TELLURIDE and TORONTO 2015

[Chris Knipp]

Telluride, then Toronto.

Telluride is September 4-7; Toronto is September 10-20.

These two important festivals immediately precede the NYFF. They provide a broad overview of the year's film excitement, all that wasn't at Cannes, a preview of the NYFF and survey of all it will leave out.

The New York Film Festival is Sept. 26-October 11.

Mike D'Angelo, who will be at Toronto for the 16th year running, gives his tentative viewing schedule here, (http://www.panix.com/~dangelo/prev/tiff15.html). Let's hope he does his usual prolific Tweet review/ratings. He promises short Letterboxd reviews. Unfortunately this time he has nowhere to write bulletins for with The Dissolve recently discontinued. Presumably AV Club will have daily reports and the Guardian will have staff on hand again turning out prolific reviews and reports as in recent years.

There may be less time this year for me to provide vicarious coverage, but we'll see.

[Chris Knipp]

TIFF

From Entertainment Weekly (http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/28/toronto-film-festival-2015-slate). Blurbs for some of the more publicized 2015 TIFF films.

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/tif15sm.jpg


MOVIES

The Martian, Trumbo, and Spotlight to screen at Toronto
'Demolition' gets opening-night slot; new doc from Michael Moore will premiere as well
BY JEFF LABRECQUE • @JEFFLABRECQUE


The 40th Toronto International Film Festival announced its first round of titles for its 2015 lineup today. Jean-Marc Vallee’s Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, will be the festival’s opening-night film. W/ [Naomi] Watts, [Chris] Cooper and newcomer [Judah] Lewis.”

The fall-festival competition for world premieres has grown increasingly intense in recent years, with Venice, Telluride, and New York vying to host debut screenings of high-profile films with Oscar ambitions. Toronto can boast several, including Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong movie, Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall, and Jay Roach’s Trumbo.

GALAS

Beeba Boys dir. Deepa Mehta, Canada, World Premiere
An adrenaline-charged violent Indo-Canadian gang war mixes guns, bhangra beats, bespoke suits, cocaine, and betrayal. Gang boss Jeet Johar and his loyal, young crew are audaciously taking over the Vancouver drug and arms scene from an old-style crime syndicate. Hearts are broken and family bonds shattered when the Beeba Boys (known as the “nice boys”) do anything “to be seen and to be feared” — in a white world. .

Demolition dir. Jean-Marc Vallée, USA, World Premiere (Opening Night Film)
In Demolition, a successful investment banker, Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law (Chris Cooper) to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Naomi Watts) and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two strangers form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.

The Dressmaker dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse, Australia, World Premiere
Based on the best-selling novel by Rosalie Ham, The Dressmaker is a bittersweet, comedy-drama set in early 1950s Australia. After many years working as a dressmaker in exclusive Parisian fashion houses, Tilly Dunnage, a beautiful and talented misfit, returns home to the tiny middle-of-nowhere town of Dungatar to right the wrongs of the past. Not only does she reconcile with her ailing, eccentric mother Molly, and unexpectedly falls in love with the pure-hearted Teddy, but armed with her sewing machine and incredible sense of style, Tilly sets out to right the wrongs of the past and transforms the women of the town but encounters unexpected romance along the way. Starring Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Judy Davis and Hugo Weaving.

Eye in the Sky dir. Gavin Hood, United Kingdom, World Premiere
London-based military intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) is remotely commanding a top secret drone operation to capture a group of dangerous terrorists at their safe-house in Nairobi, Kenya. The mission suddenly escalates from a capture to a kill operation, when Powell realizes that the terrorists are about to embark on a deadly suicide mission. American drone pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is poised to destroy the safe-house when a nine-year-old-girl enters the kill zone just outside the walls of the house. With unforeseen collateral damage now entering the equation, the impossible decision of when to strike gets passed up the kill chain of politicians and lawyers as the seconds tick down. Also stars Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi and Iain Glen.

Forsaken dir. Jon Cassar, Canada, World Premiere
Tormented by a dark secret, an aging gunfighter abandons a life of killing and returns home, only to discover his mother has died. He’s forced to confront his estranged father and the life he left behind. Starring Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland and Demi Moore.

Freeheld dir. Peter Sollett, USA, World Premiere
Based on the Oscar-winning documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard-earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials — the Freeholders — conspire to prevent Laurel from doing so. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells and activist Steven Goldstein come together in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality. Starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon and Steve Carell.

Hyena Road (Hyena Road: Le Chemin du Combat) dir. Paul Gross, Canada, World Premiere
A sniper who has never allowed himself to think of his targets as humans becomes implicated in the life of one such target. An intelligence officer who has never contemplated killing becomes the engine of a plot to kill. And a legendary Mujahideen warrior who had put war behind him is now the centre of the battle zone. Three men, three worlds, three conflicts — all stand at the intersection of modern warfare, a murky world of fluid morality in which all is not as it seems.

LEGEND dir. Brian Helgeland, United Kingdom, International Premiere
The true story of the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, brothers Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy in an amazing double performance. LEGEND is a classic crime thriller that takes audiences into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events that secured the infamy of the Kray twins.

Lolo dir. Julie Delpy, France, North American Premiere
While on holiday in the south of France, Parisian sophisticate Violette falls in love with carefree geek Jean-René. Jean-René heads to Paris to spend more time with Violette but finds himself up against her possessive teenage son Lolo who is determined to sabotage their relationship by any means necessary.

The Man Who Knew Infinity dir. Matthew Brown, United Kingdom, World Premiere
A true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, Ramanujan, a self-taught mathematics genius from India, travelled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric professor GH Hardy, and fought to show the world the magic of his mind. Starring Dev Patel and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.

The Martian dir. Ridley Scott, USA, World Premiere
During a manned mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, The Martian features a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

The Program dir. Stephen Frears, United Kingdom, World Premiere
From Academy Award-nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and producers Working Title (The Theory of Everything), comes the true story of the meteoric rise and fall of one of the most celebrated and controversial men in recent history, Lance Armstrong. Starring Ben Foster, Dustin Hoffman, Chris O’Dowd and Guillaume Canet.

Remember dir. Atom Egoyan, Canada, North American Premiere
Remember is the contemporary story of Zev, who discovers that the Nazi guard who murdered his family some 70 years ago is living in America under an assumed identity. Despite the obvious challenges, Zev sets out on a mission to deliver long-delayed justice with his own trembling hand. What follows is a remarkable cross-continent road-trip with surprising consequences. Starring Academy Award winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau.

Septembers of Shiraz dir. Wayne Blair, USA, World Premiere
A thriller based on the New York Times bestseller, this is the true story of a secular Jewish family caught in the 1979 Iranian revolution and their heroic journey to overcome and ultimately escape from the deadly tyranny that swept their country and threatened to extinguish their lives at every turn. Starring Salma Hayek and Adrien Brody.

Stonewall dir. Roland Emmerich, USA, World Premiere
This fictional drama inspired by true events follows a young man caught up during the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine) finds himself alone in Greenwich Village, homeless and destitute, until he befriends a group of street kids who introduce him to the local watering hole, The Stonewall Inn — however, this shady, mafia-run club is far from a safe haven. As Danny and his friends experience discrimination, endure atrocities and are repeatedly harassed by the police, the entire community of young gays, lesbians and drag queens who populate Stonewall erupts in a storm of anger. With the toss of a single brick, a riot ensues and a crusade for equality is born. Starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ron Perlman and Joey King.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Anomalisa dir. Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, USA, Canadian Premiere
A man struggles with his inability to connect with other people. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis.

Beasts of No Nation dir. Cary Fukunaga, USA/Ghana, Canadian Premiere
Based on the highly acclaimed novel, director Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of No Nation brings to life the gripping tale of Agu (newcomer Abraham Attah), a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country. Idris Elba dominates the screen in the role of Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of war.

Black Mass dir. Scott Cooper, USA, Canadian Premiere
In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades Irish-American gangster Jimmy Bulger to act as an informant for the FBI in order to eliminate their common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement while becoming one of the most ruthless and dangerous gangsters in Boston history. Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Nicholson, Corey Stoll and Peter Sarsgaard.

Brooklyn dir. John Crowley, United Kingdom/Ireland/Canada, Canadian Premiere
Set on opposite sides of the Atlantic, this drama tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother’s home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new vivacity is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters.

The Club Pablo Larraín, Chile, North American Premiere
Four men live in a secluded house in a seaside town. Sent to purge sins of the past, they live under a strict regime and the watchful eye of a caretaker. Their fragile stability is disrupted by the arrival of a fifth man who brings with him their darkest secrets.

Colonia dir. Florian Gallenberger, Germany/Luxembourg/France, World Premiere
Colonia tells the story of Lena and Daniel, a young couple who become entangled in the Chilean military coup of 1973. Daniel is abducted by Pinochet’s secret police and Lena tracks him to a sealed off area in the south of the country called Colonia Dignidad. The Colonia presents itself as a charitable mission run by lay preacher Paul Schäfer but, in fact, is a place nobody ever escapes from. Lena decides to join the cult in order to find Daniel. Starring Emma Watson, Daniel Brühl and Michael Nyqvist.

The Danish Girl dir.Tom Hooper, United Kingdom, North American Premiere
The Danish Girl is the remarkable love story inspired by the lives of artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener (portrayed by Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander), directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables). Lili and Gerda’s marriage and work evolve as they navigate Lili’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.

The Daughter dir. Simon Stone, Australia, North American Premiere
A man returns to his hometown and unearths a long-buried family secret. As he tries to right the wrongs of the past, his actions threaten to shatter the lives of those he left behind years before. Starring Geoffrey Rush, Paul Schneider, Miranda Otto and Sam Neill.

Desierto dir. Jonás Cuarón, Mexico, World Premiere
Moises is traveling by foot with a group of undocumented workers across a desolate strip of the border between Mexico and the United States, seeking a new life in the north. They are discovered by a lone American vigilante, Sam, and a frantic chase begins. Set against the stunningly brutal landscape, Moises and Sam engage in a lethal match of wits, each desperate to survive and escape the desert that threatens to consume them. Starring Gael García Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Dheepan dir. Jacques Audiard, France, North American Premiere
To escape the civil war in Sri Lanka, a former Tamil Tiger soldier, a young woman and a little girl pose as a family. These strangers try to build a life together in a Parisian suburb.

Families (Belles familles) dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau, France, World Premiere
When Shanghai-based businessman Jérome Varenne learns that his childhood home in the village of Ambray is at the centre of a local conflict, he heads there to straighten things out and finds himself at the centre of familial and romantic complications. Starring Mathieu Amalric.

The Family Fang dir. Jason Bateman, USA, World Premiere
Annie and Baxter Fang have spent most of their adult lives trying to distance themselves from their famous artist parents. But when both siblings find themselves stalled in life, they return home for the first time in a decade where they become entangled in a dark mystery surrounding their parents’ disappearance. Jason Bateman directs and stars, along with co-stars Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken, in this film based on the New York Times bestseller.

Guilty (Talvar) dir. Meghna Gulzar, India, World Premiere
Based on true events that set off a media frenzy all over the world, Guilty follows the 2008 Noida Double Murder Case of an investigation into the deaths of 14-year-old Aarushi Talwar and 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade, a domestic employed by Aarushi’s family, in Noida, India. The controversial case lives on in the mind of the public, despite a guilty verdict that sentenced the parents of the murdered girl to life in prison. Starring Irrfan Khan.

I Smile Back dir. Adam Salky, USA, Canadian Premiere
Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Amy Koppelman, I Smile Back explores the life of Laney (Sarah Silverman), a devoted wife and mother who seems to have it all — a perfect husband, pristine house and shiny SUV. However, beneath the façade lies depression and disillusionment that catapult her into a secret world of reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful root of her destructiveness and its effect on those she loves.

The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer) dir. Hany Abu-Assad, United Kingdom/Palestine/Qatar, World Premiere
A young boy in Gaza, Mohammad Assaf, dreams of one day singing in the Cairo Opera House with his sister and best friend, Nour. One day, Nour collapses and is rushed to the hospital where it is discovered that she needs a kidney transplant. Nour leaves Mohammad with a dying wish that someday, he will become a famous singer in Cairo. Escaping from Gaza to Egypt against unbelievable odds, Mohammad makes the journey of a lifetime. From two-time Academy Award nominee Hany Abu-Assad comes this inspirational drama inspired by the incredible true story of Mohammed Assaf, winner of Arab Idol 2013.

The Lady in the Van dir. Nicholas Hytner, USA/United Kingdom, World Premiere
Based on the true story of Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who “temporarily” parked her van in writer Alan Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years. What begins as a begrudged favour becomes a relationship that will change both their lives. Filmed on the street and in the house where Bennett and Miss Shepherd lived all those years, acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner reunites with iconic writer Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The History Boys) to bring this rare and touching portrait to the screen. Starring Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper and James Corden.

Len and Company dir. Tim Godsall, USA, North American Premiere
A successful music producer (Rhys Ifans) quits the industry and exiles himself in upstate New York, but the solitude he seeks is shattered when both his estranged son (Jack Kilmer) and the pop-star (Juno Temple) he’s created come looking for answers.

The Lobster dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland/United Kingdom/Greece/France/Netherlands, North American Premiere
In a dystopian near future, single people are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days or are transformed into animals and released into the woods. Starring Colin Farrell, Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux and Ben Whishaw.

Louder than Bombs dir. Joachim Trier, Norway/France/Denmark, North American Premiere
An upcoming exhibition celebrating photographer Isabelle Reed three years after her untimely death brings her eldest son Jonah back to the family house, forcing him to spend more time with his father Gene and withdrawn younger brother Conrad than he has in years. With the three men under the same roof, Gene tries desperately to connect with his two sons, but they struggle to reconcile their feelings about the woman they remember so differently. Starring Isabelle Huppert, Gabriel Byrne and Jesse Eisenberg.

Maggie’s Plan dir. Rebecca Miller, USA, World Premiere
Maggie’s plan to have a baby on her own is derailed when she falls in love with John, a married man, destroying his volatile marriage to the brilliant Georgette. But one daughter and three years later, Maggie is out of love and in a quandary: what do you do when you suspect your man and his ex-wife are actually perfect for each other? Starring Julianne Moore, Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph.

Mountains May Depart (Shan He Gu Ren) dir. Jia Zhang-ke, China/France/Japan, North American Premiere
The new film from master filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke (A Touch of Sin) jumps from the recent past to the speculative near-future as it examines how China’s economic boom has affected the bonds of family, tradition, and love.

Office dir. Johnnie To, China/Hong Kong, International Premiere
Billion-dollar company Jones & Sunn is going public. Chairman Ho Chung-ping has promised CEO Chang, who has been his mistress for more than 20 years, to become a major shareholder of the company. As the IPO team enters the company to audit its accounts, a series of inside stories start to be revealed. Starring Chow Yun Fat, Sylvia Chang, Tang Wei and Wang Ziyi.

Parched dir. Leena Yadav, India/USA, World Premiere
Three ordinary women dare to break free from the century old patriarchal ways of their village in the desert heartland of rural India. Starring Tannishtha Chaterjee, Radhika Apte and Surveen Chawla, this unforgettable tale of friendship and triumph is called Parched.

Room dir. Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland/Canada, Canadian Premiere
Told through the eyes of five-year-old-Jack, Room is a thrilling and emotional tale that celebrates the resilience and power of the human spirit. To Jack, the Room is the world… it’s where he was born, where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. But while it’s home to Jack, to Ma it’s a prison. Through her fierce love for her son, Ma has managed to create a childhood for him in their 10-by-10-foot space. But as Jack’s curiosity is building alongside Ma’s own desperation — she knows that Room cannot contain either indefinitely. Starring Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers and William H. Macy.

Sicario dir. Denis Villeneuve, USA, North American Premiere
In the lawless border area stretching between the U.S. and Mexico, an idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elite government task force official (Josh Brolin) to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past (Benicio Del Toro), the team sets out on a clandestine journey that forces Kate to question everything that she believes.

Son of Saul (Saul Fia) dir. László Nemes, Hungary, Canadian Premiere
October 1944, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Saul Ausländer is a Hungarian member of the Sonderkommando, the group of Jewish prisoners isolated from the camp and forced to assist the Nazis in the machinery of large-scale extermination. While working in one of the crematoriums, Saul discovers the body of a boy he takes for his son. As the Sonderkommando plans a rebellion, Saul decides to carry out an impossible task: save the child’s body from the flames, find a rabbi to recite the mourner’s Kaddish and offer the boy a proper burial.

Spotlight dir. Tom McCarthy, USA, International Premiere
Spotlight tells the true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston’s religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James and Billy Crudup.

Summertime (La Belle Saison) dir. Catherine Corsini, France, North American Premiere
Delphine, the daughter of farmers, moves to Paris in 1971 to break free from the shackles of her family and to gain her financial independence. Carole is a Parisian, living with Manuel, actively involved in the stirrings of the feminist movement. The meeting of the two women changes their lives forever. Starring Cécile De France, Izia Higelin, Noémie Lvovsky and Kévin Azaïs. [Azaïs costarred in last year's great Love at First Fight.]

Sunset Song dir. Terence Davies, United Kingdom/Luxembourg, World Premiere
Terence Davies’ epic of hope, tragedy and love at the dawning of the Great War follows a young woman’s tale of endurance against the hardships of rural Scottish life. Based on the novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon and told with gritty poetic realism by Britain’s greatest living auteur, Sunset Song stars Peter Mullan and Agyness Deyn.

Trumbo dir. Jay Roach, USA, World Premiere
The successful career of 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) comes to a crushing end when he and other Hollywood figures are blacklisted for their political beliefs. Trumbo tells the story of his fight against the U.S. government and studio bosses in a war over words and freedom, which entangled everyone in Hollywood from Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) and John Wayne to Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger.

Un plus une dir. Claude Lelouch, France, World Premiere
Charming, successful, Antoine (Jean Dujardin) could be the hero of one of those films he composes the music for. When he leaves for a job in India, he meets Anna (Elsa Zylberstein), a woman who isn’t like him at all, but who attracts him more than anything. Together, they are going to experience an incredible journey.

Victoria dir. Sebastian Schipper, Germany, Canadian Premiere
On a night out in Berlin, Victoria meets four young local guys. After joining their group, she becomes their driver when they rob a bank. Finally, as dawn breaks, everyone meets their destiny.

Where to Invade Next dir. Michael Moore, USA, World Premiere
Oscar-winning director Michael Moore returns with what may be his most provocative and hilarious movie yet. Moore tells the Pentagon to “stand down”— he will do the invading for America from now on. Discretely shot in several countries and under the radar of the global media, Moore has made a searing cinematic work that is both up-to-the-minute and timeless.

Youth dir. Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France/United Kingdom/Switzerland, North American Premiere
Youth explores the lifelong bond between two friends vacationing in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred (Michael Caine) has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of his daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz), Mick (Harvey Keitel) is intent on finishing the screenplay for what may be his last film for his muse Brenda (Jane Fonda). And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy (Paul Dano), an actor grasping to make sense of his next performance? From Italy’s Oscar-winning foreign language film writer and director Paolo Sorrentino, Youth asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time — even late — in life.

[Chris Knipp]

TIFF

The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/28/toronto-film-festival-2015-full-lineup)
Toronto film festival 2015: full lineup

Here’s the list of films playing at this year’s Toronto film festival, which runs from 10-20 September. As the programme release is staggered, this will be updated as more details are revealed

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/tif15sm.jpg

Tuesday 28 July 2015 11.16 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 18 August 2015 11.20 EDT


World premieres

Beeba Boys – Deepa Mehta, Canada
Forsaken – Jon Cassar, Canada
Freeheld – Peter Sollett, USA
Hyena Road (Hyena Road: Le Chemin du Combat) – Paul Gross, Canada
Lolo – Julie Delpy, France
The Man Who Knew Infinity – Matt Brown, UK
The Martian – Ridley Scott, USA
The Program – Stephen Frears, UK
Septembers of Shiraz – Wayne Blair, USA
Stonewall – Roland Emmerich, USA
The Dressmaker – Jocelyn Moorhouse, Australia
Colonia – Florian Gallenberger, Germany/Luxembourg/France
Desierto – Jonás Cuarón, Mexico
Families (Belles Familles) – Jean-Paul Rappeneau, France
Guilty (Talvar) – Meghna Gulzar, India
The Idol (Ya Tayr El Tayer) – Hany Abu-Assad, UK/Palestine
The Lady in the Van – Nicolas Hytner, USA
Maggie’s Plan – Rebecca Miller, USA
Parched – Leena Yadav, India/USA
Sunset Song – Terence Davies, UK/Luxembourg
Trumbo – Jay Roach, USA
Un plus une – Claude Lelouch, France
Where To Invade Next – Michael Moore, USA
Demolition – Jean-Marc Vallée, USA
Born to be Blue - Robert Budreau, Canada/United Kingdom
Into the Forest - Patricia Rozema, Canada
Ville-Marie - Guy Édoin, Canada
Al Purdy Was Here - Brian D. Johnson, Canada
Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr - Patrick Reed and Michelle Shephard, Canada
Ninth Floor - Mina Shum, Canada
This Changes Everything - Avi Lewis, Canada/USA
Welcome to F.L. - Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, Canada
Closet Monster - Stephen Dunn, Canada
Fire Song - Adam Garnet Jones, Canada
The Rainbow Kid - Kire Paputts, Canada
River - Jamie M. Dagg, Canada/Laos
How Heavy This Hammer - Kazik Radwanski, Canada
Endorphine - André Turpin, Canada
Baskin - Can Evrenol, Turkey
The Devil’s Candy - Sean Byrne, USA
The Girl in the Photographs - Nick Simon, USA
Hardcore - Ilya Naishuller, Russia/USA
The Mind’s Eye - Joe Begos, USA
Southbound - Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and Radio Silence, USA
A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers Geeta Gandbhir and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, USA/Pakistan
Being AP - Anthony Wonke, United Kingdom/Ireland
Bolshoi Babylon - Nick Read, United Kingdom
Horizon - Bergur Bernburg and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Iceland/Denmark
It All Started At The End (Todo comenzó por el fin) - Luis Ospina, Colombia
Je Suis Charlie - Emmanuel Leconte and Daniel Leconte, France
Miss Sharon Jones! - Barbara Kopple, USA
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble - Morgan Neville, USA
Our Last Tango (Un tango más) - German Kral, Germany/Argentina
P.S. Jerusalem - Danae Elon, Canada/Israel
The Ones Below - David Farr, United Kingdom
Urban Hymn Michael Caton-Jones, United Kingdom
The Reflektor Tapes - Kahlil Joseph, United Kingdom
Return of the Atom (Atomin paluu) - Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola, Finland/Germany
Collective Invention (Dolyeon Byeoni) - Kwon Oh-kwang, South Korea
Demon - Marcin Wrona, Poland/Israel
Evolution - Lucile Hadžihalilović, France
February - Osgood Perkins, USA/Canada
Lace Crater - Harrison Atkins, USA
My Big Night (Mi Gran Noche) - Álex de la Iglesia, Spain
The Missing Girl - A.D. Calvo, USA
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) - Eva Husson, France
Full Contact - David Verbeek, Netherlands/Croatia
High-Rise - Ben Wheatley, United Kingdom
HURT - Alan Zweig, Canada
Land of Mine (Under Sandet / Unter dem Sand) - Martin Zandvliet, Denmark/Germany
The Promised Land (Hui Dao Bei Ai De Mei Yi Tian) - He Ping, China
Sky - Fabienne Berthaud, France/Germany
The White Knights (Les Chevaliers blancs) - Joachim Lafosse, France/Belgium
Couple in a Hole - Tom Geens, United Kingdom/Belgium/France
The Hard Stop - George Amponsah, United Kingdom
Eva Doesn’t Sleep - Pablo Agüero, France/Argentina/Spain
25 April - Leanne Pooley, New Zealand
3000 Nights (3000 Layla) - Mai Masri, Palestine/France/Jordan/Lebanon/United Arab Emirates/Qatar
The Apostate (El Apóstata) - Federico Veiroj, Spain/France/Uruguay
Baba Joon - Yuval Delshad, Israel
Campo Grande - Sandra Kogut, Brazil/France
Cuckold - Charlie Vundla, South Africa
The Fear (La Peur) - Damien Odoul, France
Girls Lost - Alexandra-Therese Keining, Sweden
Granny’s Dancing on the Table - Hanna Sköld, Sweden
A Heavy Heart (Herbert) - Thomas Stuber, Germany
Hong Kong Trilogy: Preschooled Preoccupied Preposterous - Christopher Doyle, Hong Kong
Honor Thy Father - Erik Matti, Philippines
In the Room - Eric Khoo, Hong Kong/Singapore
Incident Light (La Luz Incidente) - Ariel Rotter, Argentina/France/Uruguay
Let Them Come (Maintenant ils peuvent venir) - Salem Brahimi, France/Algeria
A Month of Sundays - Matthew Saville, Australia
One Breath (Ein Atem) - Christian Zübert, Germany
Parisienne (Peur de rien) - Danielle Arbid, France
Paths of the Soul (Kang Rinpoche) - Zhang Yang, China
Sparrows - Rúnar Rúnarsson, Iceland/Denmark
Starve Your Dog - Hicham Lasri, Morocco~
The Steps - Andrew Currie, Canada
Stranger (Zhat) - Yermek Tursunov, Kazakhstan
Thank You for Bombing - Barbara Eder, Austria
Truman - Cesc Gay, Spain/Argentina
The Whispering Star (Hiso Hiso Boshi) - Sion Sono, Japan
Miss You Already - Catherine Hardwicke, United Kingdom
Mr. Right - Paco Cabezas, USA
About Ray - Gaby Dellal, USA
Angry Indian Goddesses - Pan Nalin, India
Being Charlie - Rob Reiner, USA
I Saw the Light - Marc Abraham, USA
London Fields - Matthew Cullen United Kingdom/USA
The Meddler - Lorene Scafaria, USA
Our Brand Is Crisis - David Gordon Green, USA
Truth - James Vanderbilt, USA
Eye in the Sky - Gavin Hood, UK


International premieres

Legend – Brian Helgeland, UK
SPL 2 - A Time For Consequences - Soi Cheang, Hong Kong
Blood Of My Blood (Sangue del mio sangue) - Marco Bellocchio, Italy
Amazing Grace - Sydney Pollack, USA
He Named Me Malala - Davis Guggenheim, USA
Nasser - Jihan El-Tahri, France/South Africa
Thru You Princess - Ido Haar, Israel
Women He’s Undressed - Gillian Armstrong, Australia
French Blood (Un Français) - Diastème, France
Kilo Two Bravo - Paul Katis, United Kingdom
London Road - Rufus Norris, United Kingdom
Invisible (Imbisibol) - Lawrence Fajardo, Philippines/Japan
The Kind Words (Hamilim Hatovot) - Shemi Zarhin, Israel/Canada
Last Cab to Darwin - Jeremy Sims, Australia
Magallanes - Salvador del Solar, Peru/Argentina/Colombia/Spain
Mekko - Sterlin Harjo, USA
ma ma - Julio Medem, Spain/France
A Tale of Three Cities (San Cheng Ji) - Mabel Cheung, China
The Wave - Roar Uthaug, Norway


North American premieres

Remember – Atom Egoyan, Canada
The Danish Girl – Tom Hooper, UK/Sweden
The Daughter – Simon Stone, Australia
Dheepan – Jacques Audiard, France
Len and Company – Tim Godsall, USA
The Lobster – Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland/UK/Greece/France/Netherlands
Louder than Bombs – Joachim Trier, Norway/France/Denmark
Mountains May Depart (Shan He Gu Ren) – Jia Zhang-ke, China/France/Japan
Sicario – Denis Villeneuve, USA
Youth – Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France/UK/Switzerland
Sleeping Giant - Andrew Cividino, Canada
Our Loved Ones (Les êtres chers ) - Anne Émond, Canada
My Internship in Canada - Phillipe Falardeau, Canada
The Waiting Room - Igor Drljaca, Canada
No Men Beyond This Point - Mark Sawers, Canada
Green Room - Jeremy Saulnier, USA
Yakuza Apocalypse (Gokudo Daisenso) - Takashi Miike, Japan
11 Minutes (11 Minut) - Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/Ireland
The Assassin (Nie Yinniang) - Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan
Bleak Street (La calle de la amargura) - Arturo Ripstein, Mexico/Spain
Cemetery of Splendour (Rak Ti Khon Kaen) - Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand/United Kingdom/France/Germany/Malaysia
Every Thing Will Be Fine - Wim Wenders, Germany/Canada/France/Sweden/Norway
Francofonia - Alexander Sokurov, Germany/France/Netherlands
In the Shadow of Women - Philippe Garrel, France
Our Little Sister (Umimachi Diary) - Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan
The Pearl Button (El Botón de Nácar) - Patricio Guzmán, Chile/France/Spain
Rabin, The Last Day - Amos Gitaï, Israel/France
Right Now, Wrong Then - Hong Sang-soo, South Korea
A Flickering Truth - Pietra Brettkelly, New Zealand/Afghanistan
In Jackson Heights - Frederick Wiseman, USA
Janis: Little Girl Blue - Amy Berg, USA
Der Nachtmahr - AKIZ, Germany
Love - Gaspar Noé, France
Men & Chicken (Mænd og Høns) - Anders Thomas Jensen, Denmark
Veteran - Ryoo Seung-wan, South Korea
The Clan (El Clan) - Pablo Trapero, Argentina/Spain
Neon Bull (Boi Neon) - Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil/Uruguay/Netherlands
Kill Your Friends - Owen Harris, United Kingdom
Northern Soul - Elaine Constantine, United Kingdom
Afternoon (Na ri xia wu) Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan
Arabian Nights: The Restless One - Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland
Arabian Nights: The Desolate One - Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland
Arabian Nights: The Enchanted One - Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland
The Event - Sergei Loznitsa, Netherlands/Belgium
Lost and Beautiful (Bella e perduta) - Pietro Marcello, Italy
No Home Movie - Chantal Akerman, Belgium
The Other Side - Roberto Minervini, France/Italy
The Sky Trembles and the Earth is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers - Ben Rivers, United Kingdom
An - Naomi Kawase, Japan/France/Germany
As I Open My Eyes (A peine j’ouvre les yeux) - Leyla Bouzid, Tunisia/France/Belgium
Box - Florin Șerban, Romania/Germany/France
Chevalier - Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece
A Copy of My Mind - Joko Anwar, Indonesia/South Korea
Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de la Serpiente) - Ciro Guerra, Colombia/Venezuela/Argentina
The Endless River (La Rivière sans fin) - Oliver Hermanus, South Africa/France
Frenzy (Abluka) - Emin Alper, Turkey/France
I Promise You Anarchy (Te prometo anarquía) - Julio Hernández Cordón, Mexico/Germany
Jack - Elisabeth Scharang, Austria
Journey to the Shore (Kishibe no tabi) - Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan/France
Koza - Ivan Ostrochovský, Slovakia/Czech Republic
Lamb - Yared Zeleke, Ethiopia/France/Germany/Norway
Much Loved - Nabil Ayouch, Morocco/France
Murmur of the Hearts - Sylvia Chang, Taiwan/Hong Kong
One Floor Below (Un Etaj mai Jos) - Radu Muntean, Romania/France/Germany/Sweden
THE PEOPLE vs. FRITZ BAUER (Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer) - Lars Kraume, Germany
Price of Love - Hermon Hailay, Ethiopia
Schneider vs. Bax - Alex van Warmerdam, Netherlands/Belgium
Song of Songs (Pesn pesney) - Eva Neymann, Ukraine
Story of Judas (Histoire de Judas) - Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, France
The Treasure (Comoara) - Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania/France
Disorder (Maryland) - Alice Winocour, France/Belgium
Man Down - Dito Montiel, USA
Body (Body/Cialo) - Małgorzata Szumowska, Poland
Equals - Drake Doremus, USA
Mr. Six (Lao Pao Er) - Guan Hu, China
Mustang - Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Turkey/France/Germany
My Mother (Mia Madre) - Nanni Moretti, Italy/France
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Natalie Portman Israel/USA


Canadian premieres

Anomalisa – Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, USA
Beasts of No Nation – Cary Fukunaga, Ghana
Black Mass – Scott Cooper, USA
Brooklyn – John Crowley, UK/Ireland/Canada
I Smile Back – Adam Salky, USA
Room – Lenny Abrahamson, Ireland/Canada
Son of Saul (Saul Fia) – László Nemes, Hungary
Spotlight – Tom McCarthy, USA
Victoria – Sebastian Schipper, Germany
Hellions - Bruce McDonald, Canada
Jafar Panahi’s Taxi - Jafar Panahi, Iran
A Young Patriot - (Shao Nian * Xiao Zhao) Du Haibin, China/USA/France
Dark Horse - Louise Osmond, United Kingdom
Heart of a Dog - Laurie Anderson, USA
Hitchcock/Truffaut - Kent Jones, USA/France
Sherpa - Jennifer Peedom, Australia/United Kingdom
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom - Evgeny Afineevsky, Ukraine/USA/UnitedKingdom
Homesick (De nærmeste) - Anne Sewitsky, Norway
Ivy (Sarmaşik) - Tolga Karaçelik, Turkey
Rams (Hrútar) - Grímur Hákonarson, Iceland
Mississippi Grind - Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, USA
45 Years - Andrew Haigh, United Kingdom
The Witch - Robert Eggers, USA/Canada

[Chris Knipp]

D'Angelo's provisional Toronto viewing plan.

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/tif15.jpg

How would you deal with a festival with all those choices? Mike D'Angelo's tentative viewing schedule provides a rough sample preview of TFF 2015 as an experience. For obvious reasons he mostly skips mainstream, coming-release films others flock to. "UCR" means Un Certain Regard. I forget what "TK" means (something re:format?). Toronto's "usual Cannes clusterfuck" (not my choice of language) refers to the way the TIFF schedules a mass of important Cannes films all in one day early on so no human could possibly watch them all. Those in forward slashes [//] he has already seen but likes so much he wants to see them again, Sicario (Villeneuve) and Right Now, Wrong Then (Hong Sang-soo). He notes the NYFF films he has listed; there are six or seven; Wiseman is in the NYFF Documentary sidebar series. Often the choice is only "dead slot." But he will talk to people and perhaps find better. Such are the demands and restrictions of festival-going, requiring stamina, flexibility, knowledge, and planning skills.


Toronto International Film Festival
10-20 September, 2015

Thu 10
Jafar Panahi's Taxi (Jafar Panahi, Iran): TK
[Panahi, plus I'm curious to see who's playing Latka.]
Dégradé (Arab Nasser & Tarzan Nasser, Palestine/France/Qatar): TK
[Cannes Critics' Week. Very good chance I'll W/O of this, in which case I'll mosey over to...]
Embrace of the Serpent (Ciro Guerra, Colombia/Venezuela/Argentina): TK
[Cannes Fortnight. Also a likely W/O, which would free me up for...]
/Sicario/ (Denis Villeneuve, USA): TK
[My #1 for 2015 so far. This slot was originally reserved for Victoria, but I've shifted things around after being reminded about combined public/P&I screenings for Wavelengths. It opens commercially in October, in any case.]
Arabian Nights: Volume 1, The Restless One (Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland): TK
[Cannes Fortnight; NYFF. Really annoyed they didn't press-screen all three of these on the final Friday. It still worked out, though (mostly because this is the dullest TIFF of my lifetime on paper).]
The Other Side (Roberto Minervini, France/Italy): TK
[Cannes UCR.]

Fri 11
Remember (Atom Egoyan, Canada/Germany): TK
[If you make as many great films as Egoyan has (including one of my ten favorites of all time), you earn my lifetime loyalty no matter how deep your career goes into the toilet. Though I still skipped The Devil's Knot.]
Brooklyn (John Crowley, UK/Ireland/Canada): TK
[NYFF.]
Chevalier (Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece): TK
[Didn't love Attenberg, but remain intrigued.]
Office (Johnnie To, China/Hong Kong): TK
[To.]
Wavelengths 1 (various): TK
[The Tscherkassky, which I couldn't fit in at Cannes, plus a chance to finally see my friend Blake Williams' work.]
Starve Your Dog (Hicham Lasri, Morocco): TK
[Really doubt I'll bother with this, but noting it for the record.]

Sat 12
Our Brand Is Crisis (David Gordon Green, USA): TK
[DGG, plus I saw (though did not love) the doc.]
Evolution (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, France): TK
[My most highly anticipated film of the festival, which is weird since I didn't love Innocence (and I saw it twice, expecting to be floored the second time -- still wasn't). But it was so singular.]
Arabian Nights: Volume 2, The Desolate One (Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland): TK
[Cannes Fortnight; NYFF.]
Arabian Nights: Volume 3, The Enchanted One (Miguel Gomes,Portugal/France/Germany/Switzerland): TK
[Cannes Fortnight; NYFF.]
Les Cowboys (Thomas Bidegain, France/Belgium): TK
[NYFF. PUBLIC SCREENING.]

Sun 13
Anomalisa (Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, USA): TK
[Kaufman, despite my lack of enthusiam for Synecdoche.]
Sunset Song (Terence Davies, UK/Luxembourg: TK
[Davies.]
Maggie's Plan (Rebecca Miller, USA): TK
[NYFF.]
Lace Crater (Harrison Atkins, USA): TK
[Dead slot.]
A Copy of My Mind (Joko Anwar, Indonesia/South Korea): TK
[Dead slot 2: Indonesian Boogaloo.]

Mon 14
The Program (Stephen Frears, UK): TK
[Frears; nothing else of real interest in this slot. Zero interest in Armstrong, though, so will be eyeing alternatives.]
Freeheld (Peter Sollett, USA): TK
[This looks extremely earnest, but the cast is great and I still love Raising Victor Vargas. And, again, not much else.]
Bleak Street (Arturo Ripstein, Mexico/Spain): TK
[Honestly, I'd forgotten that Ripstein is still alive. It's been 13 years since my last encounter with him (Virgin of Lust). But he's a Master, so what the hell.]
No Men Beyond This Point (Mark Sawers, Canada): TK
[Dead slot.]
Fire Song (Adam Garnet Jones, Canada): TK
[Dead slot. This day is likely to become a video-library trip.]

Tue 15
Blood of My Blood (Marco Bellocchio, Italy/France/Switzerland): TK
[Late addition because I somehow forgot about it, as well as how much I liked Vincere. Decision will be made based on buzz; if it seems like a coinflip, edge goes here because I can sleep in a bit later.]
Where to Invade Next (Michael Moore, USA): TK
[NYFF.]
In Jackson Heights (Frederick Wiseman, USA): TK
[Wiseman.]
Truth (James Vanderbilt, USA): TK
[Dead slot, picked something that looks not dull and that I might be assigned to review.]

Wed 16
The Martian (Ridley Scott, USA): TK
[Sir Ridley. This screens early in the fest, so if the buzz is toxic I can reassess.]
The Mind's Eye (Joe Begos, USA): TK
[Dead slot.]
/Right Now, Wrong Then/ (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea): TK
[Currently my #2 film of 2015. I feel guilty about having watched it on Festivalscope, knowing it would be here, so am happy that I could easily fit it in.]
The Missing Girl (A.D. Calvo, USA): TK
[Dead slot. Here's where things start really thinning out. I usually have about 50 films on my shortlist; this year I had 25. Mostly because Venice is a wasteland.]
/The Forbidden Room/ (Guy Maddin, Canada): TK
[Currently my #4 film of 2015. Second viewing a must.]

Thu 17
Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, USA): TK
[I tend to like McCarthy's films, though I didn't hear such wonderful things about his last one. About a shoemaker, I believe?]
Black Mass (Scott Cooper, USA): TK
[...................I dunno. Whatever.]
Mr. Six (Guan Hu, China): TK
[Dead slot. Jesus, why didn't I fly home today instead of springing for an additional two nights at another hotel?]
Afternoon (Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan): TK
[Oh. That's why. Good job me.]
Frenzy (Emin Alper, Turkey/France/Qatar): TK
[Venice Comp selection not by a director I kind of hate!]

Fri 18
Just gonna wing the final day. (I'm flying back fairly early on Saturday this year, rather than on Sunday as I generally have in the past.)

Shortlisted Titles I Couldn't Fit Into My Schedule (all of them Cannes leftovers; TIFF did its usual Cannes clusterfuck on Day One):
The Here After (Magnus von Horn)
Hitchcock/Truffaut (Kent Jones)
/Sicario/ (Denis Villenueve) [opens during the fest]
Sleeping Giant (Andrew Cividino)
A Tale of Love and Darkness (Natalie Portman)
--Mike D'Angelo, from his website (http://www.panix.com/~dangelo/prev/tiff15.html).

[Johann]

Thanks for another great festival thread. Mike D'Angelo covers them competently and entertainingly. As you know I have a serious aversion to TIFF. I may eventually go back to VIFF to finish what I started there. They have sent me media/press e-mails for the last ten years. They've kept me in the loop for over a decade. I appreciate that beyond words. The "Left Coast" is calling me... LOL

[Chris Knipp]

Yeah, of course I remember. It would be nice to have other festival coverage, by you, including Vancouver. Telluride might be relatively doable (don't like altitude though) but I would find Toronto overwhelming. D'Angelo is a relatively much younger guy with expertise at festival-attendance so he can handle it. I admire his reviews for his clarity and grasp of screenplays. Of course I've used his Tweet "reviews" and numerical ratings of Toronto and Cannes for a while, a good reference point and indicator of what to look for in the new season.

Too bad The Dissolve folded. But new thing is the quality and quantity of Guardian coverage of Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto.

[Johann]

I guess I'm too much of a loose cannon for Toronto? A lightning rod because I shoot from the hip?
TIFF is hard to negotiate- on the street and in your head. The selections are numerous. I'm amazed Mike D'Angelo had his schedule figured out. I would be honing it right up until the fest begins.
I just can't bring myself to buy a $500 TIFF festival pass. I've mulled it over ad infinitum, and I'm still jaded. lol
I mulled over Montreal too- it's closer to me than TIFF. But it's also hard to get around to the venues.

Vancouver should be my bag. I haunted the Pacific Cinematheque for 4 years. Telluride would be great-a cinephiles dream.

[Chris Knipp]

I don't know if it's in my quote but D'Angelo says he will be changing things as he goes along and as the buzz goes.
I'd hesitate to buy a $500 pass for anything. That's a lot of dough. But I see the Telluride all-access pass is $780. It's known to be a pricey fest. Lodging pricey too. So much for its democratic flavor.

My NYFF and Lincoln Center film event pal Mitch Banks, who died, said Montreal was his favorite festival; he loved to go up there on the train and I posted a video of him on the train heading back to NYC.

Here's Mitchell Banks again on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0GaUCYmEX0). I miss this guy a lot. He was a real mensch. There is nobody at Lincoln Center that I know who is as articulate and has his intelligence, breadth of knowledge and passion for cinema, French culture, history, and a lot of other things. And here he tells us that he has been to the Montreal Festival 28 times. To watch movies with this guy was an education and a treat.

I don't know about the difficulty of getting to venues in Montreal, but you should do what works for you. A festival offers many joys for a film lover, not least just talking to people and comparing notes.

[Chris Knipp]

The Tellurdie Film Festival announces its program (3 Sept. 2015)

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/tellog.jpg

Telluride has the odd policy of announcing their program only at the last minute before the festival begins. Reportedly a lot of the program was already leaked, and their premieres can be deduced by Toronto's prior designations. But officially the Telluride slate is only public now. There are some interesting films in the revival and artist portraits sidebars. Telluride has a rep as an Oscar harbinger, and in that line Deadline Hollywood (http://deadline.com/2015/09/telluride-film-festival-2015-lineup-carol-michael-keaton-rooney-mara-1201513617/) points to Scott Cooper’s Whitey Bulger story Black Mass and Danny Boyle's Black Mass (NYFF)
42nd Telluride Film Festival is proud to present the following new feature films to play in its main program:
· CAROL (d. Todd Haynes, U.S., 2015)
· AMAZING GRACE (d. Sydney Pollack, U.S., 1972/2015)
· ANOMALISA (d. Charlie Kaufman, U.S., 2015)
· BEAST OF NO NATION (d. Cary Fukunaga, U.S., 2015)
· HE NAMED ME MALALA (d. Davis Guggenheim, U.S., 2015)
· STEVE JOBS (d. Danny Boyle, U.S., 2015)
· IXCANUL (d. Jayro Bustamante, Guatemala, 2015)
· BITTER LAKE (d. Adam Curtis, U.K., 2015)
· ROOM (d. Lenny Abrahamson, England, 2015)
· BLACK MASS (d. Scott Cooper, U.S., 2015)
· SUFFRAGETTE (d. Sarah Gavron, U.K., 2015)
· SPOTLIGHT (d. Tom McCarthy, U.S., 2015)
· RAMS (d. Grímur Hákonarson, Iceland, 2015)
· MOM AND ME (d. Ken Wardrop, Ireland, 2015)
· VIVA (d. Paddy Breathnach, Ireland, 2015)
· TAJ MAJAL (d. Nicolas Saada, France-India, 2015)
· SITI (d. Eddie Cahyono, Indonesia, 2015)
· HEART OF THE DOG (d. Laurie Anderson, U.S. 2014)
· 45 YEARS (d. Andrew Haigh, England, 2015)
· SON OF SAUL (d. Lázló Nemes, Hungary, 2015)
· ONLY THE DEAD (d. Michael Ware, Bill Guttentag, U.S.- Australia, 2015)
· TAXI (d. Jafar Panahi, Iran, 2015)
· HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT (d. Kent Jones, U.S., 2015)
· TIME TO CHOOSE (d. Charles Ferguson, U.S., 2015)
· MARGUERITE (d. Xavier Giannoli, France, 2015)
· TIKKUN (d. Avishai Sivan, Israel, 2015)
· WINTER ON FIRE: UKRAINE’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM (d. Evgeny Afineevsky, Russia-Ukraine, 2015)

Additional Sneak Previews may play outside the main program and will be announced through the Telluride Film Festival website over the course of the four-day weekend. Visit the TFF website for updates: www.telluridefilmfestival.org.

The 2015 Silver Medallion Awards, given to recognize an artist’s significant contribution to the world of cinema, go to filmmaker Danny Boyle (TRAINSPOTTING, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) who will present his latest film, STEVE JOBS; documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis (THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES) who will present his latest work, BITTER LAKE; and actress Rooney Mara (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) who will present CAROL. Films will be shown following the on-stage interview and medallion presentation.

“We are thrilled to present such an exhilarating, diverse program for the 42nd Telluride Film Festival,” said executive director Julie Huntsinger. “This year was an abundance of riches, particularly within the documentary category, and we feel privileged to celebrate these films and their artists with our audience in one of the most beautiful locations in the world.”

Guest Director Rachel Kushner, who serves as a key collaborator in the Festival’s program, presents the following revival programs:
· THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE (d. Jean Eustache, France, 1973)
· MES PETITES AMOUREUSES (d. Jean Eustache, France, 1974)
· WAKE IN FRIGHT (d. Ted Kotcheff, Australia, 1971)
· COCKSUCKER BLUES (d. Robert Frank, U.S., 1979)
· A DAY IN THE COUNTRY (d. Jean Renoir, France, 1936) + UNCLE YANCO (d. Agnès Varda, France, 1967)
· THE MATTEI AFFAIR (d. Francesco Rosi, Italy, 1972)

Additional film revival programs include DIE NIBELUNGEN (d. Fritz Lang, Germany, 1924) presented by Pordenone Silent Film Festival; L’INHUMAINE (d. Marcel L’Herbier, France, 1924) with the Alloy Orchestra; RETOUR DE FLAMME, a collection of short films curated by Serge Bromberg; and RESTORING NAPOLEON with Georges Mourier who is currently overseeing the six-and-half-hour restoration of the film for Cinémathèque Francaise.

Backlot, Telluride’s intimate screening room featuring behind-the-scenes movies and portraits of artists, musicians and filmmakers, will screen the following nine programs:
· CINEMA: A PUBLIC AFFAIR (d. Tatiana Brandrup, Russia, 2015)
· THE CENTURY OF THE SELF (d. Adam Curtis, U.K., 2002)
· INGRID BERGMAN – IN HER OWN WORDS (d. Stig Björkman, Sweden, 2015)
· IN THE SHADOW OF THE GREAT OAKS (d. George Mourier, France, 2005)
· PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT (d. Lisa Immordino Vreeland, U.S., 2015)
· SEMBENE! (d. Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman, U.S.-Senegal, 2015)
· DREAMING AGAINST THE WORLD (d. Tim Sternberg, Francisco Bello, U.S., 2015) + TYRUS (Pamela Tom, U.S., 2015)

[Chris Knipp]

Evolution - Lucile Hadžihalilović, France

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/e1v1o1.jpg
STILL FROM EVOLUTION

"Lucile Hadzihalilovic's Stylish Arthouse Thriller Premieres at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival Opens Theatrically 2016"

I just got an invite to a NYC press screening of this for 8 Sept. If I were there I'd go -- Mike D'Angelo said (above quoted) it's the TIFF film he's most anticipating. Her debut was strange, certainly unique. Not in the NYFF.

[Chris Knipp]

News from Telluride of Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs film, premiering in the NYFF.

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/FASJOB.jpg
MICHAEL FASSBINDER = STEVE JOB, DANNY BOYLE'S SORKIN-SCRIBED BIOPIC


Michael Fassbender has become a front-runner for next year's best actor Oscar after an early cut of his new Steve Jobs biopic was screened in the US.
"He completely owns the screen," said Variety, despite his character being "very unlikeable throughout" the film.
"You get the strong sense from Fassbender of a mind that is always several steps beyond everyone else's," agreed The Hollywood Reporter.
Steve Jobs was shown as a "work in progress" at the Telluride Festival.
British director Danny Boyle is expected to premiere the completed version at the New York Film Festival on 3 October. The film will also close the London Film Festival on 18 October.
. . .
"Fassbender spits out Sorkin's dialogue like an ice cube maker — each withering insult sticking its landing."
"Sorkin has a gift for writing the elevated gab of brainiacs," added Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter, and "Boyle's fast-heartbeat pacing and quasi-verite style provides the new film with a constant dramatic hum and you-are-there immediacy."
--BBC News. (http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34167248)

[Chris Knipp]

Some Venice and Telluride screenings have brought up Oscar predictions - new coming release titles to consider.

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/depp.jpg
JOHNNY DEPP = CRIME BOSS, MURDERER WHITEY BULGER (SCOTT COOPER)

Newly emerging Best Actor Oscar possibilities cited by Criticwire (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/what-we-learned-about-the-oscar-race-at-telluride-and-venice-20150907):

Room (Lenny Abrahamson) Brie Larson stands out as a lady who raises a child as a prisoner held in a room.
Spotlight - (Tom McCarthy) Boston Globe journalistic exposé story with Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton - Open Road)
Steve Jobs (Danny Boyle) - rough cut "preview" at Telluride Aaron Sorkin-scribed biopic with Michael Fassbender mentioned, also Kate Winslet as Eighties collaborator Joanna Hoffman. (NYFF premiere.)
Suffragette (Sarah Gavron) - Telluride - then LFF - Early feminism historical drama with Carey Mulligan mentioned; also involving Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw and Meryl Streep

Another Criticwire article mentions these as best picture possibilities in this order

Carol (Todd Haynes), Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara (NYFF) (Weinstein)
The Danish Girl Eddie Redmayne as a girl, with Alicia Vikander (Focus)
Steve Jobs - as befoe (Universal
Spotlight (See above)
Bridge of Spies (Disney) With Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance et al. dramatizing manipulations following U2 incident. (NYFF)
The Revenant (Alejandro González Iñárritu - 20th Century Fox)Tight cast: Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCapbio, Domhnall Gleeson
The Hateful Eight (Quentin Tarantino - The Weinstein Company -post-Civil War Western with Channing Tatum, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins )
Joy (David O. Russell - 20th Century Fox) family dynasty saga with Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper together again with Robert De Niro

Also mentioned:

Everest (Baltasar Kormákur mountain climbing saga with Jake Gyllenhaal, Elizabeth Debicki, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright.) Opening film at Venice Festival.
Black MAss (Soctt Cooper historical gangster saga/biopic about Boston criminal Whitey Bulger with Johnny Depp),
Beasts of No Nation (Cary Fukunaga's West African boy soldier drama .

[Chris Knipp]

Walter Chaw of 'Film Freak Central (http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/walter-chaw/#sthash.sgj8SvvC.dpuf)' rates and briskly reviews seven big Telluride films.

Here are his ratings and excerpts from his reviews.

Spotlight.
Three out of four stars ."There aren't a lot of movie stars I like better than Michael Keaton. He is the embodiment of aspiration and stick-to-it-iveness."

Room.
One out of four stars. "If you've read the book, you'll probably like the movie. If you haven't, like me, you'll have some questions."

Carol.
Two and a half out of four stars. "Todd Haynes movies tend to grow on me. I expect that Carol, his adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's The Price of Salt, will do the same. First pass, though, finds me considering a film adapted by a filmmaker I like from an author I adore as fully twenty minutes too long with enough fake-out climaxes and epilogues that you can almost see the air hissing out of it."

Black Mass.
One and a half out of four stars. "It's a cartoon with a cartoon performance by Joel Edgerton, cartoon makeup for Johnny Depp, and cartoon accents from everyone else, including a miscast Benedict Cumberbatch, tasked with sounding South Boston rather than South London c. 1882."

Suffragette.
1/2 star out of four. "Here's the clincher: the way she's sitting and holding the book, the candle is casting no illumination on the pages--but lights her up just perfectly, like a little golden angel. This is exploitation, isn't it?"

45 Years
Three and a half out of four stars. "Andrew Haigh's 45 Years turns on a fifty-year-old mystery that resurfaces in the week before the 45th wedding anniversary of Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff (Tom Courtenay), causing the couple to reassess what they know of each other and their place in their relationship. It's a slow unravelling, and Haigh trusts his cast to a laudable extent." (starring Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, written and directed by Andrew Haigh.)

Steve Jobs
Three out of four stars. "The dialogue is alive, of course, that much to be expected, but in an attempt to capture Jobs's fragmented, hyperkinetic, probably-somewhere-on-the-autism-scale psyche, neither Boyle nor Sorkin demonstrate much in the way of restraint nor, really, much idea of what story it is that they want to tell. Some would push this scattered approach as a virtue. I see it as a good try at winnowing down a massive amount of source material into a broadly-entertaining, brisk awards-season biopic."
____________________________

Maverick Asian American film critic Chaw lives with his family in his native Colorado and in this Telluride piece talks about stopping more often this time for scenic lookouts on his six-hour drive to the festival. He writ reviews for Bill Chambers's "Film Freak Central (http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/)" and gives cinephile workshops, lectures and panels. He is the author of a 200-age monograph about Steve De Jarnatt's surprising Eighties movie Miracle Mile. See an interview with Chaw here (http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/keep-up-or-get-out-of-the-way-an-interview-with-film-critic-walter-chaw).

[Chris Knipp]

http://www.chrisknipp.com/links/ven72.jpg

Venice Film Festival.

List of films at Venice this year in Deadline Hollywood (http://deadline.com/2015/07/venice-film-festival-lineup-2015-full-list-1201486791/) . The festival ends Sept. 12 and awards will be announced. Some titles we haven't heard yet may emerge.

The Horizons sidebar, a competitive section that runs parallel, features buzzed-about The Childhood Of A Leader from Deadline 2014 actor-director to watch Brady Corbet and starring Robert Pattinson and Bérénice Bejo. Also one to keep an eye on is A Hijacking helmer Tobias Lindholm’s A War. The Danish drama from The Hunt and Borgen scripter follows an officer who is put on trial upon his return from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Magnolia boarded domestic early.

[Johann]

Fabulous stuff Chris. Thanks for the info about Mitchell Banks.


Black Mass is getting notices. It looks interesting to me. It's supposed to be a "return to form" for Depp. His recent movies haven't been all that hot.

Shouldn't we be done with movies about Steve Jobs? The guy invented great products. Wonderful. But do we need to be beaten over the head with more flicks about him? Even if it's Danny Boyle directing?

I agree with Walter Chaw about Michael Keaton. He was the best Batman, and not because of his Batman- it was his Bruce Wayne. His Bruce Wayne was exactly what he should be. Is Walter Chaw a "maverick"? I had no idea.

[Chris Knipp]

Thanks, Johann. Don't you think Chaw is a maverick? I leave you and he to decide about Keaton; not my area of expertise.

People will never get tired of Steve Jobs. It's just starting. The Danny Boyle film gives Aaron Sorkin a chance to skewer egocentric computer "geniuses" again as he did in The Social Network. Should be delicious fun, and Fassbinder's performance has already been highly praised. If it doesn't interest you, you don't have to see it. Me, it interests. I am a great fan of Sorkin, starting with the film just mentioned and greatly increased by "The West Wing" and "Newsroom." You like Tarantino, right? Know what he said recently about Aaron Sorkin?
When the interviewer reminded Tarantino that The Newsroom got some unfavorable reviews, the director defended his love of Aaron Sorkin saying, “Who the fuck reads TV reviews? Jesus fucking Christ. TV critics review the pilot. Pilots of shows suck. Why would it be surprising that I like the best dialogue writer in the business?”

Mitch Banks died several years ago, but I still miss him all the time, especially when I'm watching FSLC films.

[Johann]

Tarantino has high praise for Aaron Sorkin. I've never seen The Newsroom and I think I saw 2 episodes of The West Wing.
He's right that pilots suck. The only pilot I ever liked is Starsky & Hutch- it's 90 minutes long, like a movie. It has some bad dialogue in it but I dig it. I have the first season of Starsky & Hutch on DVD. Vintage 70's TV.

Speaking of Tarantino, did you see his lists of potential actors he was thinking of casting for Pulp Fiction?
Matt Dillon was dropped- QT said about him (paraphrase): "If he can't give me a commitment after reading the script then he's out".
That's clout, when it's only your second film. I'm so grateful I got to see him in person in Toronto. The guy is a cinematic savior.

I didn't consider Walter Chaw a maverick but I suppose he is.

[Chris Knipp]

QT right about Sorkin. Watch for the Steve Jobs film == my review will come at the end of the NYFF.

[Chris Knipp]

Mike D'Angelo TIFF film ratings.

Have forgotten about Toronto because I'm attending the NYFF press screenings, and now Toronto is over. Perhaps because he has no publication to post daily reports for, or for some other reason, D'Angelo has not really posted his useful Tweet review/ratings. You have to go on Letterboxd to see his short reviews here. (http://letterboxd.com/gemko/)But he gives this on Twitter, plus Letterboxd.


SICARIO (83)
RIGHT NOW, WRONG THEN (82);
THE FORBIDDEN ROOM (77).
ANOMALISA (Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman) (73)
THE MARTIAN (72)
EVOLUTION (Hadzihalilovic) (67)
REMEMBER (Atom Agoyan, w/C. Plummer) (65)
SPOTLIGHT (64)
TAXI (Panahi) (63)
OFFICE (a musical) (56)
LES COWBOYS (52)
ARABIAN NIGHTS 3 (52)
BROOKLYN (NYFF) (51)
OUR BRAND IS CRISIS (49)
CHEVALIER (Athina Rachel Tsangari)(48)
ARABIAN NIGHTS 2 (41)
ARABIAN NIGHTS 1 (33)
He tweets that he also very much liked OUR LOVED ONES (Les êtres chers, Anne Édmond, French Canadian) and JACKSON HEIGHTS (Fred Wiseman).

Other TIFF D'Angelo tweets:
TIFF film I quite liked and might love if someone can explain it to me (paging @moviemartyr): Bellocchio’s BLOOD OF MY BLOOD.
Biggest TIFF disappointment: Terence Davies’ stultifying SUNSET SONG. Magnolia just bought it, though, so you’ll be able 2 see for yourself.
Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (Shadyac): 63. Practically vaudevillian for a while, & I appreciated the showmanship. Subsequent didacticism kept mild.
Dégradé (Nasser Bros.): W/O. Bad theater. Sometimes I should just see the acclaimed Berlin film (45 YRS) rather than play Cannes completist.

[Chris Knipp]

Other TIFF reviews or ratings.

AV Club has a 7 short pieces. I'll get to those later if I have time.

The GUARDIAN reviews.
Unfortunately compared to D'Anbelo's these ratings are too vague to be of much use except for the top and bottom ones. But Guardian writers' summaries say that this is simply a very mediocre year. They (or somebody on the staff) liked THE MARTIAN, ROOM, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS, and SPOTLIGHT. Also mentioned ANOMALISA (Charlie Kaufman Kickstarter movie) and 45 YEARS (Tom Courtenay, Charlotte Rampling acting fest directed by Andrew Haigh of the intense gay debut WEEKEND).

COUPLE IN A HOLE (Tom Geemns) summary is "A British couple ends up living like savages in a hole in the middle of a vast forest somewhere in Eastern Europe."

COUPLE IN A HOLE 4/5
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING (Naomi Klein) 3/5
FORSAKEN (Western w/D.&K Sutherland dir. Jon Cassar) 3/5
RABIN, THE LAST DAY (Israeli film) 3/5
BORN TO BE BLUE (Ethan Hawke Chet Baker biopic) 3/5
A MONTH OF SUNDAYS 2/5
THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS 1/5
REMEMBER 1/5

[Chris Knipp]

New titles from Toronto.

BORN TO BE BLUE (Robert Budreau). A fanciful Chet Baker biopic starring Ethan Hawke as Chet. Guardian gave it 3/5 stars. (Their review (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/17/born-to-be-blue-review-ethan-hawke-jazzes-up-unconventional-chet-baker-biopic).) The reviewer Benjamin Lee suggest Hawke makes a convincing and engaging lead.

AV Club has a day-by-day journal (http://www.avclub.com/features/toronto-international-film-festival/) of the festival. Here are some titles that come up:

THE MARTIAN (Ridley Scott) (debuted at Toronto, now in US theaters. got good reports (now Metacritic 82%).

TAXI (Jaafer Panahi). True, even his making a movie in Iran when he's banned from making one is an accomplishment, as Dowd says, but I'd pay more attention to D'Angelo's 63 than Dowd's B+.

45 YEARS (Andrew Haigh). This by the maker of the intense gay film WEEKEND - Mark Kermode of GUARDIAN (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/30/45-years-charlotte-rampling-tom-courtenay-review-mark-kermode) He gave it 4/5 stars and the subtitle is "Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling are at the top of their game in this compelling drama of lost love and missed opportunity." Dowd gave it an A- so there's agreement there.

GREEN ROOM (Jeremy Saulner of Blur Ruin). Already mentioned by D'Angelo at Cannes. Well reviewed by Dowd (A-) and D'Angelo, and one I'm sorry not to have gotten to a screening of. It could have replaced one of the NYFF's more lackluster Main Slate titles. (Considering that Gomes' ARABIAN NIGHTS took up three slots. . . .)

THE DANISH GIRL (Tom Hooper). This is at least notable as another proof that Eddie Redmayne is on the prowl for challenging or stunt roles, coming after his impressive impersonation of Stephen Hawking and his disease last year, because this time he's a transsexual. It actually debuted at Venice. But Jonathan Romney of Guardian gives calls it "pain free" and gives it only a 2/5 stars and Dowd gives it a C+ and bewails it's lack of sex. I guess we can say it is bold only to be timid.

THE APOSTATE (Federico Veiroj) Dowd describes as "undershelming" but gives a B+ to. It concerns a Spanish agnostic on a quixotic effort to take his name off baptismal records, that fades into "Nanni Moretti-esque detours" that re "scrambled and sputtering" but "gracefully directed."

OFFICE (Johnnie To) A Chinese musical Dowd calls "inspired." Set in a Hong Kong investment firm during the 2008 financial crisis. Two years ago I reviewed his more typical DRUG WAR.

[Chris Knipp]

TIFF 2015 awards.


Room - People's Choice Award.
Runner ups: Angry Indian Godesses, Spotlight
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom - People's Choice documentary.
FIPRESCI Discovery Prize Eva Nová Marko Skop
FIPRESCI Special Presentations Desierto

And a lot of other mentions; but I guess at Toronto awards don't mean much, unlike Cannes?