Platform Prize, Celebrating Alanis Obomsawin & Short Cuts at TIFF 2021

Yuni

Resurrected for the 46th Toronto International Film Festival is the Platform Prize with Oscar-nominated Riz Ahmed heading the jury.  Among the eight films selected for the competition are the social media drama Arthur Rambo by Laurent Cantet, blackmail thriller Huda’s Salon by Hany Abu-Assad, psychological horror Mlungu Wam by Jenna Cato Bass, and coming of age Yuni by Kamila Andini.  Previous winners include Hurt by Alan Zweig, Jackie by Pablo Larrain, Sweet Country by Warwick Thornton, Cities of Last Things by Ho Wi Ding and Martin Eden by Pietro Marcello.

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

Along with commemorating the 20th anniversary of Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner by Zacharias Kunuk, a retrospective will be held to celebrate the career of Alanis Obomsawin.   “Alanis’s body of work focuses on discrimination and injustice, but also on Indigenous strength and resistance,” noted Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head, TIFF.  “It is an honour to celebrate her work with these 19 films in the retrospective, including the world premiere of her newest title, Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair.”

Alanis Obomsawin

38 short films are showcased in the Short Cuts programme with 22 countries represented such as Canada, Spain, South Korea, and Indonesia. Attendees will get an opportunity to see Together by Albert Shin, The Infantas by Andrea Herrera Catalá, Srikandi by Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and Twelve Hours by Paul Shkordoff.   “While these works may differ wildly when it comes to the stories they tell,” noted Jason Anderson, Short Cuts programmer, TIFF, “the forms they take, and the people and perspectives they portray, they are all unique and deeply personal visions that we are thrilled to share with viewers.”

The Infantas

The 46th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 9-18, 2021, 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.