What to Expect at TIFF 2024

Rez Ball

Replacing telecommunication rival and MLSE co-owner Bell Media as the presenting sponsor of the 49th Toronto International Film Festival and the TIFF People’s Choice Award is Rogers. “As Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company, we’re proud to partner with TIFF this year to showcase the best film and entertainment from Canada and around the world,” stated Terrie Tweddle, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Rogers. “TIFF is one of the best film festivals in the world and we’re proud to support it and connect more Canadians to the best content and best experiences.”

Mixed together are music documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, sports-oriented Rez Ball, Stephen King short story adaptation The Life of Chuck, dark comedy Nightbitch, freedom fighter led Harbin and the clash between high tech and nature in the animated feature The Wild Robot. Given the opening night slot is festival regular David Gordon Green partnering with Ben Stiller for Nutcrackers where a workaholic gets domesticated by his orphaned nephews while bring everything a close is the musical comedy The Deb that takes place in Debutant Ball in a small town which is the directorial debut of Rebel Wilson.

The Substance

For those wanting to stay up late at night and get chilled to the bone not because of the weather but by the figurative and literal horrifying moments imagined by the likes of Thibault Emin, Andrew DeYoung, Joseph Kahn, Kenichi Ugana, and Timo Tjahjanto then get in line for Midnight Madness.  Half of the 10 films are World Premieres spanning the gamut of time travel, found footage and supernatural comedy with the opener being the North American Premiere of The Substance by Coralie Fargeat which stars Demi Moore as a former Hollywood starlet taking an illegal cell-replicating drug to temporarily restore her glamorous younger self in the form of Margaret Quailey.  Other titles of interest are Dead Talents Society by John Hsu, Ick by Joseph Kahn, The Shadow Strays by Timo Tjahjanto, and The Gesuidouz by Kenichi Ugana.

Flow

40 titles from 41 countries make up the Centrepiece programme.  Addition hails from Australia, An Unfinished Film from Singapore/Germany, Beloved Tropic from Panama/Colombia, Cloud from Japan, Flow from Lavatia/France/Belgium, Front Row from Algeria/Saudia Arabia, Los Tortuga from Spain/Chile, Matt and Mara from Canada, Presence from USA, Santosh from UK, Sunshine from Philippines, The Swedish Torpedo from Sweden, and Under the Volcano from Poland.  Directorial debuts and sophomore effects are the focus of the Discovery programme consisting of 24 titles and 20 World Premieres.  First in line is Bonjour Tristesse by Durga Chew-Bose and subsequent screeners include Freedom Way by Afolabi Olalekan, My Father’s Daughter by Egil Pedersen, On Falling by Laura Carreira, U Are The Universe by Pavlo Ostrikov, Do I know You From Somewhere? by Arianna Martinez, Ink Wash by Sarra Tsorakidis, Saba by Maksud Hossain, and The Paradise of Thorns by Boss Kuno.

The Paradise of Thorns

Taking on the role of the inaugural honorary Chair of the 2024 Tribute Awards is Sandra Oh best known for her roles in Killing Eve, Grey’s Anatomy, and Sideways with six-time Oscar-nominee Amy Adams receiving the TIFF Tribute Performer Award and body horror maestro David Cronenberg being lauded with the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award.   There is also the Platform Prize which starts off the proceedings with the bereavement and drug-induced Daniela Forever by Nacho Vigalondo and is followed by nine other contenders such as family drama Daughter’s Daughter by Huang Xi, magician hotel thriller Mr. K by Tallulah H. Schwab, corruption and inheritance infused Páramo by cinematographer turned director Rodrigo Prieto, environmental and migration tale The Wolves Always Come at Night by Gabrielle Brady and Ukrainian invasion documentary Viktor by Olivier Sarbil.

Viktor

And let us not forget about the star wattage as there will be plenty of selfies, camera flashes, posing and glamour happening on the red carpet courtesy of Amy Adams, Riz Ahmed, Cate Blanchett, Andrea Bocelli, Will Ferrell, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Vikander, Pharrell Williams, and Robbie Williams.  “TIFF is renowned for finding and showcasing works from both emerging and established filmmakers from all around the world, and for creating an unmatched groundswell of excitement, often paving the way for awards season, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of industry delegates and public filmgoers that attend each year,” remarked Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF.  “As we approach our 50th Festival, we are proud to evolve and expand our offerings to meet the needs of the industry and our audiences while always remaining true to what TIFF stands for — transforming the way people see the world through film.”

The 49th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5-15, 2024, and for more information visit tiff.net.    

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.