#TIFF50 - Frankenstein-Toronto's fav Director

 

FRANKENSTEIN

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christophe Waltz

Running Time: 2 hr. 29 min. 

Special Presentation: Toronto International Film Festival

Director Guillermo del Toro has a bit of a reputation as Toronto's favourite Director these days because, besides being a fantastic Director and shooting many of his projects here, he is also known for popping up around town and talking about his favourite places.  

He is the master of the monster fantasy genre. Frankenstein was one of the buzziest films of Tiff this year.  A lot of people were really looking forward to seeing it because:

1. It was shot in Toronto

2. Jacob Elordi is the monster

3. we love del Toro

You know it's popular when Tiff (Toronto International Film Festival) has 4 screenings at the Princess of Wales theatre and another 2 at Tiff Lightbox.  That's unusual and a sign it will be popular.

I was lucky to get a ticket, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see the screening with the Director and Cast.

This is a long film, 2 hours and 29 minutes, but it flowed very quickly and didn't feel as long as it is.

There is an intentional look to the film with very dark tones and aged, which is reflected in the costume design.

The casting was fantastic and, surprisingly, one of the current hot actors, Jacob Elordi, was cast as the monster, where he was transformed in the film.

Unless you have never watched films or have read Mary Shelly's book, you probably know the Frankenstein story, but this film is really layered and comes to life in every way.

With Oscar Isaac as the scientific creator of the creature and Elordi as the monster, by the end, you wonder who the monster really is.

If you have seen del Toro's The Shape of Water, you know that he brings out human emotion with very intentional dialogue and a lot of facial expression.

You find yourself asking the question, When does science go too far?

I usually get very restless or distracted in long movies, but I didn't feel that way at all watching this film.

You will have a chance to see it in theatres or streaming online.

Theatre Release date: Oct. 17, 2025

Netflix Release date:  Nov. 7, 2025

#TIFF50- Rental Family- Japan's answer to lonliness

 

RENTAL FAMILY

Director: Hikari

Starring: Brendan Fraser

Running Time: 1hr 43min

Release Date: Nov 21st

I never heard of Hikari before I saw Rental Family, but I will never forget her now.  What she was able to do with this film is amazing.

Brendan Fraser plays Philip, a disillusioned actor who is stuck in Japan, and becomes famous for a really cheesy commercial.  He becomes the token white guy who is sent for nothing parts. 

He is very alone, sad, and isolated in Japan, but tries to make the best of his life.

At the last minute, he is sent out to a strange job that becomes life-changing.  He is sent to a staged funeral, and he is a fake family member. He doesn't understand why he is there and is totally confused by the whole thing.  He finds out it's a staged event to make the family feel better, and the person isn't really dead.  The owner of the company, who sets up the funerals, gives him his card and tells Phillip to come and see him, and he may have some work for him.

At first, he says it's not for him, but after some thought and lack of opportunities, he goes to the office to find out more.

In Japan, there is a serious problem with loneliness, so many people start companies to provide companionship or other things to help people.

Philip decides to join the company and is sent out to be the token white guy, father, friend, or whatever is needed. 

He is sent out to a single mother's home to pretend he is the girl's father to help her get into a prestigious school.  The mother just wants to increase the girl's confidence to get into the school, and then the job is over.  The problem is that the little girl and Philip form a strong bond. Unfortunately, the bond didn't end when the job was done.

He was also sent to assist an old man with no friends and accompanied him to his family's tiny temple spot, and was there to be with him at the end of his life.

Philip was there for important, big, small, sad, happy, and important times in people's lives.

Even though he crossed the line a few times, he felt fulfilled, and this filled his lonely heart as well.

Brendan Fraser's facial expressions are so captivating and expressive.  Hikari uses the close-ups on his face to drive home the emotion of the film.

Hikari, known for the viral hit show Beef,  really captured the cold, lonely environment of her homeland in Japan.

In the Q&A, she said that they shot so many things and had so many ways to go, so they just kept reworking it until they got what they wanted.

I hope Brendan Fraser gets some more love for this film, as he did for The Whale.  

This film has a lot of heart thanks to Hikari's direction and writing.  A director to watch for.

#TIFF50-Canceled: The Paula Deen Story

 Canceled: The Paula Deen Story

Directed by Billy Corben

Starring: Paula Deen, Bobby Deen and Jamie Deen

Running Time: 1hr 38min.

TIFF50 

Do you remember Paula Deen the huge Food Network personality from years ago?

Well, she was a legend that had an empire, and it all disappeared in a poof of smoke because she told the truth in a deposition about using the "N" word in her past.  I believe she was caught off guard, and because it was a deposition, she wanted to tell the truth.  But boy, did telling the truth about something she said in the past turn out to bite her.

I used to watch Paula all the time.  She was hilarious, and I gained a bit of knowledge about Southern Cooking from watching her, and I was entertained by all her crazy sayings.

She was the Queen of Butter and all things about the South.  With her 2 sons part of her empire to keep the train going.  But then everything but her family restaurant was gone.  And it seems that the restaurant closed this year as well.

Paula came from humble beginnings and had issues with her first marriage.  After her marriage ended, she became agorophobic.   Needing to feed her sons, she started making sandwiches in her kitchen, and her boys would deliver them.  That grew and eventually turned into a brick-and-mortar full-fledged restaurant.  And then the Food Network came calling, and all kinds of endorsements.

Once again, Paula's willingness to tell her truth took her sponsorships away when she confessed that she had type 2 Diabetes when she was working with a pharmaceutical company.

Sadly, Chef Anthony Bourdain piled on with more criticism about her unhealthy food.  Did you see some of the things he ate, drank, and smoked on his travel shows?

This is where cancel culture really gets it wrong.  Instead of having a conversation or educating the public and Deen, they just dropped her and left her with nothing but a bad reputation.

It's true what they say: when it takes years to build a good reputation, one mistake can ruin it.

I think it was Paula's naivety that took her down because she didn't know what was politically correct to say.

It kind of upsets me when someone who is uneducated and says something wrong and is stripped of everything she worked for, while the U.S. President has attacked, assaulted, and criticized people around the world, and he is allowed to continue doing it.

I learned a lot of things I didn't know by watching the documentary.  I wish she and the family had been able to do this after all the fallout had happened.

I hope this film redeems her reputation and shows that she has learned from her mistakes and wants to move forward.   She loves people, and it would be great to see her have a new outlet to share her love of food and love.

I could not find a release date, but I really hope that this one gets picked up by a streamer soon.  I really felt for her and wish her success in her future.

This was the last film I saw at TIFF50,
and it was a memorable one for me.

The Road Between Us- #TIFF50 People's choice Documentary

THE ROAD BETWEEN US

Directed by Barry Avrich

Produced by Mark Selby/Barry Avrich

Running Time: 95min

The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue - Documentary Film

Starring: Noam Tibon

This film had almost as much drama attached to it outside of the screening as it did in the movie.

The film was accepted to TIFF- Toronto International Film Festival, but then it was pulled before the start of the festival for what they said was clearance and other issues.  Then it was put back in after the Director had talks with the CEO, Cameron Bailey.  The Director Barry Avrich used to be on TIFF's board and still works with the Festival.  Avrich's company worked on the opening night 50th Anniversary short film that was shown before the World Premiere and Opening Night, where the John Candy Documentary was shown.

The schedule was already set, and from speaking with the Producer Mark Selby, who I know because he also worked at TIFF for a couple of years, they upgraded the screening from 3 screenings in smaller theatres at the Lightbox to one large venue at Roy Thompson Hall.  Because I was at Roy Thompson for many, many years I can tell you that the security there is excellent.  I am sure that played prominently into the decision to have it there.   Also, there wasn't a separate media screening, so they needed a larger venue.  But because most of the schedule was already set, they got a Wednesday afternoon time slot. By that time, most of the international press and tourists had left town.  That also may have played into the decision to decrease the risk of screening the film.

I had to go to the Royal Alex just about the time the film would have ended, and had to pass by Roy Thompson Hall before the film started, so I was there to witness the Protesters on Simcoe Street in front of the theatre.  

I had a feeling that the controversy about pulling the film and the threat of protests would draw more attention to the film than it might have otherwise, and I think I may have been right.  The tickets sold out immediately.  

When chatting with Mark, he said he didn't understand why they were protesting when they hadn't seen the film.  That screening was the World Premiere, so no one had seen it, even the media didn't get to see it prior.

But I was really disappointed to hear the propaganda that they were yelling at the protest.   On a truck that was parked on King Street, it read, NO JEWS ALLOWED.  I have to say this one was very personal to me, and the protest was a waste of the time and money spent on policing the protest.  Could they just not see the film and voice their issues afterward without a protest costing taxpayers money?

With 6 other films about Palestine in the festival and not one protest against them.

Why can't we just listen or watch the films and have a discussion without spewing hate speech.

There have been protests at the festival in the past but this was a new excessive level of hate against a whole religious group.

The film is a documentary about Noem Tibon, who is a retired Israeli General who received a call from his son after the October 7th, 2023, attack in Israel by Hamas.  When he found out the Israeli army wasn't there to save his family he and his wife took it upon themselves to go and save his son and his family.  What would you do in his situation?,

They used the Hamas body cam footage that they had broadcast in line with the description of their experience to show a full timeline of what was happening after the call was received.  I thought it was really well done to show what it really looked like.  It really looked like an apocalypse with all the shot-out cars and bodies all strewn across the road.  Like a Hollywood movie, but this was real, and Tibon had to race against time to get to his family before Hamas did.

Ultimately, this film is about a man with the skills and love to save his family at all costs.

In a bit of Karma and with a lot of support, the film was chosen as the People's Choice Award for Documentary.  Because it won, I was able to get a ticket to the People's Choice screening to see the film.

You will be able to see it in Cineplex theatres starting October 7, 2025.  

I would strongly suggest watching the film before commenting on it.

I think films like this should be shown back-to-back, with the Palestinian perspective and a discussion could be had afterward.

My hope is for all of the hostages to be released, all of the bombings and killings to stop, and for the Palestinians to stop being used as shields and pawns and given aid and safe shelter.

I do not think wars solve any problems; they just create more problems.  

This observation comes from a direct family history of what these atrocities can do to a family.

Eleanor the Great- A lonely seniors great story-Tiff 50

ELEANOR THE GREAT

Directed by Scarlett Johannson

Starring:  June Squibb, Rita Zohar, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Running Time: 1hr 38min.

Eleanor the Great is Scarlett Johansson’s first film as a director. It's a drama, but there is comedy in the truth of life. It's starring June Squibb as Eleanor, a 94-year-old woman who moves from Florida to New York City after losing her best friend.

Eleanor and her longtime friend Bessie (Rita Zohar) were best friends and roommates for 11 years,  who did everything together. But when Bessie dies, Eleanor tries to reconnect with her family in Manhattan. Instead, she ends up living with a daughter (Jessica Hecht) who wants her in a retirement home, and a grandson (Will Price), who both have busy lives and don't have time to spend with her.  Eleanor feels lonely and out of place.

Things shift when she joins a group of Holocaust survivors who welcome her warmly. She also meets Nina (Erin Kellyman), a student writing about the group, who becomes a close friend. Nina and her father (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are also grieving.

Eleanor accidentally ends up in a Holocaust survivor support group instead of a class that her daughter signed her up to at their local JCC.  Caught by surprise, she shares a story with the group that takes on a life of its own, one she doesn't know how to get out of, and there is a price to pay for her life story.

I saw this film at TIFF, but I really wish I had been able to see the Premiere to be there for the Q&A with Scarlett and June.

This film was so well cast with fully developed real-life characters going through their own struggles in life.

I really loved this film for telling the story of Holocaust survivors and seniors who come to the last chapter in their lives and are looking for human connections.

June Squibb's deft ability to deliver one-liners is truly a gift.

Johansson really put a lot of heart and skill into this project, and you can tell she was very thoughtful about each character's personal stories.

I would look out for Johansson to become a Director to watch.  

Johansson made a real, authentic move by casting real Holocaust survivors with the help of the Shoah Foundation to play members of the support group, adding authenticity and heart to the film.

Trailer link

Opens September 26 in Canada!

TIFF 50 - That's a Wrap!

The Toronto International Film Festival has come to the end of a hectic 11 days of TIFF 50. 

This was the first year I volunteered while also holding a Media Pass.  It was a lot of juggling and piecing puzzles of time together, while balancing my limited energy levels to see as many of the films I had picked.

It will probably be my last year volunteering after hitting my 25th year as a volunteer.  My body just can't keep up with my desire to do it anymore.

Attending as media affords me more opportunity to organize my schedule and choose the films in advance of the festival while still having the flexibility to rush anything that gets my attention.

The thing that is added with the media pass is being able to attend the Closing Awards and find out who the People's Choice films are.

I was able to go to the Press lounge, but I didn't have to meet with anyone, so I only went a couple of times to decompress and have some iced coffee.  I enjoyed that part.

Films, shows, and conversations watched:

1. Still Single
2. Carolina Caroline
3. You had to be there: Godspell the Comedy Revolution
4. Roofman
5. Butterfly on a Wheel (short film) not released yet
6. Black Rabbit (Series)
7. Rental Family
8. Easy's Waltz
9. Eleanor the Great
10. Glenrothan
11. Frankenstein
12. Couture
13. Tuner
14. The Road Between Us
15. Canceled: The Paula Deen Story
16. Plus my first time attending an In Conversation with: Ryan Reynolds

Parties attended:

• XOTO - The Mayor's Film Industry party at Stackt Market
• 1 Happy Hour at the Glenn Gould Studio

Number of times going to the Ritz Carlton:  4

Number of Volunteer shifts: 4, but I helped with the Easy's Waltz red carpet.

Number of Volunteer hours: 26.45, actually helped another couple of hours for Easy's Waltz.

Number of Hours waiting in rush, food, and bathroom lines: Unknown, but bet it's somewhere near 8 hours.

Celebrities spotted while I wasn't on a shift:

• Rami Malek
• Molly Shannon
• Ryan Reynolds
• Colin Hanks
• Jude Law
• Jason Bateman

Highlights:

Taking photos of Matt Dillon inside the historic Royal Alexandra Theatre with his phone and answering questions about the building.  He really loved the old photos inside. 

Seeing Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson walk on King Street while all the fans were screaming Rock sayings and seeing how big he is.  If he lost weight, he would still be large to me.

Seeing many friends in passing at theatres and walking on the streets.

Turning new Volunteer friends on to the croissants at the Ritz.

I enjoyed all of the films I saw and really loved a few of them. 

A highlight and a lowlight. Leaving my wallet at home by mistake, thinking I lost it, and having my festival friends help me pay for food and have emergency cash to get home.

Connecting with new or newer volunteers.

Seeing the Road Between Us win the People's Choice Documentary and squeezing it in before my last film of the festival.

Seeing my last film, Cancelled: The Paula Deen Story with Joanne, even though we didn't have seats together.,

Grabbing a Banh Mi sandwich with my friend as my end of Tiff meal.

Lowlights:

Not having shifts with most of my OG volunteer friends

Not having breaks with all my Entourage friends like we used to.

Doing the festival mostly solo.  I have a ticket for my friend for the Paula Deen story, but we aren't sitting together.

Not having time or energy to eat properly.  Sometimes I only had 10 minutes, so I grabbed Hot dogs, beef jerky, croissants, and other junk because the screenings were so close together, or I would have had to walk too far to go get something healthy.

The cost of everything, popcorn $7, tuna nachos, and a non-alcoholic beverage at the Ritz, is $50.

I tried to ignore the cost because most of the time I was just grabbing what I could.

Fighting with the daily pain in my body. I averaged almost 9,000 steps every day, and the many stairs, escalators, and standing in lineups, then rushing to get into the theatres.

The TTC hours on the TTC=22 plus the time before the festival for training, etc.

The protesters spewing hate against Jews at the Road Between Us screening at Roy Thompson Hall

SWEET KARMA:  The Road Between Us wins the People's Choice Award for Documentary after being in the festival, being pulled, put back in again, only one screening, and having a protest during the only screening.

Here's the List of all the People's Choice Award Winners for TIFF50:

Platform Award winner: Valentyn Vasyanovych’s To The Victory!

TORONTO — TIFF is announcing 12 awards today, including the Platform Award, TIFF’s only juried competition, and the coveted People’s Choice Awards presented by Rogers. This year’s awards include two exciting new additions: the International People’s Choice Award and the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film. As TIFF’s 50th edition comes to a close, the Festival is proud to have welcomed over 700,000 guests, nearly 2,000 accredited media, 6,000 Industry delegates, 1,200 screenings, and a stellar lineup of talent who graced 110 red carpets. Audiences can catch this year’s People’s Choice Award–winning films at TIFF Lightbox screenings starting at noon today, with free tickets available to the public (visit here for more information). PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS PRESENTED BY ROGERS The 48th edition of TIFF’s People’s Choice Awards, presented by Rogers, presents the audience’s top titles at the Festival as voted by the viewing public. All feature films and Primetime series in TIFF’s Official Selection are eligible. People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: Hamnet, dir. Chloé Zhao First runner-up: Frankenstein, dir. Guillermo del Toro Second runner-up: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, dir. Rian Johnson International People’s Choice Award presented by Rogers: No Other Choice, dir. Park Chan-wook First runner-up: Sentimental Value, dir. Joachim Trier Second runner-up: Homebound, dir. Neeraj Ghaywan People’s Choice Documentary Award presented by Rogers: The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, dir. Barry Avrich First runner-up: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, dir. Baz Luhrmann Second runner-up: You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution..., dir. Nick Davis People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award presented by Rogers: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, dir. Matt Johnson   First runner-up: Obsession, dir. Curry Barker Second runner-up: The Furious, dir. Kenji Tanigaki SHORT CUTS AWARDS Short Cuts Awards are presented to the Best International Short Film, Best Canadian Short Film, and Best Animated Short Film, as awarded by the Short Cuts jury. Each of the three winning films will receive a bursary of $10,000 CAD. The 2025 jurors for the Short Cuts Awards are Ashley Iris Gill, Marcel Jean, and Connor Jessup. Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film: Talk Me, dir. Joecar Hanna | Spain/USA Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This film sparked one of the most interesting conversations around the jury table. Talk Me is bold in its portrayal of intimacy and the universal longing for connection. The characters fit so naturally into the film’s unique, evocative world that everything feels normal very quickly. Its cinematography is beautiful, delicate yet deliberate, each frame carefully crafted to draw us deeper into the story. By allowing the visuals to lead, the film creates an immersive experience of vulnerability and honesty. For its courage, craft, and sensitivity, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best International Short Film to Joecar Hanna’s Talk Me.” Honourable Mention: Agapito, dirs. Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Danelle Romero | Philippines Short Cuts jury’s statement: “For its formal precision, command of a delicate tone, poetic awareness of space and movement, and deeply personal reflections on family, the jury is thrilled to present an Honourable Mention to Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s remarkable Agapito. The jury also wants to acknowledge the brilliantly nuanced and committed performances of the film’s young cast.” Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film: The Girl Who Cried Pearls, dirs. Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski | Canada   Short Cuts jury’s statement: “In addition to highlighting the film’s daring technical achievement and sumptuous artistic direction, the jury also wants to recognize a fable about greed and the capacity of artists to create a fantastic world by the power of their narrative voice. The Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film goes to Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski for The Girl Who Cried Pearls.” Honourable Mention: A Soft Touch, dir. Heather Young Short Cuts jury’s statement: “A Soft Touch really pierced our hearts. It finds a way to transform routine, everyday moments into a quietly devastating portrait of neglect and resilience. With searing precision and simplicity, the film illuminates how easily older folks can be overlooked, and in doing so, demands our attention, empathy, and accountability. The jury awards an Honourable Mention to Heather Young’s A Soft Touch.” Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film: To the Woods, dir. Agnès Patron | France Short Cuts jury’s statement: “This wordless journey into the bond between two siblings becomes a transcendent meditation on the mysteries of time and memory, love and loss, connection and transformation. Animated with lush, cosmic beauty and vibrating with tenderness and insight, the film plunges its viewer into deep, deep feeling. For its overwhelming artistry, luminous spirit, and soul-expanding sense of mystery, the jury presents the Short Cuts Award for Best Animated Short Film to Agnès Patron’s To the Woods. The jury also wants to note the film’s jaw-dropping sound design and the work of composer Pierre Oberkampf, whose score ranks among the best film music of recent years.” FIPRESCI PRIZE The FIPRESCI jury is awarding the International Critics Prize, dedicated to emerging filmmakers, to a debut feature film having its World Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery or Centrepiece programmes. The 2025 FIPRESCI jury members are: Katharina Dockhorn (Germany), Francisco Ferreira (Portugal), Jean-Philippe Guerand (France), Andy Hazel (Australia), and Justine Smith (Canada). FIPRESCI Prize: Forastera, dir. Lucía Aleñar Iglesias | Spain/Italy/Sweden FIPRESCI jury’s statement: “Spanish cinema, long shaped by the exuberance of Pedro Almodóvar, has found a new distinctive voice in Lucía Aleñar Iglesias. Set on sun-drenched Mallorca, Forastera follows 16-year-old Cata, whose carefree family holiday is brought to a halt by the death of her grandmother. In her grief, the teenager takes on the older woman’s persona — wearing her clothes, adopting her gestures and silences. Aleñar Iglesias directs with restraint and precision, finding power in understatement. Performances from newcomer Zoe Stein and veteran Lluís Homar anchor the film’s dreamlike rhythms. What might sound slight becomes luminous: a meditation on an adolescent’s first encounter with death, and a ghost story about how the past lingers in the present. Forastera is a quietly assured debut, simple yet transformative, marking Aleñar Iglesias as a filmmaker the FIPRESCI jury would like to bet on.” NETPAC AWARD Presented by the Network for the Promotion of Asian Pacific Cinema, the NETPAC Award recognizes films specifically from the Asian and Pacific regions. The jury consists of three international community members selected by TIFF and NETPAC, who award the prize to the best Asian film by a first or second-time feature director. The 2025 NETPAC jury members are Dina Iordanova, Helen Lee, and Keoprasith Souvannavong, who is serving as Jury Chair. NETPAC Award: In Search of The Sky (Vimukt), dir. Jitank Singh Gurjar | India NETPAC jury’s statement: “For offering an indelible tale of tolerance, desperation and faith, conveyed through a unique lens of realism and poetics, elevated by striking performances. In Search of The Sky (Vimukt) is a truly independent achievement by Indian filmmaker Jitank Singh Gurjar. The film transports the audience to rural central India, where an impoverished elderly couple contends with their cognitively challenged adult son and the villagers who threaten their existence. A beacon of hope comes in the form of the Maha Kumbh Mela, a pilgrimage to the world’s largest spiritual gathering where they seek renewal and new possibilities of life.” BEST CANADIAN DISCOVERY AWARD The Best Canadian Discovery Award celebrates works of emerging filmmakers who contribute to enriching the Canadian film landscape. All Canadian first or second feature films in Official Selection are eligible for this award. The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 CAD. Jury members presiding over both the Best Canadian Discovery Award and Best Canadian Feature Film Award are: Jennifer Baichwal, Sophie Jarvis, and R.T. Thorne: “Thirty-five films in 10 days gives you some perspective on the cinematic zeitgeist in our country. As a jury, we were particularly impressed by the wonderful variety, breadth, and strength of storytelling in the Indigenous films supported by the Indigenous Screen Office. This was a powerful indicator of the future of cinema in this country, and we look forward to seeing more in the future.” Best Canadian Discovery Award: Blue Heron, dir. Sophy Romvari | Canada Jury’s statement: “Blue Heron, written and directed by Sophy Romvari, is a film centered on a family struggling with a troubling personal crisis, where all elements — script, direction, cinematography, performance and editing — unite to powerfully transcend the sum of their parts. The complexity of story, perspective, and emotion is conveyed with understated simplicity — nothing is superfluous — and the transitions between real and imagined, past and present, are seamless, as well as heartbreaking. Blue Heron is a stunning and assured feature debut about love, grief, memory, and the yearning to go back to the moment before everything changed.” Honourable Mention: 100 Sunset, dir. Kunsang Kyirong | Canada Jury’s statement: “We as a jury were struck by the remarkable world-building in 100 Sunset, Kunsang Kyirong’s directorial debut. She invites us into the apartment complex that is home to members of the Tibetan immigrant community in Toronto, where we experience the gossip, rivalries, and intrigues through the eyes of an observant young thief who rarely speaks but seems to register everything. The growing friendship between the thief and a newly arrived young wife is a study in seeing and being seen, and the interplay of an old DV camera perspective takes us along on their journey of expanding horizons.” BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AWARD The Best Canadian Feature Film Award honours the unique craft and storytelling in Canadian cinema. All Canadian feature films in Official Selection — excluding first or second features — are considered for the award. The winning filmmaker will receive a $10,000 CAD cash prize. Best Canadian Feature Film Award: Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), dir. Zacharias Kunuk | Canada Jury’s statement: “Wrong Husband, directed by Zacharias Kunuk, is a love story from thousands of years ago that blends the epic and intimate and immerses viewers in a mesmerizing and unique cinematic experience. The supernatural is ever-present and matter of fact alongside exquisite details of the daily rhythms of ancient Inuit life. The humour, gentleness and stoicism in the characters’ interactions is deeply moving, and the landscape is both a sublime setting and a character in itself. This is a beautiful and not unexpected achievement from a master storyteller.” Honourable Mention: There Are No Words, dir. Min Sook Lee | Canada Jury’s statement: “An Honourable Mention goes to There Are No Words, written and directed by veteran documentarian Min Sook Lee. This film is a profound and devastating story of unspeakable loss; the shifting shape and mingling of individual and collective memory; the sometimes brutal immigrant experience; and how past violent personal and political realities can continue to define the identity of a family.” PLATFORM AWARD Marking the tenth anniversary of the Festival’s competitive section, Platform champions bold directorial vision and distinctive storytelling on the world stage. The Platform Award is a prize of $20,000 CAD given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury: Carlos Marqués-Marcet (Jury Chair), Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Chloé Robichaud. Platform Award: To The Victory!, dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych | Ukraine/Lithuania Platform jury’s statement: “To The Victory! is the unanimous choice for this year’s Platform Award amongst a very strong selection. Bringing cinematic language to its roots and, at the same time, masterfully playing with audience expectations, this film dismantles convention to reveal deeply resonant universal emotions. Director Valentyn Vasyanovych has choreographed a mise-en-scène rendered with masterful precision, arriving at the kind of refined simplicity that can only be achieved with artistic maturity and bold vision. He has deftly used comedy to address a very complicated and complex situation into a work that is both audacious and profoundly beautiful. Ultimately, the film returns us to the very essence of cinema — reminding us why we are compelled to tell stories on film, and why we continue to do so.” Honourable Mention: Hen, dir. György Pálfi | Germany/Greece/Hungary Platform jury’s statement: “The jury also wishes to recognize the extraordinary artistry of director György Pálfi, whose work exemplifies boldness, intelligence, and creative ingenuity. Blending cinematic genres in an inventive and seamless manner, Hen demonstrates remarkable precision in its camera movement and shot composition, resulting in an exceptionally effective narrative. György’s unwavering commitment to exploring humanity through the perspective of the hen yields a singularly original vision — a work of stunning originality, unlike anything else in contemporary cinema.” TIFF50

TIFF 50- Glenrothan-A taste of Scotland

 

GLENROTHAN

Running Time: 2hrs 7min

United Kingdom

Director: Brian Cox

Starring: Brian Cox, Allan Cumming, Shirley Henderson

Sometimes when you go to Tiff, you can't see all the films you want when you want to see them.  The screening times overlap.  Imagine a big theatre and trying to see all the films in one day.  That's what Tiff feels like.  You have 11 days to see all the films you find interesting.

I really wanted to see the World Premiere of GLENROTHAN, but thanks to a very accommodating PR person, I was able to see the second screening in the middle of 2 other films.  I literally had 10 minutes between each film.  I'm happy the timing worked out for this one.   

I like to see movies like this one, with real characters and real stories.  Brian Cox is no stranger to the film and television world.  He had a huge success with the show Succession, but he has been acting since 1965, according to IMDB, with about 246 acting credits, and this is his second Directorial credit.

TIFF this year seems to be showcasing some really strong directing by actors; another film by Scarlett Johannsen is also very strong.

Actors bring with them the knowledge from all the directors they have ever worked with, and when someone such as Brian Cox has decades of acting experience, you know he has probably learned a thing or 2 about acting.

This story is about 2 brothers and their decisions in life, ultimately with one staying in Scotland at the family distillery and the other moving to America and owning a bar.  

What made these decades of separation between the brothers is what the story is about.

It's amazing that you can grow up with someone but have very different experiences in life.

Donal (Alan Cumming) moves to America and builds a life and a family.  Brother Sandy (Brian Cox) stays at the family Whisky Distillery in the Scottish Highlands to carry on with the family business while sacrificing his desire to do other things in life.

Sandy writes Donal a letter for him to come and visit with his family because his health is starting to fail.  Reluctantly, Donal agrees to go with his daughter and granddaughter, who have a great relationship with Sandy.

Donal regrets his decision once he arrives because all the painful memories of his youth start flooding back.  After much support from his old flame and his family, he finally realizes that his family and his home country are worth all the effort to keep them alive.

Cox lets the characters breathe and develop in this film.  It's not a fast-paced film but more of a slow build with wonderfully developed characters.

I really enjoyed seeing the beautiful views of Scotland, it felt like taking a big breath when you watch it.

This film is very heartwarming and takes a deep look into family commitments and difficult relationships.

I couldn't find a public release date, but I am pretty sure it will happen. 

At the time of writing this, there is one more TIFF screening available.

TIFF50 - Butterfly on a Wheel-short film

 

Butterfly on a Wheel

Short film: 36min - TIFF Market Screening

Director: Trevor Morris

Starring: Curran Walters

SynopSet against Toronto’s vibrant urban landscape, Butterfly on a Wheel tells the story of Jacen Davis (Curran Walters), a gifted young jazz musician at the Royal Conservatory of Music, whose immense talent is shadowed by struggles with OCD and anxiety. With the support of his brother Dylan (Michael Provost) and an unexpected connection with Sorrel (Brielle Robillard), Jacen embarks on a journey of resilience, self-acceptance, and creative freedom.

This film perfectly demonstrates what it's like living with his OCD/Anxiety struggles while trying to manage a career and relationships. It's both sweet and sad.   The cinematography is thoughtful and gorgeously lit, which I really appreciate.  The small cast performs with a lot of emotion that translates very well on screen.  I especially love the visuals of Toronto, from the chaotic city life to the Skyline views, and then to the serene and clean Royal Conservatory room.  The music is woven throughout the film to showcase the depth of the lead character's talent.  I was very impressed by all of the work that Trevor Morris did on this film, a lot of attention to detail, and you can see it all in the production value on screen and you can tell he put his heart into this film.

I sent my friend Gerald Dykstra to see the film because he works at the Royal Conservatory.  Here is his review:

Butterfly on the Wheel is a great short film. Wonderfully shot around Toronto and at the Royal Conservatory of Music.  Sound is a big part of this movie and you really feel it when the character Jacen (Curran Waters) is overwhelmed with the sounds of the city. He can retreat into his music but his anxiety prevents him from performing. The acting is superb and you really follow Jacen on his journey to overcoming his anxiety.  Supporting actors are great at doing just that supporting Jacen on his journey.  The ending is wonderful.  The score of the movie along with piano playing is fantastic.  The writer/director (Trevor Morris) also composed the music for the film and he clearly knows what he is doing.  What a great uplifting film.

Official Site: butterflythefilm.com

Trevor Morris: trevormorris.com | IMDb | Instagram