’Mr. Dressup: The Magic Of Make Believe’ wins doc award, ’Dicks: The Musical’ wins Midnight Madness.
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut for Amazon/MGM stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
American Fiction follows last year’s recipient...
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut for Amazon/MGM stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
American Fiction follows last year’s recipient...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
’Mr. Dressup: The Magic Of Make Believe’ wins doc award, ’Dicks: The Musical’ wins Midnight Madness.
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut from Orion and MRC stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
MGM distributes American Fiction in the...
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut from Orion and MRC stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
MGM distributes American Fiction in the...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
’Mr. Dressup: The Magic Of Make Believe’ wins doc award, ’Dicks: The Musical’ wins Midnight Madness.
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut from Orion and MRC stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
MGM distributes American Fiction in the...
The satire American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright has won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) 2023 People’s Choice Award, boosting the crowd-pleaser’s Oscar credentials heading into awards season.
‘American Fiction’: Toronto Review
Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut from Orion and MRC stars Wright as a frustrated Black author whose deliberately dumbed-down novel about cliched Black characters becomes a hit. There are multiple screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox today (September 17) from 2:30pm-9:30pm Et.
MGM distributes American Fiction in the...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
“American Fiction” has won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced at an awards brunch on Sunday.
The Orion/MGM film by first-time director Cord Jefferson is a barbed satire that stars Jeffrey Wright as a writer who, to his dismay, achieves enormous success after as a joke writing a book filled with what he feels are the worst and most pandering cliches of Black representation. In its review, TheWrap called the film “an outlandishly assured directorial debut, a beautifully modulated film that takes a great actor, Jeffrey Wright, and gives him a spectacular showcase.”
While the film did not come into the festival as one of its highest profile selections, it was an immediate sensation after its Friday night premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre, drawing some of TIFF’s most positive reviews. It currently stands at 86% positive on Rotten Tomatoes...
The Orion/MGM film by first-time director Cord Jefferson is a barbed satire that stars Jeffrey Wright as a writer who, to his dismay, achieves enormous success after as a joke writing a book filled with what he feels are the worst and most pandering cliches of Black representation. In its review, TheWrap called the film “an outlandishly assured directorial debut, a beautifully modulated film that takes a great actor, Jeffrey Wright, and gives him a spectacular showcase.”
While the film did not come into the festival as one of its highest profile selections, it was an immediate sensation after its Friday night premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre, drawing some of TIFF’s most positive reviews. It currently stands at 86% positive on Rotten Tomatoes...
- 9/17/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The People’s Choice Award from the just-wrapped 2023 Toronto Film Festival has gone to Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction. First Runner-Up is Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers. Second Runner-Up is Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. The Documentary Award goes to Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, and the Midnight Madness winner is Dicks: The Musical.
Orion and MRC’s American Fiction stars Jeffrey Wright and comes from writer-director Jefferson. It is a scathing satire on the publishing industry and its treatment of serious works by Black writers, one whose name is Thelonious “Monk” Ellison. He travels back to his hometown of Boston to attend a book festival, but the turnout is low in favor of another book seminar with author Sintara Golden’s (Issa Rae) bestseller We Lives in Da Ghetto. It is scheduled to be released in theaters in November.
Voted by audience members since 1978 and...
Orion and MRC’s American Fiction stars Jeffrey Wright and comes from writer-director Jefferson. It is a scathing satire on the publishing industry and its treatment of serious works by Black writers, one whose name is Thelonious “Monk” Ellison. He travels back to his hometown of Boston to attend a book festival, but the turnout is low in favor of another book seminar with author Sintara Golden’s (Issa Rae) bestseller We Lives in Da Ghetto. It is scheduled to be released in theaters in November.
Voted by audience members since 1978 and...
- 9/17/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
After a two week run that included a slew of buzzy world premieres and screenings of previous favorites from the international festival circuit, the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival has come to a close. Toronto is often considered the unofficial kickoff to Oscar season (along with the Venice and Telluride film festivals), so the films that take home the coveted People’s Choice Awards often get an early boost for their award campaigns.
The top prize went to “American Fiction,” Cord Jefferson’s publishing industry satire that stars Jeffrey Wright as a novelist who finds massive success after writing a deliberately stupid novel about Black life. Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” and Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” were honored as the first and second runners up, respectively.
The MRC title could have a bright future at the Academy Awards, as 11 of the last 14 People’s Choice Award winners...
The top prize went to “American Fiction,” Cord Jefferson’s publishing industry satire that stars Jeffrey Wright as a novelist who finds massive success after writing a deliberately stupid novel about Black life. Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” and Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” were honored as the first and second runners up, respectively.
The MRC title could have a bright future at the Academy Awards, as 11 of the last 14 People’s Choice Award winners...
- 9/17/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Toronto — Today, the Toronto International Film Festival® announced this year’s Short Cuts lineup, supported by Ontario Arts Council, showcasing 42 live action narrative, documentary, and animated shorts by a groundbreaking group of filmmakers representing 23 countries. More than half of this year’s selections are directed or co-directed by female and female-identifying filmmakers. TIFF alumni directors with new films at Short Cuts include Yann Demange, Jasmin Mozaffari, Miryam Charles, Farnoosh Samadi, Halima Ouardiri, Renee Zhan, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and the team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. Among the directors with short films at the Festival for the first time are Malia Ann and Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis. Among the notable performers in this year’s slate of new shorts are Riz Ahmed (Dammi) and Kaniehtiio Horn (Redlights).
A robust selection of new animated short films will be showcased in the programme this year. Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
A robust selection of new animated short films will be showcased in the programme this year. Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
- 8/9/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Toronto — Today, the Toronto International Film Festival® announced this year’s Short Cuts lineup, supported by Ontario Arts Council, showcasing 42 live action narrative, documentary, and animated shorts by a groundbreaking group of filmmakers representing 23 countries. More than half of this year’s selections are directed or co-directed by female and female-identifying filmmakers. TIFF alumni directors with new films at Short Cuts include Yann Demange, Jasmin Mozaffari, Miryam Charles, Farnoosh Samadi, Halima Ouardiri, Renee Zhan, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and the team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. Among the directors with short films at the Festival for the first time are Malia Ann and Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis. Among the notable performers in this year’s slate of new shorts are Riz Ahmed (Dammi) and Kaniehtiio Horn (Redlights).
A robust selection of new animated short films will be showcased in the programme this year. Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
A robust selection of new animated short films will be showcased in the programme this year. Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
- 8/9/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
With only the Contemporary World Cinema and Wavelengths left on the scorecard, TIFF has now dropped the Short Cuts programme and we’ve got plenty of Canuck films with the likes of Miryam Charles, Jasmin Mozaffari, and Ryan McKenna leading the charge. Maple syrup cinema is also being mixed with and some noteworthy premieres with the top two items in the Palme d’Or short film competition in Flóra Anna Buda‘s 27 and Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter‘s Fár and new work from established names. Feature film director Ana Cristina Barragán (who gave us La piel pulpo last year) gives us a short in Bird.…...
- 8/9/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The Toronto International Film Festival unveiled its Short Cuts showcase counting 42 live action narrative, documentary, and animated shorts from global filmmakers repping 23 countries.
That’s comprised of 21 World Premieres, 13 North American Premieres, and five International Premieres presented in 19 different languages.
More than half of this year’s selections are directed or co-directed by female and female-identifying filmmakers. TIFF alumni directors with new films at Short Cuts include Yann Demange (White Boy Rick), Jasmin Mozaffari, Miryam Charles, Farnoosh Samadi, Halima Ouardiri, Renee Zhan, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and the team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. Among the directors with short films at the Festival for the first time are Malia Ann and Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis. Among the notable performers in this year’s slate of new shorts are Riz Ahmed in Dammi and Kaniehtiio Horn in Redlights.
Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
That’s comprised of 21 World Premieres, 13 North American Premieres, and five International Premieres presented in 19 different languages.
More than half of this year’s selections are directed or co-directed by female and female-identifying filmmakers. TIFF alumni directors with new films at Short Cuts include Yann Demange (White Boy Rick), Jasmin Mozaffari, Miryam Charles, Farnoosh Samadi, Halima Ouardiri, Renee Zhan, Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto, and the team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. Among the directors with short films at the Festival for the first time are Malia Ann and Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis. Among the notable performers in this year’s slate of new shorts are Riz Ahmed in Dammi and Kaniehtiio Horn in Redlights.
Animated films in Short Cuts include the...
- 8/9/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Forty-two short films from 23 countries will screen in the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival’s Short Cuts section, TIFF organizers announced on Wednesday.
The shorts include “Dammi,” which stars Riz Ahmed and was directed by Yann Mounir Demange, an Emmy nominee in 2021 for “Lovecraft Country”; “Electra,” a new film by Czech director Daria Kascheeva, who was nominated for an Oscar for the animated short “Mother”; “27,” for which director Flora Anna Duba won the Short Film Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival; and “Woaca,” the directorial debut of Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis.
According to TIFF, more than half the films are directed or co-directed by female or female-identifying filmmakers. Almost half the films, 19 out of the 42, are by Canadian filmmakers. Twenty one of the films will have their world premieres at TIFF.
The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival will run from Sept. 7 through Sept. 17.
The Short Cuts lineup, separated...
The shorts include “Dammi,” which stars Riz Ahmed and was directed by Yann Mounir Demange, an Emmy nominee in 2021 for “Lovecraft Country”; “Electra,” a new film by Czech director Daria Kascheeva, who was nominated for an Oscar for the animated short “Mother”; “27,” for which director Flora Anna Duba won the Short Film Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival; and “Woaca,” the directorial debut of Canadian actor Mackenzie Davis.
According to TIFF, more than half the films are directed or co-directed by female or female-identifying filmmakers. Almost half the films, 19 out of the 42, are by Canadian filmmakers. Twenty one of the films will have their world premieres at TIFF.
The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival will run from Sept. 7 through Sept. 17.
The Short Cuts lineup, separated...
- 8/9/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Updated with more details: Robert Cormier, a TV and film actor whose credits include playing Finn Cotter on the long-running Canadian series Heartland as well as the Netflix horror series Slasher: Solstice died September 23. He was 33.
His family said Cormier died in “a tragic accident” in Toronto. They did not provide more details but in a statement thanked “the Critical Care team in Toronto for the compassionate care they provided Robbie and the kindness they showed our family.”
Cormier for the past two seasons played Finn on CBC’s Heartland, which has run for 15 seasons on Canadian TV and holds the record for being Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama. It is also syndicated in the U.S.
Hollywood & Media Deaths 2022: A Photo Gallery
His other TV credits included ABC/Netflix’s Designated Survivor, CBS’ Ransom, and playing Winston for two episodes on Starz’s American Gods.
In film, he...
His family said Cormier died in “a tragic accident” in Toronto. They did not provide more details but in a statement thanked “the Critical Care team in Toronto for the compassionate care they provided Robbie and the kindness they showed our family.”
Cormier for the past two seasons played Finn on CBC’s Heartland, which has run for 15 seasons on Canadian TV and holds the record for being Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama. It is also syndicated in the U.S.
Hollywood & Media Deaths 2022: A Photo Gallery
His other TV credits included ABC/Netflix’s Designated Survivor, CBS’ Ransom, and playing Winston for two episodes on Starz’s American Gods.
In film, he...
- 9/28/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Emilija Baranac (Riverdale), Richard Harmon (The 100) and Jennifer Tong (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) have been set to star in YA comedy series Fakes, which is underway in Vancouver for Netflix and CBC Gem.
The 10-episode, half-hour series, created by David Turko (Warrior Nun), is the story of two teenage best friends who accidentally build one of the largest fake ID empires in North America.
CBC has first–window rights in Canada, while Netflix has second window in Canada and first in the rest of the world.
2020-21 Netflix Pilots & Series Orders
Turko is serving as showrunner, and joining him on the project is Tabia Lau, a three-time Toronto Fringe Festival Patron’s Pick Award winner.
Reality Distortion Field’s Simon Barry (Warrior Nun) and Stephen Hegyes (Warrior Nun) are producers and executive producers. Lilly Burns and Tony Hernandez of Emily In Paris and The Conners production outfit Jax Media...
The 10-episode, half-hour series, created by David Turko (Warrior Nun), is the story of two teenage best friends who accidentally build one of the largest fake ID empires in North America.
CBC has first–window rights in Canada, while Netflix has second window in Canada and first in the rest of the world.
2020-21 Netflix Pilots & Series Orders
Turko is serving as showrunner, and joining him on the project is Tabia Lau, a three-time Toronto Fringe Festival Patron’s Pick Award winner.
Reality Distortion Field’s Simon Barry (Warrior Nun) and Stephen Hegyes (Warrior Nun) are producers and executive producers. Lilly Burns and Tony Hernandez of Emily In Paris and The Conners production outfit Jax Media...
- 10/25/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Tinder recently wrapped production on a secret TV series which will launch on the popular dating app as early as October. (Via Variety.) Set in a pre-apocalyptic world, the series will utilize the app’s famous swiping feature as part of a choose-your-own-adventure style narrative. Viewers will swipe left or right depending on which way they want the story to unfold, much like choosing potential matches. Production on the untitled six-episode show wrapped in Mexico City at the end of August, under the direction of rising music video director Karena Evans.
The project marks the app’s first foray into producing and distributing original content. Gay dating app Scruff recently launched an in-app game show called “Hosting,” modeled loosely after the wildly popular HQ Trivia game show.
While the show will first air on Tinder, sources close to the project told Variety that producers are eyeing a potential streaming deal after release.
The project marks the app’s first foray into producing and distributing original content. Gay dating app Scruff recently launched an in-app game show called “Hosting,” modeled loosely after the wildly popular HQ Trivia game show.
While the show will first air on Tinder, sources close to the project told Variety that producers are eyeing a potential streaming deal after release.
- 9/17/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
If you go to film festivals long enough, you end up getting cynical about a few things. For example, it becomes clear that for political reasons, programmers are often pressured to support filmmakers from the country where the fests take place. Instead of getting first dibs on the best of what’s created in their own backyards, they wind up making room for local movies that got turned down by other festivals. That means, when in Berlin, you’re better off skipping the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. Venice is the wrong place to see Italian films. And when it comes to Toronto, don’t waste your time on Canadian fare.
Now, if you’re not a film-festival burnout, you might (rightly) ask: But isn’t that a little harsh? Surely there are some treasures stashed away among all those homemade movies? And to that, I would offer up Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers,...
Now, if you’re not a film-festival burnout, you might (rightly) ask: But isn’t that a little harsh? Surely there are some treasures stashed away among all those homemade movies? And to that, I would offer up Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers,...
- 7/14/2019
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
"Do you have any idea how loud you're being right now?" Level Film out of Canada has debuted the first trailer for an indie drama titled Firecrackers, the feature debut of Canadian writer/director Jasmin Mozaffari. This premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year, and stopped by a number of international festivals including Zurich, Hamburg, São Paulo, and Stockholm. Michaela Kurimsky & Karena Evans star as Lou & Chantal, best friends, who plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city far, far away. When Chantal's possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him. The more Lou fights tooth-and-nail to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams, the more she spins out of control as she begins to realize that freedom comes at a cost. The cast includes Callum Thompson, David Kingston, Tamara LeClair, Scott Cleland,...
- 3/5/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Toronto Film Festival has revealed its annual list of top ten Canadian films. Compiled by Tiff’s team of programmers in collaboration with Canadian critics, the ‘Canada’s Top Ten’ list includes Tiff titles Freaks, which scored a significant deal with Well Go, and Giant Little Ones. Scroll down for the full list.
The feature list was curated by Cameron Bailey, Kerri Craddock, Steve Gravestock, Danis Goulet, Ming-Jenn Lim, and Kathleen Drumm, in collaboration with the Vancouver Film Critics Circle and the Association Québécoise des Critiques de Cinéma.
“Tiff is thrilled to present its uniquely Canadian list that offers a richness of voices, perspectives, and insights into adolescent identity,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of Tiff. “These films expertly examine heritage, family, the fragility of friendships, and the importance of challenging the current state of our world, and are testament to the fact that our Canadian filmmakers...
The feature list was curated by Cameron Bailey, Kerri Craddock, Steve Gravestock, Danis Goulet, Ming-Jenn Lim, and Kathleen Drumm, in collaboration with the Vancouver Film Critics Circle and the Association Québécoise des Critiques de Cinéma.
“Tiff is thrilled to present its uniquely Canadian list that offers a richness of voices, perspectives, and insights into adolescent identity,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of Tiff. “These films expertly examine heritage, family, the fragility of friendships, and the importance of challenging the current state of our world, and are testament to the fact that our Canadian filmmakers...
- 12/5/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Good Deed Entertainment has secured the U.S. distribution rights to Firecrackers, the director debut film from Jasmin Mozaffari based on her short film. The pic had its world premiere at this year’s Toronto Film Festival and will continue on the festival route before its Us theatrical release in 2019.
Starring 2018’s Tiff Rising Star Michaela Kurimsky and Karena Evans, who is best known for directing Drake’s music videos, the story follows Lou (Kurimsky) and her best friend Chantal (Evans) as they plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city. When Chantal’s unstable and possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him through a night of vandalism and debauchery.
The consequences of their actions are devastating, threatening the girls’ chances of ever leaving. The more Lou fights to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams,...
Starring 2018’s Tiff Rising Star Michaela Kurimsky and Karena Evans, who is best known for directing Drake’s music videos, the story follows Lou (Kurimsky) and her best friend Chantal (Evans) as they plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city. When Chantal’s unstable and possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him through a night of vandalism and debauchery.
The consequences of their actions are devastating, threatening the girls’ chances of ever leaving. The more Lou fights to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams,...
- 11/19/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
“Firecrackers” director Jasmin Mozaffari and “Skate Kitchen” helmer Crystal Moselle, who won Stockholm Film Festival’s best film and debut, respectively, sat with Variety after the awards ceremony on Friday to discuss their next projects.
Moselle is an up-and-coming filmmaker who already boasts an impressive track record, having won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize with her 2015 documentary “The Wolfpack,” and this year’s Sundance Audience Prize with her narrative debut “Skate Kitchen,” a vibrant, naturalistic portrait of an all-female, multiracial skater crew in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
After “The Wolfpack” which revolved around six brothers who lived confined in a New York housing project, Moselle continued to work with non-professionals for “Skate Kitchen,” leading them to deliver performances that felt completely authentic. “I’m obsessed with authentic realism and when I work with non-actors I feel that I can make them virgins of themselves,” said Moselle, who is based in New York.
Moselle is an up-and-coming filmmaker who already boasts an impressive track record, having won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize with her 2015 documentary “The Wolfpack,” and this year’s Sundance Audience Prize with her narrative debut “Skate Kitchen,” a vibrant, naturalistic portrait of an all-female, multiracial skater crew in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
After “The Wolfpack” which revolved around six brothers who lived confined in a New York housing project, Moselle continued to work with non-professionals for “Skate Kitchen,” leading them to deliver performances that felt completely authentic. “I’m obsessed with authentic realism and when I work with non-actors I feel that I can make them virgins of themselves,” said Moselle, who is based in New York.
- 11/17/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers” and Crystal Moselle’s “Skate Kitchen,” a pair of bold and timely North American features, won best film and best debut at the 29th edition of the Stockholm Film Festival, whose awards were almost entirely scooped by female talents.
“Firecrackers,” which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, marks the feature debut of Canadian helmer Mozaffari. The drama follows two best friends who plot a revenge against an abusing ex who violated one of them. But things spin out of control beyond a point of no return.
The festival praised “Firecrackers” for “its originality in portraying the love between two friends, in its urge for freedom, autonomy, loyalty in a violent world, and bringing us to situations in a way that we have never seen before.”
It’s “a perfectly directed film where all elements come together in a unique universe of its own,” the festival added.
“Firecrackers,” which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, marks the feature debut of Canadian helmer Mozaffari. The drama follows two best friends who plot a revenge against an abusing ex who violated one of them. But things spin out of control beyond a point of no return.
The festival praised “Firecrackers” for “its originality in portraying the love between two friends, in its urge for freedom, autonomy, loyalty in a violent world, and bringing us to situations in a way that we have never seen before.”
It’s “a perfectly directed film where all elements come together in a unique universe of its own,” the festival added.
- 11/16/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Other winners include ’Cold War’, ’All Good’, ‘Skate Kitchen’.
Jasmin Mozaffari’s debut feature Firecrackers has won best film at the Stockholm International Film Festival 2018.
The Canadian drama, which premiered in Toronto, is about two young women desperate to escape their repressive small town; a night of debauchery could derail their future plans. Screen spoke to Mozaffari about the film after its debut.
The jury praised the film’s “originality in portraying the love between two friends, in its urge for freedom, autonomy, loyalty in a violent world, and bringing us to situations in a way that we have never seen before,...
Jasmin Mozaffari’s debut feature Firecrackers has won best film at the Stockholm International Film Festival 2018.
The Canadian drama, which premiered in Toronto, is about two young women desperate to escape their repressive small town; a night of debauchery could derail their future plans. Screen spoke to Mozaffari about the film after its debut.
The jury praised the film’s “originality in portraying the love between two friends, in its urge for freedom, autonomy, loyalty in a violent world, and bringing us to situations in a way that we have never seen before,...
- 11/16/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Honorees to include Asghar Farhadi, Mary Harron and Gunnell Lindblom.
The Stockholm International Film Festival has revealed its 2018 programme, with the festival kicking off Nov 7 with the anticipated world premiere of Anna Odell’s X&Y, in competition.
Odell, the Swedish artist and filmmaker who last directed 2013’s award-winning The Reunion, returns starring as a fictionalized version of herself, collaborating with the celebrated actor Mikael Persbrandt to deconstruct themselves. The cast also features Trine Dyrholm, Sofie Gråbøl, Vera Vitali, Shanti Roney, Jens Albinus and Thure Lindhardt. New Europe handles sales.
Stockholm will close Nov 18 with The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, from the Open Zone section.
The Stockholm International Film Festival has revealed its 2018 programme, with the festival kicking off Nov 7 with the anticipated world premiere of Anna Odell’s X&Y, in competition.
Odell, the Swedish artist and filmmaker who last directed 2013’s award-winning The Reunion, returns starring as a fictionalized version of herself, collaborating with the celebrated actor Mikael Persbrandt to deconstruct themselves. The cast also features Trine Dyrholm, Sofie Gråbøl, Vera Vitali, Shanti Roney, Jens Albinus and Thure Lindhardt. New Europe handles sales.
Stockholm will close Nov 18 with The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, from the Open Zone section.
- 10/16/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
’The Distant Barking of Dogs’ wins the audience prize.
Swedish director Hogir Hirori’s The Deminer has won the best Nordic documentary prize at Sweden’s Nordisk Panorama. It is the top award of the Malmo-based festival dedicated to documentaries and shorts and is worth $13,000.
The jury said it was “a film which displayed incredible risk taking in following a character who put his life on the line every day, also putting the filmmaker in great danger. This portrait of a military man who dedicated his life to protecting civilians is portrayed through a great combination of archive footage and daring front line filmmaking.
Swedish director Hogir Hirori’s The Deminer has won the best Nordic documentary prize at Sweden’s Nordisk Panorama. It is the top award of the Malmo-based festival dedicated to documentaries and shorts and is worth $13,000.
The jury said it was “a film which displayed incredible risk taking in following a character who put his life on the line every day, also putting the filmmaker in great danger. This portrait of a military man who dedicated his life to protecting civilians is portrayed through a great combination of archive footage and daring front line filmmaking.
- 9/26/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
This year’s Canadian feature slate — 25 in all — can be seen in six Tiff sections including Discovery, Tiff Docs and Wavelengths.
Among the selected features are highly anticipated films from fest alumni including Denys Arcand, Barry Avrich and the late Rob Stewart.
Arcand’s “The Fall of the American Empire” stars Alexandre Landry as Pierre-Paul Daoust, who faces a moral dilemma after discovering two bags of money. Sony Classics bought the North American rights to the film during the Cannes Film Festival in May. The film, which will play in Tiff’s special presentations section, is a thematic cousin to Arcand’s Oscar-nominated “The Decline of the American Empire” and the Oscar-winning “The Barbarian Invasions” (2003).
Avrich returns to Tiff’s docu section with “Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz,” a portrait of the United States’ chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg trial. Stewart’s final film, “Sharkwater Extinction” will...
Among the selected features are highly anticipated films from fest alumni including Denys Arcand, Barry Avrich and the late Rob Stewart.
Arcand’s “The Fall of the American Empire” stars Alexandre Landry as Pierre-Paul Daoust, who faces a moral dilemma after discovering two bags of money. Sony Classics bought the North American rights to the film during the Cannes Film Festival in May. The film, which will play in Tiff’s special presentations section, is a thematic cousin to Arcand’s Oscar-nominated “The Decline of the American Empire” and the Oscar-winning “The Barbarian Invasions” (2003).
Avrich returns to Tiff’s docu section with “Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz,” a portrait of the United States’ chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg trial. Stewart’s final film, “Sharkwater Extinction” will...
- 9/7/2018
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Launched in 2011 as a four-day intensive mentorship that spotlights four homegrown actors on the brink of global breakout, Tiff Rising Stars this year not only expands its scope — officially adding four international thesps — but also embodies the festival’s increasingly proactive commitment to industry change (also reflected in its new Share Her Journey initiative). The eight 2018 stars all appear in Toronto films — including some of the hottest titles.
“Rising Stars not only celebrates achievements in the actors’ careers so far, but also helps them see the bigger picture of their lives as entrepreneurs and collaborative artists,” says its producer Natalie Semotiuk.
Canada is repped by Devery Jacobs (Veenda Sud’s “The Lie”), Lamar Johnson, pictured above, (George Tillman’s “The Hate U Give”), Michaela Kurimsky (Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers”) and Jess Salgueiro (Patricia Rozema’s “Mouthpiece”); the international contingent is Ahmed Malek (Patricia Chica’s “Montreal Girls”), Stephane Bak (Joel Karekezi...
“Rising Stars not only celebrates achievements in the actors’ careers so far, but also helps them see the bigger picture of their lives as entrepreneurs and collaborative artists,” says its producer Natalie Semotiuk.
Canada is repped by Devery Jacobs (Veenda Sud’s “The Lie”), Lamar Johnson, pictured above, (George Tillman’s “The Hate U Give”), Michaela Kurimsky (Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers”) and Jess Salgueiro (Patricia Rozema’s “Mouthpiece”); the international contingent is Ahmed Malek (Patricia Chica’s “Montreal Girls”), Stephane Bak (Joel Karekezi...
- 9/6/2018
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
Lineup
Tiff Reveals First Slate of 2018 Films, Including ‘Beautiful Boy,’ ‘High Life,’ ‘First Man,’ ‘Widows,’ and Many More
Tiff 2018 Lineup: ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘First Man,’ ‘Beautiful Boy,’ and Many More
Tiff Reveals Full Canadian Lineup, Including 19 New Films and Special Premiere Event of Rob Stewart’s Final ‘Sharkwater’ Doc
Xavier Dolan’s ‘The Death and Life of John F. Donovan’ to World Premiere at 2018 Toronto International Film Festival
Tiff 2018 Announces Platform Lineup, Including New Films From Karyn Kusama, Alex Ross Perry, and Tim Sutton
Tiff Announces Midnight Madness and Documentary Slates, Including ‘Halloween’ and ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’ World Premieres
Tiff Announces Chris Pine-Starring ‘Outlaw King’ Will Open Festival and Kristen Stewart’s ‘Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy’ to Close
Tiff Adds More High-Profile Titles, Including Jonah Hill’s ‘Mid90s,’ ‘Boy Erased,’ ‘Hold the Dark,’ and Many More
TV Comes to Tiff: Julia Roberts-Starring ‘Homecoming’ and More Set for World Premiere...
Tiff Reveals First Slate of 2018 Films, Including ‘Beautiful Boy,’ ‘High Life,’ ‘First Man,’ ‘Widows,’ and Many More
Tiff 2018 Lineup: ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘First Man,’ ‘Beautiful Boy,’ and Many More
Tiff Reveals Full Canadian Lineup, Including 19 New Films and Special Premiere Event of Rob Stewart’s Final ‘Sharkwater’ Doc
Xavier Dolan’s ‘The Death and Life of John F. Donovan’ to World Premiere at 2018 Toronto International Film Festival
Tiff 2018 Announces Platform Lineup, Including New Films From Karyn Kusama, Alex Ross Perry, and Tim Sutton
Tiff Announces Midnight Madness and Documentary Slates, Including ‘Halloween’ and ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’ World Premieres
Tiff Announces Chris Pine-Starring ‘Outlaw King’ Will Open Festival and Kristen Stewart’s ‘Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy’ to Close
Tiff Adds More High-Profile Titles, Including Jonah Hill’s ‘Mid90s,’ ‘Boy Erased,’ ‘Hold the Dark,’ and Many More
TV Comes to Tiff: Julia Roberts-Starring ‘Homecoming’ and More Set for World Premiere...
- 9/6/2018
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Other titles on slate include Firecrackers, and Toronto world premiere The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan.
Anick Poirier’s Montreal-based Seville International arrives in Toronto with a sales roster comprising the previously unannounced The Great Darkened Days and Broken Mirrors, as well as Firecrackers, and Toronto world premiere The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan.
The world premiere of Maxime Giroux’s The Great Darkened Days receives its first public screening on September 10 and hails from the director of former Canadian Oscar submission Felix And Meira. The P+I screening is set for September 8.
Martin Dubreuil, Sara Gadon,...
Anick Poirier’s Montreal-based Seville International arrives in Toronto with a sales roster comprising the previously unannounced The Great Darkened Days and Broken Mirrors, as well as Firecrackers, and Toronto world premiere The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan.
The world premiere of Maxime Giroux’s The Great Darkened Days receives its first public screening on September 10 and hails from the director of former Canadian Oscar submission Felix And Meira. The P+I screening is set for September 8.
Martin Dubreuil, Sara Gadon,...
- 9/6/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: levelFILM and Seville International, an Entertainment One company, have landed the rights to Firecrackers, Jasmin Mozaffari’s directorial debut film, which is slated to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. levelFILM has the Canadian distribution rights and will release the pic in spring 2019, while Seville will handle international sales.
Starring Michaela Kurimsky and Karena Evans, the pic follows Lou (Kurimsky) and her best friend Chantal (Evans) as they plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city far, far away. When Chantal’s unstable and possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him. The consequences of their actions threaten their chances of leaving and the more Lou fights tooth-and-nail to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams, the more she spins out of control as she begins to realize...
Starring Michaela Kurimsky and Karena Evans, the pic follows Lou (Kurimsky) and her best friend Chantal (Evans) as they plan to get out of their isolated, run-down town and move to a city far, far away. When Chantal’s unstable and possessive ex violates her during a night of partying, the girls decide to exact their revenge on him. The consequences of their actions threaten their chances of leaving and the more Lou fights tooth-and-nail to save her friendship and hold onto her dreams, the more she spins out of control as she begins to realize...
- 8/22/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
The Toronto Intl. Film Festival has added Denys Arcand’s crime thriller “The Fall of the American Empire” and 18 other Canadian films to its lineup.
Nine of the films are directed by women and 14 are world premieres.
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,” said Steve Gravestock, senior programmer. “Ranging from science fiction to fantasy, myth to documentary, and romance to a dystopic vision of our neighbours to the south, this year’s Canadian films come from every region in the country, stretching from east to west and north to south.”
“The Fall of the American Empire” stars Alexandre Landry, Maxim Roy, Yan England, and Rémy Girard and centers Landry’s character discovering two bags of money and facing a moral dilemma. Arcand was inspired to make the film after learning about the 2010 murder of two people in a Montreal boutique.
Sony Classics bought the...
Nine of the films are directed by women and 14 are world premieres.
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,” said Steve Gravestock, senior programmer. “Ranging from science fiction to fantasy, myth to documentary, and romance to a dystopic vision of our neighbours to the south, this year’s Canadian films come from every region in the country, stretching from east to west and north to south.”
“The Fall of the American Empire” stars Alexandre Landry, Maxim Roy, Yan England, and Rémy Girard and centers Landry’s character discovering two bags of money and facing a moral dilemma. Arcand was inspired to make the film after learning about the 2010 murder of two people in a Montreal boutique.
Sony Classics bought the...
- 8/1/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The Toronto International Film Festival has added another 19 new titles to its 2018 festival lineup, comprised entirely of features directed by Canadian filmmakers. Each year, Tiff highlights the films that hail from its own shores in a standalone announcement, and this year it includes nine new films from female directors, six debut features, a number of titles from fixtures of the Canadian film scene, and the world premiere of three films that showcase some of the country’s Indigenous talent.
The festival will also play home to a special event world premiere and tribute dedicated to the late filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart, centered around his final film, “Sharkwater Extinction.” Stewart passed away in 2017 while working on the film, a followup to his 2006 documentary “Sharkwater.”
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,” said Steve Gravestock, Tiff Senior Programmer, in an official statement. “Ranging from science fiction to fantasy,...
The festival will also play home to a special event world premiere and tribute dedicated to the late filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart, centered around his final film, “Sharkwater Extinction.” Stewart passed away in 2017 while working on the film, a followup to his 2006 documentary “Sharkwater.”
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,” said Steve Gravestock, Tiff Senior Programmer, in an official statement. “Ranging from science fiction to fantasy,...
- 8/1/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
New films from Canadian filmmakers Denys Arcand, Maxime Giroux, Jennifer Baichwal and Bruce Sweeney have been added to 2018 Toronto International Film Festival lineup, which announced its slate of Canadian films on Wednesday.
Nine of the films are directed by women, fsix are debut features and 14 are world premieres.
Canadian features will include Arcand’s “The Fall of the American Empire,” Giroux’s “The Great Darkened Days” and Sweeney’s “Kingsway.”
Also Read: 'Beautiful Boy,' 'A Star Is Born' Highlight Toronto Film Festival Lineup
The Canadian documentaries include Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky’s “Anthropocene,” Ron Mann’s “Carmine Street Guitars” and Thom Fitzgerald’s “Splinters.”
Three of the films – Gwaii Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s “Edge of the Knife,” Darlene Naponse’s “Falls Around Her” and Miranda de Pencier’s “The Grizzlies” – feature indigenous talent.
A special event will screen the documentary “Sharkwater Extinction,...
Nine of the films are directed by women, fsix are debut features and 14 are world premieres.
Canadian features will include Arcand’s “The Fall of the American Empire,” Giroux’s “The Great Darkened Days” and Sweeney’s “Kingsway.”
Also Read: 'Beautiful Boy,' 'A Star Is Born' Highlight Toronto Film Festival Lineup
The Canadian documentaries include Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier and Edward Burtynsky’s “Anthropocene,” Ron Mann’s “Carmine Street Guitars” and Thom Fitzgerald’s “Splinters.”
Three of the films – Gwaii Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s “Edge of the Knife,” Darlene Naponse’s “Falls Around Her” and Miranda de Pencier’s “The Grizzlies” – feature indigenous talent.
A special event will screen the documentary “Sharkwater Extinction,...
- 8/1/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Anthropocene and The Fall Of The American Empire are among films joining the line-up.
The Toronto International Film Festival has added another 19 Canadian titles to its line-up, among them the world premieres of documentary Anthropocene, Rob Stewart’s Sharkwater Extinction and Miranda de Pencier’s feature directorial debut The Grizzlies.
The new titles for the forty-third edition of the festival – which runs from September 6 to 16 - include nine films directed by women and five debut features and senior programmer Steve Gravestock emphasised the diversity represented.
Scroll down for full line-up
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,...
The Toronto International Film Festival has added another 19 Canadian titles to its line-up, among them the world premieres of documentary Anthropocene, Rob Stewart’s Sharkwater Extinction and Miranda de Pencier’s feature directorial debut The Grizzlies.
The new titles for the forty-third edition of the festival – which runs from September 6 to 16 - include nine films directed by women and five debut features and senior programmer Steve Gravestock emphasised the diversity represented.
Scroll down for full line-up
“We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,...
- 8/1/2018
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
The 38th Toronto International Film Festival has released an incredible guest list of celebrated talent from around the globe. Filmmakers expected to present their world premieres in Toronto include: Catherine Breillat, Nicole Garcia, Pawel Pawlikowski, Bertrand Tavernier, Steve McQueen, Godfrey Reggio, Denis Villeneuve, Bill Condon, Jean-Marc Vallée, John Wells, Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, Atom Egoyan, Matthew Weiner, John Carney, Jason Reitman, Jason Bateman, Yorgos Servetas, Liza Johnson, Megan Griffiths, Fernando Eimbcke, Alexey Uchitel, Johnny Ma, Biyi Bandele, Rashid Masharawi, Paul Haggis, Ron Howard, Eli Roth, Álex de la Iglesia, Bruce McDonald, Jennifer Baichwal, John Ridley, and Justin Chadwick.
The Festival also welcomes thousands of producers and other industry professionals bringing films to us.
The following filmmakers and artists are expected to attend the Toronto International Film Festival:
Ahmad Abdalla, Hany Abu-Assad, Yuval Adler, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Alexandre Aja, Bruce Alcock, Gianni Amelio, Thanos Anastopoulos, Madeline Anderson, Nimród Antal, Louise Archambault,...
The Festival also welcomes thousands of producers and other industry professionals bringing films to us.
The following filmmakers and artists are expected to attend the Toronto International Film Festival:
Ahmad Abdalla, Hany Abu-Assad, Yuval Adler, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Alexandre Aja, Bruce Alcock, Gianni Amelio, Thanos Anastopoulos, Madeline Anderson, Nimród Antal, Louise Archambault,...
- 8/21/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
This afternoon, with poutine and local wine to mark the occasion, the Toronto International Film Festival announced their Canadian film selections. Programmers Steve Gravestock and Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo proudly pronounced that this year both new and seasoned filmmakers had the “curiosity and courage to show troubling issues occurring in our country in new and exciting ways.” Past festival favorite (and one of my personal own as well) Xavier Dolan, the always controversial Bruce Labruce and Jennifer Baichwal’s films garnered applause from the crowd at the majestic Royal York ballroom. Titles sure to draw headlines and attention in the Canadian slate are Denis Villeneuve’s locally filmed ‘Enemy‘ which has Jake Gyllenhall playing a man with two identities, torn between a mistress and a wife. Villeneuve’s other recent feature ‘Prisoners‘ was previously announced as a festival title. It’s worth mentioning that two feature films being presented at...
- 8/7/2013
- by Leora Heilbronn
- IONCINEMA.com
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