  Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who works in a government lab who forms a bond with a unique (alien?) creature.  The trailer looks really intriguing and Hawkins is another actor who rarely misses.  Octavia Spencer and Michael Shannon also star.

Submergence (Wim Wenders):  German director Wenders has long made interesting films including the groundbreaking Wings of Desire about angels longing to be human.  I am curious to see how this love story of a water engineer and a deep sea researcher (James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander) pans out.

Suburbicon (George Clooney): Co-written with the Coen Brothers, the seedy, violent underbelly of  1950’s suburbia is examined.  Matt Damon and Julianne Moore star as a couple who apparently make bad choices in a “Leave it to Beaver” style community.  Also stars Oscar Issac.

 

Downsizing (Alexander Payne): Speaking of Matt Damon, he also stars in this film as a man who literally shrinks to downsize his life.  The cast looks great with Alec Baldwin, Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig and Neil Patrick Harris.

I, Tonya (Craig Gillespie):  Being a figure skating fan, this one is on my list.  Margot Robbie plays disgraced Olympian Tonya Harding, who infamously was involved in an attack on her rival skater, Nancy Kerrigan.  I hope this will be an insightful look at the pressure of being an elite athlete with a scrappy background.  (Either that or a total cheese-fest).

Woman Walks Ahead (Susana White): Jessica Chastain stars as Catherine Weldon, a portrait painter from 1890s Brooklyn, who travels to Dakota to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull, and becomes embroiled in the Lakota peoples' struggle over the rights to their land.  I will watch Chastain in almost anything, and the premise looks interesting.

The Square (Ruben Östlund): This satire from Swedish filmaker Östlund about the post-modern art world won the Palm d'Or at Cannes.  Cast includes Dominic West, Elisabeth Moss and Claes Bang.

Mary Shelley (Haifaa al-Mansour): Elle Fanning plays the famed author of Frankenstein, with Douglas Booth, Downton Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt and Tom Sturridge (who is currently being tortured 8 shows/week in 1984).

The Current War (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon): Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison? This is the third, I believe, biopic that Cumberbatch has starred in (he’s already played Julian Assange and Alan Turing), so I’m curious to see how he takes on the American inventor, as he races to create sustainable electricity.  Festival favorite Michael Shannon plays George Westinghouse.

Victoria & Abdul (Stephen Frears): Dame Judi Dench stars as Queen Victoria and charts her unusual relationship with an Indian clerk (Ali Fasal). Dench won as Oscar nearly 20 years ago for playing Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love for a total of six minutes, so imagine what she could do playing a monarch for an entire movie?

Breathe (Andy Serkis):  After contracting polio at 28, Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield) is given months to live. With help from his wife (The Crown's Claire Foy) and inventor Teddy Hall (Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville), Cavendish devotes his remaining days to helping fellow patients and the disabled.  This is LOTR's Serkis directorial debut and could be another The Theory of Everything if it avoids too much sappyness.  

More films will be announced in August and I will be sure to add to my wish list or revise the above.  There is no guarantee I will get to see all the films on this list as it will depend on the schedule and availability of tickets.  In any case, the films they’ve announced so far look really promising!

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the 42nd Annual Toronto International Film Festival But Were Afraid to Ask (or didn’t know to ask)

Director Garth Davis with the Cast & Crew of "Lion" at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival (aka TIFF) was originally conceived in the 1970s as a festival for the public. While it has grown in size and has corporate sponsors and industry folk at screenings, it prides itself as having its grand prize not be chosen by a jury but by the people. The Grolsch People’s Choice Award has gone to recent Oscar contenders including Slumdog Millionaire, The Kings Speech, and La La Land.  Although NYC is home to the New York Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival, they don’t have the true scope of TIFF which screens over 300 films from around the world.

Since 2012, I have been attending TIFF annually.  Some friends of mine had been going to the festival as attendees (they are not in the industry) every September for some time now, so I thought why not?  Toronto is a 90 minute flight (friendly tip: if you can easily get to Newark Airport, take Porter Airlines to the Billy Bishop Airport, forget Pearson.  It's also fun to have spotted Ralph Fiennes, Cynthia Nixon, Susan Sarandon and director Rebecca Miller on my Porter flights) and the favorable exchange rate makes the trip to Canada more affordable.  There are also plenty of condos in downtown Toronto that can be rented on Airbnb.

Besides the easy access (as long as you have a valid passport) and the exchange rate, Toronto is a beautiful city to visit in September.  Although the weather can be unpredictable, generally it’s typical early fall weather.  The city itself has a similar energetic vibe as NYC, and its ethnic diversity means lots of great restaurants.  The TTC subway offers an easy way around town to the festival venues. As a New Yorker who doesn’t drive, not needing a car to get around is a plus in any city. If you need a car, Uber operates in Toronto and there are plenty of taxi cabs around.  

In order to attend the festival, it makes sense to join TIFF as a member to get advanced ticket sales.  There are many membership tiers depending on budget, but part of the donation is tax deductible when you join American Friends of TIFF. Ticket sales are generally a two-step process with ticket packages on sale to members in late May but once purchased, packages aren’t redeemed until late August, after the official schedule is released.

One of the more frustrating aspects of planning for the festival is making up one’s schedule.  With 10 days of programming and 100s of films, the process can be daunting. (I usually only attend the first few days, which makes it more intense). There are a few unofficial sites (such as TIFFR) that have popped up to aid in this process, since the official site is not very user friendly.  When scheduling films, things like travel time between venues, fitting in time for meals and sleep must be considered! 

In the past few years, I’ve seen many good films (The Theory of Everything, Arrival, Lion, Only Lovers Left Alive), excellent documentaries (Citizen Jane, Miss Sharon Jones) and seen plenty of A list talent do Q&A’s following their films (Tom Hiddleston, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Bateman, Emma Watson, Nicole Kidman, Ewan MacGregor, and Eddie Redmayne among others). 

The initial slate of films is usually announced in July, so watch this space for more updates and my wish list of films.  This year’s festival runs from September 7-17, 2017.

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