THE 43ND TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

September 6–16, 2018

Festival Directors’ Welcome.......................................................... 3

Recognition...................................................................................12

Grolsch People’s Choice Award................................................... 27

Awards......................................................................................... 28

Festival Programmers.................................................................. 30

TIFF Speakers Series................................................................... 32

Salut Piers: Celebrating Our CEO ............................................... 33

GALA PRESENTATIONS............................................................... 37

MASTERS..................................................................................... 79

PLATFORM....................................................................................91

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS....................................................... 105

DISCOVERY.................................................................................167

PRIMETIME.................................................................................215

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA.......................................... 223

TIFF DOCS................................................................................. 277

WAVELENGTHS.........................................................................309

SHORT CUTS............................................................................. 327

TIFF CINEMATHEQUE................................................................ 337

MIDNIGHT MADNESS................................................................ 343

SPECIAL EVENTS...................................................................... 355

Sales and Distribution Company Contact Information............ 359

Indices........................................................................................ 362

Acknowledgements................................................................... 368

™Toronto International Film Festival Inc. TIFF.NET/FESTIVAL

 Prime Minister of Canada

Dear Friends: Chères amies, chers amis,

I am pleased to extend my warmest
greetings to everyone attending the
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Now in it’s 43rd year, TIFF has
established itself as a premiere inter-
national film festival, drawing industry
The Right Honourable professionals and audiences from all
Justin P.J. Trudeau over the world. I am certain that eve-
ryone in attendance will be inspired and
entertained by the many film screenings,
discussions, and workshops being held at
this event.
I would like to commend the organizers
for their dedication and commitment to
supporting and promoting both Canadian
and international cinema. Your work
ensures that TIFF is a resounding success,
year after year.
Please accept my best wishes for a most
enjoyable experience. Sincerely,
Je suis heureux de présenter mes saluta-
tions les plus chaleureuses à celles et ceux
qui assistent autival international du film
de Toronto (TIFF).
Le TIFF, qui en est maintenant à sa 43e
année, s’est établi comme un festival du
film international de premier plan et attire
des professionnels de l’industrie et des
spectateurs de partout dans le monde. Je
suis certain que les multiples projections
de film, discussions et ateliers qui auront
lieu lors de cet événement seront une
source d’inspiration et de divertissement
pour tous les participants.
Je tiens à féliciter les organisateurs
pour leur dévouement et leur engagement
à soutenir et à promouvoir le cinéma
canadien et étranger. Grâce à votre travail,
le TIFF connaît un succès retentissant
d’année en année.
Je vous souhaite une expérience des
plus agréables. Cordialement,

Premier of Ontario

I am delighted to extend greetings to

everyone attending the 43rd Toronto
International Film Festival (TIFF).
This fantastic 11-day extravaganza
showcases some of the best Canadian and
international movies out there, making
TIFF one of the top cultural events in
Toronto, and one of the largest and most
The Honourable successful cinematic events in the world.
Doug Ford
Thank you to the staff and volunteers
at TIFF who work so hard to mount this
festival each year. Thank you as well to all
the producers, directors, actors, production
crew members and everyone else involved
out front or behind the scenes in creating
this year’s roster of festival films.
I hope everyone watching a screening
or participating in one of the many terrific
TIFF events has an enjoyable time.

5
 Mayor of Toronto
It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to
the Toronto International Film Festival.
TIFF is one of the world’s most success-
ful film events and one of Toronto’s most
highly anticipated events.
Our film, television, and digital industry
is an important economic and cultural
His Worship driver for us in Toronto. Film and television
John Tory productions add a sense of vitality, vibrancy,
and excitement to Toronto’s streets.
We have made tremendous progress over
the last four years growing our film industry.
Production activity and investment has
been on an increasing trend line in recent
years. The industry employs 30,000 people
in our city and it is only growing. Whether
the final product will be on the big screen,
the small screen, or streamed online, I
want that product to be made right here
in Toronto.
I wish to welcome everyone to our city
and encourage you to enjoy Toronto at
this time of year. On behalf of Toronto
City Council, I wish you a successful and
unforgettable Festival.
Yours truly,
6
J’ai l’honneur d’accueillir chacun de
vous au Festival international du film
de Toronto.
Le Festival international du film
de Toronto est un des évènements
cinématographiques les plus populaires
au monde et un des évènements les
plus attendus de Toronto.
Nos industries cinématographique,
télévisuelle et numérique sont des moteurs
économiques et culturels importants pour
nous à Toronto. Les productions ciné-
matographiques et télévisuelles créent une
vitalité, un dynamisme et une excitation
dans les rues de Toronto.
Nous avons réalisé des progrès incroy-
ables au cours des quatre dernières années
pour propulser l’industrie du film. Les
activités de production et les investisse-
ments ne cessent de croître depuis les
dernières années. L’industrie emploie
30 000 personnes dans notre ville et
ce nombre ne fait qu’augmenter. Que le
produit final se retrouve sur le grand écran,
sur le petit écran ou en ligne, je veux que le
produit soit créé ici, à Toronto.
Je souhaite la bienvenue à tous dans
notre ville, et je vous encourage à profiter
de votre séjour à Toronto en cette période
de l’année. Au nom du conseil municipal
de Toronto, je vous souhaite un festival
mémorable et réussi.
Cordialement,
 Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Multiculturalism
Welcome to the 43rd Toronto
International Film Festival!
Arts and culture provide a unifying
force to our country and shape who we
are. The world of film brings depth to our
experiences and allows us to see the world
The Honourable through new eyes. Over the next 11 days,
Pablo Rodriguez an ever-growing audience of enthusiastic
film fans will be drawn to the silver screens
here in Toronto to discover and celebrate
the best of Canadian and international film.
TIFF has grown to become one of
the most successful and respected film
festivals in the world, promoting Canada
and contemporary Canadian films to a
wide global audience, and our government
is proud to be part of it.
As Minister of Canadian Heritage and
Multiculturalism, I would like to thank the
many organizers and volunteers who have
made TIFF such a shining success. Enjoy
the films, the lights, the cameras and
the action!
Bienvenue au 43 Festival international du
film de Toronto!
Les arts et la culture nous unissent en
tant que Canadiens et fa9onnent notre
identite. Le monde du cinenia enrichit
nos experiences et nous permet de voir
le monde sous un nouvel angle. Au cours
des 11 prochains jours, des cinephiles
enthousiastes se masseront devant les
grands ecrans de Toronto afin de decouvrir
et de celebrer le meilleur du cinema d’ici
et d’ailleurs.
Le TIFF est devenu l’un des festivals de
films les plus reussis et les plus respectes
au monde. 11 fait connaitre le Canada et
le cinema canadien au public du monde
entier. Notre gouvernement est fier d’avoir
contribue au rendez-vous de cette annee.
A titre de ministre du Patrimoine
canadien et du Multiculturalisme, je
remercie les nombreux organisateurs et
benevoles qui ont fait du TIFF un succes
retentissant. Et maintenant : lumieres,
cameras, action!
7
 Telefilm Canada
Festivals play a vital role in ensuring that
Canadian films from all regions of our
country are discovered and enjoyed, and
that Canadian talent is in the spotlight.
The Toronto International Film Festival
provides a unique opportunity to do
just that!
Canadian films are brought to the screen
Executive Director by vibrant teams that care deeply about
Christa Dickenson creating the best possible product and
reaching audiences at home and abroad.
At Telefilm Canada, we are committed
to seeing even bigger; and are supported
in this endeavour by a growing number of
public and private partners, both Canadian
and foreign. We are also counting on your
commitment so that our talent and their
stories may take their rightful place.
Our focus is on diversity, a great
Canadian asset. We encourage the next
generation to dare to make their first
feature films. Indigenous filmmakers now
enjoy more support, and we have seen our
industry come together to support the
shared goal of gender parity. We know
that these voices will revitalize Canada’s
rich cultural heritage and ensure its
bright future.
I would like to thank and congratulate
all those who work to bring our diversity
to the screen.
8
Les festivals de films jouent un rôle
essentiel en donnant la chance aux
cinéphiles de tous les coins du pays de
découvrir et d’apprécier les films cana-
diens, et en mettant les talents d’ici sur le
devant de la scène. C’est exactement ce que
fait le Festival international du film
de Toronto.
Les films canadiens sont portés à l’écran
par des équipes dynamiques, soucieuses
de créer le meilleur produit possible et
de rejoindre les auditoires chez nous et à
l’étranger.
À Téléfilm Canada, nous nous sommes
engagés à voir plus grand encore, et de plus
en plus de partenaires publics et privés,
canadiens et étrangers, soutiennent cette
ambition. Nous comptons aussi sur votre
engagement, chers cinéphiles, pour que
nos talents et leurs histoires prennent
toute la place qu’ils méritent.
Nous misons principalement sur la
diversité, une grande richesse canadienne.
Nous encourageons la relève qui peut ainsi
oser ses premiers longs métrages. Les
cinéastes autochtones bénéficient d’une
aide plus importante, et l’industrie tout
entière s’est mobilisée pour que nous puis-
sions atteindre notre objectif commun de
la parité hommes-femmes. Nous sommes
confiants que les voix des différentes
communautés sauront dynamiser ce riche
héritage culturel et lui dessineront un
brillant avenir.
Merci et félicitations à tous ceux et
celles qui portent notre diversité à l’écran.
 Minister of Tourism, Culture & Sport
On behalf of the Government of Ontario,
I am delighted to welcome everyone to the
43rd Toronto International Film Festival.
Each September, the film industry
focuses their attention on Ontario as we
host the largest film festival in North
America and one of the most prestigious
and influential festivals in the world,
The Honourable attracting thousands of visitors to Toronto.
Sylvia Jones
I want to thank the many talented artists
who put their hearts and souls into these
films. Your passion and talent have placed
Ontario on the world map as a leader in
cinema. I also want to thank all of the
TIFF organizers and volunteers who work
tirelessly to ensure the Festival is a success
every year. The Ontario government is
proud to be a champion of TIFF and the
Ontario film industry.
I wish everyone an inspiring and
entertaining Festival, and I hope you have
a great time in Toronto.
Best wishes,
Au nom du gouvernement de l’Ontario,
c’est avec un immense plaisir que je
vous souhaite à tous la bienvenue au 43e
Festival international du film de Toronto.
Chaque année en septembre, les regards
de l’industrie cinématographique se
braquent sur l’Ontario, hôte du plus grand
festival du film en Amérique du Nord.
Comptant parmi les manifestations les
plus prestigieuses et les plus influentes du
monde, le Festival international du film de
Toronto attire tous les ans des milliers
de visiteurs.
J’aimerais remercier les nombreux
artistes de talent qui ont mis tout leur cœur
et toute leur âme dans ces films. Votre
passion et votre talent ont contribué à faire
de l’Ontario un chef de file mondial dans
l’industrie cinématographique. J’aimerais
également saluer tous les organisateurs et
tous les bénévoles du festival, qui, chaque
année, se dévouent sans compter pour que
l’événement soit un succès. Le gouverne-
ment de l’Ontario est fier d’être l’un des
parrains du Festival international du film de
Toronto et un ardent défenseur de l’indus-
trie cinématographique de l’Ontario.
Je vous souhaite à tous un festival ins-
pirant et divertissant, et j’espère que vous
passerez de formidables moments
à Toronto.
Sincères salutations,
9
 Ontario Creates
As a long-time festival supporter, Ontario
Creates is proud to welcome you to the
Toronto International Film Festival and to
congratulate TIFF on 43 years of inspiring
audiences through film. This is an exciting
year for OMDC as we introduce our new
name to long-time partners and friends.
OMDC is now Ontario Creates. OMDC has
President & CEO been a catalyst for the creative industries
Karen Thorne-Stone to thrive and flourish and as Ontario
Creates we aim to bring a fresh approach to
our ongoing commitment to fuelling talent,
innovation, and creativity in Ontario.
Ontario’s filmmakers light up screens
at home and around the world with their
passion and creativity. TIFF presents
an important opportunity to showcase
Ontario’s filmmakers to a global audience,
where our homegrown films take their
rightful place on screen among the best in
the world. Ontario Creates is pleased to
have supported a number of exceptional
films screening at TIFF this year. In addi-
tion to supporting the film and television
industry, we’re working to ensure that
Ontario is a great place to do business
for our thriving publishing, music, and
interactive digital media sectors as well.
Ontario Creates is committed to buil-
ding international relationships that help
open doors to new markets and audiences
for our content creators. During the
festival we’re excited to present the 12th
International Financing Forum, or IFF at
TIFF, and to be hosting our Ontario Film
Commission business hub at the Industry
Centre in the Hyatt once again. Watch for
our new visual identity throughout the
festival and stop by to learn more about
what Ontario has to offer you!
Congratulations to all the filmmakers
whose work is screening this year, to
Piers Handling on a tremendous TIFF
legacy, and to the entire TIFF team for
putting together another brilliant Festival.
Ontario creates success!
10
Soutien de longue date du festival, la
Société de développement de l’industrie
des médias de l’Ontario est fière de vous
accueillir au Festival international du film
de Toronto® et tient à rendre hommage au
TIFF qui, depuis 43 ans, inspire le public
par le cinéma. Cette année, la SODIMO
est enthousiaste à l’idée de présenter son
tout nouveau nom à ses partenaires et
amis de longue date. La SODIMO s’appelle
désormais Ontario Créatif. La SODIMO
favorise le développement et l’essor des
industries de la création. Sous l’appellation
Ontario Créatif, elle souhaite insuffler une
dynamique nouvelle à ses efforts continus
en matière de développement des talents,
de l’innovation et de la créativité en Ontario.
Les cinéastes ontariens brillent par leur
passion et leur créativité au pays et dans le
monde entier. Le TIFF constitue l’occasion
idéale de présenter le talent des cinéastes de
la province auprès d’un public international
et illustre combien les films ontariens
occupent une place bien méritée parmi les
meilleurs films au monde. Ontario Créatif
est ravi d’avoir soutenu plusieurs films
exceptionnels en projection au TIFF cette
année. En plus de prêter appui à l’industrie
de la production cinématographique
et télévisuelle, nous œuvrons à faire de
l’Ontario un endroit tout désigné pour faire
des affaires avec nos dynamiques secteurs
de l’édition, de la musique et des produits
multimédias interactifs numériques.
Ontario Créatif s’emploie à nouer des
relations internationales qui permettront
aux créateurs de contenu de la province
de conquérir de nouveaux marchés et de
toucher de nouveaux publics. Nous sommes
d’ailleurs ravis de présenter, dans le cadre
du TIFF, le 12e Forum sur le financement
international (FFI) et d’accueillir de
nouveau le pôle des affaires du Bureau du
cinéma de l’Ontario au sein de l’Industry
Centre à l’Hôtel Hyatt. Restez à l’affût de
notre nouvelle identité visuelle pendant
le festival et venez vous renseigner sur
les nombreux atouts que vous réserve
l’Ontario!
Nous adressons nos félicitations les plus
chaleureuses à tous les cinéastes dont les
œuvres sont projetées cette année, à Piers
Handling qui a apporté une contribution
inestimable au succès du TIFF, ainsi qu’à
tous les membres de l’équipe du TIFF qui
ont orchestré avec brio une nouvelle
édition du festival. L’Ontario est un
moteur de réussite!
 Bell Canada & BCE

On behalf of the Bell Canada team, it is my

honour to welcome you to the 43rd annual
Toronto International Film Festival
We’ve just renewed our partnership
to support the festival and its year-round
home, the TIFF Bell Lightbox, for many
years to come. As a TIFF sponsor for over
two decades, Bell is proud to help bring the
President & CEO best in Canadian and international cinema
George Cope to movie lovers from across our country and
around the globe.
Bell is integral to how millions of
Canadians experience movies. We’re a
leading producer of Canadian film and
television content through Bell Media
Studios — a role we continue to expand with
our new majority stake in Pinewood Toronto
Studios — and millions watch on The Movie
Network or Super Écran, access the Fibe TV
on-demand catalogue, and stream over
our world-leading broadband fibre and
wireless networks.
I invite you to visit Bell on Festival Street
during opening weekend and at David Pecaut
Square throughout the festival. You’ll have
great views of stars arriving on the red carpet
and the opportunity to take some photos
with our re-creations of iconic movie scenes.
As Canada’s communications leader
since 1880, Bell is proud to support TIFF,
Canadian film, and this year’s outstanding
festival lineup. Please enjoy the show!

11
 Toronto International Film Festival
Directors’ Welcome
Welcome to the 43rd Toronto institution, and built a permanent home
International Film Festival! for cinema at TIFF Bell Lightbox, in the
heart of downtown Toronto. As Cameron
We are thrilled to have you join us for 11
takes on a new role as co-head of the
incredible days of the very best in Canadian
organization, we renew our audience
and international cinema, as Toronto
focus and engagement with communities,
transforms once again into a remarkable
while continuing our support for women
Piers Handling space where film lovers, seekers, and
in film our trailblazing Share Her Journey
Director & creators unite to engage with the boundless
fundraising campaign. As conversations
Chief Executive Officer possibilities of storytelling.
around gender parity in the industry
TIFF As filmmaking continues to widen its remain front and centre, TIFF has
lens to include more diverse, new, and prioritized initiatives to help shift the dial
authentic voices, so too does our lineup. across gender equity for female creators
The Festival has always championed — however, we acknowledge there is a lot
creators with unique perspectives; this more work to do.
year’s selection promises global stories,
We thank you for sharing your
undiscovered talent, and new narratives
enthusiasm, curiosity, and passion for
that will challenge, motivate, and inspire
cinema with us. We thank our staff,
you. And, you remain an integral part of the
dedicated team of Volunteers, Board of
Festival. Without audiences to intersect
Directors, members, donors, and partners
with the art, we’d have storytellers with no
for helping us fulfill our mission to
witnesses, and no one to carry forward the
transform the way people see the world
lessons and messages learned.
through film. We encourage you all to
Michèle Maheux This is a particularly momentous year support our unrelenting commitment to
Executive Director & for the Festival, as it marks a change championing women both in front of and
Chief Operating Officer in leadership at TIFF: this Fall we bid behind the camera.
TIFF adieu to Piers after his 36 years with the
Wishing you an unforgettable
organization — 24 of them as Director &
Festival experience,
CEO. Under his guidance, TIFF has grown
into both the largest public film festival in
the world and a pre-eminent year-round

Cameron Bailey
Artistic Director
TIFF

Outfitting for Mr. Handling and Mr. Bailey generously provided by Hugo Boss.

Timepieces for Mr. Handling, Mr. Bailey, and Ms. Maheux generously provided by IWC Schaffhausen.

3
 The Toronto International Film Festival recognizes its valued
partners for their continued support of Festival programming.

FOUNDATION PARTNERS
American Friends of TIFF
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association
RBC Foundation
The Slaight Family Foundation

SPECIAL THANKS TO
DGC Ontario
Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Association
Toronto Transit Commission

16
 The Toronto International Film Festival recognizes
its hospitality partners for their continued support.

GOLD-LEVEL HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

SILVER-LEVEL HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

BRONZE-LEVEL HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

17
 The Toronto International Film Festival recognizes
its sponsors for their continued support.

LEAD SPONSOR

MAJOR SPONSORS

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CORPORATE PARTNERS

LOGO AIRFRANCE NOIR

Nº dossier : 2007399E
Date : 19/05/09
Validation DA/DC :
Validation Client

13
14
MEDIA PARTNERS

15
 TIFF Bell Lightbox Campaign Supporters
The Campaign for TIFF Bell Lightbox is supported by the following visionaries who helped turn TIFF Bell Lightbox into a reality
through their generous contributions:

LEAD FOUNDING PARTNER MAJOR FOUNDING PARTNER MAJOR FOUNDING SUPPORTERS

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CITY OF TORONTO

CORNERSTONE GIFTS
Reitman Family: Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels
The Daniels Corporation

PACESETTING GIFTS
Copyright Collective of Canada
The Slaight Family Foundation
VISA®

PRINCIPAL GIFTS
Paul & Leah Atkinson
BMO Financial Group
CIBC
The Daniels Corporation
Steve & Rashmi Gupta
The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation
Mackenzie Investments
NBCUniversal
Ontario Arts Foundation/Fondation des arts de l’Ontario
Gerald Schwartz & Heather Reisman
Annette Verschuren & Stan Shibinsky

LEADERSHIP GIFTS
BlackBerry®
Mary & Brendan Calder
Cineplex Entertainment LP
Harbinger Foundation
Deborah, Bill, Carey & Matthew Kurtin
Roots Canada
Warren & Maureen Spitz & Family
Anonymous

FOUNDING GIFTS
Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc.
Linda Chu & John Donald
Paul Bronfman | Comweb Group
Deluxe
Randy Gillies
Susan Harris & David Kassie
Chetan & Clara Mathur
PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
The Tory Family – Liz, Jennifer, John H. Tory & Barbara Hackett
Mark & Sarah Wellings

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TIFF Bell Lightbox Campaign Supporters
SUSTAINING GIFTS KEY GIFTS Colette & Tom Barber
Barry & Melissa Avrich American Friends of TIFF Louise Bellingham
Belden Canada Inc. Charles & Marilyn Baillie Dave & Fiona Berry
J. P. Bickell Foundation Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Gilda & Yousry Bissada
The S.M. Blair Family Foundation Lorie Cappe & Linda Lewis Brauti Thorning Zibarras LLP
Diane Blake & Stephen Smith Tim Casey & Paget Catania Evan Brown
The Bratty Family CAW/TCA Canada Kate Calder
Beth & Andrew Burgess Doris Chan, John Whitcher, Tess Calder
The Buster Foundation Ryan Whitcher & Ethan Whitcher Angela & John Caliendo
In honour of Charles B. Moss Irene Chu Simion Candrea
Barry Campbell & Chubb Insurance Company of Canada In memory of Simion N. Candrea
Debra Grobstein Campbell, CIBC Mellon Dr. Bob Chaudhuri
and David M. Campbell Lynn & Paul Damp Tony & Moira Cohen
Anne-Marie Canning Edenshaw Management Limited J. Rob Collins
Martin Connell & Linda Haynes Julia & Robert Foster Andrew & Nicola Combes
Margaret & Jim Fleck Brenda Garza Sada & Fabiola Garza Sada Priscilla Costello
Ivey Foundation Goodman & Carr, LLP Jack & Beth Curtin
Sharon & Allen Karp Honourable Jerry & Carole Grafstein, and Nick & Nadia Di Donato
The KPMG Foundation Michael Grafstein Peter & Anna Eliopoulos
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Julia Grant & Bruce Batler Gavin & Kate Ezekowitz
Architects The Hale Family Andrew Fleming
Ellen-Jane & Ben Moss Piers Handling Hedy & Ron Frisch
The Gary & Joanne Reamey Family The William and Nona Heaslip Foundation Erica & Noah Godfrey
Scotiabank Daniel & Winnie Hung Paul & Gina Godfrey
Allan C. Silber Ellis Jacob Kamala-Jean Gopie
Kent R. Sobey Sharifa Khan Heather & Maxwell Gotlieb
The Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Family Kenneth W. Lalonde & Christine Anderson Marco & Michela Guglietti
Charitable Foundation, and Daniel & Keith & Delores Lawrence The Gutiérrez Johannessen Family
Kim Tanenbaum Janice Lewis & Mitchell Cohen Stephen & Andrea Halperin
Anonymous (2) Chris & May Li Bharat & Filomena Hansraj
Phil Lind Cam & Nicole Haynes
MAJOR GIFTS Tania Maciver & Frank Walwyn Krista Hill
Apotex Foundation – Larry Mah & Dr. Tracy Wong Bruce & Cheryl Hooey
Honey & Barry Sherman Michèle Maheux & John Galway The K. M. Hunter Charitable Foundation
The Bennett Family Foundation Nadir & Shabin Mohamed Impact Cleaning Services Ltd.
David & Molly Bloom Ron Moore Jennifer Ivey Bannock
Catherine Booth & Michael Kirk Nexus PM Inc. Suzanne Ivey Cook
Brookfield Partners Foundation Leslie A. Noble Hal Jackman Foundation
The Former Burritt/Thompson Award PharmEng Technology Dexter, Shelly, D’Andre & Jasmyn John
In memory of Dorothy & Oscar Burritt and Jeremy Podeswa Robynn & Scott Jolliffe
Patricia Thompson Justin, Daphne & April Poy B. Denham Jolly
Helen Burstyn & David Pecaut Barbara Sears Nick & Sunita Katerinakis
Jim & Lisa de Wilde Mary Anne Shaw & Barry Yaverbaum Liana & Steven Kerzner
Digital Rapids Corporation Irene So Gordon Kirke & Family
J. Christopher Donald Howard Sokolowski & Linda Frum Kololian Family
Atom Egoyan & Arsinée Khanjian Walied & Deena Soliman Anette, Yves & Amelia Larsson Florack
The Goldring Family Spin Master Ltd. Amanda Lang & Vincent Borg
Harris Canada Systems Inc. C. L. Sugiyama, K.C. Fish Latner Family Foundation
The Jay and Barbara Hennick Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Shirley Lewchuk
Family Foundation David M. Vella Donald & Lorraine Loeb
Jan Innes & Chris Morgan Lori Willcox Ana P. Lopes & Don Tapscott
Richard & Donna Ivey Anonymous Jeffrey & Sandra Lyons
Kress Family Eugene McBurney
The Langar Foundation SPECIAL GIFTS Samm McLeod, Lynn McLeod &
In honour of Helen Gardiner Phelan Martin Abel & Kathleen Flynn Nicholas Ganas
from Rosemary Phelan & Sam Blyth Herbert Abramson Michelle & Patrick Meneley
Robert Lantos Cheryl & Ken Adams Abby, Perry & Jordan Minuk
Marcelle & Ralph Lean The Adilman Family & Friends Amit, Suneeta, Rohan & Ajay Monga
James M. Little The Sid Adilman Mentorship Programme Dr. Kenneth Montague
Michael MacMillan & Cathy Spoel Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. David & Karen Moscovitz
Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc. The Sid Adilman Mentorship Programme Christina Ongoma
David & Renee Perlmutter Altus Group Cost Consulting Albert Pace & Kristin Morch
To honour Anne & Lara Perlmutter Bram & Bluma Appel Pinchin Family
POI Business Interiors Inc. Dany & Lisa Assaf Nicolas Piquard
The Poile Family Bäckerhaus Veit Ltd. Jeff & Rita Rayman
Mary & Allen Shechtman Michael Badham & Family Kara Reed
Beverly Topping Shane Baghai David Roffey & Karen Walsh
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Allison Bain The Savoy Pitfield Family
Anonymous Krishna Balkissoon Neil & Carita Sheehy

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Saul & Thelma Shulman
Jay Smith & Laura Rapp
Tristan Sones
Georgia Stamatakos & Tom McGee
Anne & Greg Steers
Nalini & Tim Stewart
Nicolas Stiliadis
Straticom Planning Associates Inc.
The Lawrence and Judith Tanenbaum
Charitable Family Foundation
Clement Virgo & Family Special thanks to St. Joseph
Suzanne & Bob Weiss Communications.
Kevin Williams & Family
John & Helen Young Thanks as well to all the TIFF Volunteers for
Hana Zalzal their tremendous support.
David Zitzerman & Karen Friedman This list reflects donations received as of
Anonymous (4) June 29, 2018.

TIFF Annual Supporters

GIFTS OF $100,000+ David B. MacNaughton & Leslie A. Noble ** TIFF LEGACY SOCIETY
American Friends of TIFF Michèle Maheux & John Galway ** David G. Aziz
Anne-Marie Canning * Shirley A. Maltman & Herbert Bell Lisa Bradburn
NBCUniversal Agi & Jack Mandel Greg W. Johns
Ontario Arts Foundation A gift in honour of Shirley Mendelson Frank J.D. Parks, CPA, CA
Gerald Schwartz & Heather Reisman Mary Anne Shaw *** Katherine M. Svec
The Slaight Family Foundation Shum Vourkoutiotis Fund at Terry Tedesco
Jennifer A. Tory Toronto Foundation Anonymous

GIFTS OF $50,000 TO $99,999

Directors Guild of Canada
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Justin Poy 伍雋雄
GIFTS OF $25,000 TO $49,999
Erika Olde Coggin
Corus Entertainment Inc.
Betty-Ann & Robert Wade Heggie
Iron Mountain Entertainment Services
Ivan Reitman *
Eleanor & Francis Shen
Shorcan Brokers Ltd.
Mark & Sarah Wellings
William F. White International Inc.
Anonymous
GIFTS OF $10,000 TO $24,999
Helen Burstyn
Mary & Brendan Calder ***
Barry Campbell &
Debra Grobstein Campbell **
Dolby Laboratories Inc.
John & Elizabeth Irving
Hal Jackman Foundation **
Chetan & Clara Mathur
Nadir & Shabin Mohamed
Micki Moore & Leonard Simpson
Rod & Lydia Phillips
Janis Rotman
TIFF Staff
Elizabeth Tory
John Tory & Barbara Hackett
Work In Culture
Anonymous
GIFTS OF $5,000 TO $9,999
J & P Bowie
Brown-Nusbaum Family Fund at
Toronto Foundation
Shauneen Bruder
Cultural Human Resources Council
Piers Handling & Federica Foglia **
Daniel & Winnie Hung
The Japan Foundation, Toronto *
Jeffrey & Sandra Lyons
GIFTS OF $1,000 TO $4,999 Patrons Circle
Herbert Abramson
Luciene, April & Maia Bailey LEADERSHIP
Diane Blake & Stephen Smith * $12,000 OR MORE
J & P Bowie Michael & Cheryl Anobile
Canada Media Fund Melissa & Barry Avrich **
David Carey & Joel Dmitruk The Bennett Family
Kerri Craddock Arun Biswas
Bill & Barbara Etherington * Diane Blake & Stephen Smith *
Sheena Inez Foley Alex & Angela Brisbourne
Honourable Jerry & Carole Grafstein John Brown & Melanie Edwards
Janet Graham Mary & Brendan Calder ***
Julia Grant & Bruce Batler Anne-Marie Canning *
Di Hardacre Cargojet Airways
Nino Hason Alice Chou & Fred Roepke
With love from Wanda Linda Chu & John Donald **
Linda Hohol Richard & Sophia Crenian
Sharon & Allen Karp *** Myrna & John Daniels ***
Darren Kemp & Michael Rayias Mario & Karen Elia **
Janice Lewis & Mitchell Cohen Bill & Barbara Etherington *
M. George & Leanne Lewis Angela & David Feldman
Kevin Long Sheena Inez Foley
NEXUS PM INC Molly Forstall
Gilles & Julia Ouellette * Scott Forstall
Frank J.D. Parks Emilio, Gabriel & Filomena Grossi
J Prior Donald Guloien & Irene Boychuck
Wayne Purboo Harbinger Foundation **
Sharon & Steve Ranson Di Hardacre
Heather Ross * Betty-Ann & Robert Wade Heggie
Geoffrey Rytell Heather & Greg Hogarth *
Richard Sakai Richard & Donna Ivey *
Brenda & Robbie Saunders Trinity Jackman & Marcus Doyle
Bill Seegmiller Victoria Jackman **
Vincenza Sera Alan Kwong
Fondation Alex U. Soyka Robert Lantos **
Carole Tanenbaum M. George & Leanne Lewis
Christine Thammavongsa Theo & Charlene Ling **
A gift in honour of Harry S. Thomson Mackenzie Financial Corporation
A gift in honour of Jennifer Tory Agi & Jack Mandel
David M. Vella * Maria del Mar Lorenzo
Micaela Vellozo Susan Michaels Holding Ltd.
Goldie Wassermuhl Abby & Perry Minuk **
Morden Yolles ** Sam Mizrahi
Young Presidents’ Organization – Nadir & Shabin Mohamed
Maple Leaf Chapter Adam Moryto
Anonymous ** Neil Nicol
Anonymous Parsai Immigration Services

21
Suresh Cedrick Pereira Renee & David Perlmutter *** Stephen Marshall
Rod & Lydia Phillips Polar Asset Management Partners McCarthy Tetrault LLP
POI Business Interiors Inc. Lynda Reeves & Michel Zelnik, Faye Minuk *
Raman Family House & Home Media Florence Minz
Ivan Reitman * Jeffrey Remedios Raymond D. Nishimura ***
Mary & Michael Rolland Paul & Janice Sabourin * The Nissan Family Foundation
Heather Ross * Brenda & Robbie Saunders Brenda Norfolk
Bob Rubinoff ** Mary, Allen, Noah, Matthew & Elisa Nuyten & David Dime
Dan Rubinoff Rebecca Shechtman Gayle & Phil Olsson
James Schmalz Richard Shekter ** Perry Orestes & Timothy Giguere **
Eleanor & Francis Shen Barbara Shum & Manos Vourkoutiotis * Frank J. Parks
Shorcan Brokers Ltd. Dorothy & Jeffrey Siminovitch Carol A. Penhale *
Carol & Irv Smokler Charles & Laurie Sims Lee Anne & Tim Piggott
Andra Takacs * SKYGRiD Construction Inc. Michael Robinson
Christine Thammavongsa David E. Spiro Sandra Rotman **
Graeme & Sara Thomson Greg & Anne Steers * Sari Ruda
Jennifer A. Tory Sun Life Financial ** Kamlesh Shah
Sarah Twomey Ticketmaster Mary Anne Shaw *** & Barry Yaverbaum
Annette Verschuren & Stan Shibinsky Elizabeth Tory Bart Simpson
Ajay K. Virmani ** John Tory & Barbara Hackett David Smith
Frank Walwyn Mark & Sarah Wellings Pamela & Lawrence Stevenson
Jamie Watt Shelagh & David Wilson Stikeman Elliott LLP
Robert Wappel Raymond Young Marianne Taggio
Carla & Michael Worb Anonymous Philip Terranova & Audrey Allen
Anonymous (4) Laurie Thomson & Andy Chisholm
GOLD Carmine Turco
PLATINUM $6,000 TO $7,999 Henk & Yanka Van der Kolk
$8,000 TO $11,999 David Allgood & Helen Stevenson Martyn Vanderlugt
Munir Ajani George & Gail Anthony Anju Virmani
Liloo Alim Jason Baldwin Lori Willcox **
Peter & Brigitte Anderson Krissy Ballanger David Zitzerman, Tara Parker –
Paul & Leah Atkinson ** Libby & Ian Bandeen ** Goodmans LLP ***
Michael Melanson & Katherine Batycky W. Geoffrey Beattie Anonymous (4)
Gilda & Yousry Bissada Lorie Cappe & Linda Lewis ***
Anthony Bonato & Douglas Hamlyn Patrick Cardarelli TIFF CONNECT
J & P Bowie Doris Chan & John Whitcher Rebecca Babcock
Helen Burstyn Chubb Insurance Company of Canada *** Robert Baines
Barry Campbell & Karen Cohl Claire Batler
Debra Grobstein Campbell ** Pascale Daigneault & Carl E. Fleck, Q.C. Vincent Boutet
Yvette De Biasi Jayne Davis & Duff Waring Nicole Chin
David Denison & Maureen Flanagan Annie & Rich English Jade Jager Clark
Jim & Lisa de Wilde *** Max Erickson Michael Cotton
Sandy Di Rezze Chiara Falcone Kathryn Foster
J. Doyle Margaret & Jim Fleck Adam Grenville
Susan Driediger Ronaldo Foresti Diana Grigore
Ernst & Young Hedy & Ron Frisch ** Emma Guizzetti
Kevin W. Fisher – Gardiner Roberts LLP ** Brenda Garza Sada & Fabiola Garza Sada ** Reetu Gupta
Victoria Foley & Paul Fredricks Stephen Geer & Szelena Gray Kofi Gyekye
Susan Gerhard Sara Gelgor Elizabeth Heggie
Susan Harris & David Kassie Julia Grant & Bruce Batler Jacqueline Kendall
Daniel & Winnie Hung Niall & Katherine Haggart Mark Kiyonaga
Tony Ianni Michael & Marjorie Hale ** Arielle Loeb
John & Elizabeth Irving Keith Heller Elizabeth Mingay
Darren Kemp & Michael Rayias Natalie Herbert & Ed Robertson Jordan Minuk
Krista Kerr – Kerr Financial Brian & Marianne Hiff Carolina Mondonedo
F Kollmar Hotel Doggy Tara Muldoon
Kololian Family Sharon Hutton Sepehr Radjpoust
Anne Koyama & Scott Mackenzie ** Jennifer Ivey Bannock Zoe Shapiro
Bill & Deborah Kurtin & Family * Henry Jackman ** Anna Wasylenki
M.S. Lamont & Associates Limited *** Stephen & Ashley Joyce Steffi Wong
Andrew & Elaine Le Feuvre Janese Kane ***
Janice Lewis & Mitchell Cohen Terry Kelly LIFETIME HONORARY PATRONS
Lindt & Sprüngli (Canada), Inc. KPMB Architects George & Gail Anthony
Sabi & Amrin Marwah Donald Langill Dusty & Joan Cohl
Chetan & Clara Mathur Karen & Fred Leitner * William Marshall & Sari Ruda Marshall
Lucy Medeiros Jean Lim-O’Brien & Mark O’Brien Henk & Yanka Van der Kolk
Russell A. Morgan & Lori Brown * Kevin & Lucea LMDR
Munich Re Canada (Life) Mike Lorimer * Supporters of 10 years or more
Linda & Kevin O’Leary * Jock MacDonald & Janet Griffin ** Supporters of 15 years or more
Gilles & Julia Ouellette * Janet Maggiacomo * *** Supporters of 20 years or more
Tony Pampena Michèle Maheux & John Galway **
Pathak Family Beth Malcolm * This list reflects donations received as of
Jane Perdue & Joseph Castrilli Michael Mancuso & Michelle Harrison June 29, 2018.

22
CINEMAS
Cinema Manager: Chris Ciavaglia
Duty Manager: Nigel Agnew
Assistant Manager, Cinemas Administration:
Bryce Dudley
Cinema Supervisors: Sandra Hodnett, Victoria Kucher,
James Rice, Paul Williams, Stuart Marks, Shauna Sloan
Cinema Ushers: Erica Moe, Lars Aumueller, Alex Beaton,
Daniel Bell, Nicole Cabrera, Agatha Cheng, Samantha
Cunningham, Christopher Dix, Brydon Gauthier, Michael
Gorman, Maya Ishiura, Soufian Jalili, Michael Laskaris,
Subrina Mohamed, Kathleen Mooney-Childs, Jessie
Park-Wheeler, Caroline Puzinas, Zachary Vito, Ellie
White, Kate Wilson, Birithivy Yogaratnam
SALES
Manager, Visitor Experience, Sales: Angeline Cheung
Assistant Manager, Sales: Arielle Di Leo
CONCESSIONS
Assistant Managers: Jonathan LeGris
Stand Leads: Isabella Brown, Shawn Grey,
Jordan Mackenzie, Amandla Odusanya, Jason To,
Jack Ulicny
Sales Attendants: Jamie Bullock, Renan Passatore,
Yashna Patel
TICKETING SERVICES:
Manager, Ticketing Services: Ruby Bantock
Assistant Manager, Ticketing Services: Jon Deighan
Assistant Manager, Box Office & Call Centre:
Hannah Lamont
Supervisors: Jason Rayner, Matthew Lappin,
Sydney Boniface, Terrence Symister, Bran Ramsey,
Claudia Rodriguez-Sobstel, Sakina Hussain,
Meagan Mound, Jeremy Loughton, Laura Gladwell,
Shannon Taylor
Ticket Agents: Garyan Martin, Hunachew Engeda,
Katherine Smith, Matilda Davidson, Mahlet Tesfu,
Nedda Sarshar, Raul Delgado, Jessica Romito, Nyx
Pinnock, Regina Sy, Brendan Prost, Ania Byczkowska,
Robyn Bingham, Sarah Marchand, Philippa Nicholl,
Abigail Lamb, Pedro Lobo-Guerrero, Trevor Wang
DEPARTMENT 30
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Director, Marketing, Strategy & Communications:
Rachel Noonan
Senior Manager, Marketing & Strategy:
Michelle Lemmon
Senior Manager, Communications & Strategy:
Tanya Warren
Manager, Marketing & Strategy: Claire van Nierop
Manager, Marketing & Media Planning: Karen Stein
Managers, Communications: Cathleen Finlay,
Emma Kelly
Manager, Digital Marketing: John Wallace
Communications Manager, Festival: Amanda Gun-Munro
Senior Coordinator, Marketing & Communications:
Negaar Hatami
Senior Coordinator, Communications: Kali Hopkins-Allen
Accreditation Coordinators: Danyel McLachlan,
Alexander Kentris
Coordinator, Marketing: Matthew Palmer
Publicist: Daniela Ponce
Coordinator, Communications: Rebecca Silver
Assistant, Marketing: Jessica Walsh
Intern, Marketing: Shan Huang
Intern, Communications: Olivia Nasner
Co-op Student, Marketing & Communications:
Chelsea Cabello
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief: Kieran Grant
Senior Editor & Content Direction: Andrew Tracy
Senior Editorial Coordinator: Nives Hajdin
Copy Editor/Editorial Coordinator: Claire Christopher
Deputy Editor, Festival Programme Guide: Kim Hughes
Editor, Festival Programme Guide: Peter Mersereau
Associate Editor, Festival Programme Guide: Sarah Hagi
Writer, Festival Programme Guide: José Teodoro
Copy Editor/Proofreader, Festival Programme Guide:
Lynda Spark
CONTENT, CREATIVE & DIGITAL
Director, Content & Creative: Jody Sugrue
Acting Director, Content, Creative and Digital:
Malcolm Gilderdale
Managing Content Producer: Sal Patel
Art Director: Bradley Reinhardt
Managing Video Producer: Jason Lee
Digital Production Manager: Matt Brown
Production Manager, Video: Tessa Lai
Senior Video Producer: Aaron Van Domelen
Video Producer: Andrew Strapp
Lead Digital Engagement Producer: Amanda Hadi
Digital Engagement Producers: Marcus Tuttle,
Siân Melton
Senior Designers: Carlson Yu, Adam Bischoff
Digital Producer: Sasha James
Junior Digital Producer: Andrew Steenberg
Video Producer, Editor: Adam Schoales
Video Producer, Live: Catty Chan
Image Coordinator: Connie Tsang
Designers: Rachelle Ribeiro, Anastasiya Milova,
Rachel Bailey, Shelby Guergis, Nicholas Hanlon
Junior Developer: Jonathan Aellen
Co-op Student, Audience Data Analysis: Ruqaiyah Baksh
Co-op Student, Digital Content: Jorge Toro
Co-op Students, Video Production: Ryhan Welink,
Varundeep Chawla
Co-op Student, Social Media: Bianca Linhares-Huang
EXECUTIVE OFFICE & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Director, Board & Executive Relations: David Vella
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Manager, Executive Office: Melanie DiPasquale
Coordinator to the CEO: Omar Siddiqui
Interns, Executive Office: Nora Marku, Bronwyn Ring
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Senior Project Manager, Special Projects: Suzan Sabir
Senior Production & Operations Manager: Scott Austin
Interim Senior Production & Operations Manager:
Karen Sung
Project Manager: Daniela Fetta
STAFF & VOLUNTEER RESOURCES
Senior Director, People & Culture: Denine Das
HUMAN RESOURCES
Manager: Melissa Watanabe
Manager, Payroll: Kat Du-Phan
Senior HR Business Partner: Brittany Reynolds
HR Business Partner: Danielle Colby
HR Festival Coordinator: Liza Moran
Co-op Student: Magdalena Piro
VOLUNTEER & INTERN RESOURCES
Manager: Katy Fahimi-Manzari
Senior Coordinator: Katie Epp
Coordinators: Colleen Munro, Melina Sevilla
Assistants: Alanna Dickinson, Matthew Fontanilla,
Tessa Hall, Casey Lee
Interns: Sarah Devlin, Sofia Stern
Co-op Student: Raquel Argueta
Arts Administration Intern: Tracy Leung
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
LEGAL
Director, Legal & Business Affairs: Robert Gold
Associate, Legal: Samin Rajaian
Law Student: Matthew Staton
FINANCE
Director, Finance & Administration: Jennifer Drome
Director, Finance & Administration: Robyn Gough
Director, Accounting: Sharon Barnes-Simmonds
Senior Manager, Financial Analysis: Andrée Zverina
Manager, Accounting: Vincent Pham
Senior Coordinator, Treasury & Legal: Alexa Speagle
Financial Analysts: Isabella O’Brien, Sarah McLaughlin
Senior Coordinators: Natasha Stepanova, Jose Neira
Coordinators: Yijun Chen, Christina Meunier
Assistant: Miho Takeda
Co-op Student, Accounting: Dilshan Jayasinghe
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Director: Sean Barry
Senior Manager, Business Information Systems:
Theresa Ennis
Manager, IT Operations: Ryan MacDonald
Network Administrator: Cam Wynd
Manager, Business Analysis: Santiago Marin
Senior Project Coordinator: Dan Truong
Senior Data Analyst: Joel Babcock
Manager, Event & Asset Management:
Diana DiFrancesco
Enterprise Application Architect: Gabriel Perez
Application Support Coordinator: Julie Dunsmuir
IT Help Desk Assistant: Andrei Vasilachi
PARTNERSHIPS
Senior Director: Jennifer Frees
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
Directors: Chloë Wade, Reena Chohan
Acting Director: Meredith Best
Senior Managers: Christina Raheja, Adrienne Giroux
Managers: Rob Kraszewski, Carly Penny, Jordana
Soberman, Daniel Listi, Sadaf Virji, Hannah Emmerson,
Robin Redshaw, Melanie Klodt Wong
Hospitality Sales Specialist: Valerie Pek
Assistants: Julia Palatino, Victoria Morton
HOSPITALITY PARTNERSHIPS
Manager: Adrian Neagu
EVENT PARTNERSHIPS & BOOKINGS
Senior Manager: Sandra Valenzuela
Coordinator: Jessica Lange
Assistant: Emily Harrod
ADVANCEMENT
DEVELOPMENT
Director, Development: Debra Kwinter
Senior Coordinator, Major Gifts: Kira Bruce
Coordinator, Major Gifts: Caroline Katona
LOYALTY & ENGAGEMENT
Director, Loyalty & Engagement: Jaspreet Sandhu
Senior Manager, Individual Giving: Erin Hewitson
Senior Manager, Loyalty: Pierre Bois
Manager, Loyalty: Rekha Sharma
Manager, Advancement Operations: Megan Leblanc
Senior Coordinator, Advancement Operations: Yan Zou
Senior Coordinator, Loyalty: Julia Lewis
Coordinator, Loyalty & Engagement: Ayesha Husain
Coordinator, Loyalty & Engagement: Alissa Chater
Coordinator, Advancement Operations: Heidi Zarse
Loyalty & Operations Representatives: Sonia Bhogal,
Renna Wehbe, Robyn St. Laurent
Data Assistant: Daniele Iannucci
Administrator, Advancement: Gillian Ashton
Co-op Student: Stephany Yescas Martinez
SALES & STEWARDSHIP EVENTS
Manager, Sales & Stewardship Events: Jessica Dunphy
Coordinator, Advancement Events: Craig Palmer
GOVERNMENT & FOUNDATION RELATIONS
Director: Alan Convery
Senior Coordinators: Benjamin Coleman, Amy Thind
Assistants: Shahene Patel, Emily Christie
Thank you to all of our Festival Programming,
Communications, Ticketing Services, Festival Services,
Concessions, Retail, Cinemas, Film Office & Event
Production and Hospitality & Event Sales, including:
Filmmaker Host Coordinators, Jury Coordinators,
Intro and Q&A support staff, Venue Liaisons, P&I
Coordination, Private Screenings Support Staff,
Publicists, Red Carpet Teams, Ticketing Services
Assistant Managers, Box Office Supervisors, Line
Leads, Logistics Assistants, Scanning Representatives,
Ticket Agents, Head Venue Representatives, Venue
Representatives, Front of House Assistants, Stage
Managers, Production Coordinators, Production
Assistants, Drivers, Ground Transportation Assistants,
and Airport Supervisors.
List updated as of July 26, 2018.
25
TIFF Board of Directors
CHAIR
Jennifer Tory

DIRECTORS
Jennifer Baichwal Frank Kollmar Wayne Purboo
Geoff Beattie Chetan Mathur Jeffrey Remedios
Helen Burstyn Shabin Mohamed Francis Shen
Barry Campbell Leslie Noble Mark Wellings
Asha Daniere Wade Oosterman
Betty-Ann Heggie Geetu Pathak EX-OFFICIO
Ellis Jacob Rod Phillips Slawko Klymkiw

CHAIR EMERITUS CO-FOUNDERS FOUNDING CHAIR

& FOUNDER
Dusty Cohl Martin P. Connell
William Marshall Henk Van der Kolk

TIFF Former Board Members

FORMER CHAIRS Paul Curley Sarabjit (Sabi) Marwah Ian Sorbie
(in order of service) Myrna Daniels Beverley Mascoll Pia Southam
Martin P. Connell Marlene Del Zotto Bryn Matthews Warren Spitz
Colin D. Watson Garth H. Drabinsky Susan McArthur Helga Stephenson
Jonathan H. Slan Thor Eaton Ross McBride Nalini Stewart
Allan Gregg Ruth J. Eisen Michael McCabe Rajesh Subramaniam
Sidney M. Oland Andy Emilio Susan McCutcheon Constance L. Sugiyama
Brendan Calder Rudi Engel Henry McKinlay James F. Sward
Allen Karp Hon. Madam Justice Mary McLaughlin Dan Tanenbaum
Paul Atkinson Gloria Epstein M. Theresa McLeod Allan Thompson
Lisa de Wilde Niv Fichman William R. McMurtry, Q.C. Beverly L. Topping
Julia Foster Deepa Mehta Lynn Tribbling
FORMER BOARD MEMBERS William J. Fox Ron Moore Henk Van der Kolk
George Anthony Murray Frum Paul G. Morton Paul Vessey
Barry Avrich R. Betty Gittens David Nancoff Constance Wansbrough
John Bailey Bob Goodman Peter J. Nygard Suzanne Weiss
Ian Bandeen Senator Jerry Grafstein Peter O’Brian Bob White
John F. Bassett Stephen Greenberg Richard L.R. O’Hagan Martin White
Louise Bellingham Steven M. Harris Bernard Ostry Cairine Wilson
Stephen Bingham Barry Haywood Joe Peixoto
Jordan L. Bitove Peter Herrndorf N. Jane Pepino FORMER BOARD
EX-OFFICIO
David G.R. Bloom Jan Innes Renee Perlmutter
Brian Ashton
Lawrence S. Bloomberg Richard W. Ivey Carol Phillips
Councillor
Trish Bongard Godfrey Karl D. Jaffary, Q.C. Robert Phillips
Maria Augimeri
Vince Borg Norman Jewison Douglas D. Port
Jay Berkowitz
Rudy Bratty B. Denham Jolly Robert Ramsay
S. Wayne Clarkson
Peter Brenzel Jarratt Jones Heather Reisman
Matt DiPaola
Michael Budman David J. Kassie Jacques Reiss
Betty Disero
Ross Cammalleri Christopher Kelly David Roffey
Megan Fowler
Mike Cardiff Neville W. Kirchmann Lynda Rogers
Greg Gilhooly
James Carthy Tom G. Kristenbrun Marc Rosenberg
David Heath
Bill Casey William Kurtin Sandra Rotman
Chris Korwin-Kuczynski
Mahen Chandaria Kenneth W. Lalonde Gerry Roy
Marianne Moore
Robb S. Chase Robert Lantos Lawrence Rubin
Councillor
Irene Chu Ralph Lean, Q.C. Eva Ryterband
Frances Nunziata
Linda Chu Michael A. Levine Elsie Anne Savoie
Councillor
Charles S. Coffey Willard L’Heureux Mary Shechtman
David Shiner
Annette Cohen David G. Lint David Silcox
Mario Silva
Dusty Cohl James Little Norman Simon
Julia Weinstein
J. Rob Collins Victor Loewy Peter Simpson
Pauline Couture Jeffery Lyons Sandra L. Simpson
Ed Cowan Michael MacMillan Allan Slaight List updated as of Aug. 1, 2018
Douglas J. Creighton David MacNaughton Gary Slaight
Gordon Cressy Frederik Manter Nelson Smith

23
 TIFF Staff
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Director & CEO: Piers Handling
Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer:
Michèle Maheux
Chief Financial Officer: Douglas Allison
Artistic Director, TIFF: Cameron Bailey
Vice President, Advancement: maxine bailey
Vice President, Public Relations & Corporate Affairs:
Andréa Grau
PROGRAMMING
FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING
Director: Kerri Craddock
Senior Programmer: Steve Gravestock
Senior Manager: Michael Lerman
Manager: Anita Tavakol
Senior Manager, TIFF Kids: Jennifer Barkin
Canadian & Shorts Manager: Lisa Haller
Senior Coordinator: Luisa Alvarez Restrepo
Scheduling Coordinator: Jennifer Thomas
Seasonal Coordinator: Bronwen Eadie
Seasonal Assistant: Neeky Dalir
Intern: Anders Gatten
International Programmers: Cameron Bailey,
Jennifer Barkin, Kerri Craddock, Dimitri Eipides,
Giovanna Fulvi, Danis Goulet, Steve Gravestock,
Piers Handling, Michèle Maheux, Kiva Reardon,
Diana Sanchez, Jane Schoettle
Canadian Feature Programmers: Steve Gravestock,
Danis Goulet
Gala Presentation Programmers: Cameron Bailey,
Kerri Craddock, Piers Handling, Michèle Maheux
In Conversation With...: Theresa Scandiffio
Midnight Madness Programmer: Peter Kuplowsky
Platform Programmers: Piers Handling
Primetime Programmer & Platform Programming
Associate: Michael Lerman
TIFF Cinematheque Programmer: Brad Deane
TIFF Docs Programmer: Thom Powers
Wavelengths Curator: Andréa Picard
Short Cuts Programmers: Jason Anderson, Lisa Haller
Programming Associates: Adam Cook,
Andrei Tanasescu, Dorota Lech, Emily Reid,
Jesse Cumming, June Kim, Liane Cunje,
Ravi Srinivasan, Zaira Zarza
Feature Pre-screener: Jake Howell
Short Cuts Pre-screeners: Sarah-Tai Black,
Adriana Chartrand, Julie O’Leary, Ryan Stam,
Alysia Urrutia
INDUSTRY OFFICE
Director: Kathleen Drumm
Senior Manager, Industry: Geoff Macnaughton
Industry Programmer: Niall Macpherson
Senior Coordinator, Industry Services: Brittany Allan
Coordinator, Industry Services: Erika Loyola-Andrade
Industry Conference Producer: Karina Rotenstein
Producer, Rising Stars: Emma Bulpin, Natalie Semotiuk,
Associate Producer, Filmmaker Lab: Eloise Veber
Associate Programmer, Industry Conference:
Melissa D’Agostino
Industry Sales Coordinator: Greg Novis
Industry Programming Coordinator: Asiah Sunich
Industry Protocol Coordinator: Marc Pannia
Assistant, Industry Services: Chelsea Chase, Jenny Lee,
Cailey Neefs, Tian Yi
TIFF CINEMATHEQUE
Senior Programmer, Film Programmes: James Quandt
Senior Manager: Brad Deane
Manager: Samuel La France
Coordinators: Amanda Brason, Lydia Ogwang
Co-op Student: Mehdi Pilehvarian
THEATRICAL & FILM CIRCUIT
Manager, Theatrical Programming: Ming-Jenn Lim
Manager, Film Circuit: Laura Good
Programming Coordinator, Film Circuit:
Lauren Coughlan
Coordinators, Film Circuit: Rachel Barclay,
David Van Poppel, Charlotte Vincer
Administrative Assistant, Theatrical Programming:
Lauren Zavitz
Intern: Jacob Crepeault
24
LEARNING
Senior Director: Theresa Scandiffio
ADULT LEARNING
Senior Managers: Keith Bennie, Christoph Straub
Senior Coordinator: Jessica Lam
Coordinator: Desirée de Jesus
Coordinator, Speaker Series: Lianne Holland
Intern: Derval Slatcher
FILM REFERENCE LIBRARY
Senior Manager: Michelle Lovegrove Thomson
Librarian: Fatima Mercado
Senior Coordinator, Special Collections: Kate Watson
Database & Cataloguing Coordinator: Krista Keller
Digitization Coordinator: Natalie Russell
Library Clerks: Chad Menard, Sagan Yee
Audit, Co-op Student: Haakon Webber-Winsor
Co-op Student: Hannah Richardson
YOUTH LEARNING
Senior Manager, School & Family Programmes:
Daniella Marchese
Manager, Youth & Community Initiatives: Brigid Tierney
Manager, School & Educator Programmes: Rachel Miller
Senior Coordinator, Youth & Community Initiatives:
Elysse Leonard
Senior Coordinator, Youth Learning:
Brittney Filek-Gibson
Coordinators, Youth & Community Initiatives: Hoda Ali,
Ikoro Huggins-Warner
Coordinators, School & Family Programmes:
Chika Okonkwo, Jackson Walker
Summer Camp Leader: Julianna Notten
Summer Camp Counsellors: Mitchell Allen,
Daniel Berube, Diriye Hassan, Siona Shakyaver,
Adalyn Torres-Bliley, Yu Xin Shi
Occupational Therapy (OT) Placement Student:
Kenny Cordon
FILM OFFICE & EVENT PRODUCTION
Director: Anita Cotic
EVENT PRODUCTION
Senior Manager, Production Services: Angela Coates
Senior Manager, Event Production: Danielle Gaudet
Manager, Festival Logistics: Sachil Patel
Manager, Event Production: Mariangel Urdaneta
Assistant Production Managers: Susan Edwards,
Wendy Miranda
Senior Coordinators, Event Production:
Amanda Clarke-Taitt, Jennifer Reeves
Coordinators, Event Production: Nicole Singh,
Margeaux Booth, Jody-Ann Tam, Jackson Ward, Julla
Shanghavi, Laura Dykstra, Lexxi Yamanaka, Dave
Meisner, McKensey Hanmer, Sabrina Holmes
Administrative Assistant, Event Production: Joy McKeown
Venue Liaisons: Warren Rees
Manager, Ground Transportation: Jahn Farquharson
Production Manager, Festival Village: Mark Teeple
Festival Security Coordinator: Morgan Taylor
Venue Liaisons: Zain Kassam, Alison Almeida,
Holly Wells, Richard Bonnick, Kaliopi Kuzyk, Kayla
Lakhani, Kelly DiPaola, Marianka Makowka, Natalie
Coffen, Richard Bonnick, Rose Mouana
Administrative Coordinator, Festival Logistics:
Jose Rubio
Production Coordinator, Festival Logistics: Carolyn Dunk
Production Coordinator, Festival Village: Elizabeth Zylski
Production Services Coordinator: Kate King Wale
Festival Venue Logistics Intern: Aaron Brown
FILM OFFICE
Manager, Film Office: Gabrielle Leith
Senior Coordinators, Film Office: Amy Bryan,
Alex Hughes, Maria Pettus
Coordinator, Film Office: Jocelyn MacDonald
Administrative Assistant, Film Office: Caitlin Garvey
Film Coordinators: Amira Abdellahim, Pauline Alonso,
Ishany Bhattacharya, Kristin Boivin, Adam Cooper,
Marina Diaz-Cabrera, Daniel Fleming, William Yih,
Pauline Matter, Holly Pruner, Charlie Vermeulen
Assistant, Film Office: Scott Smart
Assistants, Hotels: Ling Wu, Molly Dyson
Submissions Assistants: Devon Bond, Hanako Fuijii,
Jordan Penny, Kathryn Taylor
Invitations Assistants: Cameron Eidlitz, Cecilia Nguyen
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION SERVICES
Director: Diane Cappelletto
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Head Projectionist: Erik Kruka
Projectionists: Hans Burgschmidt, Dave Callaghan,
Philip De Blasi, Andreas Erne, Katherine Glen,
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Alan Kennedy, Eyan Logan, Matt Mason,
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Devin Wickens
Senior Revisor: Airian McLeish
Revisor: Alexi Manis
Audio Technicians: Harrison Bye, Andres Castillo-Smith,
Malcolm Cooke, Robert DiGioia, Alex Lappano,
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VR Facilitator: Jenna-Lee Hyde
Projectionists and Revisors are through the
cooperation of IATSE local 58
FILM & DIGITAL PRINT SERVICES
Manager: Steven Landry
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Digital Cinema Manager: Steve Ioannidis
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Production Coordinator: Jonah Kamphorst
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Technical Representatives: Larry Au, Siloen Daley, Resat
Fuat Cam, Drew Gauley, Evan Jerred, Yorgo Karakostas,
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Senior Manager, Festival Services: Alyssa Kornet
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Be a Part of History
The People’s Choice Award. Since 1978.

Past winners:

2017 Three Billboards Outside
Ebbing, Missouri
2016 La La Land
2015 Room
2014 The Imitation Game
2013 12 Years a Slave
2012 Silver Linings Playbook
2011 Where Do We Go Now?
2010 The King’s Speech
2009 Precious
2008 Slumdog Millionaire
2007 Eastern Promises
2006 Bella
2005 Tsotsi
2004 Hotel Rwanda
2003 Zatoichi
2002 Whale Rider
2001 Amélie
2000 Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon
1999 American Beauty
1998 Life is Beautiful
1997 The Hanging Garden
1996 Shine
1995 Antonia’s Line
1994 Priest
1993 The Snapper
1992 Strictly Ballroom
1991 The Fisher King
1990 Cyrano de Bergerac
1989 Roger & Me
1988 Women on the Verge of
a Nervous Breakdown
1987 The Princess Bride
1986 The Decline of the
American Empire
1985 The Official Story
1984 Places in the Heart
1983 The Big Chill
1982 Tempest
1981 Chariots of Fire
1980 Bad Timing
1979 Best Boy
1978 Girlfriends

Vote for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at tiff.net/vote

The winning film rescreens for free on Sunday, September 16 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Tickets will be available at tiff.net/pca after 10am on September 16.
Limit one ticket per person.
Awards
The Canada Goose®
Award for Best
Canadian Feature Film
The Award for Best Canadian Feature
Film is presented annually at the Toronto
International Film Festival, a showcase
for the best in new Canadian cinema.
The $30,000 prize is made possible
thanks to Canada Goose. The Canada
Goose Trophy will also be presented to
the winner. All Canadian feature-length
films in the Festival are eligible for
this award.
City of Toronto Award
for Best Canadian
First Feature Film
The Award for Best Canadian First
Feature Film is presented annually to a
Canadian filmmaker whose first feature
film is considered exemplary. The
$15,000 prize is made possible thanks
to the City of Toronto.
IWC Short Cuts Award
for Best Canadian
Short Film
All Canadian films in the Short Cuts
programme are eligible for this award,
which is presented annually and comes
with a $10,000 cash prize, made possible
by IWC Schaffhausen.
28
2012
Xavier Dolan Laurence Anyways
2013
Alan Zweig When Jews Were Funny
2014
Maxime Giroux Félix et Meira
2015
Stephen Dunn Closet Monster
2016
Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie Those Who Make Revolution Halfway
Only Dig Their Own Graves
(Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié
n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau)
2017
Robin Aubert Les Affamés
2012
Brandon Cronenberg Antiviral
Jason Buxton Blackbird
2013
Shayne Ehman, Seth Scriver Asphalt Watches
2014
Jeffrey St. Jules Bang Bang Baby
2015
Andrew Cividino Sleeping Giant
2016
Johnny Ma Old Stone (Lao shi)
2017
Wayne Wapeemukwa Luk’Luk’l
2012
Deco Dawson Keep a Modest Head
2013
Walter Woodman, Patrick Cederberg Noah
2014
Randall Lloyd Okita The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer
2015
Patrice Laliberté Overpass
2016
Alexandre Dostie Mutants
2017
Marc-Antoine Lemire Pre-Drink
IWC Short Cuts Award
for Best Short Film
All films in the Short Cuts programme
are eligible for this award, which is
presented annually and comes with a
$10,000 cash prize, made possible by
IWC Schaffhausen.
2014
Sotiris Dounoukos A Single Body (Un seul corps)
2015
Maïmouna Doucouré Maman(s)
2016
Raymund Ribay Gutierrez Imago
2017
Niki Lindroth von Bahr The Burden (Min Börda)

Toronto Platform Prize 2015

Alan Zweig Hurt
Presented by Air France 2016
Pablo Larraín Jackie
Named after Jia Zhang-ke’s groundbreak-
ing film, Platform spotlights the next 2017
Warwick Thornton Sweet Country
generation of cinema visionaries. All films
in the Platform programme are eligible for
this award, which is presented annually
and comes with a $25,000 cash prize,
made possible by Air France.

The Audentia Award

The Audentia Award was initiated by the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund to
promote greater gender equality in the European film industry. In Latin, audentia
means “courage” and “bravery” — two qualities that are vital for any woman wishing
to pursue a career in film directing. Accompanied by a €30,000 cash prize, the
Audentia Award celebrates female directors by giving their work greater visibility
and inspiring other women to follow in their footsteps.

To see awards juries, visit tiff.net

29
Meet the
Programmers
Who chooses your films?
We do.
Piers Handling
Director & CEO, TIFF
Twenty programmers western europe, italy, poland,
platform, gala presentations
covering six continents.

Michèle Maheux Cameron Bailey

Executive Director & COO, TIFF Artistic Director, TIFF
ireland, the netherlands, south asia, gala presentations,
gala presentations special presentations

Kerri Craddock Jason Anderson

Director of Programming, short cuts
Toronto International Film Festival
western europe, turkey, usa,
gala presentations, special presentations

Jennifer Barkin Brad Deane

Senior Manager, Senior Manager, TIFF Cinematheque
Festival Programming, TIFF
tiff cinematheque
festival street, special events, kids & family

Dimitri Eipides Giovanna Fulvi

central & western asia, east & southeast asia
central & eastern europe

30
Danis Goulet Steve Gravestock
canada Senior Programmer, TIFF
canada, nordic region, the philippines

Lisa Haller Peter Kuplowsky

Canadian & Shorts Manager, TIFF midnight madness
short cuts

Michael Lerman Andréa Picard

primetime wavelengths

Thom Powers Kiva Reardon

tiff docs africa, the middle east

Diana Sanchez Theresa Scandiffio

caribbean, latin america, portugal, spain Senior Director, Learning, TIFF
in conversation with...

Jane Schoettle
australia, israel, new zealand, usa

31
TIFF Speaker Series

Robert Austin Randall Hansen Teresa Kramarz Ron Levi Janice Stein Joseph Wong
Associate Professor, Interim Director, Director, Munk George Ignatieff Founding Director, Ralph and Roz
Teaching Stream, Munk School of One Program, Chair of Peace and Munk School of Halbert Professor
Global Affairs of Innovation,
Centre for European, Global Affairs Munk School of Conflict Studies,
and Public Policy Munk School of
Russian, and and Public Policy Global Affairs Munk School of Global Affairs
Eurasian Studies; and Public Policy Global Affairs and Public Policy
Munk School of and Public Policy
Global Affairs
and Public Policy

Through film we encounter important social, political, and economic issues, and the narratives For speaker/film
they shape. To consider the significance of these stories in greater detail, the Festival continues pairings, please look
its partnership with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy for the TIFF Speaker
Series tags on the
for the TIFF Speaker Series, pairing film selections with expert scholars from the Munk School. film pages in this
book, or check the
Audiences will have the chance to interact with filmmakers and scholars in extended discussions Index. Additional
after each film’s second public screening, which facilitates a deeper knowledge of cinema information can also
aesthetics in relation to the broader concerns facing the world today. be found at tiff.net/
tiffspeakerseries.
Welcome back to the TIFF Speaker Series: watch, experience, be enriched.

The Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto unites people who are passionate to address
the problems of a fast-changing world. Our aspiration is to create a unique, world-leading research, teaching, and public-
engagement site that builds the new field of global affairs from Canada. The Munk School is home to world-renowned
researchers and more than 50 academic centres, labs, and programs, including our Master of Global Affairs and Master
of Public Policy. For more information, please visit: munkschool.utoronto.ca.

32
Top: Piers’s school days: mid-1960s with brother Roger
Handling, left; climbing in Gatineau Park, Quebec, c. 1970
Middle: in Havana with Helga Stephenson
and Justo Perez, 1986
Bottom: with Jean-Luc Godard, 1996
He said if I wanted to talk about it further,
whenever I want, I can do that. I’ve never
had a rejection that was so warm and so
personable. We’ve become very good friends
since then.… Three years later, Piers saw
Sam & Me, my first feature, at Cannes.
He didn’t say anything to me. When we got
back to Toronto, he asked, “Can we have it
at the Festival?” I was thrilled.
Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director, TIFF; Festival
Programmer, 1990–present: My first meeting
with Piers was in 1989. He took me to
lunch and invited me to join the Festival of
Festivals as a programmer for Perspective
Canada. And… I actually said no. I was a film
critic, but I was still in graduate school and
I just didn’t think I had all the knowledge I
needed. He came back a year later — there
was another position on the programming
team available. That was the start of an
almost-30-year career. I am so glad he asked
me the second time.
Noah Cowan, Artistic Director, TIFF Bell
Lightbox, 2010–2014; Festival Programmer,
1989–2014: Piers was a rock of the Canadian
programme. It provided this very clear
commitment to Canadian filmmakers.
Piers realized there was something very
special happening, particularly in Toronto.
He created a kind of intellectual centre and
attracted really interesting people to work
with him on that Canadian selection, who
then became the core of our programming
team for many years to come.
Patricia Rozema, filmmaker: I remember
“Piers-Handling” as a word — the gate to
the Festival. He had been on a jury for the
completion funding for my first half-hour.
The film wasn’t done, so I called him and
he came to the edit suite. He was right
there with it, and I knew from that moment
that he truly loves filmmakers — not just
the films. I’ve always felt from Piers that
there was a love of the kind of mind that
invents this stuff. Of course, he’s a highly
discerning intellect. Piers and the people
he gathered around him love films that
were formally bold. And if there’s a word
for Piers, as gentle and as kind a man as
he is, it’s “bold.” His ambition — for the
filmmaking community here is sky high.
Cameron Bailey: Piers on the surface is a
mild-mannered, reserved guy, but he’s a
very bold thinker, and that’s why TIFF has
become what it is. His first thought was to do
a Canadian retrospective in a massive way
— not in a small, “polite” Canadian way, but
to treat it like a big national cinema like the
French cinema, like American cinema. And
also, to do extensive retrospectives of Soviet
cinema and Latin American cinema. This
was a man who thought big when it came
to film, and that’s part of what attracted
the world’s filmmakers, film critics, and
industry to Toronto every September.
Helga Stephenson: When I was hired as
Executive Director and Piers was
immediately hired as Artistic Director —
the year when we did the world’s largest
Latin American programme ever presented
— we had a lot of time to talk. This was when
we invented our vision, which was based on
the classic Henri Langlois Cinémathèque
Française: you show the best films, you save
the best films, you have a reference library
for the best films, you run screenings
all year long. It was a very classic model.
Thirty years ago the planning started.
Noah Cowan: The Latin American
retrospective in the late ’80s was a real
turning point for TIFF. It was the first
major, self-curated exhibition that
garnered international attention. Helga,
a big personality, was able to get into
anyone’s office, anywhere in the world.
Piers could provide this enormous context
and background. The kind of yin and yang
between them became a defining feature
of the Festival at the time.
Cameron Bailey: Piers was a global
thinker. Although he was born in Canada,
his family has deep roots in the UK, he
went to a British boarding school, he
lived in Pakistan for a while as a child,
he travelled all over the world. I went
to Burkina Faso with Piers in 1991, for
the biggest African festival at the time,
FESPACO. We were looking for something
new. We had shown African film in the
past, of course, but we hadn’t really
engaged with the filmmakers and the film
culture on the African continent, and this
was the beginning.
Norman Jewison, filmmaker; Board of
Directors, 1981–1990: I was on the Festival
board when I met Piers in 1982. I
remember I was kind of stunned by his
knowledge of foreign films. He and [late
film critic and Festival Programmer] David
Overbey were really responsible for the
Festival stepping out globally. When Piers
later took over, in ’94, TIFF seemed to
have a global reach.
Suzanne Weiss, Board, 1999–2003; Managing
Director, 1994–1997; Director of Corporate
Relations, 1987–1991; Financial Associate,
1984–1986: I think his family background
had a lot to do with his personality in the
early days. He was very solitary, he was
academic, he was very neat and tidy. His
father was in the military, his maternal
grandfather was in the military. Being a kid
who moved around a lot, he was very self-
sufficient. He was somewhat introverted.
He’s changed enormously. He really grew
into the job, and amazingly so. It was just
a pleasure to watch him.
Anne Mackenzie: Piers’s dichotomies
are very interesting. I’ve talked to a few
filmmakers recently, and no one will say
a bad word about Piers. One of the things
that keeps coming up is that he’s such an
extraordinary mixture of a film nerd and
a CEO. The guy who can sit and talk about
Tarkovsky for hours — and would prefer
to — can also run a place this big, with all
the difficult responsibilities and problems,
and do it gracefully.
35
Left: Moscow, 1979, with Don Shebib
Right: with Deepa Mehta, Festival 2015

Jennifer Baichwal, filmmaker; Board, 2016–

present: Piers has a rare combination of
a number of qualities that are not normally
found in one person. He’s a total cinephile,
so he can totally geek out with the best
of them — we’ve done that. He’s a skilful
diplomat, someone who had a vision
for this building. He’s an icon for Canadian
cinema internationally. And he’s not an
intimidating person. I never felt like
I was being condescended to when I was
younger, and never feeling like I was a
“woman filmmaker.” I was a filmmaker.
And that was a big deal 20 years ago.
Robert Lantos, producer; Board, 1989–1995,
1999–2005: When Piers joined in 1982, those
were the playful years, as I recall them.
As Piers ascended through the ranks of the
organization and became CEO, he lived
through, as did all of us in the Canadian film who wanted to share these treasures with of belief and asks, “Why not?” If you ask
industry, the Festival’s transition from its people here. There is now a large cadre that question at the right moment, it can be
carefree years to its much wilder adolescent of filmmakers who are loyal to this festival, a great spur to a team achieving more than
years. And then, as CEO, Piers is the one I think that’s very much part of Piers’s they ever thought they could.
who oversaw the transition from those legacy. His imprimatur is still there.
Michèle Maheux: We wouldn’t be where we
wild teenage years into adulthood, which is
Norman Jewison: The Toronto Festival are today as an institution if we hadn’t had
where the Festival is today.
under Piers kept its identity because he the benefit of 36 years of Piers Handling
Deepa Mehta: I think it was Toni Morrison is absorbed and devoted to film in a way here, in all the roles that he’s played at the
who said that all art is political. I think Piers that is just uncanny. organization. I think TIFF, and all of us
is actually an astute political programmer. here, have benefited from that trajectory.
Robert Lantos: Piers’s most important
He had a vision of what cinema could
legacy is the extent to which he successfully Noah Cowan: I actually don’t believe that
achieve as a political tool. Now we talk about
championed a seriously endangered species Piers is capable of retiring, so I look forward
celebrating diversity, and the importance
called independent film — which includes to seeing the next act of kindness that he
of inclusion, and who are we and how we’re
Canadian film. It has few champions as gives to the film world, whether it’s in the
represented. He took cinema as a tool and
important as Piers Handling. As a Canadian form of a book that he’s been threatening to
made it public. Before we all started talking
filmmaker who only makes independent write, or in screening programmes — we’re
about diversity, he made it a possibility.
films, I owe him a huge debt of gratitude. all just fascinated as to what the next chapter
Patricia Rozema: Piers and other is going to be for this incredibly important
Jeremy Thomas, producer: I’d rather be
programmers navigated a potentially guy in our lives and in the life of film.
pally with a festival director than with
difficult relationship very well. They’re
the head of a studio. As an independent Anne Mackenzie: Whenever there’s an
friendly, supportive, warm, but they’re
filmmaker trying to smuggle my films obscure, strange, interesting screening
not just going to put any old thing in the
into the mainstream — I found Piers (at the Lightbox), Piers is usually there —
Festival. I always felt they wished to
was one of those people who understood as is Wayne, actually. They continue to
help me raise my game, and that’s giant.
what we were doing in terms of delivering learn and watch stuff.
Somebody wants you to be good? Especially
very high-quality, profound, films for
when you’re a woman? Lesbian? Piers was Atom Egoyan: Piers is a real adventurer.
festival audiences.
accepting of alternate voices. I felt included. There are a number of things he’s wanted
Were there enough? No. I was really the Mira Nair, filmmaker: When you go through to do in the summer that he never could do
exception to the rule. I think now we’re this journey of cinema, whichever side because he was too busy programming.
watching as the rule is changing. you’re on, there come these pillars that you I think this will be a golden moment for him.
know you can rely on, that hold you up. Piers
Helga Stephenson: He kept up the artistic
is in that pillar category. Norman Jewison: I’m sure Piers will find
standards. And then the job became the
another mountain to climb.
realization of the dream of a permanent Cameron Bailey: Piers climbs mountains,
home. He managed to balance the two — literally, and as a young man he spent a lot Denys Arcand, filmmaker: I wish him good
not an easy job. But he did it with grit, he of time in the Himalayas hiking at very books, great music, some operas maybe,
did it with grace, and he did it with utter high altitudes. I think that is a symbol of and wonderful hikes in unknown forests
commitment. But Piers was living the what he does in his professional life. And and on magic mountains. Bon voyage, my
dream of his life. This is a massive cinephile he does it in a quiet way. He just has a kind excellent friend.

36
 Salut Piers: Celebrating Our CEO
The 2018 Festival marks Piers Handling’s 37th year as a key
member of the TIFF team — though Piers would be the first
to point out that it is “only” his 25th as Director and CEO.
In fact, Piers has attended all but two Festivals since TIFF’s
inception as the Festival of Festivals in 1976, back when he was
Deputy Director of the Canadian Film Institute in Ottawa. He joined
the Festival as a programmer in 1982, and later served as Artistic
Director for seven years before becoming Director and CEO of
the newly renamed Toronto International Film Festival in 1994.
Last year, he announced that TIFF 2018 would be his final
Festival with the organization.
During Piers’s tenure, TIFF has become a Toronto institution
of international renown and has made a significant economic
contribution to the City. Under his direction, we have grown from
a 10-day annual event to a thriving, year-round operation with
a permanent home at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
When Piers steps down from his position — after programming
and presenting this Fall season’s First World War Centenary series
at the Lightbox — he will turn his attention and invaluable film
expertise to future projects.
We take this opportunity to wish Piers the very best, to thank
him, and to congratulate him on his exemplary job as TIFF’s
tireless leader. The path he has carved out will continue to benefit
Canadian and international filmmakers. We know that Piers’s
friends, associates, and colleagues feel the same way.
Jennifer Tory,
CHAIR, TIFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
33

Directed by Piers:
Memories of TIFF’s Handling Years
Michèle Maheux, Executive Director & CEO,
TIFF; former Managing Director; Marketing &
Communications Director; Volunteer publicist; film
student; late 1970s–present: Piers first arrived
at the Toronto International Film Festival,
then known as the Festival of Festivals,
from the Canadian Film Institute in Ottawa,
in 1982. He started out as a programmer,
and was editor of the programme book, too.
Wayne Clarkson, Festival Director, 1978–1986;
Board of Directors, 1986–1997: Piers and I met
in the spring of 1971 — a short while ago.
We were fresh out of university and got
jobs at the Canadian Film Institute. We
became friends very quickly. I remember
picking 16mm or 35mm film prints out
of the local archives and screening them
during our lunch hours, chatting.
Anne Mackenzie, Managing Director,
1980–1985; Film Officer, 1976–1979: Very
loosely speaking, Wayne and I ran the
Festival for the first 11 years, then there
34
was a brief transition, and then Helga and
Piers took it over before Piers ran it on his
own. Both he and Wayne came from the
CFI — as did Michèle.
Michèle Maheux: The CFI was like
a mini-TIFF. By around 1980, Piers was
the associate director and head of
publications. I’d just joined as assistant
director in the library. Then Piers got
us all fired [laughs].
Wayne Clarkson: There was a bit of an
insurrection at the CFI, and Piers was
one of the leaders.
Michèle Maheux: He put this group of five
people together to sign on with him and
kind of overthrow the executive director.
Instead, they fired us. And Piers and I have
been friends ever since.
Wayne Clarkson: In ’82, I said, “C’mon
Piers, a lot is going to happen in Toronto
and you’re needed.”
Festival programmers, 1992
(back) Ian Birnie, David Overbey, Kay Armatage,
Noah Cowan; (middle) Piers Handling, Helga Stephenson,
Ramiro Puerta; (front) Geeta Sondhi, David McIntosh,
Cameron Bailey
Anne Mackenzie: Piers is probably the
biggest expert on Canadian film. Archival
stuff, French- and English-language, new
and emerging, major filmmakers, he’s
the guy. A huge thing — and this isn’t just
folklore — was the Canadian retrospective
that Piers, Geoff Pevere, and Wayne did
in 1984. Before that, English-language
Canadian films were just not cared for or
appreciated. That retrospective changed
everything. Piers made it happen.
Michèle Maheux: The idea of the Northern
Lights retrospective was to showcase the
best of Canadian film from 80 years of
cinema history — silent classics, Quebec
cinema of the ’60s and ’70s, up to the
current films. It was deeply ingrained in
Piers that we should promote Canadian
talent. Piers is super-close to so many
Quebecois filmmakers, like Denys
Arcand. And then you look at the Ontario
filmmakers whose careers he helped
launch: Atom Egoyan and Patricia Rozema,
and Don McKellar, who worked for us at
the Festival. It was just part of the DNA.
Helga Stephenson, Board, 1994–2005; Executive
Director, 1986–1993; Director of Communications,
1983–1985: Northern Lights turned out to
be the blockbuster hit of the Festival that
year. It turned around a lot of people’s
opinions about Canadian film. It became
very important to continue that, so the
Perspective Canada programme was born.
Atom Egoyan, filmmaker: Piers came to the
editing room when I was cutting Next of
Kin in 1984. It was on the second floor of
a kind of rooming house converted into
editing suites. It was grotty, to say the
least, and this quite elegant, debonair guy
showed up to look at my film. This was
a particularly big year because it was the
launch of Perspective Canada. Of course,
it was very nerve-wracking to wait for his
response. But he invited the film. It was
a defining moment for me.
Deepa Mehta, filmmaker; Board, 2007–2016:
I had heard that Piers was going to come
see the first film that I produced, Martha,
Ruth & Edie (1988), at the Bloor Cinema,
and I was really nervous. He came out and
I asked, “Well, what did you think?” —
really stupid of me, you don’t ask
programmers what they think — and he
said, “Well, I didn’t like it very much.” But
he said it in such a disarming, honest way.
2:36PM
The moment you made
your grand entrance.

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Outlaw King
A rousing period epic with much to say about
David Mackenzie the exercise of power, Outlaw King marks a
USA/UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 terrific return for David Mackenzie, direc-
English tor of the Oscar-nominated Hell or High
WORLD PREMIERE Water. That film’s four Academy Award
137 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
nods, including the nomination for Best
Production Company: Sigma Films, Anonymous Content Picture, showed Mackenzie building on
Executive Producer: Stan Wlodkowski, Steve Golin 
Producer: Gillian Berrie, David Mackenzie, Richard Brown a reputation for taut drama and gripping
Screenplay: James MacInnes, Bash Doran, performances established with Hallam Foe,
David Mackenzie Perfect Sense, and Starred Up. Outlaw King
Cinematographer: Barry Ackroyd
Editor: Jake Roberts gives Mackenzie his largest canvas yet, and
Production Designer:  Donald Graham Burt shows his already impressive talent for clas-
Sound: Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler sic storytelling continuing to grow.
Principal Cast: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson,
Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Sam Spruell, Tony Curran, Chris Pine stars as Scotland’s legend-
Stephen Dillane ary Robert the Bruce. More warrior than
Production: Sigma Films statesman, he is fiercely loyal to his men
401 Govan Road and country, and an equally fierce adversary
Glasgow G51 2QJ United Kingdom in battle. He and his fellow Scots bristle at
latenights@sigmafilms.com
England’s attempts to rule them. When
CONTACT INFORMATION: Robert seizes the opportunity to ascend the
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc. Scottish throne, England unleashes its fury,
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
(see page 359) forcing the proud king into exile. Now known
far-and-wide as an outlaw, Robert must use
both strategy and his warrior skills to win
back his nation for his people.
History buffs and film lovers will know
Robert the Bruce from the way his story
intersects with William Wallace, the heroic
programme sponsored by
figure at the centre of Braveheart. While
there are echoes here, Mackenzie brings his
own brand of high-impact realism to the tale,
staging scenes for maximum dramatic effect,
drawing us ever-closer to his characters.
Pine displays in the lead role both his
movie-star charisma and his ability to gener-
ate layers of mystery. Aaron Taylor-Johnson
(also at the Festival in A Million Little Pieces)
is terrific as Robert’s trusted solder James
Douglas, and Florence Pugh as Elizabeth
de Burgh, the woman who will become
Robert’s queen, is as compelling as she was
in Lady Macbeth.
Filmed on location in Scotland, and full of
the bracing action the story demands, Outlaw
King makes for a rich, satisfying adventure.
David Mackenzie was born in
Corbridge, Northumberland, and
raised in Scotland. He co-founded
the Glasgow-based Sigma Films.
His feature films include The Last
Great Wilderness (02), Young Adam
(03), and Starred Up (13), all of which
screened at the Festival, Hallam Foe
(07), Perfect Sense (11), and Hell or
High Water (16). Outlaw King (18) is
his latest feature.
gala presentation 39
 Official postproduction home of the
Toronto International Film Festival®
®/
™Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.

Picture • Sound • VFX bydeluxe.com

Beautiful Boy
Felix van Groeningen
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
111 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Amazon Studios/
Plan B Entertainment
Executive Producer: Nan Morales
Producer: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Screenplay: Felix van Groeningen, Luke Davies
Cinematographer: Ruben Impens
Editor: Nico Leunen
Production Designer: Ethan Tobman
Principal Cast: Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet,
Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan
Production: Plan B Entertainment
krishel.hale@amazonstudios.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: VVS Films
US Distributor: Amazon Studios
International Sales Agent: FilmNation Entertainment
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by screening sponsored by
Fresh from his breakout role in Call Me beast of addiction, they must at the same
By Your Name, Academy Award nominee time confront the fact that Nic’s pain might
Timothée Chalamet turns in another dazzling also be his choice. Beautiful Boy doesn’t shy
performance in Beautiful Boy. Playing a away from the harsh reality of this family’s
young man raging and suffering through struggle, but frames it with a surprising
drug addiction, he confirms his status as one amount of life, love, and hope.
of the very best actors of his generation. He is
matched every step of the way in this moving Felix van Groeningen was born in
drama by Steve Carell, who continues to build Belgium where he studied at the
Royal Academy of Fine Arts. His
on his comic achievements with powerhouse features include With Friends Like
dramatic turns in Foxcatcher, The Big Short, These (07), the Festival selection
and most definitely here. The Misfortunates (09), The Broken
David Sheff (Carell) is a kind, loving, Circle Breakdown (12), which was
nominated for the Academy Award
middle-class dad. He and his wife, Vicki for Best Foreign Language Film, and
(Amy Ryan), seem to have done everything Belgica (16). Beautiful Boy (18) is his
right for their family. So when son Nic first English-language film.
(Chalamet) gets addicted to methamphet-
amine, David can’t believe it, can’t stop it,
and can’t help but risk everything to try to
get his son back. As he grapples with Nic’s
lies, betrayals, and constant flirtations with
death, the film reminds us of who Nic used
to be — a sweet, thoughtful, beautiful boy.
Adapting the bestselling books that
David Sheff and Nic Sheff wrote about their
experiences, Belgian director Felix van
Groeningen brings both realism and poetry
to a tragically timely story. As the Sheffs
confront the intractable, unpredictable
gala presentation 41
The best for
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The Hate U Give
Bringing Angie Thomas’s award-winning (Anthony Mackie)? Should she listen to her
George Tillman, Jr. bestseller to the big screen, The Hate U uncle Carlos (Common), a police officer who
USA, 2018 Give is as urgent and gripping as its source urges her to trust the justice system? And
English material, with performances that deepen what can she say to her friends at school,
WORLD PREMIERE the impact. Above all, it confirms Amandla whose opinions on police violence and crime
129 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Stenberg (also at the Festival in Where in Black neighbourhoods suddenly opens a
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox/ Hands Touch) as an actor with the range gulf she finds hard to bridge.
Fox 2000 pictures
Executive Producer: Timothy M. Bourne, Angie Thomas, and charisma to serve as a leading voice for With the help of a remarkable support-
Isaac Klausner young people now. ing cast — including TIFF Rising Star
Producer: Robert Teitel, George Tillman, Jr., Starr Carter (Stenberg) lives two lives. Lamar Johnson — director George Tillman,
Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey
Cinematographer: Mihai Malaimare Jr. In her working-class neighbourhood, Jr. keeps raising the broader stakes of this
Editor: Craig Hayes, Alex Blatt she is Starr Version One, at home among moral drama, while never forgetting to tell
Production Designer: William Arnold family and friends, just being her teenage Starr’s story with insight, detail, and heart.
Sound: Steve C. Aaron
Music: Dustin O’Halloran Black girl self. At school she is Version
Principal Cast: Issa Rae, Anthony Mackie, Two, code-switching her speech and George Tillman, Jr. was born in
Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Sabrina Carpenter, behaviour to fit in with the rich, white Milwaukee, and studied film at
Common , K.J. Apa, Russell Hornsby, Lamar Johnson, Columbia College in Chicago. His
Algee Smith world of her classmates. One night back features include Soul Food (97),
in the neighbourhood she reconnects with Men of Honor (00), Barber Shop (02),
Production: Twentieth Century Fox
10201 W Pico Boulevard Building 78, Room 112 her childhood sweetheart, Khalil (Algee The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
Los Angeles, CA 90064 USA Smith). A blissful ride turns ugly when their (13), The Longest Ride (15), and The
Hate U Give (18).
xian.li@fox.com car is pulled over by police. Khalil makes
CONTACT INFORMATION one wrong move and is shot dead. There
Canadian Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox are only two witnesses: the police officer
US Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox and Starr. TIFF Next Wave
International Sales Agent: Twentieth Century Fox
(see page 359) Caught between worlds at a time when Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

she is still working out who she is, Starr

young voices in today’s fast-moving world.

struggles to make the right choices. Should This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers by
the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
she testify or keep the code of silence
demanded by the neighbourhood drug lord

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gala presentation 43
 HERE’S TO YOUR
NEVER-ENDING
DEDICATION.

XEROX CONGRATULATES
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FILM FESTIVAL.®
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Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.
Todos Lo Saben With two Academy Awards already under reveals the events and betrayals that might
his belt, Asghar Farhadi has nothing left have led someone to kidnap Laura’s daughter.
Everybody Knows to prove, but the writer and director of A As in his previous films, Farhadi shows
Separation and The Salesman keeps pushing an eye for the telling social detail — the
Asghar Farhadi in new directions. With Everybody Knows, way a man can carry his peasant past with
FRANCE/SPAIN/ITALY, 2018 he shifts location from his native Iran to him even as he becomes a landowner, or a
Spanish sun-kissed Spain, and casts three of the most woman can become a foreigner to her family
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
133 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
electric actors in Spanish-language cinema. just by moving abroad. Rich in insight, com-
Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, and Ricardo pletely engrossing, and graced by dazzling,
Production Company: Memento Films Production/
Morena Films/Lucky Red
Darín are at their very best in this captivat- movie-star performances, Everybody Knows
Producer: Alexandre Mallet-Guy, Álvaro Longoria ing tale of suspicion, money, and kin. is a pure pleasure to watch.
Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi Laura (Cruz) travels with her teenage
Cinematographer: José Luis Alcaine
Editor: Hayedeh Safiyari
daughter and young son to the village where Asghar Farhadi was born in Iran. He
Production Designer: Clara Notari she grew up to attend her sister’s wedding. studied theatre, receiving his BA from
the University of Tehran and his MA
Sound: Dani Fontrodona, Gabriel Gutiérrez, She’s left her husband Alejandro (Darín) from Tarbiat Modares University. His
Bruno Tarrière
Music: Javier Limón
back in Argentina and is free to plunge directorial credits include Fireworks
Principal Cast: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, into the simple pleasures of her youth. But Wednesday (06), About Elly (09),
Ricardo Darín, Eduard Fernández, Bárbara Lennie tensions run just under the surface with and The Past (13), which played the
Festival. His last films to appear at
Production: Memento Films Production Laura’s family, and the stray feelings she the Festival, A Separation (11) and
9 cité Paradis has for her old boyfriend Paco (Bardem), The Salesman (16) both won the
Paris 75010 France
production@memento-films.com
who now runs a nearby vineyard, might Academy Award for Best Foreign
trouble the waters further. Still, everybody Language Film.
CONTACT INFORMATION gathers to celebrate the wedding at a big vil-
US Distributor: Focus Features
International Sales Agent: Memento Films International
lage party, when the power cuts out... and
(see page 359) Laura’s daughter disappears.
Farhadi builds this setup beautifully
but he’s interested most in what happens
when the shine of the idyllic setting fades.
Tightening the screws of his thriller plot, he

programme sponsored by screening sponsored by

gala presentation 45
Life Itself
Dan Fogelman’s stories have brought mil- Transforming what he does best on the
Dan Fogelman lions to laughter and tears, most recently small screen for the scale and compression
USA/SPAIN, 2018 with his award-winning television series, of movies, Fogelman delivers a film of both
English, Spanish This Is Us. Simply by observing the truth of heart and daring. And since this is the man
WORLD PREMIERE how we behave with each other, Fogelman who also wrote Crazy, Stupid, Love, there’s
118 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
invites us to let our guards down and feel. If palpable heat between the characters.
Production Company: FilmNation Entertainment/ there’s a common theme in Fogelman’s work, As the film shifts focus and offers up
Temple Hill Entertainment/17-28 Black
Executive Producer: Glen Basner, Ben Browning, it’s that we can’t help but be connected to delightful surprises, it always leaves traces
Alison Cohen, Milan Popelka, Isaac Klausner, each other. Life Itself is his most expansive of feeling from what we’ve seen so far. Life
Adrián Guerra exploration yet of that potent notion. Itself takes bold risks with its storytelling,
Producer: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Aaron Ryder,
Dan Fogelman Abby (Olivia Wilde) is a New York gradu- and builds emotional resonance as it goes.
Screenplay: Dan Fogelman ate student. Her boyfriend, Will (Oscar
Cinematographer: Brett Pawlak Isaac), loves her deeply, but the depth of his Dan Fogelman is an American
Editor: Julie Monroe
Production Designer: Gerald Sullivan commitment overwhelms her sometimes. screenwriter, producer, and direc-
tor. He is known for creating the
Sound: David Schwartz What’s his story? Their circle includes television series This Is Us (16). He
Music: Federico Jusid Annette Bening and Mandy Patinkin as has also written the screenplays for
Principal Cast: Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde,
Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Mandy Patinkin, parents who have their own stories to live Cars (06), Bolt (08), Crazy, Stupid,
Jean Smart, Olivia Cooke, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, out. And Antonio Banderas and Laia Costa Love (11), and The Guilt Trip (12). He
wrote and directed Danny Collins (15)
Laia Costa, Alex Monner do remarkable work when the action leaps and Life Itself (18).
Production: FilmNation Entertainment to Spain.
150 West 22nd Street, 9th Floor As we meet each character, we learn
New York, NY 10011 USA
rcarney@filmnation.com more about their interwoven narratives:
between lovers, between children and
CONTACT INFORMATION parents, between America and Europe and
Canadian Distributor: VVS Films
US Distributor: Amazon Studios even between past and present. Abby stud-
International Sales Agent: FilmNation Entertainment ies unreliable narrators in fiction but as she
(see page 359) notes in one scene, “Life itself is the ultimate
unreliable narrator.”

programme sponsored by

gala presentation 47
We Love
Films
Birks has been helping Canadians celebrate
special moments since 1879. We are delighted to
be the Official Jewellery Sponsor of the Toronto
International Film Festival® and to celebrate
the best of international and Canadian cinema.

Birks is the Official Jewellery Sponsor of

the Toronto International Film Festival®

®Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.

Widows
Steve McQueen
UNITED KINGDOM/USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
128 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox/
Regency Enterprises
Executive Producer: Bergen Swanson, Rose Garnett,
Daniel Battsek, Sue Bruce-Smith
Producer: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Steve McQueen,
Arnon Milchan
Screenplay: Gillian Flynn, Steve McQueen
Cinematographer: Sean Bobbitt
Editor: Joe Walker
Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen
Sound: Alex Riordan
Music: Hans Zimmer
Principal Cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez,
Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Daniel Kaluuya,
Jacki Weaver, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson
Production: Twentieth Century Fox
10201 W. Pico Boulevard, Building 78, Room 112
Los Angeles 90064 USA
Xian.li@fox.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
US Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
International Sales Agent: Twentieth Century Fox
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
He has won the art world’s Turner Prize and
the film world’s Academy Award. But can
Steve McQueen blow stuff up? Can he yank
audiences to the edge of their seats with a
state-of-the-art heist movie? The answer,
dear viewer, is hell yes.
The director of the Academy Award–win-
ning 12 Years a Slave continues to astound
with what looks at first like a complete left
turn into commercial action. But Widows
serves up much more than jolts. With the
always-superb Viola Davis at its core,
McQueen’s latest digs deeper, revealing
the heartbreak, the politics, and the mixed
emotions behind the action.
Veronica (Davis) lives an idyllic life in
Chicago, ensconced in the loving arms of
her partner, Rawlins (Liam Neeson), and in
their luxurious condo. But Rawlins bought
that cushy life robbing people. When a job
with his gang goes fatally wrong, Veronica’s
life falls to pieces. With a local crime lord
(Brian Tyree Henry) and his muscle (Daniel
Kaluuya) pressing her to pay Rawlins’s debt,
Veronica sees only one option: round up the
three other women who’ve slept for years
next to these seasoned criminals, and make
a plan to win their lives back.
Adapted from a 1980s-era British TV series
by McQueen and Gone Girl author Gillian
Flynn, Widows crackles with intelligence.
Veronica and the other three widows
(Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, and
Elizabeth Debicki, the latter also at the
Festival in Vita and Virginia) become linked
by their money trouble, children, and the men
that constrain them. A politician running for
office on his family’s dynasty, Tom Mulligan
(Colin Farrell) exerts a power both within and
beyond the law. The result is a big, twisty, sat-
isfying thriller. Very few filmmakers can pull
off Hollywood entertainment with a personal
imprint. Steve McQueen has done it.
Steve McQueen was born in London
and studied at the Chelsea School
of Art, Goldsmiths College, and the
Tisch School of the Arts in New York.
His feature films Hunger (08), Shame
(11), and 12 Years A Slave (13) for
which he won the Academy Award for
Best Picture, have all screened at the
Festival. Widows (18) is his latest film.
gala presentation 49
When we come together
combining our unique talents,
we work as one to create
something beautiful.

Proud to support this screening at the

Toronto International Film Festival®

Together we thrive

® Toronto International Film Festival Inc. used under license.

Issued by HSBC Bank Canada.
The Public
Emilio Estevez
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
119 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP
(D-Cinema)
Production Company: E2 Films/Living The Dream Films/
Hammerstone Studios
Executive Producer: Ray Bouderau, Rich Hull,
Trevor Drinkwater, Janet Templeton, Michael Bien,
Bob Bonder, Bryant Goulding, Craig Phillips
Producer: Emilio Estevez, Alex Lebovici, Steve Ponce,
Lisa Niedenthal
Screenplay: Emilio Estevez
Cinematographer: Juan Miguel Azpiroz
Editor: Richard Chew, Hu Yang-Hua
Production Designer: David Bomba
Sound: Geoff Maxwell, Kevin O’Connell, Julian Slater
Music: Tyler Bates, Joanne Higginbottom
Principal Cast: Emilio Estevez, Jacob Vargas,
Gabrielle Union, Taylor Schilling, Jeffrey Wright,
Christian Slater, Jena Malone, Alec Baldwin,
Michael K. Williams, Che “Rhymefest” Smith, Richard
T. Jones, Lee Ki-hong, Spencer Garrett, Michael Hall,
Bryant Bentley
Production: E2 Films
9100 Wilshire Blvd. #305E
Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA
thepublic2018@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by screening sponsor
The United States was founded on organized
rebellion, its First Amendment celebrating
“the right of the people peaceably to assem-
ble.” But what happens when the outcasts of
American society assemble in the very home
of free expression? Drawing on the clash of
perspectives now galvanizing America and
beyond, Emilio Estevez has crafted a drama
that returns politics to a human level. The
Public is a story of resistance for right now.
It begins quietly enough in a Cincinnati
library on a winter’s day. Stuart (Estevez)
and Myra (Jena Malone) do their best to
manage the daily assortment of knowledge
seekers, loiterers, and homeless people who
frequent their branch. It’s freezing outside.
As closing time draws near, Jackson (The
Wire’s Michael K. Williams) sparks an act of
civil disobedience among his fellow library
patrons who have nowhere to sleep. They
refuse to leave, defying first the entreaties of
the library staff, then a local political opera-
tive (Christian Slater), and soon a team of
riot police led by Detective Ramstead (Alec
Baldwin), a hard-charging crisis negotiator.
Outside, a TV reporter (Gabrielle Union)
juices up the story for the wider world.
With this terrific cast, The Public lays out
the conflicts between rights and responsi-
bilities, empathy, and authority. Baldwin and
Slater play characters working for powerful
interests, but they give their roles shades of
complicating nuance. The always-stellar
Jeffrey Wright (also appearing at the
Festival in Hold the Dark) turns up as an
administrator trying to walk an ethical fine
line. And Estevez himself, playing a man
with integrity and a hidden past, embodies
the intractable nature of this struggle.
Emilio Estevez was born in New
York City. He has appeared in doz-
ens of films. As a director his features
include Wisdom (86) and Men at
Work (90) as well as the Festival
selections The War at Home (96),
Bobby (06), and The Way (10). The
Public (18) is his latest feature.
TIFF Speaker Series
Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Joseph Wong.
See page 32 for more details.
Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.
gala presentation 51
 drama
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A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper
USA, 2018
English
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
135 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures/Live Nation
Productions/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
Executive Producer: Ravi Mehta, Basil Iwanyk,
Niija Kuykendall, Sue Kroll, Michael Rapino,
Heather Parry
Producer: Bill Gerber, Jon Peters, Bradley Cooper,
Todd Phillips, Lynette Howell Taylor
Screenplay: Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters
Cinematographer: Matthew Libatique
Editor: Jay Cassidy
Production Designer: Karen Murphy
Sound: Alan Robert Murray, Steve Morrow
Principal Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice
Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott
Production:Warner Bros. Pictures
3903 W Olive Ave, Bldg 154, Room 1135
Burbank, CA 91522 USA
ernie.johnston@warnerbros.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
US Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
Hollywood’s most enduring story of love
and ambition gets a glorious reinvention in
Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born. Drawing
deep on the pleasures audiences previously
discovered in the 1937, 1954, and 1976 ver-
sions, Cooper brings the narrative right up
to the present. He takes on the role of the
fame-weary star himself and, for the ingénue
with megawatt potential, he crafts a perfect
big-screen role for Lady Gaga.
Jackson Maine lives half his life on tour
and the other half at the bottom of a bottle.
He won rock stardom years ago, and the
pressures of fame have isolated him. His
much-older brother (Sam Elliott) manages
his career, but no one can control his life off-
stage. One night Jackson wanders into a bar
looking for another drink and finds an ama-
teur performer with a shockingly beautiful
voice. Ally (Lady Gaga) and Jackson connect
instantly. He sees her promise, she sees his
experience, and they catch in each other a
glimpse of the pain that drives them both.
As Jackson nudges Ally onto the stage with
her own songs, she’s inevitably drawn into
the world that comes with it — after-parties,
private jets, and the debilitating glare
of the spotlight.
As an actor, Cooper has worked with
Clint Eastwood and David O. Russell; here
he shows both Eastwood’s unfussy economy
and Russell’s emotional intensity. But
the style is entirely his, finding its biggest
moments in scenes between just two people,
and stripping away any excess to showcase
Gaga’s confident, honest performance. Both
intimate and epic, this is a love story that
hovers between the shadow of tragedy and
the bright light of artists at their peak.
Bradley Cooper is an Academy
Award–nominated actor from
Philadelphia. He studied drama at
The New School in 2000 and made
his acting debut in 2001 with Wet
Hot American Summer. A Star Is
Born (18) is his screenwriting and
directorial debut.
gala presentation 53
High Life
Claire Denis
GERMANY/FRANCE/USA/UNITED KINGDOM/
POLAND, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Pandora Films/Alcatraz Films/
Andrew Lauren Productions/The Apocalypse Films
Company/Madants
Producer: Claudia Steffen, Christoph Friedel,
Laurence Clerc, Olivier Thery Lapiney, Andrew Lauren,
Oliver Dungey, Klaudia Smieja
Screenplay: Claire Denis, Jean-Pol Fargeau, Geoff Cox
Cinematographer: Yorick Le Saux
Editor: Guy Lecorne
Production Designer: François-Renaud Labarthe
Sound: Andreas Hildebrandt
Music: Stuart A. Staples
Principal Cast: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche,
André Benjamin, Mia Goth, Lars Eidinger, Agata Buzek,
Claire Tran, Ewan Mitchell, Gloria Obianyo,
Scarlett Lindsey, Jessie Ross, Victor Banerjee
Production: Alcatraz Films
36 Boulevard de la Bastille
Paris 75012 France
otl@alcatrazfilms.eu
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA),
Wild Bunch
(see page 359)
There’s a reason Claire Denis inspires
abiding fandom among cinephiles. As a film-
maker, she is completely free. She has made
love stories, crime movies, coming-of-age,
even horror. She transformed Herman
Melville’s Billy Budd into a widely acknowl-
edged masterpiece, Beau Travail. Her films
are intensely focused on the truth of human
behaviour wherever that may take her —
and us. So, it is both perfectly normal and
pleasantly surprising that Denis would set
her newest film in space.
The destination is the black hole within
closest reach of Earth. Most of the space-
ship’s crew is kept in suspended animation,
maybe because they’re a collection of dan-
gerous prisoners, last-chancers with nothing
left to lose. At first Monte (Robert Pattinson)
is the only crew member awake, rigorously
tending to the ship to keep them all alive
as they hurtle through space. But Monte
is also caring for a baby daughter, born on
board. This anomaly is only the first sign of
the chaos to come. As Monte’s self-discipline
slips, the crew awakens and conflicts erupt.
In the years since the Twilight series,
Pattinson has sought out increasingly chal-
lenging roles with some of the world’s best
filmmakers. Here, Denis uses both the
beauty and the enigma he presents to the
camera to electric effect. Working again with
the brilliant Juliette Binoche, supported by a
cast that includes André Benjamin and Mia
Goth, Denis guides her actors into daring
new territory.
Some scenes in High Life may shock, but
they are only steps on the path to the revela-
tion this film offers. Denis pushes her own
space exploration into realms that at times
recall the science fiction of Stanley Kubrick
and Andrei Tarkovsky. But this film carries a
fearless curiosity that is Denis’s own.
Claire Denis was born in Paris and
raised primarily in West Africa. Many
of her films have screened at the
Festival including her debut feature,
Chocolat (88) — screening this year
as part of the TIFF Cinematheque
programme — No Fear, No Die
(90), I Can’t Sleep (94), Nenette
and Boni (96), Beau travail (99),
Trouble Every Day (01), Friday Night
(02), The Intruder (04), 35 Shots
of Rum (08), White Material (09),
Bastards (13), and High Life (18).

programme sponsored by

gala presentation 55
Learn how the
motion picture
impacts the
big picture.

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First Man
There are at least two ways to look at a hero. Academy Award–winning screenwriter
Damien Chazelle You can stand back and gaze upwards, or you Josh Singer (Spotlight) adapted James
USA, 2018 can draw closer and see heroic acts through R. Hansen’s book about Armstrong, and
English the hero’s eyes. Maintaining the impressive gets the texture of his world and details of
CANADIAN PREMIERE pace that saw — over the course of two years his character spot on. Chazelle takes that
133 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema),
DCP IMAX (D-Cinema) — both Whiplash and La La Land capture material and makes it viscerally cinematic,
wide audience and award attention, director keeping the camera close and often using
Production Company: Temple Hill Entertainment
Executive Producer: Steven Spielberg, Isaac Klausner, Damien Chazelle is back to tell the story of natural light. His eye gives every moment
Adam Merims, Josh Singer one of America’s great heroes, Neil Armstrong. an urgency, even if you recall the events of
Producer: Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Damien Chazelle And he puts us right there with him. the time.
Screenplay: Josh Singer
Cinematographer: Linus Sandgren First Man throws us immediately into With Gosling, Foy, and the rest of the cast
Editor: Tom Cross the cockpit with Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) working at the top of their game, First Man
Production Designer: Nathan Crowley and his fellow test pilots as they break record inspires real awe at this story of heroism that
Sound: Mary H. Ellis, Lee Ai-Ling, Mildred Iatrou Morgan
Music: Justin Hurwitz after record, hurtling beyond the strato- is epic, majestic, and true.
Principal Cast: Ryan Gosling, Jason Clarke, Claire Foy, sphere in shaky metal prototypes that can
Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Ciaran Hinds, barely take the strain. Each time they take Damien Chazelle was born in
Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas
off they risk death, which bonds them in Providence, Rhode Island. He studied
filmmaking at Harvard. He has dir-
Production: Temple Hill Entertainment a camaraderie that can be both noble and ected the feature Guy and Madeline
9255 Sunset Blvd., Suite 900
West Hollywood, CA 90069 USA steely. At home, Armstrong maintains the on a Park Bench (09) as well as the
avital@templehillent.com taciturn logic that keeps him alive as a pilot, Festival selections Whiplash (14) and
but it tears at his relationship with his wife, La La Land (16), the latter of which
CONTACT INFORMATION won him the Academy Award for
Canadian Distributor: Universal Pictures Janet (Claire Foy), and sons. When he’s Best Director. First Man (18) is his
US Distributor: Universal Pictures called on with Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll, also latest feature.
(see page 359) at the Festival in Driven) and Mike Collins
(Lukas Haas) to join NASA’s Apollo 11 mis-
sion to the moon, Armstrong bears down
for what might be the ultimate glory… or the
ultimate sacrifice.

programme sponsored by screening sponsor

gala presentation 57
 We The Toronto International Film Festival®

® Toronto International Film Festival Inc. used under license.

Shadow
Zhang Yimou
CHINA, 2018
Mandarin
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
116 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Perfect Village Entertainment HK
Limited/Le Vision Pictures (Beijing) Co., Ltd./Shanghai
Tencent Pictures Culture Media Company Limited
Executive Producer: Zhao Zhang, Edward Cheng, Jie Lian
Producer: Ellen Eliasoph, Zhao Zhang, Liwei Pang,
Jun Liu, Xiaozhu Wang
Screenplay: Wei Li, Zhang Yimou
Cinematographer: Xiaoding Zhao
Editor: Xiaolin Zhou
Production Designer: Kwong Wing Ma
Sound: Jiang Yang, Nan Zhao
Music: Zai (Loudboy) Lao
Principal Cast: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai,
Wang Qianyuan, Wang Jingchun, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong,
Leo Wu
Production: Perfect Village Entertainment HK Limited
Unit F, 13F, Wing Cheung Industrial Building, No.109
How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Hong Kongellen
eliasoph@perfectvillage.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: BLOOM
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by screening sponsor
Zhang Yimou has long been acclaimed as
one of cinema’s great masters. His Raise the
Red Lantern and Ju Dou brought the world’s
attention to the majesty of Chinese film-
making. He launched the careers of two of
China’s major stars, Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi.
From the big screen to the Beijing Olympics
opening ceremony, Zhang’s artistry is well
known. But he can still surprise us.
Shadow brings a completely original style
to an epic story. Pei is ruled by a wild, dan-
gerous king (Zheng Kai). The king’s military
commander (Deng Chao) has fought bravely
on the battlefield, but needs unique strate-
gies to survive treachery in the king’s court.
He has cultivated a “shadow” (also played
by Deng), a look-alike who can fool the king,
as well as Pei’s enemies, when deception
proves necessary.
Seeking final victory over a rival kingdom
for control of the walled city of Jing, the king
and the commander plot a secret attack. In
training with his wife (Sun Li), the com-
mander devises unconventional, lethal ways
to use Pei’s signature weapons and shields.
The stage is set for an unprecedented battle.
Zhang is famous for his daring use
of vibrant colour. Here, he turns sharply
to a new palette, drawing on China’s
centuries-old tradition of ink-wash paint-
ing to craft costumes and production design
in rich shades of black, white, and slate
grey. His actors’ faces stand in dramatic,
colourful contrast.
When the full, glorious action of Shadow’s
climactic battle is unleashed, the effect is
breathtaking. The scale and drama reminds
one of Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epics, but
the dazzling visuals are entirely Zhang.
Zhang Yimou was born in Xian,
China and studied at the Beijing Film
Academy. His first film as director,
Red Sorghum (88), received the
Golden Bear award at Berlin. His
many films include Raise the Red
Lantern (91), The Road Home (00),
Happy Times (01), and The Great
Wall (16) as well as the Festival selec-
tions Ju Dou (90), House of Flying
Daggers (04), Coming Home (14),
and Shadow (18).
gala presentation 59
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Green Book
It’s a premise for dystopian fiction, but the
Peter Farrelly actual setting is 1962 America. A celebrated
USA, 2018 New York musician must hire an assistant
English to drive him on a concert tour through the
WORLD PREMIERE Southern states because he is unable to
130 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
travel safely on his own. The musician is
Production Company: Participant Media/ Black. His driver is white. Their story is true.
DreamWorks Pictures
Executive Producer: Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Fresh from his Academy Award win
Octavia Spencer, Kwame L. Parker, John Sloss, for Moonlight, Mahershala Ali plays
Steven Farneth the inimitable Don Shirley. Born into
Producer: Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie,
Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga a Jamaican immigrant family, Shirley
Screenplay: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly absorbed a wealth of musical influences
Cinematographer: Sean Porter to create his own genre, blending jazz,
Editor: Patrick J. Don Vito
Production Designer: Tim Galvin spirituals, and European classical music.
Sound: Richard Schexnayder He carries himself like a prince, garbed in
Music: Kris Bowers sharp suits or West African robes, speaking
Principal Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali,
Linda Cardellini perfect, literary English. He’s not built for
the brutal bigotry of his time, so he hires
CONTACT INFORMATION Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen),
Canadian Distributor: Universal Pictures
US Distributor: Universal Pictures his exact opposite.
(see page 359) An Italian-American raised in the
streets and bars of New York, Tony uses his
loud mouth to get his way. If that doesn’t
work, he uses his fists. As this mismatched
pair sets out on their journey, the Negro
Motorist Green Book guides them to safe
hotels and restaurants in the segregated
South, but they’ll need more than a book to
understand each other.
programme sponsored by screening sponsor
Ali and Mortensen are terrific in their
roles. Having played everything from
a Tolkien hero to a Russian gangster,
Mortensen once again proves his bril-
liance at transformation. And Ali embodies
both Shirley’s outward grace and the pain
it masks.
Green Book was directed and co-written
by Peter Farrelly, known with his brother
Bobby for outrageous comedies such as
There’s Something About Mary. That’s
surprising only if you were immune to
the genuine emotion that’s always been at
the heart of their films. Here, expressed
in dramatic form, Farrelly’s Green Book
is powerfully moving.
Pe t e r Fa r re l l y was born in
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He has
directed numerous features includ-
ing Dumb and Dumber (94), There’s
Something About Mary (98), Me,
Myself and Irene (00), Shallow Hal
(01), The Heartbreak Kid (07), Hall
Pass (11), and Dumb and Dumber
To (14). Green Book (18) is his latest
feature film.
gala presentation 61
 WHERE
COMFORT
VIRTUE
MEETS
& CULTURE
COLLIDE
VICE

80 Blue Jays Way, Toronto | 416-551-2800 | bishatoronto.com

Manmarziyaan
Bollywood royal Abhishek Bachchan makes Kashyap strikes a knowing tone with
Huband Material his much-anticipated return to the big this film. The arc of the story celebrates
screen in Husband Material. Playing oppo- Bollywood tradition, with its love compli-
Anurag Kashyap site rising star Vicky Kaushal and newcomer cations and family obstacles. But the feel
INDIA, 2018 Taapsee Pannu, Bachchan takes a surpris- is up-to-the-minute, with daring scenes
Hindi, Punjabi
WORLD PREMIERE
ing role in this spin on the classic romantic unimaginable a few years back. That’s
150 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) triangle. Since the film springs from the not simply a matter of the few risqué ele-
Production Company: Colour Yellow Productions/
imagination of Mumbai maverick Anurag ments Kashyap’s fluid camera captures.
Phantom Films Kashyap, Husband Material goes beyond There’s also a deeply affecting maturity in
Executive Producer: Kanupriya Singh, Ajay G. Rai the archetypal masala movie into something the way Husband Material explores those
Producer: Aanand L Rai
Screenplay: Kanika Dhillon
refreshingly new. first flushes of both desire and disappoint-
Cinematographer: Sylvester Fonseca Rummi (Pannu) is a free-spirited young ment. With memorable music by Amit
Editor: Aarti Bajaj woman. She lives with her extended family Trivedi (Dev.D, Queen) and inventive dance
Production Designer: Meghna Gandhi
Sound: Allwin Rego, Sanjay Maurya
in Punjab state, doing her best to be a good sequences that echo the action, Kashyap’s
Music: Amit Trivedi daughter. But youthful desires have led her to latest is a pure pleasure to watch.
Principal Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vicky (Kaushal). With his impulsive nature
Abhishek Bachchan
and shock of dyed-blue hair, he’s the excite- Anurag Kashyap was born in
Production: Colour Yellow Productions ment she wants right now. How long can they Gorakhpur, India. His features include
Indus House B-53 Off New Link Road, Andheri (West) Paanch (03), Black Friday (04), No
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400058 India
keep their trysts secret from her family? Smoking (07), Dev.D (09), Bombay
kanupriya@colouryellow.com As it turns out, not long. When they press Velvet (15), and the Festival selec-
Rummi to accept marriage to a mate chosen tions That Girl in Yellow Boots (10),
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Eros International USA Inc.
by a matchmaker, Robbie (Bachchan) enters Gangs of Wasseypur (12), and The
Brawler (17). Husband Material (18)
US Distributor: Eros International USA Inc. the picture. Is he the partner he appears to is his latest film.
International Sales Agent: Eros International USA Inc. be? And is either of the men in Rummi’s life
US Sales Agent: Colour Yellow Productions, Eros
International USA Inc.
true husband material?
(see page 359) Working from a screenplay by author
Kanika Dhillon, who wrote the satiric novel
Bombay Duck is a Fish and co-wrote Shah
Rukh Khan’s superhero movie Ra.One,

programme sponsored by screening sponsor

gala presentation 63
How can diverse
perspectives help
bring great stories
to life? © 2018 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved. ED None.
What They Had
Why do families continue to fascinate on the Chomko perfectly captures the rhythm of
Elizabeth Chomko big screen? Maybe because, amid the super- this group — the roles each has come to play,
USA, 2018 heroes and fantasies that dazzle us, great the conversations carried on in shorthand,
English films about family mirror our own lives, illu- the resentments and loyalties that define who
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE minating us at our best while reassuring us each is to one another. Certain scenes look,
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
about our imperfections. Elizabeth Chomko sound, and feel transported from real life.
Production Company: Unified Pictures/Apartment Story/ contributes something new and valuable to In addition to the rich, authentic sibling
Bona Fide Productions
Executive Producer: Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones, the canon with What They Had. Based on dynamic that Swank and Shannon create,
Shafin Diamond Tejani, Levi Sheck, Mike Rowe, her own screenplay, which won a coveted supporting performances from Robert
Dean Buchanan, David Grace, Hilary Swank, Nicholl Fellowship from the Academy of Forster and Taissa Farmiga deepen the story
Michael Shannon, Byron Wetzel
Producer: Keith Kjarval, Bill Holderman, Albert Berger, Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this is a as Ruth’s behaviour pushes her family to a
Ron Yerxa, Alex Saks, Sefton Fincham, Tyler Jackson story of a family drawing closer even as ill- breaking point. For anyone who has lived,
Screenplay: Elizabeth Chomko ness threatens to tear it apart. loved, suffered, and grown among family,
Cinematographer: Roberto Schaefer
Editor: Tom McArdle Bridget (two-time Oscar-winner Hilary What They Had offers many rewards.
Production Designer: Chris Stull Swank) is forced to fly back home when
Sound: Chris Parker her mother’s cognitive decline leads to life- Elizabeth Chomko was born in
Music: Danny Mulhern
Principal Cast: Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, threatening actions. As she falls deeper into Chicago. She is an alumni of the
Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters
Blythe Danner, Robert Forster, Taissa Farmiga, Alzheimer’s disease, Ruth (the brilliant and Composers Labs, and an
Josh Lucas Blythe Danner) recedes from everyday mat- Academy Nicholl Fellowship winner
Production: Unified Pictures ters; she is fragile, but never fails to cut to for the screenplay of What They Had
19773 Bahama St. the quick of what counts. Bridget’s brother (18). What They Had (18) is her first
Northridge, CA 91324 USA feature film.
keith@unifiedpictures.com Nicky (Michael Shannon) refuses to indulge
any sentiment about Ruth’s illness. His hard
CONTACT INFORMATION pragmatism may just be his way of masking
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
US Distributor: Bleecker Street his pain at the thought of losing his mother,
International Sales Agent: Bloom Media but it gnaws at the family’s already-tenuous
(see page 359) connections nonetheless.

programme sponsored by screening sponsored by

gala presentation 65
 We are proud to support the

Toronto
International
Film Festival®
®Toronto International Film Festival Inc. used under license.
The Land
of Steady Habits
Nicole Holofcener
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
98 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Netflix, Inc./Likely Story
Executive Producer: Jennifer Roth
Producer: Nicole Holofcener, Anthony Bregman,
Stefanie Azpiazu
Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener
Cinematographer: Alar Kivilo
Editor: Robert Frazen
Production Designer: Dina Goldman
Sound: Damian Elias Canelos
Music: Marcelo Zarvos
Principal Cast: Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco,
Thomas Mann, Connie Britton, Elizabeth Marvel,
Bill Camp, Charlie Tahan
Production: Netflix, Inc.
5808 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90028 USA
sphillips@netflix.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
(see page 359)
For 200 years, Connecticut has been called
“the land of steady habits,” initially for its
political stability though richer ironies quickly
emerged. By 2014, when Ted Thompson wrote
the novel on which Nicole Holofcener’s new
film is based, steady habits had become both
a fair description and a caustic joke.
Ben Mendelsohn plays Anders Hill, a
middle-aged man who has divorced his
wife, Helene (Edie Falco), and surrendered
the comforts of affluent family life for… well,
he’s not sure. Retired from work, freed from
marriage, and largely abandoned by his adult
son Preston (Thomas Mann), he seeks that
liberating lightness he once had. But awk-
ward dates prove unsatisfying, even with a
woman as lively as Barbara (Connie Britton).
Anders finds himself drifting towards ado-
lescent adventures, trying to befriend his
neighbour’s teenage son Charlie (Charlie
Tahan), and joining in risk taking he should
have outgrown decades ago.
Played with flinty charm by Mendelsohn,
best known as a character actor, Anders is the
kind of man often found at the centre of films,
novels, and plays. He is successful and idio-
syncratic. His flaws somehow make him seem
more attractive. But watch what Holofcener
does with this character.
Under the auspices of the woman who
made such insightful social comedies as
Enough Said, Please Give, Friends With
Money and Lovely & Amazing, Anders’s rak-
ish masculinity wilts. As the film progresses,
it turns a sharper gaze on its questing pro-
tagonist, revealing more about Anders than
he might ever want you to see. Less funny but
more penetrating than Holofcener’s com-
edies, The Land of Steady Habits emerges
from a world similar to The Ice Storm’s,
where money won’t buy mindfulness, and a
man’s grasp too often exceeds his reach.
Nicole Holofcener was born in
New York City. She studied film at
NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and
at Columbia University. She is the
director of the features Walking and
Talking (96), Lovely & Amazing (01),
Friends with Money (06), Please
Give (10), and the Festival selection
Enough Said (13). The Land of Steady
Habits (18) is her latest feature.

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gala presentation 67
The Lie
A Hitchcock-style thriller from the producer Sarsgaard always delivers strong perfor-
Veena Sud of Get Out and Whiplash, The Lie begins in mances and he’s perfectly cast here as the
CANADA, 2018 teen tribulations any parent might rec- middle-aged rock-musician dad who never
English ognize, but tightens into a spiral of deceit fully grew up. Enos is impressive to watch
WORLD PREMIERE and desperation triggered by that purest of as a woman equally ruthless as a lawyer and
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
motives — the need to look after your child. a mom. And, as the increasingly suspicious
Production Company: Blumhouse Productions Peter Sarsgaard and Mireille Enos star father whose daughter has disappeared,
Executive Producer: Jeanette Volturno, Couper
Samuelson, Aaron Barnett, Howard Green, Kim Hodgert alongside teen phenomenon Joey King in the Canada’s own Cas Anvar is a revelation. In
Producer: Jason Blum, Alix Madigan-Yorkin, latest from Toronto-born writer-director fact, The Lie was shot in Toronto. It’s a plea-
Christopher Tricarico Veena Sud, already a success in Hollywood sure to watch Jason Blum bring together
Screenplay: Veena Sud
Cinematographer: Peter Wunstorf for her series The Killing and Seven Seconds. Canadian and American talent for a thriller
Editor: Philip Fowler Kayla (King) is a bundle of nerves and that delivers right up until its deliciously
Production Designer: Elisa Sauvé frustration as she drives with her parents satisfying ending.
Sound: Daryl Purdy
Music: Tamar-kali Jay (Sarsgaard) and Rebecca (Enos) to a
Principal Cast: Mireille Enos, Peter Sarsgaard, Joey King ballet retreat. It’s winter, so when they spot Veena Sud was born in Toronto

Production: Blumhouse Productions Kayla’s friend waiting for a ride at the side and received a master’s degree in
film and television at NYU. She has
2401 Beverly Blvd of the road, they pick her up. But something written, directed, and produced
Los Angeles, California 90057 USA happens between the two girls during a rest extensively for television with credits
jennifer@blumhouse.com
stop near a river. When the parents come including Cold Case, The Killing, and
CONTACT INFORMATION to get them, the friend is gone and Kayla is Seven Seconds and the feature The
Salton Sea (12). The Lie (18) is her
US Distributor: Blumhouse Productions freaking out. Kayla says pushing her friend latest feature film.
(see page 359)
into the freezing water was an accident. But
murder is murder.
At first Jay and Rebecca want to do the
right thing, but Rebecca is a lawyer and
knows they’re already implicated. As the
weight of losing everything descends, these
two parents, estranged for years, begin to do
their dangerous work together.

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gala presentation 69
 we are proud to be a

G OL D L EVE L HOSPITA LIT Y PA RT NER

OF THE

T O R O N T O I N T E R N A T I O N A L F I L M F E S T I VA L®
®TO R O N TO I N T E R N AT I O N A L F I L M F ES T I VA L I N C ., U S E D U N D E R L I C E N S E.
The Kindergarten
Adapting the award-winning Israeli film for a The Kindergarten Teacher, a marvel of
Teacher critical moment in America, writer-director tone, won Best Director for Colangelo when
Sara Colangelo and producer-star Maggie it launched at Sundance. As Lisa pushes her
Sara Colangelo Gyllenhaal have created a fascinating drama advocacy into obsession, Colangelo keeps us
USA, 2018 that gets right under your skin. Featuring a guessing how far things will go, but always
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Gyllenhaal performance that looks destined manages to keep us on Lisa’s side.
97 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema) for best-of-the-year lists, The Kindergarten
Production Company: Pie Films/Manhattan Productions/ Teacher begins in one woman’s decision but Sara Colangelo is an American
Maven Pictures/Paper Chase Films has much to say about how we value art. writer and director who studied film
at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Executive Producer: Tmira Yardeni, Carole Scotta, Lisa Spinelli (Gyllenhaal) has been teach- Her films include the short docu-
Nadav Lapid, Pia Getty, Jenny Halper, Nic Marshall,
Dillon D. Jordan, Christopher Burke, Chip Rosenbloom, ing kindergarten long enough to yearn for mentary Halal Vivero (06), short film
Stephen Mao, Brendan Walsh, Bradley J. Ross, something more than each year’s small Un attimo di respiro (07), and
Gabriel Napora, Lee Broda, Jeff Rice victories with five-year-olds. She signs up the feature Little Accidents (14).
Producer: Talia Kleinhendler, Osnat Handelsman-Keren, The Kindergarten Teacher (18) is
Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Maggie Gyllenhaal for a poetry class at night. The teacher (Gael her latest film.
Screenplay: Sara Colangelo García Bernal, also appearing at the Festival
Cinematographer: Pepe Avila Del Pino in Museo and The Accused) is inspiring and
Editor: Lee Percy, Marc Vives
Production Designer: Mary Colston attractive, but Lisa soon sees the limits of
Sound: Gil Toren her talents. She is newly attuned to the
Music: Asher Goldschmidt possibilities of language, though, so when
Principal Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gael García Bernal,
Anna Baryshnikov, Michael Chernus, Parker Sevak, one of her kindergarten students begins
Rosa Salazar stringing together words that carry the
Production: Pie Films brilliance of great poetry, she believes she
16 Hanatsiv St. has a prodigy on her hands. She sets out to
Tel Aviv 6701806 Israel cultivate the creative gift she sees in Jimmy
talia@piefilms.co.il
Roy (Parker Sevak). Everyone else around
CONTACT INFORMATION the little boy is too crass and distracted to
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc. recognize his genius. It will be up to Lisa
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
International Sales Agent: and Lisa alone to bring her verbal Mozart
(see page 359) to the world.

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gala presentation 71
™Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.
™/® Cineplex Entertainment LP or used under license.
Galveston
Steamy, stylish, and a little bit dangerous, films like Leave No Trace and Hell or High
Mélanie Laurent Galveston is an expertly constructed crime Water have shown just how strong an actor
USA, 2018 thriller from the pen of Nic Pizzolatto, Foster is. The typically otherworldly Fanning
English creator of HBO’s True Detective. His novel (The Beguiled, Mary Shelley, Maleficent) gives
CANADIAN PREMIERE about desperate acts and surprising heroism a notably earthy performance. In Galveston,
94 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
among underworld figures gets a uniquely both actors are liberated to show complex
Production Company: Low Spark Films French polish from Mélanie Laurent. Best new facets as difficult, damaged, but ulti-
Executive Producer: Jean Doumanian, Patrick Daly,
Kevin Flanigan, Sean O’Brien, Dexter W. Braff known in North America for her acting mately courageous people. The more time
Producer: Tyler Davidson roles in Inglourious Basterds and Beginners, Roy and Raquel spend together, the more
Screenplay: Jim Hammett Laurent has also been making her own they recognize in each other rash defence
Cinematographer: Arnaud Potier
Editor: Joseph Krings beautiful, sharply observant films for years. mechanisms that have become instinctive
Production Designer: Lisa Myers Following Breathe and Plonger, both of which yet might threaten their ability to survive the
Sound: Ian Stynes, Kevin Strahm played the Festival, Galveston marks her killers on their tail.
Music: Marc Chouarain, Eugenie Jacobson
Principal Cast: Elle Fanning, Ben Foster, Beau Bridges, English-language debut as a director, and a
Lili Reinhart bold turn towards a classic American genre. Mélanie Laurent was born in Paris.

Production: Low Spark Films Ben Foster plays Roy, a New Orleans Since 1999, she has appeared in
over 35 films, including Inglourious
84 N. Main St. Ste A ex-convict who does dirty work for Stan Basterds (09) and the TIFF selec-
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 USA (Beau Bridges), the local crime lord. Stan tions Beginners (10) and Enemy (13).
tyler@lowsparkfilms.com
sends Roy to carry out a job that goes sus- She has written and directed The
CONTACT INFORMATION piciously wrong. Roy makes it out alive, and Adopted (11), and the Festival selec-
tions Breathe (14) and Plonger (17).
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media finds himself suddenly thrown together Galveston (18) is her latest feature.
US Distributor: RLJ Entertainment
International Sales Agent: Embankment Films with Raquel (Elle Fanning, also at the
(see page 359) Festival in Teen Spirit). Both now have
targets on their backs and no choice but to
go on the run together.
The best thrillers dig deep into character as
they advance the plot, and Laurent does excel-
lent work here, chipping away at the contours
of Roy’s hard edges scene by scene. Recent

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gala presentation 73
Hidden Man
Don’t be surprised if your reaction to watch- Quentin Tarantino. Jiang recently played a
Jiang Wen ing Hidden Man is “Wow!” And if your first mercenary in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story;
CHINA, 2018 wow comes only minutes in, that’s perfectly here he plays the equally tricky Lan, a busi-
Mandarin, English, Japanese, French normal. Jiang Wen’s latest is astonishing. nessman with shadowy motives.
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A bullet-fast action epic, it races along Gleefully anachronistic, Hidden Man
137 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
fuelled by dazzling chase sequences, gor- breaks rules and sometimes tramples over
Production Company: Wuxi Zizai Pictures Co., Ltd geous visuals, and pure adrenaline. It’s the good taste. But Jiang packs this movie with
Executive Producer: Jiang Wen, Richard Fox, Albert Yeung,
Yang Wei, Zheng Zhihao, Lv Jianchu, Zhou Yun final film in the 1930s-set trilogy Jiang began kinetic energy and sheer visual invention.
Producer: Zhou Yun, Zhang Wang, Mu Chen, Albert Lee, with his blockbusters Let The Bullets Fly and It’s a blast.
Kang Li, Andrew Lazar, Zhao Yijun Gone With the Bullets, but it may leave you
Screenplay: He Jiping, Li Fei, Sun Yue, Jiang Wen
Cinematographer: Xie Xie panting for more. Jiang Wen is a Chinese actor and
Editor: Zhang Qi, Cao Weijie, Jiang Wen In a tour-de-force opening sequence, a director. He studied at the Central
Academy of Drama, China. He has
Production Designer: Liu Qing lethal attack upends a martial arts master’s acted in dozens of films and is the
Sound: Wu Jiang
Music: Nicolas Errèra birthday party. One of his disciples, Zhu, has director of In the Heat of the Sun (94),
Principal Cast: Eddie Peng, Liao Fan, Jiang Wen, conspired with a Japanese agent, Nemoto, to Devils on the Doorstep (00) which was
Zhou Yun, Xu Qing betray the master and rearrange the order of awarded Cannes’ Grand Jury Prize,
the Festival selections The Sun Also
Production: Wuxi Zizai Pictures Co., Ltd things. Only young boy Li Tianran escapes. Rises (07), Let the Bullets Fly (10), and
Room1-6-1, Tayuan Diplomatic Office, Years later Li has grown up in San Francisco, Gone with the Bullets (14). Hidden Man
No. 14 Liangmahe, South Road
Beijing 100600 China and has received advanced training in both (18) is his latest feature.
patrickzhu@jwfilms.com Chinese martial arts and American spycraft.
He’s sent back to China on a mission, but he’s
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: ICM Partners driven by his own urge to take revenge on Zhu
(see page 359) and Nemoto, the men who killed his master.
Chinese-Canadian superstar Eddie Peng
(Operation Mekong, Duckweed) plays Li with
a fleet charm that recalls Bruce Lee. The
similarity is not coincidental. Jiang packs
Hidden Man with a raft of delightful film
references, from Hong Kong actioners to

programme sponsored by

gala presentation 75
Jeremiah Terminator
LeRoy
Justin Kelly
CANADA/USA/UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Elevated Films/The Fyzz Facility/
Ingenious Media/Aquarius Content/Fortitude
International/Sobini Films/Thirty Three Productions/
LBI Entertainment/Buffalo Gal Pictures
Executive Producer: Justin Kelly, Savannah Knoop,
Phyllis Laing, Devan Towers, Anders Erden,
Simon Williams, Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones,
Cami Winikoff, Tyler Boehm, Jed Root, Tracy Christian,
Nadine de Barros, Erika Olde, Margot Hand
Producer: Patrick Walmsley, Julie Yorn, Thor Bradwell,
Gary Pearl, Cassian Elwes, Giri Tharan, Mark Amin,
Dave Hansen
Screenplay: Justin Kelly, Savannah Knoop
Cinematographer: Bobby Bukowski
Editor: Aaron I. Butler
Production Designer: Jean-André Carrière
Sound: Keith Elliott, Rudy Michael, Alan Geldart,
Edgar Ozolins
Music: Tim Kvasnosky
Principal Cast: Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern,
Diane Kruger, Jim Sturgess, Kelvin Harrison Jr,
Courtney Love, James Jagger, Dave Brown
Production: Elevated Films, 15821 Ventura Blvd, Ste 500
Encino, CA 91436 USA info@cassianelwes.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Fortitude International
US Sales Agent: Elevated Film Sales, Creative Artists
Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
In a stroke of dream casting, filmmaker
Justin Kelly brings together Kristen Stewart
and Laura Dern to tell a story that’s stranger
than fiction, wilder than fact, and full of
the drama we need right now. Jeremiah
Terminator LeRoy is a delicious dive into
the hubris, risk taking, and jealousy that so
often surrounds great talent.
Laura Albert (Dern) writes tough, insight-
ful fiction under a pseudonym, JT LeRoy.
Her JT is not just a pen name but a whole
persona, a teenage boy from West Virginia
living a dangerous life as a truck stop sex
worker. Laura was born in Brooklyn a gen-
eration earlier, and grew up in New York’s
punk scene. Writing books such as The Heart
is Deceitful Above All Things as JT gives her
complete freedom to explore the darker
regions of human experience. Readers love
it. The media loves it. They love it so much
that they begin to demand JT in person.
As journalists press for interviews with
JT, turmoil mounts with Laura’s husband
Geoffrey (Jim Sturgess) and sister-in-law
Savannah (Stewart). Partly from despera-
tion, partly for kicks, they conspire to have
Savannah don a wig and sunglasses, adjust
her voice, and become the teenage boy author.
A former protégé of Gus Van Sant’s, Kelly
graduated from music videos to directing the
acclaimed independent films I Am Michael
and Welcome the Stranger. Here, he invites
his audience along on what may look like a
very strange ride.
Layers of artist masquerade? Yes. Gender
fluid everything? Naturally. Queer looks?
Of course. Stewart and Dern, who’ve long
proved their ability to make creative leaps
look perfectly normal, are at their best here.
As everyone’s persona begins to bleed a little
around the edges, it just makes the world
that much more exciting. True story.
Justin Kelly is an American film-
maker based in Los Angeles. He has
directed the short films Debris (06),
Front (07), Girl! (09), and the features
I Am Michael (15), King Cobra (16),
and Welcome the Stranger (18).
Jeremiah Terminator Leroy (18) is
his latest feature.
gala presentation 77
Transit
Christian Petzold
GERMANY, 2018
German, French
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: SCHRAMM FILM Koerner & Weber
Producer: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber
Screenplay: Christian Petzold
Cinematographer: Hans Fromm
Editor: Bettina Böhler
Production Designer: K.D. Gruber
Sound: Andreas Mücke-Niesytka
Music: Stefan Will
Principal Cast: Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski,
Lilien Batman, Godehard Giese, Mariam Zaree
Production: SCHRAMM FILM Koerner & Weber
Naumannstr. 79, Haus 38
Berlin, Nordrhein-Westfalen 10829 Germany
koerner@schrammfilm.de
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Films We Like
US Distributor: Music Box Films
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory
(see page 359)
80 masters
As conceptually brilliant as its French
Riviera exteriors are sun-dappled, Transit is
the latest masterwork by German auteur
Christian Petzold. Adapted from Anna
Seghers’ WWII-set novel (a favourite
of Harun Farocki, Petzold’s mentor and
former collaborator), the film transposes
the plot to an indistinct moment that
resembles an uncanny present-day, result-
ing in a haunted puzzle play and ingenious
companion piece to Petzold’s postwar melo-
drama, Phoenix (TIFF ‘14).
Georg (an entrancing and magnetic Franz  ANDRÉA PICARD
Rogowski) is a German refugee who
escapes to Marseille, a port for migrants
looking to flee an unspecified, spreading
war. He carries the documents of a famous
writer, Weidl: a manuscript, the promise of
an elusive transit pass from the Mexican
embassy, and letters from the writer’s wife
Marie (Paula Beer). Discovering that Weidl
has taken his own life, Georg assumes the
author’s identity, adopts an ambivalence
about leaving the continent, and develops an
obsessive desire for the mysterious Marie —
herself suspended in the city.
Transit, evoking shades of Hitchcock
and Casablanca, is an unlikely, wrenching
love story as much as a sly, unsettling thriller
and — like much of Petzold’s oeuvre — a
film about ghosts, memory, and historical
trauma. Employing enigmatic anachro-
nisms, speculative narrative nests, mistaken
identities, and mirroring, Petzold seamlessly
zigzags between past and present, bypass-
ing the clichés of both refugee film and war
drama to get at the heart of rootlessness
and exile.  Transit  is by turns troubling,
suspenseful, and sensual, and a daring
example of cinema’s ability to represent a
phantasmatic, liminal realm.
Christian Petzold was born in Hilden,
Germany and graduated from the
German Film and Television Academy
Berlin. His features Jerichow (08),
Barbara (12), and Phoenix (14) have
all played the Festival. His other
films include The State I Am In (00),
Ghosts (05), and Yella (07). Transit
(18) is his latest film.
Le livre d’image
The Image Book
Jean-Luc Godard
SWITZERLAND/FRANCE, 2018
French, English, Arabic, Italian
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
84 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Casa Azul Films/
Ecran Noir Productions
Executive Producer: Jean-Paul Battaggia
Producer: Fabrice Aragno
Screenplay: Jean-Luc Godard
Cinematographer: Fabrice Aragno
Editor: Jean-Luc Godard, Fabrice Aragno
Sound: Fabrice Aragno
Music: ECM Records
Production: Casa Azul Films
97, rue de Genève
Lausanne 1004 Switzerland
mail@casa-azul.ch
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Kino Lorber
US Distributor: Kino Lorber
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
(see page 359)
Winner of the first Special Palme d’Or to be
awarded in the history of the Cannes Film
Festival, Jean-Luc Godard’s Le livre d’image
is another extraordinary addition to the
French master’s vast filmography. Ever the
iconoclast and always the enquirer, Godard
eschews actors and any pretence of narra-
tive in this dazzling and brilliant film essay.
Displaying an encyclopedic grasp of cin-
ema and its history, Godard pieces together
fragments and clips them from some of
the greatest films of the past, then digitally
alters, bleaches, and washes them, all in the
service of reflecting on what he sees in front
of him and what he makes of the dissonance
that surrounds him.
He uses his own voice, reminiscent of
those of Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan in the
twilights of their careers, to guide us through
the fascinating labyrinth of his mind. In
some cases it is to reflect on the metaphysi-
cal properties of the world — time, and space,
and where meaning is found — but more
importantly it is the image, the thing that
has obsessed Godard for his entire career,
that anchors this film. His ontological
enquiry into the image continues to be one
of the most moving in history. But, as always
with Godard, the key issues he raises have
to do with the legacy of the last century and
its horrors: the incomprehension of
Hiroshima and Auschwitz, events that
coincided with cinema but which have
somehow eluded its gaze. And, movingly,
Le livre d’image also reflects on orientalism
and the Arab world, grounding the new film
very much in the present.
PIERS HANDLING
Jean-Luc Godard was born in Paris
and made some of the most iconic
films of the 1960s, including À bout
de sufflé (Breathless; 60), Vivre sa
vie (62), Le mépris (63), Bande à
part (64), Alphaville (65), Pierrot le
fou (65), Masculin feminine (66), 2
ou 3 choses que je sais d’elle (67),
La Chinoise (67), and Week-end (67).
Since 1980, he has made Sauve qui
peut (la vie) (80), Passion (82), Je
vous salue, Marie (85), Détective
(85), Nouvelle vague (90), Allemagne
année neuf zéro (91), JLG/JLG (94),
For Ever Mozart (96), Eloge de
l’amour (01), Film Socialisme (10),
Adieu au langage (14), and Le livre
d’image (18).
masters 81
Ahlat Agaci
˘
The Wild Pear Tree
Nuri Bilge Ceylan
TURKEY/FRANCE/GERMANY/BULGARIA, 2018
Turkish
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
188 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: ZeynoFilm/Memento Films
Production/DETAiLFILM/RFF International/
Sisters and Brother Mitevski Production/
2006 Produkcija Sarajevo/The Chimney Pot/
Film i Väst
Executive Producer: Alexandre Mallet-Guy,
Fabian Gasmia, Stefan Kitanov, Labina Mitevska,
Mirsad Purivatra, Jon Mankell, Anthony Muir,
Tomas Eskilsson
Producer: Zeynep Atakan
Screenplay: Akin Aksu, Ebru Ceylan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Cinematographer: Gökhan Tiryaki
Editor: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Production Designer: Meral Aktan
Sound: Andreas Mücke Niesytka, Thomas Robert,
Thomas Gauder
Principal Cast: Aydin Doğu Demirkol, Murat Cemcir,
Bennu Yildirmlar, Hazar Ergüçlü, Serkan Keskin
Production: ZeynoFilm
Baskurt Sok. Ürgüp Palas Apt. 19/3
Istanbul 34433 Turkey
festival@zeynofilm.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: MK2 Mile End
US Distributor: The Cinema Guild
International Sales Agent: Memento Films International
(see page 359)
82 masters
Following up on the critical and com-
mercial success of 2014’s award-winning
Winter Sleep, Nuri Bilge Ceylan has directed
another hypnotic and compelling piece of
cinema that confirms him as one of mod-
ern cinema’s most intelligent and incisive
filmmakers. Using landscape as part of his
expressive palette, as he has done so often
with his work, Ceylan takes the protagonist
of The Wild Pear Tree, the young and cocky
Sinan, back to his birthplace, the Turkish
seaport of Çanakkale on the southern coast
of the Dardanelles.
Returning home from college, Sinan
(Aydın Doğu Demirkol) must re-enter a
difficult family situation with a father who
is restless and intransigent, and whose
gambling addiction has Sinan’s mother
and sister at their wits’ end. He struggles to
reorient himself within the family dynamic
while trying to come to grips with the next
phase of his life. He is planning to become
a teacher like his father, but first wants to
complete an experimental novel. Sinan’s
search for meaning and direction provides
the basis for a number of extensive and
penetrating conversations that form the
emotional and intellectual framework of
The Wild Pear Tree.
This is a film of discovery, of Sinan work-
ing out his next steps, wrestling with issues
of the old and new, in both the abstract
contexts of art and religion and the more
mundane reality of family life, all dissected
in a series of brilliant set pieces. And hov-
ering in the background is the enormous
shadow that his father still casts over his life.
PIERS HANDLING
Nuri Bilge Ceylan was born in
Istanbul. In 2003 he was the subject
of a spotlight programme at TIFF
that included his debut feature,
The Small Town (97), Clouds of May
(00), and Distant (03), which won
the Grand Prix at Cannes. His films
Climates (06) and Once Upon a Time
in Anatolia (11) also screened at the
Festival, as did Winter Sleep (14),
which won the Palme d’Or and the
FIPRESCI prize at Cannes. The Wild
Pear Tree (18) is his latest film.
Peterloo
Four years after the British and their allies Yet, while it is plain where his sympa-
Mike Leigh roundly defeated Napoleon on the field thies lie, Leigh is even-handed in his overall
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 at Waterloo, a different kind of battle was approach. Peterloo adroitly, and with a fine
English fought, this time on English soil, at St. Peter’s sense of period detail, brings this critical
CANADIAN PREMIERE Field in Manchester — an event that journal- event and its history-altering fallout into
153 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
ists quickly dubbed the Peterloo Massacre. new light.
Production Company: BFI Film Fund/Film4/ Peterloo began as a riot involving unarmed PIERS HANDLING
Thin Man Films
Executive Producer: Gail Egan, Ben Roberts, civilians and British cavalry, and became an
Lizzie Francke, Daniel Battsek, Sue Bruce-Smith, infamous flashpoint in the country’s history Mike Leigh was born in Hertfordshire
Peter Hampden, Norman Merry of parliamentary reform. and raised in Salford, Greater
Producer: Georgina Lowe Manchester. He won the Cannes Best
Screenplay: Mike Leigh Mike Leigh returns to the Festival fol- Director award for Naked (93), the
Cinematographer: Dick Pope BSC lowing his magnificent study of the painter Palme d’Or for Secrets & Lies (96),
Editor: Jon Gregory ACE J.M.W. Turner (Mr. Turner, TIFF 2014), and has received seven Academy
Production Designer: Suzie Davies
Sound: Tim Fraser again with a 19th-century setting, for this Award nominations. His other fea-
tures include Bleak Moments (71),
Music: Gary Yershon sobering look at a time when Britain’s High Hopes (88), Life is Sweet (90),
Principal Cast: Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Neil Bell, working class began to fight for its rights to Topsy-Turvy (99), All or Nothing (02),
Philip Jackson, Vincent Franklin, Karl Johnson,
Tim McInnerny representation, up against an aristocracy Vera Drake (04), Happy-Go-Lucky
that was determined to block what it viewed (08), Another Year (10), Mr. Turner
Production: BFI Film Fund (14), and Peterloo (18).
British Film Institute, 21 Stephen Street as an encroachment on its own privileges.
London W1T 1LN United Kingdom Leigh tells the story from the perspec-
lizzie.francke@bfi.org.uk tive of key players: those suffering through
CONTACT INFORMATION unemployment, poverty, and famine in the
US Distributor: Amazon Studios wake of the Napoleonic Wars on one side;
International Sales Agent: Cornerstone Films the magistrates and military authorities on
(see page 359)
the other. He is scathing in his depiction of
the powers that be, but he reserves most of
his attention for the Peterloo victims: the
protesters, many of them out-of-work tex-
tile workers, and those political reformers
advocating for their right to vote.

masters 83
Gangbyun Hotel
South Korean writer-director and Festival connect with one another. Shot in stark
Hotel by the River veteran Hong Sang-soo possesses a singular black and white and brimming with cre-
mastery for blending the mundane with the puscular melancholy and darker overtones,
Hong Sang-soo cosmic and the minutiae of human foibles Hotel by the River invites us for a brief stay
SOUTH KOREA, 2018 with ageless queries into the riddles of time’s that will linger in our minds long after we’ve
Korean
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
passage. Hong’s latest exudes that sublime checked out.
96 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema) balance, offering a pair of subtly intertwined GIOVANNA FULVI

Production Company: Jeonwonsa Film Co.

narratives that reunite families and friends
Executive Producer: Hong Sang-soo before casting them astray once more. Hong Sang-soo was born in Seoul.
Producer: Hong Sang-soo It is winter. An aging poet is holed up His many films include Woman on the
Screenplay: Hong Sang-soo Beach (06), In Another Country (12),
Cinematographer: Kim Hyung-koo
for two weeks in a modest provincial Our Sunhi (13), and Right Now, Wrong
Editor: Son Yeon-ji hotel overlooking the Han River. His adult Then (15), all of which screened at
Sound: Kim Mir sons are summoned to visit after years the Festival. Hotel by the River (18)
Music: Dalpalan
Principal Cast: Ki Joo-bong, Kim Min-hee, Song Seon-mi,
of estrangement. Though the hotel is small is his latest film.

Kwon Hae-hyo, Yu Jun-sang and its surroundings easy to navigate,

Production: Jeonwonsa Film Co.
208, Art and Design Bldg, Konkuk University, 120
Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143701 South Korea
winterwork@naver.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: FINECUT
(see page 359)
father and sons lose each other, meet up,
and lose each other again.
Meanwhile, a young woman, after hav-
ing just fled a destructive relationship, gets
a room at the same hotel and calls for a
friend. They nap, take walks, and talk about
everything while drawing the attention of
the poet, who finds in the pair a beauty and
fascination sufficient to inspire new verse.
A hotel, a river: both are symbols of
transience, one fixed, the other flowing.
Hong’s characters come and go, assemble
and dissemble, converse so as to better
understand the self and, if they’re lucky,

84 masters
Nuestro Tiempo
Our Time
Carlos Reygadas
MEXICO/FRANCE/GERMANY/DENMARK/
SWEDEN, 2018
Spanish, English
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
173 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Mantarraya/NoDream Cinema/
Snowglobe/Luxbox/ZDF/FOPROCINE/MER FILM/
Film i Väst/Detalle Films/Bord Cadre films/
CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de L’ímage Animée)
Producer: Jaime Romandia, Carlos Reygadas
Screenplay: Carlos Reygadas
Cinematographer: Diego García
Editor: Carlos Reygadas
Production Designer: Emmanuel Picault
Sound: Raul Locatelli
Principal Cast: Carlos Reygadas, Natalia López,
Eleazar Reygadas, Rut Reygadas, Phil Burgers
Production: Mantarraya
Tabasco 330, Col Roma Norte, Del. Cuauhtémoc
Ciudad de México 06700 Mexico
coordination@mantarraya.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory
(see page 359)
Since the release of his bold and stunning Through this raw exploration of a couple
first feature, Japón, filmmaker Carlos at a moment of crisis, Reygadas creates a
Reygadas has proven to be in a class of his story that is somehow both quotidian yet epic
own. His films are hypnotic medleys of soul- in scope.
fulness, beauty, provocation, and existential DIANA SANCHEZ
questioning. Reygadas’s latest, Our Time is
his most personal and courageous to date, Carlos Reygadas was born in Mexico
casting himself and his wife (Natalia López) City. His films include Japón (02) and
Post Tenebras Lux (12) as well as the
in the lead roles as he explores a married Festival selections Batalla en el Cielo
couple’s relationship in crisis. (05) and Luz Silenciosa (07). Nuestro
Juan and Ester live on their remote cattle Tiempo (18) is his latest film.
ranch with their children. It’s a very calm,
private existence — one they both want to
protect. The couple has until now enjoyed
an open relationship but when Ester falls in
love with an American horse trainer (Phil
Burgers) who works in the area, she stops
sharing details of her affair with Juan. He
begins compulsively spying on his wife.
The pain of not being in control forces him
to question their relationship and he loses
himself in turbid, jealous emotions. It’s fas-
cinating when you realize that the director is
effectively filming himself secretly watching
his real wife’s affair.
Gorgeously shot, the film ruminates on
life at the ranch, the joy of seeing the chil-
dren grow up outside, and the beauty and the
mess our lives can so quickly become.
masters 85
Loro
For the second time in his career, Paolo
Paolo Sorrentino Sorrentino satirizes the tumult of Italian
ITALY/FRANCE, 2018 politics through the experiences of an infa-
Italian mous politician. While his hypnotic Il Divo
WORLD PREMIERE dramatized the downfall of long-serving for-
150 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
mer Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti,
Production Company: Indigo Film/Pathé Films/ Loro’s hyperkinetic inspiration is the con-
France 2 Cinema
Producer: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, troversial tycoon/ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi, a
Carlotta Calori, Viola Prestieri man who in real life is still running for office.
Screenplay: Paolo Sorrentino, Umberto Contarello It is a corrosive and wildly profane com-
Cinematographer: Luca Bigazzi
Editor: Cristiano Travaglioli edy, skewering both its subject and modern
Production Designer: Stefania Cella Italy itself. Loro (“Them”) pulls out all the
Sound: Emanuele Cecere stops in what is initially a supercharged
Music: Lele Marchitelli
Principal Cast: Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, vision of the country and the flawed forces
Riccardo Scamarcio, Kasia Smutniak behind it, namely Berlusconi and his cronies
Production: Indigo Film at their point of decline in the late 2000s.
Via Torino 135 Sorrentino places us in the seedy orbit of
Roma 00184 Italy Sergio (Riccardo Scamarcio), a handsome
lara@indigofilm.it
young guy-on-the-make whose ambition
CONTACT INFORMATION is to leave his provincial southern city of
Canadian Distributor: IFC FILMS Taranto for Rome and get close to Berlusconi
US Distributor: IFC FILMS
International Sales Agent: Pathé International (Toni Servillo). His means of doing so is
(see page 359) sordid but highly effective. Trafficking
beautiful young women as escorts to attend
parties and events proves to be his stepping
stone into the halls of power. Once Sergio
has arrived, so to speak, the increasingly
embattled Berlusconi becomes the focus.
Through some of the most imaginative
sequences in his filmography, Sorrentino
elicits a towering performance from
Servillo. Somehow boorish but charming,
svelte but awkward, Berlusconi is depicted
as a mass of contradictions, and the direc-
tor is determined to treat him as more than
a mere buffoon.
Taken to task by his long-suffering, (soon
to be ex-) wife, Veronica Lario (Elena Sofia
Ricci), a woman of cool self-possession, and
abandoned by his political allies, the fallen
PM is left to fumble with the private realities
behind his public scandals, and this is where
the true power of Loro finally lies.
PIERS HANDLING
Paolo Sorrentino was born in Naples.
His features as writer-director include
One Man Up (01), The Consequences
of Love (04), The Family Friend (06),
and This Must Be the Place (11). His
Cannes Jury Prizewinner Il Divo (08),
Academy Award winner The Great
Beauty (13), and Youth (15) all made
their North American premieres
at the Festival. Loro (18) is his
latest film.

86 masters
Zan
Killing, the powerful latest work by Japanese warriors to take to Edo, life at the village is
Killing master Shinya Tsukamoto, offers a modern no longer the same.
take on the classic samurai film, evoking Beautifully staged sword fights — deadly
Shinya Tsukamoto both the genre’s mood and spirit. dances violently set to the rhythm of re-
JAPAN, 2018 Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s films, cently deceased Chu Ishikawa’s mesmer-
Japanese
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Killing stems from an idea the director had izing score — punctuate this sophisticated
80 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) a few years ago: “A young ronin stares at his visual meditation on the meaning of honour
Production Company: Kaijyu Theater
sword with ardour,” questioning whether and vengeance, and the constant conflict
Executive Producer: Shinya Tsukamoto he’d be capable of killing a man with it, even between war and life.
Producer: Shinya Tsukamoto if ordered to do so by his master. GIOVANNA FULVI
Screenplay: Shinya Tsukamoto
Cinematographer: Shinya Tsukamoto, Satoshi Hayashi
Mokunoshin Tsuzuki (Sosuke Ikematsu)
Editor: Shinya Tsukamoto is one such samurai, a warrior without a war Shinya Tsukamoto was born in
Production Designer: Tsuyoshi Endo to fight. Impoverished by the long-lasting Tokyo. His works include Tetsuo:
Sound: Masaya Kitada The Iron Man (89), as well as Tokyo
Music: Chu Ishikawa
peace of mid-19th-century Japan, he makes Fist (95), Bullet Ballet (98), A Snake
Principal Cast: Sosuke Ikematsu, Yu Aoi a living by helping farmers in a small village. of June (02), Kotoko (11), and Fires

Production: Kaijyu Theater

Life in the countryside flows uneventfully, on the Plain (14), all of which played
Toshima-ku Nishi-sugamo 1-32-4-402 between farming chores and playful daily the Festival. Killing (18) is his most
recent film.
Tokyo-to 170-0001 Japan sparring with Ichisuke (Ryusei Maeda),
kaijyu@gc4.so-net.ne.jp
the hot-blooded farmer’s son who dreams
CONTACT INFORMATION of one day becoming a valiant samurai.
International Sales Agent: Nikkatsu Corporation But the peaceful surface of the days belies
(see page 359)
hidden passions, an unspoken attraction
for Ichisuke’s sister Yu (Yu Aoi), a looming
sense of danger, and many doubts.
Winds of war start to blow. Japan is
facing an impending civil war and when
mild-mannered, skilful ronin Jirozaemon
Sawamura (played by the director himself )
shows up looking to form a small group of

88 masters
Jiang Hu Er Nü
Ash Is Purest White
Jia Zhang-ke
CHINA/FRANCE, 2018
Mandarin
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
141 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Xstream Pictures (Beijing)/
Shanghai Film Group Corporation/Huanxi Media Group
Limited/Huayi Brothers Pictures Ltd/MK Productions/
Beijing Runjin Investment/Enchant (Shanghai) Film and
Television Culture Co., Ltd./Wishart Media Co., Ltd.
Executive Producer: Jia Zhang-ke, Ren Zhonglun,
Dong Ping, Nathanaël Karmitz, Elisha Karmitz,
Liu Shiyu, Zhu Weijie, Yang Jinsong
Producer: Shozo Ichiyama
Screenplay: Jia Zhang-ke
Cinematographer: Eric Gautier
Editor: Matthieu Laclau, Lin Xudong
Production Designer: Liu Weixin
Sound: Zhang Yang
Music: Lim Giong
Principal Cast: Zhao Tao, Liao Fan, Xu Zheng,
Casper Liang
Production: Xstream Pictures (Beijing)
1st Floor, Building 2, C&C Park, No.77, Meishuguan Back
Street, Dongcheng District
Beijing 100010 China
josiechou@fabulaentertainment.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Films We Like
US Distributor: Cohen Media Group
International Sales Agent: MK2 Films
(see page 359)
More than any filmmaker of his genera-
tion, Festival favourite Jia Zhang-ke has
crafted a body of work that holds a mirror
to contemporary China in all its complexity.
With his latest film, romance, tragedy, and
crime-story grit intermingle to form a vision
of China’s headlong plunge into capitalism.
Set in 2001, Ash Is Purest White is a fusion
of innovation, entertainment, and social
critique as only Jia can create it.
Qiao (longtime Jia collaborator Zhao
Tao) lives in a town tumbling into economic
decline. She concerns herself little with
such matters, however, since her boyfriend
is a dashing gangster, Bin (Liao Fan), who
works for a corrupt property developer.
After his boss is murdered, Bin ascends in
rank and finds himself vulnerable to rival
hostilities. When he is attacked, Qiao makes
a fateful decision. The couple is arrested
and Qiao takes the heat. She gets put away
for five years.
Qiao emerges from prison to find her
world has transformed. Her former mafia
associates have moved into legitimate busi-
nesses, while Bin has found another moll.
Qiao seeks revenge but, more importantly,
she searches for a new identity in this chang-
ing China — a search that will take her to
Three Gorges Dam, the setting for Jia’s
Golden Lion–winning Still Life, and toward
a powerful revelation.
With its captivating twists and enigmatic
finale, Ash Is Purest White operates on
many levels at once. It is a caveat emptor
for those who chase fundamentally flawed
ambitions, and a diagnosis for a nation that,
in crucial ways, has succumbed to an ideo-
logical affliction.
GIOVANNA FULVI
Jia Zhang-ke was born in Fenyang,
Shanxi, China. He is a graduate of
the Beijing Film Academy. Among
his films that have screened at the
Festival are Platform (00), Unknown
Pleasures (02), Dong (06), A Touch of
Sin (13), and Mountains May Depart
(15). Ash Is Purest White (18) is his
latest film.
masters 89
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Donnybrook
With his fourth feature, writer-director Tim With his brutal and unrelenting style,
Tim Sutton Sutton captures an America ignored by many Sutton holds nothing back and neither
USA, 2018 Americans. His is not a country of tree-lined do his actors: Bell, Grillo, and Qualley all
English streets, white picket fences, and family deliver stunning, raw performances. At
WORLD PREMIERE barbeques, but one of clandestine drug deals, once uncomfortably gritty and palpably
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
shady motel rooms, alcohol-fuelled brawls, polished, Donnybrook explores an America
Production Company: Rumble Films/Backup Media and abandoned dreams. that’s struggling to overcome its demons,
Executive Producer: Joel Thibout, David Atlan-Jackson,
Jean-Baptiste Babin, Andrew Schwartzberg, Earl (Jamie Bell) and Angus (Frank and those within it struggling to claw their
Jon Shiffman Grillo) both inhabit society’s fringes. Their way back.
Producer: David Lancaster, Stephanie Wilcox similarity stops there. “Jarhead Earl” is a
Screenplay: Tim Sutton
Cinematographer: David Ungaro veteran, husband, and father of two. His Tim Sutton is an American film-
Editor: Scott Cummings cancer-stricken wife needs expensive treat- maker, based in Brooklyn. He teaches
in the School of Media Studies at the
Production Designer: Michael T. Perry ment, leading him to commit crimes that go New School in NYC. His feature films
Sound: Craig Mann
Music: Phil Mossman against his nature. “Chainsaw Angus,” on the include Pavilion (12), Memphis (13),
Principal Cast: Frank Grillo, Margaret Qualley, other hand, runs a local meth ring with his and Dark Night (16). Donnybrook (18)
James Badge Dale, Jamie Bell sister, Delia (Margaret Qualley). Having long is his latest film.

Production: Rumble Films suffered his emotional and physical beatings,

6555 Barton Ave, Floor 2 she is looking for any way out.
Los Angeles, CA 90038 USA
scott@rumble-films.com With the well-intentioned — if a little
corrupt and a lot drunk — local sheriff
CONTACT INFORMATION (James Badge Dale) hot on their tails,
International Sales Agent: Sierra / Affinity
US Sales Agent: United Talent Agency (UTA) the two men are destined to meet at the
(see page 359) Donnybrook, where the last man standing
in a bare-knuckle cage fight takes home
a cash prize of $100,000. Though faced
with a succession of miserable choices,
Earl fights bravely for his family’s future.
Having left a trail of death and destruction
in his wake, Angus fights to quench an
unspecified thirst for revenge.

programme sponsored by

92 platform
Angelo
Markus Schleinzer
AUSTRIA/LUXEMBOURG, 2018
German, French
WORLD PREMIERE
111 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Novotny & Novotny
Filmproduction/Amour Fou Luxembourg
Executive Producer: Johanna Scherz
Producer: Alexander Glehr, Franz Novotny, Bady Minck,
Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu, Markus Schleinzer
Screenplay: Markus Schleinzer, Alexander Brom
Cinematographer: Gerald Kerkletz
Editor: Pia Dumont
Production Designer: Andreas Sobotka, Martin Reiter
Sound: Pia Dumont, Loïc Collignon, Philippe Kohn
Principal Cast: Makita Samba, Alba Rohrwacher,
Larisa Faber
Production: Novotny & Novotny Filmproduction
Weimarer Straße 22
Vienna 1180 Austria
kino@novotnyfilm.at
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Playtime
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
Inspired by surviving records about the life the continual challenges of navigating life
of Angelo Soliman, an 18th-century Viennese in a foreign culture and provides us with a
“court moor,” Angelo tells the story of a young wonderful parable for today.
African boy who is Europeanized by force.
Although director Markus Schleinzer’s gran- Markus Schleinzer was born in
diose period drama is set back in the courts of Vienna. He is an actor and cast-
ing director. He made his feature
the Habsburg empire, its lessons also apply directorial debut with Michael (11),
to the present. which appeared at the Festival.
Angelo is named and baptized shortly Angelo (18) is his latest film.
after his arrival on European soil. He is told
that the evil he has experienced is behind
him, that he now has nothing to be afraid of,
and that he will live like a prince. Carefully
groomed, educated, and taught courtly
manners, Angelo is brought up with all the
privileges of the wealthy. Silent and rebel-
lious by nature, as he grows into adulthood
he is put on display, entertaining the aristoc-
racy in pantomimes and plays that speak to
his origins. But as the Angelo matures, he
displays a streak of resistance, struggling to
invent himself as an independent, free man.
This journey through his life is the subject of
Schleinzer’s hypnotic film.
Majestic in its use of settings, Angelo
achieves its full power by constantly
searching beyond the surface beauty of its
locations. In tracing the path of this singular
young man, Schleinzer masterfully dissects
platform 93
Rojo
Benjamin Naishtat
ARGENTINA/BRAZIL/FRANCE/NETHERLAND/
GERMANY, 2018
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
109 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Pucará Cine/Ecce Films/
Desvia Produções/Viking Film/Sutor Kolonko/
Bord Cadre films
Producer: Barbara Sarasola-Day, Emmanuel Chaumet,
Federico Eibuszyc, Rachel Daisy Ellis, Marleen Slot,
Ingmar Trost, Dan Wechsler, Jamal Zeinal Zade
Screenplay: Benjamin Naishtat
Cinematographer: Pedro Sotero
Editor: Andrés Quaranta
Production Designer: Julieta Dolinsky
Sound: Fernando Ribero, Simon Apostolou,
Pedro Sá Earp
Music: Vincent van Warmerdam
Principal Cast: Dario Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio,
Alfredo Castro, Diego Cremonesi
Production: Pucará Cine
Gurruchaga 447, 5C
Buenos Aires C1414DHI Argentina
hola@pucaracine.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Luxbox
(see page 359)
94 platform
The 1970s and early ’80s in Argentina were
the time of the military dictatorship, the
“Dirty War,” the disappeared. With Rojo,
Benjamín Naishtat approaches this turbu-
lent era in his country’s history obliquely
and mysteriously. He deliberately builds
a quiet mood of foreboding and impeding
doom through a carefully constructed,
almost hypnotic narrative.
Claudio is a middle-aged, happily married
lawyer with a comfortable life in a decep-
tively placid small town. One night he enters
a restaurant where he is verbally attacked by
a mysterious stranger, their altercation con-
tinuing on the street outside. A few months
later a friend comes to see Claudio about
an abandoned house that he is interested
in buying. These two separate scenes are
the foundations of Naishtat’s spellbinding,
slow-burn suspense drama.
With the arrival of a Chilean private
detective who is intent on locating the
abusive stranger, the film draws us into a
scenario where nothing is as it seems and
startling secrets are revealed.
If Rojo bears elements of a thriller, it is
only to service a subtle and devastating dis-
section of the times. Self-satisfied, entitled
and privileged, Claudio reels as the detec-
tive digs deeper and his world starts to come
apart around him.
Benjamín Naishtat was born in
Buenos Aires. He studied at the
Universidad del Cine, Buenos Aires,
and was recently a fellow at Harvard’s
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced
Study. He made his directorial debut
with the short film El juego (10), fol-
lowed by Historia del mal (11). His
feature films as writer-director are
History of Fear (14), The Movement
(15), and Rojo (18).
programme sponsored by
Mademoiselle de
French writer-director-actor Emmanuel Everything in this film is in its tidy place,
Joncquières Mouret’s elegant film of courtly manners except the emotions that threaten to disrupt
plays like an even more wicked variation on the regulated order of society. Mouret does
Emmanuel Mouret Dangerous Liaisons. a superb job of setting up his film, and then
FRANCE, 2018 Beautifully shot, brilliantly written, and gently draws blood with a series of deft jabs,
French
WORLD PREMIERE exquisitely acted, it delivers delightfully its precisely delivered.
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) witty insights into male and female folly as
Production Company: Moby Dick Films if engaged in an afternoon session of deco- Emmanuel Mouret was born in
Producer: Frédéric Niedermayer rous fencing. Thrusts are made and parried, Marseille. His feature films as
writer-director include Un baiser
Screenplay: Emmanuel Mouret while the technique of the participants s’il vous plais (07), Fais-moi plaisir!
Cinematographer: Laurent Desmet
Editor: Martial Salomon is admirable; their footwork is nimble (09), The Art of Love (11) and Caprice
Production Designer: David Faivre and their ripostes artful. (15), in which he also starred; and
Sound: Maxime Gavaudan, François Mereux, Shot in the French countryside, where Another Life (13). Mademoiselle de
Melissa Petitjean Joncquières (18) is his latest film.
Principal Cast: Cécile de France, Edouard Baer, the aristocracy lives and plays in manicured
Alice Isaaz, Laure Calamy, Natalia Dontcheva mansions, Mademoiselle de Joncquières
Production: Moby Dick Films strips away the layers of artifice beneath the
2 bis, rue de Paradis play of manners to tell an age-old story about
Paris 75010 France a libertine pursuing a beautiful woman
contact@mobydickfilms.fr
of virtue.
CONTACT INFORMATION Madame de La Pommeraye (Cécile de
International Sales Agent: Indie Sales France) has retired into virtual seclusion
(see page 359)
following the death of her husband, only
to find herself being wooed by the dashing
Marquis des Arcis (Edouard Baer). Events
develop in the most surprising ways, and
Madame seizes an opportunity provided by
a new acquaintance (Alice Isaaz), the young
mademoiselle of the title.

programme sponsored by

platform 95
Las niñas bien
This elegant film from Alejandra Márquez Márquez Abella captures all of the inter-
The Good Girls Abella shines a crystalline light on the mores play with complete assurance. Her film
of Mexico’s upper middle class during the is perfectly cast, beautifully framed, and
Alejandra Márquez Abella country’s debt crisis of 1982. As her camera carefully observed — décor, clothes, setting.
MEXICO, 2018 glides through the monied world of the wives Nothing is out of place in this insightful,
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
and fiancées of the well-to-do, she captures, quasi-tragic look at a time that has many
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) with rigour, humour, and irony the details, parallels in the present.
Production Company: Woo Films
subtle glances and muted conversations
Producer: Rodrigo S. González, Gabriela Maire that determine the pecking order within the Alejandra Márquez Abella was born
Screenplay: Alejandra Márquez Abella wealthy circles. in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and raised
Cinematographer: Dariela Ludlow in Mexico City. She studied film at the
Editor: Miguel Schverdfinger
Sofia (Ilse Salas) and Fernando (Flavio Centre d’Estudis Cinematographics
Production Designer: Claudio Ramirez Castelli Medina) have it all — money, status, beauti- de Catalunya in Barcelona. Her films
Sound: Alejandro De Icaza, Anuar Yahya ful houses, servants. Fernando has inherited include the shorts 5 Memories (09)
Music: Tomás Barreiro
Principal Cast: Ilse Salas, Cassandra Ciangherotti,
all his wealth, acquired by his father with the and Perra (12), and the documentary
feature Mal de tierra (11). Her debut
Paulina Gaitán, Flavio Medina help of his uncle Javier. At dinner one night, fiction feature, Semana Santa (15),
Production: Woo Films
Javier announces he is stepping aside. There made its world premiere at the
Puebla 114 – Roma Norte are a few dark clouds on the horizon: their Festival. The Good Girls (18) is her
Ciudad de México 06700 Mexico American business associates have backed latest film.
majo@woofilms.tv
out of a deal, and the President of Mexico has
CONTACT INFORMATION just appeared on television with ominous
International Sales Agent: Cinépolis Distribución news about the economy.
(see page 359)
Initially, their world remains untroubled.
Sofia watches with slight hauteur as two
new arrivistes, a young woman and her
rather gauche husband, try to enter her
social circle. But gradually cracks appear
in Sofia and Fernando’s manicured lives, as
the social and economic order starts to shift
around them.

programme sponsored by

96 platform
Destroyer
Karyn Kusama
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
123 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Automatik/30WEST
Executive Producer: Micah Green, Daniel Steinman,
Dan Friedkin, Nathan Kelly, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones,
Thorsten Schumacher, Nik Bower
Producer: Fred Berger, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Screenplay: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
Cinematographer: Julie Kirkwood
Editor: Plummy Tucker
Production Designer: Kay Lee
Music: Teddy Shapiro
Principal Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell,
Tatiana Maslany, Bradley Whitford, Sebastian Stan
Production: Automatik
7122 Beverly Blvd, Suite F
Los Angeles, CA 90036 USA
office@automatikent.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
US Distributor: Annapurna Pictures
International Sales Agent: Rocket Science
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
From Dirty Harry, to J.J. Gittes, to John
McClane, to Jimmy McNulty, cowboy cops
have been enjoyed and cheered on through-
out the history of film. Nicole Kidman (also
appearing at the Festival in Boy Erased) as
Erin Bell can be added to that list; her physi-
cal transformation here and is extraordinary.
Director Karyn Kusama breaks cinematic
ground in Destroyer with a detective every
bit as badass, brooding, and brash as her
male counterparts.
We first meet Bell as she arrives at a mur-
der scene, the type of place you sense she’s
been many times before. She’s beaten down
by the job — rough around the edges would
be an understatement. This current case
recalls a previous one, and a previous life too
painful to remember. In an attempt to thwart
violent bank robberies, Erin and her then
partner, Chris, spent months undercover
with a young gang of criminals, reminiscent
of Bigelow’s Bodhi and his band of surfers.
Though still haunted — her daughter would
say numbed — by her past, reconnecting
with it is the only way for Bell to right old
wrongs and find a way forward… or at least
a way out.
Kusama sets her contemporary and gritty
noir in a verité Los Angeles. Aided by Julie
Kirkwood’s arresting photography, she
guides us through streets and neighbour-
hoods that feel as authentic as the complex,
non-traditional characters that inhabit them
(brilliantly portrayed by Tatiana Maslany,
Sebastian Stan, and Bradley Whitford,
among others).
Penned by screenwriting duo Phil Hay
and Matt Manfredi, Destroyer, like its cen-
tral character, is at once tender and violent.
And Kusama may be considered as renegade
as her anti-hero, changing the landscape of
cinema with the audacious choices she’s
made as a filmmaker. It’s time to stop con-
sidering her bold; she’s just awesome.
Karyn Kusama was born in Brooklyn
and studied at NYU. Her films include
Æon Flux (05), The Invitation (15),
and the Festival selections Girlfight
(00) and Jennifer’s Body (09).
Destroyer (18) is her most recent work.
platform 97
Her Smell
Alex Ross Perry
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
135 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Bow and Arrow Entertainment/
Faliro House Productions
Executive Producer: Christos Konstantakopoulos
Producer: Matthew Perniciaro, Michael Sherman,
Adam Piotrowicz, Elisabeth Moss, Alex Ross Perry
Screenplay: Alex Ross Perry
Cinematographer: Sean Price Williams
Editor: Robert Greene
Production Designer: Fletcher Chancey
Sound: Patrick Southern
Music: Keegan DeWitt, Anika Pyle, Anika Pyle,
Alicia Bognanno, Alicia Bognanno
Principal Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne,
Dan Stevens, Amber Heard, Agyness Deyn,
Gayle Rankin, Ashley Benson, Eric Stoltz, Dylan Gelula
Production: Bow and Arrow Entertainment
368 N. La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90048 USA
contact@bowandarrow.la
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Voltage Pictures
US Sales Agent: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
(see page 359)
98 platform
All hail the tale of Becky Something, the For Moss, this is a career defining per-
brilliant and brash frontwoman for the ’90s formance that emanates pathos and sweat.
rock band Something She. Becky is foul- She is supported by a slew of perfectly cast
mouthed, nihilistic, and incredibly talented. recognizable faces including Amber Heard,
Mother of one, bandmate to two, and friend Cara Delevingne, Virginia Madsen, Dan
to none, Becky is at the height of her career Stevens, Ashley Benson, and Eric Stoltz. The
and the top of the party game — with only film is punk rock in every sense of the term,
one direction to go. and reminds us of the humanity behind the
Filmmaker Alex Ross Perry, best known fuckup in everyone.
for his literary-inspired works like Listen
Up Philip and Golden Exits, changes modes Alex Ross Perry is an American
here, giving us a ride on Becky’s freight writer and director, born in Bryn
Mawr, Pennsylvania. He studied film
train to self-destruction. Drawing from at NYU. His feature directorial efforts
examples of experiential filmmaking by the include The Color Wheel (11), Listen
likes of John Cassavetes and Paul Thomas Up Philip (14), Queen of Earth (15),
Anderson, Perry whips his characters and and Golden Exits (17). Her Smell (18)
is his latest work.
sequences into a frenzy of substance abuse
and personal combustion as we follow the
starlet through backstage antics and hostile
recording sessions. He keeps the audience
on their toes as lengthy tracking turns into
uniquely telling angles (courtesy of 35mm
cinematography from DOP Sean Price
Williams) and his sudden shifts in tone hit
us with waves of emotion.
The already accolade-showered Elisabeth
Moss is a tour de force as Becky, the eye of
this hurricane, tearing everything she cares
about apart until all that is left is to rebuild.
programme sponsored by
Der Unschuldige
The Innocent
Simon Jaquemet
SWITZERLAND/GERMANY, 2018
Swiss German
WORLD PREMIERE
114 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: 8horses/
augenschein Filmproduktion
Producer: Tolga Dilsiz, Aurelius Eisenreich
Screenplay: Simon Jaquemet
Cinematographer: Gabriel Sandru
Editor: Christof Schertenleib
Production Designer: Michael Baumgartner
Sound: Robert Keilbar
Principal Cast: Judith Hofmann, Naomi Scheiber,
Christian Kaiser, Anna Tenta, Urs-Peter Wolters
Production: 8horses
Giesshübelstr. 62i
Zurich CH-8045 Switzerland
info@8horses.ch
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Kinology
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
The Innocent tells a strange and unusual Simon Jaquemet was born and
story. This imaginative, eerie work from raised near Basel, Switzerland, and
studied film directing at the Zurich
Swiss director Simon Jaquemet follows
a middle-aged lab worker dealing with a
University of the Arts. His films
include the shorts Block (07) and
troubled part of her past that re-enters and Laura’s Party (10), and the feature
disrupts her life with unparalleled force. War (15). The Innocent (18) is his
latest work.
This premise is spun out into a compelling
tale of faith and belief, of religion and spiri-
tuality, and of science and the unknowable.
Ruth is devoted to her work conducting
clinical trials for spinal-cord research, and
to the monkeys her lab uses for experiments.
With the reappearance of a former lover,
who was imprisoned for murdering his aunt
decades earlier, the ground starts to shift
under Ruth’s feet. As she enters an increas-
ingly dark and troubled world, Jaquemet
casts a mesmerizing web of uncertainty
around his narrative. Ruth’s husband and
daughter turn to religion for help against
the forces that threaten to unravel their
lives. Where The Innocent takes us next is
gripping as well as intellectually satisfying.
Unearthly? Mystical? Transcendental?
Suffice it to say that this film is singular and
magical. The Innocent defies easy descrip-
tion, and to give away more would be to spoil
its pleasures.
platform 99
Ozen
This distinctive film from emerging Kazakh the rural values embodied by the patriarch
The River director Emir Baigazin immerses us imme- are suddenly set to collide with the 21st
diately in another world. Set on a parched century.
Emir Baigazin landscape, The River follows a family of five The beauty of The River lies in Baigazin’s
KAZAKHSTAN/POLAND/NORWAY, 2018 young sons, their mother, and their strict rigorous style. Its precision is evident in every
Kazakh, Russian
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
father who is intent on instilling a sense of moment, creating a vivid and rare experience
108 minutes | Colour discipline and moral rectitude in his charges. for the viewer. We watch and listen, with a
Production Company: Emir Baigazin Production/
A nearby river, previously kept secret from heightened sense of awareness, people and
Norsk Filmproduksjon AS/Madants the boys, is revealed to them when they nature —and what the sudden introduction
Executive Producer: Hilde Berg, Aigerim Satybaldiyeva stumble past it one day. It soon provides a of technology might mean for both.
Producer: Emir Baigazin, Klaudia Smieja,
Beata Rzezniczek
getaway where they can swim and frolic — PIERS HANDLING
Screenplay: Emir Baigazin and be regular kids — away from the piercing
Cinematographer: Emir Baigazin gaze of their father. Emir Baigazin was born in the
Editor: Emir Baigazin
Production Designer: Sergey Kopylov
Baigazin’s film is one of acute observa- province of Aktobe, Kazakhstan. He
studied at the T. Akhtanov Aktobe
Sound: Daut Zhantasov tion, where even sound becomes a tactile Drama Theatre and the Kazakh
Music: Justyna Banaszczyk presence. As the boys play in the courtyard National Academy of Arts, special-
Principal Cast: Zhalgas Klanov, Eric Tazabekov,
Zhasulan Userbayev, Ruslan Userbayev,
of their modest house, do chores — or fail izing in film direction and cinema. His
Sultanali Zhaksybek, Bagdaulet Sagindikov to, as their father points out severely — the films as director include the shorts
Steppe (07) and Virgins (07), and the
Production: Emir Baigazin Production
director charts the pastoral daily rhythms features Harmony Lessons (13) and
176 al Farabi Ave. of a family isolated from the modern world. The Wounded Angel (16). The River
Almaty 050023 Kazakhstan The boys talk of rebellion, of killing (18) is his latest film.
emirbaigazinpro@gmail.com
their father, but their simmering anger is
CONTACT INFORMATION assuaged by the river. And then, suddenly,
International Sales Agent: Films Boutique another discovery: into their remote corner
(see page 359)
of the world arrives a long-haired boy in
city clothes, riding a hoverboard, carrying
an iPad, and asking if their family owns a
TV. This disruption upends everything, as

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100 platform
Xing Fu Cheng Shi
Cities of Last Things
Ho Wi Ding
TAIWAN/CHINA/USA/FRANCE, 2018
Mandarin, English
WORLD PREMIERE
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Changhe Films/Ivanhoe Pictures/
Hymn Pictures Co., Ltd/MM2 Entertainment Sdn Bhd/
Kaohsiung Film Fund/Rumble Fish
Executive Producer: Aaron Liu, Melvin Ang, Chen Qi Yuan,
John Penotti, Michael Hogan
Producer: Ho Wi Ding, Hu Chih-Hsin, Ronan Wong,
Winnie Lau, Alexis Perrin, Chen Shih-Yong
Screenplay: Ho Wi Ding
Cinematographer: Jean Louis Vialard
Editor: Ho Wi Ding, Lee Huey
Production Designer: Liao Yen-Chou, Maskun
Sound: Tu Duu-Chih, Chiang Lien-Chen
Music: Robin Coudert, ROB
Principal Cast: Jack Kao, Li Hong-Chi, Louise Grinberg,
Ding Ning, Stone, Lu Huang, Liu Rui-Chi, Hsin Yin,
Liu-Juei-Chi, Shin Yin
Production: Changhe Films
10491 First Floor. No. 2, Lane 26
Sec. 2 Zhongshan North Road
Taipei City, Zhongshan District 10491 Taiwan
changhe.film@gmail.com
From the striking opening image of a man cinematic language as a tool to discuss the
hurling himself to his death off a multi-storey root of our collective sadness, which is per-
apartment building, Ho Wi Ding’s Cities of haps the very thing that makes us human.
Last Things announces itself as a freefall —
a spiral through the events that led to this Ho Wi Ding was born in Malaysia and
horrible tragedy. studied film at NYU’s Tisch School
of the Arts. His feature films include
The story follows Lao Zhang, a depressed, Pinoy Sunday (09), The Biggest
ex–police officer wandering the lonely Toad in the Puddle (14), Our Sister
streets of Taipei at night, pining for a lost Mambo (15), and Beautiful Accident
love and fighting with his unfaithful wife (17). Cities of Last Things (18) is his
most recent film.
about their long-soured relationship. But
tonight Lao Zhang intends to finally act,
with a calculated fury, in the hope of killing
the deep-seated pain that is tearing him
apart. As we track backwards through time,
we begin to see the world open up around
him, revealing his relationships with the
women who were pivotal to the person he
has become.
Spanning generations, Cities of Last
Things builds a seering, non-preachy por-
trait of societal and political change through
the lens of an emotional drama. Reminiscent
of the early work of Wong Kar-wai, it finds
its heartbeat in the pulse-pounding rhythm
of the underbelly of the city.
Through his seamless blending of
genres, from sci-fi to noir to romance, the
Malaysian-born Ho commandingly employs

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platform 101
Out of Blue
Carol Morley
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Independent /Cannon and Morley
Productions Ltd/BFI Film Fund/BBC Films/Ellenglaze
Films Limited
Executive Producer: Ben Roberts, Rose Garnett,
Joe Oppenheimer, Philip Herd, Andrew Orr, Cora Palfrey,
Chris Reed, Carol Morley, John Jencks, Jay Taylor,
Meroë Candy, Norman Merry, Peter Hampden
Producer: Luc Roeg, Cairo Cannon, Maggie Monteith
Screenplay: Carol Morley
Cinematographer: Conrad W. Hall
Editor: Alex Mackie
Production Designer: Janey Levick
Sound: Tim Hands
Music: Clint Mansell
Principal Cast: Patricia Clarkson, Jacki Weaver,
James Caan, Toby Jones, Mamie Gummer, Devyn Tyler,
Yolonda Ross, Aaron Tveit, Jonathan Majors
Production: Independent
7a Pindock Mews
London, W9 2PY United Kingdom
info@independentfilmcompany.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Independent
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
102 platform
In its first scenes, Out of Blue appears to
be a standard police procedural. But as it
proceeds, it becomes increasingly clear
that Carol Morley’s film is something
more: a highly intelligent, indeed meta-
physical, exploration of existence. Led by
Patricia Clarkson in an understated but
tour-de-force performance as an uncon-
ventional homicide investigator, the film
draws us into its strange world through the
musings of its central character.
Detective Mike Hoolihan (Clarkson) is
called in to investigate the murder of a
young professor who, the night before her
death, gave a lecture on the mysteries of the
universe. When the cool-headed Hoolihan
digs into the case, she must contend with
the victim’s dubious ex-boyfriend and a
family with its own murky past. The more
the detective begins to pull apart the various
strands of the case, the more her own vulner-
abilities and imperfections are revealed. As
our mesmerizing protagonist gets closer to
the truth behind the murder, she also begins
to discover a larger truth — but she worries
that the fully realized answer may elude her.
Basing her script on Martin Amis’s 1997
novel Night Train, Morley delivers a brainy
and emotionally satisfying crime story
driven by an unorthodox character whose
investigations mirror those of great phi-
losophers. And behind the puzzle presented
by the murder is the puzzle that is human
nature itself.
Carol Morley was born in Stockport,
Greater Manchester. A former musi-
cian, she studied fine art film and
video at Central Saint Martins in
London, and made numerous 16mm
and 35mm short films prior to her
feature debut, Edge (10). Her other
features as writer-director include
the docudrama Dreams of a Life (11),
The Falling (14), and Out of Blue (18).
programme sponsored by
Jessica Forever
This visually arresting and inventive narri- Caroline Poggi was born in Ajaccio,
Caroline Poggi, tive work, co-directed by Caroline Poggi and Corsica. She studied at the Sorbonne
in Paris and the University of Corsica.
Jonathan Vinel Jonathan Vinel, is an at-times bizarre film Her films include the shorts As Long
that is utterly fearless in the risks it takes. as Shotguns Remain (14), Our Legacy
FRANCE, 2018
English, French A science-fiction genre film in its premise (16), and After School Knife Fight (17),
WORLD PREMIERE rather than for the few special effects it all co-written and co-directed with
Jonathan Vinel. Jessica Forever (18)
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) deploys — though they are effective when is her feature directorial debut.
Production Company: Ecce Films/Arte France Cinema they do arrive — Jessica Forever revolves
Executive Producer: Mathilde Delaunay around a charismatic woman who looks Jonathan Vinel was born in Toulouse.
Producer: Emmanuel Chaumet
Screenplay: Caroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel after an extended, provisional family of He studied editing at La Fémis, Paris.
His films include the shorts As Long
Cinematographer: Marine Altan misfits in a dystopia where orphans roam as Shotguns Remain (14), Our Legacy
Editor: Vincent Tricon the world looting and creating mayhem. (16), and After School Knife Fight (17),
Production Designer: Margaux Remaury
Sound: Lucas Doméjean, Olivier Voisin, Victor Praud In this frenetic future world, the orphans all co-written and co-directed with
Music: Ulysse Klotz kill not only for food but for pleasure. Jessica Caroline Poggi. Jessica Forever (18) is
his feature directorial debut.
Principal Cast: Aomi Muyock, Sebastian Urzendowsky, (Aomi Muyock) is a leader and a makeshift
Lucas Ionesco, Paul Hamy
mother dedicated to saving the beat-up
Production: Ecce Films marauders that she and her sort-of SWAT
47 rue Polonceau
Paris 75018 France team find. An almost angelic force, Jessica
contact@eccefilms.fr heals and renews them, then leads them out
on a mission to save more of their kind, even
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: MK2 Films though they are free to leave.
(see page 359) This outlandish premise is matched by an
eccentric visual design. Drone strikes, para-
chute drops, midnight swims during which
dead relatives are encountered — these
images all provide a sense of the wild ride
that is Jessica Forever. This film is a brainy
contribution to 21st-century sci-fi, with an
expressly feminist spin.

programme sponsored by

platform 103
www.ZebuSteakBar.com
Share Her Journey
Join the movement!

shareherjourney.org
Together, we’re providing more opportunities
for women in front of and behind the camera.
Share Her Journey is generously supported by the RBC Foundation, Betty-Ann Heggie, Anne-Marie Canning, Micki Moore, Nespresso, TIFF Soiree,
Boombox, and over 1,000 individual donors.
MOUTHPIECE
Iconic Canadian filmmaker Patricia Rozema striking physicality and stirring a cappella
Patricia Rozema returns to the Festival with a potent explo- harmonies create a compelling portrayal of
CANADA, 2018 ration of how women across generations the tension between regression and progress
English contend with their own socialization. that is often found within women.
WORLD PREMIERE Rozema knots together the thematic threads DANIS GOULET
91 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
of her past work — feminist consciousness,
Production Company: First Generation Films/ the struggle for self-expression — into one Patricia Rozema was born in
Crucial Things/ Mouthpiece (FGM) Films Inc.
Executive Producer: Alex Brisbourne, of her most vibrant films to date. Kingston, Ontario. Her first feature
film, I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing
Angela Brisbourne, Martha McCain, Martha Ramsay, In the aftermath of her mother’s sudden (87), won the Prix de la Jeunesse at
Kathleen Ramsay, Maria Martin Stanley death, aspiring writer Cassandra struggles to Cannes. Her other features include
Producer: Patricia Rozema, Jennifer Shin,
Christina Piovesan compose a eulogy. She self-identifies as the When the Night is Falling (95) and
Screenplay: Patricia Rozema, Norah Sadava, black sheep of the family, standing in brazen Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (08),
and the Festival selections Mansfield
Amy Nostbakken opposition to her mother’s embodiment of Park (99) and Into the Forest (15).
Cinematographer: Catherine Lutes
Editor: Lara Johnston feminine grace. In Cassandra’s eyes, to be a MOUTHPIECE (18) is her latest film.
Production Designer: Zazu Myers “nurturing mother” and a “classy woman” is
Sound: Neil McIntyre to be a vessel for self-sacrifice and she roils
Music: Amy Nostbakken
Principal Cast: Norah Sadava, Amy Nostbakken, over her mother’s failed career and incessant
Maev Beaty need for approval from others. Cassandra is
Production: Mouthpiece (FGM) Films Inc. only able to connect with her mother when
98 Avenue Road, Ste. 201 she realizes that her own rebelliousness is
Toronto, Ontario M5R 2H3 Canada as much a response to the male gaze as her
CONTACT INFORMATION mother’s conformity.
International Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA) In this adaptation of the play of the
(see page 359) same name, the conflicting dialogue in
Cassandra’s head is brilliantly expressed by
two performers: its original creators Amy
Nostbakken and Norah Sadava.
The various Cassandras are sometimes
at odds and sometimes in unison. Their

special presentation 107

The Death and Life of
The English-language debut of Quebec’s The Death and Life of John F. Donovan
John F. Donovan prolific Xavier Dolan (Mommy, TIFF ’14) is condemns the hypocrisy and homophobia
a marvel. Set in three countries and featur- that thwarted John’s too-short life, and it
Xavier Dolan ing a stunning ensemble cast that includes does so while shifting fluidly between flash-
CANADA, 2018 Academy Award winners Susan Sarandon back and postmortem. The story, the themes,
English
WORLD PREMIERE and Natalie Portman, and Game of Thrones and the style are all vintage Dolan.
127 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) star Kit Harington, The Death and Life of CAMERON BAILEY
Production Company: Lyla Films/Sons Of Manual/ John F. Donovan explores the task of being
Warp Films true to oneself in a world mired in illusion. Xavier Dolan was born in Montreal
Executive Producer: Joe Iacono, Patrick Roy, Anick Poirier, John F. Donovan (Harington), heartthrob and began acting at the age of four.
Nathanaël Karmitz, Elisha Karmitz His directorial debut, J’ai tué ma mere
Producer: Lyse Lafontaine, Nancy Grant, Xavier Dolan, star of film and TV, died alone and unexpect- (09), won the Art Cinema Award and
Michel Merkt edly following a series of scandals. One fan the Prix Regards Jeunes and SACD
Screenplay: Xavier Dolan, Jacob Tierney in particular, 11-year-old Rupert Turner prizes at Cannes. His subsequent
Cinematographer: André Turpin
Editor: Xavier Dolan, Mathieu Denis (Room’s Jacob Tremblay), has some singular films Les amour imaginaires (10)
and Laurence Anyways (12) earned
Production Designer: Colombe Raby, Anne Pritchard insight into John’s soul. For five years John the Cannes Prix Regards Jeunes
Sound: Sylvain Brassard and Rupert were secret pen pals. and Queer Palm, respectively. The
Music: Gabriel Yared
Principal Cast: Kit Harington, Jacob Tremblay, Fast-forward to the present. Rupert (Ben FIPRESCI Prize–winning Tom at the
Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Thandie Newton, Schnetzer, also at TIFF this year in The Farm (13) screened at the Festival,
as did Mommy (14) and the Cannes
Kathy Bates, Ben Schnetzer, Sarah Gadon, Grizzlies), now a successful actor in his Jury Prize winner It’s Only the End of
Emily Hampshire, Jared Keeso
own right, has written a memoir about his the World (16). The Death and Life of
Production: Lyla Films correspondence with John. In an interview John F. Donovan (18) is his latest film.
600, rue Sherbrooke Est, bur. 201
Montréal, Québec H2L 1K1 Canada with reporter Audrey Newhouse (Thandie
info@lylafilms.com Newton), Rupert will reveal all he knows
about John’s troubled life, what compro-
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One mises John made for fame — and how
International Sales Agent: Seville International John’s tenderness and generosity inspired
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA) that little boy who was desperate to connect
(see page 359)
with the man he idolized.

108 special presentation

If Beale Street
From the director of the Oscar-winning If Beale Street Could Talk is without doubt
Could Talk Moonlight comes a plunge into a world of a romance but it’s stronger than that because
Black love, with all the pain and the joy that it refuses to indulge fantasy. Infused with
Barry Jenkins can go along with it. In his third feature, Moonlight’s deep lyricism and Medicine
USA, 2018 Barry Jenkins draws deep from the well of for Melancholy’s flirtatious spark, Barry
English
WORLD PREMIERE James Baldwin, whose profound insight Jenkins’s latest shows him to be our most
117 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) into African Americans’ unique place in clear-eyed chronicler of love.
Production Company: Annapurna Pictures/Plan B American society serves as inspiration for CAMERON BAILEY
Entertainment/PASTEL this gorgeous tone poem on love and justice.
Executive Producer: Brad Pitt, Sarah Esberg, Tish (KiKi Layne) is only 19 but she’s been Barry Jenkins was born in Miami and
Chelsea Barnard, Jillian Longnecker, Mark Ceryak,
Caroline Jaczko forced to grow up fast. She’s pregnant by studied at Florida State University.
His debut feature Medicine for
Producer: Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Barry Jenkins, Fonny, the man she loves. But Fonny is going Melancholy (08) and his Academy
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Megan Ellison to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. As the Award–winning second feature,
Screenplay: Barry Jenkins
Cinematographer: James Laxton film begins, Tish must break the news to her Moonlight (16), both screened at
Editor: Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders family, and his. Tish’s mother, played with the Festival. If Beale Street Could Talk
(18) is his latest film.
Production Designer: Mark Friedberg heartbreaking depth by Regina King, soon
Sound: Timothy R. Boyce Jr.
Music: Nicholas Britell must decide how far she will go to secure
Principal Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman her daughter’s future. As Fonny, Toronto’s
Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Aunjanue Ellis, own Stephan James gives a career-best
Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Emily Rios,
Ed Skrein, Finn Wittrock, Bryan Tyree Henry, Regina King performance of both grit and grace as a
young man deeply in love but furious at what
Production: Annapurna Pictures
812 N. Robertson Blvd. has befallen him.
West Hollywood, CA 90069 USA Jenkins reveals the layers of conflict-
chelseab@annapurnapics.com ing motivations in a filmmaking style that
CONTACT INFORMATION approaches music — dipping into Baldwin’s
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One elevated language and following his char-
US Distributor: Annapurna Pictures acters with unabashed devotion, fully
International Sales Agent: Annapurna International
(see page 359) capturing the texture of ’70s New York.

special presentation 109

Red Joan
The realm of spies seems exotic, danger-
Trevor Nunn ous, and riddled with ethical compromise.
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 But espionage can enter a person’s life
English through various means, such as accident,
WORLD PREMIERE ideology, or love.
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Loosely inspired by the biography of
Production Company: Trademark Films British KGB agent Melita Norwood, Red
Executive Producer: Ivan Mactaggart, Tim Haslam,
Hugo Grumbar, Zygi Kamasa, James Atherton, Jan Pace, Joan lures us into one such case. Helmed by
Kelly E. Ashton, Karl Sydow Sir Trevor Nunn (Twelfth Night or What You
Producer: David Parfitt Will) and starring Academy Award winner
Screenplay: Lindsay Shapero
Cinematographer: Zac Nicholson Judi Dench, this historical thriller reminds
Editor: Kristina Hetherington us that spies aren’t always shadowy, nefari-
Production Designer: Cristina Casali ous figures. Sometimes, they are the old
Sound: Will Whale
Music: George Fenton lady next door.
Principal Cast: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, The year is 2000. Joan Stanley (Dench)
Stephen Campbell Moore, Tom Hughes is a retired scientist living in a London
Production: Trademark Films suburb when she is arrested for crimes
14A Goodwin’s Court committed many years ago. We flash back
London WC2N 4LL United Kingdom
david@trademarkfilms.co.uk to 1938, and young Joan (Sophie Cookson) is
a new student at Cambridge, where a chance
CONTACT INFORMATION encounter with Sonya (Tereza Srbova), an
International Sales Agent: Embankment Films
US Sales Agent: Embankment Films alluring fellow student, draws her into a
(see page 359) circle of politicized youths supporting the
Republicans in Spain and the Soviet dream
of a classless society. Joan falls for Sonya’s
brother Leo (Tom Hughes), a dashing ideal-
ist in search of adventure. When the Second
World War begins, Joan goes to work for Max
(Stephen Campbell Moore) at a top-secret
110 special presentation
British intelligence project of great interest
to Leo. Joan is soon facing several difficult
choices: between national loyalties, between
belief systems, between men. Somewhere in
all this, she will also discover her tremen-
dous potential.
Lindsay Shapero’s crisply structured
script darts between the elder Joan’s inter-
rogations and the younger Joan’s life of
secrets and jagged alliances. She’s never
certain whom to trust — and we might not be
certain if we can trust her. But Joan’s fasci-
nating story validates Jean Renoir’s timeless
adage: “Everyone has their reasons.”
MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Trevor Nunn was born in Ipswich,
England. He is a renowned theatre
director and former artistic director
of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His directorial credits include Hedda
(75), Lady Jane (86), and Twelfth
Night or What You Will (96), which
played the Festival. Red Joan (18) is
his latest film.
Ben is Back
Peter Hedges
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
103 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Black Bear Pictures/
Color Force/30WEST
Executive Producer: Daniel Steinman, Micah Green,
Dan Friedkin, Ben Stillman, Michael Heimler, Jane Evans,
Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon
Producer: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson,
Teddy Schwarzman, Peter Hedges
Screenplay: Peter Hedges
Cinematographer: Stuart Dryburgh
Editor: Ian Blume
Production Designer: Ford Wheeler
Sound: Roberto Fernandez, Kevin Peters, Marlena
Grzaslewicz, Damian Volpe, Jan McLaughlin, Gina Alfano,
Glenfield Payne, Filipe Messeder
Music: Dickon Hinchliffe
Principal Cast: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges,
Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton
Production: Black Bear Pictures
1739 Berkeley Street
Santa Monica, California 90404 USA
info@blackbearpictures.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
US Distributor: Roadside Attractions, LD Entertainment
International Sales Agent: Sierra/Affinity
(see page 359)
When Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges, also at this
year’s Festival in Mid90s and Boy Erased)
unexpectedly returns home from rehab on
Christmas Eve, his mother, Holly (Academy
Award winner Julia Roberts, also at the
Festival in Homecoming), welcomes him
with open arms. His teenage sister, Ivy, and
stepfather, Neal, are more skeptical.
Holly moves to hide everything in her
medicine cabinet and institutes an eye-
always-on-Ben rule. He can’t even go to the
bathroom without an open door.
Though the family are encouraged by
Ben’s sobriety, they’re also incredibly appre-
hensive, waiting for him to fall back into old
habits at any minute. Ben does his best to
settle back into family life, playing with his
younger half-brother and half-sister, and his
beloved dog. But home is not just a place of
happy Christmas memories, it also serves
as a constant reminder of the tidal wave of
damage and pain caused by his disease. Ben
is unsure if he’ll be able to return to happier
times, but Holly will stop at nothing to get
them back.
With an intelligent and concise script
that takes place over a 24-hour period,
writer-director Peter Hedges looks at a fam-
ily, a community, and, ultimately, a country
in crisis. Featuring incredible performances
from Roberts, Hedges, and a supporting cast
that includes Kathryn Newton and Courtney
B. Vance, and directed with a sense of ur-
gency that befits the subject, this affecting
and intimate family drama isn’t just about
the opiate crisis. Ben is Back, more than
anything, is a film about people, and their
power to love.
KERRI CRADDOCK
Peter Hedges was born in Des Moines,
Iowa. He studied acting at the North
Carolina School of the Arts before
turning his attention to filmmaking.
His directorial feature debut, Pieces
of April (03), screened at the Festival.
His other films include Dan in Real
Life (07), The Odd Life of Timothy
Green (12), and Ben is Back (18).
special presentation 111
A Million Little Pieces
Sam Taylor-Johnson
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
113 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Makeready/Entertainment One/
Sierra / Affinity
Executive Producer: James Frey, Dara Weintraub,
Todd Cohen, David Krintzman, Monte Lipman,
Dana Sano
Producer: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Taylor-Johnson,
Brad Weston, Pamela Abdy, Andrew Rona,
Alex Heineman
Screenplay: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Sam Taylor-Johnson
Cinematographer: Jeff Cronenweth
Editor: Martin Pensa
Production Designer: David Bomba
Music: Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Claudia Sarne
Principal Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton,
Giovanni Ribisi, Juliette Lewis, Odessa Young,
Dash Mihok, Eugene Byrd, Charles Parnell,
David Dastmalchian
Production: Makeready
4641 Leahy Street
Culver City, California 90232 USA
pabdy@makereadyla.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One
International Sales Agent: Sierra / Affinity
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
112 special presentation
Based on James Frey’s controversial 2003
bestseller, and ingeniously co-scripted by
director Sam Taylor-Johnson and actor
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (TIFF ’16’s Nocturnal
Animals), this chronicle of recovery is a roll-
ercoaster ride through the deepest, darkest
corners of one’s psyche.
After James (Taylor-Johnson, also at
the Festival in Opening Night film Outlaw
King) wakes up on an airplane and doesn’t
even know where it’s going, he’s checked into
a Minnesota rehabilitation clinic. Seething
with rage, cynicism, and self-loathing,
James isn’t buying into the promise of
12-step, not its talk of a higher power nor
its assurances that it can make him stop
seeking oblivion through booze and crack.
The only things that keep James going are
the support of his peers — among them a
former crime lord (Academy Award win-
ner Billy Bob Thornton) and a desperate
former sex worker (Odessa Young) — and,
eventually, his calling as a writer. Above all,
recovery will reveal a pathway to renewal
and redemption that James never could have
found alone.
The Taylor-Johnsons, who first worked
together on the John Lennon biopic Nowhere
Boy, have reteamed for another poignant
tale of youthful tumult grounded — how-
ever loosely — in fact. Shifting seamlessly
from typical Hollywood fare to this more
personal, at times hallucinatory tale, Sam
Taylor-Johnson punctuates James’s journey
with wildly cinematic sequences: food that
withers before his eyes; a maelstrom of ash;
visitations from past selves.
Propelled by a soundtrack of songs from
Smashing Pumpkins, Otis Redding, and
R.E.M., and an outstanding supporting
cast (which also includes Charlie Hunnam,
Giovanni Ribisi and Oscar nominee Juliette
Lewis), this is a harrowing, ultimately gal-
vanizing story about feeling one’s sense of
worth shatter — before gaining the strength
to pick up the pieces.
KERRI CRADDOCK
Sam Taylor-Johnson was born in
London and studied at Goldsmiths,
University of London. Her directorial
credits include the short film Love You
More (08) and the features Nowhere
Boy (09) and Fifty Shades of Grey
(15). A Million Little Pieces (18) is
her latest film.
Colette
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, celebrated Last at the Festival with Still Alice, writ-
Wash Westmoreland French writer and gay icon, was not your ing duo Westmoreland and the late Richard
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 average early-20th-century woman. Glatzer, here working with writer Rebecca
English And Colette is not your average period Lenkiewicz, capture Colette and her world
CANADIAN PREMIERE drama. Like the subject herself, Wash with an intelligence, passion, and wit
112 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Westmoreland’s film is energetic, fearless, worthy of the writer herself. Though the
Production Company: Killer Films/Number 9 Films and unapologetically feminist. film’s period details are exquisite, under
Executive Producer: Svetlana Metkina, Norman Merry,
Mary Burke We meet Colette (Keira Knightley) as a Westmoreland’s elegant direction they are
Producer: Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, teenage girl in the Burgundian countryside, background to the woman at the centre of
Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon, Michel Litvak, infatuated with Willy (Dominic West), a this story. Colette’s battle to have her voice
Gary Michael Walters
Screenplay: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland, charming but much older Parisian pub- heard in a patriarchal society is as relevant
Rebecca Lenkiewicz lisher. When she joins him in the city as his today as it was more than 100 years ago. She
Cinematographer: Giles Nuttgens bride, Colette begins to turn heads. Ripe didn’t let them win; neither should we.
Editor: Lucia Zucchetti
Production Designer: Michael Carlin for adventure and unafraid of her desires, KERRI CRADDOCK
Sound: Csaba Major Colette challenges the social and gender
Music: Thomas Adès conventions, and sexual taboos, of Belle Wash Westmoreland was born in
Principal Cast: Keira Knightley, Dominic West,
Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Robert Pugh, Époque Paris. Willy is all in — at first. He Leeds. His films include the docu-
mentary Gay Republicans (04), and
Eleanor Tomlinson even encourages Colette to write as one of the feature Quinceañera (06), as well
Production: Killer Films his “factory” authors, and the fruits of her as The Fluffer (01), The Last of Robin
18 E 16th Street labour, the Claudine books, quickly become Hood (13), and Still Alice (14), which
New York 10003 USA a literary sensation. There’s only one prob- all played at the Festival. Colette (18)
info@killerfilms.com is his most recent film.
lem: though Claudine is Colette, she also
CONTACT INFORMATION belongs to Willy.
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures Whether they’re having sex, arguing about
US Distributor: Bleecker Street, 30WEST
International Sales Agent: HanWay Films who they’re having sex with, or debating
(see page 359) Colette’s writing, Knightley and West’s
chemistry leaps off the screen, capturing
the attraction and the scandal at the heart
of a tumultuous relationship.

special presentation 113

Maya
In recent years Mia Hansen-Løve has gradu- out of the ordinary, subtly captures the idio-
Mia Hansen-Løve ally emerged at the forefront of European syncracies of her appealing protagonists,
FRANCE, 2018 cinema by making films of lyrical beauty. and spins a fine emotional web around the
English, French Her films float. Narrative exists, but mostly whole magical tale.
WORLD PREMIERE to support mood and tone, at which she is a PIERS HANDLING
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
master. Landscape and place function as a
Production Company: Les Films Pelléas silent character. Her new film, Maya, shot Mia Hansen-Løve was born in
Producer: Philippe Martin, David Thion
Screenplay: Mia Hansen-Løve mostly on location in India, is a beautifully Paris, where she studied at the
Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. She
Cinematographer: Hélène Louvart crafted addition to her filmography. began her career as an actor. Her
Editor: Marion Monnier Gabriel is a 30-year-old war correspon- films as director include Tout est
Sound: Vincent Vatoux
Principal Cast: Roman Kolinka, Aarshi Banerjee dent whose beat is the Middle East. Recently pardonné (07); Father of My Children
taken hostage while on the job in Syria and (09), which screened at TIFF and won
Production: Les Films Pelléas a Special Jury Prize at Cannes; and
25 rue Michel Le Compte then released, he believes he may be suffering Goodbye First Love (11), Eden (14),
Paris 75003 France from post-traumatic stress disorder. On the and Things to Come (16), which all
lesfilmspelleas@pelleas.fr advice of a psychiatrist, he travels to India played the Festival. Maya (18) is her

CONTACT INFORMATION to visit his godfather. There, he encounters latest feature.

International Sales Agent: Orange Studio
(see page 359)
Maya, his godfather’s college-aged daughter,
and a relationship gradually begins to stir,
despite the decade or so between them. As
Gabriel slowly adjusts to safety and society
in India, he also reintegrates into normal
life — and back into parts of his past that
resurface during his trip.
Revelling in the heat and vegetation of
the Indian countryside, Hansen-Løve oh-so
delicately fleshes out a bittersweet tale of
love and rehabilitation. She teases meaning

114 special presentation

Anthropocene
Jennifer Baichwal,
Nicholas de Pencier,
Edward Burtynsky
CANADA, 2018
English, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese,
Italian, German
WORLD PREMIERE
87 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Anthropocene Films Inc
Executive Producer: Nicholas de Pencier, Edward
Burtynsky, Daniel Iron, Nicholas Metivier
Producer: Nicholas de Pencier
Screenplay: Jennifer Baichwal
Cinematographer: Nicholas de Pencier
Editor: Roland Schlimme
Sound: Nicholas de Pencier, Dave Rose, Lou Solakofski
Music: Norah Lorway, Rose Bolton
Production: Anthropocene Films Inc
58 Palmerston Gardens
Toronto, Ontario M6G 1V9 Canada
info@mercuryfilms.ca
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media
International Sales Agent: Seville International
(see page 359)
Anthropocene is the third collaboration
between award-winning photographer
Edward Burtynsky and acclaimed film-
makers Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de
Pencier following Manufactured Landscapes
and Watermark. In breathtaking tableaus,
their latest documentary continues their
exploration of industrialization and extrac-
tion in astonishing scale and perspective.
In recent years, some scientists have
argued that the Holocene Epoch — the nearly
12,000-year period since the last Ice Age —
has ended, and we have now entered into the
Anthropocene Epoch. The new label reflects
the dominance of humans on the planet,
causing mass extinction and climate change
and altering the Earth more than all natural
processes combined.
Spanning numerous countries, the film
reveals in stunning images how our mania
for conquest defines our relationship to the
Earth — and how we have created a global
epidemic. In Kenya, mounds of elephant
tusks burn in a devastating display of the
impact of poaching (chillingly reminis-
cent of the bison skulls that were piled
high in the clearing of the Canadian plains
for settlement). In Russia and Germany,
mining operations transform terrains into
otherworldly industrial wastelands as hyp-
notic, colossal, lifelike machines endlessly
extract on an unfathomable scale.
Anthropocene is a mesmerizing and
disturbing rumination on what drives us
as a species, and a call to wake up to the
destruction caused by our dominance.
These startling dystopian visions are not
future projections, they reflect a reality
that is already here — and if we are to change
course, the first step will be a revolutionary
shift in consciousness.
DANIS GOULET
Jennifer Baichwal was born in Montreal. Her films include
Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles (98), and
the Festival selections Manufactured Landscapes (06),
Watermark (13), and Long Time Running (17). Anthropocene
(18) is her latest work.
Nicholas de Pencier was born in Toronto. He is the producer
of the documentaries Manufactured Landscapes (06) and
Watermark (13), the cinematographer for Al Purdy Was
Here (15) and Black Code (16), and the director of Long
Time Running (17), all of which screened at the Festival.
Anthropocene (18) is his latest feature.
Edward Burtynsky was born in St. Catharines, Ontario. He
is an award-winning photographer who has exhibited with
the National Gallery of Canada, MoMA, and the Guggenheim
Museum. His debut film Watermark (13) premiered at the
Festival. Anthropocene (18) his is latest film.
special presentation 115
Duelles
Love thy neighbour as thyself. Belgian direc- turn. As Alice and Céline begin to question
Mothers’ Instinct tor Olivier Masset-Depasse challenges this each other’s actions and motives, palpable
commandment in his third feature, Duelles, a tension begins to poison their formerly bliss-
Olivier Masset-Depasse Hitchcockian thriller that will put you on the ful existence. Though Masset-Depasse never
BELGIUM/FRANCE, 2018 edge of your seat — and keep you reaching questions a mother’s instinct to protect her
French
WORLD PREMIERE
frequently for your martini glass. child, he does ask how far is one willing to go
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Alice (Veerle Baetens) and Céline (Anne to protect someone else’s. We’re left to won-
Production Company: Versus Production/Haut et Court
Coesens) share a special bond. Each living on der how much we should trust our closest
Screenplay: Olivier Masset-Depasse, Giordano Gederlini, one side of a stately suburban semi-detached neighbours and, even more, how much we
François Verjans home, their two families almost live like one. can trust ourselves.
Cinematographer: Hichame Alouie
Editor: Damien Keyeux
Their sons, Maxime and Theo, are more like KERRI CRADDOCK
Production Designer: Anna Falguères brothers than friends. Alice and Céline share
Music: Frédéric Vercheval carpool duties and the families celebrate all Olivier Masset-Depasse is a Belgian
Principal Cast: Veerle Baetens, Anne Coesens
special occasions together. But when trag- director and screenwriter. His
feature films include Cages (06),
Production: Versus Production edy strikes, relationships are tested and Illegal (10), which was nominated
Rue De La Consolation, 72
Brussels 1030 Belgium
a crippling sense of paranoia changes the for a Best Foreign Language Oscar,
info@versusproduction.be previously quotidian interactions between and Duelles (18).
the women into a psychological duel of
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: IndieSales
biblical proportions.
(see page 359) Placed in a Mad Men–like 1960s milieu,
where impeccably manicured housewives
wear pencil skirts and sip cocktails, Duelles
features exquisite production design and
a luscious, ultra-saturated colour palette.
The bourgeois setting is perfect for the film’s
cautionary tale about women’s intuition and
maternal obsession.
Masset-Depasse’s confident direction and
razor-sharp script keeps us guessing at every

116 special presentation

ROMA
Alfonso Cuarón
MEXICO, 2018
Spanish, Mixteco
CANADIAN PREMIERE
135 minutes | Black and White/DCP 4K
(D-Cinema)
Production Company: Esperanto Filmoj/
Participant Media
Executive Producer: Jeff Skoll, David Linde,
Jonathan King
Producer: Gabriela Rodriguez, Alfonso Cuarón,
Nicolas Celis
Screenplay: Alfonso Cuarón
Cinematographer: Alfonso Cuarón
Editor: Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough
Production Designer: Eugenio Caballero
Sound: Sergio Díaz, Skip Lievsay, Craig Henighan,
José Antonio García
Principal Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira
Production: Esperanto Filmoj
c/o Big Talk Productions, 2nd Floor
London W1W 8QB United Kingdom
alice@esperantofilmoj.net
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
With films such as Y Tu Mamá También,
Children of Men, and Gravity, Alfonso
Cuarón has demonstrated an uncanny abil-
ity to reflect on the human condition while
offering boldly entertaining cinematic
experiences. Shot on 65mm in black and
white, the semi-autobiographical ROMA
is Cuarón’s most personal film to date, an
immersive, technically masterful, com-
passionate work that, though set in the
1970s, speaks directly to contemporary
Mexican society.
Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) works as a live-in
maid and nanny for an upper-middle-class
family in Mexico City’s Roma district.
When the family patriarch departs for an
unusually protracted business trip, his wife
Sofia (Marina de Tavira) is left at home.
Inhabiting a role somewhere between fam-
ily member and employee, Cleo helps Sofia
and the kids through a period of difficulty,
just as she is dumped by her self-absorbed
boyfriend when he discovers she is pregnant.
As both women face the possibility of
single motherhood, it’s obvious that their
disparate levels of social status will differ-
ently impact their possible futures. ROMA
subtly explores these ethnic and class
divisions with a potent sense of emotional
intimacy and historical acuteness.
Meticulously recreating the past —
including the Corpus Christi massacre of
1971 — ROMA not only recalls the personal
memories of the filmmaker’s youth but
also the sources that have informed his
uniquely spectacular brand of storytelling.
Paying homage to the resilient women that
helped shape the man he would become,
Cuarón reminds us of the magic of cinema
as both a mirror on our past and a window to
a larger world.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Alfonso Cuarón was born in
Mexico City and studied film at the
Centro Universitario de Estudios
Cinematográficos. His films include
A Little Princess (95), Harry Potter
and the Prisoner of Azkaban (04), and
Children of Men (06), as well as the
Festival features Y Tu Mamá También
(01) and Gravity (13), winner of the
Academy Award for Best Directing.
ROMA (18) is his latest film.
special presentation 117
The Wedding Guest
More than any narrative filmmaker of his This briskly paced thriller rarely stops to
Michael Winterbottom generation, UK writer-director Michael breathe, while Patel and Apte each work in
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 Winterbottom has used cinema as a their own way to reveal as little as possible
English means to explore the world. His latest is a while finding themselves helplessly drawn
WORLD PREMIERE global film noir with a dizzying itinerary, to each other.
94 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
restless both in its locations and its probing CAMERON BAILEY
Production Company: Revolution Films/ look at desire.
Riverstone Pictures
Executive Producer: Andrea Scarso, Peter Touche Starring Oscar nominee Dev Patel — also Michael Winterbottom was born in
Producer: Melissa Parmenter, Michael Winterbottom, at the Festival with Hotel Mumbai — and Blackburn, Lancashire. He studied
English at Balliol College, Oxford,
Deepak Nayar, Nik Bower, Dev Patel Radhika Apte (TIFF ’15’s Parched), The and film at Bristol University. Among
Screenplay: Michael Winterbottom
Cinematographer: Giles Nuttgens Wedding Guest begins with tantalizing his films that have screened at the
Editor: Marc Richardson intrigue. A mysterious figure (Patel) departs Festival are Jude (96), Wonderland
Production Designer: Ravi Srivastava England for Pakistan. In one locale he rents (99), In This World (02), Tristram
Sound: Joakim Sundström Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (05),
Music: Harry Escott a car, in another he purchases weapons. A Summer in Genoa (08), The Trip
Principal Cast: Dev Patel, Radhika Apte, Jim Sarbh He soon arrives at his destination, where a (10), and The Wedding Guest (18).
Production: Revolution Films young woman (Apte) is about to be wed. The
9A Dallington Street man infiltrates the house where the woman
London EC1V 0BQ United Kingdom is staying and gives her a choice: remain here
sammy@revolution-films.com
and be married or come with me and spend
CONTACT INFORMATION the rest of your life on the run.
International Sales Agent: Riverstone Pictures Unfolding in trains, cars, restaurants, and
(see page 359)
hotels, in backroom black markets and back-
packer beach resorts, The Wedding Guest is
a perfect example of Winterbottom’s cease-
less curiosity. Nothing escapes his gaze.

118 special presentation

The Grizzlies
Miranda de Pencier
CANADA, 2018
English, Inuktitut
WORLD PREMIERE
104 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Northwood Entertainment/
Puhitaq
Executive Producer: Jake Steinfeld, Frank Marshall
Producer: Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Alethea
Arnaquq-Baril, Miranda de Pencier, Damon D’Oliveira,
Zanne Devine
Screenplay: Graham Yost, Moira Walley-Beckett
Cinematographer: Jim Denault
Editor: Ronald Sanders ACE CCE, James Vandewater
Production Designer: Zazu Myers
Sound: Rob Turi
Music: Garth Stevenson
Principal Cast: Emerald MacDonald, Ben Schnetzer,
Paul Nutarariaq, Ricky Marty-Pahtaykan,
Booboo Stewart, Tantoo Cardinal
Production: Northwood Entertainment
1123 Leslie Street
Toronto, Ontario M3C 2K5 Canada
info@northwoodentertainment.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
Based on a true story, The Grizzlies is about
the determination and resilience of a group
of Inuit youth in a small Arctic community.
In 1998, first-time teacher Russ Sheppard
(Ben Schnetzer) moves north for a job at a
local school in Kugluktuk, a town struggling
with one of the highest suicide rates in North
America. With no previous experience or
knowledge of life in the north, Russ is
shocked and overwhelmed by the numerous
social issues facing the youth, all as a result
of the massive legacy of colonization on their
families and communities.
Russ introduces a lacrosse program
in the school. Although the program is at
first met with skepticism and resistance,
Russ’s commitment begins to win the trust
of the students and together they form
the Grizzlies lacrosse team. Through the
sport, the youth find a vital outlet for their
emotions and the team creates a sense
of pride and purpose in themselves and
their community.
Originally from Kugluktuk, one of the
film’s producers, Stacey Aglok MacDonald,
has first-hand experience of the impact of
this program on her community and has
been committed to bringing this story to the
screen in close creative collaboration with
producer Alethea Arnaquq-Baril and direc-
tor Miranda de Pencier. With absolutely
stunning breakout performances by young
Nunavut-based actors Paul Nutarariaq
and Emerald MacDonald, The Grizzlies is a
testament to the spirit, tenacity, and lead-
ership of Inuit youth, persisting in spite of
immense pressure and hardship.
DANIS GOULET
Miranda de Pencier is a Toronto-born
director and producer. Her credits
as a producer include Beginners (10)
and Thanks For Sharing (12), and she
made her directorial debut with the
short Throat Song (13). The Grizzlies
(18) is her feature debut.
TIFF Next Wave
Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of
young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
special presentation 119
La Chute de l’empire
As its title indicates, Denys Arcand’s new pursuers, amongst whom are two rather
américain film continues the investigation into mod- different women: a young prostitute who
The Fall of the American ern society he began over 30 years ago with can free him, and a young cop who can put
his remarkable and formative Le Déclin de him behind bars. 
Empire l’empire américain. If 2003’s Les Invasions Arcand’s probing intelligence turns the
barbares was a sequel of sorts, revisiting film into a subtle investigation of contem-
Denys Arcand many of the same characters, this new film is porary society, a society where the old social
CANADA, 2018 not. Nevertheless, it does complete a kind of contract that once underpinned our interac-
French
TORONTO PREMIERE
informal trilogy that looks deep into Quebec tions proves hollow. Marcus Aurelius jostles
128 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) society, its values, and its mores. with Rousseau and Machiavelli in this witty
Production Company: Cinémaginaire
La Chute de l’empire américain is built and sardonic satire.
Producer: Denise Robert around the concept of money: what it means, PIERS HANDLING
Screenplay: Denys Arcand how it is used, what value it has in our world,
Cinematographer: Van Royko
Editor: Arthur Tarnowski
and what it can do to people. Arcand’s pro- De nys A rca n d was born in

Production Designer: Patrice Bengle
Sound: Martin Desmarais, Louis Gignac
Music: Mathieu Lussier, Louis Dufort
Principal Cast: Alexandre Landry, Maripier Morin,
Rémy Girard, Louis Morissette, Maxim Roy, Pierre Curzi,
Vincent Leclerc
Production: Cinémaginaire
1055 René-Lévesque Est, Suite 900
Montreal, QC H2L 4S5 Canada
drobert@cinemaginaire.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
International Sales Agent: Seville International
US Sales Agent:
(see page 359)
tagonist, Pierre-Paul (Alexandre Landry),
is a 36-year-old with a PhD in philosophy
who ends up driving a courier truck, a line of
work he believes he is too good for. A single
event changes Pierre-Paul’s life: he finds
himself with a lot of money in his hands —
and a choice. This money can provide him
the lifestyle he wants, but it can also lead to
numerous headaches, namely in the form
of entanglements with both police and the
criminal underworld. Pierre-Paul’s deci-
sions take him on an unlikely voyage where
he needs all his wits to outfox his various
Deschambault, Quebec. His many
features include Le Déclin de l’empire
américan (86), which won nine Genie
Awards and the International Critics’
Prize at Cannes; Jésus de Montréal
(89), which won the Genie for best
film and a Jury prize at Cannes; and
Les Invasions barbares (03), which
won the Academy Award for Best
Foreign Language Film. His films
Les Invasions barbares, Stardom
(00), L’Age des ténèbres (07),
and La Règne de la beauté (14) all
screened at the Festival. La Chute
de l’empire américain (18) is his
latest feature.

120 special presentation

The Front Runner
Jason Reitman
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
113 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Bron Studios/Right of Way
Executive Producer: Matt Bai, Jay Carson, Michael Beugg,
Jason Blumenfeld, George Wolfe, Steven Thibault,
Brenda Gilbert, David Gendron, Ali Jazayeri, Jason Cloth,
Chris Conover, Edward Carpezzi
Producer: Jason Reitman, Helen Estabrook,
Aaron L. Gilbert
Screenplay: Matt Bai, Jay Carson, Jason Reitman
Cinematographer: Eric Steelberg
Editor: Stefan Grube
Production Designer: Steve Saklad
Sound: Chris Jenkins, Jeremy Peirson, Perry Robertson,
Scott Sanders
Music: Rob Simonsen
Principal Cast: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga,
J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina
It might seem quaint in today’s sensation-
saturated news cycle, but it wasn’t long ago
that a politician at the zenith of his career
could be felled by news of an extramarital
affair. That was the fate of one-time presi-
dential hopeful Gary Hart, the subject of
Academy Award–nominated director Jason
Reitman’s enthralling new film. Starring
Hugh Jackman and Vera Farmiga — working
in perfect harmony here — The Front Runner
recreates three weeks that forever changed
US politics and how they’re covered.
Having lost the democratic ticket
to Walter Mondale in 1984, Gary Hart
(Jackman) made a triumphant return to
candidacy in 1987, at a moment when his
party was desperate to wrestle power back
from the Republicans after two terms of
The Front Runner takes us into the back-
rooms where truths are drawn out and
painful decisions are made.
Reitman, channelling Robert Altman
in observational style, never loses sight of
the story’s moral compass. Featuring rivet-
ing performances from an ensemble that
includes Oscar winner J.K. Simmons at his
firecracker best and TIFF ’17 Rising Star
Mamoudou Athie, the film dissects a politi-
cal implosion, prompting thorny questions
regarding boundaries between private and
public — and suggesting that the last 30
years of political scandal fever, from Clinton
to Trump, has its roots here.
CAMERON BAILEY
Jason Reitman was born in Montreal

Production: Bron Studios Reagan. Hart had everything going for him: and raised in Los Angeles, where
he studied creative writing at the
345 N. Maple Drive intelligence, charisma, and experience as University of Southern California. His
Beverly Hills CA 90210 USA a lawyer, campaign manager, and senator, films Thank You For Smoking (05),
Amanda.Archibald@bronstudios.com
not to mention an ideal First Lady in wife Juno (07), Up in the Air (09), Labor
CONTACT INFORMATION Lee (Farmiga). But everything starts to Day (13), and Men, Women & Children
(14) screened at the Festival. The
Canadian Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing crumble when word circulates that Hart is a Front Runner (18) is his latest feature.
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
(see page 359) womanizer — a rumour quickly followed by
reports that he had an affair with Donna Rice
(Sara Paxton).
Based on Matt Bai’s All the Truth is
Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid,

special presentation 121

Where Hands Touch
Writer-director Amma Asante (Belle, A process of a nation’s radicalization. At the
Amma Asante United Kingdom) returns to the Festival film’s core is Stenberg’s breathtaking per-
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 with this complex story about a love so formance. From her supporting role in The
English fierce it transcends the most terrible divides Hunger Games to her lead in The Hate U Give
WORLD PREMIERE conceivable. The story of a biracial teen in — also screening at the Festival — Stenberg
122 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Nazi Germany, Where Hands Touch offers a communicates the myriad struggles of a
Production Company: Tantrum Films Ltd/Umedia different sort of Holocaust narrative — one girl becoming a woman with vulnerability
Executive Producer: Bastien Sirodot, Ben Roberts,
Phil Hunt, Robert Norris, Steve Milne, Adrian Politowski, that’s been a long time coming. and sophistication.
Gilles Waterkeyn, Compton Ross, Christian Eisenbeiss, Rudesheim, the Rhineland, 1944. Lenya CAMERON BAILEY
Ivan Dunleavy (Amandla Stenberg) has come of age dur-
Producer: Charlie Hanson
Screenplay: Amma Asante ing the chaos of war. Her mother (Abbie Amma Asante was born in London,
Cinematographer: Remi Adefarasin Cornish) has done her best to protect Lenya, where she attended the Barbara
Speake Stage School. She began as
Editor: Steve Singleton but the racist credo of National Socialism an actor before moving into writing
Production Designer: Arwel W Jones
Sound: Alistair Crocker has rendered her a pariah for the colour of and directing. Her films A Way of
Music: Anne Chmelewsky her skin. Yet youthful ardour can bloom in Life (04), Belle (13), and A United
Principal Cast: Amandla Stenberg, George MacKay, the most unlikely places: Lenya is in love Kingdom (16) all played the Festival.
Abbie Cornish, Christopher Eccleston, Tom Sweet Where Hands Touch (18) is her
with Lutz (George MacKay), a young Nazi. latest film.
Production: Tantrum Films Ltd Lutz toes the party line when it comes to
34 Stepney City, 49 Clark St.
London E1 3HS United Kingdom antisemitism yet remains drawn to Lenya
charlie@tantrumfilms.co.uk despite Nazi revulsion at the thought of a
Black German.
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Vertical Entertainment When that revulsion escalates to direct
International Sales Agent: Protagonist Pictures threat to her survival, Lenya and Lutz must
(see page 359) face the seemingly inevitable outcome of
their impossibly fraught romance.
Asante has made an astonishingly bold
and unnervingly timely film. Where Hands
Touch foregrounds matters of the heart
while prompting us to consider the slippery

122 special presentation

L’homme fidèle
Best known as one of France’s finest young youthful director’s unique, carefully modu-
A Faithful Man actors, having graced numerous films over lated, quizzically engaged touch that charms
the past 15 years, Louis Garrel steps behind and engages.
Louis Garrel the camera for his second directorial fea- PIERS HANDLING
FRANCE, 2018 ture, a portrait of a “faithful man,” an ironic
French swipe at the masculine cliché embedded in Louis Garrel was born in Paris. His
WORLD PREMIERE its title. Garrel plays the central character, many films as an actor include The
75 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Dreamers (03) and Redoubtable
Abel, a Parisian whose girlfriend, Marianne (17), in which he portrayed Jean-Luc
Production Company: Why Not Productions (Laetitia Casta), tells him in the first scene Godard. He has starred in many fea-
Producer: Pascal Caucheteux, Grégoire Sorlat
Screenplay: Louis Garrel, Jean-Claude Carrière that she is pregnant, but not by him, and is tures by Christophe Honoré, among
Cinematographer: Irina Lubtchansky leaving him and marrying the father. them Ma Mère (04) and The Beloved
(11); and by his father, Philippe Garrel,
Editor: Joëlle Hache This is the beginning of a journey that including Regular Lovers (05), for
Production Designer: Jean Rabasse
Sound: Alexis Meynet stretches over a number of years, filled with which he won the César for Most
Principal Cast: Louis Garrel, Lily-Rose Depp, twists and turns, and happy and unhappy Promising Actor, Frontier of the Dawn
Laetitia Casta surprises. Marianne will pop back into his (08), A Burning Hot Summer (11), and
Jealousy (13). He made his feature
Production: Why Not Productions life again along with her son, as will Eva directorial debut with Two Friends
3, Rue Paillet (Lily-Rose Depp), the younger sister of (15). A Faithful Man (18) is his latest
Paris 75005 France
melissa@whynotproductions.fr the man he was abandoned for. As the plot film as director and star.
snakes through the bric-à-brac of Abel’s days,
CONTACT INFORMATION we find an ironic and sympathetic sensibility
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
(see page 359) on display. Rather than being in control, Abel
is acted on, as he good-humouredly tries to
navigate the challenges that come his way.
There is a gentle, French New Wave
tone and feel to A Faithful Man, as if we are
encountering Truffaut’s Antoine Doinel
once again. The contemporary Paris setting
and its streets, cafés, and apartments appear
almost changeless since the ’60s. But it is the

special presentation 123

Wildlife
In Wildlife, his striking directorial debut, Cinematographer Diego Garcia’s clean
Paul Dano actor Paul Dano joins a canon of filmmakers aesthetic, the film’s authentic period design
USA, 2018 who have explored the meaning — and the and Dano’s precise, mannered direction
English cost — of the American dream. Collaborating ground the film in time and place, bringing
CANADIAN PREMIERE with co-writer Zoe Kazan, Dano chooses for focus to the characters.
104 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
his version a coming-of-age story, set in the Featuring powerful performances from
Production Company: IFC Films postwar American Midwest, told through a Mulligan, in what is perhaps her meatiest
Producer: Alex Saks, Oren Moverman, Riva Marker
Screenplay: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan feminist lens. role to date, Gyllenhaal, and Oxenbould,
Cinematographer: Diego Garcia When Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal) Wildlife — based on Richard Ford’s 1990
Editor: Matt Hannam loses his job at the local golf course, his novel — paints a portrait of a family and an
Production Designer: Akin McKenzie
Music: David Lang wife, Jeannette (Carey Mulligan), and their America ready to explode.
Principal Cast: Bill Camp, Jake Gyllenhaal, 14-year-old son, Joe (Ed Oxenbould), look KERRI CRADDOCK
Carey Mulligan, Ed Oxenbould for work of their own. Awakening her fiery
CONTACT INFORMATION spirit and charm, Jeannette convinces the Paul Dano was born in New York City
US Distributor: IFC Films local YMCA to give her a job as a swimming and made his Broadway acting debut
at 12. His many acting credits include
International Sales Agent: FilmNation Entertainment instructor. Joe, for his part, lands a gig at a Looper (12), Prisoners (13), 12 Years a
(see page 359)
local photography studio. Too prideful to Slave (13), and Youth (15), all of which
look for work in town, Jerry instead joins in played the Festival. Wildlife (18) is his
fighting the nearby wildfires. Alone for the feature directorial debut.

first time in years, Jeannette finds herself

with more independence than she can deal
with. When she is befriended by one of her
students, she begins to question her cir-
cumstances and her choices. Cautious and
curious, Joe must learn how to navigate the
complex dynamics of adult relationships and
decide what to make of the woman who used
to just be Mom. As simmering tensions begin
to boil, the Brinsons must decide if their
family is worth saving.

124 special presentation

Tell It To The Bees
Annabel Jankel
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
106 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Reliance Entertainment
Productions 8/Archface Films/Taking A Line For A
Walk/Riverstone Pictures/Cayenne Film Company and
Motion Picture Capital/BFI/Creative Scotland/
Filmgate Films/Twickenham Studios/Film i Väst
Executive Producer: Deepak Nayar, Alison Owen,
Lizzie Francke, Sunny Vohra, Ross McKenzie
Producer: Daisy Allsop, Nick Hill, Annabel Jankel,
Nik Bower, Laure Vaysse
Screenplay: Henrietta Ashworth, Jessica Ashworth
Cinematographer: Bartosz Nalazek
Editor: Jon Harris, Maya Maffioli
Production Designer: Andy Harris
Music: Claire M Singer
Principal Cast: Anna Paquin, Holliday Grainger
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Film Constellation
US Sales Agent: Film Constellation
(see page 359)
Love has a way of finding us when we least myriad forms here: romantic love, the love
expect it. Directed by Annabel Jankel, this between parent and child, the vocational
tender period drama, set in small-town, love that a caregiver feels for their commu-
postwar Britain, depicts the emergence of nity — even when that community turns on
a love that while rescuing two women from her. Beautiful to look at, suspenseful, sexy,
isolation, also places them in danger. and deeply touching, Jankel’s film remind us
Abandoned by her philandering husband, that opening our hearts to the possibility of
Lydia (Holliday Grainger) is in an increas- love can be reward enough.
ingly desperate situation: emotional turmoil KERRI CRADDOCK
aside, her earnings from factory work are
not sufficient to pay the rent. Lydia’s son, Annabel Jankel was born in London.
Charlie (Gregor Selkirk), meanwhile, is get- She began her career directing
music videos for artists such as
ting bullied at school. Injuries from one such Talking Heads, Miles Davis, and
altercation send him to Dr. Jean Markham Elvis Costello. She is the co-creator
(Academy Award winner Anna Paquin), who of Max Headroom. Her feature credits
has recently returned to town and found include Super Mario Bros. (93) and
Skellig: The Owl Man (09). Tell It To
the welcome lukewarm. Charlie is curious The Bees (18) is her latest film.
about the bee colonies Jean maintains in
her yard and the two form a bond. Bees, Jean
explains, make an excellent repository for
one’s secrets.
When Lydia and Charlie are evicted, Jean
invites them to stay in her home, an act of
generosity that raises eyebrows throughout
the village. Lydia soon learns why Jean is
regarded with hostility — and she begins to
see something in the kind doctor that takes
her by surprise.
Based on the novel by Fiona Shaw, Tell It
To The Bees is a story of courage in the face
of terrifying intolerance. Love comes in
special presentation 125
Capernaum
Nadine Labaki
LEBANON, 2018
Lebanese  Caramel and Where Do We Go Now?
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
120 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Mooz films
Producer: Khaled Mouzanar, Michel Merkt
Screenplay: Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Michelle
Kesrouani, Georges Khabbaz, Khaled Mouzanar
Cinematographer: Christopher Aoun
Editor: Konstantin Bock, Laure Gardette
Production Designer: Hussein Baydoun
Sound: Chadi Roukoz
Music: Khaled Mouzanar
Principal Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw,
Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad,
Fadi Youssef, Cedra Izam, Alaa Chouchnieh,
Nadine Labaki
Production: Mooz films
246, rue Furn El Hayeck
Beirut 00000 Lebanon
walidson@yahoo.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
126 special presentation
Nadine Labaki has crafted some of the Named for a town on the Sea of Galilee
most indelible depictions of Lebanese where Jesus was said to have healed the
life in contemporary cinema. Her film sick, Capernaum reveals a world in which
desperation is constant and the innocent
screened at the Festival, the latter win- appear forsaken. Our best hope lies in kids
ning the People’s Choice Award in 2011. At like Zain, whose spite is easily matched by
once gritty and perceptive, Labaki’s his resourcefulness, and whose story Labaki
latest film is her finest yet, a dive into Beirut’s relays with toughness, empathy, and bold
lower depths as viewed through the eyes of cinematic vision.
an imperilled child. CAMERON BAILEY
Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) is only 12, but he’s
seen enough of this life to resent his very Nadine Labaki was born in Baabdat,
existence. With numerous children to care Lebanon. She received a degree in
audiovisual studies from Beirut’s
for, his parents resort to some inventive Saint Joseph University. Her direc-
scams, such as saturating garments with torial credits include Caramel (07)
tramadol, which they then pass along to and Where Do We Go Now? (11), both
Zain’s incarcerated brother who reconsti- of which screened at the Festival.
Capernaum (18) is her latest film.
tutes the drug and sells it to fellow prisoners.
More alarmingly, Zain’s parents have sold his
11-year-old sister’s hand in marriage, which
prompts Zain to run away. He befriends an
Ethiopian cleaning woman, whose baby he
eventually becomes guardian to. But life
on the streets offers Zain fewer and fewer
places to hide.
Encouraged by a current affairs program
seeking to draw attention to child poverty,
Zain files a lawsuit against his parents for
giving birth to him. The trial provides the
frame through which Zain’s story unfolds.
Boy Erased
Joel Edgerton
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
114 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Producer: Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Steve Golin,
Joel Edgerton
Screenplay: Joel Edgerton
Cinematographer: Eduard Grau
Editor: Jay Rabinowitz, ACE
Production Designer: Chad Keith
Music: Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans
Principal Cast: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman,
Joel Edgerton, Russell Crowe
Production: Anonymous Content
3532 Hayden Avenue
Culver City, CA 90232 USA
comm_pr@anonymouscontent.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Focus Features
(see page 359)
Everyone wants to belong — but what
good is belonging if you can’t be yourself ?
Starring Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges (also
at the Festival in Mid90s and Ben is Back)
and Oscar winners Nicole Kidman (at the
Festival in Destroyer) and Russell Crowe,
actor Joel Edgerton’s second feature as
writer-director plunges us into the clois-
tered world of conversion therapy and tracks
a young man’s uphill journey from ostraciza-
tion toward self-acceptance.
Jared (Hedges) belongs to a loving
middle-class Arkansas family, with his
mother, Nancy (Kidman), and Baptist
minister father, Marshall (Crowe). Jared
gets good grades, plays basketball, and is in
a steady — but chaste — relationship with
a girl from school. Everything in his life is
going according to plan, until a college friend
outs Jared as gay.
Surprised, but attempting to be support-
ive in their own way, Jared’s parents send
him to Refuge, a church-supported program
predicated on the notion that homosexuality
is an affliction, curable through confession,
and the reinforcement of gender stereotypes.
Overseen by Victor Sykes (Edgerton, in a
superbly cagey performance), the program’s
bullying and bigotry fosters an environment
that is anything but a refuge. Though Jared
begins the program desperate to be healed,
he begins to wonder if it’s really others who
need healing.
Boy Erased, which is based on Garrard
Conley’s eponymous memoir, doesn’t
take potshots at religious conservatives.
Bolstered by uniformly superlative perfor-
mances — including memorable supporting
turns from Flea and Xavier Dolan — the
film considers what it means to reconcile
one’s upbringing with one’s own self-respect
and moral truths. In so doing, Edgerton
contributes to a larger conversation that
might help heal us all.
KERRI CRADDOCK
J o e l Ed ge r t o n was born in
Blacktown, Australia. He attended
the Nepean Drama School at the
University of Western Sydney. His
acting credits include Black Mass
(15) and Loving (16), both of which
screened at the Festival. His feature
films as writer-director are The Gift
(15) and Boy Erased (18).
special presentation 127
Doubles vies
Digital disruption is all around us these days, Assayas’s often-hilarious social critique
Non-Fiction and Olivier Assayas, who structured much is powered by a series of conversations
of his recent film Personal Shopper around about what this technological transition
Olivier Assayas cellphones and texting, returns to this theme has meant for all of us — what is gained and
FRANCE, 2018 in his highly intelligent new examination of what is lost. Doubles vies offers a subtle prob-
French what this technology means to our lives. ing of what lies behind those conversations
CANADIAN PREMIERE
106 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Doubles vies is both a delicious comedy of themselves, as well as behind the actions and
manners and an enquiry focused on a group behaviour of its ensemble of characters, all
Production Company: CG Cinema/Vortex Sutra/
Arte France Cinéma
of middle-aged, middle-class French men of whom are undergoing crises of values
Executive Producer: Ly Nha Ky and women, and how they are affected by and beliefs.
Producer: Charles Gillibert the hyperconnectivity of today. PIERS HANDLING
Screenplay: Olivier Assayas
Cinematographer: Yorick Le Saux
Alain (Guillaume Canet) is a self-assured
Editor: Simon Jacquet and successful book publisher struggling Olivier Assayas was born in Paris
Production Designer: François-Renaud Labarthe with the ins and outs of both his professional and made his feature directorial
Sound: Nicolas Cantin, Daniel Sobrino, Aude Baudassé debut with Désordre (86). His films
Principal Cast: Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche,
and private life. His relationship with his L’Enfant de l’hiver (89), Une Nouvelle
Vincent Macaigne, Christa Théret, Nora Hamzawi wife, Serena (Juliette Binoche), has gone Vie (93), L’Eau froide (94), Irma
Production: CG Cinema
slightly stale, and he has to deal delicately Vep (96), Cinéma de notre temps:
7/9 rue des Petites Ecuries with one of his long-time authors (Vincent Hou Hsiao-hsien (97), Fin août,
début septembre (98), Les Destinées
Paris, 75010 France Macaigne), who has written a new manu- sentimentales (00), Clean (04),
production@cgcinema.eu
script and is pushing for its publication. L’Heure d’été (08), Après mai
CONTACT INFORMATION Complicating this is Alain’s enthusiastic (12), Clouds of Sils Maria (14), and
Canadian Distributor: Axia Films embrace of digital and social media, which Personal Shopper (16) all screened
US Distributor: IFC Films at the Festival. Doubles vies (18) is
International Sales Agent: Playtime
has led him to hire an impressively ambi- his latest film.
(see page 359) tious young woman as the “head of digital
transition” in his company. As Alain pushes
his new-media agenda forward, he encoun-
ters, variously, support and resistance from
friends and colleagues.

128 special presentation

Napszállta
László Nemes’s first film since his heart- 20th century, Phantom Thread. The inten-
Sunset rending debut feature Son of Saul, which sity of Sunset is unmistakable, confirming
won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Nemes’s extraordinary talent in this sopho-
László Nemes Language Film in 2016, is an equally impres- more film.
HUNGARY/FRANCE, 2018 sive piece of filmmaking. Cut, in many ways, PIERS HANDLING
Hungarian, German from the same cloth as its predecessor, Sunset
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
144 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
takes a highly personal and distinctive look at László Nemes was born in Budapest.
another period in his country’s history. After years of working as an assistant
Production Company: Laokoon Filmgroup/Playtime director for filmmakers including
Producer: Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna, François Yon,
In the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Béla Tarr, he directed the shorts
Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, Valéry Guibal early 1910s, immediately preceding the Türelem (07), The Counterpart (08),
Screenplay: László Nemes, Matthieu Taponier, First World War, the enigmatic Írisz Leiter and The Gentleman Takes His Leave
Clara Royer
Cinematographer: Mátyás Erdély
(Juli Jakab), while young and beautiful, (10). His debut feature, Son of Saul
(15), won the Grand Prix at Cannes,
Editor: Matthieu Taponier carries the weight of the past with her. screened at the Festival, and later
Production Designer: László Rajk Visiting an elegant Budapest department won the Academy Award for Best
Sound: Tamás Zányi
Music: László Melis
store that specializes in women’s hats, she Foreign Language Film. Sunset (18)
Principal Cast: Juli Jakab, Vlad Ivanov, is immediately noticed and a stir is cre- is his latest film.
Evelin Dobos, Marcin Czarnik ated. This sense of unease and disquiet
Production: becomes the modus operandi of the entire
Laokoon Filmgroup film. The store used to belong to Írisz’s
Balzac U.37
Budapest 1136 Hungary
parents. Her visit is not innocuous. It is a
sipos@laokoonfilm.com voyage back into her past and childhood.
Furthermore, she is about to unearth
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media
more dark and troubling secrets about
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics her family.
International Sales Agent: Playtime Nemes recreates the pre–World War I
(see page 359)
era in all its sensual detail — the attention
to high fashion and the art of millinery here
rivals those of a recent film set later in the

special presentation 137

Blindsone
Shot in a series of oppressive and harrowing daring. Novotny has created a film that’s
Blind Spot long takes, Tuva Novotny’s uncompromis- utterly uncompromising in its vision of mod-
ing Blind Spot documents every parent’s ern family life and our inability to recognize
Tuva Novotny worst nightmare. Maria (Pia Tjelta), Anders the pain others go through.
NORWAY, 2018 (Anders Baasmo Christiansen), and their With Blind Spot, she establishes herself
Norwegian two children — teenaged daughter Tea as a director to watch, not only because
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE (Nora Mathea Øien) and son Bjorn — enjoy of her formal risks (how many neophytes
98 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
a blissfully quotidian existence. But when have ever relied so heavily or courageously
Production Company: Nordisk Film Production AS an unexpected catastrophe happens, every- on continuous takes?) but because of
Producer: Elisabeth Kvithyll
Screenplay: Tuva Novotny thing about their life is called into question. her insistence on making us consider
Cinematographer: Jonas Alarik As the family assembles and tries to the unthinkable.
Production Designer: Nina Bjerch Andresen deal with events, shock and hysteria lead STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Sound: Peter Albrechtsen
Music: Jacob Kirkegaard to recrimination and self-doubt. Shot in a
Principal Cast: Pia Tjelta, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, style reminiscent of the Dogme 95 school, Tu va N ovo t n y wa s b o r n i n
Oddgeir Thune, Marianne Krogh, Per Frisch with a handheld camera that’s constantly Stockholm. She has acted exten-
sively in television and film. Her work
Production: Nordisk Film Production AS chasing after the characters as they struggle as an actor includes Eat Pray Love
Nydalsveien 12a with their trauma, the film never releases (10), A War (15), Borg vs McEnroe
Oslo Nydalen 0421 Norway
elisabeth.kvithyll@nordiskfilm.com its grip. Indeed, it grows more and more (17), and Annihilation (18). Blind Spot
claustrophobic and heartrending with each (18) is her directorial debut.
CONTACT INFORMATION passing scene.
International Sales Agent: TrustNordisk
(see page 359) One of Sweden’s most durable and in–
demand stars, Tuva Novotny has appeared
in everything from Josef Fares’s interna-
tional hit Jalla! Jalla! to TV series (Dag)
to Hollywood titles like Eat Pray Love,
Annihilation, and last year’s TIFF opener
Borg vs McEnroe.
Many actors have moved to directing,
but few have made the jump with the same

190 discovery
Belmonte
Belmonte (Gonzalo Delgado) is preparing and necessity of balancing domesticity with
Federico Veiroj for an upcoming exhibition of his work the creative demands of being an artist while
URUGUAY/SPAIN/MEXICO, 2018 at Montevideo’s National Museum. His remaining true to oneself and to loved ones.
Spanish paintings are sensual, fantastical, and at DIANA SANCHEZ
WORLD PREMIERE times colourful, yet all have a melancholic
75 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
undertone. A divorced dad, Belmonte has of Federico Veiroj was born in
Production Company: Cinekdoque/Nadador Cine/ late been more obsessed with his relation- Montevideo and studied at the
Corazón Films/Ferdydurke Films Universidad Catolica del Uruguay.
Executive Producer: Federico Veiroj, Juan José López, ship with his young daughter, Celeste, than He made his Festival debut with
Sandro Halphen, Pedro Barcia, Eckehardt Von Damm, with his work, especially as Celeste’s mom the short film As Follows (04). His
Carla Farrell, Elisa Salinas is about to have a baby with her new partner. features include Acné (08), A Useful
Producer: Federico Veiroj, Fernando Franco, Juan José
López, Sandro Halphen, Charles Barthe Federico Veiroj’s latest and fourth feature Life (10), and The Apostate (15), all
of which screened at the Festival.
Screenplay: Federico Veiroj examines the many and often contradictory Belmonte (18) is his latest feature.
Cinematographer: Analía Pollio, Arauco Hernández Holz layers that make up one’s persona. Belmonte
Editor: Manuel Rilla, Fernando Franco
Production Designer: Nicole Davrieux, the artist has to navigate the family realm,
Alejandro Castiglioni and vice versa, and while these two parts of
Sound: Daniel Yafalián him are regularly at odds, they constitute the
Principal Cast: Gonzalo Delgado, Olivia Molinaro Eijo,
Tomás Wahrmann fullness and depth of who he is. A pessimist
at heart, there is something luminous that
Production: Cinekdoque
Ellauri 973/1005 emerges when he’s with his daughter, as if
Montevideo 11300 Uruguay he’s arrived in a safe space where he allows
federico@cinekdoque.com the depths of his emotions to surface. It’s
CONTACT INFORMATION fascinating to observe.
International Sales Agent: Meikincine Entertainment As he did with Álvaro Ogalla on his 2015
(see page 359) film The Apostate, Veiroj achieves a rare
intimacy by casting another close friend,
co-writer Delgado, as Belmonte. This
proximity allows him to honestly explore
themes of duality: how to be a good role
model for a child while in the throes of
a crisis. Especially prevalent are the weight

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 227

Tuntematon mestari
Veteran Finnish filmmaker Klaus Härö Shot using a muted colour scheme,
One Last Deal (Mother of Mine) returns to the Festival reflecting the look of Olavi’s rundown shop
with One Last Deal, about an aging art dealer and the masterpieces he trades in, One Last
Klaus Härö whose last shot at the big time coincides Deal is a beautifully scaled and exquisitely
FINLAND, 2018 with his last chance to reconnect with his honest tearjerker about the values we forget
Finnish, Swedish
WORLD PREMIERE estranged daughter and grandson. when we ignore the past — and what we lose
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) An expert at complicated emotional when we become consumed by it.
Production Company: Making Movies dilemmas, Härö specializes in contradic- STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Producer: Kai Nordberg, Kaarle Aho tory characters whose pride and obsessions
Screenplay: Anna Heinämaa battle with their better angels. But few of Klaus Härö was born in Porvoo,
Cinematographer: Tuomo Hutri
Editor: Benjamin Mercer Härö’s creations are as divided as Olavi Finland. He studied directing at
the University of Industrial Arts in
Production Designer: Kaisa Mäkinen (Heikki Nousiainen, in a great hangdog Helsinki. His features include Elina:
Sound: Kirka Sainio performance), a work-obsessed dealer left As If I Wasn’t There (02), Mother of
Music: Matti Bye
Principal Cast: Heikki Nousiainen, Pirjo Lonka, behind by an industry favouring larger cor- Mine (05), which played the Festival,
Amos Brotherus, Stefan Sauk, Pertti Sveholm porate conglomerates. There, algorithms The New Man (07), Letters to Father
Jacob (09), and The Fencer (15). One
Production: Making Movies have replaced instinct and knowledge Last Deal (18) is his latest film.
Torkkelinkatu 3 about art history, leading the dealers near
Helsinki 00500 Finland his dilapidated, overcrowded shop to miss
kaarle.aho@mamo.fi
what may be an obscure icon from a major
CONTACT INFORMATION Russian painter.
International Sales Agent: LevelK Getting the icon will require a lot of
(see page 359)
research and a little help, which he unex-
pectedly receives from his grandson, Otto.
As Olavi schools the kid in how to navigate
a cutthroat industry and research things you
just can’t find via Google, he reconnects with
his daughter, Lea, and rediscovers the fam-
ily he’s missed. The big question, however,
is whether he’ll sacrifice everything for that
one last score.

programme sponsored by

248 contemporary world cinema

Geula
One of the leading lights of contempo-
Redemption rary Israeli cinema, Joseph Madmony
(Restoration) returns to the Festival, in
Boaz Yehonatan Yacov, collaboration with co-writer/director Boaz
Joseph Madmony Yehonatan Yacov, for this spiritually rous-
ISRAEL, 2018 ing, emotionally intelligent story of despair,
Hebrew exhilaration, and faith.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
104 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Menachem (Moshe Folkenflik) is a
middle-aged single father struggling to
Production Company: Transfax Films Production
Producer: Marek Rozenbaum, Michael Rozenbaum,
finance his cancer-stricken six-year-old
Jonathan Rozenbaum daughter’s formidable medical expenses
Screenplay: Boaz Yehonatan Yacov, Joseph Madmony, with his meagre income as a grocery clerk.
Erez Kavel
Cinematographer: Boaz Yehonatan Yacov
He had fronted a rock-and-roll band until
Editor: Ayala Bengad personal tragedies prompted his retirement
Production Designer: Yoav Sinai from music and the adoption of a devoted
Sound: Avi Mizrahi
Music: Assaf Talmudi
Hasidic practice that alienated most of his
Principal Cast: Moshe Folkenflik, Emily Granin, old friends.
Yonatan Galila, Sivan Shtivi, Shahar Even-Tzur Playing music promises to be more
Production: Transfax Films Production lucrative than stocking shelves, but would
3 yegia kapayim a return to singing be compatible with a life
Tel Aviv 6777887 Israel
marek@transfax.co.il
of worship?
By focusing its energies squarely on
Menachem’s existential crisis and its
sources — his fierce love for his daughter,
his sense of fulfillment as a performer, his
humility as a novice Hasid — Redemption
finds an exquisite balance between the
secular and the religious. Folkenflik’s per-
formance is beautifully graded, traversing a
250 contemporary world cinema
broad spectrum of grief, rage, and exaltation.
Though most of their gigs are at weddings,
the scenes of the band reviving their old
songs are mesmerizing and energetic —
these guys can still rock out.
Madmony and Yacov are filmmakers of
tremendous discernment and grace, their
camera never overly intrusive, and the story-
telling never maudlin or forced. Redemption
exudes a rare wisdom regarding the arduous
choices we make to uphold our convictions,
let go of the past, and embrace an uncertain
future with an open heart.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Boaz Yehonatan Yacov is a South
African–born Israeli cinematogra-
pher. He’s worked on films such as
My Father, My Lord (07), Ajami (09),
and Sharqiya (12). Redemption (18)
is his first film as director.
Joseph Madmony was born in
Jerusalem. He studied at the Sam
Spiegel Film and Television School.
His directorial credits include The
Barbecue People (03) and Melanoma
My Love (06). His films Restoration
(11) and A Place in Heaven (13) both
screened at the Festival. Redemption
(18) is his latest film.
programme sponsored by
Завод (Zavod)
The Factory opens like a classic post-Soviet Known for the films To Live!, The Major,
The Factory maelstrom. A dilapidated industrial building and  The  Fool, Yury Bykov’s return to the
stands in some godforsaken Russian town screen signals a steady-handed director with
Yury Bykov whose people it had employed before the a cutting vision and honed sense of story-
FRANCE/RUSSIA/ARMENIA, 2018 winds changed its ownership from state telling, here deployed in confined and anarchic
Russian
WORLD PREMIERE
regulation to capitalist privatization. When space. An exhilarating and damning social
109 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Konstantine Kalugine (Andrey Smolyakov), critique, The Factory is a tour de force of
Production Company: Kinovista, LLC/
a local oligarch with links to the KGB and the action, drama, and suspense.
Forever Films Media, LLC/Sharm Holding/Coda political powers that be, announces the fac- DIMITRI EIPIDES
Producer: Eduard Iloyan, Charles-Evrard Tchekhoff, tory’s bankruptcy, a group of blue-collar
Yury Bykov
Screenplay: Yury Bykov
workers who haven’t been paid for months Yury Bykov was born in the
Cinematographer: Vladimir Ushakov conspire to kidnap him for ransom. Though former USSR. He studied act-
ing at the Gerasimov Institute of
Editor: Anna Krouty inexperienced and disorganized, each of Cinematography and has performed
Production Designer: Sergey Rakutov
Sound: Arkady Noskov
them is between a rock and a hard place, in various theatres in Moscow. He
Music: Ivan Isyanov, Yury Bykov and they all have their own reasons for tak- has written and directed the short
Principal Cast: Denis Shvedov, Vladislav Abashine, ing this fateful plunge. film The Boss (09), and the features
Andrey Smolyakov, Alexander Bukharov, Dmitry To Live! (10), The Major (13), which
Kulichkov, Ivan Yankovsky, Yury Tarasov, Petr
Under the tutelage of mysterious Alexei played the Festival, and The Fool (14).
Barancheev, Alexander Vorobiev, Alexey Komashko, (Denis Shvedov), the heist quickly goes The Factory (18) is his latest feature.
Kirill Polukhine awry. Soon, Kalugine’s private security
Production: Kinovista, LLC team, led by Fog (Vladislav Abashine,) and
34 Rue Saint Dominique SWAT police have them surrounded. The
Paris 75007 France
olga.a@kinovista.com
radicals are trapped inside, the ticking of
the clock is palpable, and allegiances are
CONTACT INFORMATION murky. One thing is clear: everyone is dis-
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
(see page 359)
enchanted and knows deep down that in
this world there is no justice. And is this a
robbery or a revolution? As single threads
are slowly pulled, the entire plot unravels
into chaos and violence.

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 263

Di qiu zui hou de ye wan
The follow-up to his critically praised Kaili with its first half recast through a ver-
Long Day’s Journey Blues, Bi Gan’s ambitious and frequently tiginous, trance-inducing, hour-long single
Into Night astonishing Long Day’s Journey Into Night take in 3D. A hushed, hypnotic study of hazy
firmly establishes him as one of today’s most memory, lost time, and flight — featuring
Bi Gan exciting and adventurous filmmakers. As its the formidable Sylvia Chang as Wild Cat’s
CHINA/FRANCE, 2018 English title suggests, this ravishing and rap- mother — Long Day’s Journey Into Night is
Mandarin turous fever dream of a film leads the viewer one of the most exquisite and beguiling films
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE on a nocturnal, labyrinthine voyage, one of the year.
133 minutes | Colour/DCP 3D (D-Cinema)
that both reveals and conceals a world of ANDRÉA PICARD
Production Company: Dangmai Films (Shanghai) Co., passion and intrigue.
Ltd./Zhejiang Huace Film & TV Co., Ltd.
Producer: Shan Zuolong, Charles Gillibert, Yeh Jufeng, Oozing atmosphere with its noirish neon Bi Gan was born in China. His
Li Xiaonan, Zhang Guanren glow, the film chronicles the return of Luo first feature, Kaili Blues (15), won
the Locarno Film Festival’s Best
Screenplay: Bi Gan Hongwu (Huang Jue) to Kaili, the hometown Emerging Director award and a
Cinematographer: Dong Jinsong, Yao Hung-I,
David Chizallet from which he fled many years before. Back Special Mention for First Feature.
Editor: Qin Yanan for his father’s funeral, Luo recalls the death Long Day’s Journey Into Night (18)
Production Designer: Liu Qiang of an old friend, Wild Cat, and searches for is his latest film.
Sound: Li Danfeng
Music: Lim Giong, Point Hsu lost love Wan Qiwen (Tang Wei), who con-
Principal Cast: Tang Wei, Sylvia Chang, Lee Hong-Chi, tinues to haunt him.
Zeng Meihuizi, Huang Jue Omnivorous in his appetites, Bi cites a
Production: Dangmai Films (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. bevy of influences: the novels of Roberto
9-5-1002, Region C, Upper East Side, Chaoyang District Bolaño and Patrick Modiano; paintings
Beijing 100016 China
zuolong@dangmaifilms.com by Marc Chagall; and the film recalls the
landmark cinemas of Wong Kar-wai, Hou
CONTACT INFORMATION
Hsiao-hsien, Tsai Ming-liang, David Lynch,
Canadian Distributor: Kino Lorber
US Distributor: Kino Lorber and Andrei Tarkovsky. Sculpting in time
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch and space through virtuosic technical feats,
(see page 359)
Bi’s film yields successive visual and aural
delights. With talismanic cues and motifs of
uncanny doubling, the film is itself bisected,

wavelengths 325
Accenture is proud to support the Toronto International Film Festival®
®Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.
TORONTO LOVES FILM
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 Special
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High-profile premieres and the
world's leading filmmakers.
Gala Presentations
Movie stars. Red-carpet premieres.
Major audience interest.

sponsored by
 Masters
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influential art-house filmmakers.
 Platform
Directors’ cinema now.
This juried selection spotlights the next
generation of masters. All films are
eligble for the Toronto Platform Prize.

sponsored by
Rih rabani
Divine Wind
Merzak Allouache
ALGERIA/FRANCE/QATAR/LEBANON, 2018
Arabic, Algerian
WORLD PREMIERE
96 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Les Asphofilms/Baya Films
Executive Producer: Merzak Allouache
Producer: Merzak Allouache, Bahia Allouache
Screenplay: Merzak Allouache
Cinematographer: Mohamed Tayeb Laggoune
Editor: Merzak Allouache
Sound: Mohamed Amine Teggar
Principal Cast: Sarah Layssac, Mohamed Oughlis,
Hacene Benzerari, Abdelatif Benahmed
Production: Les Asphofilms
3 rue des cascades
Paris 75020 France
lesasphofilms@yahoo.fr
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Les Asphofilms
(see page 359)
Merzak Allouache first bowed at Cannes in Shot in starkly beautiful black and white,
1976 with his comedic neo-realist feature Divine Wind is as poetic as it is political. Its
debut, Omar Gatlato, which was wildly suc- visual textures belie the film’s complexity,
cessful in his native Algeria. Working in both though, as Allouache opens up questions
drama and comedy, he went on to become about the seductive, and even destructive,
one of the leading Algerian cinematic power of love turned fanatic passion.
voices, with follow-up films premiering KIVA REARDON
again in Cannes (Un amour à Paris, 1987;
Bab El-Oued City, 1994; The Repentant, Merzak Allouache was born in
2012) and Venice, (Harragas, 2009; The Algiers. He studied filmmaking at La
Femis and made his directing debut
Rooftops, 2013). with Omar Gatlato (76). He has
Throughout his career, Allouache has since directed over a dozen features
consistently explored the complex social including Un amour à Paris (87), Bab
fabric of Algeria and the ongoing ties — and El Oued City (94), Hi Cousin! (96),
L’autre Monde (01), Harragas (09),
frequently the tensions — the North African El taaib (12), and Madame Courage
nation has with its former colonist occupier, (15). Divine Wind (18) is his latest film.
France. Most recently, his work has boldly
tackled the issue of radicalization. Divine
Wind continues on this theme.
The film follows a young man, Amine
(Mohamed Oughlis), and an enigmatic
woman, Nour (Sarah Layssac), who are
called upon by extremists to perform an
armed action in the Algerian Sahara.
Although they have no prior connection, the
duo become inexorably and intensely linked.
As their bond deepens, their mission is
put at risk.
masters 87
Burning
Lee Chang-dong
SOUTH KOREA, 2018
Korean
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
148 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: PinehouseFilm Co., Ltd/
NOWFILM Co., Ltd/NHK
Executive Producer: Lee Joon-dong
Producer: Lee Joon-dong, Lee Chang-dong
Screenplay: Oh Jung-mi, Lee Chang-dong
Cinematographer: Hong Kyung-pyo
Editor: Kim Hyun, Kim Da-won
Production Designer: Shin Jeom-hui
Sound: Lee Seung-chul
Music: Mowg
Principal Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo
Production: PinehouseFilm Co., Ltd
2F, 104, Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu
Seoul 04029 South Korea
pinehouse09@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment
International Sales Agent: FINECUT
(see page 359)
After eight quiet years, Korean auteur Lee Based on the short story Barn Burning by
Chang-dong is back with another superb Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Burning
work sure to satisfy his fans. Mystery, is lyrical, poetic, and mysterious. Like the ray
thriller, and psychological drama, Burning of light that brightens Hae-mi’s room for
is a smouldering masterpiece. just a minute a day, it blurs the boundary
While jumping from job to job to sup- between real and imaginary.
port himself, Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) runs into GIOVANNA FULVI
Hae-mi (Jun Jong-seo), a childhood friend
from his hometown. The two start to grow Lee Chang-dong was born in Daegu,
fond of each other, and Jon-su wonders if he South Korea, and began his career
as a novelist. His debut feature was
has found someone he can maybe one day Green Fish (97). His other features
fall in love with. include Peppermint Candy (99),
Hae-mi asks Jong-su to look after her cat Oasis (02), Secret Sunshine (07), and
while she’s on a trip to Africa but when he goes Poetry (10), which screened at the
Festival. Burning (18) is his latest film.
to pick her up at the airport in his run-down
truck, Jong-su is surprised to see her with
another man. Ben (Steven Yeun) claims he
“plays” for a living, drives a Porsche, and lives
in a fancy apartment. He invites Jong-su and
Hae-mi to his posh gatherings where Jong-su
feels out of place but Hae-mi doesn’t seem
uncomfortable at all. As Jong-su’s feelings
for Hae-mi grow bigger, he feels threatened
by Ben and starts to get suspicious about his
rival’s motive towards Hae-mi.
Then one day, Hae-mi vanishes, her cell-
phone disconnected, her messy apartment
cleaned up, the cat nowhere in sight.
special presentation 139
Zimna Wojna
Three years after deservedly scooping captivates Wiktor at first sight with her
Cold War the Oscar for Best Foreign Language beauty and insouciance. Their fates joined,
Film with his beautifully composed Ida they are soon struggling both with personal
Paweł Pawlikowski (which screened at TIFF in 2013), Paweł demons and historical forces that threaten
POLAND, 2018 Pawlikowski returns with an equally haunt- to tear them apart.
Polish, French ing, distinctive, and moving work. Cold War Cold War is a superbly realized visual
CANADIAN PREMIERE
90 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
shares many characteristics with its prede- poem that resonates all the more thanks to
cessor: stunning use of black-and-white its striking use of choral, classical, and jazz
Production Company: Opus Film/Apocalypso Pictures
Executive Producer: Nathanaël Karmitz,
photography and 4:3 aspect ratio, careful music. It is also a bittersweet paean to a
John Woodward, Jeremy Gawade, Daniel Battsek, attention to mood and tone, and an exquisite relationship and an era.
Lizzie Francke, Rohit Khattar narrative set in mid-20th-century Poland. PIERS HANDLING
Producer: Ewa Puszczynska, Tanya Seghatchian
Screenplay: Paweł Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki,
Rooted in the personal, the new film
Piotr Borkowski is also infused with the broader social Paweł Pawlikowski was born in
Cinematographer: Lukasz Zal and political realities of postwar Eastern Warsaw. He has directed several
Editor: Jaroslaw Kaminski acclaimed documentaries for the
Production Designer: Marcel Slawinski,
Europe. If Ida was Pawlikowski’s attempt BBC, including Dostoevsky’s Travels
Katarzyna Sobanska to “recover the Poland of my childhood,” (91) and Tripping with Zhirinovsky
Sound: Maciej Pawlowski, Miroslaw Makowski Cold War bravely continues this excavation, (95). He wrote and directed the fea-
Music: Marcin Masecki
Principal Cast: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc,
albeit down a new path. tures Last Resort (00), My Summer
of Love (04), The Woman in the
Agata Kulesza Based loosely on the story of the direc- Fifth (11), and Ida (13), all of which
Production: Opus Film
tor’s own parents, it covers the entirety of a screened at the Festival. Cold War
Lawosa 29 couple’s relationship, from their enchanted (18) is his latest film.
Lodz 90-554 Poland first meeting in 1949 to the aching denoue-
ewa@opusfilm.com
ment of their marriage in the 1960s. Wiktor
CONTACT INFORMATION (Tomasz Kot) is a jazz-loving pianist and
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media musical director tasked with auditioning
US Distributor: Amazon Studios
International Sales Agent: Protagonist Pictures,
folk singers as part of a state-sponsored proj-
MK2 Films ect to champion culture from rural Poland.
(see page 359) Young Zula (Joanna Kulig), who turns out
to be more torch singer than folk singer,

140 special presentation

Papi Chulo
Following his acclaimed coming-of-age At once a heartwarming examination of
John Butler film Handsome Devil, Irish writer-director empathy in action, a charming culture-clash
IRELAND, 2018 John Butler returns to the Festival with comedy, and a sharp critique of xenophobic
English, Spanish this poignant and very timely story of two stereotypes, Papi Chulo reminds us of the
WORLD PREMIERE worlds colliding in the same great city — importance of truly seeing others… even
98 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
and the delightfully unlikely friendship while tending to our own internal wounds.
Production Company: Treasure Entertainment that emerges. MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Executive Producer: Phil Hunt, Compton Ross,
Jo Henriquez, Hilary Davis, Stephen Kelliher, Devastated with heartbreak, a Los Angeles
Dearbhla Regan TV weatherman, Sean (Matt Bomer), has an John Butler was born in Dublin. He
Producer: Rebecca O’Flanagan, Rob Walpole on-air meltdown in the midst of predicting received degrees in English, Greek,
Screenplay: John Butler Roman studies and film from the
Cinematographer: Cathal Watters a heat wave. The station insists he take a University of California, Davis. His
Editor: John O’Connor sabbatical and his friends urge him to find previous features, The Stag (13) and
Production Designer: Susannah Honey someone to talk to, but Sean opts to swap Handsome Devil (16), both screened
Sound: Hugh Fox
Music: John McPhillips self-care for home improvement. From a at the Festival. Papi Chulo (18) is his
latest film.
Principal Cast: Matt Bomer, Alejandro Patiño huddle of men seeking day labour outside
Production:Treasure Entertainment the hardware store, Sean hires Ernesto (a
The Copper House, St. Kevin’s Cottages, Synge Street brilliantly deadpan Alejandro Patiño) to
Dublin 8 Ireland paint his deck.
krisztina@bankside-films.com
Their initially straightforward business
CONTACT INFORMATION arrangement rapidly extends to strolling and
International Sales Agent: Bankside Films boating excursions during which Sean tells
US Sales Agent: Bankside Films
(see page 359) Ernesto all about himself, despite the fact
that the two don’t share a common language.
In fact, this affluent, white, gay celebrity and
this working class, Mexican father of five
don’t appear to have much in common at
all. Does Sean want a tradesman or a sound-
ing board? And just how much immersion
in Sean’s emotional mire can Ernesto be
expected to bear?

special presentation 141

The Hummingbird
Project
Kim Nguyen
CANADA/BELGIUM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
111 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Item 7/Belga Productions
Executive Producer: Kim Nguyen,
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Fred Berger,
Marie-Gabrielle Stewart, Heidi Levitt
Producer: Pierre Even
Screenplay: Kim Nguyen
Cinematographer: Nicolas Bolduc
Editor: Arthur Tarnowski, Nicolas Chaudeurge
Production Designer: Emmanuel Fréchette
Sound: Pierre Mertens, Thomas Gauder, Paul Heymans
Music: Yves Gourmeur
Principal Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Jesse Eisenberg,
Salma Hayek, Michael Mando
Production: Item 7
5413 boul. St-Laurent, Suite 301
Montréal, Québec H2T 1S5 Canada
info@item7.ca
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
International Sales Agent: HanWay Films
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
(see page 359)
142 special presentation
Jesse Eisenberg and an almost unrecog-
nizable Alexander Skarsgård play cousins
Vincent and Anton Zalesky in Academy
Award–nominated director Kim Nguyen’s
The Hummingbird Project.
Determined to create a more efficient
way of transmitting information between
stock exchanges, the cousins scheme to
lay fibre-optic cable from Kansas City
to New York, gaining them and their cli-
ents crucial seconds in order to trounce
their competitors.
Vincent — the force behind the scheme —
is a frantic dreamer who pursues his ideas
with zealot-like intensity while promising
everyone the moon. Anton is the brains, a
socially awkward data wiz with few friends
besides Vincent. Both end up in the cross-
hairs of their ruthless former employer Eva
Torres (Salma Hayek), a Wall Street lion
willing to devour anyone unlucky enough to
get in her way.
Unfortunately, Anton hasn’t entirely fig-
ured out how to make the cable connection
fast enough to warrant the expense. As time
runs out, Vincent’s claims of grandeur get
progressively wilder.
Extraordinary performances by the
leads propel The Hummingbird Project.
Eisenberg’s Vincent provides the heart. He’s
so determined to escape his working-class
roots and follow his dreams that he doesn’t
realize who he might take down with him.
Skarsgård is a revelation. His Anton is a
genius who can’t function away from his
keyboard. Hulking over everyone, but con-
stantly hunched over, Anton looks like a
giant forced into a smaller body.
A tragicomedy about hustlers (read:
venture capitalists) fighting the establish-
ment and even the course of history itself,
Nguyen’s latest is his most assured work
since his widely celebrated Rebelle.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Kim Nguyen was born in Montreal.
His features include Le Marais
(02), Truffle (08), La cité (10), and
the Oscar-nominated Rebelle (12)
as well as Two Lovers and a Bear
(16) and Eye on Juliet (17), both
of which played the Festival. The
Hummingbird Project (19) is his
latest feature.
Hotel Mumbai
Anthony Maras
AUSTRALIA, 2018
English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Russian, Persian,
Greek, Marathi, Arabic
WORLD PREMIERE
125 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Hamilton Entertainment/
Thunder Road Films/Electric Pictures/
Xeitgeist Entertainment Group/Cyan Films
Executive Producer: Kent Kubena, Ying Ye,
Ryan Hamilton, Mark Montgomery,
Natalya Pavchinskaya, Jonathan Fuhrman, Joe Cohen
Producer: Basil Iwanyk, Gary Hamilton, Mike Gabrawy,
Julie Ryan, Andrew Ogilvie, Jomon Thomas
Screenplay: Anthony Maras, John Collee
Cinematographer: Nick Remy Matthews
Editor: Peter McNulty, Anthony Maras
Production Designer: Steven Jones-Evans
Sound: Sam Petty
Music: Volker Bertelmann
Principal Cast: Armie Hammer, Dev Patel,
Nazanin Boniadi, Tilda Cobham-Hervey,
Anupam Kher, Jason Isaacs
Production: Hamilton Entertainment
8730 Wilshire Blvd, Suite #508
California 90211 USA
info@arclightfilms.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Arclight Films
US Sales Agent: Arclight Films, WME, Verve
(see page 359)
Sometimes events designed to tear us apart
can be the very ones that bring us together.
Featuring stunning performances from
Academy Award nominee Dev Patel and
Golden Globe nominee Armie Hammer, this
searing, vivid dramatization of the Mumbai
attacks hurls us into the chaos that terror-
ized India’s most populous city for four days
in 2008. A film that does not hold back in its
depiction of violence, Hotel Mumbai also
highlights ordinary people from all walks
of life whose responses to this nightmarish
scenario reveal the courage and resilience
that unite us when we need it most.
Helmed by Australian director Anthony
Maras, the film focuses on the events
that transpired at the opulent Taj Mahal
Palace Hotel, targeted by Lashkar-e-Taiba
militants as an emblem of Indian prosperity
and modernity. The city erupts, and explo-
sions render much of the hotel a death trap.
Gunmen — uneducated, impoverished young
men led by charismatic extremists — begin
hunting down staff and clients. People in the
thick of the maelstrom, people from a wide
range of class, culture, and creed must find
a way to organize and mobilize in the face of
constant peril.
We live in an age that seems always to be
emphasizing our differences. By conjuring
this traumatic moment in recent history,
Hotel Mumbai reminds us that enduring
such situations requires people to truly
see each other not as pawns straddling
either side of a dividing wall but, rather, as
fellow human beings whose best chance is
grounded in interdependence. When great
danger comes, we are all in this together.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Anthony Maras was born in Adelaide,
Australia. His directorial credits
include the short films Azadi (05),
Spike Up (07), and The Palace (11).
Hotel Mumbai (18) is his feature
directorial debut.
special presentation 143
The Weekend
Toronto-born writer-director Stella Meghie Using a pleasingly light touch, Meghie
Stella Meghie (Jean of the Joneses) returns to the Festival imbues each of her characters with complex-
USA, 2018 with this winsome romantic comedy about ity, charisma, and the capacity for change. By
English old love, new love, and learning to love one- the time The Weekend is over, none of them
WORLD PREMIERE self. Fronted by Saturday Night Live alumna will return to their daily lives without a fresh
86 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Sasheer Zamata, The Weekend chronicles perspective.
Production Company: Marada Pictures/ three days of seductions, sabotage, and CAMERON BAILEY
Homegrown Pictures
Producer: Stella Meghie, James Gibb, Stephanie Allain, secrets unearthed.
Sarah Lazow, Mel Jones Zadie (Zamata) is 29, a stand-up come- Stella Meghie was born in Toronto.
Screenplay: Stella Meghie dian and, as she puts it, “extremely single.” She is a Tribeca Film Institute fellow.
Cinematographer: Kris Belchevski Her directorial credits include Jean
Editor: Shannon Baker Davis It has been three years since she split with of the Joneses (16), which screened
Production Designer: Cindy Chao, Michele Yu Bradford, though the two remain close at the Festival, and Everything,
Music: Robi Botos friends. Close enough that when Zadie Everything (17). The Weekend (18) is
Principal Cast: Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell,
DeWanda Wise, Y’Lan Noel, Kym Whitley invites him to her mother’s bed and break- her latest film.

fast, Bradford brings along his current

Production: Marada Pictures
400 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 200 girlfriend, Margo.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA As the weekend progresses, no one is
james@maradapictures.com spared from Zadie’s acerbic wit — Margo
CONTACT INFORMATION least of all. If things weren’t uncomfortable
US Sales Agent: United Talent Agency (UTA), enough, the three are soon joined by Aubrey,
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) a handsome stranger from Montreal with no
(see page 359)
idea what sort of situation he’s checked into.
Jealousies and desires are stoked in
tandem. The isolated B&B, with its bucolic
surroundings designed to create an air of
tranquility only heightens the tension. Zadie
is smart and funny, but also self-absorbed to
the point where she cannot see the troubles
brewing right under her nose.

144 special presentation

Through Black Spruce
The smart, heartfelt  Through Black Don McKellar was born in Toronto.
Don McKellar Spruce follows Annie Bird (Tanaya Beatty), He has worked as an actor, director,
and screenwriter. His debut fea-
CANADA, 2018 a Cree woman from James Bay, as she trav- ture, Last Night (98), won the Best
English, Cree els to Toronto to find her sister, Suzanne, Canadian First Feature award at the
WORLD PREMIERE who left the family home in Moosonee more Festival and the Prix de la Jeunesse
111 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
than a year ago — and hasn’t been heard at Cannes. His features Childstar
(04) and The Grand Seduction (13)
Production Company: Serendipity Point Films from since. premiered at the Festival. Through
Executive Producer: Mark Musselman, Anant Singh,
Phyllis Laing In the city, Annie is sucked into the duplici- Black Spruce (18) is his latest film.
Producer: Tina Keeper, Barbara Samuels, tous and dangerous high-fashion world
Robert Lantos Suzanne became a part of, starting an affair
Screenplay: Barbara Samuels
Cinematographer: Douglas Koch with fast-rising photographer Jesse (Kiowa
Editor: Lindsay Alliakas Gordon), the last photographer still work-
Production Designer: Ian Hall ing with Suzanne when things began falling
Sound: David Otter
Music: alaska B apart. Annie soon realizes her search for
Principal Cast: Tanaya Beatty, Brandon Oakes, Suzanne may jeopardize her own life.
Kiowa Gordon, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal, Subtly directed by Don McKellar, Through
Tina Keeper
Black Spruce  is structured like a murder
Production: Serendipity Point Films mystery but is less about following clues
9 Price Street
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1Z1 Canada than it is about the pain caused by Suzanne’s
wsaffer@serendipitypoint.com disappearance and her absence from the
Bird family’s lives. Both Annie and her
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: D Films Corporation Uncle Will (Brandon Oakes, the soul of the
International Sales Agent: Serendipity Point Films, film) are forced to venture into strange and
Distant Horizon uncomfortable worlds in their attempts to
US Sales Agent: Serendipity Point Films
(see page 359) keep their family together.
The film’s sensational cast also includes
veterans Graham Greene and Tantoo
Cardinal (who also appears at this year’s
Festival in Falls Around Her).
STEVE GRAVESTOCK

special presentation 129

Giant Little Ones
Adolescents face enormous pressure to talents as well as great work by veterans
Keith Behrman make life-defining decisions every day and MacLachlan, Bello (also at TIFF in the Short
CANADA, 2018 they want to lock in their identities sooner Cuts selection EXIT), and Peter Outerbridge
English than later. All of this pressure is exacerbated and the subtle, evocative directorial touch
WORLD PREMIERE by physical and social changes. Franky (Josh of Behrman, whose Flower & Garnet won
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Wiggins), the hero of Keith Behrman’s the 2002 Canadian Screen Award for Best
Production Company: euclid431 pictures exquisite and generous Giant Little Ones, is First Feature.
Executive Producer: Patrice Theroux, Maria Bello,
Nathan Morlando, Ricky Blumenstein, Jason Potash, under more pressure than most. His life was STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Paul Finkel, Hussain Amarshi, Daniel Bekerman, altered when his father (Kyle MacLachlan)
Mark Gingras, John Laing left his mother (Maria Bello) for a man. Keith Behrman was born in
Producer: Allison Black
Screenplay: Keith Behrman Franky is left embarrassed, confused, and Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. He
studied fine arts at Simon Fraser
Cinematographer: Guy Godfree feeling like he has to decide his sexuality University. His short films include
Editor: Sandy Pereira right away to avoid the disruption he blames Thomas (95) and White Cloud, Blue
Production Designer: Zosia Mackenzie
Sound: Neil McIntyre, Adam Stein, Jill Purdy, Keith Elliot, his father for. Mountain (97). His first feature,
Rudy Michael Determined to hide his uncertainty from Flower & Garnet (02), premiered at
the Festival. Giant Little Ones (18) is
Music: Michael Brook his best friend and his girlfriend, Franky his latest film.
Principal Cast: Josh Wiggins, Maria Bello,
Kyle MacLachlan, Darren Mann, Taylor Hickson, doesn’t realize he’s not the only one who
Peter Outerbridge, Niamh Wilson doesn’t know where he stands. When a wild
Production: euclid431 pictures party ends up in a way none of them could or TIFF Next Wave
8 Dovercourt Road would have dreamed, Franky and his friends Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

are forced to decide what kind of people they

Toronto, Ontario M6J0B3 Canada young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
euclid431@gmail.com
want to be. This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
CONTACT INFORMATION A sensitive and touching look at that point
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media in adolescence when freedom is both intoxi-
International Sales Agent: Mongrel International
US Sales Agent: United Talent Agency (UTA) cating and terrifying (and feelings are both
(see page 359) elegiac and erotic), Giant Little Ones recalls
the best scenes in Stéphane Lafleur’s Tu
dors Nicole or Joachim Trier’s Oslo, August
31st. It’s driven by extraordinary young

130 special presentation

Can You Ever
Based on a true story, Can You Ever Forgive Nicole Holofcener (whose The Land of
Forgive Me? Me? stars Academy Award nominee Melissa Steady Habits is also at the Festival), Can
McCarthy as Lee Israel, the late biographer You Ever Forgive Me? is an incisive com-
Marielle Heller and forger whose brilliant tale of deception ment about commodification, legitimacy,
USA, 2018 speaks volumes about our obsessions with and opportunities for women. McCarthy
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE celebrity and authenticity. seizes the opportunity to expand her
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) It’s the 1980s. After decades spent com- already-impressive repertoire: her perfor-
Production Company: Archer Gray posing respectful profiles of successful mance here brims with intelligence, acerbic
Executive Producer: Jawal Nga, Pamela Hirsch, women such as Katharine Hepburn and wit, and an alluring sense of mischief.
Bob Balaban Tallulah Bankhead, Lee finds herself out CAMERON BAILEY
Producer: Anne Carey, Amy Nauiokas, David Yarnell
Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty of step with the emergent trash-talk trend
Cinematographer: Brandon Trost in biography. Her new book about Estée Marielle Heller was born in Marin
Editor: Anne McCabe Lauder is a commercial failure, her agent County, California. She studied the-
Production Designer: Stephen Carter atre at the University of California,
Music: Nate Heller (Jane Curtin) has given up on her, and her Los Angeles, and London’s Royal
Principal Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, finances have nosedived. Academy of Dramatic Art. She made
Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Ben Falcone, Sliding into middle age with no other her directorial debut with The Diary
Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella
skills to fall back on, Lee lights upon a fresh of a Teenage Girl (15). Can You Ever
Forgive Me? (18) is her latest film.
Production: Archer Gray method of capitalizing on the public’s fasci-
142 Greene St., 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012 USA nation with fame. Teaming up with an old
rebecca@archergray.com acquaintance (a furiously charming Richard
E. Grant) freshly released from prison after
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures serving time for armed robbery, Lee begins
US Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures selling the stolen and/or forged correspon-
(see page 359) dence of dead writers and actors. The gig is
a success but success has a way of drawing
unwanted attention.
Adapted from Israel’s eponymous mem-
oir by Tony Award–winning playwright
Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) and writer-director

special presentation 131

Monsters and Men
Reinaldo Marcus Green
USA, 2018
English
CANADIAN PREMIERE
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Department of Motion Pictures
Executive Producer: Leonid Lebedev, Oren Moverman,
Chiara Bernasconi, Charles Miller
Producer: Josh Penn, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev,
Luca Borghese, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp
Screenplay: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Cinematographer: Patrick Scola
Editor: Justin Chan, Scott Cummings
Production Designer: Scott Dougan
Music: Kris Bowers
Principal Cast: John David Washington,
Kelvin Harrison Jr, Anthony Ramos, Chanté Adams,
Nicole Beharie, Rob Morgan, Jasmine Cephas Jones
Production: Department of Motion Pictures
825 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116 USA
josh@thedofmp.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: NEON
International Sales Agent: HanWay Films
(see page 359)
132 special presentation
Black Lives Matter changed us. Outrage over
the dangers faced by African Americans at
the hands of authorities has permeated the
culture. That culture and that outrage is felt
in every frame of writer-director Reinaldo
Marcus Green’s bracing feature debut. Set
primarily in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant
neighborhood, Monsters and Men examines
how a single incident of violence has conse-
quences for an entire community.
Things are going well for Manny (Anthony
Ramos). He has a loving wife, a baby daugh-
ter, and another child on the way. He has a
new job working security. Then he witnesses
Big D, an amiable local fixture, get fatally
shot while resisting arrest. Manny captures
the entire event with his cellphone camera.
He feels morally obligated to share the video,
but he knows that doing so could threaten
his family’s well-being.
Dennis (John David Washington) is a
Black NYPD officer who regularly experi-
ences racial profiling and understands the
proximity of police solidarity to corrup-
tion. He grows increasingly unnerved with
his colleagues’ insistence that he fall in
line when queries into Big D’s death begin
to circulate.
Zyrick (Kelvin Harrison Jr) is a
high-school basketball prodigy subject to
racially charged shakedowns. He’s drawn
to a girl active in the campaign to bring to
justice cops like those who killed Big D but,
like Manny and Dennis, he has a lot to lose
by getting involved.
Green’s network narrative illuminates a
broad system of fear and misconduct, while
his camerawork implicates us in its mirror-
ing of police suspicion. Monsters and Men
speaks to one of the most urgent issues of
our time — one that affects us all — whether
we chose to see it or not.
CAMERON BAILEY
Reinaldo Marcus Green was born
in New York City. He is a graduate of
NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His
directorial credits include the short
films Stone Cars (14) and Stop (15).
Monsters and Men (18), which won a
Special Jury Prize at the Sundance
Film Festival, is his feature debut.
The Old Man & The Gun
David Lowery
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Endgame Entertainment/
Condé Nast Entertainment/Sailor Bear Film/
Identity Films/Tango Productions/
Wildwood Enterprises
Executive Producer: Patrick Newall, Lucas Smith,
Julie Goldstein, Tim Headington, Karl Spoerri,
Marc Schmidheiny
Producer: James D. Stern, Dawn Ostroff,
Jeremy Steckler, Anthony Mastromauro, Bill Holderman,
Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Robert Redford
Screenplay: David Lowery
Cinematographer: Joe Anderson
Editor: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Production Designer: Scott Kuzio
Music: Daniel Hart
Principal Cast: Robert Redford, Casey Affleck,
Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter, Tom Waits, Sissy Spacek
Production: Endgame Entertainment
9696 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212 USA
reception@endgameent.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
US Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
(see page 359)
Written and directed by David Lowery Infused with Hollywood’s history of outlaw
(A Ghost Story) and featuring magnetic per- charm, this is the type of glorious bank-robber
formances from Academy Award winners movie they just don’t make anymore.
Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek, The Old CAMERON BAILEY
Man & The Gun breathes invigorating new
life into an old genre. David Lowery was born in Milwaukee
Based on the true story of career criminal and is based in Dallas. His features as
writer-director include St. Nick (09),
and prison-escape artist Forrest Tucker, the Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (13), Pete’s
film revives a cinematic tradition of reflecting Dragon (16), A Ghost Story (17), and
on America’s outlaw fixation while delivering The Old Man & the Gun (18).
an exhilarating tale of felonious mischief.
Having first been put away at age 15,
Forrest (Redford) has spent much of his life
in jail and much of his energy breaking out
— he successfully escaped incarceration 18
times. Forrest is now in his seventies, free,
and living in a retirement community, yet he
cannot resist the lure of another bank heist.
He assembles a gang who, though armed, rely
mainly on creativity and charisma to claim
their loot. They are pursued by Detective
John Hunt (Casey Affleck), whose official
duty is galvanized by the purity of his love
for the chase.
With Redford subtly invoking his own sto-
ried resumé as the embodiment of a certain
masculine ideal, and a sublime supporting
cast that includes Danny Glover, Tom Waits,
and Elisabeth Moss, The Old Man & The Gun
is both entertaining and elegiac.
special presentation 133
Manto
This sweeping biopic stars Nawazuddin stories into the fabric of his biography, illumi-
Nandita Das Siddiqui (TIFF ’13’s The Lunchbox) as nating the many links between the author’s
INDIA, 2018 Saadat Hasan Manto, the Urdu-language work and life.
Hindi, Urdu writer whose daring and gorgeously crafted “Either everyone’s life matters,” Manto
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE short stories garnered great acclaim — and famously declared, “or no one’s does.” It is a
112 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
great controversy. motto that resonates through Manto’s writ-
Production Company: HP Studios/FilmStoc/Viacom18 Written and directed by Nandita Das, ing, which often depicted the unjust destinies
Motion Pictures/Nandita Das Initiatives
Executive Producer: Sanjeevkumar Nair whose 2008 directorial debut Firaaq of the marginalized throughout the events so
Screenplay: Nandita Das premiered at the Festival, Manto offers a vividly recreated in this stunning film.
Cinematographer: Kartik Vijay visionary double portrait: that of one of the CAMERON BAILEY
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Production Designer: Rita Ghosh 20th century’s most important and uncom-
Sound: Resul Pookutty, Arunav Dutta promising writers, and that of the writer’s Nandita Das was born in Mumbai.
Music: Sneha Khanwalkar country in a period of tremendous upheaval. She is a prolific actor who has
Principal Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rasika Dugal, appeared in films such as Deepa
Tahir Raj Bhasin The film opens in 1946, the dawn of India’s Mehta’s Fire (96) and Earth (98).
independence from British rule. The new air Her film Firaaq (08) had its world
CONTACT INFORMATION of optimism proves fleeting, however, as the premiere at the Festival. Manto (18)
International Sales Agent: Radiant Films International
(see page 359) country becomes embroiled in displacement is her latest feature.

and religious violence — incidents to which a

horrified Manto bears witness — and swiftly
moves toward partition from Pakistan.
Forced to leave Mumbai for Lahore, Manto’s
despair at the chaos engulfing his homeland
is channelled into his writing, which becomes
more bracingly taut, brutal, and sexual — the
very qualities for which he will be put on trial
for obscenity on six different occasions.
Echoing the strategy deployed by Paul
Schrader in Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters,
Manto seamlessly weaves extracts of Manto’s

134 special presentation

Dogman
Drawing on a true-crime story that fasci- Fonte, who won the Best Actor award at
Matteo Garrone nated Italy in the 1980s, Matteo Garrone Cannes for his role here, delivers a perfor-
ITALY/FRANCE, 2018 ventures once again — as he did so success- mance for the ages as the loyal-only-to-a-point
Italian fully with Gomorrah — into the grimy and dog groomer, but it is Garrone’s remarkable
CANADIAN PREMIERE brutal reality of the Italian underworld. This grasp of narrative, conflict, and palpable
103 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
time the action unfolds not in the urban milieu that has one reaching for superlatives.
Production Company: Archimede Srl/Le Pacte/ jungle of Naples, but along a seedy beachside This is realist filmmaking at its best.
Rai Cinema
Executive Producer: Alessio Lazzareschi wasteland of tumbledown houses in nearby PIERS HANDLING
Producer: Matteo Garrone, Jean Labadie, Castel Volturno.
Jeremy Thomas, Paolo Del Brocco It’s a vivid setting for Dogman, Garrone’s Matteo Garrone was born in Rome.
Screenplay: Matteo Garrone, Ugo Chiti,
Massimo Gaudioso unique update of the David and Goliath tale. He worked as a painter and assistant
cameraman before making his debut
Cinematographer: Nicolaj Bruel His protagonist, the even-tempered and feature, Land in Between (96). His
Editor: Marco Spoletini seemingly innocuous Marcello (Marcello other features include Guests (98),
Production Designer: Dimitri Capuani
Sound: Maricetta Lombardo Fonte), is a devoted single father who Roman Summer (00), The Enbalmer
Music: Michele Braga scrapes out a living amidst a small strip of (02) and First Love (04) as well as
Gomorrah (08), and Reality (12),
Principal Cast: Marcello Fonte, Alida Baldari Calabria, storefronts by grooming dogs — and selling which both won the Grand Prix at
Edoardo Pesce, Nunzia Schiano, Adamo Dionisi,
Francesco Acquaroli, Gianluca Gobbi cocaine on the side in order to give his teen- Cannes. Dogman (18) is his latest film.
age daughter the best life he can.
Production: Archimede Srl
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 39 The man who will become Marcello’s
Roma 00185 Italy nemesis is his best customer, Simoncino
archimedefilm@gmail.com (Edoardo Pesce), a hulking, unleashed id
CONTACT INFORMATION of a man who deploys brutal violence when
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media confronted by any situation he does not
US Distributor: Magnolia Pictures like. Ironically, the wispy Marcello’s mild
International Sales Agent: Rai Com
(see page 359) manners and logic have a taming effect
on the bullish Simoncino. But the latter’s
plan to raise more money for his voracious
appetites sends their shaky friendship in an
unexpected (and bloody) direction.

special presentation 135

The Sisters Brothers
Jacques Audiard
USA/FRANCE/ROMANIA/SPAIN, 2018
English
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
120 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Why Not Productions
Executive Producer: Chelsea Barnard, Sammy Scher,
Fernando Victoria de Lecea, Tudor Reu, Delphine Tomson
Producer: Pascal Caucheteux, Gregoire Sorlat,
Michel Merkt, Megan Ellison, Michael De Luca,
Alison Dickey, John C. Reilly
Screenplay: Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain
Cinematographer: Benoit Debie
Editor: Juliette Welfling
Production Designer: Michel Barthelemy
Sound: Brigitte Taillandier
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Principal Cast: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix,
Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Rutger Hauer,
Carole Kane, Rebecca Root
Production: Why Not Productions
3, Rue Paillet
Paris 75005 France
rosa@whynotproductions.fr
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
US Distributor: Annapurna Pictures
International Sales Agent: IMR International
(see page 359)
136 special presentation
Jacques Audiard, winner of the Palme d’Or
for 2015’s Dheepan, has made a radical shift
in his oeuvre by crossing the Atlantic to
work in that most American of genres, the
western. And what a western it is. From the
very first moments of The Sisters Brothers,
it is clear that Audiard wants to bring some-
thing new — a particularly eccentric balance
of wit, tenderness, and toughness of spirit
— to the form.
Based on Canadian author Patrick
deWitt’s award-winning novel, The Sisters
Brothers tells the knockabout story of two
notorious assassins, Eli and Charlie Sisters
(John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix).
Grizzled, cynical, and not inclined to take
prisoners, the Sisters brothers navigate,
with brutal efficiency and a modicum of
luck, the wilds of the American Far West at
the height of the Gold Rush in 1851, when
quick thinking and an even quicker draw are
the requisite means of survival. Contracted
by Oregon City crime boss The Commodore
(Rutger Hauer) to kill Hermann Kermit
Warm (Riz Ahmed), a prospector he claims
has betrayed him, the brothers encounter
myriad complications on their eventful
ride down to San Francisco and through the
Sierra Nevada: witches, bears, a madam who
owns a town and commands a murderous
army of fur trappers, and a detective (Jake
Gyllenhaal) tracking the same peculiar man
they are.
Audiard and his skilled cast turn The
Sisters Brothers into far more than a colourful
romp. Inflected with dark humour, a dream-
like quality and a good deal of reverence, the
film tips its hat to the tradition of the genre
while providing its own unique stamp.
PIERS HANDLING
Jacques Audiard was born in Paris.
His features as director and co-writer
include Regarde les hommes tomber
(94), Un héros très discret (96), De
Battre mon coeur s’est arrêté (05),
and the Cannes Grand Prix winner
Un prophète (09). His films Sur mes
lèvres (01), Rust and Bone (12), and
the Palme d’Or winner Dheepan
(15) all screened at the Festival. The
Sisters Brothers (18) is his latest film.
Viper Club
Televised images of armed conflict are Viper Club is a film about a mother who waits
Maryam Keshavarz sadly familiar in our modern age.  But the — and about what happens when she can
USA, 2018 lesser-known stories of loved ones left wait no more.
English in limbo and in fear following violent JANE SCHOETTLE
WORLD PREMIERE acts are the basis of this new film from
109 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Iranian-American filmmaker Maryam Maryam Keshavarz was born in
Production Company: CounterNarrative Films Keshavarz (Circumstance). New York City. She received her
Executive Producer: Susan Leber MFA in film directing at the Tisch
Producer: Anna Gerb, Neal Dodson, J.C. Chandor Helen (Academy Award winner Susan School of Arts. Her work includes
Screenplay: Maryam Keshavarz, Jonathan Mastro Sarandon) is a veteran emergency room the short films Not for Sale (06) and
Cinematographer: Drew Daniels nurse facing another kind of crisis when her The Day I Died (06), and the feature
Editor: Andrea Chignoli
Production Designer: Javiera Varas only son — a war correspondent on foreign Circumstance (11). Viper Club (18) is
her latest feature.
Sound: Ian Gaffney-Rosenfeld, Mark Amicucci, assignment — is taken hostage by a terror-
Mathew Waters ist organization. Initially (and somewhat
Music: Gingger Shankar
Principal Cast: Susan Sarandon, Matt Bomer, Lola Kirke, naively) confident that the highest levels
Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Adepero Oduye, Edie Falco of her government will make her son’s safe
Production: CounterNarrative Films return a priority, Helen soon becomes
33 Union Square West 9R disillusioned by the state’s inaction and
New York, NY 10003 USA double-speak.
info@roadsideattractions.com
Isolated, frustrated, and alone, Helen finds
CONTACT INFORMATION a beacon of light in Charlotte (Edie Falco,
US Distributor: Roadside Attractions, YouTube Premium also at the Festival in The Land of Steady
(see page 359)
Habits), an enigmatic and effective activist
who represents a covert group with proven
successes in bypassing governments to free
prisoners. Helen invests her fervent hope
in Charlotte’s refreshing pragmatism.
Sarandon, in an extraordinary perfor-
mance, shows us the interior life of someone
powerless to protect what she holds dearest.

special presentation 155

Teen Spirit
Seventeen-year-old Violet (Elle Fanning, This is a familiar story. In fact, one of Teen
Max Minghella also at the Festival in Galveston) lives with Spirit’s executive producers is Jamie Bell
USA, 2018 her mother (Agnieszka Grochowska) on a (appearing at the Festival in both Skin and
English small farm on the Isle of Wight. Her days Donnybrook), whose breakthrough role was
WORLD PREMIERE are spent doing chores, waiting tables, and in Billy Elliot, a film with a similar trajectory.
92 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
attending secondary school, where she keeps But Teen Spirit feels strikingly fresh.
Production Company: Automatik/Blank Tape/Interscope to herself. Minghella and cinematographer Autumn
Executive Producer: Jamie Bell, Max Minghella,
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, John Janick, Tony Seyler, But in her free time — spent alone in her Durald-Arkpaw combine a predominantly
David Garrett room, in the fields with her beloved horse, low-key visual style with occasional bursts
Producer: Fred Berger or at an under-attended open-mic night — of music-video sizzle, while Violet and Vlad
Screenplay: Max Minghella
Cinematographer: Autumn Durald-Arkpaw Violet surrenders to song. She’s a naturally make a loveable surrogate father-daughter
Editor: Cam McLauchlin gifted singer for whom pop stardom might team whose camaraderie is touching. Above
Production Designer: Kave Quinn not be mere fantasy. This lovely film, the all, Fanning has never given such a stun-
Music: Marius DeVries
Principal Cast: Elle Fanning, Zlatko Buric, Rebecca Hall directorial debut of actor Max Minghella ningly controlled performance, combining
(The Handmaid’s Tale), tells the story of how sustained withdrawal with sudden explo-
Production: Automatik
7122 Beverly Blvd., Suite F Violet gathers the courage to come out of her sions of dazzling musical energy.
Los Angeles, California 90036 USA shell with a bang. JANE SCHOETTLE
kirsten@automatikent.com This is also the story of a friendship.
CONTACT INFORMATION Vlad (Zlatko Buric), a once-celebrated Max Minghella was born in London.
International Sales Agent: Mister Smith Entertainment opera singer, hears Violet and knows she’s He studied history at Columbia
University, New York. His acting cred-
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA) something special. He declares himself her its include The Social Network (10)
(see page 359)
manager and trainer, accompanying her as and The Handmaid’s Tale (17–18).
she tries out for a popular televised musi- Teen Spirit (18) marks his feature
cal talent program called Teen Spirit. Vlad debut as writer-director.

is a bear of a man with a tendency to drink

away his sorrows, but if he and Violet can
stick together as her star rises, they might TIFF Next Wave
just make each other better people. Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of
young voices in today’s fast-moving world.

This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers by
the TIFF Next Wave Committee.

156 special presentation

Bao Bei Er
Baby
Liu Jie
CHINA, 2018
Mandarin
WORLD PREMIERE
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: 3C Films Co., Ltd/Beijing Culture/
Nanjing Sino-Movie Media&Culture Co., Ltd/
Zhejiang Hengdian Film Co., Ltd
Executive Producer: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Producer: Gao Shan
Screenplay: Liu Jie
Cinematographer: Florian J.E. Zinke
Editor: William Chang, Liao Ching-Song
Production Designer: Yuan Feng
Sound: Tu Duu-Chih, Wu Shu-Yao
Music: Guo Sida
Principal Cast: Yang Mi, Guo Jingfei, Lee Hongchi,
Wang Yanjun, Zhu Shaojun, Yan Surong
Production: 3C Films Co., Ltd
2-1-302, No15, Dengshengmen West St.
Beijing 100088 China
liujiedaoyan@sina.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
(see page 359)
Chinese celebrity Yang Mi delivers an out- its propulsive drama and doesn’t let go until
standing performance in Baby, the latest its conclusion. Using handheld camera-
from Liu Jie (Courthouse on Horseback), a work for maximum immediacy, Liu’s film
tautly paced, emotionally searing story that focuses on Meng’s mission as she hurries
asks difficult questions about what makes a from place to place searching for help. The
life worth living. stakes are high, not only for this newborn
Having been born with the associ- teetering between life and death, but for our
ated birth defects collectively known as heroine, whose own humble life is suddenly
VACTERL and abandoned by her parents, galvanized with purpose.
20-year-old Meng (Yang) was raised as a GIOVANNA FULVI
foster child. Meng still lives with her foster
mother, who is now elderly, poor, ailing, and Liu Jie was born in Tianjin, China. His
otherwise alone. Though everyone tells directorial credits include Courthouse
on Horseback (06), Judge (09), Deep
Meng to move to the city and get on with her in the Clouds (10), De Lan (15), and
life, she cannot bring herself to give up on the Hide and Seek (16). Baby (18) is his
woman who gave her a real home. latest film.
Meng finds work as a janitor in a children’s
hospital. It is there she encounters a man
whose newborn has been diagnosed with
VACTERL. The man has decided to cease
treatments for his baby girl, which means
allowing her to die. This is something Meng
can’t accept. Thus begins a relentless cam-
paign to save the baby’s life, one that forces
Meng to navigate institutional bureaucracy,
legal interference, and the emotional vaga-
ries of the baby’s distraught parents.
Baby, executive-produced by Taiwanese
master Hou Hsiao-Hsien, sweeps you up in
special presentation 157
Driven
Nick Hamm
PUERTO RICO/UNITED KINGDOM/USA, 2018
English
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Tempo Productions Limited/
The Pimienta Film Company/Romulus Entertainment
Executive Producer: Walter Josten, Joseph Ingrassia,
Jo Bamford, Cyril Megret, Tim Haslam, Hugo Grumbar,
Alastair Burlingham, Nick Hamm
Producer: Piers Tempest, Luillo Ruiz, Brad Feinstein
Screenplay: Colin Bateman
Cinematographer: Karl Walter Lindenlaub
Editor: Brett Reed
Production Designer: Fernando Carrion
Sound: Jay Meagher
Music: Geronimo Mercado, Lorne Balfe,
Kim and Kathryn Kluge
Principal Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Lee Pace, Judy Greer,
Isabel Arraiza, Corey Stoll
Production: Tempo Productions Limited
Lower Scarcliffe, Off Carleton Lane, Carleton,
Skipton BD23 3HS United Kingdom
pt@tempoproductions.net
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Embankment Films
US Sales Agent: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment,
United Talent Agency (UTA)
(see page 359)
158 special presentation
Based on an outlandish true story, Driven
captures the uneasy alliance of maverick
car designer John DeLorean and his less
famous yet very colourful neighbour. Theirs
is a story of too much money, too many drugs,
and the inevitable crash and burn. Life in the
fast lane? Driven makes the autobahn look
like a go-cart track.
The year is 1977. Long established as a
titan in his field, Motor City native DeLorean
(Lee Pace) is living in luxury in Southern
California and dreaming of the ultimate
vehicle, one that will be coveted by every
car connoisseur and constitute the peak of
his legacy: a sports car with wings.
John’s neighbour, Jim (Jason Sudeikis),
meanwhile, acts like a high roller while
barely supporting his wife Ellen (Judy Greer,
also appearing at the Festival in Halloween)
and their children. Proximity and dumb
luck draw Jim into John’s opulent orbit.
Their friendship puts Jim in the front seat
for some precarious exploits, including the
transport of a planeload of narcotics. When
Jim is caught red-handed, FBI Special Agent
Benedict Tisa (Golden Globe nominee
Corey Stoll, also appearing at the Festival
in First Man) sees an opportunity to use
the bottom-feeder to catch the big fish.
Jim is now compelled to use his powers to
incriminate his millionaire friend.
Written by Colin Bateman and directed
by Nick Hamm (TIFF ’16’s The Journey),
Driven is a furiously entertaining spin
through the felonies of the rich and famous.
Sudeikis is strangely endearing in his role
as an ingratiating compulsive huckster, the
embodiment of a certain brand of starry-
eyed, relentless American ambition.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Nick Hamm was born in Belfast. He
received his degree in English and
philosophy from the University of
Manchester. His directorial credits
include the features The Hole (01),
Godsend (04), and The Journey (16),
which played the Festival. Driven (18)
is his latest film.
Mid90s
Trust Jonah Hill to make a coming-of-age Set to a connoisseur’s soundtrack of
Jonah Hill story that’s wickedly irreverent and bursting ’90s rock and rap, Mid90s captures the
USA, 2018 with heart. The two-time Academy Award hijinks and hair-raising risk-taking of pre-
English nominee’s singular gifts as an actor translate digital-age teen life. Stevie’s pals can be
WORLD PREMIERE seamlessly into his debut as writer-director. obnoxious one moment and exception-
84 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Mid90s is goofy, intelligent, and tender — ally kind (even wise) the next. Employing
Production Company: A24/Waypoint Entertainment and it might have you eyeing that skateboard brilliantly timed jump-cuts and a surpris-
Executive Producer: Scott Robertson, Jennifer Semler,
Alex G. Scott collecting dust in the garage. ingly spare aesthetic that owes as much
Producer: Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Ken Kao, Jonah Hill, Stevie (Sunny Suljic, The Killing of a to François Truffaut as Judd Apatow, Hill
Lila Yacoub Sacred Deer) is a sweet 13-year-old about to proves to be a uniquely sophisticated chroni-
Screenplay: Jonah Hill
Cinematographer: Christopher Blauvelt explode. His mom (Katherine Waterston, cler of youthful folly while delivering some
Editor: Nick Houy Inherent Vice) is loving and attentive, but of the funniest scenes you’ll find on screen
Production Designer: Jahmin Assa a little too forthcoming about her romantic this year.
Sound: Aaron Glasscock, Skip Lievsay, Lisa Pinero
Music: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross life. His big brother (Oscar nominee Lucas JANE SCHOETTLE
Principal Cast: Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges, Hedges, also at the Festival in Boy Erased and
Na-kel Smith, Olan Prenatt, Gio Galicia, Ben is Back) is a taciturn and violent bully. Jonah Hill was born in Los Angeles.
Ryder McLaughlin, Alexa Demie, Katherine Waterston
So Stevie searches his working-class Los He attended Bard College,the New
School, and the University of
Production: A24 Angeles suburb for somewhere to belong. Colorado Boulder. He is a prolific actor
31 West 27th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001 USA He finds it at the Motor Avenue skate shop. and was nominated for an Oscar for
info@a24films.com Stevie’s new friends are older and more his roles in Moneyball (11) and The
experienced in everything that matters, Wolf of Wall Street (13). Mid90s (18)
CONTACT INFORMATION is his feature directorial debut.
US Distributor: A24 like skateboarding, hip-hop, girls, and get-
International Sales Agent: A24 ting into trouble. Stevie seems so green but,
(see page 359) disarmed by his earnestness and bravado TIFF Next Wave
— he’ll attempt even the most insane stunts Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

in an effort to be accepted — the Motor

young voices in today’s fast-moving world.

Avenue crew welcomes him into their fold. This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers by
the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
Their friendship gives Stevie an unprec-
edented sense of worth. It also places him
in ever-scarier situations.

special presentation 159

Wild Rose
Rose-Lynn Harlan (TIFF 2017 Rising Star Buckley delivers a vivacious and unforget-
Tom Harper Jessie Buckley) has dreamt of becoming a table performance as Rose-Lynn, her voice
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 country music star for as long as anyone a star of its own. With a confident hand,
English can remember. But Glasgow isn’t exactly director Tom Harper brings Nicole Taylor’s
WORLD PREMIERE Nashville, and, as a convicted criminal beautiful, textured script, full of authentic
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
and single mother of two young children, characters and unexpected turns, to life in
Production Company: Fable Pictures Rose-Lynn is more country song than Glasgow, a city that, like his protagonist,
Executive Producer: Natascha Wharton, Leslie Finlay,
Alison Owen, Xavier Marchand, Polly Stokes country starlet. might appear gritty on the surface, but is
Producer: Faye Ward Just released from prison, forced to wear bursting with spirit and personality.
Screenplay: Nicole Taylor an ankle monitor and keep curfew, she can’t Rose-Lynn’s story reminds us that taking
Cinematographer: George Steel
Editor: Mark Eckersley return to her job as the house-band singer responsibility doesn’t have to mean giving
Production Designer: Lucy Spink at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry. Sporting her up hope. And sometimes when we’re chasing
Sound: Colin Nicolson white cowboy hat and white leather cow- our dreams, we realize we were living them
Music: Jack Arnold
Principal Cast: Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters, boy boots, Rose-Lynn lands a new job as a all along.
Sophie Okonedo housekeeper for the lovely, and very posh, KERRI CRADDOCK
Production: Fable Pictures Susannah (Sophie Okonedo). After catch-
25 Golden Square ing her singing on the job, Susannah’s kids Tom Harper was born in North
London W1F 9LU United Kingdom quickly become Rose-Lynn’s biggest fans London. His credits include the fea-
info@fablepics.com tures The Scouting Book for Boys
and Susannah her enthusiastic patron, (09), War Book (14), and The Woman
CONTACT INFORMATION determined to help her get to Nashville. But in Black 2: Angel of Death (14), as well
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One Rose-Lynn’s dreams come at a cost. Her as the miniseries War & Peace (16).
International Sales Agent: Sierra Affinity
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA), mother (Julie Walters), who knows all about Wild Rose (18) is his latest film.

United Talent Agency (UTA) abandoning dreams, has always done what
(see page 359) she can to help her daughter realize hers,
but she also wants her to take responsibil-
ity and act like the grownup that her kids
need her to be.

160 special presentation

Les filles du soleil
Translating the experiences of war to the presents the stories of individual characters
Girls of the Sun big screen has predominantly been the within her larger ensemble narrative. She
domain of male directors. With her second consistently chooses to highlight the cama-
Eva Husson full-length feature, writer-director Eva raderie shared by the female fighters over
FRANCE, 2018 Husson, TIFF Platform and now Cannes the violence they inflict; her characters are
French, English, Arabic, Kurdish
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Competition alum, brings all the action, soldiers, yes, but they are also women, and
115 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) emotion, and suspense that you’d expect people, first. Thwarting expectations,
Production Company: Maneki Films
from a film set on the front lines of a war Husson challenges our notions of the roles
Screenplay: Eva Husson zone, but with a distinctive and refreshing of women both on the battlefield and behind
Cinematographer: Mattias Troelstrup female gaze. the camera and, through her characters’
Editor: Emilie Orsini
Production Designer: David Bersanetti
Girls of the Sun follows an impassioned unrelenting pursuit of freedom, reminds us
Sound: Olivier Le Vacon, Alexis Place, war correspondent, Mathilde (Emmanuelle to never give up hope.
Emmanuel de Boissieu Bercot), into the Daesh battleground of KERRI CRADDOCK
Music: Morgan Kibby
Principal Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Emmanuelle Bercot
northwestern Iraqi Kurdistan, where she
is embedded with a unit of female pesh- Eva Husson was born and raised
Production: Maneki Films
42 rue Rene Boulanger
merga fighters. Led by Bahar (Golshifteh in France, where she received an
MFA at the American Film Institute.
Paris 75010 France Farahani), the unit is made up of women She directed the short film Hope
info@maneki-films.com formerly held captive, many as sex slaves, to Die (04), and the 50-minute

CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Pacific Northwest Pictures
US Distributor: Cohen Media Group
International Sales Agent: Elle Driver
(see page 359)
by Daesh following the massacre of their feature Those for Whom It’s Always
husbands and the kidnapping of their Complicated (13). Her feature Bang
Gang (A Modern Love Story) (15)
children. Seamlessly weaving between the premiered at the Festival. Girls of
harrowing pasts that brought them together the Sun (18) is her latest film.
and their perilous present, Husson high-
lights the shared suffering that strengthens
their bond and their will to fight to get their
village, and their families, back.
Though operating here at a much larger
scale, as in her debut feature Bang Gang
(A Modern Love Story) Husson deftly

special presentation 145

Vision
Naomi Kawase is that rare filmmaker who with an open-hearted, near-palpable sense
Naomi Kawase can translate spiritual questions into cin- of desire, wonder, and wakefulness. This is a
JAPAN/FRANCE, 2018 ematic drama with reverence and invention. film about something most of us relegate to
English, French, Japanese Set in the magical Yoshino mountains of the margins of our daily lives, yet is arguably
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Kawase’s home region of Nara, Vision is her the most important thing we can experience
109 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
most fully realized work yet. in this life: oneness.
Production Company: LDH Japan/Slot Machine/Kumie Jeanne (Juliette Binoche, also at the CAMERON BAILEY
Executive Producer: EXILE HIRO
Producer: Satoshi Miyazaki, Marianne Slot, Festival with High Life and Non-Fiction) is
Naomi Kawase a French essayist who has come to Japan in Naomi Kawase was born in Nara,
Screenplay: Naomi Kawase search of “vision,” an herb that appears but Japan, and studied film at the
Cinematographer: Arata Dodo Osaka School of Photography. Her
Editor: Yoichi Shibuya, François Gédigier once every 997 years and is said to vanquish films Suzaku (97), Shara (03), The
Production Designer: Setsuko Shiokawa weakness and agony in those who consume Mourning Forest (07), Still the Water
Sound: Roman Dymny it. Upon arriving in Nara, she meets the taci- (14), Sweet Bean (original title: An)
Music: Makoto Ozone
Principal Cast: Juliette Binoche, Masatoshi Nagase turn Tomo (frequent Kawase collaborator (15), and Radiance (17) have all
screened at the Festival. Vision (18)
Masatoshi Nagase) and his mentor Aki, a is her latest film.
Production: LDH Japan
1-2-2 Higashiyama, Meguro-ku charismatic prophet and keeper of the for-
Tokyo 153-0043 Japan ests who claims to be 1,000 years old. Not
t-funayama@ldh.co.jp long after Tomo agrees to let Jeanne stay
CONTACT INFORMATION with him, Aki vanishes, yet a young man
International Sales Agent: Elle Driver appears almost as if in her place. As the
(see page 359) sacred moment of vision’s return looms, past
events are summoned, new connections are
forged, and time itself seems to slip from its
perceived order — yielding new possibilities
for human existence.
Vision sounds ethereal, but Kawase takes
care to ground her film in tangible, sensuous
things, such as trees, food, and the human
touch. Binoche and Nagase endow the film

146 special presentation

Skin
Guy Nattiv
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Maven Pictures/Sight Unseen
Pictures/New Native Pictures/PaperChase Films/
Lost Lane Entertainment/Brookstreet Pictures/
Come What May Productions/Allusionist Picture
House/Hua Wen Movie Group/TUGAWOOD Pictures
Producer: Guy Nattiv, Oren Moverman,
Jaime Ray Newman, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler,
Dillon Jordan
Screenplay: Guy Nattiv
Cinematographer: Arnaud Potier
Editor: Lee Percy, Michael Taylor
Production Designer: Mary Lena Colston
Music: Dan Romer
Principal Cast: Jamie Bell, Vera Farmiga,
Danielle Macdonald, Mike Colter, Bill Camp
Production: Maven Pictures
148 Spring St., 4th Floor
New York, NY 10012 USA
asst@mavenpic.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: ICM Partners
US Sales Agent: ICM Partners
(see page 359)
Bryon Widner was born into hate. The son herself from fascist groups. Bryon’s love for
of a neo-Nazi leader, he was raised with Julie will prompt him to change his life. But
white-supremacist beliefs, and from age 14 leaving behind all he knows is going to be hell.
had those beliefs inked on his face and body Nattiv foreshadows Bryon’s coming
for the world to see. But a day would come changes with flash forwards to his intense
when what Bryon felt on the inside no longer tattoo removal treatments. These cinematic
matched the tattoos on the outside. jolts punctuate Bryon’s gripping journey, one
The true story of Widner’s excrutiat- well worth heeding.
ing transformation inspired this startling JANE SCHOETTLE
chronicle of redemption from Israeli writer-
director Guy Nattiv. Starring Jamie Bell Guy Nattiv was born in Tel Aviv,
(also at the Festival in Donnybrook), where he graduated from the film
and television department of Camera
Danielle Macdonald and Oscar nominee Obscura School of Arts. His directo-
Vera Farmiga, Skin boldly immerses us in a rial credits include Strangers (07),
cultural contingent that, however extreme, The Flood (10), and Magic Men (14).
demands to be reckoned with. Skin (18) is his latest film.
The film begins with a violent alterca-
tion between the Vinlanders Social Club,
a skinhead group, and anti-fascist protes-
tors. Vindlander and tattoo shop proprietor
Bryon (Bell) is arrested and offered a deal
— to which he responds by displaying a
tattoo emblazoned on his thighs that reads
“snitches get stitches.”
Despite his unrepentantly racist parents
(Farmiga and The Night Of’s Bill Camp),
Bryon begins questioning his convictions
when he falls for Julie (Macdonald), a single
mother to three little girls who has distanced
special presentation 147
Join our community
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22 July
From Bloody Sunday to the Bourne films to
Paul Greengrass United 93, no filmmaker has better defined
NORWAY/ICELAND, 2018 contemporary cinema’s ability to make vio-
English lence — whether fictional or real — palpably
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE felt than Paul Greengrass. And so one might
143 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
approach Greengrass’s chronicle of Norway’s
Production Company: Scott Rudin Productions horrific 2011 terrorist attacks with trepida-
Executive Producer: Chris Carreras
Producer: Scott Rudin, Paul Greengrass, Eli Bush, tion. But it is precisely Greengrass’s realism
Gregory Goodman that elevates his work beyond shock spec-
Screenplay: Paul Greengrass tacle. Although 22 July begins in carnage, it
Cinematographer: Pål Ulvik Rokseth
Editor: William Goldenberg emerges as a portrait of resistance to terror,
Production Designer: Liv Ask and resilience inspired by moral clarity.
Sound: Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Oliver Tarney, The first third of the film is an unblinking
Michael Fentum, Ad Stoop
Music: Sune Martin portrait of what happened. A man (played
Principal Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jonas Strand Gravli, by Anders Danielsen Lie) detonates a car
Jon Øigarden, Isak Bakli Aglen, Seda Witt, Maria Bock, bomb in Oslo. He goes to an island that hosts
Thorbjørn Harr, Ola G. Furuseth
a youth camp and opens fire. “You will die
Production: Scott Rudin Productions today,” he says. “Marxists, liberals, members
120 W 45th Street 10th Floor
New York, NY 10036 USA of the elite.” All told, he kills 77 people, and
mchong@scottrudinproductions.com injures more than 200. These scenes unfold
with impeccable craft and efficiency. The
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc. effect is gut wrenching.
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc. From there, 22 July becomes a kind
(see page 359) of ethical procedural, with the generous
mechanisms of the Norwegian justice sys-
tem forced to deal with an extremist beyond
anything it has ever encountered. Once
arrested, the terrorist calls for “a complete
ban on immigration, an end to enforced
multiculturalism.” He insists his murderous
rampage was rational. One of his victims, a
teenage boy, undergoes emergency surgery
in an attempt to save his life. The terrorist
asks for a lawyer and something to eat.
Greengrass made 22 July in English,
but with a cast of Norwegian actors. For an
English-speaking audience it gives the film
both immediacy and authenticity. It’s one of
several bold choices, all of which give a clear
picture that shows a wider world how a soci-
ety can respond to violent hate by reaffirming
the moral principles at its foundation.
CAMERON BAILEY
Paul Greengrass was born in Surrey,
England. His film Bloody Sunday (02)
won the Golden Bear at the 2002
Berlinale. His other films include The
Bourne Supremacy (04), United 93
(06), The Bourne Ultimatum (07),
Green Zone (10), Captain Phillips
(13), and Jason Bourne (16). 22 July
(18) is his most recent film.
special presentation 149
Vita & Virginia
Chanya Button
UNITED KINGDOM/IRELAND, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Mirror Productions/Blinder Films
Executive Producer: Simon Baxter, Gemma Arterton,
Christopher Figg, Norman Merry, Nicolas Sampson,
Arno Hazebroek, Dave Bishop, Robert Whitehouse,
Mika Kioussis
Producer: Katie Holly, Evangelo Kioussis
Screenplay: Chanya Button, Eileen Atkins
Cinematographer: Carlos De Carvalho
Editor: Mark Trend
Production Designer: Noam Piper
Sound: Simon Willis
Music: Isobel Waller-Bridge
Principal Cast: Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki,
Isabella Rossellini, Rupert Penry-Jones,
Peter Ferdinando
Production: Mirror Productions
20 Poplar Close
Epsom KT17 3LH United Kingdom
info@mirror-productions.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Protagonist Pictures
US Sales Agent: Protagonist Pictures
(see page 359)
150 special presentation
The affair and the friendship of authors
Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West
— both uncompromising in their insis-
tence to live, love, and create to the fullest
— constitutes one of the most fascinating
relationships in literary history. Director
Chanya Button’s sumptuous double por-
trait traces their fiery connection from the
moment their paths cross to the publication
of the work that would be their shared legacy.
The year is 1922. Though happily married,
Vita (Gemma Arterton) is as notorious for
her dalliances with women and iconoclastic
attitudes toward gender as she is famous
for her aristocratic ancestry and writerly
success. Virginia (Elizabeth Debicki), mean-
while, is a celebrated writer, publisher, and
member of the Bloomsbury Group, those
innovative moderns already revolutionizing
literature. When Vita receives an invitation
to Bloomsbury, she is elated at the thought
of meeting the enigmatic Woolf and, not sur-
prisingly perhaps, becomes obsessed with
the notion of seducing her.
Between Virginia’s mental health struggles
and Vita’s impulsiveness — not to mention
the concern of their husbands, families,
and mutual friends — their romance is
bound to be tumultuous. Yet tumult can fuel
creativity — Vita’s singular persona will even-
tually be channelled into one of Virginia’s
greatest works.
Based on Sackville-West and Woolf ’s
personal correspondence and (based on her
play) co-scripted by Eileen Atkins, who also
wrote the screen adaptation of Mrs Dalloway,
Vita & Virginia will make you swoon. Isobel
Waller-Bridge’s part chamber music, part
electronica score creates a seductive sonic
latticework, while Button and cinematog-
rapher Carlos De Carvalho craft striking
sequences in which the equally brilliant
Arterton and Debicki speak directly to cam-
era. This film is bold, sensuous, and smart,
but most importantly, it’s something Vita and
Virgina would have been proud of.
KERRI CRADDOCK
Chanya Button was born in London.
Her directorial credits include the
short film Fire (12) and the feature
Burn Burn Burn (15). Vita & Virginia
(18) is her latest film.
7
Legend of the Demon
With his epic screen adaptation of Baku References to Bai Juyi and Kûkai’s works
Cat – Director’s Cut Yumemakura’s bestselling novel, Legend and poetry, paired with their charming wit,
of the Demon Cat, director Chen Kaige render these characters fascinating for all
Chen Kaige returns with an enchanting and visually audiences, both lay and scholarly. Plus, the
CHINA/JAPAN, 2018 stunning tale of love, intrigue, mysticism, film’s faithful reconstruction of the imperial
Mandarin
WORLD PREMIERE and poetry set in a fantasized vision of capital Chang’an is a true marvel. A real city
120 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) the Tang dynasty. from the past was built over the course of five
Production Company: New Classics Media/21 Century Central to the story are two key historical years (at an estimated cost of US$200 mil-
Shengkai Film/Kadokawa/Emperor Motion Pictures figures: Bai Juyi, one of the greatest Chinese lion), bringing to the screen the spellbinding
Executive Producer: Albert Yeung, Cao Huayi, poets — whose lyrics embodied the spirit of magic of the times, an exquisite complement
Tsuguhiko Kadokawa
Producer: Chen Hong the Tang dynasty and became a style model to Chen’s masterful storytelling.
Screenplay: Chen Kaige, Wang Hui-Ling for Japanese literature — and Japanese GIOVANNA FULVI
Cinematographer: Cao Yu monk Kûkai, who first brought to Japan the
Editor: Li Dianshi
Production Designer: Lu Wei, Tu Nan secrets of esoteric Buddhism. Chen Kaige was born in Beijing
Sound: Kenji Shibasaki In Legend of the Demon Cat, Kûkai (Shōta and graduated from the Beijing
Film Academy. His Festival features
Music: Klaus Badelt, Misha Segal Sometani) travels to China to study. Once include Farewell My Concubine (93),
Principal Cast: Huang Xuan, Shota Sometani, Zhang Yuqi,
Qin Hao, Sandrine Pinna, Hiroshi Abe, Liu Haoran, there, he is summoned to court to use his The Emperor and the Assassin (98),
Oho Ou, Edward Zhang exorcisms to cure the possessed Emperor, Together (02), To Each His Own

Production: New Classics Media Xuanzong (Edward Zhang). When he gets Cinema (07), Caught in the Web (12),
and Legend of the Demon Cat (17).
26 Floor, Fosun Int’l Ctr. No. 237 Chaoyang North Road, to the palace, the Emperor dies before his
Chaoyang District eyes, but not before Kûkai detects what may
Beijing 100020 China
ncmchina@ncmchina.com have caused the death: a talking black cat,
whose tufts of hair are scattered all over the
CONTACT INFORMATION Emperor’s chamber. With the help of the
International Sales Agent: Moonstone Entertainment
US Sales Agent: Moonstone Entertainment poet (Huang Xuan), the monk identifies
(see page 359) the cat as the restless spirit of Yang Guifei
(Sandrine Pinna), the imperial concubine
murdered by the previous emperor.

special presentation 151

Werk ohne Autor
Never Look Away
Florian Henckel von
Donnersmarck
GERMANY, 2018
German
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
188 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Wiedemann and Berg Film GmbH &
Co. KG/Bayerischer Rundfunk/ARD Degeto/
Beta Cinema
Producer: Jan Mojto, Quirin Berg,
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Max Wiedemann,
Christiane Henckel von Donnersmarck
Screenplay: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cinematographer: Caleb Deschanel
Editor: Patricia Rommel, Patrick Sanchez-Smith
Production Designer: Gabriele Binder
Sound: Matthias Richter
Music: Max Richter
Principal Cast: Tom Schilling, Sebastian Koch, Paula Beer,
Oliver Masucci, Saskia Rosendahl
Production: Wiedemann and Berg Film GmbH & Co. KG
Akademiestrasse 7
München 80799 Germany
info@w-b.film
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
International Sales Agent: Beta Cinema
(see page 359)
With Never Look Away, inspired by the early
life and career of renowned contemporary
artist Gerhard Richter, Florian Henckel
von Donnersmarck once again looks into
the dark corners of his country’s recent his-
tory. As with von Donnersmarck’s Academy
Award–winning The Lives of Others (TIFF
’06), postwar East Germany provides fer-
tile ground on which to explore the role of
the individual within a totalitarian system
that disregards the rights of its citizens. He
also delves fearlessly into the reprehensible
legacy of prewar Germany: eugenics, and the
extermination of those considered subhu-
man or undesirable.
Opening with the notorious exhibition
of so-called Degenerate Art organized by
the Nazis in 1937, the film tells the parallel
stories of a doctor involved in “cleansing”
allegedly racially inferior people, and of a
young boy who is fascinated by art. That
child later comes of age amid the chaos of
postwar German partition: as a man in the
DDR, Kurt (Tom Schilling) has a job creat-
ing propaganda billboards while pining to be
an artist. Meanwhile, the doctor, Seeband
(Sebastian Koch, in a perfectly clipped and
chilling performance) is captured by the
Soviets and interrogated for his role in the
Nazi eugenics program.
The way the fates of these two men inter-
twine becomes the dramatic focus of von
Donnersmarck’s remarkable reflection on
the two sides of East Germany’s political
and ideological past. Kurt enters art school,
where social realism is the only accepted
form, but longs to express himself freely.
Seeband, formerly an agent of fascism,
manages to adapt and prosper in the new
communist state, but his past will return to
haunt him. Never Look Away is both a his-
torical epic and an intimate tragedy about
misdirected ambition, and the voyage of an
artist trying to discover his voice.
PIERS HANDLING
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
was born in Cologne. He studied
at Oxford and at the University
of Television and Film (HFF) in
Munich. His films include the shorts
Dobermann (99), The Templar (02),
his debut feature The Lives of Others
(06), which screened at TIFF and won
the Academy Award for Best Foreign
Language Film, The Tourist (10), and
Never Look Away (18).

152 special presentation

La Quietud
The Quietude
Pablo Trapero
ARGENTINA, 2018
Spanish
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
120 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Matanza Cine SRL/Telefe
(Television Federal S.A.)
Executive Producer: Alejandro Cacetta
Producer: Pablo Trapero, Alex Kuschevatzy
Screenplay: Pablo Trapero
Cinematographer: Diego Dussuel
Animator: Julian Giuliarelli
Editor: Alejandro Brodersohn, Pablo Trapero
Production Designer: Cristina Nigro
Sound: Federico Esquerro
Music: Papamusic
Principal Cast: Martina Gusman, Bérenice Bejo,
Edgar Ramírez, Joaquín Furriel, Graciela Borges
Production: Matanza Cine SRL
Av Forest 326 4ºA , CABA
Buenos Aires 1427 Argentina
recepcion@matanzacine.com.ar
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Columbia Pictures
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
US Sales Agent: Columbia Pictures
(see page 359)
Argentine auteur Pablo Trapero follows up
his international sensation The Clan (TIFF
’15) with an equally bewitching but very
different breed of family drama. Featuring
Trapero regular (and spouse) Martina
Gusman, Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo (The
Artist) and Golden Globe nominee Edgar
Ramírez (Carlos), La Quietud invites us to
a family gathering that will prove to be any-
thing but tranquil.
Sisters Mia (Gusman) and Eugenia (Bejo)
have spent much of their adult lives living on
different continents, yet they retain a rare,
almost disconcerting, intimacy. When their
father suffers a stroke and slips into a coma,
Eugenia leaves her Paris home and returns
to La Quietud, the family finca in rural
Argentina where Mia still resides with their
mother, Esmeralda (La Ciénaga’s inimitable
Graciela Borges).
The alarm caused by their father’s afflic-
tion is alleviated by the announcement that
Eugenia is pregnant, yet tensions shadow the
reunion nonetheless. Mia and Esmeralda get
into heated arguments over seemingly petty
matters, family business matters demand
attention, and both sisters re-entangle them-
selves in dormant love affairs. The façade of
quietude won’t be sustained.
La Quietud chronicles a collision of old
grievances and long-held secrets. Trapero’s
kinetic visual flair is in full effect, weaving
elaborate camera choreography, arresting
overhead shots, and revealing close-ups into
a captivating whole. Above all, the film is a
remarkable portrait of the sort of love that
can only bloom between sisters. Mia and
Eugenia see in each other a mirror reflect-
ing all they possess, all they lack, and all they
have to share.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Pablo Trapero was born in San Justo,
Argentina and studied filmmaking at
the Universidad del Cine in Buenos
Aires. He wrote, directed, and edited
the shorts Mocoso Malcriado (93)
and Negocios (95). Many of his
features have played the Festival,
including his debut, Crane World
(99), El bonaerense (02), Rolling
Family (04), Born and Bred (06),
Lion’s Den (08), Carancho (10), The
Clan (15), and La Quietud (18).
special presentation 153
White Boy Rick
Yann Demange
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
110 minutes | Colour
Production Company: Studio 8/Columbia Pictures
Executive Producer: Georgia Kacandes, Matthew Krul,
Ari Handel, Michael J. Weiss, Christopher Mallick,
Logan Miller, Noah Miller
Producer: John Lesher, Julie Yorn, Scott Franklin,
Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay: Andy Weiss, Logan Miller, Noah Miller
Cinematographer: Tat Radcliffe
Editor: Chris Wyatt
Production Designer: Stefania Cella
Sound: Willie D. Burton, Christopher Aud, Michael Barry,
Jeremy Peirson, Aaron Glascock
Music: Max Richter
Principal Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt,
Bel Powley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brian Tyree Henry,
Rory Cochrane, RJ Cyler, Jonathan Majors,
Eddie Marsan, Bruce Dern, Piper Laurie
Production: Studio 8
10202 West Washington Blvd
Culver City, California 90232 USA
legal@studio8.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
(see page 359)
Set in a depressed 1980s Detroit, in an
America embarking on a war against drugs,
White Boy Rick follows the true story of
Ricky Wershe Jr. (Richie Merritt), a teen-
aged drug informant turned dealer, moving,
and sometimes fumbling, between both
sides of the law.
In the Wershe’s blue-collar home, Richard
Sr. (Matthew McConaughey) dreams of open-
ing a chain of video stores, but makes his
living as a licenced gun dealer — with a side
business manufacturing illegal silencers.
His affable son, Rick Jr., shares his entre-
preneurial spirit. Tasked with selling guns
to local drug dealers, Rick Jr. gets a taste for
their lifestyle as he parties and rubs elbows
with notorious figures on both sides of the
law. But when federal agents (Jennifer
Jason Leigh and Rory Cochrane) get a hold
of him, he is forced into a risky web of lies
and deceit. Though not ignorant of the dam-
age drugs can cause — his own sister (Bel
Powley) is lost in a spiral of addiction — Rick
Jr. fails to fully comprehend the danger that
surrounds him. In Detroit in the late 20th
century you’re better off murdering someone
than being caught with a gram of cocaine.
Yann Demange (’71, TIFF ’14) flexes his
directorial muscles in his second feature.
With a Scorsese-esque sensibility and a
killer soundtrack, and featuring a break-
through performance by Merritt as the lead,
White Boy Rick is an affecting and intelligent
cautionary tale about the consequences of
people and governments seeking simple
solutions to complex problems. Though he
was never going to win a father-of-the-year
award, Wershe Sr. always had his son’s best
interests at heart. The same cannot always
be said about the state for its people.
KERRI CRADDOCK
Yann Demange was born in Paris,
raised in London, and graduated
from both the London College of
Communication and the National
Film and Television School. His
credits as director include the tele-
vision shows Secret Diary of a Call
Girl (07) and Top Boy (11), and the
feature film ’71 (14), which screened
at the Festival. White Boy Rick (18) is
his latest film.

154 special presentation

Føniks
When Jill (Ylva Thedin Bjørkaas), the Jill’s teenaged resilience and resourceful-
Phoenix heroine of Camilla Strøm Henriksen’s star- ness is on full display in Phoenix but there
tling Phoenix, arrives home from school, she are also signs of the cost of being forced to
Camilla Strøm Henriksen calls out tentatively for her mother. She slips grow up too quickly. Jill has been left alone
NORWAY/SWEDEN, 2018 quietly around the family’s spacious yet dark so long that she hangs onto the last vestiges
Norwegian, Swedish
WORLD PREMIERE
apartment, laid out like a vampire’s lair with of her childhood like her life depended on
86 minutes every piece of furniture as far from the light it. Heartbreaking and courageous, Phoenix
Production Company: Hummelfilm
as possible. Relieved to find her mother is a powerful debut establishing its director
Executive Producer: David Yates, Paulina Rider Wilhemsen Astrid (Maria Bonnevie) asleep, Jill swiftly as one to watch.
Producer: Gudny Hummelvoll goes to work dumping the half-empty bottles STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Screenplay: Camilla Strøm Henriksen
Cinematographer: Ragna Jorming
of booze littered around the bedroom.
Editor: Sverrir Kristjansson Stylized to capture Jill’s plaintive world Camilla Strøm Henriksen was
Production Designer: Eva Norén view and the all-too-real monstrous threats born in Oslo and studied directing
Sound: Bent Holm at the London Film School. She has
Music: Patrik Andrén, Johan Söderqvist
lurking in dark corners, Phoenix fearlessly appeared on and directed numer-
Principal Cast: Sverrir Gudnason, Maria Bonnevie, charts the horrors of living with a parent ous Norwegian television shows. As
Ylva Thedin Bjørkaas, Casper Falck-Løvås suffering from mental illness exacerbated a filmmaker, she has directed the
Production: Hummelfilm by substance abuse.  The roles of mother short film Lace (04). Phoenix (18) is
her first feature.
Nedre gate 7 and daughter have long been reversed, with
Oslo 0553 Norway
gudny@hummelfilm.no
Jill left to look after her mother and bolster
her flagging spirits as well as ensure her
CONTACT INFORMATION younger brother Bo avoids the woman’s TIFF Next Wave
International Sales Agent: Hummelfilm
unpredictable wrath. Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

When Astrid’s depression gets the better

young voices in today’s fast-moving world.

of her, Jill is forced to cover things up in This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers by
the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
order to keep the family together. But there
may be light at the end of the tunnel:  an
impending visit from their musician father,
Nils (Sverrir Gudnason from last year’s Borg
vs. McEnroe, which played the Festival), who
could easily whisk them away.

discovery 207
Posledice
A hard-hitting emotional portrayal of teen- Inspired by the director’s own experi-
Consequences age angst and fragile burgeoning masculinity, ence as a correctional facility teacher,
Consequences — Darko Štante’s full-length Consequences pulsates with raw authenticity
Darko Štante debut — is also the first feature film by a and muscular emotionality, driven by strong
SLOVENIA/AUSTRIA, 2018 Slovenian filmmaker to play the Festival in acting from Zemljič and an impressive cast
Slovenian almost 10 years. Centred on a powerhouse of non-professionals. Štante’s film never
WORLD PREMIERE
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
performance from charismatic newcomer sinks into the cliché trappings of at-risk
Matej Zemljič, the film takes an unflinching youth films, offering instead a fresh, original
Production Company: Temporama/Zwinger Film/
NuFrame/100
look at the raw impulses of adolescence and take on the genre. Its emotional resonance
Producer: Jerca Jerič, Andraž Jerič the insecurity that lies beneath. will linger long after the credits roll.
Screenplay: Darko Štante Troubled Andrej has reached the end of DIMITRI EIPIDES
Cinematographer: Rok Kajzer Nagode
Editor: Sara Gjergek
adolescence and of his parents’ patience.
Production Designer: Špela Kropušek He is summoned before a court judge for Darko Štante was born in Ljubljana,
Sound: Julij Zornik his anger, violence, and deceit. Sentenced, Slovenia. He is currently pursuing a
Principal Cast: Matej Zemljič, Timon Šturbej, master’s degree in film directing at
Gašper Markun, Rosana Hribar, Blaž Setnikar,
with the approval of his exasperated the Ljubljana Academy of Theatre,
Lovro Zafred, Lea Cok parents, to attend a youth detention cen- Radio, Film and Television. His work
Production: Temporama
tre, the handsome and muscular teen is includes the shorts Intimacy (11) and
Litostrojska 17 thrown into the correctional facility’s They (14). Consequences (18) is his
debut feature.
Ljubljana 1000 Slovenia intimidating and testosterone-fuelled hier-
andraz@temporama.si
archy. Standing strong against its violent
CONTACT INFORMATION initiations, Andrej finds his anchor of
International Sales Agent: WIDE approval and companionship in Željko, the
(see page 359)
aggressive leader of the centre’s gang, which
he soon joins in a carefree spiral of sex,
drugs, and violence. Yet Andrej’s tough pos-
turing belies an intimate fragility. Revealing
this would unravel everything around him.

discovery 193
 OCTOBER 17-21, 2018
MADE BY WOMEN, St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador
FOR EVERYONE womensfilmfestival.com
Fiore Gemello
With her deeply expressive second feature, playing imaginary soccer in an abandoned
Twin Flower director Laura Luchetti is determined field, or Anna finding solace working in
above all to tell her story visually, using a flower shop.
Laura Luchetti dialogue sparingly. From the first shots Inevitably, the past rears its ugly head,
ITALY, 2018 of a teenage girl running desperately from a and the way this couple confronts their
Italian, French, Baulè
WORLD PREMIERE
traumatic event that we do not see, Luchetti demons provides Fiore Gemello with its
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) uses only her camera to tell as much of narrative power.
Production Company: Picture Show/Donkadillo/
the story as she can. PIERS HANDLING
Rai Cinema/MiBACT/Foundazione Sardegna Film The girl, Anna, is 16 years old and
Commission/Regione Lazio Fondo Regionale per il highly vulnerable as she travels the sun- Laura Luchetti is from Rome. She
Cinema
Producer: Giuseppe Gallo
baked roads of Sardinia. But when she wrote and directed a segment of the
omnibus film Feisbum (09) before
Screenplay: Laura Luchetti meets Basim, also 16 and also troubled, making her feature directorial debut
Cinematographer: Ferran Rubio Paredes she begins to feel the safety that companion- with Hayfever (10). Her other films
Editor: Paola Freddi
Production Designer: Francesca Melis, Cinzia Lo Fazio
ship provides. include the short Bagni (16) and her
Sound: Piergiuseppe Fancellu, Andrea Viali, Fiore Gemello recounts the couple’s latest feature, Fiore Gemello (18).
Biagio Gurrieri adventures with great sensitivity and ten-
Music: Francesco Cerasi
Principal Cast: Anastasyia Bogach, Kalill Kone,
derness. Basim and Anna need each other:
Aniello Arena, Mauro Addis, Fausto Verginelli, a refugee from West Africa, he wants to
Giorgio Colangeli make his way to the north of Europe. Anna
Production: Picture Show requires protection from the man who will
Via Luca Domenico Capozi, 48 chase her down to keep his secret from
Rome 00132 Italy
info@pictureshow.it
becoming public. Along the way, the two
of them dip in and out of contact with the
CONTACT INFORMATION world, hiding away, trying to construct a new
International Sales Agent: Fandango
(see page 359)
life together despite having been brought
together by forces beyond their control.
This is a film of small and quietly observed
moments that create an atmosphere punctu-
ated by a sense of loss, whether it is Basim

discovery 195
Touch Me Not
Adina Pintilie
ROMANIA/GERMANY/CZECH REPUBLIC/
BULGARIA/FRANCE, 2018
English
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
125 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Manekino Film, Rohfilm
Productions, Les Films de L’Etranger, Agitprop, Pink
Producer: Bianca Oana, Philippe Avril, Adina Pintilie
Screenplay: Adina Pintilie
Cinematographer: George Chiper-Lillemark
Editor: Adina Pintilie
Production Designer: Adrian Cristea
Sound: Veselin Zografov, Dominik Dolejší
Music: Einstürzende Neubauten, Ivo Paunov
Principal Cast: Laura Benson, Tómas Lemarquis,
Christian Bayerlein, Grit Uhlemann, Adina Pintilie,
Hanna Hofmann, Seani Love, Irmena Chichikova,
Rainer Steffen, Georgi Naldzhiev, Dirk Lange,
Anett Sawallisch
Production: Manekino Film
Iulia Hasdeu Str. No 7, Sector 1
Bucharest 010835 Romania
office@manekinofilm.ro
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Kino Lorber
US Distributor: Kino Lorber
International Sales Agent: Doc & Film International
(see page 359)
196 discovery
Moving seamlessly between erotic clubs Feature, Touch Me Not is, for those brave
and closed-door reflections, Touch Me Not enough to engage with desire, an exhilarat-
is a self-assured journey into the intimate ing plunge into the endless possibilities of
lives of Laura, Tómas, Christian, and Grit. the human body and mind.
Opening windows into a world of those who DIMITRI EIPIDES
dare to break with social conventions and
access the hidden aspects of their sexuality, Adina Pintilie was born in Bucharest,
the film revels in a space where anyone —no where she studied at the Ion Luca
Caragiale National University of
matter the obstacle — has the possibility of Theatre and Film. Her work includes
touching their inner rebel. the documentary Don’t Get Me Wrong
In what feels like galaxies beyond the (07) and the short documentary
sexual revolution of the 1960s, Touch Me Oxigen (10). Her debut feature film,
Touch Me Not (18), won the Golden
Not invites us to start as a tabula rasa and Bear at the Berlin International
transcend all previously imagined limits. To Film Festival.
call the film body positive and brave would
be an understatement: it is a tour de force,
a supernova of identity. Within protective
spaces that are entirely free of judgment,
Adina Pintilie and her protagonists explore
new perspectives on human relationships,
and we, as viewers, are challenged to ques-
tion our own self-knowledge and continue
our journey of self-discovery beyond the
cinema in our everyday lives.
A shattering exploration of the fine line
between fiction and reality, Pintilie’s feature
debut is a studied, elaborate, and unsettlingly
daring dialogue with the inner self. Winner
of the Berlinale Golden Bear and Best First
Rooz-haye Narenji
Orange Days
Arash Lahooti
IRAN, 2018
Farsi
WORLD PREMIERE
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Executive Producer: Shahnam Shahbaz Zadeh
Producer: Alireza Ghasemkhan
Screenplay: Arash Lahooti, Jamileh Darolshafaie
Cinematographer: Farshad Mohammadi
Editor: Mehdi Hosseinvand
Production Designer: Fazel Jian
Sound: Bahman Ardalan, Hassan Shabankarech
Music: Christoph Rezaie
Principal Cast: Hadieh Tehrani, Ali Mosaffa,
Mehran Ahmadi, Alireza Ostadi, Zhila Shahi,
Sadaf Asgari, Roya Hosseni, Amin Golestaneh,
Akram Alamdar, Leili Farhadpour
Production: Alireza Ghasemkhan
PO Box 15875-4769
Tehran 15875 Iran
shahnam1355@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Iranian Independents
(see page 359)
This empowering story of self-sacrifice and
a riveting fight against the odds takes place
in northern Tehran. Arash Lahooti’s Orange
Days showcases an inspiring performance
from Hadieh Tehrani as a woman struggling
to prove her worth in a man’s world.
Aban, an overworked contractor in her
forties, is dead set on outbidding her male
competitor Kazem to harvest, with her
crew of seasonal female workers, the largest
orange orchard in the region. Tough as nails
and proudly self-sufficient, she wins the ten-
der by going so far as to put up her house as
collateral. But she soon finds herself doing
damage control when it feels like the entire
operation is being sabotaged at every step
of the way. First, unpaid workers threaten
to go on strike. Then a mysterious break-in
robs her of the first harvest. On top of that,
her distracted husband (Ali Mosaffa) seems
no longer willing to recognize her efforts in
maintaining their household. With every-
thing unravelling, Aban will have to give
up her shielded stoicism and her illusion
of control and put her faith in the goodwill
of providence.
Working from a finely tuned script
co-written with Jamileh Darolshafaie,
Lahooti crafts a portrait of pithy endur-
ance, visible in every assured gesture of
Tehrani’s performance. Standing shoul-
der to shoulder with the finest works of
cinema from Iran’s established auteurs,
Orange Days is an absorbing drama
inspiring us to battle through life’s chal-
lenges without losing track of our loved ones
or ourselves.
DIMITRI EIPIDES
Arash Lahooti was born in Tehran.
He studied film editing at the
Applied Science College in Yazd,
Iran. He is the director of documen-
tary features Trucker and the Fox
(13), Hero and the Cloak (15), and
Pale Blue (16). Orange Days (18) is
his first narrative feature film.
discovery 197
El viaje extraordinario
A compassionate and candid woman
de Celeste García with an endless curiosity for life, Celeste
The Extraordinary Journey (Maria Isabel Diaz) is a retired and widowed
teacher living a tranquil, unadventurous
of Celeste Garcia existence in Havana. Her part-time job
at the planetarium keeps her busy, but
Arturo Infante she goes home to a careless adult son who
CUBA/GERMANY, 2018 ignores her, and her selfish sister visits
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
only when she is looking for something.
92 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) One day, the government announces the
abandoned high school where the chosen
few are forced to bunk together in squalid
conditions as they await transportation to
another world, she makes new friends and
even ignites a romance.
Melding humour, absurdity, and politi-
cal commentary, Arturo Infante’s film
poignantly questions how many light years
one should traverse to find happiness.
DIANA SANCHEZ

Production Company: Producciones de la 5ta Avenida/

FassB Filmproduktion Gmbh & Co.KG/
Match Factory Productions
Producer: Claudia Calvino, Ernst Fassbender
Screenplay: Arturo Infante
Cinematographer: Javier Labrador
Editor: Joanna Montero
Production Designer: Alain Ortiz
Sound: Daniel “Gato” Garcés Najar
Music: Magda Rosa Galbán, Juan Antonio Leyva
Principal Cast: Maria Isabel Díaz, Omar Franco,
Néstor Jiménez, Yerlin Pérez
Production: Producciones de la 5ta Avenida
Calle i # 456 e/ 21 & 23
Havana 00 Cuba
personal@la5taavenida.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory
(see page 359)
surprising news that aliens have been living
on Earth and that these unusual guests are Arturo Infante was born in Cuba.
now returning the favour by inviting humans He studied screenwriting at the
International School of Cinema
to their world. Celeste had always thought and Television of San Antonio de
that her “Russian” neighbour Pauline was Los Baños. He is the director of the
eccentric — she now realizes her friend was short films El televisor (01), El Intruso
truly from another planet. While people rush (05), Flash Forward (06), and Gozar,
comer y partir (07). The Extraordinary
to put their names forward to be selected Journey of Celeste Garcia (18) is his
in an extraterrestrial lottery, Celeste first feature film.
discovers that Pauline has left her a
personal invitation. To everyone’s surprise,
she agrees to accept.
And thus begins the hilarious, tongue-in-
cheek feature debut by Cuban filmmaker
Arturo Infante. The Extraordinary Journey
of Celeste Garcia follows Celeste as she
prepares for her intergalactic trip while
playfully reflecting on contemporary
Cuban society. As she travels by train to an

198 discovery
Teret
One of the most critically lauded films A testament to Glavonić’s assured dir-
The Load to premiere at Cannes this year, Ognjen ection, The Load’s performances resonate
Glavonić’s fiction debut is a remarkable loudly within the governing quietude that
Ognjen Glavonić follow-up to his award-winning 2016 docu- guides its contemplative rhythm. Blending
SERBIA/FRANCE/CROATIA/IRAN/QATAR, 2018 mentary, Depth Two. Displaying a beguiling the suspense of Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear
Serbian atmosphere, impressive formal control, and with his own essayistic consideration of nar-
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
98 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
multi-layered thematic investigation of war rative and formal architecture, Glavonić has
and the historical scars it inflicts on people composed an empathetic requiem for his
Production Company: Non-Aligned Films/
Cinéma Defacto/Kinorama/Three Gardens Film
and places, The Load announces the arrival generation’s inheritance of — and reconcili-
Producer: Ognjen Glavonić, Stefan Ivančić, Sophie Erbs, of an auteur. ation with — history’s wounds of war.
Dragana Jovović The setting is Kosovo during the 1999 DIMITRI EIPIDES
Screenplay: Ognjen Glavonić
Cinematographer: Tatjana Krstevski
NATO bombing. Grizzled Vlada (Leon
Editor: Jelena Maksimović Lučev), a compassionate but taciturn fam- Ognjen Glavonić was born in the for-
Production Designer: Zorana Petrov ily man, is dropped off in the middle of a mer Yugoslavia. He has directed the
Sound: Jakov Munižaba, Gilles Bénardeau short films Zivan Pujic Jimmy (09)
Principal Cast: Ivan Lučev, Leon Lučev, Pavle Čemerikić,
no-man’s land with brief and strict instruc- and Rhythm Guitar, Back Vocals (10).
Tamara Krcunović tions: he is to drive a truck of undisclosed His documentary features include
Production: Non-Aligned Films
cargo under lock and key across to Belgrade, Zivan Makes a Punk Festival (14) and
Valjevska 8 without stopping or drawing any attention. Depth Two (16). The Load (18) is his
narrative feature debut.
Pancevo 26000 Serbia Setting off across an apocalyptic, war-torn
info@nonalignedfilms.com
landscape, Vlada’s journey will take us on
CONTACT INFORMATION a winding narrative marked by digressive
US Distributor: Grasshopper Film stopovers where individual stories, lost
International Sales Agent: New Europe Film Sales
(see page 359)
family heirlooms, and national monu-
ments portray a country fractured by war
and complicity.
Anchored to Lučev’s Vlada, a modern-day
Charon, we move through the expressionis-
tic geography detailed by Tatjana Krstevski’s
visually claustrophobic cinematography.

discovery 199
Tel Aviv on Fire
Sameh Zoabi
LUXEMBOURG/FRANCE/ISRAEL/BELGIUM,
2018
Arabic, Hebrew
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Samsa Film/TS Productions/
Lama Films/Artémis Productions
Screenplay: Sameh Zoabi, Dan Kleinman
Cinematographer: Laurent Brunet
Editor: Catherine Schwartz
Production Designer: Christina Schaffer
Sound: Alain Sironval, Pia Dumont, David Gillain
Music: André Dziezuk
Principal Cast: Lubna Azabal, Kais Nashef,
Maisa Abd Elhadi, Yaniv Biton
Production: Samsa Film
238C, rue de Luxembourg,
Bertrange L-8077 Luxembourg
samsa@samsa.lu
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Indie Sales
(see page 359)
200 discovery
One of the most irreverent cinematic spins Zoabi’s ingenious satire exudes a deadpan
on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the latest audacity that’s hard to resist, while Nashef’s
from writer-director Sameh Zoabi follows a outwardly unflappable middleman grounds
fledging soap-opera scenarist charged with this battle of ideologies in comic pragma-
concocting plot twists to suit viewers on tism. I don’t imagine films like this can
both sides. bring peace to the Middle East, but making
A slacker sliding into middle age with little everyone laugh at the same thing feels like a
to show for it, Salam (Kais Nashef ) lands a step in the right direction.
production-assistant gig on Tel Aviv on Fire, JANE SCHOETTLE
a popular Palestinian evening soap for which
his uncle is showrunner. A banal, offhand Sameh Zoabi was born in Iksal,
remark made during a shoot puts Salam in Israel. He studied film at Tel Aviv
University and Columbia University,
hot water with the show’s head writer but New York. His directorial credits
curries favour with its star (Lubna Azabal), include Man Without a Cell Phone
a French diva who barely speaks Arabic. (10), Family Albums (12), and Under
It’s only Salam’s first day and he already the Same Sun (13). Tel Aviv on Fire
(18) is his latest film.
gets promoted.
Yet just as Salam’s prospects rise, he has
a fateful encounter with Assi (Yaniv Biton),
an Israeli military officer at the Ramallah
checkpoint. During his interrogation of
Salam — who must cross daily to get between
home and work — Assi sees an opportunity
to influence Tel Aviv on Fire, which in his
mind is far too unflattering to its Israeli
characters. Salam has just begun life as a
writer and he’s already forced to compro-
mise his integrity — while the entire country
watches flabbergasted.
The Dig
Winner of Best Irish Feature at the 2018
Andy Tohill, Ryan Tohill Galway Film Fleadh, Andy and Ryan Tohill’s
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 feature directorial debut is a gripping thriller
English in which a terrible crime committed long ago
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE takes a painfully circuitous route to resolu-
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
tion. Finely scripted by Stuart Drennan, The
Production Company: Out of Orbit Dig surveys lives stalled by grief and trauma
Executive Producer: Andrew Reid, Kathleen Ying McKinley
Producer: Brian J. Falconer — and dark secrets hidden where almost no
Screenplay: Stuart Drennan one can find them.
Cinematographer: Angus Mitchell After serving 15 years in prison for mur-
Editor: Helen Sheridan
Production Designer: Ashleigh Jeffers der, Ronan Callahan (Moe Dunford) returns
Sound: Chris Woodcock to his rural Northern Ireland home to find his
Music: James Everett property dotted with flags and pockmarked
Principal Cast: Moe Dunford, Emily Taaffe, Francis Magee,
Lorcan Cranitch with excavations. Sean (Lorcan Cranitch),
the father of Ronan’s victim, has spent the
Production: Out of Orbit
51 Malone Rd. years since his daughter’s disappearance
Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 6RY United Kingdom digging relentlessly in search of her remains.
brian@outoforbit.tv Ronan’s reappearance reopens wounds
for his victim’s family, but there is the hope
he might at least bring them some peace by
revealing where the body was buried. The
problem is that Ronan was drunk on the
night of the crime and remembers nothing
about it. Has he repressed those memories?
Or is there a more troubling reason for his
lack of recall?
With its handheld camerawork giving
the proceedings a sense of urgency and the
striking locations evoking lives tethered to
the soil, The Dig draws us in with narrative
momentum and a sense of place. Yet the
film may have no greater asset than the ver-
satile Dunford, who starred in The Lodgers,
which screened at last year’s Festival, and
also appears in two other films at this year’s
Festival, Rosie and Black 47. The Dig’s sus-
pense and depth relies on Dunford, who
delivers in spades with a performance so
perfectly graded as to hold our emotions cap-
tive until the film’s final, poignant moments.
MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Andy Tohill was born in Belfast. He
has edited short films, television, and
feature documentaries. Alongside his
frequent collaborator and brother
Ryan Tohill, he has directed the short
films Eye-Line (12) and Insulin (15).
The Dig (18) is his first feature.
Ryan Tohill was born in Belfast and
worked in the art department for
television and film. Alongside his
frequent collaborator and brother
Andy Tohill, he has directed the short
films Eye-Line (12) and Insulin (15).
The Dig (18) is his first feature.
discovery 201
Her Job
A compassionate look at middle-aged each careful step alongside Panayiota,
Nikos Labôt emancipation and empowerment, Nikos watching her fidgety apprehension slowly
GREECE/FRANCE/SERBIA, 2018 Labôt’s feature debut follows the bloom morph into cheerful exaltation. Brimming
Greek of an Athenian housewife as she emerges with genuine encouragement, Her Job is a
WORLD PREMIERE from her domestic cocoon. beautiful commentary on the often isolating
90 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Thirty-seven-year-old Panayiota leads a aspects of domestic life, and the existence of
Production Company: Homemade Films/Sister quiet, modest life with her husband (a domi- our inner caterpillars, waiting to grow their
Productions/Sense production
Producer: Maria Drandaki neering presence who spends his meagre wings of independence.
Screenplay: Nikos Labôt, Katerina Kleitsioti unemployment income at gambling par- DIMITRI EIPIDES
Cinematographer: Dionysis Eftymiopoulos lours), her rebellious teenage daughter, and
Editor: Dounia Sichov
Sound: Benoît Gargonne, Jean-Guy Veran her sensitive younger son. Sacrificing and Nikos Labôt is a Greek filmmaker.
Music: ONNO servile (and nearly illiterate) Panayiota is He studied film directing in Athens.
His short films include Kinisi 0-0 (01),
Principal Cast: Marisha Triantafyllidou, Dimitris Imellos trapped within a domestic environment that Impro Walk (07), and The Dog (09).
Production: Homemade Films prevents her from achieving independence. He co-directed the feature documen-
14, Fratti St. One day, an opportunity for employment tary The Immortals at the Southern
Athens 11742 Greece
maria@homemadefilms.gr as a cleaner at a nearby mall stirs in her Point of Europe (13). Her Job (18) is
his first feature film.
the excitement of a new life. Eager but
CONTACT INFORMATION introverted, she quickly becomes a model
International Sales Agent: Jour2Fête
(see page 359) employee, gains financial independence, and
expands her social life beyond the walls of
her apartment. Back home, the family looks
on with respect at Panayiota’s blossoming
freedom. Yet her newly gained autonomy
stands to be prematurely pruned by a series
of layoffs at work.
With a finely crafted script and a touch-
ing performance by Marisha Triantafyllidou,
Labôt constructs a compassionate story of
self-determination and discovery. We take

202 discovery
Light as Feathers
Rosanne Pel
NETHERLANDS, 2018
Polish
WORLD PREMIERE
85 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Family Affair Films
Producer: Floor Onrust
Screenplay: Rosanne Pel
Cinematographer: Aafke Beernink
Editor: Xander Nijsten
Sound: Mark Glynn
Principal Cast: Eryk Walny, Ewa Makula,
Klaudia Przybylska
Production: Family Affair Films
Entrepotdok 77a
Amsterdam 1018 AD Netherlands
floor@familyaffairfilms.nl
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Wide
(see page 359)
Sometimes adolescence is so fraught and
fleeting it gives you whiplash. You’ve barely
stumbled out of childish innocence when
one wrong turn catapults you into the terra
incognita of adulthood. Writer-director
Roseanne Pel’s feature debut captures
the confusion of those dizzying transi-
tional years with unusual sensitivity and
startling acuteness.
Eryk (Eryk Walny) lives with his mother
and grandmother in a Polish village. He’s
a big, handsome boy, likeable and naïve —
imagine Harry Styles as a linebacker. His
mother Ewa (Ewa Makula) barely seems
his elder; in fact, the two are sometimes
mistaken for lovers and they share an
alarming codependency underscored by
jealousy and proprietary feelings. Yet Eryk is
secretly trysting with his neighbour Klaudia
(Klaudia Przybylska), whom he treats with
both tenderness and brutality, as though he
doesn’t know the difference.
Shot over several years, Light as Feathers
eschews the compression of high drama in
favour of smaller events that unfold over
time. We see Eryk goof around with his
buddies, quarrel with his family, work at a
goose farm, and struggle to forge a serious
relationship with Klaudia, who is younger
and rightfully apprehensive when con-
fronted with Eryk’s fumbling attempts at
emotional connection.
It’s painfully clear that Eryk lacks a
positive male role model. When he asks his
mother what his father was like, she simply
placates him, telling him he’s the only man
she loves. Yet as the film proceeds there is
the suggestion that, in spite of his father’s
absence, Eryk is following in his footsteps.
Only in the final moments do we sense the
possibility that this confused young man will
learn to walk on his own.
MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Rosanne Pel received her master’s
degree at the Netherlands Film
Academy. She has directed the short
films UIt Zicht (09), Newroz (10), and
Heraut (11). Light as Feathers (18) is
her feature debut.
discovery 203
Kraben Rahu
Dedicated to the Rohingya refugees who have watch and his debut feature tells a com-
Manta Ray perished at sea or were found dead in mass plex story of friendship with minimalistic
graves, Manta Ray ponders the concepts of ease. Images of great beauty accompany
Phuttiphong Aroonpheng identity and foreignness, and the reluctance the concise dialogue of a simple script that
THAILAND/FRANCE/CHINA, 2018 to welcome “strangers” into our lives. perfectly embraces the narrative style of this
Thai Nobi (Wanlop Rungkumjad), a fisherman jewel-like film.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
105 minutes | Colour and Black and White/
living near a coastal village in Thailand, col- GIOVANNA FULVI
DCP (D-Cinema) lects stones from the forest to help him catch
Production Company: Diversion/Les Films de l’Etranger
giant manta rays. A tangled mess of roots, Phuttiphong Aroonpheng was born
Producer: Mai Meksawan, Philippe Avril branches, and vines glimmering with twin- in Thailand and graduated with a
degree in fine arts from Silpakorn
Screenplay: Phuttiphong Aroonpheng kling lights, the forest, its surface covered in University. His short films include
Cinematographer: Nawarophaat Rungphiboonsophit
Editor: Lee Chatametikool
fallen leaves, hides not only the shiny rocks, Going to the Sea (06), The Most
Production Designer: Sarawut Karwnamyen but also human bodies, buried in haste. The Beautiful Man in the World (07), A Tale
Sound: Chalermrat Kaweewattana, Arnaud Rolland, “mute” (Aphisit Hama), is one of those bod- of Heaven (10), and Ferris Wheel (15).
Charles Bussienne Manta Ray (18) is his debut feature.
Music: Mathieu Gabry, Christine Ott
ies, except when Nobi finds him, he is alive,
Principal Cast: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, covered in mud, and severely injured. Nobi
Rasmee Wayrana takes him home, cares for him, and names
Production: Diversion him Thongchai, after a famous singer.
9/9 Soi Tiwanon 48, Tiwanon Road Nobi has difficulty communicating with
Nonthaburi 11000 Thailand
maimeksawan@gmail.com
the non-verbal Thongchai, but the two men
nevertheless grow fond of each other. When
CONTACT INFORMATION the fisherman suddenly disappears at sea,
International Sales Agent: Jour2Fête
(see page 359)
Thongchai anxiously looks for him around
town and on the fishing boats. Unable to find
him, he continues to live in Nobi’s house,
fishing in the way he had been taught. His
identity blurs into Nobi’s until one day he’s
surprised by an unexpected visitor.
Phuttiphong Aroonpheng is a talent to

204 discovery
Kazenoki Wa Koto
No Youni An illegal Chinese immigrant, living on A rare China-Japan co-production,
the margins in Japan, decides one day to Complicity is a precious marvel. This first
Complicity adopt someone else’s name in order to feature from Chikaura, whose similarly
survive. Touching on issues of identity and themed short Signature screened at the
Kei Chikaura human interaction, Complicity is an accom- Festival in 2017, is a timely story of isolation,
JAPAN/CHINA, 2018 plished and deeply moving debut for director trust, friendship, and resistance against fear.
Japanese, Mandarin Kei Chikaura. GIOVANNA FULVI
WORLD PREMIERE Chen Liang (Lu Yulai) has left his native
116 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Henan where he lived with his ill mother Kei Chikaura is a Japanese-born,
Production Company: Creatps Inc./Mystigri Pictures and elderly grandmother. Wanting to pur- German-based filmmaker. He has
Executive Producer: Kei Chikaura, Luan Jinxin, Ding Jie directed the short films Empty House
Producer: Kei Chikaura, Hu Wei sue a new life away from his responsibilities (13), The Lasting Persimmon (15),
Screenplay: Kei Chikaura and family pressures to have a respect- and the Festival selection Signature
Cinematographer: Yutaka Yamazaki able career, he decides to move to Japan. (17). Complicity (18) is his debut
Editor: Kei Chikaura
Production Designer: Kyoko Heya However, settling down in a new place isn’t feature film.

Sound: Yutaka Tsurumaki as easy as he thought.

Principal Cast: Lu Yulai, Tatsuya Fuji, Sayo Akasaka, For Liang, beginning this new chapter
Kio Matsumoto
means experiencing the hardships that can
Production: Creatps Inc. come with being an illegal immigrant. Just
1-27-4 Ebisunishi
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 1500021 Japan getting a fake ID and a phone cost him a
cinema@creatps.co.jp fortune, so when he unexpectedly receives
a call about a job, he accepts without hesita-
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: MPM Premium tion — even though the call was intended for
(see page 359) someone else. To his surprise, the offer is for
a traditional Japanese soba restaurant. As he
becomes the pupil of an elderly master chef
(the legendary Tatsuya Fuji, In the Realm of
the Senses), the ancient trade and the spirit
of soba seep into Liang’s everyday life. What
will he lose if his secret is revealed?

discovery 205
Jirga
Writer-director Benjamin Gilmour and While this story of a former soldier
Benjamin Gilmour Australian actor Sam Smith have created returning to the scene of his past battles is
AUSTRALIA, 2018 one of the most enthralling films of the year deeply felt, another engaging and important
Pashto, English with Jirga, shot in the starkly beautiful but aspect of the film is its insight into the rich
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE dangerous landscapes straddling Pakistan culture and traditions of Afghan Muslims.
78 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
and Afghanistan. Ultimately, Jirga is a film that rejects sim-
Production Company: Felix Media Mike (Smith), an Australian ex-soldier, plistic ideas about war, and embraces the
Executive Producer: Bridget Ikin, David Gross
Producer: John Maynard returns to Afghanistan in search of a civil- human search for forgiveness, redemption,
Screenplay: Benjamin Gilmour ian family that he knows he wronged three and mercy.
Cinematographer: Benjamin Gilmour years earlier. His journey from the bustling JANE SCHOETTLE
Editor: Nikki Stevens
Sound: Liam Egan streets of Kabul to the small village where he
Music: AJ True hopes to find the family is filled with delays, Benjamin Gilmour is based in
Principal Cast: Sam Smith detours, danger, and, some unexpected northern New South Wales. He is a
filmmaker, author, and paramedic.
Production: Felix Media respites of beauty and peace. Relentless in His feature films include Son of a Lion
Carriageworks 245 Wilson St. Eveleigh his quest for forgiveness, Mike ultimately (07), the documentary Paramedico
Sydney, NSW 2015 Australia
john@felixmedia.com.au puts his life in the hands of the village jus- (12), and Jirga (18).
tice system — the Jirga — accepting that the
decision of this tribal authority of elders will
be binding and irrevocable.
A simple yet elegantly-told tale with
remarkable emotional resonance, Jirga was
as gripping to make as it is to watch: Political
censorship resulted in lost funding, which
led to Gilmour and Smith deciding to scrape
the film together themselves with little
money in a highly charged environment,
casting real-life former Taliban members
and filming in the mountains of Jalalabad.

206 discovery
Homecoming
Based on the popular podcast, Homecoming (including a show-stopping performance
Sam Esmail, Eli Horowitz, follows a caseworker in a military reintegra- from Bobby Cannavale), as well as elegant
Micah Bloomberg tion facility as she prepares an endearing long takes and a quirky, often-dry sense of
veteran for his return to civilian life. In humour. Homecoming echoes the paranoia
USA, 2018
English her first episodic role, Julia Roberts (also of a Cold War mentality and resonates all too
WORLD PREMIERE at the Festival in Ben is Back) delivers a chillingly for the modern age.
120 minutes (4 episodes) | Colour/DCP 4K nuanced performance as the kind-hearted MICHAEL LERMAN
(D-Cinema)
Heidi Bergman, a therapist who wants to
Director: Sam Esmail take a holistic approach to the experimen- Sam Esmail was born in Hoboken, New Jersey. He studied
Production Company: Amazon Studios/
Universal Cable Productions tal treatment, much to the chagrin of her at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and received an MFA in
directing from the AFI Conservatory in LA. He is the direc-
Executive Producer: Chad Hamilton, Eli Horowitz, boss. Opposite her is Stephan James (2015 tor of the feature film Comet (14). He is also the creator
Micah Bloomberg, Sam Esmail, Julia Roberts, TIFF Rising Star, also in this year’s If Beale and showrunner of the television show Mr. Robot (15– ).
Chris Giliberti, Matt Lieber, Alex Blumberg, Lisa Gillan,
Marisa Yeres Gill Street Could Talk) as Walter Cruz, a gentle Homecoming (18– ) is his latest series.
Producer: John G. Lenic soldier whose trauma is constantly simmer-
Screenplay: Eli Horowitz, Micah Bloomberg ing under the surface. The two appear to be Eli Horowitz is a designer, podcaster, and editor. He is co-
Cinematographer: Tod Campbell
Editor: Roseanne Tan, Justin Krohn, Franklin Peterson making progress, but paranoia pervades for creator of Homecoming (18– ), based on his podcast of the
same name.
Production Designer: Anastasia White Walter and his compatriots as they roam the
Sound: Kevin Buchholz hollow corridors of the claustrophobic rehab
Music: Maggie Phillips
Principal Cast: Julia Roberts, Bobby Cannavale, centre, a place that may hold a few secrets Micah Bloomberg is a sound mixer, podcaster, and writer. He
is co-creator of Homecoming (18– ), based on his podcast
Stephan James, Shea Whigham, Alex Karpovsky, of its own. of the same name.
Sissy Spacek Leaning into noir, director Sam Esmail,
Guest Stars: Dermot Mulroney, Jeremy Allen White,
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hong Chau best known for creating Mr. Robot, faith-
fully adapts this mystery of the mind.
Production: Amazon Studios
1620 26th Street Juggling two time frames, signalled by
Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA different screen ratios, the show carries a
morgan.ressa@amazonstudios.com fragmented, eerie feel, always leaving you
CONTACT INFORMATION guessing which parts of the story are more
Canadian Distributor: Amazon Studios trustworthy than others. Esmail brings his
US Distributor: Amazon Studios
(see page 359) signature eccentric characters to the mix

220 primetime
Stockholm
When the dead body of a renowned econo- older demographic, Stockholm is, above all,
Daniel Syrkin mist is discovered in his apartment by his an endearing portrait of friendship in the
ISRAEL, 2018 four closest friends, the quartet is faced twilight years.
Hebrew with a difficult dilemma — what to do MICHAEL LERMAN
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE next. Stopping short of making funeral
160 minutes (4 episodes) | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema) arrangements, it suddenly occurs to the Daniel Syrkin was born in Moscow.
group that their friend was on the cusp of He graduated from Tel Aviv’s School
Director: Daniel Syrkin of Cinema. He is the co-creator of
Creator: Noa Yedlin winning the Nobel Prize. Determined to the television shows The Gordin Cell
Production Company: Artza Productions retain some integrity for their friend, while (12–15) and Mossad 101 (15– ), and
Executive Producer: Anat Koffler also gaining, by proxy, some notoriety for director of Stockholm (18– ).
Producer: Dafna Prenner, Shai Eines
Screenplay: Noa Yedlin, Esty Namdar themselves, they decide to keep the secret
Cinematographer: Ofer Inov for a few days. They close the blinds, blast
Editor: Michal Shaltial, Ronny Klimovsky the air conditioning, and start taking shifts
Production Designer: Neta Dror
Sound: Yuval Bar tending to the body. It’s not long before they
Music: Didi Erez find themselves staging fake phone calls and
Principal Cast: Sasson Gabai, Tiki Dayan, Gidi Gov, desperately looking for spare keys, all in the
Dov Glickman, Leora Rivlin
name of keeping their friend “alive.”
Production: Artza Productions Fluctuating between broad comedy and
47 Kibbutz Galuyot St.
Tel Aviv 6655033 Israel intelligent character drama, Stockholm is
info@artza.co.il a hilarious and touching miniseries about
lifelong bonds formed and the secrets
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Keshet International that have intertwined themselves inside
(see page 359) of them. Director Daniel Syrkin and his
accomplished cast, including award win-
ning actor Sasson Gabai (also at the Festival
in The Other Story), strike the perfect
balance in tone, lending chutzpah to the
comedy behind serious topics. Playing like
a Jewish version of The Big Chill for an

primetime 221
Sun Life Financial is proud to support the

Contemporary World
Cinema Programme
at the Toronto International Film Festival®

Life’s brighter under the sun

® Toronto International Film Festival Inc.,

used under license.
 Contemporary
World Cinema
Compelling stories, global perspectives.

sponsored by
Float Like a Butterfly
Set in the 1960s, this rousing tale of filial Butterfly offers both a universal story about
Carmel Winters love and personal freedom follows the for- a young person fulfilling their promise and a
IRELAND, 2018 tunes of a young Irish Traveller with a gift glimpse into a rarely seen milieu.
English for pugilism. Encouraged from a tender age With the verdant Irish countryside sur-
WORLD PREMIERE by her father’s affection for Muhammad rounding them and stirring folk hymns
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Ali, Frances (Hazel Doupe, who imbues her buoying their spirits, Frances and her fam-
Production Company: Samson Films/Port Pictures Ltd character with arresting self-possession) ily undertake an adventure that reminds us
Executive Producer: Lesley McKimm
Producer: Martina Niland, David Collins has the fire and discipline to be a great to fight for our dreams… while delivering a
Screenplay: Carmel Winters fighter — if only people could see past their knockout punch to useless stereotypes.
Cinematographer: Michael Lavelle narrow notions regarding her gender. MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Editor: Julian Ulrichs
Production Designer: Toma McCullim Frances was still little when her mother
Sound: Fiachra O’Hanlon died and her father, Michael (Dara Devaney), Carmel Winters was born in Cork.
Music: Stephen Warbeck was incarcerated. When Michael is released She studied drama and English at
Principal Cast: Hazel Doupe, Dara Devaney, Trinity College, Dublin. She is an
Johnny Collins, Hilda Fay, Lalor Roddy years later, he decides to pack up the caravan, award-winning playwright and film-
take the kids, and go a-roaming. Frances is maker. Her directorial credits include
Production: Samson Films
The Barracks, 76 Irishtown Road by now a feisty adolescent ready to prove her the short film Limbo (08) and the fea-
Dublin 4 Ireland grit in any ring that will take her, but along ture Snap (10). Float Like a Butterfly
(18) is her latest film.
info@samsonfilms.com with Michael’s troubling penchant for drink
CONTACT INFORMATION come old-fashioned macho attitudes, such as
International Sales Agent: WestEnd Films the idea that boys should fight while girls are
(see page 359) best off wedded and pregnant just as soon as
womanhood looms. Various altercations on
the road as well as a ripe old grudge with a
bigoted police officer provide Frances with
opportunity to prove her abilities. But will
the otherwise loving Michael’s sexist views
allow her to shine?
Written and directed by playwright and
filmmaker Carmel Winters, Float Like a

208 discovery
Gwen
William McGregor
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
84 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Endor Productions Ltd/BFI/
Great Point Media/Ffilm Cymru Wales
Executive Producer: Lizzie Francke, Adam Partridge,
Fergus Haycock, Paul Grindey, Charles Moore
Producer: Tom Nash, Hilary Bevan Jones
Screenplay: William McGregor
Cinematographer: Adam Etherington
Editor: Mark Towns
Production Designer: Laura Ellis Cricks
Sound: Jonny Seale
Music: James Edward Barker
Principal Cast: Maxine Peake, Eleanor Worthington-Cox
Production: Endor Productions Ltd
20 Greek Street
London W1D 4DU United Kingdom
sam@endorporproductions.co.uk
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Great Point Media
US Sales Agent: Great Point Media
(see page 359)
Set in 19th-century rural Wales, this exqui-
sitely eerie feature debut from English
writer-director William McGregor follows
the fates of a mother and two daughters
struggling to endure a series of calamities
of increasingly mysterious origin.
Gwen (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) lives
on a farm in the hills of Snowdonia with her
mother, Elen (Maxine Peake) and little sister
Mari. Like nearly all the local men, Gwen’s
father is away at war. Elen, Gwen, and Mari
must already maintain a punishing work
schedule to keep the farm going, but they
are plagued by one ominous occurrence
after another, as well as by a town that begins
to become suspicious of their behaviour.
A neighbouring family perishes from cholera;
potatoes are rotting in the soil; Elen becomes
ill and there is no money for medicine.
And their sheep — someone has slaugh-
tered every one of their sheep. Who could
possibly wish such misfortune on this
humble family?
McGregor infuses Gwen with spectral
atmospherics and a captivating balance of
disparate elements: the story feels drawn
from some ancient myth, the encroaching
manifestations of the industrial revolution
supply historical context, and key moments
show the influence of modern horror.
Making evocative use of his windswept
location, its overcast skies and rugged
alpine beauty, McGregor creates a world
in which the lines separating the vagaries
of nature from the malice of men can be
difficult to parse.
Witnessing events as if through Gwen’s
watchful, innocent eyes, we are never more
than one step ahead of her — and always on
the lookout for something sinister emerging
from the edge of the frame.
KERRI CRADDOCK
William McGregor was born in
Norfolk, England. He studied at the
University for the Creative Arts in
Farnham. His directorial credits
include the short films Who’s Afraid of
the Water Sprite? (09) and The Little
(10), and the television series Poldark
(15–). Gwen (18) is his feature debut.
discovery 209
Icebox
Fleeing gang violence and in fear for his Based on his award-winning short film of
Daniel Sawka life, 12-year-old Oscar makes the harrowing the same name, director Daniel Sawka cre-
USA, 2018 decision to leave his family and his home in ates an intimate portrait set in an exposed
Spanish, English Honduras. Taking only a few belongings in environment where schoolyard antics
WORLD PREMIERE a knapsack and the scribbled phone number play out between barbed wire. At the heart
86 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
for an uncle he’s only met twice, he piles into of this story is a child’s innate desire for
Production Company: Gracie Films/Endeavor Content the back of a truck in hopes of a better life. permanence and human connection in a
Producer: James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, Julie Ansell,
David Greathouse Oscar’s journey is cut short when he’s society where the very concept of home is
Screenplay: Daniel Sawka spotted by a drone and taken in by border in constant flux.
Cinematographer: Carolina Costa control. From first exposure, his introduc- JENNIFER BARKIN
Editor: Salvador Pérez García, Tracey Wadmore-Smith
Production Designer: Sue Tebbutt tion to the United States is both complicated
Sound: Edwardo Santiago and hostile and things do not improve when Daniel Sawka was born in Sweden.
Music: Steve Mazzaro, Hans Zimmer he reaches the immigrant detention facility, He studied acting at the Royal
Principal Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Genesis Rodriguez, Conservatoire of Scotland and
Omar Leyva, Johnny Ortiz, Matthew Moreno, better known as the icebox. At night, he lies attended the Directing Program at
Jessica Juarez awake shivering under his space blanket, the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles.
Production: Gracie Films wondering how long it will be before he’ll His short films include Reverb (10),
10201 W. Pico Blvd. have his case heard before a judge. Though Quality Time (14), and Threshold (12).
Icebox (18) is his debut feature.
Los Angeles, California 90064 USA surrounded by kids in similarly dire circum-
jansell333@aol.com
stances, his isolation is palpable. Recommended for ages 11+
CONTACT INFORMATION Unable to reach his uncle, Oscar uses his Content Advisories: coarse language, violence, child
International Sales Agent: William Morris limited phone time to call home. His mom, placed in perilous situation, child held down against
Endeavor Entertainment
US Sales Agent: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment overjoyed to hear his voice, assumes that their will and tattooed, guns fired in the direction of chil-
dren, young women referred to in a derogatory manner
(see page 359) her son has arrived safely in the care of her
brother, and he doesn’t have the heart to
tell her differently. This affecting call is a TIFF Kids
reminder that Oscar is simply a kid who’s Entertaining and illuminating: films from around the world for

been forced to assume adult responsibilities.

the whole family.

The normal childhood he risked his life to

reclaim slips further away and further away.

210 discovery
Summer Survivors
Marija Kavtaradze’s light-hearted but plex characters that shine through natural
Marija Kavtaradze emotionally piercing Summer Survivors performances.
LITHUANIA, 2018 marks the second outstanding debut A road-trip Breakfast Club, Summer
Lithuanian from Lithuania at the Festival in as many Survivors delights in its prudent visual and
WORLD PREMIERE years (following Egle Vertelyte’s Miracle). sound design, skewing each compositional
91 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Recalling the compassionate cinema of element to make it stand out just enough to
Production Company: M-Films/Afterschool John Hughes and its humorous approach mirror mental illness’s hidden latency under
Executive Producer: Marija Fridinovaité
Producer: Marija Razguté, Klementina Remeikaité to coping with life’s bitter truths, the film the mask of normalcy.
Screenplay: Marija Kavtaradze accompanies its young protagonists on a A joyful ode to the human spirit’s resilient
Cinematographer: Laurynas Bareiša, Vytautas Katkus road trip to a seaside psychiatric clinic — and nature, Kavtaradze’s film feeds us the bitter
Editor: Domas Petronis
Production Designer: Aurimas Akšys on an illuminating journey. pill hidden among life’s multi-coloured
Sound: Julius Grigelionis Twenty-something Indre (Indré chocolates, gently nudging us closer to
Music: Domas Strupinskas Patkauskaité), a recent psychology post- empathy and acceptance.
Principal Cast: Indré Patkauskaité, Paulius Markevičius,
Gelminé Glemžaité graduate, has just joined a leading clinic DIMITRI EIPIDES
when she’s tasked with escorting Paulius
Production: M-Films
Šiltadaržio Str. 6 (Paulius Markevičius), a patient who has Marija Kavtaradze was born in Vilnius,
Vilnius 01124 Lithuania bipolar disorder, to another facility. Tagging Lithuania. She studied film directing at
the Lithuanian Academy of Music and
marija@m-films.lt along for the ride are Juste (Gelminé Theatre. She has directed the short
Glemžaité), a quiet young woman under films Youngblood (13), Normal People
observation following a recent suicide Don’t Explode Themselves (13), and
attempt, and the clinic’s lead nurse. Along Igloo (15). Summer Survivors is her
debut feature.
their journey, they break through each oth-
er’s barriers, delve into the sources of their
various traumas, and discover the lasting
imprints left on their fragile souls.
Writer-director Kavtaradze crafts an
incredibly moving and mature portrait
of mental illness, prioritizing gentle
humour over melodrama to create com-

discovery 211
ENDZEIT
With women in every major creative role, With its pulse-pounding confrontations,
ENDZEIT — EVER AFTER ENDZEIT is a different kind of zombie ENDZEIT absolutely delivers as horror,
movie. Set during a terrifying near-future but with a distinct and refreshing perspec-
Carolina Hellsgård zombie apocalypse, Carolina Hellsgård’s tive. It also poses existential questions about
GERMANY, 2018 sophomore feature is chilling and doom- our world.
German
WORLD PREMIERE
laden, but it’s also a transfixing, gorgeous, Featuring a striking cameo from Danish
90 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) and unusually intimate sort-of road movie actor Trine Dyrholm (Love is All You Need,
Production Company: Grown Up Films
— in which humanity has come to its end and Nico, 1988), ENDZEIT suggests there are
Executive Producer: Ingelore König nature is reclaiming its terrain. things worse than civilization’s collapse.
Producer: Claudia Schröter A plague has swept the world. Weimar Vivi takes consolation in the stars, which
Screenplay: Olivia Vieweg
Cinematographer: Leah Striker
and Jura, the only surviving cities, have shine more brightly than they had before
Editor: Ruth Schönegge, Julia Oehring very different approaches to the epidemic. the disaster. It’s the end of the world as we
Production Designer: Jenny Roesler In Weimar, Vivi (Gro Swantje Kohlhof ) know it — and she feels fine.
Music: Franziska Henke
Principal Cast: Gro Swantje Kohlhof, Maja Lehrer,
— vulnerable and numb as a result of apoc- KERRI CRADDOCK
Trine Dyrholm alypse-triggered tragedies — reluctantly
Production: Grown Up Films
volunteers at the city’s perimeter. It is at the Carolina Hellsgård was born in
Richard-Breslau-Straße 9 ramshackle outer fences, requiring constant Sweden and is based in Berlin. She
studied experimental media design
Erfurt, Thuringia 99094 Germany defence from attacks by infectious cannibal at the Berlin University of Arts and
info@grownupfilms.de
revenants, that she meets Eva (Maja Lehrer) film directing and screenwriting at
— whose icy stoicism makes a striking con- the California Institute of the Arts in
trast to Vivi’s delicate fragility. Following Los Angeles. She made her feature
directorial debut with Wanja (15).
an attack at their post, they board an auto- ENDZEIT (18) is her latest film.
mated supply train bound for Jura, whose
more humane approach to the victims of the
epidemic offers some hope for the future.
When the train unexpectedly breaks down,
Vivi and Eva are left to fend for themselves
in a countryside teeming with dangers and
marvels they never dreamed of.

212 discovery
The Mercy of the Jungle
Joël Karekezi
BELGIUM/FRANCE/GERMANY, 2018
French, Swahili
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
91 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Neon Rouge Production/
Tact Production
Producer: Aurélien Bodinaux
Screenplay: Joël Karekezi, Casey Schroen,
Aurélien Bodinaux
Cinematographer: Joachim Philippe
Editor: Antoine Donnet
Production Designer: Geneviève Leyh
Sound: Benoît de Clerck, Philippe Grivel
Music: Line Adam, Nirere Shanel
Principal Cast: Marc Zinga, Stéphane Bak
Production: Neon Rouge Production
266, rue Léopold I
Bruxelles 1020 Belgium
aurelien@neonrouge.com
Kivu is the borderland where the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Rwanda meet. It is
here, in a dense network of forests and hills,
that Rwandan director Joël Karekezi’s
engrossing second feature unfolds. Set in
1998, shortly after the start of the Second
Congo War, The Mercy of the Jungle follows
a pair of lost Rwandan soldiers as they navi-
gate the wilderness and confront their own
existential crises.
Sergeant Xavier is a veteran of Rwanda’s
ethnic conflicts, while Private Faustin is
a fresh recruit eager to avenge the killing
of his father and brothers. One night their
battalion scrambles away to hunt down a
group of rebels, and Xavier and Faustin are
left behind just as Congolese militia begin
swarming the area. They have no option but
character. But Karekezi also imbues the
film with details that speak volumes about
the myriad smaller tragedies that are the
by-products of such wars, above all the
forced recruitment of child soldiers. The
senseless losses surrounding Xavier and
Faustin accrue to the point where neither
will be able to fight for their lives without
also considering the toll their actions take
on others.
KIVA REARDON
Joël Karekezi was born in Rwanda.
He studied filmmaking at Uganda’s
Maisha Film Lab and at CinéCours.
He made his feature directorial
debut with Imbabazi: The Pardon
(13). The Mercy of the Jungle (18)
is his latest film.

CONTACT INFORMATION to head west, embarking on a long journey

International Sales Agent: Urban Distribution through a hostile landscape teeming with
International enemy patrols, wildlife, and mercenary
(see page 359)
mining operations. Thwarted by hunger
and illness, the men must learn to rely on
each other’s very different skill sets if they
are to survive.
The Mercy of the Jungle excels as a
propulsive, atmospheric odyssey about
resourcefulness and camaraderie — an
odyssey in which the jungle is itself a central

discovery 213
Mafak
After more than a decade in an Israeli jail, exploration of mental trauma, an invisible
Screwdriver newly released Ziad doesn’t recognize the effect of the ongoing Occupation.
world around him. He is a free man but KIVA REARDON
Bassam Jarbawi his friends have moved on, technology has
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES/USA/QATAR, 2018 changed, and dating seems impossible. Bassam Jarbawi was born in Palestine
Arabic, Hebrew Though hailed as a hero for his involve- and studied film at Columbia University
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE in New York. He has worked as a pro-
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
ment in a failed attack on a settler — the act duction manager, editor, and writer. His
that led to his imprisonment — the young previous credits include the short film
Production Company: Rimsh Film/Dialectic
Executive Producer: Dr. Nabil Qaddumi
Palestinian man has doubts about whether Chicken Heads (09). Screwdriver (18)
Producer: Shrihari Sathe, Yasmine Qaddumi, his actions had any real meaning. is his latest film.
Bassam Jarbawi Now living back at home in Ramallah,
Screenplay: Bassam Jarbawi
Cinematographer: David McFarland
Ziad’s attempts to adjust to life on the
Editor: Bassam Jarbawi, Christopher Radcliff outside prove to be frustratingly slow:
Production Designer: Bashar Hassuneh he has no education, no trade, and he’s
Sound: Ryan Billia, Raja Dubayah
Music: Jon Natchez
weighed down by an incredible sadness as
Principal Cast: Ziad Bakri, Areen Omari, Jameel Khoury, he tries to live what feels like an already
Yasmine Qaddumi, Mariam Basha, Amir Khoury lost life. (Ziad Bakri, member of the famed
Production: Rimsh Film Palestinian acting family, portrays the
Zanbaqa Al-Tireh #3 protagonist’s anguish and heavy stoicism
Ramallah, Palestine
yqaddumi@gmail.com
with striking intensity.) When he meets a
young Palestinian-American filmmaker, it
becomes clear Ziad’s problems aren’t just
sociological, but also psychological. And
with no real help to heal this unseen wound,
it seems that he might end up exactly where
he began.
Shot on location in the West Bank with
an almost entirely Palestinian crew, Bassam
Jarbawi’s feature debut is an important

214 discovery
 Primetime
Serial storytelling: television in
its artistic renaissance.
 Long
Take
Podcast
Jim Carrey, April Reign, Steve Buscemi, Judy Greer,
Boots Riley, Mark Duplass. Listen to the smartest
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Sorry For Your Loss
Haunted by memories of her late husband, Touching on themes of mental illness,
James Ponsoldt, Matt (TIFF ’17 Rising Star Mamoudou Steinkellner’s portrait of Leigh and Matt’s
Kit Steinkellner Athie, also at the Festival in The Front world (or what’s left of it) is an intricate and
Runner), young advice columnist Leigh complex one where grief represents differ-
USA, 2018
English (Elizabeth Olsen in a truly revelatory role) ent things to different people. The result is
WORLD PREMIERE spends her days teaching barre classes at an honest story, not about a widow trying
120 minutes (4 episodes) | Colour/DCP 4K the dance studio owned by her mom (Janet to pick up the pieces to move on, but rather
(D-Cinema)
McTeer), alongside her sister, Jules (Kelly about one who uses the lenses of others in
Directors: James Ponsoldt, Jessica Yu, Allison Anders
Marie Tran), a recovering drug addict. Since her life to see what the pieces truly are.
Production Company: Big Beach
Executive Producer: Elizabeth Olsen, James Ponsoldt, Matt died, it’s become cramped having MICHAEL LERMAN
Kit Steinkellner, Lizzy Weiss, Robin Schwartz, Leigh’s grief, Jules’s insecurities, and their
Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Jon Liebman, Cynthia Pett,
mother’s impractical New-Age remedies all Kit Steinkellner is an American
Brad Petrigala
Producer: Franco Bario under one roof. Forced to face reality, Leigh author, producer, and playwright.
She is the author of the graphic novel
Screenplay: Kit Steinkellner, Lizzy Weiss, Terrence Coli must clean out her old home and confront Quince, and wrote for the series Z:
Cinematographer: Xavier Grobet
that there may be demons from Matt’s past The Beginning of Everything (15–17).
Editor: Darrin Navarro, Hilda Rasula
Production Designer: Gerald Sullivan that she never even knew existed. Sorry For Your Loss (18– ) is her latest
Sound: Wade Barnett Cleverly eschewing the standard pity- project.
Music: Keegan DeWitt
party techniques prevalent in most films or
Principal Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Kelly Marie Tran,
Jovan Adepo, Mamoudou Athie, Janet McTeer shows about loss, creator Kit Steinkellner’s
script draws characters with limits to their James Ponsoldt was born in Athens,
Production: Big Beach Georgia, and studied film at Columbia
648 Broadway, 7th Floor empathy. As time passes by, it becomes University and UCLA. He has directed
New York, NY 10012 USA clear that, in Leigh’s life, no one feels more episodes of the television series
molly@bigbeach.com
sorry for her than herself. Director James Parenthood (10–15) and Master of

CONTACT INFORMATION Ponsoldt lends his assured hand to the pro- None (15–), as well as the features
Smashed (12), The Spectacular Now
Canadian Distributor: Facebook ceedings in the first four episodes, playing (13), and The Circle (17). Sorry For
US Distributor: Facebook Watch
his usual magic trick of coaxing perfor- Your Loss (18– ) is his new project.
(see page 359)
mances that seem as natural as breathing
from seasoned actors.

primetime 217
Ad Vitam
The world has finally cracked the code on The script, penned by Cailley along with
Thomas Cailley bodily technology and a new regeneration co-writer Sébastien Mounier, handles tra-
FRANCE, 2018 process allows human beings to live forever. ditional, existential science-fiction themes
French When a rash of possibly connected teenage with fresh and surprising beats, keeping the
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE suicides rocks the seemingly evergreen pop- audience on their toes through each frame,
104 minutes (2 episodes) | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema) ulation, a hard-boiled detective must enlist and leaving us plenty to chew on while we
the help of a rebellious twentysomething to eagerly await more. This is episodic film-
Production Company: KELIJA/ARTE France
Producer: Katia Raïs uncover the truth behind what happened. making at its finest.
Screenplay: Thomas Cailley, Sébastien Mounier Together, they dive into an underworld of MICHAEL LERMAN
Cinematographer: Yves Cape alternative religions, hidden conspiracies,
Editor: Camille Toubkis, Lilian Corbeille
Production Designer: François Gila Girard, and life (or death) choices. Thomas Cailley was born in
Karine Charpentier Starting with a strong visual metaphor, Clermont-Ferrand, France. He is
the director of the short film Paris
Sound: Jérôme Chenevoy a lone soul in a glowing jellyfish costume Shanghai (11), and the feature Love
Music: HiTnRuN
Principal Cast: Yvan Attal, Garance Marillier, wandering through a rave, Ad Vitam puts at First Fight (14). He also has writ-
Niels Schneider, Rod Paradot, Anne Azoulay, many other science-fiction TV shows to ten episodes for the television show
Hanna Schygulla, Ariane Labed shame by giving the viewer a thoughtful, Trepalium (16– ). He is the director of
Ad Vitam (18– ).
Production: KELIJA digestible, and completely believable take
7 rue du Dôme on its lofty concept.
Boulogne-Billancourt, NA 92100 France
kelija@Lagardere-studios.com Thomas Cailley, the writer-director of
beloved Cannes title Love at First Fight,
CONTACT INFORMATION brings his uniquely dreamy sensibility to
International Sales Agent: Lagardère Studios Distribution
(see page 359) the show, giving its world an air of mystery.
Cultivating a listless, Bogartian charm,
perennial French actor Yvan Attal joins
relative newcomer, Garance Marillier (who
made a splash with her performance in Julia
Ducournau’s Raw), and both bring enough
subtle weight to their characters to carry
the emotional beats of the story throughout.

218 primetime
Folklore:
A Mother’s Love & Pob
Eric Khoo
INDONESIA/THAILAND/SINGAPORE, 2018
Indonesian, Thai, English
WORLD PREMIERE
112 minutes (2 episodes) | Colour and
Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
Directors: Joko Anwar (A Mother’s Love),
Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Pob)
Production Company: Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte
Ltd/Zhao Wei Films
Executive Producer: Jonathan Spink, Jessica Kam,
Eric Khoo, Garon De Silva
Producer: Audrey Wee, Tia Hasibuan, Soros Sukhum,
Tan Fong Cheng, Thisbe Goh, Chanel Xu, Huang Junxiang
Screenplay: Joko Anwar, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
Cinematographer: Ical Tanjung, Chankij Chamnivikaipong
Editor: Arifin Cuunk, Padtamanadda Yukol
Production Designer: Wenceslaus De Rozari,
Rasiguet Sookkarn
Sound: Abdul Malik, Sarawut Panta
Music: Aghi Narottama, Bemby Gusti, Tony Merle,
Wuttipong Leetrakul, Kevin Matthews
Principal Cast: Marissa Anita, Muzakki Ramdhan,
Max Yanto, Arswendy Bening Swara,
Nuttapon Sawasdee, Parama Wutthikornditsakul,
Thomas Burton, Van Blarcom
Production: Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd
151 Lorong Chuan New Tech Park #04-05
Singapore 556741 Singapore
huikuan.lee@hboasia.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Home Box Office (Singapore)
Pte Ltd
(see page 359)
The term “folklore” dates back to 1846 when off themes of class, justice, and storytell-
Englishman William Thoms coined a word ing itself, the show is packed with as much
to describe popular antiquities, stories from insight as fear. Punctuated with a few
the populous that had been passed through surprise genre twists, “A Mother’s Love”
from generations. In 2018, Singaporean and “Pob” represent some of the best, most
cinematic multihyphenate Eric Khoo trans- frightening short-form content coming out
forms the concept by culling together some of Asia today.
of the best genre directors from Asia to tell MICHAEL LERMAN
creepy tales that speak to their respective
cultures, in settings both historical and Eric Khoo was born in Singapore.
contemporary. He is the director of numerous films
including the features Me Pok Man
Joko Anwar, the genius behind such great (95), 12 Storeys (97), Be With Me
Indonesian films as A Copy of My Mind and (05), My Magic (08), Tatsumi (11), and
Satan’s Slaves, tells the tale of an impover- the Festival selections In the Room
ished maid and her son, who, after being (15), Wanton Me (16), and Ramen
Shop (18). He is the showrunner of
locked out of their home by their landlord, Folklore (18– ).
are forced to live in the house they are clean-
ing. When strange noises start coming from
the attic, they find more than they bargained
for. Meanwhile in Thailand, arthouse favou-
rite Pen-ek Ratanaruang puts his distinct
spin on the greed parable with the story of an
ambitious photojournalist who, while visit-
ing his sick mother in the hospital, manages
to attract the attention of an elderly spirit
with unusual intent.
Like all great horror stories, the episodes
of Folklore speak to deep pains in the world,
whether from the past or present. Playing
primetime 219
El Ángel
Carlitos’s blond curls and angelic blue eyes as though he believes his actions don’t carry
Luis Ortega belie a confused and violent soul. From a real, permanent consequences. Through this
ARGENTINA/SPAIN, 2018 young age, he has stolen just because he can. turbulent and confusing character, Ortega
Spanish It’s a fascination he cannot shake, much to offers a meaningful reflection on how vio-
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE the chagrin of his loving and upstanding lence is glamourized on the screen.
114 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
parents (Cécilia Roth and Luis Gnecco). DIANA SANCHEZ
Production Company: K&S Films/ When he meets Ramon (Chino Darín), the
Underground Producciones/El Deseo
Executive Producer: Micky Buyé, Javier Braier son of career criminals, the attraction he Luis Ortega was born in Buenos
Producer: Hugo Sigman, Sebastián Ortega, Pedro feels causes him to up the ante and engage Aires, and attended film school
there at the Universidad del Cine.
Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, Matías Mosteirin, in more serious criminal activity. Soon, the His feature films are Black Box (02),
Esther García, Leticia Cristi, Axel Kuschevatzky,
Pablo Culell young men are killing. the Festival selections Monobloc
Screenplay: Luis Ortega, Rodolfo Palacios, Sergio Olguín Loosely based on the real-life Argentine (05) and The Dirty Saints (09),
Cinematographer: Julián Apezteguia serial killer Carlos Robledo Puch, nick- Damn Summer (11), Dromomanos
Editor: Guille Gatti (12), and Lulu (14). El Ángel (18) is
Production Designer: Julia Freid named the “Death Angel” for his innocent, his latest film.
Sound: José Luis Díaz (A.S.A) cherubic good looks, this film by Luis Ortega
Music: Moondog presents a Carlitos that is not quite trustful
Principal Cast: Lorenzo Ferro, Chino Darín,
Mercedes Moran, Daniel Fanego, Luis Gnecco, of reality and is always performing. He walks
Peter Lanzani, Cécilia Roth and dances as though a camera were record-
Production: K&S Films ing his every move. In fact, he calls himself
Paraguay 1535 a spy for god. It’s as though life were a game
Buenos Aires 1061 Argentina and danger merely a way of feeling every-
mmosteirin@ks-films.com
thing more intensely.
CONTACT INFORMATION Splendidly paced and gorgeously photo-
Canadian Distributor: The Orchard graphed, El Ángel is a departure from the
US Distributor: The Orchard
International Sales Agent: Film Factory Entertainment sparser nature of Ortega’s previous films,
(see page 359) yet his attraction to outlaws remains. As
we follow Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) on his
stealing and killing sprees, we see there’s
something almost innocent in his approach,

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 239

Pájaros de verano
Birds of Passage
Cristina Gallego,
Ciro Guerra
COLOMBIA/DENMARK/MEXICO/FRANCE,
2018
Spanish, English, Wayunikee
CANADIAN PREMIERE
125 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Ciudad Lunar Producciones/
Blond Indian/Snowglobe/Pimenta Films/
Films Boutique/Bord Cadre Films
Producer: Cristina Gallego, Katrin Pors
Screenplay: Jacques Toulemonde, Maria Camila Arias
Cinematographer: David Gallego
Editor: Miguel Schverdfinger
Production Designer: Angelica Perea
Sound: Claus Lynge, Carlos García, Marco Salavaria
Music: Leonardo Heiblum
Principal Cast: Carmiña Martínez, Jhon Narváez,
José Acosta, Natalia Reyes, José Vicente Cotes,
Greider Meza, Juan Bautista
Production: Ciudad Lunar Producciones
Carrera 13 # 49-15, Oficina 304
Bogota 57 Colombia
ciudadlunarproducciones@yahoo.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: The Orchard
US Distributor: The Orchard
International Sales Agent: Films Boutique
(see page 359)
240 contemporary world cinema
Documenting the true-to-life rise and fall
of rival Wayuu clans in northern Colombia,
the latest film by Cristina Gallego and Ciro
Guerra, Birds of Passage is an unexpected
take on the cartel genre. With incredible
attention to the detail of Colombia’s indig-
enous Wayuu customs, traditions, and
celebrations, Gallego and Guerra weave an
epic tragedy of pride, greed, and the clash
between the old and new worlds.
Raphayet (José Acosta) is captivated
by Zaida (Natalia Reyes) at her “coming
out” ceremony, and is determined to come
up with the enormous dowry her mother
and family matriarch Úrsula (Carmiña
Martínez) demands. The solution to his
money woes appears when he and his
friend Moisés (Jhon Narváez) meet up with
some hippie Peace Corps volunteers (in the
country to hand out anti-Communist pro-
paganda) who are looking for weed. This
encounter will eventually have disastrous
consequences for all involved.
As everyone’s wealth increases, so
too does Moisé’s ego, and his trigger-happy
attitude annoys the Wayuu who have been
suspicious of this alijuna (outsider) from
the get go. When Moisés targets Raphayet’s
cousin’s clan, a rapid downward spiral
ensues, bringing everyone along with it.
Perfectly blending professional and
non-professional actors, trappings of
Western influence, and exquisite colour-
ful  Wayuu attire, Gallego and Guerra’s
Birds of Passage is a fascinating tale of
Shakespearean proportions.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Cristina Gallego was born in Bogota,
Colombia. She studied film and
television at the National University
of Colombia. She has produced
numerous films including Embrace
of the Serpent (15), which played the
Festival. Birds of Passage (18) is her
directorial debut.
Ciro Guerra was born in Rio de Oro,
Colombia. He has directed Alma
(00), Intento (01), and Wandering
Shadows (04) as well as The Wind
Journeys (09) and Embrace of The
Serpent (15), both of which played
the Festival. Birds of Passage (18) is
his latest film.
TIFF Speaker Series
Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Teresa Kramarz.
See page 32 for more details.
Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
programme sponsored by
This fall at
TIFF Bell Lightbox
See what’s screening Sept – Dec
Film screenings, retrospectives, special guests, and more.

Bergman 100:
Black Star The Ingmar Bergman Centenary

Close Encounters:
The Cinema of
The Great War on Film Steven Spielberg

On sale Sept. 26. Exclusive Members’ pre-sale starts Sept. 19.

Learn more and get tickets at tiff.net.
TIFF prefers Visa.
Les salopes ou le sucre
Marie-Claire is happily married with two Brigitte Poupart’s commanding and
naturel de la peau children and has a successful career as a unwavering performance as Marie-Claire
Les Salopes or the dermatological researcher. Her promiscu- brilliantly renders the interior space of a
ous and fun-loving best friend Mathilde woman who lives on her own terms as she
Naturally Wanton longs to settle down and have a child. For explores the multi-faceted manifestations
Pleasure of Skin Marie-Claire, however, the love and secu- of her desire.
rity of marriage does not mean sacrificing DANIS GOULET
Renée Beaulieu her desire. She pursues men with the same
CANADA, 2018 voracity as her single friend but sets prac- Renée Beaulieu was born in Quebec,
French tical boundaries to keep extramarital sex and is a professor of film studies at
the Université de Montréal. Her
WORLD PREMIERE without strings. films include the shorts Qui (08),
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Marie-Claire is frank and pragmatic about Coupable (10), and Le Vide (11), and
Production Company: Les productions du moment Inc. the distinction between love and desire. She the feature Le Garagiste (15). Les
Producer: Renée Beaulieu
Screenplay: Renée Beaulieu understands the conventions of being a wife Salopes ou le sucre naturel de la
peau (18) is her latest film.
Cinematographer: Philippe St-Gelais and mother and chooses to live outside of them
Editor: Renée Beaulieu, Martin Bourgault without remorse. When a scandal goes public
Production Designer: Olivier Barthomeuf
Sound: Benoît Dame at her university, Marie-Claire is concerned
Music: David Thomas about what might be revealed about herself in
Principal Cast: Brigitte Poupart, Nathalie Cavezzali, the process, and she is forced to consider the
Vincent Leclerc, Pierre Kwenders, Romane Denis,
Normand D’Amour, Charlotte Aubin, Paul Ahmarani, implications of her choices on her professional
Louise Portal, Hubert Proulx, Joseph Delorey, life, husband, and teenage daughter.
Sophie Clément, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Privately, Marie-Claire owns her choices.
Guillaume Gauthier, Jean-Marie Coudou
But she also knows that her pleasure is polit-
Production: Les productions du moment Inc. ical and that when certain lines get crossed,
281 rue Principale
Saint-Basile-le-Grand QC J3N 1J7 Canada blowback and judgment will be inevitable.
rochebeau@gmail.com Renée Beaulieu’s second feature is
an astonishing tour de force and inci-
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Filmoption International sive character study that delves into the
US Distributor: Filmoption International nature and politics of female sexuality.
US & International Sales Agent: Filmoption International
(see page 359)

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 225

Leil Khargi
EXT. Night
Ahmad Abdalla
EGYPT/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, 2018
Arabic
WORLD PREMIERE
98 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Hassala Films
Executive Producer: Mohamed Gaber
Producer: Hala Lotfy, Karim Kassem, Ahmad Abdalla
Screenplay: Sherif Alfy
Cinematographer: Ahmad Abdalla
Editor: Sara Abdallah
Production Designer: Asem Ali
Sound: Alaa Atef, Mohamed Salah
Principal Cast: Karim Kassem, Mona Hala,
Sherief El Desouky, Ahmad Magdy, Aly Kassem,
Ahmed Malek, Amr Abed, Basma , Magdy Ahmed Aly,
Donia Maher, Sabry Abdel Moniem
Production: Hassala Films
25 Shabrawi St., Dawaran Shobra, 2nd Fl.
Cairo 11239 Egypt
hala_lotfy@hotmail.com
226 contemporary world cinema
Moe (Karim Kassem) has problems. His film satire. As Moe remarks at one point,
set is filled with offscreen drama, his novel- “You can’t change the universe.” But, as
ist friend has landed in prison for publishing he finds out, you might be able to change
“profound language,” and his girlfriend just your life.
left him. Plus, all he really wants to do is KIVA REARDON
work on his own films, not the commercial
gigs he’s been taking. With all this on his Ahmad Abdalla was born in Cairo and
plate, the last thing he relishes is finishing studied music before working as an
editor for films and documentaries.
editing across town. Goaded into this by His features include Heliopolis (09),
his team, he has no idea how long his day is Microphone (10), 18 Days (11), and
about to become.... Rags & Tatters (13) all of which
In trying to navigate chaotic Cairo traffic, screened at the Festival. EXT. Night
(18) is his latest film.
Moe finds himself drawn away from the world
— and social milieu — he knows along with his
driver, Mostafa, and Toutou, a firecracker of a
character from the wrong part of town. Over
the course of the night, Moe begins to see the
deeper ramifications and the inequalities
around issues like class and gender relations.
As director Ahmad Abdalla did with his
previous films Rags & Tatters, 18 Days,
Microphone, and Heliopolis (at TIFF in
2013, 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively),
he once again turns his camera on the social
situation in Egypt. This time, however, it’s
with dry humour and meta-cinematic
flourishes. The result is a touching social
programme sponsored by
La grande noirceur
The Great Darkened Days
Maxime Giroux
CANADA, 2018
French, English
WORLD PREMIERE
94 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Metafilms
Executive Producer: Maxime Giroux, Eric Connelly,
Neva McIntosh, Danelle Eliav
Producer: Sylvain Corbeil, Nancy Grant
Screenplay: Maxime Giroux, Simon Beaulieu,
Alexandre Laferrière
Cinematographer: Sara Mishara
Editor: Mathieu Bouchard-Malo
Production Designer: Patricia McNeil, Sylvain Dion
Sound: Frédéric Cloutier, Stephen De Oliveira,
Luc Boudrias
Music: Olivier Alary
Principal Cast: Martin Dubreuil, Romain Duris,
Sarah Gadon, Reda Kateb, Soko, Cody Fern,
Buddy Duress, Luzer Twersky
Production: Metafilms
1703 rue Sanguinet
Montreal, Quebec H2X 3G5 Canada
sylvainc@metafilms.ca
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: FunFilm Distribution
International Sales Agent: FunFilm Distribution
US Sales Agent: FunFilm Distribution
(see page 359)
228 contemporary world cinema
Since moving to features, Maxime Giroux has
specialized in almost naturalistic films about
those living on the fringes of Quebec society.
From critically acclaimed titles like Demain
and Jo pour Jonathan to Félix et Meira —
which won the Best Canadian Feature at
TIFF in 2014 — Giroux has focused on young
outcasts with troubled histories.
Le grande noirceur, a sinister, absurdist
allegory about our turbulent times, is a radi-
cal departure from Giroux’s recent pieces
and closer in look and tone to his more styl-
ized short work. The film follows Philippe
(Martin Dubreuil), a would-be Québécois
actor stuck in an unnamed southwestern
American state and forced to deal with
crushing poverty, a collapsing moral order,
and persecution, all sparked by an ongoing,
vaguely outlined war and the odious ethics
of an unseen leader, whose rants over the
radio tout success at all costs. Yet all around
him, Philippe only sees abject squalor and
a fearsome propaganda machine recalling
1930s-era Germany.
Even those he encounters who are
doing comparatively well derive pleasure
only from others’ pain, underscoring the
depraved moral and economic conditions
that contribute to and create fascism.
An aloof, proud woman (Sarah Gadon)
who lives in a cave/abandoned basement
introduces another girl as her dog; a nasty
ringmaster tortures the weak to force them
to become informants. Already an outsider
because of his accent, Philippe jumps from
the frying pan into the fire.
Fearless, striking, and disturbing, Le grande
noirceur is comprised largely of tableau-type
scenes laden with ominous mystery. It’s
also timely, conjuring the current crisis
at the US border.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Maxime Giroux was born in Montreal.
His short films include Le rouge au sol
(06), and Les jours (08) which won
the Festival’s prize for best short film.
His features include Jo for Jonathan
(10) and Félix et Meira (14). Le grande
noirceur (18) is his latest film.
programme sponsored by
Rosie
Chronicling an ordinary couple’s struggle Reminiscent of the Dardenne brothers
Paddy Breathnach to keep their family intact, the latest from in its graceful deployment of handheld
IRELAND, 2018 Irish director Paddy Breathnach (I Went close-ups and breathless narrative momen-
English Down) is an urgent piece of filmmaking that tum, Rosie is profoundly invested in its
WORLD PREMIERE reminds us how easy it can be to slip through characters and their plight.
86 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
the cracks. Rosie and her family are good, capable
Production Company: Element Pictures Written by Booker Prize–winning people willing to work hard and make do.
Executive Producer: Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe,
Roddy Doyle, Dearbhla Regan author and scenarist Roddy Doyle (The They are not looking for handouts or pity. All
Producer: Emma Norton, Rory Gilmartin, Commitments), Rosie would break your they want is to hold onto something many of
Juliette Bonass heart if it weren’t such a forceful testament us take for granted: dignity.
Screenplay: Roddy Doyle
Cinematographer: Cathal Watters to the resilience of love and family. MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Editor: Úna Ní Dhonghaíle When their landlord sells their rental
Production Designer: Mark Kelly home, Rosie (Sarah Greene), John Paul Paddy Breathnach was born in
Sound: Hugh Fox, Niall Brady
Music: Stephen Rennicks (Moe Dunford), and their young family find Dublin. His films include Ailsa (94),
I Went Down (97), Blow Dry (01),
Principal Cast: Sarah Greene, Moe Dunford, themselves homeless. With their essential Freakdog (08), and Viva (15). Rosie
Ellie O’Halloran, Ruby Dunne, Darragh McKenzie, belongings crammed into their car, they (18) is his latest film.
Molly McCann
begin the daily search for a place to sleep.
Production:Element Pictures While John Paul works kitchen shifts, Rosie
21 Mespil Road
Dublin D04 N8K3 Ireland drives the older kids to and from school, where
info@elementpictures.ie shame keeps them from confessing the des-
peration of their situation. Old emotional
wounds prevent Rosie from accepting her
mother’s offer to put up the kids, so the family
is reduced to roaming the city daily, uncertain
as to which — if any — hotel will accept the
Dublin City Council credit card they’re depen-
dent on to provide them with lodging.

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 229

Den Tid På Året
Few events bring as much trepidation as Her presence unleashes the high-strung
That Time of Year holiday get-togethers, when families reunite, Katrine’s inner martyr and prompts every-
in many cases, for the only time in a year. one else to abandon what little decorum they
Paprika Steen With That Time of Year, actor-director have left.
DENMARK, 2018 Paprika Steen illustrates how these occa- A perfect accounting of people’s inexpli-
Danish
WORLD PREMIERE
sions can let a family’s collective id out, able need to refight old battles in the worst
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) allowing long-simmering resentments and possible forum, That Time of Year is a
Production Company: Nordisk Film Production A/S
old squabbles to resurface with catastrophic caustic comedy about bad behaviour. The
Executive Producer: Henrik Zein and comic results. film is filled with hilarious set pieces where
Producer: Mikael Rieks As the holiday looms, educator Katrine boundaries are trampled on wildly (Gunna’s
Screenplay: Jakob Weis
Cinematographer: Jens Schlosser
(Steen) is inundated with requests — antics and Barbara’s first Christmas sermon
Editor: Jacob Thuesen or threatening demands disguised as especially stand out). At the same time, the
Production Designer: Gitte Malling requests. She and her husband Mads (Jacob film acknowledges that the only things
Sound: Mick Raaschou
Principal Cast: Paprika Steen, Sofie Gråbøl, Patricia
Lohmann) will be hosting his parents; her stronger than relation-inspired neuroses
Schumann, Lars Knutzon, Lars Brygmann, Karen-Lise divorced parents, including her eccentric are the bonds that keep families together.
Mynster, Jacob Lohmann, Fanny Leander Bornedal and pretentious mother, Gunna (Karen-Lise STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Production: Nordisk Film Production A/S Mynster); her pompous sister, Barbara
Mosedalsvej 14 (Sofie Gråbøl), a wannabe priest; Barbara’s Pa p r i ka S te e n was born in
Valby 2500 Denmark
nordiskfilm@nordiskfilm.com
even more pompous husband, Torben (Lars Frederiksberg, Denmark. She has
acted in numerous films including
Brygmann), a writer specializing in biog- The Celebration (98) and Applesauce
CONTACT INFORMATION raphies about obscure figures; and their (09), earning multiple awards. She
International Sales Agent: TrustNordisk
(see page 359)
uncontrollable hellion of a son. Katrine’s has directed the feature films
plans are upended when she gets a call Aftermath (04), With Your Permission
(07), and That Time of Year (18).
from her estranged sister, Patricia (Patricia
Schumann). The once-troubled daugh-
ter everyone but Katrine has written off,
Patricia unexpectedly invites herself over.

programme sponsored by

230 contemporary world cinema

Splinters
Thom Fitzgerald
CANADA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
94 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Emotion Pictures Inc.
Producer: Thom Fitzgerald, Doug Pettigrew
Screenplay: Thom Fitzgerald
Cinematographer: Luc Montpellier
Editor: Thom Fitzgerald
Production Designer: Ryan Vessey
Sound: Eric Leclerc
Music: Stewart Legere
Principal Cast: Sofia Banzhaf, Shelley Thompson,
Bailey Maughan, Callum Dunphy
Production: Emotion Pictures Inc.
2357 Moran Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K4K1 Canada
dpettigrew@emotionpictures.ca
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Emotion Pictures Inc.
(see page 359)
After his The Hanging Garden won the Best constriction of small-town mores is offset
Canadian Feature Film at TIFF, acclaimed by the spacious, rolling rural landscapes
Halifax-based director Thom Fitzgerald of Nova Scotia in this beautifully realized
went on to direct numerous features and portrait of a young woman’s complicated
television productions, including the relationship with her family, her past, and
award-winning The Wild Dogs and the global her home.
epic 3 Needles. His latest feature, Splinters, is DANIS GOULET
a dysfunctional family drama about a young
lesbian at odds with her traditional mother. Thom Fitzgerald was born in New
Belle has come home to rural Nova Scotia Rochelle, New York, and is based
in Halifax. His debut feature, The
for her father’s funeral. She came out as a Hanging Garden (97), won the
teenager but has never reconciled that fact Festival’s award for Best Canadian
with her conservative mother, Nancy. Amidst Feature Film. His other films include
the family’s grief, Nancy’s disapproval of The Wild Dogs (02), The Event (03),
3 Needles (05), Cloudburst (11), and
Belle hangs in the air like a dark cloud. Belle Splinters (18).
neglects to mention to her family that she has
been dating a man named Rob for the past
two years. She is reluctant to rekindle her
mother’s traditional expectations of her and
backpedal on hard-won battles to assert
her identity. But the secret becomes harder
to hide when Rob shows up to be the
supportive boyfriend.
Based on the stage play by Lee-Anne
Poole, Splinters is anchored by the rich and
layered performances of Sofia Banzhaf and
Shelley Thompson as two strong-willed
women whose lives are upended when
their routine deadlock is disrupted. The

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 231

Hölmö nuori sydän
Stupid Young Heart
Selma Vilhunen
FINLAND/NETHERLANDS/SWEDEN, 2018
Finnish, Somali
WORLD PREMIERE
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Tuffi Films/Windmill Film/
Hobab
Producer: Elli Toivoniemi, Venla Hellstedt
Screenplay: Kirsikka Saari
Cinematographer: Lisabi Fridell
Editor: Michal Leszczylowski, Yva Fabricius
Production Designer: Eva Torsvall
Sound: Jan Schermer
Music: Timo Dirksen
Principal Cast: Pihla Viitala, Jere Ristseppä,
Rosa Honkonen, Abshir Sheikh Nur, Ville Haapasalo
Production: Tuffi Films
Vanha Talvitie 19a 5th floor
Helsinki 00580 Finland
tuffi@tuffifilms.com
232 contemporary world cinema
Selma Vilhunen, whose 2016 film Little
Wing debuted at TIFF and went on to play
around the world, returns with the equally
skilful and affecting Stupid Young Heart. As
with her fiction debut, Vilhunen’s new film
focuses on young people trying to define
themselves in the face of dire circum-
stances: in this case, the rise of the far right
in Finland.
Lenni (Jere Ristseppä) is an energetic,
tightly wound kid who’s persistently mocked
for his short stature and whose mother con-
siders him an inconvenience at best. Kiira
(Rosa Honkonen), the girl he’s had a crush
on for two years, is a popular dancer whose
mother is even less invested in her. When
Kiira winds up pregnant, she and Lenni
decide to keep the baby. But the traditional
working-class neighbourhood they occupy
is in transition with new immigrant tenants
moving in. And the far-right types are spoil-
ing for a fight.
Looking for guidance, Lenni is caught
between Abdi, a newcomer struggling
to get ahead, and Janne, his best friend’s
zealot father who sees the confused, isolated
Lenni as easy prey for recruitment. As the
young couple’s relationship hits countless
snags, Lenni grows more erratic and emo-
tional… and more deeply involved in the
extremist netherworld.
Stupid Young Heart is well-crafted,
emotionally acute, and beautifully per-
formed by its two young leads. But its real
strength (like Dome Karukoski’s Heart of a
Lion) is its refusal to simply give up on the
better possibilities and impulses in Lenni,
whose gullibility and frustration have led
him to a much darker place than he might
have reached had any adult paid attention
to him. It’s a courageous piece that rightly
focuses on what should unite us rather than
what far too often divides us.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Selma Vilhunen is a Helsinki-based
writer and director. She has directed
numerous documentary and fiction
shorts, the feature documentary
Song (14), and the fiction feature
Little Wing (16), which played the
Festival. Stupid Young Heart (18) is
her latest film.
programme sponsored by
Kingsway
A keen analyst of modern neuroses, west surprise if you’ve seen any of Sweeney’s
Bruce Sweeney coast director Bruce Sweeney hits new other movies, which take place at the point
CANADA, 2018 heights in his latest comedy/drama/ where people who’ve been seeing castles in
English romance, Kingsway. Sweeney’s ostensible the air are now thinking about moving in.
WORLD PREMIERE hero is Matt (Jeff Gladstone), an academic Kingsway confirms Sweeney as one of
88 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
prone to crippling bouts of self-doubt and Canada’s most unique indie artists working
Production Company: Carkner Films Inc. ennui. Matt has just spotted wife Lori’s car at his most assured since 2009’s absurdly
Executive Producer: G.D. Sweeney
Producer: Bruce Sweeney, Tracy Major, David Pelletier, parked at an infamous Vancouver motel on underrated Excited.
Rafi Spivak, Jeff Gladstone the Kingsway, a strip well known for prosti- STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Screenplay: Bruce Sweeney tution and extra-marital assignations.
Cinematographer: David Pelletier
Editor: Rafi Spivak Matt’s bossy sister, Jess (Camille Bruce Sweeney was born in Sarnia,
Production Designer: Tony Devenyi Sullivan), who has always hated Lori’s Ontario. His features include Live Bait
(95), which won the Festival’s award
Sound: Jeff Carter treatment of Matt, demands he finally leave for Best Canadian Feature Film, as
Music: James Jandrisch
Principal Cast: Camille Sullivan, Jeff Gladstone, her. Mother Mary (the legendary Gabrielle well as Dirty (98), Last Wedding (01),
Gabrielle Rose, Colleen Rennison, Paul Skrudland, Rose) and omnipresent best friend Sean Excited (09), Crimes of Mike Recket
Jillian Fargey, Jennifer Mclean, Agam Darshi, (Sweeney mainstay Paul Skrudland) would (12), and The Dick Knost Show (13),
Kevin McNulty all of which played the Festival.
rather maintain the peace of the status quo, Kingsway (18) is his latest film.
Production: Carkner Films Inc. but anxiety is contagious.
2996 West 38th Ave.
Vancouver, BC V6N 2X1 Canada An exasperated Lori leaves Matt, only
sweeneybruce@gmail.com to realize she’s pregnant… though she’s
not exactly sure who the father is. As Matt
descends into depression, those around him
are forced to confront the lack of romance
in their lives.
A paean to family (who better to under-
stand your hang-ups?) and the unpredictable
vicissitudes of the heart, Kingsway adroitly
walks the razor’s edge between painful
distress and comic excess — which is no

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 233

Sipur Acher
A poignant family drama that unfolds with able to intercede in the parental feud — just
The Other Story the tension and intrigue of a juicy thriller, as Yonatan secretly searches for evidence of
The Other Story is the latest from veteran Shacar’s deception?
Avi Nesher Israeli director Avi Nesher, whose Past Nesher masterfully weaves The Other
ISRAEL, 2018 Life graced the Festival two years ago. Set Story’s many threads so that we never lose
Hebrew in Jerusalem, the film is an intricate web of track of the narrative, even as his complex
WORLD PREMIERE
117 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
desperate parents, rebellious children, and characters alter their tactics, change alli-
spouses locked in conflict. ances, and search their souls for the strength
Production Company: Metro Communications/
Artomas Communications/MiLa Media
Having long ago resettled in the US, to protect their children — and the wisdom
Executive Producer: Moshe Edery, Leon Edery Yonatan returns to Israel at the behest of his to know when to let go.
Producer: David Silber, Avi Nesher, David M. Milch elderly father Shlomo, who is determined to JANE SCHOETTLE
Screenplay: Avi Nesher, Noam Shpancer
Cinematographer: Michel Abramowicz
keep Yonatan’s daughter Anati from marry-
Editor: Isaac Sehayek ing Shacar, a popular singer who has recently Avi Nesher was born in Ramat Gan,
Production Designer: Ido Dolev swapped his infamously libertine persona Israel. He studied international
Sound: Gil Toren relations at New York’s Columbia
Music: Cyrille Aufort, Nathan Goshen
for that of a devoted Hasid. Shlomo isn’t University. His films include The
Principal Cast: Joy Rieger, Sasson Gabai, Maya Dagan, buying Shacar’s reformation and neither Secrets (07), The Matchmaker (10),
Yuval Segal, Nathan Goshen is Yonatan’s ex-wife, with whom Yonatan The Wonders (13), and Past Life (16),
Production: Metro Communications grudgingly joins forces in an increasingly all of which played the Festival. The
Other Story (18) is his latest film.
34 Allenby Street ruthless campaign to defame Anati’s fiancé.
Tel Aviv 6233448 Israel
metrosnat@gmail.com
Meanwhile, Shlomo’s marriage coun-
selling practice is mired in an especially
CONTACT INFORMATION challenging case of two parents fighting fero- TIFF Speaker Series
International Sales Agent: Foresight Unlimited
(see page 359)
ciously for the custody of their child. Shlomo Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Janice Stein.

asks Yonatan to assist him, and as the case

See page 32 for more details.

becomes weirder and more complex, an Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
opportunity arises to kill two birds with one
stone: might the morally righteous Anati be

programme sponsored by

234 contemporary world cinema

Falls Around Her
Mary is a renowned Anishinaabe musi- In spite of the trauma in Mary’s past,
Darlene Naponse cian who comes home to Atikameksheng Naponse refuses a narrative of victimhood,
CANADA, 2018 Anishnawbek First Nation in northern and instead explores the multiple facets
English Ontario, exhausted by many years on the of resilience. Mary knows how to survive,
WORLD PREMIERE road touring internationally with her band. but she also deserves to thrive. And that
98 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
She returns to the land to restore herself but means gathering the ability to be open
Production Company: The Film Farm/Baswewe Films her past success makes her a commodity to to the healing that comes from love,
Executive Producer: Christine Haebler, Tammy Naponse
Producer: Darlene Naponse, Simone Urdl, some, and it can be tricky to hide from the self-expression, family, community, and,
Jennifer Weiss, Jamie Manning demands of the outside world. especially, the land.
Screenplay: Darlene Naponse Her sister Betty (Tina Keeper) senses DANIS GOULET
Cinematographer: Ray Dumas
Editor: Teresa De Luca there may be more to Mary’s need for isola-
Production Designer: Diana Magnus, Mercedes Cueto tion and urges her to reconnect with family Darlene Naponse was born in
Sound: Steve Munro and old friends. As Mary gets out more and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek,
Music: Julian Cote Ontario. She completed a Master
Principal Cast: Tantoo Cardinal, Tina Keeper, even starts dating, it seems as though new of Fine Arts in creative writing at
Gail Maurice, Johnny Issaluk, Rob Stewart, possibilities are on the horizon. However, the Institute of American Indian
J.D. Nicholsen, Hope McGregor the past has a way of catching up, and when Arts in Santa Fe. Her work includes
Production: The Film Farm Mary starts to hear disturbing noises around the short films Retrace (02) and
She Is Water (10) and the features
21 Manning Ave. her cabin, she becomes paranoid that some- Cradlesong (03) and Every Emotion
Toronto, Ontario M6J 2K3 Canada
assistant@thefilmfarm.ca one may be after her. Costs (10). Falls Around Her (18) is
Writer-director Darlene Naponse brings a her latest film.
unique perspective to the screen that beau-
tifully captures the nuance and rhythms of
northern life on a small Anishinaabe First
Nation. Acclaimed Métis actor Tantoo
Cardinal (also appearing at the Festival
in Through Black Spruce) embodies both
strength and vulnerability in the leading role
as Mary, a self-sufficient woman who knows
that gut instincts should be trusted.

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 235

Lof mer ad falla
Let Me Fall
Baldvin Z
ICELAND/FINLAND/GERMANY, 2018
Icelandic
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
136 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: The Icelandic Film Company/
Solar Films/Neutrinos Productions
Producer: Julius Kemp, Ingvar Thordarson
Screenplay: Baldvin Z, Birgir Örn Steinarsson
Cinematographer: Johann Mani Johannsson
Editor: Ulfur Teitur Traustason
Production Designer: Gunnar Palsson,
Marta Luiza Macuga
Sound: Arni Benediktsson, Addi800, Dadi Georgs
Music: Olafur Arnalds
Principal Cast: Elín Sif Halldórsdóttir,
Eyrún Björk Jakobsdóttir, Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir,
Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir, Þorsteinn Bachmann
Production: The Icelandic Film Company
Borgartun 24 Reykjavik, IS 105 Iceland
kemp@kisi.is
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: The Icelandic Film Company
(see page 359)
236 contemporary world cinema
A longtime favourite of the Festival, Baldvin
Z premiered his first feature at TIFF ’14. Life
in a Fishbowl went on to be one of the biggest
domestic hits in Iceland in the last decade
or so. (He also contributed to the television
series Trapped). Here, he offers his most
intense and harrowing work.
Told over several decades, Let Me Fall
focuses on Magnea’s lengthy struggle with
addiction, a condition she is lured into as
a teenager by hip, assured Stella, Magnea’s
soulmate and nemesis. The film’s fractured
narrative style, which bounces from present
to past and back again, takes us inside the
traumatic experiences leading to Magnea’s
dire straits. The effect is nothing less
than heartbreaking.
The film is propelled by two stellar act-
ing duos. Elín Sif Halldórsdóttir and Eyrún
Björk Jakobsdóttir play Magnea and Stella
as teens, with Magnea’s naiveté and need
for attention and Stella’s ruthlessness and
controlling nature evident in every bad
decision. Kristín þóra Haraldsdóttir (the
star of Sundance prize-winner And Breathe
Normally) and Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir play
the pair as adults. By this time, drugs have
taken their toll on Magnea; she is a shadow
of her former self, while Stella becomes a
shell unable to address any element of her
conflicted past.
Few portraits of addiction and failed
friendship are as devastating as Let Me
Fall, which shows in chilling detail how the
vulnerable are preyed upon, particularly by
those hiding behind religion. Based on true
stories and interviews with the families of
addicts, Let Me Fall was also inspired by the
1980s hit Christiane F. Its unflinching view
of addiction makes it one of those rare films
that transcends its source material.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Baldvin Z was born in Iceland and
studied film in Denmark. His features
include Jitters (10), Life in a Fishbowl
(14), which played at the Festival, and
the documentaries Reynir Sterki:
Beyond Strength (17) and Island
Songs (17). Let Me Fall (18) is his
latest film.
programme sponsored by
Acusada
Barely 20 years old, Dolores Dreier (Lali Filled with understated tension and
The Accused Espósito), has spent the last two years ambiguity, Tobal’s film never ventures into
hiding from the outside world under the the realm of culpability. Rather, it’s our
Gonzalo Tobal ever-watchful eyes of her parents. The last society’s morbid fascination with crime that
ARGENTINA, 2018 person to see her best friend alive before her drives the story, as well as the loss of self that
Spanish brutal death, Dolores is the only suspect in those accused experience. Like Dolores, they
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
her murder. Under intrusive media scrutiny, become characters on a stage to be judged by
and facing accusations from the general pub- the general public, rather than the human
Production Company: K&S Films/Rei Cine/Telefé/Piano
Executive Producer: Micky Buyé, Javier Braier
lic and the speculation of friends and family, beings that they are.
Producer: Hugo Sigman, Benjamín Doménech, Dolores is feeling hollowed out and drained DIANA SANCHEZ
Santiago Gallelli, Matías Roveda, Matías Mosteirin, from the experience.
Leticia Cristi, Axel Kuschevatzky, Julio Chavezmontes
Screenplay: Gonzalo Tobal, Ulises Porra Guardiola
At first reading like a criminal procedural, Gonzalo Tobal was born in Argentina.
Cinematographer: Fernando Lockett Gonzalo Tobal’s accomplished second fea- He wrote and directed the short films
Cerrar la tapa (03), Album familiar
Editor: Alejandro Carrillo Penovi ture The Accused develops into a reflection (05), Ahora todos parecen conten-
Production Designer: Sebastián Orgambide
Sound: Guido Berenblum
on the way our society processes true-life tos (07), and Cynthia todavia tiene
Music: Rogelio Sosa crime stories. With social media and the las llaves (10), and the feature film
Principal Cast: Lali Espósito, Leonardo Sbaraglia, pervasiveness of round-the-clock news, Villegas (12). The Accused (18) is his
Inés Estévez, Daniel Fanego, Gerardo Romano, latest film.
Gael García Bernal
the privacy of those involved is completely
invaded, and their guilt or innocence is
Production: K&S Films
Paraguay 1535
decided over conversations on national
Buenos Aires 1061 Argentina television. When Dolores finally acts on
info@ks-films.com her frustration with the media attention
CONTACT INFORMATION
and decides to directly challenge a famous
International Sales Agent: Film Factory Entertainment talk-show host (an incredible cameo by
(see page 359) Gael García Bernal, who also appears at the
Festival in Museum), she jeopardizes the
careful plans her team of lawyers has put
into place.

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 237

Museo
Alonso Ruizpalacios’ original visual style They soon discover the difficulties associ-
Museum in Güeros, his inspiring feature debut, ated with unloading precious antiquities
signalled a fresh new voice in Mexican and embark on a road trip in search of a
Alonso Ruizpalacios cinema. His follow-up, Museum, is dodgy enough buyer.
MEXICO, 2018 an impressive and multi-layered art heist Melding elements of comedy, drama,
Spanish film. Loosely inspired by true events, and thriller, Museum’s textured approach
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
126 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Ruizpalacios blends themes of friend- explores many themes. Ruizpalacios
ship, family, and genre in an artfully uses a real-life caper to ruminate on art,
Production Company: Panorama Entertainment/
Youtube Originals/Detalle Films/Ring Cine/Distant
complex and assured piece that is at once fun its self-appointed keepers, and the true
Horizon/Serendipity Point Films/Fidecine and profound. ownership of priceless treasures.
Executive Producer: Moisés Cosío, Gael García Bernal, Gael García Bernal (also appearing at the DIANA SANCHEZ
Anant Singh, Brian Cox, Robert Lantos,
Mark Musselman
Festival in The Accused) is resplendent as
Producer: Gerardo Gatica, Alberto Müffelmann, Juan, a likeable guy in his thirties who lives Alonso Ruizpalacios was born in
Manuel Alcalá, Ramiro Ruíz at home while trying to finish up veterinary Mexico City. He studied acting at
Screenplay: Manuel Alcalá, Alonso Ruizpalacios London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic
Cinematographer: Damián García
school. His family tolerates him, but it’s clear Arts. His short films include Café
Editor: Yibrán Asuad that they’ve all given up — especially his Paraiso (08), El último canto del
Production Designer: Sandra Cabriada father (Alfredo Castro). Enlisting his best pájaro Cú (10), Green (16). Before
Sound: Javier Umpierrez
Music: Tomás Barreiro
friend Benjamin (Leonardo Ortizgris), Juan directing Museum (18) he directed
the feature Güeros (14).
Principal Cast: Gael García Bernal, Leonardo Ortizgris, hatches a plan to steal priceless Mayan arte-
Alfredo Castro, Lisa Owen, Bernardo Velasco, facts from Mexico City’s National Museum
Ilse Salas, Leticia Bredice, Simon Russell Beale
of Anthropology.
Production: Panorama Entertainment Counting on Christmas Eve festivities
Orizaba 182, Colonia Roma
Mexico City 06700 Mexico
to distract everyone, from their families
muffelmann@panorama.global to the museum guards, the two leave their
homes in the suburbs and pull off a flawless
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Luxbox, Distant Horizon
robbery at the museum — unbelievable for
US Sales Agent: Distant Horizon a couple of amateurs. Their plan was only
(see page 359) half-baked however, as neither had thought
beyond the acquisition of the treasures.

programme sponsored by

238 contemporary world cinema

What You Gonna Do
Throughout his career the Italian-born,  A film of urgency, community, righteous
When the World’s Texas-based Roberto Minervini (The Other anger, and grace, it is impossible to be unaf-
on Fire? Side, Wavelengths ’15) has established a fected by the people encountered in What
provocative cinematic style and mode of You Gonna Do. With startling intimacy,
Roberto Minervini production, immersing himself in the com- seamless proximity, and a skilful structural
ITALY/USA/FRANCE, 2018 munities in which he works. The results are design, Minervini’s portraits coalesce into a
English often revelatory in the most literal sense, powerful indictment of white supremacy in
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE yielding unforgettable and visceral moving the American South, and a moving testament
123 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
images of rarely seen lives on the margins. to human dignity, empathy, and resilience.
Production Company: Okta Film/Pulpa Film/   Minervini’s fifth feature, What You ANDRÉA PICARD
Rai Cinema/Shellac Sud
Producer: Paolo Benzi, Denise Ping Lee, Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?, is cer-
Roberto Minervini tain to be one of the year’s most talked-about Roberto Minervini was born in Italy
Cinematographer: Diego Romero Suárez-Llanos films. Shot in luminous black and white, the and graduated with a master’s in
Editor: Marie-Hélène Dozo media studies from the New School
Sound: Bernat Fortiana Chico film delves into the everyday lives of Black in New York. He has directed the
With: Judy Hill, Dorothy Hill, Michael Nelson, Americans fighting for justice and survival shorts Voodoo Doll (05) and Las
Ronaldo King, Titus Turner, Ashley King, in the summer of 2017, shifting masterfully luciérnagas (06), as well as the fea-
Kevin Goodman,
The New Black Panthers Party For Self Defense between four wrenching storylines in New tures The Passage (11), Low Tide (12),
and the Festival selections Stop the
Orleans and Jackson County, Mississippi. Pounding Heart (13), The Other Side
Production: Okta Film
Via Cesare Battisti, 23  The film observes Judy Hill, who strives (15), and What You Gonna Do When
Trieste 34125 Italy to keep her family and friends afloat (finan- the World’s on Fire? (18).
zero@oktafilm.it cially, as much as emotionally) as her bar is
CONTACT INFORMATION threatened; the two young brothers Ronaldo
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory and Titus, whose neighbourhood is plagued
(see page 359) by violence; Kevin, the Big Chief of the
Indian tradition of Mardi Gras, who is keep-
ing the cultural heritage of his people alive;
and The New Black Panthers, who carry out
a door-to-door people’s investigation of a
killing attributed to the Ku Klux Klan.

320 wavelengths
Maiden
Exhilarating, suspenseful, and emotionally
Alex Holmes charged, this documentary from director
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 Alex Holmes chronicles Tracy Edwards’s
English 1989-90 precedent-setting sea voyage
WORLD PREMIERE around the world with an all-female crew.
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
The Whitbread Round the World Race
Production Company: New Black Films Limited (rechristened the Volvo Ocean Race in 2001)
Executive Producer: James Erskine, Oli Harbottle,
Anna Godas was considered an exclusively masculine
Producer: Victoria Gregory, Alex Holmes endeavour when Edwards came along and,
Screenplay: Alex Holmes in the face of much sexist condescension,
Cinematographer: Chris Openshaw
Editor: Katie Bryer proved that skill, perseverance, and courage
Music: Rob Manning, Samuel Sim at sea know no gender.
With: Tracy Edwards Maiden traces Edwards’s formative expe-
Production: New Black Films Limited riences: the idyllic childhood that came to a
5 Denmark St devastating halt with her father’s death and
London WC2H 8LP United Kingdom
victoria@newblackfilms.com the adolescent rebelliousness that resulted
in her expulsion from school. At 16, she ran
CONTACT INFORMATION away to Greece, where she had her first taste
International Sales Agent: Dogwoof
(see page 359) of the seafaring life, rapidly graduating from
cook to deckhand to first mate. She was still
in her mid-twenties when she became deter-
mined to participate in the Whitbread with
a crew of talented women from around the
world. With its fundraising challenges and
heated rivalries, the journey to prepare the
Maiden was already complicated. But it was
just the beginning of an epic adventure.
programme sponsored by
Holmes crafts a captivating braid of ar-
chival materials and new interviews in
which Edwards and her crew members — all
of them rousing storytellers — collectively
narrate their experience. It is a classic tale
of people contending with the elements,
though in this case some of those elements
are other people. In a televised interview
filmed before the Maiden set out, Edwards
explains that she doesn’t consider herself
a feminist. She simply wants to be able to
pursue her passion… and prove the all-male
sailing establishment wrong.
THOM POWERS
Alex Holmes was born in London. He
has written, directed, and produced
numerous documentary series for
television including Dunkirk (04),
which won a BAFTA. He directed
the documentary features Stop at
Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story
(14) and Coalition (15). Maiden (18)
is his latest film.
tiff docs 305
Screwball
They say South Florida is a sunny place for
Billy Corben shady people. Filmmaker Billy Corben has
USA, 2018 a talent for uncovering some of its most
English colourful characters in hit documentaries
WORLD PREMIERE like Cocaine Cowboys and The U. Now in  ture of professional sports. While some get
105 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Screwball, he delivers a true-crime comedy
Production Company: rakontur worthy of the novels of Elmore Leonard. The
Producer: Alfred Spellman, Billy Corben
Cinematographer: B.J. Golnick film looks at doping in major league baseball
Editor: David Cypkin from the perspective of Anthony Bosch,
Music: 10K Islands a specialist in performance-enhancing
With: Anthony Bosch, Porter Fischer, Tim Elfrink
drugs, who was a key figure in the scandals
Production: rakontur of Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and
PO Box 403004
Miami Beach, FL 33140 USA other star players.
info@rakontur.com While Bosch’s medical credentials may be
lacking, his storytelling skills are first rate.
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: 30WEST On camera, he is hilariously frank about
(see page 359) the rise and fall of his Biogenesis health
clinic, including details of mob connections,
financial chicanery, his cocaine habit, and
Rodriguez’s eccentric behavior.  Miami
New Times  journalist Tim Elfrink helps
to frame the story based on his book Blood
Sport: A-Rod and the Quest to End Baseball’s
Steroid Era.
In the pursuit of youth, adults often
look childish. Corben reflects this by cast-
ing children to play the roles of Bosch,
Rodriguez, and others in delightfully staged
306 tiff docs
reenactments — like a cross between The
Little Rascals and The Thin Blue Line.
The film excels in inducing laughter, but
also raises serious questions about the cul-
punished for drugging, others profit from
uneven oversight. A government health
inspector tells of being in hot pursuit of
Bosch’s case until receiving mysterious
orders to drop it. Powerful interests would
be happy to let this story slip from memory.
But Screwball makes it unforgettable. 
THOM POWERS
Billy Corben was born in Fort Myers,
Florida. He studied political science,
screenwriting, and theatre at the
University of Miami. His documen-
tary features include Raw Deal: A
Question of Consent (01), Cocaine
Cowboys (06), Square Grouper (11),
Limelight (11), Broke (12), and Dog
Fight (15). Screwball (18) is his latest
documentary feature.
programme sponsored by
Searching for Ingmar
Few directors have been as influential as Our appreciation of his films is deepened
Bergman Ingmar Bergman. His output in the 1950s when we listen to interviews with direc-
including Smiles of a Summer Night, The tors such as Olivier Assayas (who is at the
Margarethe von Trotta Seventh Seal, and Wild Strawberries helped Festival with Non-Fiction) Ruben Östlund,
GERMANY/FRANCE, 2018 to define the notion of art film ahead of the and Mia Hansen-Løve (who is at the Festival
German, Swedish, English, French
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE New Wave. He was a pioneer of serious tele- with Maya). The critic Stig Björkman helps
99 minutes | Colour and Black and White/ vision with the semi-autobiographical series to place Bergman’s work in a Swedish
DCP (D-Cinema) Scenes from a Marriage (1973) and Fanny context, and director-actor Liv Ullman em-
Production Company: C-Films (Deutschland) GmbH/ and Alexander (1982). phasizes his aspiration to write at the level of
Mondex et Cie This year marks the 100th anniversary of Ibsen and Strindberg. This sensitive explo-
Executive Producer: Edward Noeltner
Producer: Konstanze Speidel, Benjamin Seikel, Bergman’s birth. In her film Searching for ration will awaken your appetite for the large
Guy Amon, Stéphane Sorlat Ingmar Bergman, the acclaimed German Bergman retrospective coming to TIFF Bell
Screenplay: Margarethe von Trotta, Felix Moeller director Margarethe von Trotta examines Lightbox this fall.
Cinematographer: Börres Weiffenbach
Editor: Bettina Böhler his life and legacy. Whether you’re an aficio- THOM POWERS
Sound: Helge Haack nado or a newcomer to Bergman, this film
With: Liv Ullmann, Daniel Bergman, offers a rich sampling of his classic scenes Margarethe von Trotta was born
Ingmar Bergman Jr., Olivier Assayas, Ruben Östlund
combined with insights from his family, col- in Berlin. Her features include
The Second Awakening of Christa
Production: C-Films (Deutschland) GmbH leagues, and the filmmakers he influenced. Klages (77), Sisters, or The Balance
Neuer Pferdemarkt 23
Hamburg 20359 Germany Von Trotta has her own warm memories of Happiness (79), Marianne and
info@c-films.de of knowing Bergman. He placed her 1981 Juliane (81), Rosa Luxemburg (86),
work Marianne and Juliane on a list of 11 The Promise (94), Rosenstrasse (03),
CONTACT INFORMATION Vision (09), and Hannah Arendt (12).
Canadian Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories films that were important to him. But she Searching for Ingmar Bergman (18)
US Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories doesn’t shy away from addressing the com- is her latest fim.
International Sales Agent: Cinema Management Group plexity of his character. He fathered nine
US Sales Agent: Cinema Management Group
(see page 359) children with six women. We hear his son
Daniel observe that Bergman was closer to
memories of his childhood than he was to
his own children.

programme sponsored by

tiff docs 307

1,000
ways to
experience
Reel Magic

The Reel Magic program provides 1,000

Toronto International Film Festival ®* tickets,
at no cost, to enable individuals and families from
underserved communities to experience the magic
and transformative power of film.

Sun Life is proud to continue this important partnership

with the Toronto International Film Festival ®*.

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®* Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.

® Making the Arts More Accessible is a registered trade-mark

of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada.
 Wavelengths
Daring, visionary, and autonomous
voices. Works that expand our
notion of the moving image.

Wavelengths 1:
Earth, Wind & Fire
Polly One
Kevin Jerome Everson | USA, 2018
Silent | 6 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Blue
Apichatpong Weerasethakul |
FRANCE/THAILAND, 2018
No dialogue | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Fainting Spells
Sky Hopinka | HO-CHUNK NATION/USA, 2018
No dialogue | 11 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Prologue to the Tarot: Glenna
Brittany Gravely, Ken Linehan | USA, 2018
No dialogue | 6 minutes | Colour/16mm
Hoarders Without Boarders
Jodie Mack | USA, 2018
Silent | 6 minutes | Colour/16mm
ante mis ojos
Lina Rodriguez | COLOMBIA/CANADA, 2018
Spanish | 7 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
ALTIPLANO
Malena Szlam | CHILE/ARGENTINA/CANADA, 2018
No Dialogue | 15 minutes | Colour/35mm
Total running time: 63 minutes
310 wavelengths
Bookended by stunning astral compositions,
this programme explores the elemental as
informed by myths, legends, dreams, and
cosmic forces. Across Polly One’s two exqui-
site shots, veteran filmmaker (and amateur
meteorologist) Kevin Jerome Everson
utilizes 16mm film and unconventional
lenses to render — in Turneresque swirls
of colour — a natural phenomenon even
more celestial.
In the hushed, somnolent, yet unset-
tling Blue, Thai master Apichatpong
Weerasethakul and frequent collaborator
Jenjira Pongpas Widner present a cho-
reographed dance of painted scrolls and a
portrait of feverish slumber.
Sky Hopinka’s Fainting Spells responds to
Ho-Chunk traditions of revival and a myth
inspired by the Xąwįska, or the Indian Pipe
plant, producing a trancelike meditation on
arrivals, departures, and ascendance.
Described by the filmmakers as a “cin-
ematic tarot card,” Brittany Gravely and
Ken Linehan’s twice-exposed Prologue to
the Tarot: Glenna is a shimmering portrait
of the eponymous Glenna, accompanied
by drapes and opulent crystals worthy of
Kenneth Anger or Josef von Sternberg.
ALTIPLANO
In Hoarders Without Boarders by Jodie
Mack (also at the Festival with The Grand
Bizarre), gems and other oddities from the
collection of mineralogist Mary Johnson
are rapidly manipulated by ghostlike hands,
producing a hypnotic take on the (super)
natural sciences.
Shot on grainy Super 8, and exuding an
amber incandescence, Lina Rodriguez’s
elusive and evocative ante mis ojos offers a
fragmentary glimpse of Colombia’s mythic
Lake Guatavita, long considered the inspira-
tion for the legend of El Dorado.
The programme concludes with Malena
Szlam’s magnificent ALTIPLANO —
the follow-up to her Lunar Almanac
(Wavelengths ’14) — which employs super-
impositions and other effects to recast the
lakes, salt flats, and volcanic deserts of
Northern Chile and Northwest Argentina
as psychedelic, otherworldly landscapes.
ANDRÉA PICARD

Wavelengths 2:
Another Brick in the Wall
Ada Kaleh
Helena Wittmann | GERMANY, 2018
Mandarin | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
The Glass Note
Mary Helena Clark | USA, 2018
No dialogue | 9 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
mumok kino
Philipp Fleischmann | AUSTRIA, 2017
Silent | 2 minutes | Colour/35mm
TREES DOWN HERE
Ben Rivers | UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English | 14 minutes | Colour/35mm
1986 夏
1986 Summer
Toshio Matsumoto | JAPAN, 1986
Silent | 3 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Words, Planets
Laida Lertxundi
SPAIN/USA, 2018 | English, Mandarin, Spanish
11 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
The Invisible Cinema 3
Philipp Fleischmann | AUSTRIA, 2017
Silent | 1 minute | Colour/16mm
Walled Unwalled
Lawrence Abu Hamdan | GERMANY, 2018
English, Arabic | 20 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Total running time: 74 minutes
Two architecturally minded miniatures
by Philipp Fleischmann punctuate this
programme of works that offer diverse
reflections on the ways the world is seen,
heard, and felt. The first, mumok kino, is a
spectral portrait of the Viennese cinema as
seen through stuttering, flickering glimpses
of walls and other surfaces, while a chorus
of lights dance in darkness in The Invisible
Cinema 3, a work of maximalist minimal-
ism inspired by Peter Kubelka’s famed
movie-going structure of the same name.
The programme opens with the entranc-
ing Ada Kaleh, Helena Wittmann’s intimate
reflection on travelling without moving and
the sense of familiar spaces since emptied
of loved ones, set and shot entirely in an
apartment. Themes of voice, absence, and
embodiment further percolate throughout
both The Glass Note by the ever-inventive
Mary Helena Clark, which offers an eerie
and surprising reflection on cinema and
sound by way of stones, skin, and CGI, and
Ben Rivers’ beautiful, enigmatic TREES
DOWN HERE, which weds architecture,
animals, and John Cage.
Walled Unwalled
A previously unseen short by the Japanese
avant-garde titan, Toshio Matsumoto’s
1986 Summer locates faces and bodies
within superimpositions, zooms, and a
lightning-fast montage of brick struc-
tures and verdant trees. Similar dynamics
are explored in Laida Lertxundi’s Words,
Planets, which extends from the filmmaker’s
twin interests in landscapes and portraiture,
incorporating fruit, Wong Kar-wai, cacti, the
words of Lucy Lippard and R.D Laing, and
power pop.
Finally, in the gripping Walled Unwalled
the artist and self-described “private ear”
Lawrence Abu Hamdan recounts three
different stories related to walls, alongside
their concomitant social, legal, and psycho-
logical ramifications.
ANDRÉA PICARD
1986 Summer (1986 夏)
courtesy of Postwar Japan Moving Image Archive, Tokyo
wavelengths 311

Wavelengths 3:
Centerfold
Girl Pack
Lisa Baumgardner | USA, 1981
No dialogue | 6 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Please step out of the frame.
Karissa Hahn | USA, 2018
English | 4 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
The Air of the Earth in Your Lungs
Ross Meckfessel | USA/JAPAN, 2018
No dialogue | 11 minutes | Colour/16mm
Sira
Rolla Tahir | CANADA, 2018
Arabic | 6 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Slip
Celia Perrin Sidarous | CANADA, 2018
Silent | 12 minutes | Colour/16mm
Alice
Maria Lassnig | USA, 1974
English | 5 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Fallen Arches
Simon Liu | UNITED KINGDOM/USA/HONG KONG, 2018
Silent | 11 minutes | Colour/35mm
I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead
Beatrice Gibson | USA/ITALY/UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English | 20 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP
4K (D-Cinema)
Total running time: 75 minutes
312 wavelengths
Two recent restorations depicting women in
the big city ground this programme of films
that engage with (auto-)biography, technol-
ogy, and notions of home. Shot in New York
in 1974, Maria Lassnig’s Alice is an uncon-
ventional portrait of the titular woman,
with footage of her body accompanied by
fireworks, Händel, and the filmmaker’s
laconic voiceover. Set in the same city, Lisa
Baumgardner’s punchy punk-era opener Girl
Pack rewrites Jean-Luc Godard’s famous
axiom, proving that all you need to make a
film is six girls and a six-pack of beer.
Reminiscent of the work of Japanese mas-
termind Takashi Ito, Karissa Hahn’s Please
step out of the frame. uses Super 8, a desk,
and a laptop to create a playful choreography
of body and screen, while Ross Meckfessel’s
shapeshifter The Air of the Earth in Your
Lungs further ponders movement and tech-
nologically mediated journeys.
Responding to the travel documentaries
of Jacques Madvo, Rolla Tahir’s Sira manip-
ulates and adds to the filmmaker’s original
footage to produce a personal reminiscence
of her childhood migration from Kuwait to
Canada, via Sudan.
Alice
The muted, sublime Slip, the work of
photographer and filmmaker Celia Perrin
Sidarous, is cinema indebted to ikebana,
antiquity, and still life. Global in scope but
intimate in spirit, Fallen Arches by Simon
Liu presents a dizzying assembly of foot-
age captured between the bucolic English
countryside and the buzzing metropoles of
New York and Hong Kong.
By turns raucous and reserved, Beatrice
Gibson’s I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead
ponders the future of a world in flux from a
mother’s perspective and is accented by poets
CAConrad and Eileen Myles.
ANDRÉA PICARD
Alice
courtesy of Maria Lassnig Foundation, Vienna
Girl Pack
courtesy of the Museum of Modern Art , New York
I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead
is a KW Production Series co-commission with the Mercer
Union (Toronto), Camden Arts Centre (London) and
Bergen Kunsthall (Bergen) and is supported by Julia
Stoscheck Foundation and Outset Germany_Switzerland.
 A Return

Wavelengths 4:
A programme of ruins and resilience, of Inspired by a 2001 initiative in which
We’ve Only Just Begun endnotes and epiphanies, these six films Shanghai attempted to build a replica
Colophon (for the begin with an ending. Nathaniel Dorsky’s Spain by way of the pop icon’s abode, Julio
Arboretum Cycle) Colophon (for the Arboretum Cycle) — a coda Iglesias’s House by Natalia Marín is a rich
Nathaniel Dorsky | USA, 2018 to a recent series of shorts and a singular and sardonic take on the conflation between
Silent | 14 minutes | Colour/16mm work of its own — offers a stunning, stir- nationalism, idealism, and the built world.
ring, and unexpected triptych as he gestures A fitting companion to his other Festival
A Return toward ancient Chinese scrolls. entry, An Elephant Sitting Still, Hu Bo’s Man
James Edmonds | GERMANY, 2018 Replete with sophisticated camera in the Well is a raw and troubling tale of deci-
No dialogue | 6 minutes | Colour/16mm movements and multiple exposures, James mation and desperation, produced under the
El Laberinto Edmonds’s A Return is an enveloping supervision of master filmmaker Béla Tarr.
The Labyrinth reflection on the secret, the private, and the ANDRÉA PICARD
unspoken. Structures shift and intermingle,
Laura Huertas Millán | COLOMBIA/FRANCE, 2018
Spanish | 21 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
as built and breathing worlds coalesce.
In Laura Huertas Millán’s The Labyrinth,
Île d’Ouessant a nameless narrator roams and rummages
David Dudouit | FRANCE, 2018 through the ruinous jungle compound
Silent | 10 minutes | Colour/16mm of a former Colombian drug lord — opu-
lently modelled after the mansion from
La casa de Julio Iglesias
TV’s Dynasty — invoking speculative pasts
Julio Iglesias’s House
and futures alongside real histories of vio-
Natalia Marín | SPAIN, 2018 lence and decadence.
English | 13 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
David Dudouit’s twilight-tinged Île
Jing li de ren d’Ouessant, completed posthumously
Man in the Well by colleagues from the French arti-
Hu Bo | CHINA, 2018 sanal film lab L’Abominable, is a breath-
Mandarin | 16 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema) taking assembly of patient and precise
single-frame exposures shot on the
Total running time: 80 minutes
sparsely populated Atlantic island.

wavelengths 313
L. COHEN
“The light came through the window straight
James Benning from the sun above. And so inside my little
USA, 2018 room there plunged the rays of love.”
No dialogue —Leonard Cohen
CANADIAN PREMIERE
45 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Legendary avant-garde filmmaker and visual
artist James Benning returns to the Festival
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: neugerriemschneider with L. COHEN, one of the year’s most awe-
(see page 359) inspiring and transcendent experiences.
Benning has described the landscape as “a
Preceded by:
function of time” and this film elegantly
Arena invites us to savour the relationship. Shot
Björn Kämmerer in a barren Oregon field, the film’s fixed
AUSTRIA, 2018 camera presents us with the deceptively
Silent
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
simple: a canary-coloured jerry can, twin
5 minutes | Colour/70mm tires, some rusty barrels, abandoned agri-
cultural machinery, a plain of green grass
and overgrown hay, and faint, portentous
details in the distance.  (04), Casting a Glance (07), and
Winner of the Grand Prize at this year’s
Cinéma du Réel festival, L. COHEN is essen-
tial at a time when time itself (and time
with oneself ) seems to elude under a con-
stant barrage of distractions. Regenerative,
contemplative, profoundly moving, and as
challenging as it is soothing, Benning’s mini-
malist tour de force should be compulsory
viewing for fidgety, restless minds. A long-
time proponent of “looking and listening,”
Benning captures the ordinary in nature and
314 wavelengths
reveals the extraordinary within, while pay-
ing homage to one of Canada’s most beloved
artists. L. COHEN is a search for totality, as
much as it is a meditation on the beauty and
brevity of existence.
Preceding Benning’s film, in a sly instance
of recto-verso, is Björn Kämmerer’s one-take,
70mm feat, Arena. With a steady, circular
travelling shot, Kämmerer’s camera reveals
empty bleachers, reversing the idea of
spectatorship and spectacle in a tribute
to the unexpected visual pleasures we
risk overlooking.
ANDRÉA PICARD
James Benning was born in
Milwaukee. He is the director of
American Dreams: Lost and Found
(84), 13 Lakes (04), Ten Skies
the 2010 Festival selection Ruhr (09),
Twenty Cigarettes (10), Small
Roads (11), Easy Rider (12),
Natural History (14), Spring
Equinox (16), and Fall Equinox (16).
L. COHEN (18) is his latest feature.
Björn Kämmerer was born in
Stralsund, Germany.His films
include Gyre (09), Turret (11), Torque
(12), Louver (13), Trigger (14), and
Navigator (15) and Untitled (16),
which both screened at the Festival.
Arena (18) is his latest film.
The Grand Bizarre
Shot and projected on 16mm, The Grand
Jodie Mack Bizarre  is the dazzling debut feature by
USA, 2018 experimental animator Jodie Mack, a kinetic
English examination of the global circulation of tex-
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE tiles and patterns. Building upon her prolific
61 minutes | Colour/16mm
and protean work in shorts — an oeuvre
Cinematographer: Jodie Mack long admired for its technical precision and
Editor: Jodie Mack
Production Designer: Jodie Mack imaginative manipulation of fabrics, paper,
Sound: Jodie Mack and light, among other experiments — this
Music: Jodie Mack appropriately ambitious feature expands the
Preceded by: artist’s scope and scale, inviting a consider-
ation of material culture writ large. 
Los que desean Mimicking its objects of interest, the film
Those Who Desire is itself a worldwide journey and a develop-
Elena López Riera ing pattern, which weaves in and out of micro
SWITZERLAND/SPAIN, 2018 and macro observations through recurring
Spanish
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
motifs and methods across diverse land-
24 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) scapes and cultures. Buoyant and trippy, The
Grand Bizarre explores fabric production
and consumption alongside reflections of
cultural appropriation and grand systems
of visual and spoken language. In addition
to an enchantingly rhythmic montage, the
film is further enhanced by a dynamic mix of
music and surprising sonic flourishes.
The Grand Bizarre is preceded by Elena
López Riera’s Those Who Desire, an equally
colourful  film that also examines the
objects and operations of desire. Elegant
and finely observed, it is a documentary
portrait of palomba competitions in south-
ern Spain, where trainers’ brightly painted
pigeons vie for the affection of a female
mate. A fascinating film about men as much
as it is about birds, Those Who Desire subtly
invokes themes of masculinity and court-
ship, speaking volumes about intimate,
patriarchal village communities along the
Mediterranean, where silent gestures often
convey more than words.
ANDRÉA PICARD
Jodie Mack was born in London,
and received her MFA in video and
new media from the School of the
Art Institute of Chicago. She has
directed the shorts Yard Work is Hard
Work (08), Dusty Stacks of Mom: The
Poster Project (13), Curses (16), and
Wasteland No. 1 – Ardent, Verdant
(17). The Grand Bizarre (18) is her
first feature.
Elena López Riera was born in Spain.
Her short films include Pueblo (15)
and the documentary The Entrails
(16). Those Who Desire (18) is her
latest film.
wavelengths 315
RAY & LIZ
Celebrated British artist Richard Billingham  An original take on the British kitchen-
Richard Billingham is best known for a series of striking photo- sink genre,  RAY & LIZ  recalls early Ken
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 graphs depicting his family in their council Loach, Samuel Beckett, and the unbridled
English flat outside Birmingham during the Thatcher melodrama of Fassbinder’s 16mm televi-
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE era. The startling, saturated images were an sion work, all while exhibiting a vision and
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
immediate success when published in 1996, aesthetic of its own. By turns tremendously
Production Company: Primitive Film with an emotional authenticity and compas- sad, shocking, hilarious, and humanist,
Producer: Jacqui Davies
Screenplay: Richard Billingham sion that invoked comparisons to the photos Billingham’s film is as much about despe-
Cinematographer: Daniel Landin of Nan Goldin, while the work’s squalid real- ration and poverty as it is about memory,
Editor: Tracy Granger ism inevitably ignited debates on the ethics resistance, and small moments of grace. It
Production Designer: Beck Rainford
Sound: Joakim Sundström of representation. also features one helluva soundtrack.
Principal Cast: Ella Smith, Justin Salinger,  For his feature debut, Billingham revisits ANDRÉA PICARD
Patrick Romer, Deirdre Kelly, Tony Way, Sam Gittins, the figures of his earlier photographs — his
Joshua Millard-Lloyd
alcoholic father Ray; his obese, tattooed Richard Billingham was born in
Production: Primitive Film mother Liz; and his younger brother Jason Birmingham, England. He studied
85 Mallard Place painting at the Bournville College of
London TW1 4SW United Kingdom — with a series of everyday rituals that defy Art and the University of Sunderland.
jacqui@primitive.film chronology, partly inspired by the artist’s He began his career as a photogra-
own teenage memories.  pher, with his work appearing at
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Luxbox Sharing the same candid, cramped spa- MoMA, the National Galleries of
Scotland, the Saatchi Gallery, and
(see page 359) ces as the photographs, the film is stun- the Tate. RAY & LIZ (18) is his first
ningly shot on 16mm (by Daniel Landin, feature film.
Under the Skin). While the film’s characters
are exquisitely, lovingly drawn, exuding
a wide and subtle range of emotion, RAY
& LIZ accrues by strength of its indelible
detail: the sublime light streaming through
bottles of homemade brew; the lace curtains,
paisley carpets, and ornate wallpaper that
inform a period décor of paradoxical beauty
and tackiness.

316 wavelengths
Tirss, Rihlat Alsoo’oud
It begins with a disappearance 25 years in on how violent acts — crimes against hu-
ila Almar’i the past. In fact, it begins even before that, manity — play into notions of martyr-
Erased,___Ascent of the during a civil war that has ended but whose dom, shape national narratives, and pose
Invisible impact — and absences — continue to be felt. questions about the very right, in being
Erased,____ Ascent of the Invisible embraces killed, to die.
Ghassan Halwani this layered sense of history’s continual KIVA REARDON
unspooling into the present.
LEBANON, 2018
Arabic Ghassan Halwani’s powerful debut Ghassan Halwani was born in Beirut.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE feature is an evocative examination of the He directed the short animated film
Jibralter (05), and animated the
76 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP thousands of people who were disappeared Festival selection The Lebanese
(D-Cinema)
during Lebanon’s 15-year conflict. Diving Rocket Society (12). Erased,____
Executive Producer: Ghassan Halwani into this politically loaded and personally Ascent of the Invisible (18) is
Producer: Ghassan Halwani
Screenplay: Ghassan Halwani resonant topic, Halwani scrapes away — at his first feature film.

Cinematographer: Ghassan Halwani, Inka Dewitz,
Carine Doumit, Joan Chaker
Animator: Ghassan Halwani
Editor: Vartan Avakian
Sound: Toni Geitani, Rami El Sabbagh
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: mec film
(see page 359)
times, quite literally — layers of Lebanese
history and rethinks the topography of
modern-day Beirut.
Though the disappeared were erased —
their bodies remaining unfound and unre-
covered decades later — their presence
lingers. As Halwani explores, the dead re-
main in the memory of loved ones, beneath
the sidewalks of gentrified neighbourhoods,
in the very fabric of society.
A photographer who transitioned to illus-
tration (and whose work was seen at TIFF
‘12 in The Lebanese Rocket Society), Halwani
employs multiple mediums, including pho-
tography, voiceover, onscreen text, and his
own animation. The result is a rumination

wavelengths 317
La Flor
La Flor is the ultimate film fleuve: a decade actors playing Canadian Mounties in one of
The Flower of production,  four actors, three conti- the film’s many meta-diversions, jet set as
nents, six chapters, 14 hours. A remarkable spies in an international espionage thriller,
Mariano Llinás and mad-capped feat of — and statement and more.
ARGENTINA, 2018 about — narrative, Mariano Llinás’ film is Consistently upending expectations as it
Spanish, Catalan, French, English, Russian,
German, Swedish, Italian
a singular achievement in Latin American playfully renders homage to the history of
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE cinema and one of the year’s most compul- cinema — including a dreamy, black-and-
807 minutes | Colour and Black and White/ sively watchable and exuberantly epic films. white remake of a famous French classic
DCP (D-Cinema)
Working again outside the mainstream with — La Flor extols the pleasures of cinematic
Production Company: El Pampero Cine a coterie of talented collaborators from the creation, its telling as much as its viewing.
Executive Producer: Laura Citarella
Producer: Laura Citarella
Argentine film and theatre communities, Presented as a weekend-long screening
Screenplay: Mariano Llinás Llinás furthers his interest in radical cin- session, La Flor is a refreshing dose of cine-
Cinematographer: Agustín Mendilaharzu ematic storytelling formerly exhibited in his philic amour fou.
Animator: Alejo Varisto
Editor: Alejo Moguillansky, Agustín Rolandelli
cult favourite, Extraordinary Stories (2008). ANDRÉA PICARD
Production Designer: Laura Caligiuri, Flora Caligiuri A film of interlocking and disparate epi-
Sound: Rodrigo Sánchez Mariño sodes (with helpful instructions provided Mariano Llinás was born in Buenos
Music: Gabriel Chwojnik
Principal Cast: Elisa Carricajo, Valeria Correa,
onscreen by the filmmaker), La Flor is Aires, Argentina and is a writer, pro-
ducer and director. He has directed
Pilar Gamboa, Laura Paredes propelled by the charisma and dexterous the short films, Derecho viejo (98)
Production: El Pampero Cine
talent of its four leads — Elisa Carricajo, and La más bella niña (04) and the
Laprida 1641 D, CABA Valeria Correa, Pilar Gamboa, and Laura features Extraordinary Stories (08)
Buenos Aires, Argentina Paredes — who reinvent themselves in each and La Flor: Primera Parte (16). La
lauracitarella@elpamperocine.com.ar Flor (18) is his latest feature.
of the film’s chapters, each wonderously
realized and taking up a completely differ-
ent genre and style. They variously play
scientists in a mock B-movie about cursed
mummies, inhabit the world of pop music
in a telenovela-esque melodrama, embody

318 wavelengths
The Trial
In an era, worldwide, of authoritarian pow- the “show” element of the trial, one replete
Sergei Loznitsa ers run amok and thinning distinctions with rapt spectators and dramatic perfor-
NETHERLANDS, 2018 between the official and the propagandistic, mances by a host of “actors” — prosecutors,
Russian Sergei Loznitsa (also at the Festival with witnesses, defendants, and judges alike.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Donbass) returns with another extraordi- Interspersed with footage of popular
127 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
nary, prescient, and politically astute found protests against Poincaré,  The Trial  is a
Production Company: ATOMS & VOID/Wild at Art footage documentary. The Trial is comprised fascinating and Kafkaesque historical docu-
Producer: Maria Choustova, Sergei Loznitsa,
Peter Warnier of painstakingly researched and restored ment with obvious contemporary resonance,
Screenplay: Sergei Loznitsa black-and-white footage chronicling one of which gives unprecedented insight into the
Editor: Sergei Loznitsa, Danielius Kokanauskis Joseph Stalin’s first show trials, which took origins of the deadly regime that lived the
Sound: Vladimir Golovnitski
place in 1930 in Moscow. slogan “Lie is Truth” as its everyday reality. 
Production: ATOMS & VOID The suspenseful, life-threatening situ- ANDRÉA PICARD
Brugsestraat, 20
The Hague, South Holland 2587 XS Netherlands ation is real, while the crime of course is
contact@atomsvoid.com fake, a spectacle concocted by Stalin’s gov- Sergei Loznitsa was born in Belarus
ernment to serve his reign. Various forms and raised in Ukraine. Many of his
CONTACT INFORMATION films have played the Festival, includ-
International Sales Agent: ATOMS & VOID of totalitarian fabrication and operatic ing the features My Joy (10) and In
(see page 359) artifice lie at the heart of what becomes a the Fog (12), and the documentaries
chilling courtroom drama. The accused Maidan (14), The Event (15), and
— a group of top-ranking economists and Austerlitz (16). His two most recent
films, Donbass (18) and The Trial (18),
engineers, charged with forming a secret play the Festival this year.
pact with French Prime Minister Raymond
Poincaré and other Western leaders in
order to restore capitalism and fracture the
USSR — are forced to confess to crimes they
never committed.
Filmed as if on a 1930s sound studio
with blocky set pieces, Loznitsa’s ingenious
montage demonstrates the inherent the-
atrical nature of the farce and emphasizes

wavelengths 319
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 8
All These Creatures
Charles Williams
AUSTRALIA, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 13 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K
(D-Cinema)
This year’s Short Film Palme d’Or winner at Cannes by
Australia’s Charles Williams is the visually rich and emo-
tionally charged story of a boy struggling to connect to a
father who is being consumed by infestations that may
exist both outside and within him. JA
Charles Williams was born in Victoria, Australia. His short
films include The Cow Thief (06) and There Had Better Be
Blood (10). All These Creatures (18) is his latest film.
Ballad of Blood and
Two White Buckets
Yosep Anggi Noen
INDONESIA, 2018, Javanese, Indonesian
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
In this riveting drama, shifts in religious beliefs imperil the
livelihood of a couple who eke out a marginal existence sell-
ing a foodstuff some see as nutritious, others as haram. JA
Yosep Anggi Noen was born in Indonesia. His short films
include A Lady Caddy Who Never Saw a Hole in One (13) and
Love Story Not (15). Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets
(18) is his latest short.
336 short cuts
programme
sponsored by
Caroni
Ian Harnarine
CANADA/TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO/USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 7 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
In Ian Harnarine’s unconventional and affecting portrayal
of a mother’s love and heartache, a West Indian nanny
working in New York City tries new ways to connect with
her young daughter at home in Trinidad. LH
Ian Harnarine was born in Toronto. He received his MFA
from NYU’s Graduate Film School. His short film Doubles
With Slight Pepper (11) won Best Short Film at the Festival.
Caroni (18) is his latest work.
Accidence
Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson
CANADA, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K
(D-Cinema)
From the movie-mad minds of Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson,
and Galen Johnson comes a thoroughly Hitchcockian mys-
tery that doubles as a veritable smorgasbord for voyeurs. JA
Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson were all
born in Winnipeg. Accidence (18) is their latest short film.
programme
supported by
Veslemøy’s Song
Sofia Bohdanowicz
CANADA, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 9 minutes | Black and White/
DCP (D-Cinema)
A young woman is inspired to delve into the lost history of
a classical violinist and music teacher who never got her
due. Yet, as Sofia Bohdanowicz’s delightfully wry mix of fact
and fiction demonstrates, journeys into the past invariably
come with unexpected perils. JA
Sofia Bohdanowicz is a Toronto-based filmmaker currently
pursuing an MFA in film production at York University.
Veslemøy’s Song (18) is her latest short film.
Ce Magnifique Gâteau!
This Magnificent Cake!
Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels
BELGIUM/FRANCE/NETHERLANDS, 2018, French, Aka,
Malinke, Flemish
Canadian Premiere | 44 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
This stop-motion animated marvel uses the history of the
Belgian Congo in the 19th century as a springboard for
a bold, surreal study of European colonialism’s hidden
pathologies, blind ambitions, and capacity for cruelty. JA
Emma de Swaef was born in Belgium and Marc James
Roels was born in Johannesburg. This Magnificent Cake!
(18) is their latest film.
Fausto
Set on the Oaxacan coast, Andrea Bussman’s Describing our myriad deals with devils,
Andrea Bussmann latest feature is one part mediation on myth Bussman creates her own enchanting lore,
CANADA/MEXICO, 2018 and one part avant-garde ghost story. The a mixture of sly humour, doubt, and wonder,
Spanish, Arabic, English, French film’s narrator encounters a number of and featuring some of the most entrancing,
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE people, all of them storytellers, who describe indelible images you’ll see this year.
70 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
a past that refuses to go away. Ghosts and STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Producer: Andrea Bussmann, Nicolás Pereda witches abound and almost every location
Screenplay: Andrea Bussmann
Cinematographer: Andrea Bussmann has a secret history. The stories — populated Andrea Bussmann was born in
Editor: Andrea Bussmann by thieves, grifters, and unwary people who Toronto and received an MFA in film
production. Her work includes the
Sound: Andrea Bussmann indulge in esoteric affairs — frequently documentary short He Whose Face
Music: Gustav Mahler
Principal Cast: Alberto Núñez, Victor Pueyo, include a handsome man who seduces Gives No Light (11) and the documen-
Gabino Rodríguez, Fernando Renjifo, Ziad Chakaroun almost everyone into making deals that tary feature Tales of Two Who Dreamt
invariably end in disappointment. He’s an (16). Fausto (18) is her latest film.

emblem for our own incurable addiction

to narrative and the meaning we want to
impose on what we experience.
Visually striking, the film is packed with
mysterious images, pinpricks of light emerg-
ing ominously from the dark. Some evolve
into discernible objects while others just
flicker enigmatically, like old footage of sup-
posed UFOs. There’s an electrifying sense of
discovery here, but the film is far more than
a string of enticing pictures. The narrative
often breaks with what we see onscreen, cre-
ating a schism. The narrator describes huge
crews working on a building project but we
see only one tired-looking guy with a shovel.
Figures come and go instantly.

wavelengths 321
Si Ling Hun
A handheld camera zooms over hardened and distilling the pain of 120 testimonies and
Dead Souls soil dotted with scattered bones. Wind over 600 hours of rushes.
sweeps the barren, forsaken wasteland of Austere yet intimate, Dead Souls focuses
Wang Bing Mingshui reform and labour re-education on the words of the survivors, rendering
FRANCE/SWITZERLAND, 2018 camp in the Gobi Desert, as if carrying the with courage and devotion the urgency of
Mandarin
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
voices of hundreds of people who died of their narration; their fear, pain, and desire
495 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) starvation, the victims of the Communist to tell a never-told story. It restores the
Production Company: Les Films d’Ici/CS Productions
Party’s Anti-Rightist Campaign of 1957. This dignity and beauty of those brave old men we
Producer: Wang Bing, Serge Lalou, Camille Laemlé, is the devastating closing sequence of Dead should be thanking for sharing their terrible
Louise Prince Souls, Wang Bing’s latest monumental work. memories.
Screenplay: Wang Bing
Cinematographer: Wang Bing
Filmed on January 18, 2012, this ultimate
Editor: Catherine Rascon long shot is the last — and probably the only Wang Bing was born in Shaanxi,
Sound: Raphaël Girardot, Adrien Kessler — existing document of that camp that has China. He has worked as a producer,
director, and cinematographer. His
Production: Les Films d’Ici since been erased from the face of the Earth. first feature documentary, the
62 Boulevard Davout The third chapter of Wang Bing’s metic- nine-hour-long West of the Tracks
Paris 75020 France
courrier@lesfilmsdici.fr
ulous research on re-education camps, (03), played the Festival, as did
after Fengming, A Chinese Memoir (2007) his subsequent films Fengming
A Chinese Memoir (07), The Ditch
CONTACT INFORMATION and The Ditch (2010) — which both screened (10), Three Sisters (12), ’Til Madness
US Distributor: Grasshopper Film, Icarus Films
International Sales Agent: Doc and Film International
at the Festival — Dead Souls is a unique Do Us Part (13), Ta’ang (16), and
(see page 359) work that aims to reconstruct an unknown Mrs. Fang (17). Dead Souls (18) is his
chapter of Chinese history. Eight hours latest film.

and 15 minutes long, the documentary

consists almost entirely of interviews; rivers
of words trapped in modest rooms.
Attempting to bridge the distance between
the words of the survivors and the silence
of the dead, Wang Bing — archaeologist of a
history otherwise forever lost — mines the
wealth of oral tradition, spanning, scanning,

322 wavelengths
Kameni Govornici
The fall of Communism and the Yugoslav
The Stone Speakers Wars still haunt the former Yugoslavia, no
more so than in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Igor Drljača where Igor Drljača’s first documentary The
CANADA/BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, 2018 Stone Speakers is primarily set.
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Yet parts of the area are experiencing a
WORLD PREMIERE
92 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) revival due to tourism, albeit tourism of an
alternative sort, based not only on gorgeous
Production Company: Timelapse Pictures Productions Inc.
Producer: Igor Drljaca, Albert Shin vistas but on purportedly otherworldly
Cinematographer: Amel Djikoli landmarks. One is a statue of the Virgin
Editor: Igor Drljaca Mary where, several decades ago, a group of
Sound: Aaron Mirkin, Matt Chan
children claimed to have had direct contact
Production: Timelapse Pictures Productions Inc. with her. The other site houses pyramids of
1121 Bay Street, Suite #704
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3L9 Canada Mars and the Sun. These destinations seem
igor@timelapsepictures.ca to strike their viewers as heartfelt, comical,
genuine, and eerie — at least judging by the
responses they churn up.
At a huge outdoor mass, singers belt out a
creepy tune about Jesus; it’s essentially reli-
gious erotica in Muzak form that might have
been written by South Park’s Eric Cartman
circa Faith + 1. The discoverer of the pyra-
mids at Visoko can’t resist welcoming guests
with a threat towards his political enemies
who won’t adequately fund his dream of
peace. Yet when the Visoko believers begin
singing outside the pyramids and the sound
echoes through the caverns, it’s ethereal
enough to make you wonder exactly what’s
going on.
What ultimately strikes the viewer is that
this country views its history differently
than outsiders do. One woman bemoans the
loss of the factory that kept the village alive...
and which looks like some sort of inscrutable
machine from a Guy Maddin film. She claims
the last war wasn’t about ethnic rivalries but
profiteering — difficult to argue when you see
attempts to make money off religious sites.
What also emerges in this visually
striking and profound film is a portrait
of a country struggling to come to terms
with a rich and tragic past that is, to para-
phrase Faulkner, neither dead nor even past.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Igor Drljača was born in Sarajevo.
Many of his films have played at
the Festival, including the shorts
On a Lonely Drive (09) and The Fuse:
Or How I Burned Simon Bolivar (11),
and the features include Krivina (12)
and The Waiting Room (15), which
was nominated for multiple Canadian
Screen Awards. The Stone Speakers
(18) is his latest film.
wavelengths 323
In My Room
Often affiliated with the so-called Berlin the end (and potential rebirth) of humanity.
Ulrich Köhler School of filmmakers — which also includes From a steely winter of discontent springs a
GERMANY/ITALY, 2018 Maren Ade (Toni Erdmann, TIFF ’16) and summery, bucolic Eden, replete with a
German, English Valeska Grisebach (Western, TIFF ’17) — menagerie worthy of Noah’s Ark and an
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Ulrich Köhler is one of Germany’s most eventual Eve for Armin’s Adam.
119 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
talented contemporary directors. Singular Mysterious and sly in its treatment of elas-
Production Company: Pandora Film Produktion in his approach to plot and sensitive in his tic time, the film is high concept — tackling
Producer: Claudia Steffen, Christoph Friedel
Screenplay: Ulrich Köhler crafting of character, across three previous ideas of homeland, solipsism, freedom and
Cinematographer: Patrick Orth features Köhler has steadily interrogated agency, and existentialism — while remaining
Editor: Laura Lauzemis modes of alienation and alternative quests highly pleasurable and immensely moving.
Production Designer: Silke Fischer, Jochen Dehn
Sound: Andreas Hildebrandt for freedom set against explorations of Grounded in the aesthetic beauty of earthly
Music: Johannes Grehl domestic social norms. delights, In My Room is one of the year’s most
Principal Cast: Hans Löw, Elene Radonicich, A highlight of the Un Certain Regard daring experiments in narrative cinema.
Michael Wittenborn, Ruth Bickelhaupt, Emma Bading
section at Cannes, In My Room brilliantly ANDRÉA PICARD
Production: Pandora Film Produktion revisits such themes by way of a post-
Antwerpener Str. 6-12
Cologne, North-Rhine Westphalia 50672 Germany apocalyptic, “last man on Earth” tale, told Ulrich Köhler was born in Marburg,
info@pandorafilm.com in radical, realist masterstrokes. Armin (a Germany. He studied visual com-
munication at the University of Fine
phenomenal Hans Löw) is a bit of a loser Arts in Hamburg. His feature films
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: who can’t seem to get his act together, sloppy include Bungalow (02), Montag kom-
US Distributor: Grasshopper Film in both his professional and personal lives. men die Fenster (06), and Sleeping
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory As he returns home and attends to his dying Sickness (11). In My Room (18) is his
US Sales Agent: latest feature.
(see page 359) grandmother, a sense of responsibility and
concern becomes discernible — before her
death seemingly alters the world in the most
unexpected way.
Influenced by  Robinson Crusoe  and
German author Arno Schmidt, Köhler
tracks Armin’s extraordinary physical and
mental transformation as the film posits

324 wavelengths
 SWISS BLOCKBUSTER
Big Pilot’s Watch Edition
“Le Petit Prince”. Ref. 5010: Like a good
movie, this watch doesn’t have to rely on spe-
cial effects: the perfect craftsmanship speaks
for itself. The timepiece is not only an imposing
46 millimetres in diameter but also impresses
with classic elegance that sets off the midnight
blue dial to perfect advantage. Technical per-
fection, on the other hand, is guaranteed by
the IWC-manufactured 52110-calibre move-
ment with its seven-day power reserve. Time
6
enough to forget time and follow the dream-
PROUD PARTNER OF:
like journey of the little prince.
IWC PILOT’S. ENGINEERED FOR NEW HORIZONS.
Mechanical IWC-manufactured movement 52110 calibre ·
Pellaton automatic winding · 7-day power reserve ·
Power reserve display · Date display · Central hacking
seconds · Soft-iron inner case for protection against
magnetic fields · Screw-in crown · Sapphire glass,
convex, antireflective coating on both sides · Special back
engraving · Water-resistant 6 bar · Diameter 46.2 mm ·
Stainless steel · Calfskin strap by Santoni ™ Toronto International Film Festival Inc., used under license.
 Short Cuts
The world. In short form.

sponsored by supported by
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 1 programme
sponsored by
programme
supported by

Feathers Paseo Todo se calma

A.V. Rockwell
USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 19 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Present struggles and past traumas threaten to weigh down
a new arrival at a school for lost boys, a place portrayed as
both a ruthless battleground and a potential refuge in a time
of crisis in this uncommonly vivid and vital drama. JA
A.V. Rockwell was born in Queens, New York. She studied
filmmaking at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her short films
include The Dreamer (12), Open City: Kids (13), and The
Gospel (16). Feathers (18) is her latest short film.
Matthew Hannam
CANADA, 2018, English, Spanish
World Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Sarah Gadon’s stunning performance lends itself perfectly
to a richly textured and eerie examination of an alienated
woman visiting Barcelona. Her desire to disappear and
seek out personal fulfillment leads her into unfamiliar ter-
ritory, in the highly anticipated directorial debut by editor
Matthew Hannam (Enemy, James White, Wildlife). LH
Matthew Hannam was born in Winnipeg. He studied at the
University of Winnipeg. Paseo (18) is his directing debut.
Everything calms down
Virginia Scaro
ARGENTINA, 2018, Spanish
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
In this visually arresting and intimate study by Virginia
Scaro, a woman confines herself to her apartment and to a
daily routine that keeps her sane, but a brief encounter with
the outside world threatens to dismantle her meticulously
maintained refuge. LH
Virginia Scaro was born in Argentina and studied at the
Universidad del Cine. Everything calms down (18) is her lat-
est short film.

Shadow Cut Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) Tariki

Lucy Suess
NEW ZEALAND, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
Lucy Suess’s poignant and lyrical drama centres on a rest-
less young man approaching adulthood in a sleepy rural
New Zealand town as he spends an afternoon with his best
friend, struggling to confide his plans for the future. LH
Lucy Suess was born in Santa Cruz, California. She stud-
ied film, television, and media studies at the University of
Auckland. Shadow Cut (18) is her debut short film.
Amanda Strong
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 19 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
The words of Anishinaabe writer Leanne Betasamosake
Simpson drive Amanda Strong’s mesmerizing stop-motion
animation, which intricately weaves together multiple
worlds through time and space and calls for a rebellion. LH
Amanda Strong was born in Vancouver. She has directed
the shorts Alice Eaton (08), Honey for Sale (11), Haida Raid
3: Save our Waters (14), Mia’ (15), Four Faces of the Moon
(16), and Flood (17). Biidaaban (18) is her latest short.
Umbra
Saeed Jafarian
IRAN, 2018, Persian
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
Tensions in Saeed Jafarian’s spellbinding drama inexorably
rise as a young woman goes into the nighttime streets of
Tehran to search for her missing lover. There she finds a
disturbing reminder of the limits of her freedom. JA
Saeed Jafarian was born in Tehran. He studied at the
Iranian Youth Cinema Society in Azad University. Umbra (18)
is his latest short film.

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SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 2
Dziadzio
Aaron Ries
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
As summer days grow longer, 22-year-old Stefania — who
lives with her aging grandfather — begins to spiral into
fantasy in Aaron Ries’s unpredictable and darkly comedic
drama about intergenerational disconnect and malaise. LH
Aaron Ries was born in Halifax and studied in Toronto.
Dziadzio (18) is his first short film.
Telefonul
The Call
Anca Damian
ROMANIA, 2018, Romanian, English
North American Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
An elderly woman’s bathtub becomes a place to escape
into memories, fantasies, and other watery reveries in Anca
Damian’s free-flowing yet astoundingly intricate animation. JA
Anca Damian was born in Romania and studied at the
Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Bucharest. Her short
films include Eu si cu mine (06) and Carré (16). The Call (18)
is her latest short.
Ikhwène
Brotherhood
Meryam Joobeur
TUNISIA/CANADA, 2018, Arabic
World Premiere | 24 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Mohamed is suspicious when his estranged eldest son
returns to rural Tunisia with a mysterious young wife in
tow. Every moment in this wrenching drama is infused with
the emotional complexities of a family reunion, and the
consequences of past wounds and misunderstanding. LH
Meryam Joobeur was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She
graduated from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in
Montreal. Brotherhood (18) is her latest short film.
330 short cuts
programme
sponsored by
Si ce n’est pas de l’amour
If This Isn’t Love
Luiza Cocora
CANADA, 2018, French, Romanian
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
An unseen photographer works hard to create perfect
images of marital bliss. Yet the events beyond the edges of
the frame tell a very different story in Luiza Cocora’s daring
yet uncommonly poignant drama. JA
Luiza Cocora is a Romanian-born filmmaker. Her previous
short film, Remaining Lives (16), played at the Festival. If
This Isn’t Love (18) is her latest short.
Ha’Alte-Zachen
Old Thing
Roni Bahat
ISRAEL, 2018, Hebrew
International Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP(D-Cinema)
In this poignant yet often acerbically funny effort by Israel’s
Roni Bahat, a Tel Aviv junk dealer and his son face the end
of a way of life for themselves and for the four-legged com-
panion with whom they spend one last working day. JA
Roni Bahat was born in Tel Aviv. She has previously written
and produced the short film Flags (15). Old Thing (18) is her
directorial debut.
programme
supported by
Dodgy Dave
Charlotte Regan
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018, English
World Premiere | 8 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
A preteen needs to learn the ropes, and drug-dealing Dave is
the only one who can teach him, in Charlotte Regan’s smart,
funny, and authentic portrayal of a unique father-son bond-
ing experience. LH
Charlotte Regan was born in London. Her first short film,
Standby (16), premiered at the Festival and was nominated
for a BAFTA. Dodgy Dave (18) is her latest short film.
Dulce
Guille Isa, Angello Faccini
COLOMBIA/USA, 2018, Spanish
International Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
A mother in a remote Colombian coastal village teaches her
young daughter to swim so she can harvest piangua shellfish
alongside the community, in this exquisite documentary
that delicately captures the girl’s moment of understanding
of the urgency of and potential threats to survival. LH
Guille Isa is a director and production designer based in
Lima. Angello Faccini is a director and cinematographer
based in Barcelona. Dulce (18) is their latest short.
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 3
Ektoras Malo: I Teleftea Mera
Tis Chronias
Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year
Jacqueline Lentzou
GREECE, 2018, Greek
North American Premiere | 25 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
With the ending of one year and the beginning of the next
come fleeting moments of doubt, bewilderment, and con-
flicting emotions in Jacqueline Lentzou’s uncommonly deft
portrait of a young woman at a juncture in her life. JA
Jacqueline Lentzou was born in Athens. Her short films
include Hiwa (16) and Fox (16), which won Best International
Short at Locarno. Hector Malot... (18) is her latest film.
Akhali Tseli
A New Year
George Sikharulidze
GEORGIA, 2018, Georgian
World Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
When a man decides to follow his faith, his family faces a
crisis at a time of year usually filled with hope. Sensitively
wrought and exquisitely performed, George Sikharulidze’s
drama reveals the impact of a choice that will change
many lives. JA
George Sikharulidze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. He stud-
ied at New York University and Columbia. His short films
include Drowned (14) and Red Apples (16). A New Year (18)
is his latest short film.
El Destetado
The Foreign Body
Héctor Silva Núñez
VENEZUELA/FRANCE, 2018, Spanish, Wayuunaiki
World Premiere | 18 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Jairo, who was born without nipples, is isolated from both
the customs of his people and wider social norms. With a
beautifully tender lead performance, The Foreign Body
takes a compelling approach to body difference, gender,
and identity. LH
Héctor Silva Núñez was born in Cabimas, Venezuela. Their
short films include Anfibio (15) and The Foreign Body (18).
programme
sponsored by
Guaxuma
Nara Normande
FRANCE/BRAZIL, 2018, Portuguese
North American Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
In Nara Normande’s remarkable animation, ever-shifting
grains of sand become the means to portray happier times
on the beaches of the filmmaker’s childhood and to pay trib-
ute to a very special friendship. JA
Nara Normande was born in Guaxuma, Brazil. She co-
directed the short Sem Coração (14). Guaxuma (18) is her
latest film.
Norman Norman
Sophy Romvari
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 7 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
As her 16-year-old Shih Tzu nestles next to her, a young
woman spends a night surfing the internet and pon-
dering the ethics of genetic replication, the possible
pitfalls of animal immortality, and the eternal wonders of
Barbra Streisand. JA
Sophy Romvari was born in Victoria, British Columbia. She
is currently studying film production at York University. Her
short films include Nine Behind (15), Let Your Heart Be Light
(16), It’s Him (17), and Norman Norman (18).
programme
supported by
Bukiikakkono
Facing North
Tukei Muhumuza
USA/UGANDA, 2018, Luganda
World Premiere | 9 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Beautifully composed and refined, Facing North centres on
a bride preparing for her wedding day in a small Ugandan
village, and the complexity of her decision to put her faith in
a man who has left to pursue greater opportunity abroad. LH
Tukei Muhumuza was born in Uganda. His short films
include Ink (09), Kengere (10), Reflection (12), and Walk with
Me (14). Facing North (18) is his latest short.
Lou
Clara Balzary
USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema
The beautifully muted performances by Sasha Frolova and
Joaquin Phoenix are just two of the pleasures to be found
in Clara Balzary’s portrait of a teenage tomboy who ven-
tures into the night when a visit with her father doesn’t go
as planned. JA
Clara Balzary was born in Los Angeles. She earned her BFA
from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Lou (18) is
her latest short film.
short cuts 331
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 4
AMIES
GIRLFRIENDS
Marie Davignon
CANADA, 2018, French
World Premiere | 19 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Propelled by magnetic performances and intricate dynam-
ics, director Marie Davignon’s GIRLFRIENDS boldly dives
into a fresh and punk-infused reunion of friends, where a
rivalry manifests and takes a twisted turn. LH
Marie Davignon is from Montreal. She graduated with a
degree in cinema from the University of Quebec in Montreal.
GIRLFRIENDS (18) is her debut short film.
Mon Boy
My Boy
Sarah Pellerin
CANADA, 2018, French
World Premiere | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Though Louis agrees to attend his brother’s bachelor party,
he’s not interested in the planned activities or cleaning up
after the drunken groom-to-be. As the night’s events get
wilder he’s forced to decide how much he can tolerate, in
this explosive examination of toxic masculinity. LH
Sarah Pellerin is a Montreal-based filmmaker. She co-
directed the short film The French-Canadian (13). My Boy
(18) is her latest short film.
Circle
Jayisha Patel
UNITED KINGDOM/CANADA/INDIA, 2018, Hindi
North American Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
Through its intimate and delicate observations of 13-year-
old Kushbu interacting with her mother and grandmother,
Jayisha Patel’s haunting documentary explores the horrors
of a young woman caught within a cycle of abuse. LH
Jayisha Patel was born in Barnet, England. Her documen-
tary shorts include Un Paraiso (14), Adentro (15), Power Girls
(15), and Notes to My Father (17). Circle (18) is her latest
short film.
332 short cuts
programme
sponsored by
Reneepoptosis
Renee Zhan
JAPAN/USA, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 9 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Three different Renees head out on a quest to find God
(who’s also a Renee) in a bewildering and hilarious combi-
nation of self-analysis, self-mythology, and self-topography
by one more Renee… animator Renee Zhan. JA
Renee Zhan was born in Houston, Texas. She is pursuing
her MA at the National Film and Television School in London.
Her short films include Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw) (16) and
Reneepoptosis (18).
Good Boy
Fantavious Fritz
CANADA, 2018, English
WORLD PREMIERE | 11 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
As a K9 officer trainee and his partner prepare for their
first day on patrol, repetition and reward prove successful
in developing the aggressive behaviour required for the job.
With expert control, Good Boy subtly explores the nature of
manufacturing violence on command. LH
Fantavious Fritz was born in Edmonton. His short films
include KOSMOS (10), Tuesday (12), Paradise Falls (13),
which played the Festival, and Good Boy (18).
La Chute
The Fall
Boris Labbé
FRANCE, 2018, No dialogue
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Constructed from 3,500 drawings on paper in India ink and
watercolour, this astonishing animation portrays the col-
lapse of the divine order. Boris Labbé’s nightmarish images
and Daniele Ghisi’s cyclical score create an unforgettable
convergence of heaven and hell. JA
Boris Labbé was born in Lannemezan, France. His short
films include Rhizome (16), Any Road (16), Orogenesis (17),
and The Fall (18)
programme
supported by
To Plant a Flag
Bobbie Peers
NORWAY/ICELAND, 2018, English
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Surely there are no two actors that viewers would rather
see than Jake Johnson and Jason Schwartzman as hapless
NASA trainees in early 1960s Iceland. Bobbie Peers’ deft
direction ensures no comedic opportunity goes wasted in
this tale of would-be astronauts stuck in territory even less
hospitable than the surface of the moon. JA
Bobbie Peers was born in Norway. His first short film,
Sniffer (06), won the short film Palme D’Or at Cannes. To
Plant a Flag (18) is his latest work.
Shinaab: Part II
Lyle Corbine Jr.
USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 6 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Delving further into the bold themes and stunning imagery
of his TIFF ’17 selection Shinaab, Lyle Corbine Jr. depicts
several Ojibwe ideas surrounding the death process, as a
young man strives to honour his late father. JA
Lyle Corbine Jr. is an Indigenous filmmaker. His short
films include Shinaab (17), which played the Festival, and
Shinaab: Part II (18).
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 5
Fuck You
Anette Sidor
SWEDEN, 2018, Swedish
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
On a night out with friends, Alice steals a strap-on and defi-
antly challenges her boyfriend’s comfort with boundaries.
Fuck You is a bold, astute, and unapologetic approach to
teenage sex and expected power dynamics. LH
Anette Sidor was born in Sweden. She studied film directing
at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her short films
include Varannan vecka (15) and Debut (16). Fuck You (18) is
her latest short film.
Winners Bitch
Sam Gurry
USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 7 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Inspired by a found archive on a doyenne of the dog compe-
tition world, Sam Gurry’s ingenious animation is a visually
kinetic and wickedly astute rumination on the many sacri-
fices it can take to be a woman of distinction. JA
Sam Gurry is a filmmaker living and working in Los Angeles.
They hold an MFA in experimental animation from the
California Institute of the Arts. Winners Bitch (18) is their
latest short.
The Field
Sandhya Suri
FRANCE/UNITED KINGDOM/INDIA, 2018, Hindi
Canadian Premiere | 19 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Lalla is a poor agricultural labourer in an Indian village pre-
paring for the harvest of its remaining cornfield. Director
Sandhya Suri crafts a refreshingly layered portrait of a
woman who bravely pursues a different kind of life than the
one she’s been granted. LH
Sandhya Suri is a filmmaker based in the United Kingdom.
Her features include the documentaries I For India (05), and
Around India with a Movie Camera (18). The Field (18) is her
first short film.
programme
sponsored by
Bavure
Donato Sansone
FRANCE, 2018, No dialogue
World Premiere | 4 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
A humble paintbrush assumes unprecedented powers in
this bravura display of eye-popping, mind-bending, and
body-morphing ingenuity by the maverick Italian animator
Donato Sansone. JA
Donato Sansone was born in Italy. He studied at Turin’s
Cinematography Experimental Center. His short films
include Love Cube (03), Videogioco (10), and Journal animé
(16). Bavure (18) is his latest short film.
Viktoría
Brúsi Ólason
ICELAND, 2018, Icelandic, English, Polish
International Premiere | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
In this wonderfully controlled depiction of a resolute
woman maintaining her strength, determination, and small
pleasures when faced with a harsh reality, a dairy farmer
weighs her options as she struggles to keep the family farm
afloat in Iceland. LH
Brúsi Ólason is an Icelandic filmmaker. He directed the
short See Ya (17). Viktoría (18) is his latest short.
Les petites vagues
Little Waves
Ariane Louis-Seize
CANADA, 2018, French
World Premiere | 12 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
After witnessing her cousin enveloped in a steamy new
romance, distraught teenage Amélie allows herself to dive
into her own fantasies, sparking something much more
powerful, in Ariane Louis-Seize’s delightfully imaginative,
vibrant, and fantastical comedy-drama about desire. LH
Ariane Louis-Seize studied at the National Institute of Film
and Sound. Her debut short film Wild Skin (16) premiered at
the Festival. Little Waves (18) is her latest short.
programme
supported by
Judgement
Raymund Ribay Gutierrez
PHILIPPINES, 2018, Tagalog, English
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
A woman presses charges against her abusive partner after
a horrific assault. But her courageous act hardly means the
end of her troubles in Raymund Ribay Gutierrez’s follow-
up to Imago, winner of the TIFF Short Cuts Award for Best
Short Film in 2016. JA
Raymund Ribay Gutierrez is a writer and director from the
Philippines. His previous short, Imago (16), won the Festi-
val’s award for Best Short Film. Judgement (18) is his latest film.
Emptying the Tank
Caroline Monnet
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 9 minutes | Black and White/DCP (D-Cinema)
In her striking portrait of Chippewa female mixed martial
artist Ashley Nichols, Caroline Monnet eloquently demon-
strates and celebrates the athlete’s inner strength, fortitude,
and dedication to her physical and spiritual health. LH
Caroline Monnet is a filmmaker and artist based in
Montreal. Her documentary shorts include Warchild (10),
Mobilize (15), and Tshiuetin (16). Emptying the Tank (18) is
her latest documentary short.
short cuts 333
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 6
7A
Zachary Russell
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
A woman recording a video in her apartment is interrupted
by a maintenance worker and forced into a precarious
situation. Crafted masterfully by Zachary Russell, 7A is a
genre-bending film that leaves you gasping for air. LH
Zack Russell is a filmmaker and playwright from Toronto.
His previous short film, She Stoops to Conquer (15), pre-
miered at the Festival. 7A (18) is his latest short film.
Glitter’s Wild Women
Roney
CANADA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 13 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
In this wildly original comedy-drama, Grace Glowicki and
Cotey Pope shine as sisters who harvest glitter that gives
them super strength. LH
Roney was born in Vancouver. She studied radio and televi-
sion arts at Ryerson. Glitter’s Wild Women (18) is her debut
short film.
Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t
Pamahungpahung
The Imminent Immanent
Carlo Francisco Manatad
PHILIPPINES/SINGAPORE/ITALY, 2018, Wáray Wáray
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
As a typhoon bears down on a sleepy rural town in the
Philippines, strange events and behaviour foreshadow the
watery catastrophe to come in this audacious film. JA
Carlo Francisco Manatad is based in Manila. His short film
Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month (17) played the
Festival. The Imminent Immanent (18) is his latest film.
334 short cuts
programme
sponsored by
Le sujet
The Subject
Patrick Bouchard
CANADA, 2018, No dialogue
Toronto Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
To explore the connections between art and artist, an ani-
mator dissects his own body. This visceral and disturbing
stop-motion and pixilation animation is the filmmaker’s
most profoundly personal film to date. LH
Patrick Bouchard was born in Saguenay, Quebec. He stud-
ied at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi. His short films
include Brainwashers (03), Subservience (07), and Festival
selection Bydlo (12). The Subject (18) is his latest short film.
All Inclusive
Corina Schwingruber Ilic´
SWITZERLAND, 2018, No dialogue
North American Premiere | 10 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
Stunning, surreal, and precisely composed, the views of
life on board a palatial cruise ship in Corina Schwingruber
Ilić’s documentary yield a pointed commentary on luxury,
excess, and what some people consider fun. JA
Corina Schwingruber Ilic´ was born in Switzerland. Her doc-
umentary shorts include Baggern (11), Kod Coška ´ (13),
and Just Another Day in Egypt (15). All Inclusive (18) is
her latest short documentary.
programme
supported by
Un jour de mariage
A Wedding Day
Elias Belkeddar
ALGERIA/FRANCE, 2018, French, Arabic
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP
(D-Cinema)
In this rich and assured portrait, a crime boss in exile in
Algiers oscillates between his business, friends, and the
boredom and melancholy of his daily routine. LH
Elias Belkeddar was born in Paris. He is a writer, producer,
and director. A Wedding Day (18) is his latest short film.
Interiør
Reed Van Dyk
NORWAY/USA, 2018, Norwegian, Danish
World Premiere | 22 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Gripping and provocative, Reed Van Dyk’s superb follow-up
to his recent Oscar nominee DeKalb Elementary delineates
the increasingly fraught dynamic between a lonely boy and
his mother within a home that may feel more like a prison
to them both. JA
Reed Van Dyk is a Los Angeles–based writer and director. His
short films include The Conservatory (08), Hung Up (13), and
the Academy Award–nominated DeKalb Elementary (17).
Interior (18) is his latest short film.
SHORT CUTS: PROGRAMME 7
Fauve
Jérémy Comte
CANADA, 2018, French
Toronto Premiere | 16 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
An innocent power game between two boys escalates
beyond their control on the site of an open-pit mine in
Jérémy Comte’s impressively performed, visually stunning
award winner. LH
Jérémy Comte studied film production at Concordia
University. His previous short film was Ce qu’il reste (16).
Fauve (18) is his latest short.
EXIT
Claire Edmondson
CANADA/USA, 2018, English
World Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Maria Bello’s richly graded performance lends texture,
depth, and a rare sense of grace to Claire Edmondson’s
affecting story of a woman facing the ramifications of a
profound decision. JA
Claire Edmondson was born in Liverpool, raised in Prince
Rupert, BC, and is based in Los Angeles. She has directed
many music videos and commercials. EXIT (18) is her first
short film.
O Órfão
The Orphan
Carolina Markowicz
BRAZIL, 2018, Portuguese
North American Premiere | 15 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
When Jonathas’s adoptive family placement does not
go smoothly, he has to come to terms with a new reality.
A testament to the unique directorial vision of Carolina
Markowicz, The Orphan is both visually fierce and beauti-
fully realized. LH
Carolina Markowicz was born in São Paulo. She co-directed the
Festival selections Tatuapé Mahal Tower (14) and Long Distance
Relationship (17). The Orphan (18) is her latest short film.
programme
sponsored by
Birdie
Shelly Lauman
AUSTRALIA, 2018, English
International Premiere | 8 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
When a kind gesture leads to a potential threat, a young
woman commuting on public transit is trapped in fear in
Shelly Lauman’s poignant and timely portrayal of unset-
tling everyday realities. LH
Shelly Lauman was born in Sydney and studied at the AFI
Conservatory. Her short films include Woman Outside (16) and
Unexpected Victim (18). Birdie (18) is her latest work.
L’été et tout le reste
Sven Bresser
NETHERLANDS, 2018, French
North American Premiere | 18 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
As the tourists leave Corsica for another year, a young local
says goodbye to a summer love and promises to see her in
Paris. But, as Sven Bresser’s marvellously droll comedy
shows, the routines he shares with his best friend offer
comforts he may not be able to give up. JA
Sven Bresser was born in Amsterdam. He studied at the
HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. L’été et tout le reste (18)
is his latest short film.
programme
supported by
The Ambassador’s Wife
Theresa Traore Dahlberg
BURKINA FASO/SWEDEN, 2018, English, French
Canadian Premiere | 16 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Although she dreamed of a career in opera, the French
Ambassador’s wife now lives a life of opulent seclusion in
Burkina Faso. Theresa Traore Dahlberg’s precise documen-
tary explores the complexities of class, women’s roles, and
post-colonialism. LH
Theresa Traore Dahlberg is a Stockholm-based director.
She studied at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Her short films include on Hold (09) and Ouaga Girls (17).
The Ambassador’s Wife (18) is her latest short film.
Animal Behaviour
Alison Snowden, David Fine
CANADA, 2018, English
North American Premiere | 14 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
While the characters in the therapy session portrayed
here may have more fur than we do, their foibles and hang-
ups will be uncomfortably familiar to the viewers of this
hilarious comedy by the Oscar-winning animation team of
Alison Snowden and David Fine. JA
Alison Snowden and David Fine studied at Britain’s
National Film & Television School. They co-directed the
shorts Rosemary (87) and Bob’s Birthday (93). Animal
Behaviour (18) is their latest film.
short cuts 335
Mard Ko Dard Nahi
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota directly translates to be channelling Nicholas Cage circa 1997).
Hota to “man feels no pain.” It’s a memorable Dassani and Madan have delightful chem-
The Man Who Feels declaration from the 1985 Indian action istry, both in the film’s numerous inventive
No Pain movie Mard, describing a masculine ideal. brawls and the requisite musical set pieces.
In this exceedingly eccentric crowd-pleaser, Madan in particular shines in a progres-
Vasan Bala writer-director Vasan Bala wittily applies sive subplot that brims with subversive
the axiom literally, concocting the outra- relevance.
INDIA, 2018
Hindi, English, Marathi, Malayalam
geous story of a young man born without The first Indian film to be featured in
WORLD PREMIERE pain receptors who longs to defeat 100 the Festival’s Midnight Madness section,
131 minutes | Colour and Black and White/ opponents in a kumite tournament. despite that country’s prolific export of
DCP (D-Cinema)
Seasoned with delirious pop-culture ref- gonzo cinema, The Man Who Feels No Pain
Production Company: RSVP erences and freewheeling fisticuffs, Bala’s is an action-packed ode to a generation
Executive Producer: Ankur Khanna, Prafull Sharma
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
film endearingly synthesizes the infectious raised on the punches of Bruce Lee, the
Screenplay: Vasan Bala vivacity of Bollywood masala extravaganzas kicks of Jackie Chan, and the dance moves
Cinematographer: Jay I. Patel with the irreverent martial arts mayhem of of Chiranjeevi.
Editor: Prerna Saigal
Production Designer: Ratheesh UK
vintage Stephen Chow, underpinning this PETER KUPLOWSKY
Sound: Anthony Ruban amusingly serpentine story with a through-
Music: Karan Kulkarni line about personal empowerment. Vasan Bala was born in Mumbai. His
Principal Cast: Abhimanyu Dassani, Radhika Madan,
Mahesh Manjrekar, Gulshan Devaiah, Jimit Trivedi
Abhimanyu Dassani, son of popular feature debut Peddlers (12) screened
at the Festival. The Man Who Feels No
Bollywood star Bhagyashree, makes a Pain (18) is his latest film.
Production: RSVP
3rd Floor, Nishuvi, 75 Dr. Annie Besant Road Worli
charismatic debut as the title character. He
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400018 India fights alongside rising star Radhika Madan,
ronnie@rsvp.in a fearless warrior determined to rehabilitate
the honour of her one-legged karate mas-
ter, Manni, who is — as one tends to be in
any good martial-arts epic — caught in a
gang war with his psychotic twin brother,
Jimmy (Gulshan Devaiah in a remarkable
dual performance, one half of which seems

352 midnight madness

The Standoff at
Few thrillers are as coolly austere and taut Backed by the production company
Sparrow Creek as writer-director Henry Dunham’s hard- responsible for Brawl in Cell Block 99, this
boiled debut, which bottles and critiques suspenseful chamber drama similarly sim-
Henry Dunham the archetypes of contemporary American mers in its pacing and calculated eruptions
USA, 2018 gun culture in a labyrinthine procedural of of violence. Though few bullets fly, the
English
WORLD PREMIERE potent provocations and wicked pulp fiction. dialogue crackles with an arresting sever-
88 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) In the aftermath of a mass shooting, ity reminiscent of David Mamet. Jackson
Production Company: Cinestate seven members of a militia convene within Hunt’s striking cinematography, meanwhile,
Executive Producer: Todd Brown, Nate Bolotin, the chiaroscuro corridors of a lumberyard envelopes the robust ensemble of superb
Preston Poulter, Steve Gossett, Jr., Danielle Cox, warehouse and arrive at a disturbing discov- character actors, which includes Chris
Michael Shader
Producer: Dallas Sonnier, Amanda Presmyk, ery: their armoury is short an AR-15 rifle, the Mulkey, Patrick Fischler, and Gene Jones in
Johnathan Brownlee, Sefton Fincham, Adam Donaghey same model reportedly used in the attack. an inky darkness that appears to mainline
Screenplay: Henry Dunham Fearing that the authorities have already the aesthetics of a John Alton–lensed film
Cinematographer: Jackson Hunt
Editor: Josh Ethier connected the weapon to their collective and noir or Johnnie To gangster flick.
Production Designer: Adam Dietrich will soon descend, they resolve to determine PETER KUPLOWSKY
Principal Cast: James Badge Dale, Chris Mulkey, who among them has broken ranks, so that
Brian Geraghty, Robert Aramayo, Patrick Fischler,
Happy Anderson, Gene Jones they can deliver the perpetrator to the police Henry Dunham is an American
and not risk jeopardizing their operation. filmmaker and screenwriter. His
Production: Cinestate work includes the short film The
4100 Swiss Avenue Leading the investigation is Gannon Awareness (14). His script for The
Dallas, Texas 75204 USA (James Badge Dale), an ex-cop invited into Standoff at Sparrow Creek (18) was
info@cinestate.com the group as a safeguard against undercover originally featured on 2015’s Black

CONTACT INFORMATION police infiltration. As he conducts a series of List of best unproduced screenplays.

International Sales Agent: XYZ Films interrogations throughout the night, a pal-
(see page 359) pable malaise begins percolating. Tensions
further escalate when the crew begin receiv-
ing enigmatic messages from neighbouring
militia chapters insinuating that a more
extensive and ominous plot is afoot.

350 midnight madness

 TIFF
Cinematheque
Curated gems from the history of
international cinema.

supported by
Chocolat
When Claire Denis’s Chocolat was released
Claire Denis 30 years ago, it marked the emergence of one
FRANCE, 1988 of the most singular directorial voices in
French contemporary world cinema. In the decades
105 minutes | Colour/35mm since, Denis has created an impressive body
Producers: Alain Belmondo, Jean-Paul Belmondo, of work, all of which has shown either at the
Gérard Crosnier Festival or in the two retrospectives we have
Screenplay: Claire Denis, Jean-Pol Fargeau
Cinematographer: Robert Alazraki hosted at TIFF Cinematheque. Ranging
Editors: Monica Coleman, Claudine Merlin, freely across genres, subjects, tones, and
Sylvie Quester methods, while maintaining a bold, curi-
Sound: Jean-Louis Ughetto
Music: Abdullah Ibrahim ous, and unique sensibility that constantly
With: Isaach De Bankolé, Cécile Ducasse, Giulia Boschi, invites us to see the world in different ways,
François Cluzet her cinema defies easy categorization. Given
CONTACT INFORMATION that her daring new sci-fi film, High Life
US Distributor: Janus Films (premiering in our Gala section this year), is
(see page 359) no less intricate in the way that it looks to the
future, we felt this year presented an ideal
opportunity to give our audiences a look
at the way she explored the past with her
semi-autobiographical 1988 debut feature.
Set in French colonial Cameroon in the
1950s, the film follows eight-year-old France
(Cécile Ducasse), who lives with her beauti-
ful young mother, Aimée (Giulia Boschi), and
her father, Marc (François Cluzet), a colonial
administrator. The perceptive young girl
builds a friendship with the native “house-
boy,” Protée (Isaach De Bankolé), while a
palpable sexual tension simmers between
338 tiff cinematheque
him and Aimée. When Marc invites a group
of stranded French airmen to stay in the
family’s remote residence, it upsets the
delicate domestic balance and exposes the
inherent complications of the family’s pres-
ence in this colonized land.
Chocolat remains a foundational work
in Denis’s oeuvre for its provocative inter-
twining of racial and sexual politics, tactile
eroticism, and extraordinary formal design.
TIFF Cinematheque is thrilled to pres-
ent this screening in an archival 35mm
print from our own collection in the Film
Reference Library.
BRAD DEANE
Claire Denis was born in Paris and
raised primarily in West Africa.
Many of her films have screened at
the Festival, including Chocolat (88),
the documentary Man No Run (89),
No Fear, No Die (90), I Can’t Sleep
(94), Nenette and Boni (96), Beau
travail (99), Trouble Every Day (01),
Friday Night (02), The Intruder (04),
35 Shots of Rum (08), White Material
(09), Bastards (13), and her latest
feature, this year’s Gala Presentation
High Life (18).
35mm print courtesy of TIFF’s Film Reference Library
programme supported by
Persona
Ingmar Bergman
SWEDEN, 1966
Swedish
83 minutes | Black and White/35mm
Production Company: AB Svensk Filmindustri
Producer: Ingmar Bergman
Screenplay: Ingmar Bergman
Cinematographer: Sven Nykvist
Editor: Ulla Ryghe
Production Designer: Bibi Lindström
Sound: P.O. Pettersson, Lennart Engholm
Music: Lars Johan Werle, Johann Sebastian Bach
With: Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson,
Margaretha Krook, Gunnar Björnstrand
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Janus Films
(see page 359)
programme supported by
To mark the centenary of Ingmar Bergman’s
birth, this fall TIFF Cinematheque will
present a comprehensive retrospective of
the Swedish master’s films, featuring many
rarities and restorations. The programme
will include this stunning 35mm print of one
of the summits of modernist cinema.
Persona  explores the relationship be-
tween two women: an actress (Liv Ullmann)
who has suffered a nervous breakdown and
lost the power of speech, and her nurse
(Bibi Andersson), whose own anguish is
unleashed by the mysterious woman in her
care. The two women, who resemble each
other, begin to merge and converge; or are
they, as some have argued, actually two fac-
ets of one divided personality?  (82), and Saraband (03).
Persona  is famous for many things:
Bergman’s startling metacinema devices;
the eerie, erotic charge of the two women’s
agonized relationship; and the much copied
(and parodied) superimpositions, which
suggest their psychic dissolution and unions.
JAMES QUANDT
“Persona was a breakthrough, a success that
gave me the courage to keep on searching
along unknown paths.” – Ingmar Bergman
“Persona, unbelievably, lasts for eighty-three
minutes, though you may need half a lifetime
to get over it.” – Anthony Lane
Ingmar Bergman was born in
Sweden. He directed over 60 fea-
ture films and television movies and
won three Academy Awards for Best
Foreign Language Film and a Berlin
Golden Bear. His many features
included The Seventh Seal (57),
Wild Strawberries (57), Persona (66),
Cries and Whispers (72), Scenes from
a Marriage (73), Fanny and Alexander
35mm print courtesy of TIFF’s Film Reference Library
tiff cinematheque 339
La passion de Jeanne
Shown with live piano accompaniment, “One of the greatest of all movies.”
d’Arc The Passion of Joan of Arc is an imperative — Pauline Kael
The Passion of Joan of Arc event. A film of daunting beauty and strange-
ness, Passion concentrates on the last eight “Perhaps the most pure and perfect expres-
Carl Theodor Dreyer hours in the life of the martyred saint, in sion of Dreyer’s art.” — Ib Monty
which she refuses to sign a confession and
FRANCE, 1928
Silent with French intertitles
is burned at the stake. Carl Theodor Dreyer was born

100 minutes | Black and White/35mm
Screenplay: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Cinematographer: Rudolph Maté
Editors: Carl Theodor Dreyer, Marguerite Beaugé
Production Designer: Jean Hugo
With: Renée Falconetti, Eugène Silvain, André Berley
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: Janus Films
The film is famous for, among other things, in Copenhagen. His many works
included The President (1919), Leaves
the script’s adherence to the trial records; from Satan’s Book (21), Michael
cinematographer Rudolph Maté’s cruel, (24), The Bride of Glomdal (26), The
canted, and cropped compositions of Joan Passion of Joan of Arc (28), Vampyr
and her tormentors, and the abstract use of (32), Day of Wrath (43), The Word
(55), and his last film, Gertrud (64).
space; the shocking topography of flesh, often
in intense close-up, and its anointments of
blood, tears, and spittle; and, especially, Live piano accompaniment by Toronto musician
Marilyn Lerner.
Renée Falconetti’s self-obliterating perfor-
mance as Joan. Little wonder that Passion 35mm print courtesy of TIFF’s Film Reference Library
has been so loved and alluded to by other art-
ists, from Godard in Vivre sa vie to Adrienne
Rich in “Cartographies of Silence.”
JAMES QUANDT

programme supported by

340 tiff cinematheque

Atanarjuat
Atanarjuat: The Fast
Runner
Zacharias Kunuk
CANADA, 2001
Inuktituk
174 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Companies: Igloolik Isuma Productions,
National Film Board of Canada
Executive Producer: Sally Bochner (NFB)
Producers: Paul Apak Angilirq, Norman Cohn,
Zacharias Kunuk, Germaine Ying Gee Wong (NFB)
Screenplay: Paul Apak Angilirq
Cinematographer: Norman Cohn
Editors: Zacharias Kunuk, Norman Cohn,
Marie-Christine Sarda
Production Designer: James Ungalaaq
Sound: Richard Lavoie, Serge Boivin, Jean-Paul Vialard
Music: Chris Crilly
With: Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu,
Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq
Since it became the first Canadian film
awarded the prestigious Caméra d’Or at
its Cannes premiere in 2001, Atanarjuat:
The Fast Runner has quickly risen to rank
among the most important films ever made
in this country. In a 2015 poll conducted by
TIFF, it was named the greatest Canadian
film of all time.
Zacharias Kunuk’s debut feature is a
classic tale of star-crossed lovers and bit-
ter revenge set against an Arctic backdrop
captured in monumental widescreen video.
It was written, directed, and performed by
Inuit artists, and it holds the distinction
of being the first feature film made in the
Inuktitut language.
Natar Ungalaaq stars as Atanarjuat, a
young man who falls in love with the beau-
tiful Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu), who is promised
us of the dangers of putting the individual
before the collective.
BRAD DEANE
“Atanarjuat is pure, epic storytelling: mythi-
cally grand and earthily funny, a fascinating
exploration of an unfamiliar culture and a
thrilling revenge drama that puts the typi-
cal run of Hollywood action fare to shame.”
– Jesse Wente
“Mysterious, bawdy, emotionally intense,
and replete with virtuoso throat singing, this
three-hour movie is engrossing from first
image to last, so devoid of stereotype and cos-
mic in its vision it could suggest the rebirth
of cinema.” – Jim Hoberman, Village Voice
Zacharias Kunuk was born in the

CONTACT INFORMATION to Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq), the boast-
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One ful son of the camp leader. Nevertheless,
(see page 359) Atanarjuat continues to pursue his true
love, inciting a violent retaliation by his
adversary. When Oki enacts his vengeance,
Atanarjuat escapes, fleeing naked across
the frozen surface of the sea in an indelible
dreamlike sequence. Atanarjuat: The Fast
Runner is based on an ancient Inuit legend
that was kept alive by oral history to warn
Igloolik region of Canada’s north (now
part of Nunavut). His film Atanarjuat:
The Fast Runner (01) won the award
for Best Canadian Feature at TIFF
and the Caméra d’Or at Cannes.
His other work includes the docu-
mentary Inuit Cree Reconciliation
(13), and the Festival selections
The Journals of Knud Rasmussen
(06) and Maliglutit (Searchers) (16).
DCP courtesy of TIFF’s Film Reference Library

programme supported by

tiff cinematheque 341

6
Midnight Madness
The wild side: midnight screenings
of the best in action, horror, shock
and fantasy cinema.
The Predator
Shane Black
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox
Executive Producer: Bill Bannerman, Ira Napoliello
Producer: John Davis, Larry Gordon, Joel Silver
Screenplay: Fred Dekker, Shane Black
Cinematographer: Larry Fong
Editor: Harry B. Miller III, Billy Weber
Production Designer: Martin Whist
Sound: David Husby
Music: Henry Jackman
Principal Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes,
Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn,
Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, Sterling K. Brown,
Augusto Aguilera, Jake Busey, Yvonne Strahovski
Production: Twentieth Century Fox
10201 W Pico Boulevard Building 78, Room 112
Los Angeles, CA 90064 United States of America
Xian.li@fox.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
US Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
International Sales Agent: Twentieth Century Fox
(see page 359)
344 midnight madness
Since disemboweling writer-director (and
sporadic actor) Shane Black in their 1987
debut, the extraterrestrial hunters known
colloquially as Predators have enjoyed a pro-
lific, if idiosyncratic, Hollywood career — one
that has seen them violently interrupt an LA
cop movie, twice tussle with another famous
monster of filmland, and even stage their
own dramatic reinterpretation of The Most
Dangerous Game.
Now, some 30 years later, Black returns to
conduct the latest and (so far) strangest iter-
ation of the alien’s exploits, adeptly applying
the deconstructionist mode he brought to
his Marvel Cinematic Universe shakeup
Iron Man 3, along with his signature acer-
bic wit and R-rated snark. In a subversion
of the fetishized machismo that pervades
the series, Black assembles an eclectic
cast of unconventional combatants, with
a PTSD-addled soldier (Boyd Holbrook),
his autistic child (Jacob Tremblay, also at
the Festival in The Death and Life of John
F. Donovan), and an evolutionary biologist
(Olivia Munn), each independently stum-
bling into a gory close encounter with one
of the galaxy’s most lethal warriors.
As the plot threads converge in the streets
of an all-American suburb, a duplicitous
government agency attempts a desperate
cover-up, and an even deadlier threat arrives
to indiscriminately rip out spinal cords and
chew bubble gum… and it has never heard
of bubble gum.
Some Predator purists may be rankled
by how frequently the film flirts with self
parody, but Black and co-writer Fred Dekker
demonstrate sincere affection for the series.
Through various deep-cut nods and refer-
ences, most will be endearingly reminded
of another 1987 cult classic where the same
duo similarly paid hilarious and thrilling
tribute to horror icons of yesteryear: The
Monster Squad.
PETER KUPLOWSKY
Shane Black was born in Pittsburgh
and studied film at UCLA. He wrote
the screenplays for Lethal Weapon
(87), The Monster Squad (87), Lethal
Weapon 2 (89), The Last Boy Scout
(91), and Last Action Hero (93), and
has co-written and directed the fea-
tures Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (05), Iron
Man 3 (13), The Nice Guys (16), and
The Predator (18).
Nekrotronic
With their 2014 debut Wyrmwood: Road Nekrotronic features an indelible per-
Kiah Roache-Turner of the Dead, brothers Kiah and Tristan formance from the ever-magnetic Monica
AUSTRALIA, 2018 Roache-Turner injected a refreshing Bellucci as the queen of the underworld,
English dose of rollicking ingenuity into a garden- and an eclectic array of demon-busting
WORLD PREMIERE variety zombie apocalypse, elevating the weaponry — the most novel of which 3D
99 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
genre’s traditional tropes with propul- prints a demon’s soul into a corporeal
Production Company: Hopscotch Features/Guerilla Films sive camerawork, gleeful splatter, and an (and therefore explodable) form. The
Executive Producer: John Collee
Producer: Tristan Roache-Turner, Andrew Mason, unmistakably Ozploitation gusto. The “end Roache-Turner brothers have conjured
Troy Lum of days” is once again the chief conceit of up a riotous supernatural romp that
Screenplay: Kiah Roache-Turner, Tristan Roache-Turner their much-anticipated sophomore sci-fi/ splits the difference between the likes of
Cinematographer: Tim Nagle
Editor: Christine Cheung horror spectacular, only this time the threat The Matrix and Ghostbusters, then pours
Production Designer: Nicholas Dare to human existence comes from a more on the gore.
Sound: David White believable source of soul-sucking villainy: PETER KUPLOWSKY
Music: Michael Lira
Principal Cast: Ben O’Toole, Monica Bellucci, the internet.
Caroline Ford, Tess Haubrich, Epine Bob Savea, Picking up after a millennia of no doubt Kiah Roache-Turner was born in
David Wenham badass battles between demons and a se- New South Wales, Australia. He has
directed the short films Roadrunner
Production: Hopscotch Features cret order of demon hunters known as (08), War Games (09), and Stella
28-30 Queen St. Nekromancers, the forces of evil have (16), and the feature Wyrmwood:
Chippendale NSW 2008 Australia
andrew@cityprod.com.au gained a substantial foothold thanks to Road of the Dead (14). Nekrotronic
their new-found strategy of causing (18) is his latest feature.
CONTACT INFORMATION demonic possession via online social-media
Canadian Distributor: Entertainment One
International Sales Agent: Sierra Affinity apps. With every WiFi-connected soul
US Sales Agent: Sierra Affinity on the planet at risk, a dwindling band of
(see page 359) Nekromancers find themselves forced to
put their faith in a hapless sanitation worker
(Ben O’Toole) who unwittingly carries
an ancestral power that may afford them
the means to definitively force evil offline.

midnight madness 345

Halloween
David Gordon Green
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
109 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Trancas International Films/
Blumhouse Productions/Miramax
Executive Producer: John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis,
Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Ryan Freimann
Producer: Malek Akkad, Jason Blum, Bill Block
Screenplay: Jeff Fradley, Danny McBride,
David Gordon Green
Cinematographer: Michael Simmonds
Editor: Tim Alverson, ACE
Production Designer: Richard A. Wright
Sound: Christopher Gebert
Music: John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter,
Daniel Davies
Principal Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer,
Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner,
Nick Castle
Production: Trancas International Films
2021 Pontius Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90025 USA
info@trancasfilms.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Universal Pictures
US Distributor: Universal Pictures
(see page 359)
346 midnight madness
Horror’s most iconic boogeyman returns in
a direct continuation of John Carpenter’s
seminal slasher, under the auspices of
Blumhouse Productions. Shirking the
sequels, this latest terrifying iteration
instead picks up exactly 40 years after the
night serial killer Michael Myers came to
Haddonfield and embarked on a killing spree
that nearly claimed the life of Laurie Strode
(Jamie Lee Curtis).
A profoundly traumatized Laurie has
never ceased anticipating the day Michael
might return. This all-consuming paranoia
has left her estranged from her family, par-
ticularly from her daughter (Judy Greer, also
at the Festival in Driven), whose childhood
she co-opted into her obsessive rituals of
preparation, and who has been determined
to shelter her own daughter (Andi Matichak)
from her mother’s disturbing proclivities.
But when a prisoner transfer goes awry the
night before Halloween, Laurie’s greatest
fears become justified and horror comes
home once again.
Much in the way Jordan Peele’s comic
sensibilities proved electric when applied
to horror with Get Out, the keen comedic
experience of writer-director David Gordon
Green and his co-writers Jeff Fradley and
Danny McBride similarly contributes to this
film’s finely tuned structure and anxious
rhythms. Every nod to the series’ legacy
satisfies, every shocking reversal thrill-
ingly surprises, each line of dialogue either
drips with dread or crackles with fantastic
wit. Most importantly, the filmmakers
profoundly appreciate the ingredients that
made the original so infectiously frightening.
They’ve made the scariest slasher in years.
Sown with an affecting social undercur-
rent that sees three generations of women
coming together to confront their abuser,
anchored by Curtis in an outstanding per-
formance that redefines and eclipses every
prior permutation, and enveloped by an
iconic score created by John Carpenter
himself along with son Cody Carpenter,
Halloween is the greatest treat the season
has given horror fans since 1978.
PETER KUPLOWSKY
David Gordon Green was born in
Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied
film directing at the North Carolina
School of the Arts. Many of his
features have played the Festival,
including George Washington (00),
Undertow (04), Joe (13), Manglehorn
(14), Our Brand is Crisis (15), and
Stronger (17). Halloween (18) is his
latest feature.
Climax
Art-house agitator Gaspar Noé has accrued Ever the cinematic alchemist, Noé flanks
Gaspar Noé a reputation over the years for shocking each portrait with a stack of ominous
FRANCE, 2018 violence and explicit sexuality that typi- VHS tapes (Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria,
French cally incites audiences to race for the exits in Possession, Angst, Salò, or the 120 Days of
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE abject, pearl-clutching horror. However, the Sodom), each one an aesthetic or thematic
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Cannes crowds and critics were enthusiasti- ingredient judiciously mixed into this intoxi-
Production Company: Rectangle Productions/ cally rapt during the award-winning bow of cating, demonic cocktail that will mesmerize
Wild Bunch
Executive Producer: Eddy Moretti, Danny Gabai his latest and most exhilarating provocation. Midnighters into a dancing frenzy.
Producer: Edouard Weil, Vincent Maraval, Set in 1996, and inspired by true events, PETER KUPLOWSKY
Brahim Chioua the film deliriously depicts the malevolent
Screenplay: Gaspar Noé
Cinematographer: Benoît Debie madness that envelops a dance troupe’s post- Gaspar Noé was born in Buenos
Editor: Denis Bedlow, Gaspar Noé rehearsal party after a communal punch- Aires and studied cinema at Paris’s
L’École nationale supérieure Louis-
Production Designer: Jean Rabasse bowl of sangria is spiked with LSD. As each Lumière. His short Carne (91) and
Sound: Ken Yasumoto
Music: Pascal Mayer, Noodles dancer’s psyche begins to disintegrate, a his first feature, I Stand Alone (98),
Principal Cast: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, creeping paranoia gives rise to deep-seated both won Critics’ Week Awards at
Souheila Yacoub, Kiddy Smile, Claude Gajan Maull, prejudices within the group that eventu- Cannes. His films Irréversible (02),
Giselle Palmer Enter the Void (09), and Love (15)
ally explode into outright pandemonium all played the Festival. Climax (18) is
Production: Rectangle Productions against an infectious and hypnotic parade his latest film.
26 rue Danielle Casanova
Paris 75002 France of period-appropriate needle-drops from
clementine@rectangleproductions.com the likes of Cerrone, M|A|R|R|S, and
Aphex Twin.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Raven Banner Releasing The hellish trajectory is foreshadowed
US Distributor: A24 from the very start as Noé introduces
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch his magnetic cast — culled from Parisian
(see page 359)
nightclubs and YouTube voguing videos, and
headed up by Sofia Boutella, the steely blades-
for-legs assassin from Kingsman: The Secret
Service — through a series of endearing
to-camera interviews that tease out their
diverse backgrounds and personalities.

midnight madness 347

Assassination Nation
Sam Levinson
USA, 2018
English
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Bron Studios/Foxtail
Entertainment/Phantom Four
Executive Producer: Jason Cloth, Chris Conover,
David Gendron, Will Greenfield, Ali Jazayeri, J.E. Moore,
Mike Novogratz, Andrew Pollack, Courtney B. Turk
Producer: Manu Gargi, Aaron L. Gilbert, Anita Gou,
David S. Goyer, Matthew J. Malek, Kevin Turen
Screenplay: Sam Levinson
Cinematographer: Marcel Rév
Editor: Ron Patane
Production Designer: Michael Grasley
Music: Ian Hultquist
Principal Cast: Odessa Young, Hari Nef, Suki Waterhouse,
Abra, Bill Skarsgard, Joel McHale, Bella Thorne,
Maude Apatow, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Production: Bron Studios
345 North Maple Drive Suite 295
Beverly Hills, California 90210 USA
alg.asst@bronstudios.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Elevation Pictures
US Distributor: NEON, AGBO, 30WEST
International Sales Agent: Bloom
(see page 359)
Opening with a barrage of trigger warn-
ings cataloguing the countless ways one’s
sensibilities could be shattered by what
you’re about to see, Assassination Nation
catapults itself spread-eagled — and wield-
ing dual katanas —into the murky morality
of today’s social-media discourse, bluntly
confronting the misogynistic rot permeat-
ing its platforms, participants, and beyond.
Set in the suburban community of Salem
(natch), the film’s mayhem first ignites when
an anonymous hacker starts exposing the
private data of select citizens. When the
hacker suddenly doxxes half the town, an ini-
tial wave of righteous public shaming gives
way to a violent mob mentality of paranoid
prejudice where the pitchforks are no longer
proverbial.
True to their legacies, the Salemites are
quick to find a scapegoat. Across a trajectory
that deliriously rockets from Mean Girls to
The Purge in the span of a few retweets, a
small band of high-school girls find them-
selves falsely accused of the hacks and must
now fight for their lives as their neighbours
vie for bloody reprisal.
For his contemporary Crucible, writer-
director Sam Levinson adopts the rapid
rhythms and lurid aesthetics of Twitter
threads and Instagram stories to articu-
late his cultural commentary through a
lens that decidedly embodies the POV of
his always-online, put-upon protagonists,
electrically portrayed by Odessa Young, Hari
Nef, Suki Waterhouse, and Abra.
Even after the film has ascended from
a relatively grounded social satire to a
blood-soaked high-concept thriller — com-
plete with a gobsmacking home invasion set
piece that evokes Dario Argento’s Tenebrae
— the four dynamic women firmly anchor
what’s at stake with their affecting and relat-
able humanity.
PETER KUPLOWSKY
Sam Levinson is an actor, screen-
writer, and director from the United
States. He made his directorial debut
with Another Happy Day (10), and
wrote the screenplay for The Wizard
of Lies (17). Assassination Nation (18)
is his second feature.
midnight madness 349
In Fabric
TIFF veteran Peter Strickland returns to the the villainous dress itself — which haunt-
Peter Strickland Festival with a beguiling ghost story worthy ingly sails towards its victims with an eerie
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 of the witching hour. Set against the back- glide that flirts with both camp and genuine
English drop of a wintertime department store sales menace — In Fabric is an absorbing syn-
WORLD PREMIERE spree, his latest phantasmagoria concerns a thesis of the exquisite pastiche Strickland
118 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
cursed scarlet dress as it encounters unsus- achieved with Berberian Sound Studio and
Production Company: Rook Films Ltd/BBC Films/BFI/ pecting customers and corrupts their lives. the erotic romanticism of his The Duke of
Headgear Films
Executive Producer: Lizzie Francke, Phil Hunt, Obliquely split between two distinct tales Burgundy, here hemmed to sinister effect.
Rose Garnett, Hilary Davis, Stephen Kelliher, in a dreamy divide reminiscent of David PETER KUPLOWSKY
Compton Ross, Ben Wheatley, Ian Benson Lynch’s Lost Highway, Strickland’s film
Producer: Andy Starke
Screenplay: Peter Strickland is populated with an idiosyncratic array Peter Strickland was born in
Cinematographer: Ari Wegner of indelible characters and imagery. From Berkshire, England. He has written
and directed the features Katalin
Editor: Matyas Fekete a lonely divorcee to the wife of a washing Varga (09) as well as Berberian Sound
Production Designer: Paki Smith
Sound: Martin Pavey machine repairman with a thousand-yard Studio (12) and The Duke of Burgundy
Music: CAVERN OF ANTI-MATTER stare, dissatisfied souls float through a (14), both of which played the Festival.
Principal Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, mesmerizing miasma of surreal sights and In Fabric (18) is his latest film.
Leo Bill, Julian Barratt, Steve Oram, Gwendoline Christie
sounds, sporadically punctuated with bursts
Production: Rook Films Ltd of disorienting collage-montage evoking the
Verriotts Lane Morcombelake
Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DU United Kingdom experimental works of Arthur Lipsett.
info@rookfilms.co.uk Pervading each thread is the witchy
sales-matron (Fatma Mohamed) of the
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Bankside Films demonic department store, who speaks
US Sales Agent: Bankside Films to her clientele in a cryptic verse to mask
(see page 359) her dark designs, and an eccentric pair
of bureaucrats hilariously portrayed by
cult-favourite actors Steve Oram and Julian
Barratt. Further bolstered by an entrancing
cast that includes Marianne Jean-Baptiste
and Gwendoline Christie, to say nothing of

midnight madness 351

FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, WE THANK:

Francesca Accinelli Adriana Chiesa Zanesha Gowrali Sariena Luy Hengameh Panahi Frances-Anne Solomon
Andrew Addison Roberto Cicutto Barbara Gray Helene MacKenzie Shinyoung Park Janice Solomon
Shohreh Aghdashloo Carl Clifton Szelena Gray Harold Mah Shirley Phillips Jill Soloway
Hiromi Aihara Peter Conroy Harry Grivakis Ron Mann Marguerite Pigott Karen Son
Kelly Alexander Liesl Copland Dan Guando Diego Marambio Avaria Jennifer Podemski Alejandra Sosa
Tom Alexander Noah Cowan Laufey Guðjónsdóttir Vincent Maraval Mark Pogachefsky Gilles Sousa
Hussain Amarshi Valerie Creighton Griselda Guerrasio Lina Marrone Javier Porta Fouz Jim Stark
Mark Ankner Councillor Joe Cressy Ugur Can Gursozlu Richard Marskell Sandy Power Kyle Stoneman
Constanza Arena Sandra Cunningham Megan Guy Graeme Mason Beki Probst Jennifer Stott
Amma Asante Justin Cutler Karen Halley Petter Mattsson Jaana Puskala Ray Strache
Patricia Assabe Uma da Cunha Tara Halloran Joy Mawela Tom Quinn Emma Stuart
Mohammad Atebbai Julie Dash Miranda Harcourt Laurie May Marten Rabarts Anne-Marie Stuart
Sylvain Auzou Hollace Davids Michael Harris Suzanne McGlynn Mandy Rahn Roeg Sutherland
Jennifer Baichwal Isabel Davis Mark Haslam Molly McGlynn Alessandro Raja Alexandra Tangorra
Sabrina Baraccetti Sheila de la Varende Sonja Heinen Teresa McGrane Mariette Rissenbeek Graham Taylor
Michael Barker Jim deGood Mathilde Henrot Deborah McIntosh Thorsten Ritter Jeremy Thomas
Glen Basner Jorge Del Sol Baylac James Hickey Ashley McKenzie Councillor Jaye Robinson Adedayo Thomas
Judith Baugin Christian DeSchutter Nicole Hull Jasmin McSweeney Honourable Pablo Rodriguez Alison Thompson
Henri Behar Eva Diedrix Peter Hussell Stella Meghie Renate Rose Councillor Michael Thompson
Mark Belford David Dinerstein Pylyp Illienko Deepa Mehta Derek Ross Karen Thorne-Stone
Caroline Benjo Brian Dingle Linda Intaschi Tanja Meissner Patrick Roy Mayor John Tory
Catherine Ann Berger Jane Doe Andrew Jackman Keri Mesropov Jesse Russell Derek Trenchard
Bernardo Bergeret Olga Domżała Victoria Jackman Charlotte Mickie Anna Ryasik Peter Trinh
Tom Bernard Bobby Donches Eric Jensen Nathalie Mierop Jason Ryle Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Jeanne Berney Helen du Toit Ernie Johnston Reza Mirkarimi Wendy Saffer Ivan Trujillo
Thomas Bertacche Chad Eberle Jennifer Jonas Dimple Monga Mark Sakamoto Winnie Tsang
Charlie Bloye Atom Egoyan Honourable Sylvia Jones Charles B. Moss Jr. Jean-Paul Salome Fred Tsui
Arianna Bocco Daniela Elstner Thanassis Karathanos Catherine Mtsitouridze Rasha Salti Tristen Tuckfield
Adriene Bowles Cassian Elwes Alaa Karkouti Jo Muehlberger Jorge Sanchez Nancy Utley
Brendan Boyle Rikke Ennis Selin Karli Gwily Mumford Monserrat Sanchez Soler Christine Vachon
Celemence Bradley Niv Fichman Elizabeth Karlsen Kristine Murphy Muriel Sauzay Agathe Valentin
Pat Bradley Giulia Filippelli Loewy Kevin Katigbak Lizette Gram Mygind Martin Scheuring Bonnie Voland
Lia Brewer Kevin Finnerty Stephen Kelliher Col Needham Katriel Schory Miroljub Vuckovic
Nicholas Brigaud-Robert Ann Marie Fleming Heejeon Kim Carol Nguyen Eve Schoukroun Edouard Waintrop
Jacqueline Brodie Premier Doug Ford Richard Klubeck Leslie Noble Martin Schweighofer Dr. Marvin Waxman
Susan Bruce-Smith Lizzie Francke Sue Kroll Daniel Northway-Frank Carole Scotta Michael Weber
Rafael Cabrera Eric Franssen Bettina Kunde Lisa Norton of DAREArts Adam Scurto Christof Wehmeier
Peter Caldwell Roger Frappier Eric Lagesse Annabella Nucara Anna Serner Ben Weiss
Aaron Campbell Kenta Fudeska Claudia Landsberger Mags O’Sullivan Katayoon Shahabi Mike Williams
Sally Caplan Dorina Furgiuele Robert Lantos Omoni Oboli Zaib Shaikh Ellen Wong
Laurie Carmichael Cecile Gaget Ferdinand Lapuz Kardinal Offishall Jim Sherry Joyce Wong
Emanuelle Carriere Stephen Geer Stefan Laudyn Nick Ogiony Nansun Shi Ihor Wons
Carla Cattani Brent Gilliard Benjamin Lee Erika J. Olde Scott Shooman Matthijs Wouter Knol
Sebastien Cauchon Stephen Gilula Dylan Leiner William Oldroyd Magali Simard June Wu
Sanling Chang Ivan Giroud Mehernaz Lentin Matt Ootes Jean-Christophe Simon Iliana Zakopoulou
Nicolas Chartier Silje Glimsdal Gilbert Lim Stine Oppegaard John Sloss
Carlo Chatrian Mike Goodridge Victor Loewy Arnold Ortiz Bec Smith
Serena Cheng Victoria Gormley Steve Lucas Jerome Paillard Robin Smith

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3 Guineas Business Solutions Content Media Corporation Flanders Image Janus Films Paramount Pictures The Slaight Family Foundation
A-Z Films Creative Artists Agency Focus Features K5 International Participant Media Toho
A24 Creative Scotland Fortissimo Films Kala Designs Inc. Pathé International Toronto Film, Television and
Adopt Films D Films Fox Searchlight Killer Films Phase 4 Films Digital Media Office
Adriana Chiesa Enterprises Danish Film Institute Funny Balloons Kino Lorber Polish Film Institute Toronto Police Services
Alchemy Distribution Workshop Gaumont Kinology Pony Canyon Toronto Transit Commission
Alpha Violet Doc & Film International Gensler KinoSmith Protagonist Pictures TrustNordisk
Amazon Studios Dogwoof Global German Films KOFIC Pyramide Films International Unifrance
ANTIPODE Sales & Dreamworks Global Screen Latido Films Rai Trade UniJapan
Distribution Dv8 GK Films LD Entertainment REEL Suspects Union Pictures
Arclight Films Edko Films Goalpost Films Le Pacte Remstar United Talent Agency (UTA)
ARRI Worldsales Elevation Pictures Goldcrest Films International LevelK Roadside Attractions Universal
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Bankside Films Entertainment One Haut et Court M-Appeal Screen Australia VVS Films
BBC Films Eros International High Point Media Group Mandate Pictures Screen Ireland Wallonie Bruxelles Images
Berlin International Film Festival EuropaCorp Huayi Brothers Media Media Asia Serendipity Point Films Walt Disney Studios Motion
Beta Cinema European Film Promotion Corporation Media Luna Seville Pictures
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Canada Media Fund Festival de Cannes IFC Films Myriad Pictures Sony Pictures Classics ENTERTAINMENT
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Cineplex Entertainment LP Films Boutique Management (ICM) Odin’s Eye Entertainment TF1
Cinetic Media Films We Like Irish Film Board Open Road Films The Film Sales Company
CJ Entertainment Inc FineCut Co. Israel Film Fund Oscilloscope The Little Film Company

A very special thank-you to all the individuals and companies who provided us with prints for the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

368
Diamantino
Gabriel Abrantes,
Daniel Schmidt
PORTUGAL/FRANCE/BRAZIL, 2018
Portuguese
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
92 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Les Films du Bélier/
Maria & Mayer/Syndrome Film
Producer: Justin Taurand, Maria João Mayer,
Daniel Van Hoogstraten
Screenplay: Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt
Cinematographer: Charles Ackley Anderson
Editor: Raphaelle Martin-Holger, Gabriel Abrantes,
Daniel Schmidt
Production Designer: Bruno Duarte, Cypress Cook
Sound: Olivier Blanc, David Turini,
Fernando Henna, Benjamin Viau
Music: Ulysse Klotz, Adriana Holtz
Principal Cast: Carloto Cotta, Cleo Tavares,
Anabela Moreira, Margarida Moreira
Production: Les Films du Bélier
54, rue René Boulanger
Paris 75010 France
aurelien@lesfilmsdubelier.fr
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: MK2 MILE END
US Distributor: KINO LORBER Inc.
International Sales Agent: Charades
(see page 359)
Born from the imaginations of avant-garde
iconoclasts Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel
Schmidt, this hilarious genre-blending,
gender-bending satire is a remarkable
potpourri of hot-button topics and campy
hijinks, all of which escalate with the lunacy
of an Ernst Lubitsch or John Waters joint.
When big-hearted but vacuous Portuguese
soccer hunk Diamantino (a magnificent
Carloto Cotta perfectly parodying Cristiano
Ronaldo) learns about the European refugee
crisis, it shatters his sheltered world view
and drains him of the idyllic ignorance
that fuels his athletic prowess. Becoming
a national embarrassment overnight, he
resolves to make amends by adopting an
African refugee, only his new “son” turns
out to be a lesbian tax auditor (Cleo Tavares)
investigating the eponymous soccer savant
on the suspicion of corruption.
Complicating things are Diamantino’s ma-
levolent twin sisters (Anabela and Margarida
Moreira) who are subjecting their brother
to genetic experimentation at the behest of
a nefarious right-wing cabal. This is to say
nothing of the surreal pageant of gargan-
tuan fluffy puppies that manifest whenever
Diamantino sets foot on a soccer field — a
sight any aficionado of the absurd needs to
experience and “squee” for themselves.
Vividly photographed in Super 16mm
and peppered with a menagerie of inspired
kitsch iconography, Abrantes and Schmidt’s
film is one of the year’s most infectiously
silly comedies. One could almost mistake
it for science fiction if even the film’s most
outlandish ideas did not seem so pointedly
plausible and resonant in today’s strange
(and growing stranger) times.
PETER KUPLOWSKY
Gabriel Abrantes was born in
North Carolina and studied in both
Paris and New York. His short films
include A Brief History of Princess X
(15), The Hunchback (16), and The
Artificial Humors (16). He previously
collaborated with Daniel Schmidt
on the feature Palaces of Pity (11).
Diamantino (18) is his latest film.
Daniel Schmidt was born in New
Haven, Connecticut. His short films
include A History of Mutual Respect
(10), Palaces of Pity (11) and The
Unity of All Things (13). He previously
collaborated with Gabriel Abrantes
on the feature film Palaces of Pity
(11). Diamantino (18) is his latest film.
TIFF Next Wave
Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of
young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
midnight madness 353
Take the Festival
home with you.
Get your official 2018 Toronto International Film Festival merchandise
at TIFF Shop, or shop online at tiff.net/shop
@shop_tiff

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FESTIVAL T-SHIRT (UNISEX XS–XL), WHITE, $35; MIDNIGHT MADNESS T-SHIRT (UNISEX S–XL), BLACK, $35; FESTIVAL WATER BOTTLE (16OZ), $20;
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TIFF prefers Visa.
 Special Events
Unique experiences — one time only.

The Joy Luck Club
In 1993, we had no way of knowing just how
Wayne Wang historic the world premiere of The Joy Luck
USA/CHINA, 1993 Club would become. Wayne Wang’s adap-
Mandarin tation of the Amy Tan bestseller brought
139 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) together a terrific cast of eight Asian American
Production Company: Hollywood Pictures women to take rare lead roles in a Hollywood
Executive Producer: Oliver Stone, Janet Yang studio movie. For the next quarter century,
Screenplay: Amy Tan, Ronald Bass
Cinematographer: Amir Mokri independent films and films from Asia would
Editor: Maysie Hoy fill a void of under-representation — but so
Production Designer: Donald Graham Burt would repeat viewings of The Joy Luck Club
Music: Rachel Portman
Principal Cast: France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, in countless homes across North America.
Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, Wen Ming-Na, Lauren Tom, We’re thrilled and honoured to present this
Tsai Chin, Tamlyn Tomita special 25th-anniversary reunion event in
CONTACT INFORMATION the same Elgin Theatre where it all started.
Canadian Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Canada Original 1993 Festival programme note (abridged):
US Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (US)
(see page 359) Amy Tan’s bestselling novel, The Joy Luck
Club, has been turned into the kind of sweep-
ing emotional epic many people associate
with classic Hollywood films. The story
focuses on June, a young Chinese-American
woman whose mother, Suyuan, has just died.
Suyuan’s three closest friends — who form
the mahjong group known as the Joy Luck
Club — decide to honour their late friend’s
fondest wish by pooling their savings to
send June from San Francisco to China for
a reunion with her long-lost sisters. It is dur-
ing the bon voyage party that June, her three
“aunties” and their three daughters unleash
356 special event
© 1993 Hollywood Pictures
the complex flow of memories that become
the real voyage of the film.
Director Wayne Wang and screenwriter
Ronald Bass do a brilliant job intercutting
among the eight main characters, exposing
complicated mother-daughter conflicts. The
storylines reach back to grandmothers in
China, and forward to great-grandchildren
in America.
Paramount among the many pleasures of
The Joy Luck Club is the superb ensemble
cast. Like the great cycle of studio women’s
pictures of the 1930s and ’40s, [Wang’s
film] embraces humour, melodrama, senti-
ment and style in the service of a story that
unabashedly celebrates [both] the struggles
and triumphs of its heroines.
Wayne Wang was born in Hong
Kong. His feature films include the
critically acclaimed indie hit Chan Is
Missing (82), Dim Sum: A Little Bit
of Heart (84), Slam Dance (87), Eat
a Bowl of Tea (89), Life is Cheap…
But Toilet Paper is Expensive (90),
Smoke (95), and Maid in Manhattan
(02); and the Festival selections The
Joy Luck Club (93), Blue in the Face
(95), Chinese Box (97), Anywhere but
Here (99), and A Thousand Years of
Good Prayers (07).
Sharkwater Extinction
Rob Stewart
CANADA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
88 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Sharkwater Pictures
Executive Producer: Patrice Théroux, Alexandra Stewart,
Shari Sant Plummer, Shannon O’Leary Joy
Producer: Rob Stewart, Brian Stewart, Sandra Campbell
Screenplay: Rob Stewart
Cinematographer: Rob Stewart, David Hannan,
Shawn Heinrichs, Jordan Eady, Andy Brandy Casagrande
IV, Goh Iromoto, Will Allen
Editor: Nick Hector
Creative Consultant: Sturla Gunnarsson
Sound: Nelson Ferreira, Kevin Howard
Music: Jonathan Goldsmith
With: Rob Stewart, Regi Domingo, Brock Cahill,
Will Allen, Madison Stewart
Production: Sharkwater Pictures
71 Barber Greene Rd.
Toronto, Ontario M3C 2A2 Canada
info@sharkwater.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: D Films Corp.
International Sales Agent: Brian Stewart
(see page 359)
TIFF is proud to screen the world premiere
of Sharkwater Extinction — a work of gal-
vanizing activism rendered with heart and
soul, and the final film from Rob Stewart,
the award-winning Toronto documentarian,
photographer, and conservationist.
Building on the research, passion, and
sometimes daredevil first-person investiga-
tive work of 2006’s Sharkwater, Sharkwater
Extinction updates and expands on the fight
by Stewart and others to halt the hunting of
sharks, which are often killed just for their
fins. Since the release of Sharkwater and the
growing awareness it helped foster, shark fin-
ning has been banned in most of the world.
Yet these magnificent creatures — one of the
world’s oldest and most important preda-
tors — are in more danger than ever, due to a
thriving pirate industry, legal loopholes, and
widespread corruption. Over 100 million
sharks (yes, you read that right) are killed
every year. The world’s shark population has
decreased by 90 percent in the last 30 years.
An entire species — and a cornerstone of our
ecosystem — hangs in the balance.
Completed by the production team
after Stewart died while making the film
in January of 2017, Sharkwater Extinction
takes us to Costa Rica, Cape Verde, the
Bahamas, Panama, and the US to explore the
myriad ways sharks continue to be placed
in peril.
The film’s gorgeous imagery lures you in,
while its nerve-wracking scenes of Stewart
risking his life to expose hunters keeps you
riveted. But the beauty of this film lies in
Stewart’s enduring sense of wonder. He
said he made these films to make people fall
in love with sharks, and that he did. Stewart
will be greatly missed.
Rob Stewart was born in Toronto.
He earned a degree in biology from
the University of Western Ontario.
He worked as a photographer and
journalist before beginning his
filmmaking career. His features
Sharkwater (06) and Revolution
(12) had their world premieres at
the Festival. Sharkwater Extinction
(18) is his final film.
special event 357
 Long
Take
Podcast
Jim Carrey, April Reign, Steve Buscemi, Judy Greer,
Boots Riley, Mark Duplass. Listen to the smartest
people in film talk about what, why and how we watch.
New podcast every Tuesday:
iTunes | tiff.net/longtake

6
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Backup Media Embankment Films Focus Features
23 rue des jeuneurs paris France 75002 France 242 London W10 5JJ United Kingdom 100 Universal City Plaza Universal City CA 91608
T. 33147700234 Cinépolis Distribución
T. 00442071834739 United States of America
office@backupmediagroup.com A. Antonio Dovali Jaime #70 Mexico 01219 Mexico
info@embankmentfilms.com T. 8187772776
T. 5215510126018

359
Sales and Distribution Company Contact Information

Foresight Unlimited Indie Sales levelFILM Mongrel International

9903 Santa Monica Blvd #3000 Beverly Hills CA Rue Washington Paris 75008 France 122 Sherbourne St Toronto ON M5A 2RA Canada 1352 Dundas St West Toronto Ontario M6J 1Y2
90212 United States of America T. 33144830227 T. 4165040254 Canada
T. 3102755222 level@levelfilm.com T. 4165169775
info@foresight-unltd.com Iranian Independents international@mongrelmedia.com
No. 18, 2nd Floor, 10th St. Dr. Mohammad LevelK
Fortitude International Mosadegh St., Tehran Tehran 1918796914 Iran Gl. Kongevej 137 B Frederiksberg C 1850 Denmark Mongrel Media
15260 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1040 Sherman Oaks CA T. 989123198693 T. 4520108580 1352 Dundas St W Toronto ON M6J 1Y2 Canada
91403 United States of America info@iranianindependents.com T. 4165169557
T. 4242841330 Light Cone info@mongrelmedia.com
info@fortitudeint.com Isuma Distribution International Ltd. 157 rue de Crimee Paris 5019 France
5333 Casgrain avenue Montreal Quebec H2T 1X3 T. 330146590153 Moonstone Entertainment
Fox Searchlight Pictures Canada lightcone@lightcone.org P.O. Box 1599 Studio City CA 91614 United States of
10201 W. Pico Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90035 T. 5144860707 America, PO Box 1599 Studio City CA 91614 United
United States of America States of America
Lionfish Films
T. 3109691491 Jour2Fête T. 18189853003, 818.985.3003
34 bd. des Italiens Paris 75009 France
9 rue Ambroise Thomas Paris 75009 France T. 0033679080575
FunFilm Distribution T. 33185733655 MPM Premium
1055 Boulevard René Lévesque Est no. 900 sales@jour2fete.com 6 rue Desargues Paris 75011 France
Luxbox
Montréal Québec H2L 4S5 Canada T. 0142770631
6 Rue Jean Pierre Timbaud Paris 75011 France
T. 5142724956 Jungles In Paris T. 33626100765
118 2nd Place, #2 Brooklyn NY 11231 United States MUBI
festivals@luxboxfilms.com
Futurikon of America 1 Newburgh Street London W1F 7RB United
12 rue de Turenne Paris France 75004 France T. 19175261062 Kingdom
Magnolia Pictures
T. 330144619461 T. 07407713406
2222 S. Barrington Ave LOS ANGELES California
info@futurikon.com Karissa Hahn 90064 United States of America
4545 Los Feliz Blvd APT 311 Los Angeles CA 90027 Music Box Films
T. 9178548700
Gersh Agency United States of America 173 N. Morgan St. Chicago IL 60607
aquisitions@magpictures.com
9465 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills CA 90212 T. 2033055247 United States of America
United States of America T. 3125085361
Malena Szlam
T. 3102746611 Keshet International
7729, rue St-Dominique Montreal Quebec H2R1X6
12 Raoul Wallenberg Tel Aviv 6971910 Israel Canada National Film Board of Canada
Grasshopper Film T. 97237676031 T. 15145269960 145 Wellington Street West, suite 1000 Toronto
12 East 32nd St, 4th Floor New York NY 10016 Ontario M5J 1H8 Canada
United States of America KimStim T. 4164360105
m-appeal
T. 8455211912 417 13th Street #2 Brooklyn, NYC 11215 distibution@nfb.ca
Prinzessinnenstr. 16 Berlin 10969 Germany
United States of America
T. 00493061507505
Great Point Media info@kimstim.com National Geographic Documentary Films
films@m-appeal.com
22 Long Acre London WC2E9LY United Kingdom 1145 17 Street NW Washington District of Columbia
T. 4402075505512 Kino Lorber 20036 United States of America
Maria Lassnig Foundation
sales@greatpointmedia.com 333 W. 39th St. Ste. 503 New York NY 10018 United T. 2029123244
Gurkgasse 50/16 Vienna 1140 Austria
States of America
T. 004369912372215
H264 Distribution T. 2126296880 NEON
info@marialassnig.org
5209 Drolet #12 Montréal Québec H2T 2H# 580 Broadway New York 10012
Canada Kinology United States of America
Marvin&Wayne Short Films
T. 5142479096 30 rue Moret Paris 75011 France T. 5512068745
Pelai 9, 2-2B Barcelona Barcelona 08001 Spain
T. 33951474344
T. 34934863313
HanWay Films festivals@kinology.eu Netflix, Inc.
info@marvinwayne.com
24 Hanway Street London W1T 1UH 5808 W. Sunset Blvd Los Angeles California 90028
United Kingdom KurzFilmAgentur Hamburg e.V. United States of America
mec film T. 3239806855
T. 442072900750 Friedensallee 7 Hamburg D-22765 Germany
T. 491635684073
info@hanwayfilms.com T. 00494039106319
sales@shortfilm.com neugerriemschneider
Meikincine Entertainment Linienstrasse 155 Berlin 10115 Germany
Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd
G. Matorras 1589 Buenos Aires 1609 Argentina T. 493028877277
151 Lorong Chuan New Tech Park #04-05 La Boîte à Fanny
Singapore 556741 Singapore T. 5491154946149 mail@neugerriemschneider.com
4446 boul. Saint-Laurent #603 Montreal Quebec
T. 6562886303 H2W 1Z5 Canada info@meikincine.com
T. 5142888700 New Europe Film Sales
Hummelfilm coordo@laboiteafanny.com Memento Films International Czerniakowska 73/79 Warsaw 00-718 Poland
Nedre gate 7 Oslo 0553 Norway 9 cité Paradis Paris 75010 France T. 48600173205
T. 004790995869 Labocine T. 33153349033
New Lab, 16 Morris Avenue Brooklyn NY 11205 sales@memento-films.com Nikkatsu Corporation
Icarus Films United States of America 3-28-12, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
32 Court St, #2107 Brooklyn NY 11201 T. 7185966404 Mister Smith Entertainment T. 81356891014
United States of America 77 Dean St London W1D 3SH United Kingdom international@nikkatsu.co.jp
T. 7184888900 Lagardère Studios Distribution T. 442074941724
mail@icarusfilms.com 7 rue du Dôme Boulogne-Billancourt 92100 France Orange Studio
T. 33140747676 Mister Smith Entertainment 21 rue Jasmin Paris 75016 France
ICM Partners LS-Distribution@lagardere-studios.com 77 Dean Street, Soho London W1D 3SH T. 330157361111
65 E 55th St New York New York 10022 United United Kingdom contact.orangestudio@orange.com
States of America Latido Films T. 4402074941724
T. 2125565600 C/ Veneras, 9, 3º Madrid 28013 Spain info@mistersmithent.com Oscilloscope Laboratories
T. 34915488877 140 Havemeyer st, Ground Floor, Ground Floor
IFC Films latido@latidofilms.com MK2 Films Brooklyn New York 11211 United States of America
11 Penn Plaza 18th Floor New York New York 10001 55 rue Traversière Paris 75012 France T. 1212219402929
United States of America LD Entertainment T. 33144673071 info@oscilloscope.net
T. 9051834526 9000 Sunset Blvd.Suite 600 West Hollywood CA intlsales@mk2.com
ifcfilmsinfo@ifcfilms.com 90069 United States of America Pacific Northwest Pictures
T. 3102759600 MK2 Mile End 207 Hastings Street West, Suite 512 Vancouver BC
IMR International 5445, Avenue de Gaspé #316 MONTREAL H2T V6B 1H7 Canada
301 N Canon Dr, Ste 207 Beverly Hills California Les Asphofilms 3B2 Canada T. 6045691026
90210 United States of America 3 rue des cascades Paris 75020 France T. 15142711222
T. 4247770240 T. 0033625301443 Pathé International
lesasphofilms@yahoo.fr M-Line Distribution 2 rue Lamennais Paris 75008 France
Independent Les Valseurs 3F, MIDO BLDG 540-21 SEOUL 06036 South Korea T. 0033171723305
195 Wardour Street London W1F 8ZG 2 bis Passage Ruelle Paris France 75018 France T. 0827962425 sales@patheinternational.com
United Kingdom T. 33171394162 sales@mline-distribution.com
T. 442072578734 distribution@lesvalseurs.com
info@independentfilmcompany.com

360
Sales and Distribution Company Contact Information

Picture Palace Pictures Rushlake Media The Orchard Well Go USA Entertainment
POB 645 Prince Street Stn. New York NY 10012 Karolingerring 31 Cologne 50678 Germany 6725 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles CA 90028 1601 E. Plano Parkway, Suite 110 Plano Texas 75074
United States of America T. 4922158832180 United States of America United States of America
T. 12122523187 info@rushlake-media.com T. 13238759861 T. 9726715200
picturepalacesale@yahoo.com
Sacrebleu Productions Travelling WestEnd Films
Playtime 10 bis rue bisson Paris Île-de-France 75020 France 1425, place de l’Hotel-de-Ville, C.P. 368 Trois- T. 442074948300
T. 33153103399 T. 33142253027 Rivières Québec G9A 5H3 Canada info@westendfilms.com
info@playtime.group distribution@sacrebleuprod.com T. 15144678160
info@travellingdistribution.com WIDE
Premium Films Serendipity Point Films 9 rue Bleue Paris 75009 France
6, rue Desargues Paris 75011 France 9 Price Street Toronto M4W 1Z1 Canada True Colours T. 33153950464
T. 330142770631 T. 4169677074 Largo Italo Gemini, 1 Rome 00161 Italy infos@widemanagement.co
contact@premium-films.com T. 390637352234
Séville International Wild Bunch
Protagonist Pictures 455 rue St. Antoine ouest bureau 300 Montréal TrustNordisk 65 rue de Dunkerque. Paris 75009 PARIS France
42-48 Great Portland Street W1W 7NB London Québec H2Z 1J1 Canada filmbyen 22 Hvidovre Copenhagen 2650 Denmark T. 33143132115
United Kingdom T. 514-878-2282 T. 4560298466 sales@wildbunch.eu
T. 00442077349000 sevilleinternational@filmsseville.com info@trustnordisk.com
info@protagonistpictures.com William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
Shout Factory Twentieth Century Fox 9601 wilshire beverly hills ca 90210 United States
Pyramide International 2034 Armacost Ave, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 10201 W Pico Boulevard Building 78, Room 112 of America
32 rue de l’Echiquier Paris 75010 France 90025 United States of America Los Angeles CA 90064 United States of America T. 3102859000
T. 0033142960220 T. 13109795897 T. 3103690817
sales@pyramidefilms.com XYZ Films
Sierra / Affinity United Talent Agency (UTA) 3103-B S. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles California
Radiant Films International 9378 Wilshire BlvdSuite 210 Beverly Hills CA 90212 9336 Civic Center Drive Beverly Hills California 90016 United States of America
6255 W. Sunset Blvd Ste 1100 Hollywood CA 90028 United States of America 90210 United States of America T. 3109561554
United States of America T. 4242531060 T. 3102736700 info@xyzfilms.com
T. 3102784229 info@sierra-affinity.com info@unitedtalent.com
info@radiant-films.com Zeitgeist Films Ltd.
Six Shooter Records Universal Pictures 333 W. 39th St. suite 503 New York NY 10018
Rai Com 300- 51 Bulwer Street Toronto Ontario M5T1A1 100 Universal City Plaza Universal City CA 91608 United States of America
Via Umberto Novaro, 18 Rome 00195 Italy Canada United States of America T. 2122741989
T. 0039633178244 T. 12049796626 T. 8187771000
Zipporah Films
Raven Banner Releasing sixpackfilm Urban Distribution International 1 Richdale Ave Unit 4 Cambridge Massachusetts
33 Villiers StSuite 201 Toronto Ontario Canada Neubaugasse 45/13 Vienna 1070 Austria 14 rue du 18 Août Montreuil 93100 France 02140 United States of America
T. 4167789090 T. 4315260990 T. 33148704656 T. 6175763603
contact@ravenbanner.ca office@sixpackfilm.com sales@urbangroup.biz info@zipporah.com

Rayon vert Some Shorts Vertical Entertainment

190 Jones Avenue Toronto Ontario M4M3A3 St Annastraat 149 Nijmegen 6524 ER Netherlands 2500 Broadway Ave Suite F-125 Santa Monica CA
Canada T. 31622076717 90404 United States of America
T. 4165235504 info@someshorts.com T. 14242384455
info@rayonvert.ca
Sony Pictures Classics Verve
Rediance 25 Madison Avenue New York New York 10010 6310 San Vicente Blvd #100, Los Angeles, CA Los
Room 2701 Tower B, Star City International Tower, United States of America Angeles CA 90048 United States of America
Jiu Xian Qiao Road, Chaoyang District Beijing T. 2128338833 T. 13105582424
Beijing 100020 China sony_classics@spe.sony.com info@vervetla.com
T. 8613810636291
Sony Pictures Releasing Visit Films
REDIANCE 10202 W. Washington Blvd. Culver City California 173 Richardson Street Brooklyn NY 11222
Room 2701 Tower B, Star City International Tower, 90232 United States of America United States of America
Jiu Xian Qiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, T. 3102444000 T. 7183128210
100020, China Beijing 100020 China
info@visitfilms.com
T. 330785804597 Stray Dogs
30 rue Saint-Marc Paris 75002 France Voltage Pictures
Riverstone Pictures T. 33182284215 116 N Robertson Blvd Suite 200 Los Angeles
72 Wells Street London W1T 3QF United Kingdom sales@stray-dogs.com California 90048 United States of America
T. 442072689820 T. 3236067630
info@riverstonepictures.com Studio Arturo Lucia office@voltagepictures.com
50 rue de menilmontant Paris 75020 France
RLJ Entertainment T. 0667783951 VVS Films
6320 Canoga Avenue, 8th Floor Woodland Hills CA studioarturolucia@gmail.com 4030 Poirier Blvd Montreal QC H4R 2A5 Canada
91367 United States of America
T. 5143334091
T. 8184079100
Submarine Entertainment info@vvs.ca
info@rljentertainment.com
197 Grand St. 6W New York NY 10013 United States
of America Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (US)
ro*co films T. 6466735163 500 South Buena Vista St. Burbank CA 91521-0222
80 Liberty Ship WaySuite 8 Sausalito California United States of America
94965 United States of America
The Cinema Guild T. 8185601000
T. 4153326471
2803 Ocean Avenue Brooklyn New-York 11229 TWDSGlobalCommunications@disney.com
contactus@rocofilms.com United States of America
T. 8007235522 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada
Roadside Attractions info@cinemaguild.com 200 Front Street West Toronto ON M5V 3L4
7920 Sunset Blvd, Suite 402 Los Angeles California Canada
90046 United States of America
The Icelandic Film Company T. 4165967000
T. 3238828490
Borgartun 24 Reykjavik IS 105 Iceland
info@roadsideattractions.com
T. 3456900090 Wanda Pictures
5F Building #12, Wanda Plaza 93 Jianguo Road,
Rocket Science Chaoyang District Beijing 100022 China
The Match Factory
5th Floor, 140 Wardour Street London W1F8ZT T. 861059602022
Domstrassw 60 Cologne 50668 Germany
United Kingdom
T. 00492215397090 Warner Bros. Pictures
T. 442031960048
info@matchfactory.de 3903 W Olive Ave, Bldg 154, Room 1135 Burbank CA
info@rocket-science.net 91522 United States of America
T. 8189546235

361
INDEX TO FILM ORIGINS Anthropocene 115
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner 341
Costa Rica
Cascos Indomables 179
La passion de Jeanne d’Arc 340
Labyrinth, The 313
Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) 329 Helmet Heads 179 Le livre d’image 81
Algeria Brotherhood 330 Les filles du soleil 145
Divine Wind 87 Carmine Street Guitars 304 Les tombeaux sans noms 287
Croatia
Rih rabani 87 Caroni 336 L’Homme Fidèle 123
Load, The 199
Un jour de mariage 334 Circle 332 Load, The 199
Teret 199
Wedding Day, A 334 Clara 177 Long Day’s Journey Into Night 325
Death and Life of John F. Donovan, The 108 Look at Me 245
Dziadzio 330 Cuba Loro 86
Argentina
Edge of the Knife 192 El viaje extraordinario de Celeste García 198 Mademoiselle de Joncquières 95
Accused, The 237
Emptying the Tank 333 Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia, The 198 Manta Ray 204
Acusada 237
EXIT 335 Maria by Callas 290
ALTIPLANO 310
Fall of the American Empire, The 120 Maya 114
El Ángel 239 Czech Republic
Falls Around Her 235 Mercy of the Jungle, The 213
Everything calms down 329 “I Do Not Care If We Go Down
Fausto 321 Minuscule -
Florianópolis Dream 252 In History As Barbarians” 273
Fauve 335 Les Mandibules du Bout du Monde 259
Flower, The 318 Imi este indiferent daca in
Firecrackers 182 “ istorie vom intra ca barbari” 273 Minuscule - Mandibles From Far Away 259
La Flor 318
Fireflies Are Gone, The 247 Most Beautiful Couple, The 270
La Quietud 153 Putin’s Witnesses 294
Freaks 187 Napszállta 137
Quietude, The 153 Svideteli Putina 294
Freedom Fields 302 Netemo Sametemo 262
Rojo 94 Touch Me Not 196
Giant Little Ones 130 Non-Fiction 128
Sueño Florianópolis 252 Všechno bude 255
GIRLFRIENDS 332 Nuestro Tiempo 85
Tarde para morir joven 185 Winter Flies 255
Glitter’s Wild Women 334 Our Time 85
Todo se calma 329
Good Boy 332 Pájaros de verano 240
Too late to die young 185
Great Darkened Days, The 228 Denmark Passion of Joan of Arc, The 340
Grizzlies, The 119 Angels Are Made Of Light 301 Quién te Cantará 241
Armenia Hummingbird Project, The 142 Before the Frost 275 Rafiki 186
Factory, The 263 If This Isn’t Love 330 Birds of Passage 240 Realm, The 242
Zavod 263 Ikhwène 330 Border 249 Rih rabani 87
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy 77 Den Tid På Året 230 Rojo 94
Kameni Govornici 323 Før Frosten 275 Searching for Ingmar Bergman 307
Australia
Kingsway 233 Gräns 249 Si Ling Hun 322
All These Creatures 336
La chute de l’empire américain 120 Heartbound 299 Sibel 267
Birdie 335
La disparition des lucioles 247 Hjertelandet 299 Sisters Brothers, The 136
Emu Runner 180
La grande noirceur 228 Nuestro Tiempo 85 Sueño Florianópolis 252
Hotel Mumbai 143
Le sujet 334 Our Time 85 Sunset 137
Jirga 206
Les petites vagues 333 Pájaros de verano 240 Tel Aviv on Fire 200
Nekrotronic 345
Les routes en février 260 That Time of Year 230 Teret 199
Les Salopes or the Naturally This Magnificent Cake! 336
Austria Wanton Pleasure of Skin 225 Todos Lo Saben 45
Les salopes ou le sucre naturel de la peau 225 Egypt Touch Me Not 196
Angelo 93
Lie, The 69 EXT. Night 226 Ulysse & Mona 268
Arena 314
Little Waves 333 Leil Khargi 226 Ulysses & Mona 268
Consequences 193
Invisible Cinema 3, The 311 Mon Boy 332 Un jour de mariage 334
mumok kino 311 MOUTHPIECE 107 Ethiopia Vision 146
Posledice 193 My Boy 332 Fig Tree 174 Wedding Day, A 334
Styx 261 Norman Norman 331 What You Gonna Do
Paseo 329 When the World’s on Fire? 320
Prosecuting Evil: Finland Who Will Sing to You? 241
Belgium The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz 285 Hölmö nuori sydän 232 Wild Pear Tree, The 82
Angel 271 Roads in February 260 Let Me Fall 236 Woman at War 178
Au temps où les Arabes dansaient 282 Sharkwater Extinction 357 Lof mer ad falla 236 Xing Fu Cheng Shi 101
Ce Magnifique Gâteau! 336 Si ce n’est pas de l’amour 330 One Last Deal 248 Yom Adaatou Zouli 183
Duelles 116 Sira 312 Stupid Young Heart 232 Zavod 263
Mothers’ Instinct 116 Slip 312 Tuntematon mestari 248
Girl 173 Splinters 231
Hummingbird Project, The 142 Georgia
Stone Speakers, The 323 France
Kursk 161 AGLUMI 191
Subject, The 334 “I Do Not Care If We Go Down
Mercy of the Jungle, The 213 Akhali Tseli 331
Through Black Spruce 129 In History As Barbarians” 273
Retrospekt 266 New Year, A 331
Veslemøy’s Song 336 Ad Vitam 218
Tel Aviv on Fire 200 Parade 191
What is Democracy? 300 Ahlat Ağaci 82
This Magnificent Cake! 336
Asako I & II 262
Un Ange 271
Ash Is Purest White 89 Germany
When Arabs Danced 282 Chile
Bavure 333 “I Do Not Care If We Go Down
ALTIPLANO 310
Birds of Passage 240 In History As Barbarians” 273
Cascos Indomables 179
Bosnia and Herzegovina Black Book, The 253 Ada Kaleh 311
Gloria Bell 164
Kameni Govornici 323 Blue 310 Ahlat Agaci (g with breve) 82
Helmet Heads 179
Stone Speakers, The 323 Ce Magnifique Gâteau! 336 aKasha 184
Tarde para morir joven 185
Chocolat 338 Das schönste Paar 270
Too late to die young 185
Cities of Last Things 101 Der Unschuldige 99
Brazil Donbass 251
Climax 347
Diamantino 353 China El viaje extraordinario de Celeste García 198
Das schönste Paar 270
Florianópolis Dream 252 Ash Is Purest White 89 ENDZEIT 212
Day I Lost My Shadow, The 183
Guaxuma 331 Baby 157 ENDZEIT – EVER AFTER 212
Dead Souls 322
O Órfão 335 Bao Bei Er 157 Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia, The 198
Di qiu zui hou de ye wan 325
Orphan, The 335 Cities of Last Things 101 Fig Tree 174
Diamantino 353
Rojo 94 Complicity 205 High Life 55
Divine Wind 87
Sueño Florianópolis 252 Crossing, The 168 Imi este indiferent daca
Dogman 135
Tarde para morir joven 185 Da Xiang Xi Di Er Zuo 172 in istorie vom intra ca barbari 273
Donbass 251
Tito and the Birds 175 Di qiu zui hou de ye wan 325 In My Room 324
Doubles vies 128
Tito e os Pássaros 175 Elephant Sitting Still, An 172 Innocent, The 99
Duelles 116
Too Late to Die Young 185 Guo Chun Tian 168 Let Me Fall 236
Mothers’ Instinct 116
Hidden Man 75 El Destetado 331 Lof mer ad falla 236
Bulgaria Jiang Hu Er Nü 89 El Laberinto 313 Meeting Gorbachev 295
“I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Jinpa 246 El Reino 242 Mercy of the Jungle, The 213
Barbarians” 273 Jing Li de ren 313 Everybody Knows 45 Most Beautiful Couple, The 270
Ahlat Agaci (g with breve) 82 Joy Luck Club, The 356 Factory, The 263 Never Look Away 152
Imi este indiferent daca in Kazenoki Wa Koto No Youni 205 Faithful Man, A 123 Nuestro Tiempo 85
istorie vom intra ca barbari 273 Kraben Rahu 204 Fall, The 332 Our Time 85
Touch Me Not 196 Legend of the Demon Cat - Director’s Cut 151 Field, The 333 Rafiki 186
Wild Pear Tree, The 82 Long Day’s Journey Into Night 325 Fig Tree 174 Return, A 313
Man in the Well 313 Florianópolis Dream 252 Rojo 94
Manta Ray 204 Foreign Body, The 331 Saf 176
Burkina Faso Shadow 59 Searching for Ingmar Bergman 307
Girls of the Sun 145
Ambassador’s Wife, The 335 Xing Fu Cheng Shi 101 Sew the Winter to my Skin 243
Graves Without a Name 287
Zhuang Si Le Yi Zhi Yang 246 Guaxuma 331 Sibel 267
Cambodia Her Job 202 Styx 261
Graves Without a Name 287 High Life 55 Touch Me Not
Colombia
Les tombeaux sans noms 287 Île d’Ouessant 313 Transit 80
ante mis ojos 310
Image Book, The 81 Walled Unwalled 311
Birds of Passage 240
Imi este indiferent daca Werk ohne Autor 152
Canada Dulce 330
in istorie vom intra ca barbari 273 Wild Pear Tree, The 82
7A 334 El Laberinto 313
Labyrinth, The 313 Jessica Forever 103
Accidence 336
Pájaros de verano 240 Jiang Hu Er Nü 89 Greece
ALTIPLANO 310
Kona fer í stríð 178 Ektoras Malo: I Teleftea Mera Tis Chronias 331
AMIES 332
Kraben Rahu 204 Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year 331
Animal Behaviour 335
La Chute 332 Her Job 202
ante mis ojos 310

362
Hong Kong Latvia Portugal Føniks 207
Fallen Arches 312 Putin’s Witnesses 294 Black Book, The 253 Fuck You 333
Svideteli Putina 294 Diamantino 353 Gräns 249
Heartbound 299
Hungary
Hjertelandet 299
Napszállta 137 Lebanon Puerto Rico
Hölmö nuori sydän 232
Sunset 137 Capernaum 126 Driven 158
Nuestro Tiempo 85
Day I Lost My Shadow, The 183
Our Time 85
Divine Wind 87
Iceland Qatar Persona 339
Erased,___Ascent of the Invisible 317
22 July 149 aKasha 184 Phoenix 207
Freedom Fields 302
Kona fer í stríð 178 Day I Lost My Shadow, The 183 Stupid Young Heart 232
Rafiki 186
Let Me Fall 236 Divine Wind 87
Rih rabani 87
Lof mer ad falla 236 Freedom Fields 302
Tirss, Rihlat Alsoo’oud ila Almar’i 317 Switzerland
To Plant a Flag 332 Load, The 199
Yom Adaatou Zouli 183 All Inclusive 334
Viktoría 333 Look at Me 245
Dead Souls 322
Woman at War 178 Mafak 214
Der Unschuldige 99
Libya Rih rabani 87
Image Book, The 81
Freedom Fields 302 Screwdriver 214
India Innocent, The 99
Tarde para morir joven 185
Bulbul Can Sing 269 Le livre d’image 81
Teret 199
Circle 332 Lithuania Los que desean 315
Too late to die young 185
Field, The 333 Core of the World 256 Putin’s Witnesses 294
Yom Adaatou Zouli 183
Husband Material 63 Summer Survivors 211 Si Ling Hun 322
Kyoyang Ngarmo 274 Svideteli Putina 294
Man Who Feels No Pain, The 352 Romania Those who desire 315
Luxembourg “I Do Not Care If We Go Down
Manmarziyaan 63
Angelo 93 In History As Barbarians” 273
Manto 134
Black 47 244 Call, The 330 Syria
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota 352
Kursk 161 Donbass 251 Day I Lost My Shadow, The 183
Reason 284
Sibel 267 Imi este indiferent daca in Yom Adaatou Zouli 183
Sweet Requiem, The 274
Tel Aviv on Fire 200 istorie vom intra ca barbari 273
Saf 176 Taiwan
Indonesia Sisters Brothers, The 136
Mexico Cities of Last Things 101
Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets 336 Telefonul 330
Belmonte 227 Xing Fu Cheng Shi 101
Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Folklore: Pob 219 Touch Me Not 196
Birds of Passage 240
Chambermaid, The 188
Thailand
Iran Fausto 321 Russia Blue 310
Load, The 199 Good Girls, The 96 Aglumi 191 Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Folklore: Pob 219
Orange Days 197 La Camarista 188 Core of the World 256 Kraben Rahu 204
Rooz-haye Narenji 197 Las niñas bien 96 Factory, The 263 Manta Ray 204
Tariki 329 Museo 238 Parade 191
Teret 199 Museum 238 Zavod 263
Umbra 329 Nuestro Tiempo 85 Trinidad and Tobago
Our Time 85 Caroni 336
Pájaros de verano 240 Senegal
Ireland Angel 271
ROMA 117
Black 47 244 Un Ange 271 Tunisia
Float Like a Butterfly 208 Brotherhood 330
Papi Chulo 141 Netherlands Ikhwène 330
Rosie 229 Angel 271 Serbia Look at Me 245
Vita & Virginia 150 Ce Magnifique Gâteau! 336 Her Job 202
Donbass 251 Load, The 199
Teret 199 Turkey
Freedom Fields 302
Israel Ahlat Ağaci 82
Heartbound 299
Dive, The 257 Saf 176
Hjertelandet 299 Singapore
Fig Tree 174 Sibel 267
Hölmö nuori sydän 232 Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t Pamahungpahung 334
Geula 250 Wild Pear Tree, The 82
L’été et tout le reste 335 Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Folklore: Pob 219
Ha’Alte-Zachen 330
Light as Feathers 203 Imminent Immanent, The 334
Hatzlila 257
Rafiki 186 Uganda
Isha Ovedet 254
Retrospekt 266 Bukiikakkono 331
Old Thing 330 Slovakia
Rojo 94 Facing North 331
Other Story, The 234 Všechno bude 255
Stupid Young Heart 232
Redemption 250 Winter Flies 255
Tarde para morir joven 185
Sipur Acher 234 Ukraine
This Magnificent Cake! 336
Stockholm 221 Donbass 251
Too late to die young 185 Slovenia
Tel Aviv on Fire 200 Kona fer í stríð 178
Trial, The 319 Consequences 193
Working Woman 254 Woman at War 178
Un Ange 271 Posledice 193
Všechno bude 255
Italy Winter Flies 255 United Arab Emirates
New Zealand
Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t Pamahungpahung 334 EXT. Night 226
Shadow Cut 329
Dogman 135 Leil Khargi 226
Everybody Knows 45 South Africa
Fiore Gemello 195 Nigeria aKasha 184
Rafiki 186 United Kingdom
I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead 312 Lionheart 181
Sew the Winter to my Skin 243 American Dharma 293
Il Vizio Della Speranza 265
Circle 332
Imminent Immanent, The 334
Norway Colette 113
In My Room 324 South Korea
22 July 149 DIG, The 201
Loro 86 A-wol Ba-di 170
Angels Are Made Of Light 301 Dodgy Dave 330
Todos Lo Saben 45 Burning 139
Blind Spot 190 Driven 158
Twin Flower 195 Gangbyun Hotel 84
Blindsone 190 Elephant Queen, The 283
Vice of Hope, The 265 Hotel by the River 84
Føniks 207 Fallen Arches 312
Walking on Water 296 Our Body 170
Interior 334 Farming 171
What You Gonna Do
Interiør 334 Field, The 333
When the World’s on Fire? 320
Ozen 100 Spain Freedom Fields 302
Phoenix 207 Belmonte 227 Gwen 209
Japan Rafiki 186 El Ángel 239 High Life 55
1986 Natsu 311 River, The 100 El Reino 242 I Hope I'm Loud When I'm Dead 312
1986 Summer 311 To Plant a Flag 332 Everybody Knows 45 In Fabric 351
Air of the Earth in Your Lungs, The 312 Julio Iglesias' House 313 Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy 77
Asako I & II 262 La casa de Julio Iglesias 313 Maiden 305
Palestinian Territories
Complicity 205 Life Itself 47 Meeting Gorbachev 295
Mafak 214
Kazenoki Wa Koto No Youni 205 Los que desean 315 Out of Blue 102
Screwdriver 214
Killing 88 Quién te Cantará 241 Outlaw King 39
Legend of the Demon Cat - Director’s Cut 151 Realm, The 242 Peterloo 83
Manbiki Kazoku 165 Philippines Sisters Brothers, The 136 RAY & LIZ 316
Netemo Sametemo 262 Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t Pamahungpahung 334 Those who desire 315 Red Joan 110
Reneepoptosis 332 Imminent Immanent, The 334 Todos Lo Saben 45 Tell It To The Bees 125
Shoplifters 165 Judgement 333 Who Will Sing to You? 241 TREES DOWN HERE 311
Vision 146 Words, Planets 311 Vita & Virginia 150
Zan 88 Wedding Guest, The 118
Poland
Where Hands Touch 122
Cold War 140 Sudan Widows 49
Kazakhstan High Life 55 aKasha 184 Wild Rose 160
Ozen 100 Ozen 100
Women Make Film:
River, The 100 River, The 100
Sweden A New Road Movie Through Cinema 281
Všechno bude 255
Winter Flies 255 Ambassador’s Wife, The 335
Kenya ANIARA 169
Zimna Wojna 140
Elephant Queen, The 283 Border 249
Rafiki 186

363
United States of America Venezuela E Köhler, Ulrich 324
Air of the Earth in Your Lungs, The 312 El Destetado 331 Edenshaw, Gwaai 192 Kore-eda, Hirokazu 165
Alice 312 Foreign Body, The 331 Edgerton, Joel 127 kuka, hajooj 184
American Dharma 293 Edmonds, James 313 Kunuk, Zacharias 341
American Woman 162 Edmondson, Claire 335 Kusama, Karyn 97
Vietnam
Angels Are Made Of Light 301 Erlingsson, Benedikt 178
Third Wife, The 189
Assassination Nation 349 Esmail, Sam 220
L
Beautiful Boy 41 Estevez, Emilio 51
Labaki, Nadine 126
Ben is Back 111 Everson, Kevin Jerome 310
Labbé, Boris 332
Biggest Little Farm, The 280
Labôt, Nikos 202
Boy Erased 127 INDEX TO DIRECTORS F Lahooti, Arash 197
Bukiikakkono 331
Faccini, Angello 330 Lassnig, Maria 312
Can You Ever Forgive Me? 131
A Farhadi, Asghar 45 Lauman, Shelly 335
Caroni 336
Abbasi, Ali 249 Farrelly, Peter 61 Laurent, Mélanie 73
Chambermaid, The 188
Abdalla, Ahmad 226 Fine, David 335 Lee, Chang-dong 139
Cities of Last Things 101
Abrantes, Gabriel 353 Fischer, Wolfgang 261 Leigh, Mike 83
Colophon (for the Arboretum Cycle) 313
Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Adewale 171 Fitzgerald, Thom 231 Lelio, Sebastián 164
Destroyer 97
Allouache, Merzak 87 Fleischmann, Philipp 311 Lentzou, Jacqueline 331
Divide and Conquer:
Anggi Noen, Yosep 336 Fogelman, Dan 47 Lertxundi, Laida 311
The Story of Roger Ailes 292
Anwar, Joko 218 Fritz, Fantavious 332 Levinson, Sam 349
Donnybrook 92
Arcand, Denys 120 Lilja, Hugo 169
Driven 158
Arebi, Naziha 302 Linehan, Ken 310
Dulce 330
Aroonpheng, Phuttiphong 204 Lipovsky, Zach 187
EXIT 335 G
Asante, Amma 122 Liu, Jie 157
Facing North 331 Gallego, Cristina 240
Assayas, Olivier 128 Liu, Simon 312
Fahrenheit 11/9 279 Garrel, Louis 123
Audiard, Jacques 136 Llinás, Mariano 318
Fainting Spells 310 Garrone, Matteo 135
Aviad, Michal 254 Longley, James 301
Fallen Arches 312 Gibson, Beatrice 312
Avilés, Lila 188 López Riera, Elena 315
Feathers 329 Gilmour, Benjamin 206
Avrich, Barry 285 Louis-Seize, Ariane 333
First Man 57 Giovanetti, Guillaume 267
Lowery, David 133
Free Solo 291 Giraud, Hélène 259
Loznitsa, Sergei 251
Freedom Fields 302 B Giroux, Maxime 228
Loznitsa, Sergei 319
Front Runner, The 121 Bahat, Roni 330 Glavonić, Ognjen 199
Luchetti, Laura 195
Galveston 73 Baichwal, Jennifer 115 Godard, Jean-Luc 81
Ghost Fleet 298 Baigazin, Emir 100 Gravely, Brittany 310
Girl Pack 312 Bala, Vasan 352 Green, David Gordon 346 M
Glass Note, The 311 Balzary, Clara 331 Green, Reinaldo Marcus 132 Mack, Jodie 310
Gloria Bell 164 Baumgardner, Lisa 312 Greengrass, Paul 149 Mack, Jodie 315
Grand Bizarre, The 315 Beaulieu, Renée 225 Guerra, Ciro 240 Mackenzie, David 39
Green Book 61 Behrman, Keith 130 Gurry, Sam 333 Maddin, Guy 336
Halloween 346 Belkadhi, Nejib 245 Gutierrez, Raymund Ribay 333 Madmony, Joseph 250
Hate U Give, The 43 Belkeddar, Elias 334 Manatad, Carlo Francisco 334
Her Smell 98 Benning, James 314 Mann, Ron 304
Bergman, Ingmar 339 H
High Life 55 Mansky, Vitaly 294
Betbeder, Sébastien 268 Hahn, Karissa 312
Hoarders Without Boarders 310 Maras, Anthony 143
Bi, Gan 325 Haig-Brown, Helen 192
Hold the Dark 163 Markowicz, Carolina 335
Billingham, Richard 316 Halwani, Ghassan 317
Homecoming 220 Márquez Abella, Alejandra 96
Bitar, Gabriel 175 Hamaguchi, Ryusuke 262
I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead 312 Masset-Depasse, Olivier 116
Black, Shane 344 Hamdan, Lawrence Abu 311
Icebox 210 Matsumoto, Toshio 311
Bloom, Alexis 292 Hamm, Nick 158
If Beale Street Could Talk 109 Mayfair, Ash 189
Bloomberg, Micah 220 Han, Ka-ram 170
Interior 334 McGregor, William 209
Bohdanowicz, Sofia 336 Hannam, Matthew 329
Interiør 334 McKellar, Don 129
Bouchard, Patrick 334 Hansen-Løve, Mia 114
Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy 77 McQueen, Steve 49
Breathnach, Paddy 229 Harnarine, Ian 336
Joy Luck Club, The 356 Meckfessel, Ross 312
Bresser, Sven 335 Härö, Klaus 248
Kindergarten Teacher, The 71 Meghie, Stella 144
Burtynsky, Edward 115 Harper, Tom 160
Kyoyang Ngarmo 274 Meshchaninova, Natalia 256
Bussmann, Andrea 321 Hedges, Peter 111
L. COHEN 314 Metz, Janus 299
Butler, John 141 Heller, Marielle 131
La Camarista 188 Minervini, Roberto 320
Button, Chanya 150 Hellsgård, Carolina 212
Land of Steady Habits, The 67 Minghella, Max 156
Bykov, Yury 263 Henckel von Donnersmarck, Florian 152
Life Itself 47 Monnet, Caroline 333
Herzog, Werner 295
Lou 331 Moore, Michael 279
Hicks, Alan 289
Mafak 214 C Morley, Carol 102
Hill, Jonah 159
Meeting Gorbachev 295 Cailley, Thomas 218 Morin, Natalia 313
Ho, Wi Ding 101
Mid90s 159 Catoto, André 175 Morris, Errol 293
Holmes, Alex 305
Million Little Pieces, A 112 Cavoulacos, Sophie 312 Mortier, Koen 271
Holofcener, Nicole 67
Monrovia, Indiana 303 Ceylan, Nuri Bilge 82 Mouret, Emmanuel 95
Hong, Sang-soo 84
Monsters and Men 132 Chazelle, Damien 57 Mozaffari, Jasmin 182
Hopinka, Sky 310
Old Man & The Gun, The 133 Chester, John 280 Muhumuza, Tukei 331
Horowitz, Eli 220
Outlaw King 39 Chikaura, Kei 205 Hu, Bo 172
Please step out of the frame. 312 Chin, Jimmy 291 Hu, Bo 313 N
Polly One 310 Chomko, Elizabeth 65 Huertas Millán, Laura 313 Naishtat, Benjamin 94
Predator, The 344 Clark, Mary Helena 311 Husson , Eva 145 Naponse, Darlene 235
Prologue to the Tarot: Glenna 310 Cocora, Luiza 330 Nattiv, Guy 147
Public, The 51 Colangelo, Sara 71 Nemes, László 137
Quincy 289 Comte, Jérémy 335 I
Nesher, Avi 234
Rafiki 186 Cooper, Bradley 53 Infante, Arturo 198
Nguyen, Kim 142
Reneepoptosis 332 Corben, Billy 306 Isa, Guille 330
Nnaji, Genevieve 181
Screwball 306 Corbine Jr., Lyle 332 Noé, Gaspar 347
Screwdriver 214 Cousins, Mark 281 J Noer, Michael 275
Shinaab: Part II 332 Cuarón, Alfonso 117 Jafarian, Saeed 329 Normande, Nara 331
Sisters Brothers, The 136
Jankel, Annabel 125 Novotny, Tuva 190
Skin 147
D Jaquemet, Simon 99 Nunn, Trevor 110
Sorry For Your Loss 217
Standoff at Sparrow Creek, The 350 Daly, Lance 244 Jarbawi, Bassam 214
Star is Born, A 53 Damian, Anca 330 Jenkins, Barry 109
O
Sweet Requiem, The 274 Dano, Paul 124 Jerkovic, Katherine 260
Ólason, Brúsi 333
Teen Spirit 156 Das, Nandita 134 Jia, Zhang-ke 89
Omerzu, Olmo 255
This Changes Everything 286 Das, Rima 269 Jiang, Wen 75
Ortega, Luis 239
Truth About Killer Robots, The 297 Davidian, Aäläm-Wärqe 174 Johnson, Evan 336
Viper Club 155 Davignon, Marie 332 Johnson, Galen 336
Walking on Water 296 de Angelis, Edoardo 265 Jones, Rashida 289 P
Weekend, The 144 de Pencier, Miranda 119 Joobeur, Meryam 330 Panh, Rithy 287
What They Had 65 de Pencier, Nicholas 115 Jude, Radu 273 Paounov, Andrey 296
What You Gonna de Swaef, Emma 336 Patel, Jayisha 332
Do When the World’s on Fire? 320 Deeble, Mark 283 Patwardhan, Anand 284
K
White Boy Rick 154 Demange, Yann 154 Pawlikowski, Paweł 140
Kaadan, Soudade 183
Widows 49 Denis, Claire 55 Peers, Bobbie 332
Kågerman, Pella 169
Wildlife 124 Denis, Claire 338 Pel, Rosanne 203
Kahiu, Wanuri 186
Wind, The 348 Dhont, Lukas 173 Pellerin, Sarah 332
Kaige, Chen 151
Winners Bitch 333 Dolan, Xavier 108 Perry, Alex Ross 98
Kämmerer, Björn 314
Words, Planets 311 Donahue, Tom 286 Petzold, Christian 80
Karekezi, Joël 213
Xing Fu Cheng Shi 101 Dorsky, Nathaniel 313 Pilote, Sébastien 247
Kashyap, Anurag 63
Dreyer, Carl Theodor 340 Pintilie, Adina 196
Katz, Ana 252
Drjača, Igor 323 Plambech, Sine 299
Uruguay Kavtaradze, Marija 211
Dudouit, David 313 Poggi, Caroline 103
Belmonte 227 Kawase, Naomi 146
Dunham, Henry 350 Ponsoldt, James 217
Les routes en février 260 Kelly, Justin 77
Pozdorovkin, Maxim 297
Roads in February 260 Keshavarz, Maryam 155
Khoo, Eric 219

364
Q Winters, Carmel 208 Cold War 140 Gräns 249
Qubeka, Jahmil X.T. 243 Wiseman, Frederick 303 Colette 113 Graves Without a Name 287
Wittmann, Helena 311 Colophon (for the Arboretum Cycle) 313 Great Darkened Days, The 228
Complicity 205 Green Book 61
R
Consequences 193 Grizzlies, The 119
Ratanaruang, Pen-ek 218 X
Core of the World 256 Guaxuma 331
Regan, Charlotte 330 Xue, Bai 168
Crossing, The 168 Guo Chun Tian 168
Reitman, Jason 121
Gwen 209
Reygadas, Carlos 85
Y
Rhalib, Jawad 282 D
Yacov, Boaz Yehonatan 250
Ries, Aaron 330 Da Xiang Xi Di Er Zuo 172 H
Yedlin, Noa 221
Rivers, Ben 311 Das schönste Paar 270 Ha’Alte-Zachen 330
Yu, Jessica
Roache-Turner, Kiah 345 Day I Lost My Shadow, The 183 Halloween 346
Rockwell, A.V. 329 Dead Souls 322 Hate U Give, The 43
Rodriguez, Lina 310 Z Death and Life of John F. Donovan, The 108 Hatzlila 257
Roels, Marc James 336 Z, Baldvin 236 Den Tid På Året 230 Heartbound 299
Romvari, Sophy 331 Zencirci, Çağla 267 Der Unschuldige 99 Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year 331
Roney 334 Zhan, Renee 332 Destroyer 97 Helmet Heads 179
Rots, Esther 266 Zhang, Yimou 59 Di qiu zui hou de ye wan 325 Her Job 202
Rozema, Patricia 107 Zhvania, Nino 191 Diamantino 353 Her Smell 98
Rozenkier, Yona 257 Zoabi, Sameh 200 DIG, The 201 Hidden Man 75
Ruizpalacios, Alonso 238 Dive, The 257 High Life 55
Russell, Zachary 334 Divide and Conquer: Hjertelandet 299
The Story of Roger Ailes 292 Hoarders Without Boarders 310
Divine Wind 87 Hold the Dark 163
S INDEX TO FILM TITLES Dodgy Dave 330 Hölmö nuori sydän 232
Sansone, Donato 333
Dogman 135 Homecoming 220
Sarin, Ritu 274 “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Donbass 251 Hotel by the River 84
Sarmiento, Valeria 253 Barbarians” 273 Donnybrook 92 Hotel Mumbai 143
Saulnier, Jeremy 163 1986 Natsu 311 Doubles vies 128 Hummingbird Project, The 142
Sawka, Daniel 210 1986 Summer 311 Driven 158 Husband Material 63
Scaro, Virginia 329 22 July 149 Duelles 116
Scott, Jake 162 7A 334 Duelles (Mothers’ Instinct) 116
Schleinzer, Markus 93 I
Dulce 330
Schmidt, Daniel 353 I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead 312
A Dziadzio 330
Schwingruber Ilić, Corina 334 Icebox 210
Service, Shannon 298 Accidence 336 If Beale Street Could Talk 109
Sherman, Akash 177 Accused, The 237 E If This Isn’t Love 330
Sidarous, Celia Perrin 312 Acusada 237 Edge of the Knife 192 Ikhwène 330
Sidor, Anette 333 Ad Vitam 218 Ektoras Malo: I Teleftea Mera Tis Chronias 331 Île d’Ouessant 313
Sikharulidze, George 331 Ada Kaleh 311 El Ángel 239 Il Vizio Della Speranza 265
Silva Núñez, Héctor 331 Aglumi 191 El Destetado 331 Image Book, The 81
Singer, André 295 Ahlat Ağaci 82 El Laberinto 313 Imi este indiferent daca in
Snowden, Alison 335 Air of the Earth in Your Lungs, The 312 El Reino 242 “ istorie vom intra ca barbari” 273
Sonam, Tenzing 274 aKasha 184 El viaje extraordinario de Celeste García 198 Imminent Immanent, The 334
Sorogoyen, Rodrigo 242 Akhali Tseli 331 Elephant Queen, The 283 In Fabric 351
Sorrentino, Paolo 86 Alice 312 Elephant Sitting Still, An 172 In My Room 324
Sotomayor, Dominga 185 All Inclusive 334 Emptying the Tank 333 Innocent, The 99
Štante, Darko 193 All These Creatures 336 Emu Runner 180 Interior 334
Steen, Paprika 230 ALTIPLANO 310 ENDZEIT 212 Interiør 334
Stein, Adam 187 Ambassador’s Wife, The 335 ENDZEIT - EVER AFTER 212 Invisible Cinema 3, The 311
Steinberg, Gustavo 175 American Dharma 293 Erased,___Ascent of the Invisible 317 Isha Ovedet 254
Steinkellner, Kit 217 American Woman 162 Everybody Knows 45
Stewart, Rob 357 AMIES 332 Everything calms down 329
Angel 271 J
Stone, Victoria 283 EXIT 335
Angelo 93 Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy 77
Strickland, Peter 351 EXT. Night 226
Angels Are Made Of Light 301 Jessica Forever 103
Strøm Henriksen, Camilla 207 Extraordinary Journey
ANIARA 169 Jiang Hu Er Nü 89
Strong, Amanda 329 of Celeste Garcia, The 198
Animal Behaviour 335 Jing Li de ren 313
Sud, Veena 69
ante mis ojos 310 Jinpa 246
Suess, Lucy 329
Anthropocene 115 F Jirga 206
Suri, Sandhya 333
Arena 314 Facing North 331 Joy Luck Club, The 356
Sutton, Tim 92
Asako I & II 262 Factory, The 263 Judgement 333
Sweeney, Bruce 233
Ash Is Purest White 89 Fahrenheit 11/9 279 Julio Iglesias’ House 313
Syrkin, Daniel 221
Assassination Nation 349 Fainting Spells 310
Szabo, Thomas 259
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner 341 Faithful Man, A 123
Szlam, Malena 310 K
Au temps où les Arabes dansaient 282 Fall of the American Empire, The 120
Kameni Govornici 323
A-wol Ba-di 170 Fall, The 332
Kazenoki Wa Koto No Youni 205
T Fallen Arches 312
Killing 88
Taddicken, Sven 270 Falls Around Her 235
B Kindergarten Teacher, The 71
Tahir, Rolla 312 Farming 171
Baby 157 Kingsway 233
Tammi, Emma 348 Fausto 321
Baga’t Diri Tuhay Ta’t Pamahungpahung 334 Kona fer í stríð 178
Taylor, Astra 300 Fauve 335
Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets 336 Kraben Rahu 204
Taylor-Johnson, Sam 112 Feathers 329
Bao Bei Er 157 Kursk 161
Thomas, Imogen 180 Field, The 333
Bavure 333 Kyoyang Ngarmo 274
Tillman, Jr., George 43 Fig Tree 174
Tobal, Gonzalo 237 Beautiful Boy 41 Fiore Gemello 195
Tohill, Andy 201 Before the Frost 275 Firecrackers 182 L
Tohill, Ryan 201 Belmonte 227 Fireflies Are Gone, The 247 L. COHEN 314
Traore Dahlberg, Theresa 335 Ben is Back 111 First Man 57 La Camarista 188
Trapero, Pablo 153 Biggest Little Farm, The 280 Float Like a Butterfly 208 La casa de Julio Iglesias 313
Tseden, Pema 246 Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) 329 Florianópolis Dream 252 La Chute 332
Tsukamoto , Shinya 88 Birdie 335 Flower, The 318 La chute de l’empire américain 120
Birds of Passage 240 Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Folklore: Pob 219 La disparition des lucioles 247
Black 47 244 Føniks 207 La Flor 318
U Black Book, The 253 Før Frosten 275 La grande noirceur 228
Blind Spot 190 Foreign Body, The 331 La passion de Jeanne d’Arc 340
V Blindsone 190 Freaks 187 La Quietud 153
Van Dyk, Reed 334 Blue 310 Free Solo 291 Labyrinth, The 313
van Groeningen, Felix 41 Border 249 Freedom Fields 302 Land of Steady Habits, The 67
Vasarhelyi, E. Chai 291 Boy Erased 127 Front Runner, The 121 Las niñas bien 96
Vatansever, Ali 176 Brotherhood 330 Fuck You 333 Le livre d’image 81
Veiroj, Federico 227 Bukiikakkono 331 Le sujet 334
Vermut, Carlos 241 Bulbul Can Sing 269 Legend of the Demon Cat - Director’s Cut 151
Burning 139 G
Vilhunen, Selma 232 Leil Khargi 226
Galveston 73
Villalobos, Neto 179 Les filles du soleil 145
Gangbyun Hotel 84
Vinel, Jonathan 103 C Les petites vagues 333
Geula 250
Vinterberg, Thomas 161 Call, The 330 Les routes en février 260
Ghost Fleet 298
Volf, Tom 290 Can You Ever Forgive Me? 131 Les Salopes or the Naturally
Giant Little Ones 130
von Trotta, Margarethe 307 Capernaum 126 Wanton Pleasure of Skin 225
Girl 173
Carmine Street Guitars 304 Les salopes ou le sucre naturel de la peau 225
Girl Pack 312
Caroni 336 Les tombeaux sans noms 287
W GIRLFRIENDS 332
Cascos Indomables 179 Let Me Fall 236
Waldron, Jeffrey 298 Girls of the Sun 145
Ce Magnifique Gâteau! 336 L’été et tout le reste 335
Wang, Bing 322 Glass Note, The 311
Chambermaid, The 188 L’Homme Fidèle 123
Wang, Wayne 356 Glitter’s Wild Women 334
Chocolat 338 Lie, The 69
Weerasethakul, Apichatpong 310 Gloria Bell 164
Circle 332 Life Itself 47
Westmoreland, Wash 113 Good Boy 332
Cities of Last Things 101 Light as Feathers 203
Williams, Charles 336 Good Girls, The 96
Clara 177 Lionheart 181
Winterbottom, Michael 118 Grand Bizarre, The 315
Climax 347 Little Waves 333

365
Load, The 199 S X
Lof mer ad falla 236 Saf 176 Xing Fu Cheng Shi 101
Long Day’s Journey Into Night 325 Screwball 306
Look at Me 245 Screwdriver 214
Y
Loro 86 Searching for Ingmar Bergman 307
Yom Adaatou Zouli 183
Los que desean 315 Sew the Winter to my Skin 243
Lou 331 Shadow 59
Shadow Cut 329 Z
Sharkwater Extinction 357 Zan 88
M
Shinaab: Part II 332 Zavod 263
Mademoiselle de Joncquières 95
Shoplifters 165 Zhuang Si Le Yi Zhi Yang 246
Mafak 214
Si ce n’est pas de l’amour 330 Zimna Wojna 140
Maiden 305
Si Ling Hun 322
Man in the Well 313
Sibel 267
Man Who Feels No Pain, The 352
Sipur Acher 234
Manbiki Kazoku 165
Sira 312
Manmarziyaan 63
Sisters Brothers, The 136
Manta Ray 204
Skin 147
Manto 134
Slip 312
Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota 352
Sorry For Your Loss 217
Maria by Callas 290
Splinters 231
Maya 114
Standoff at Sparrow Creek, The 350
Meeting Gorbachev 295
Star is Born, A 53
Mercy of the Jungle, The 213
Stockholm 221
Mid90s 159
Stone Speakers, The 323
Million Little Pieces, A 112
Stupid Young Heart 232
Minuscule - Les Mandibules du
Styx 261
Bout du Monde 259
Subject, The 334
Minuscule - Mandibles From Far Away 259
Sueño Florianópolis 252
Mon Boy 332
Summer Survivors 211
Monrovia, Indiana 303
Sunset 137
Monsters and Men 132
Svideteli Putina 294
Most Beautiful Couple, The 270
Sweet Requiem, The 274
Mother's Instinct 116
MOUTHPIECE 107
mumok kino 311 T
Museo 238 Tarde para morir joven 185
Museum 238 Tariki 329
My Boy 332 Teen Spirit 156
Tel Aviv on Fire 200
Telefonul 330
N
Tell It To The Bees 125
Napszállta 137
Teret 199
Nekrotronic 345
That Time of Year 230
Netemo Sametemo 262
Third Wife, The 189
Never Look Away 152
This Changes Everything 286
New Year, A 331
This Magnificent Cake! 336
Non-Fiction 128
Those who desire 315
Norman Norman 331
Through Black Spruce 129
Nuestro Tiempo 85
Tirss, Rihlat Alsoo’oud ila Almar’i 317
Tito and the Birds 175
O Tito e os Pássaros 175
O Órfão 335 To Plant a Flag 332
Old Man & The Gun, The 133 Todo se calma 329
Old Thing 330 Todos Lo Saben 45
One Last Deal 248 Too late to die young 185
Orange Days 197 Touch Me Not 196
Orphan, The 335 Transit 80
Other Story, The 234 TREES DOWN HERE 311
Our Body 170 Trial, The 319
Our Time 85 Truth About Killer Robots, The 297
Out of Blue 102 Tuntematon mestari 248
Outlaw King 39 Twin Flower 195
Ozen 100
U
P Ulysse & Mona 268
Pájaros de verano 240 Ulysses & Mona 268
Papi Chulo 141 Umbra 329
Parade 191 Un Ange 271
Paseo 329 Un jour de mariage 334
Passion of Joan of Arc, The 340
Persona 339
V
Peterloo 83
Veslemøy’s Song 336
Phoenix 207
Vice of Hope, The 265
Please step out of the frame. 312
Viktoría 333
Polly One 310
Viper Club 155
Posledice 193
Vision 146
Predator, The 344
Vita & Virginia 150
Prologue to the Tarot: Glenna 310
Všechno bude 255
Prosecuting Evil:
The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz 285
Public, The 51 W
Putin’s Witnesses 294 Walking on Water 296
Walled Unwalled 311
Wedding Day, A 334
Q
Wedding Guest, The 118
Quién te Cantará 241
Weekend, The 144
Quietude, The 153
Werk ohne Autor 152
Quincy 289
What is Democracy? 300
What They Had 65
R What You Gonna Do
Rafiki 186 When the World’s on Fire? 320
RAY & LIZ 316 When Arabs Danced 282
Realm, The 242 Where Hands Touch 122
Reason 284 White Boy Rick 154
Red Joan 110 Who Will Sing To You? 241
Redemption 250 Widows 49
Reneepoptosis 332 Wild Pear Tree, The 82
Retrospekt 266 Wild Rose 160
Return, A 313 Wildlife 124
Rih rabani 87 Wind, The 348
River, The 100 Winners Bitch 333
Roads in February 260 Winter Flies 255
Rojo 94 Woman at War 178
ROMA 117 Women Make Film:
Rooz-haye Narenji 197 A New Road Movie Through Cinema 281
Rosie 229 Words, Planets 311
Working Woman 254

366
INDEX TO SHORT FILM PROGRAMMES INDEX TO TIFF KIDS, INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
TIFF NEXT WAVE &
Shorts preceding features Wavelengths 1: Earth, Wind & Fire 310
Those who desire 315 Polly One TIFF SPEAKERS SERIES A&E Indie Films 276
Accenture 64
Arena 314 Blue
AGF 56
Fainting Spells TIFF Kids Bell 42
Prologue to the Tarot: Glenna Elephant Queen, The 283
Short Cuts Programme 1 329 Birks 48
Hoarders Without Boarders Ice Box 210
Feathers Bisha Hotel 66
ante mis ojos Minuscule – Mandibles from Far Away 259
Paseo Beijing International Film Festival 342
ALTIPLANO Tito and the Birds 175 Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP 60
Everything calms down
Shadow Cut Bloomberg Philanthropies 70
Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) Wavelengths 2: Another Brick in the Wall 311 TIFF Next Wave Cactus Club 74
Umbra Ada Kaleh Diamantino 353 Capture Group 138
Glass Note, The Fig Tree, The 174 Cineplex 78
mumok kino Firecrackers 182 City of Toronto 4
Short Cuts Programme 2 330
TREES DOWN HERE Giant Little Ones 130 Deloitte 72
Dziadzio
1986 Summer Girl 173 Deluxe 40
If This Isn’t Love
Words, Planets Grizzlies, The 119 EY 68
Dodgy Dave
Invisible Cinema 3, The Hate U Give, The 43 Fairmont Royal York 38
Call, The
Walled Unwalled Mid90s 159 Festival Scope 194
Old Thing
Phoenix 207 Grolsch 26
Dulce
Rafiki 186 Hilton 264
Brotherhood Wavelengths 3: Centerfold 312
Teen Spirit 156 HSBC 50
Girl Pack Hugo Boss 46
Please step out of the frame. Intercontinental Toronto Centre 264
Short Cuts Programme 3 331
Air of the Earth in Your Lungs, The TIFF Speakers Series IWC 326
Hector Malot: The Last Day of the Year
Sira “I Do Not Care If We Go Down L’Oreal 2
Guaxuma
Slip In History As Barbarians” 273 OAC 328
Facing North
Alice Donbass 251 Oliver & Bonacini 52
New Year, A
Fallen Arches Other Story, The 234 Ontario Creates 18
Norman Norman
I Hope I’m Loud When I’m Dead Birds of Passage 240 Pizza Nova 76
Lou
Foreign Body, The Public, The 51 Ritz Carlton 278
Look at Me 245 SAP 62
Wavelengths 4: We’ve Only Just Begun 313
Colophon (for the Arboretum Cycle) Shangri-La Toronto 54
Short Cuts Programme 4 332 Sterling Wines 58
Return, A
Girlfriends St. John’s International Women’s
Labyrinth, The
Reneepoptosis Film Festival 194
Île d’Ouessant
To Plant a Flag Sun Life Financial 222, 308
Julio Iglesias’s House
My Boy Thompson Toronto 138
Man in the Well
Good Boy TIFF boombox 272
Shinaab: Part II TIFF Fall Programming 224
Circle TIFF Long Take 358
Fall, The TIFF Membership 90
TIFF Share Her Journey 106, 258
Short Cuts Programme 5 333 TIFF Shop 354
Fuck You TIFF Social & Engagement 166
Bavure TIFF Weekly 288
Judgement Xerox 44
Winners Bitch Zebu 104
Viktoría
Emptying the Tank
Field, The
Little Waves

Short Cuts Programme 6 334

7A
Subject, The
Wedding Day, A
Glitter’s Wild Women
All Inclusive
Interior
Imminent Immanent, The

Short Cuts Programme 7 335

Fauve
Birdie
Ambassador’s Wife, The
EXIT
L’été et tout le reste
Animal Behaviour
Orphan, The

Short Cuts Programme 8 336

All These Creatures
Caroni
Veslemøy’s Song
Ballad of Blood and Two White Buckets
Accidence
This Magnificent Cake!

367
Donbass
Sergei Loznitsa
GERMANY/UKRAINE/FRANCE/
NETHERLANDS/ROMANIA, 2018
Ukrainian, Russian
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
121 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Ma.ja.de. Fiction GmbH/
Arthouse Traffic/JBA production/Graniet Film/
Wild at Art/Digital Cube
Producer: Heino Deckert, Dennis Ivanov,
Marianne Dumoulin, Jacques Bidou,
Marc van Warmerdam, Peter Warnier, Cristian Nicolescu
Screenplay: Sergei Loznitsa
Cinematographer: Oleg Mutu
Editor: Danielius Kokanauskis
Production Designer: Kirill Shuvalov
Sound: Vladimir Golovnitski
Principal Cast: Tamara Yatsenko, Liudmila Smorodina,
Olesya Zhurakovskaya, Boris Kamorzin, Sergei Russkin,
Petro Panchuk, Irina Plesnyaeva, Zhanna Lubgane,
Vadim Dobuvsky, Alexander Zamurayev, Gerogy Deliev,
Valeriu Andriuta, Konstantin Itunin, Valery Antoniuk,
Nina Antonova, Natalia Buzko, Sergei Kolesov,
Svetlana Kolesova, Sergei Smeyan
Production: Ma.ja.de. Fiction GmbH
Gottschedstraße 18
Leipzig 04109 Germany
berlin@majade.de
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Pyramide International
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
If truth is indeed stranger than fiction,
where does fake news fit in? And in this sor-
did post-truth landscape, what does it mean
to be a patriot? Sergei Loznitsa’s Donbass is a
circular and maddening cri de coeur.
This cinematic Orwellian symphony
of related, but not necessarily connected,
true-life events sourced from newspa-
pers, TV clips, and YouTube is Loznitsa’s
chef-d’oeuvre. Formed from vignettes using
an ensemble cast, Donbass is an absurdist
composition that depicts how the war for
people’s hearts and minds is being fought
and lost in Crimea.
Since 2014, following the events of
Euromaidan and the Ukrainian revolution,
the war in Eastern Ukraine — sometimes
fought with artillery, sometimes with bom-
bardments of propaganda and bureaucracy
— has been raging between pro-Russian
separatists loyal to Putin and nationals
whose sympathies are with Europe, NATO,
and the West. Regardless of region or alli-
ance, memories of the Second World War
and Stalinist purges and famines are close
to the surface of the societal psyche, where
there is no neutral position and apathy
is not an option.
Sergei Loznitsa — whose previous
TIFF titles include My Joy, Maidan, and
Austerlitz — returns to Toronto this year
with two titles: The Trial and Donbass, win-
ner of Cannes’ Un Certain Regard award
for Best Director. Made in partnership with
master cinematographer Oleg Mutu, this
is Loznitsa’s most cutting political work to
date. Teetering between laughter and tears,
audiences are tempted to view as hyperbole
things that are all too real. And although
looking away from the horror is certainly
tempting, Donbass is simply unmissable.
DIMITRI EIPIDES
Sergei Loznitsa was born in Belarus
and raised in Ukraine. Many of his
films have played the Festival, includ-
ing the features My Joy (10) and In
the Fog (12), and the documentaries
Maidan (14), The Event (15), Austerlitz
(16), and The Trial (18). Donbass (18)
is his latest film.
TIFF Speaker Series
Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Robert Austin.
See page 32 for more details.
Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
contemporary world cinema 251
Sueño Florianópolis
Florianópolis Dream
Ana Katz
ARGENTINA/BRAZIL/FRANCE, 2018
Spanish, Portuguese
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
106 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Campo Cine/Prodigo Films/
Groch Filmes/Bellota Films
Executive Producer: Nicolás Avruj, Beto Gauss,
Camila Groch
Producer: Ana Katz, Nicolás Avruj, Beto Gauss,
Camila Groch, Diego Lerman, Francesco Civita,
Dominique Barneaud, Adrien Oumhani
Screenplay: Ana Katz, Daniel Katz
Cinematographer: Gustavo Biazzi
Editor: Andrés Tambornino
Production Designer: Gonzalo Delgado
Sound: Jésica Suarez
Music: Maximiliano Silveira, Beto Villares,
Erico Theobaldo, Arthur De Faría
Principal Cast: Mercedes Morán, Gustavo Garzón,
Marco Ricca, Andrea Beltrao, Manuela Martínez,
Joaquín Garzón, Caio Horowicz
Production: Campo Cine
Montalvo 150
Buenos Aires 1427 CABA Argentina
nicolas.avruj@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Film Factory
(see page 359)
252 contemporary world cinema
Argentine writer-director Ana Katz has a
gift for capturing aspects of women’s expe-
riences rarely found in film. Her latest is her
best yet, unfolding as an alluringly breezy
portrait of a middle-class family on holiday.
Only gradually does its episodic narrative
reveal deep wells of wisdom regarding aging,
desire, self-knowledge, and the wayward
nature of long-term relationships.
Lucrecia (Mercedes Morán) and Pedro
(Gustavo Garzón), psychoanalysts both,
have been together many years. With their
two children nearing adulthood, the couple
has decided to re-evaluate their marriage
and declare themselves separated. Sort of.
The family takes a road trip to Florianópolis,
the Brazilian island city where Lucrecia and
Pedro once enjoyed an idyllic getaway. They
rent a cottage from another middle-aged
husband and wife who are also, as it hap-
pens, on the verge of a split. Between bouts
of swimming, eating, drinking, and karaoke,
opportunities arise for adults and adoles-
cents alike to find sex or romance or both.
As Lucrecia’s birthday approaches, however,
these carefree days prompt deeper questions
about the roles we play, the love we share,
and the possibilities life still offers.
At times reminiscent of the films of Éric
Rohmer, Sueño Florianópolis reminds us
that sometimes the lightest touch yields
the richest feeling. Nothing is forced here,
and everything resonates. Katz’s camera is
unobtrusive and her superb cast — especially
Morán, who cinephiles will remember from
Lucrecia Martel’s La Ciénaga — is uniformly
at ease with their well-developed characters.
Take a vacation with Katz and company;
you’ll come back entertained, refreshed, and,
in some small way, changed.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Ana Katz was born in Buenos Aires
and is a graduate of that city’s
Universidad del Cine. She is a writer,
director, and actor. Her directorial
credits include Musical Chairs (02), A
Stray Girlfriend (07), which screened
at the Festival, and My Friend From
the Park (15). Sueño Florianópolis
(18) is her latest film.
programme sponsored by
The Black Book
A sprawling tale set in the final years of prose a steady intrigue, dexterous dialogue,
Valeria Sarmiento the 18th century, the latest from the pro- and an interplay between the personal and
PORTUGAL/FRANCE, 2018 lific Chilean filmmaker Valeria Sarmiento the political.
French follows the destinies of a French orphan and Working with art director Isabel Branco,
WORLD PREMIERE the Italian nurse determined to secure his costume designer Rute Correia, and cinema-
103 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
well-being, both of them bound by mysteri- tographer Acácio de Almeida, Sarmiento
Production Company: Alfama Films/Leopardo Filmes ous origins — and by the twisting fortunes summons the sights and textures of the
Producer: Paulo Branco
Screenplay: Carlos Saboga that await them. period in sumptuous shades of salmon, gold,
Cinematographer: Acácio de Almeida When her employer is suddenly struck and tangerine. The film is both a visual and
Editor: Luca Alverdi with a fatal illness, Laura (Lou de Laâge) and narrative feast, where ambition, ardour, and
Production Designer: Isabel Branco
Sound: Miguel Martins, Carlos Mota little Sebastian are taken in by his old friend, providence collide.
Music: Jorge Arriagada the Marquise Lusault (Niels Schneider of DIANA SANCHEZ
Principal Cast: Lou de Laâge, Stanislas Merhar, Xavier Dolan’s Heartbeats). Laura and her
Niels Schneider, Jenna Thiam, Fleur Fitoussi,
David Caracol new benefactor become lovers until Lusault Valeria Sarmiento was born in
decides to marry a woman of his rank. This Valparaiso, Chile. She studied
Production: Alfama Films philosophy and filmmaking at the
78 rue de Turbigo move will ultimately separate Laura from University of Valparaiso. She edited
Paris 75003 France Sebastian, setting each on a path that will many of the films of Raúl Ruiz, her
alfamafilms@orange.fr take them to Rome, Paris, Lisbon, and late husband. Her directorial credits

CONTACT INFORMATION London, and yield revelations regarding include Notre mariage (84), Amelia
Lópes O’Neill (91), Rosa la China
International Sales Agent: Alfama Films their lineage, radical shifts in social stand- (02), and Lines of Wellington (12),
(see page 359) ing, and fateful transactions with figures of all of which screened at the Festival.
power and influence. The Black Book (18) is her latest film.
The Black Book is based on the novel by
19th-century Portuguese author Camilo
Castelo Branco, who also supplied the
source material for Mysteries of Lisbon, the
masterpiece serial helmed by Sarmiento’s
late husband and regular collaborator,
Raúl Ruiz. Sarmiento draws from Branco’s

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 253

Isha Ovedet
There has never been a better moment for has doubts and fears. Benny can be smug
Working Woman a film like Michal Aviad’s Working Woman. and entitled, but he also makes Orna feel
Set in Jerusalem, this crisp, absorbing genuinely valued in a way that her husband,
Michal Aviad drama tracks an all-too-familiar trajectory absorbed with his own stress, does not.
ISRAEL, 2018 in which female ambition is met with male The good news is that while Aviad has
Hebrew
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
abuse of power. crafted a realistic, layered narrative, she also
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) With three young children to look after manages to leave us with more than a kernel
Production Company: Lama Films
and her husband’s restaurant struggling to of optimism.
Producer: Ayelet Kait, Amir Harel break even, Orna (Liron Ben Shlush) feels JANE SCHOETTLE
Screenplay: Sharon Azulay Eyal, Michal Vinik, lucky to have landed an assistant position
Michal Aviad
Cinematographer: Daniel Miller
with a luxury real-estate development firm. Michal Aviad was born in Jerusalem.
Editor: Nili Feller She quickly proves her worth and is rewarded She studied literature and philosophy
at Tel Aviv University and film at San
Production Designer: Eyal Elhadad with a lucrative promotion. Francisco State University. Her films
Sound: Aviv Aldema
Principal Cast: Liron Ben Shlush, Menashe Noy,
Yet Orna’s advancement is accompa- include Acting Our Age (87), Jenny
Oshri Cohen nied by unwanted advances from Benny and Jenny (97), Invisible (11), and

Production: Lama Films

(Menashe Noy), her boss. Benny’s transgres- Dimona Twist (16). Working Woman
(18) is her latest feature.
22 Sderot Chen sions are initially insidious — a suggestion
Tel Aviv 6416603 Israel regarding her clothing or hair — and incre-
ayelet@lamafilms.com
mental enough that it doesn’t immediately
CONTACT INFORMATION occur to Orna that she’s ensnared in a
International Sales Agent: m-appeal Faustian pact. With every professional tri-
(see page 359)
umph Orna is forced to contend with
another, more aggressive come-on. She
needs to tell someone — but will others feel
she is complicit?
Much of the brilliance of Working Woman
is located in its details, which imbue the film
with vital complexity. Orna is smart and
resourceful, but she’s no superhero; she

programme sponsored by

254 contemporary world cinema

Všechno bude
Celebrating the innocence of youth and its the magical out of the real. The film is a bit-
Winter Flies impulsive and inventive thirst for adventure, tersweet comedy that reminds us to indulge
Olmo Omerzu’s Winter Flies is a wonder- our inner child and the innocent pleasures
Olmo Omerzu fully entertaining road trip into teenage of youth.
CZECH REPUBLIC/SLOVENIA/POLAND/ imagination and its inevitable destination: DIMITRI EIPIDES
SLOVAKIA, 2018
Czech
a sobering coming of age.
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE On a bright, wintry day, cherubic and Olmo Omerzu was born in Ljubljana,
85 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) ingenuous Heduš catches doe-eyed friend Slovenia. He studied at the FAMU in
Prague. He has directed the short
Production Company: Endorfilm/Ceska televize/ Mára and his stolen car in his BB gun’s films Masky (05), Láska (06), and
Cvinger Film/Koskino/Punkchart films crosshairs. He spontaneously decides to Druhé dejství (08). His features
Producer: Jiri Konecny
Screenplay: Petr Pycha
accompany Mára on a journey without des- include A Night Too Young (12) and
Cinematographer: Lukas Milota tination. Two curious teenagers barely old Family Film (15). Winter Flies (18) is
his latest feature.
Editor: Jana Vlckova enough to see the reality that lies beyond
Production Designer: Antonin Silar
Sound: Daniel Nemec
their dashboard, they heedlessly take on
Music: Simon Holy, Monika Midriakova, the adventures that come their way, from
Pawel Szamburski rescuing a canine companion from drown-
Principal Cast: Tomáš Mrvík, Jan František Uher,
Eliška Křenkova, Lenka Vlasákova, Martin Pechlát
ing to picking up their instant teenage crush,
hitchhiker Bara.
Production: Endorfilm
Primeticka 4
The picaresque journey is told in counter-
Praha 4 140 00 Czech Republic point to Mára’s interrogation by small-town
jiri@endorfilm.cz cops. With each episode recounted bring-
CONTACT INFORMATION
ing the story closer to the present arrest,
International Sales Agent: Cercamon Heduš and Mára’s future remains theirs to
(see page 359) be written.
Omerzu casts a loving glance upon his
young protagonists, allowing first-time
actors Jan František Uher and Tomáš
Mrvík to shine. They push the narrative
possibilities of their story in order to bring

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 255

Core of the World
Natalia Meshchaninova
RUSSIA/LITHUANIA, 2018
Russian
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
124 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: CTB Film Company/Just A Moment
Producer: Sergey Selyanov, Natalia Drozd,
Dagne Vildziunaite
Screenplay: Natalia Meshchaninova
Cinematographer: Evgeniy Tsvetkov
Editor: Dasha Danilova
Production Designer: Kirill Shuvalov
Sound: Saulius Urbanavicius
Principal Cast: Stepan Devonin, Dmitriy Podnozov,
Jana Sekste, Vitya Ovodkov, Evgeniy Sytyy,
Ekaterina Vasilyeva, Elena Papanova
Production: CTB Film Company
Kamennoostrovsky 10
St. Petersburg 197101 Russia
kino@ctb.ru
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Indie Sales
(see page 359)
256 contemporary world cinema
A simple and hardworking family live in the Written by Meshchaninova alongside
remote countryside and survive on breeding lead actor Devonin and in association with
foxes and hunting dogs. They employ Egor Boris Khlebnikov — whose TIFF credits
(Stepan Devonin), a kind-hearted yet tor- include Roads to Koktebel and Arrhythmia
tured veterinarian, who cares for the animals, (17) — Core of the World is a humanistic story
cleans the kennels, oversees the workers, about the animal need to belong that lives
and meets with clients. Rejected by his own inside each of us.
family and terrified of human intimacy, Egor DIMITRI EIPIDES
prefers the company of four-legged creatures.
Meanwhile, a group  of idealistic city- Natalia Meshchaninova was born in
dwelling activists arrives and begins to target Krasnodar, Russia. She has worked as
a cinematographer, screenwriter, and
the family to stop so-called abusive practices. director. She wrote the screenplay for
Egor’s animal instincts are awoken. With a Arrhythmia (17), which screened at
deep-seated longing to be part of a pack, the Festival. Core of the World (18) is
Egor will take any action to gain the respect her latest feature.
of Nikolai (Dmitriy Podnozov), the facility’s
master, and perhaps even win the love of his
daughter Dasha (Jana Sekste). But if Egor is
to live among people, he must also learn to
behave like one.
Natalia Meshchaninova’s subtle and steady
approach in her must-see sophomore film
following 2014’s The Hope Factory signals a
director with a deep understanding of human
desires and behaviours. The authenticity
and naturalism of her camera bring viewers
closer to what lurks just beneath the surface
of propriety and societal expectation.
programme sponsored by
Quién te Cantará
Fame brings seismic shifts, impacting the a weight, the delight that comes from creat-
Who Will Sing to You? famous person’s self-image, identity, and ing just might be restored.
relationships with others and causing enor- DIANA SANCHEZ
Carlos Vermut mous pressure. Spanish filmmaker Carlos
SPAIN/FRANCE, 2018 Vermut probes these changes in his latest Carlos Vermut was born in Madrid
Spanish feature, Quién te Cantará. and studied illustration at the city’s
WORLD PREMIERE Escuela de arte numero diez. He has
124 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Lila Cassen (distinctive Spanish actor directed three shorts, Micherons
and musician Najwa Nimri) was Spain’s (09), Maquetas (09), and Don
Production Company: Apache Films/Las Películas del
Apache/Áralan Films/Les Films du Worso
most famous singer until she mysteriously Pepe Popi (12). His features include
Executive Producer: Enrique López Lavigne, disappeared from the spotlight a decade ago. Diamond Flash (11), and the Festival
selection Magical Girl (14). Quién te
Marta Velasco, Alejandro Arenas As she prepares for her comeback tour, an Cantará (18) is his latest film.
Producer: Enrique López Lavigne
Screenplay: Carlos Vermut
accident leaves her with amnesia, and she no
Cinematographer: Edu Grau longer remembers how to perform.
Editor: Marta Velasco Violeta (Eva Llorach) is an incredible
Production Designer: Laia Ateca
Sound: Dani de Zayas, Eduardo Castro, Mario González
singer but stopped when she had her daugh-
Music: Alberto Iglesias ter. A huge fan of Lila, Violeta belts out her
Principal Cast: Najwa Nimri, Eva Llorach, Carmen Elías, songs at the karaoke bar where she works.
Natalia de Molina
Violeta’s dream comes true when Lila’s
Production: Apache Films assistant seeks her out to teach Lila how to
1 C/ Corazón de María 2 1ºplanta Oficina 130
Madrid 28002 Spain
be Lila.
produccion@apaches.es Quién te Cantará’s unexpected plot
twists, melodramatic moments, and pre-
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Film Factory Entertainment
cise attention to colour and detail lend
(see page 359) Vermut’s latest an Almodóvarean air. As
Violeta teaches Lila how to perform her
own songs, the famous singer is reminded
of what she loved about performing in
the first place. With the pressure of fame
and the expectations of others no longer

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 241

El Reino
Corruption plagues governments the world of players more interested in gaming the
The Realm over. Recently, Spain has seen a large num- system than serving the public.
ber of its political elite facing charges, with Sorogoyen and Peña’s beautifully struc-
Rodrigo Sorogoyen some even — finally! — receiving guilty ver- tured script employs unexpected plot
SPAIN/FRANCE, 2018 dicts, and ending their careers behind bars. twists and high-stakes action. It keeps
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
Co-written with Isabel Peña, Rodrigo audiences glued to the screen. In this
122 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Sorogoyen’s fast-paced thriller The Realm realm, jaw-dropping nepotism and exploi-
Production Company: Tornasol Films/Atresmedia Cine/
depicts Spain’s current political world tation become an everyday setting for this
Le Pacte through the shamelessness of a politician fascinating exploration of government.
Executive Producer: Mariela Besuievsky, who will stop at nothing to avoid taking DIANA SANCHEZ
Javier López Blanco
Producer: Gerardo Herrero, Mercedes Gamero,
responsibility for his actions.
Mikel Lejarza Antonio de la Torre plays Manuel, a Rodrigo Sorogoyen was born in
Screenplay: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Isabel Peña crooked politician who enjoys the lifestyle Madrid and studied screenwriting
Cinematographer: Alex de Pablo at the Septima Ars film school. He
Editor: Alberto del Campo
that kickbacks afford. He eats at fancy res- has directed for television and film.
Sound: Roberto Fernández taurants, parties with his friends on yachts, His films include Stockholm (13),
Music: Olivier Arson and provides a very luxurious lifestyle for May God Save Us (16), and The
Principal Cast: Antonio de la Torre, Barbara Lennie
his family. Manuel brazenly bribes, extorts, Realm (18).
Production: Tornasol Films and pays off anyone who threatens to expose
Calle Veneras 9, 7º
Madrid 28013 Spain
the activities of his inner circle. When he
tornasol@tornasolfilms.com is singled out to take the fall for a case of
fraudulent government contracts, rather
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Latido Films
than admit to any wrongdoing, Manuel
(see page 359) decides to sell out his whole party in an
effort to avoid jail time. It’s a decision that
puts many lives at risk.
Sorogoyen’s latest presents the murky
depths of the political realm while exploring
the dark desires, enormous egos, and greed

programme sponsored by

242 contemporary world cinema

Sew the Winter to
my Skin
Jahmil X.T. Qubeka
SOUTH AFRICA/GERMANY, 2018
Afrikaans, isiXhosa, English
WORLD PREMIERE
118 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Yellowbone Entertainment/
Die Gesellschaft DGS
Executive Producer: William Smith, Maijang Mpherwane,
Nikki Wilton, Sonya Swartz, Philisiwe Mthethwa,
Hlengiwe Makhathini
Producer: Layla Swart, Michael Henrichs
Screenplay: Jahmil X.T. Qubeka
Cinematographer: Jonathan Kovel
Editor: Layla Swart
Production Designer: Emelia Weavind
Sound: Barry Donnelly
Music: Braam du Toit
Principal Cast: Ezra Mabengeza, Peter Kurth,
Kandyse McClure, Bok van Blerk, Zolisa Xaluva,
Mandisa Nduna
Production: Yellowbone Entertainment
203 Urban Fox Studios, 274 Fox Street
Johannesburg, Gauteng 2041 South Africa
layla@yellowboneentertainment.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Rushlake Media
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
One of the most exciting voices in South says, “mankind’s inherent need to feed into
African filmmaking, Jahmil X.T. Qubeka mythologies that conveniently suit the order
returns to TIFF after his provocative and of the day.”
genre-pushing 2013 feature Of Good Report. KIVA REARDON
Here, Qubeka looks back to the early days of
the repressive apartheid regime and reimag- Jahmil X.T. Qubeka was born in
ines the capture of John Kepe, the “Samson South Africa’s Karoo region and
raised in London. He won the
of the Boschberg Mountains.” For decades, Peabody Award for his documentary
Kepe stole livestock and other goods from Talk to Me (05). He made his fiction
white colonist farmers and shared his spoils debut with A Small Town Called
with the impoverished Indigenous popula- Descent (10). His other films include
Of Good Report (13), which made its
tion. His acts — and that he evaded capture international premiere at the Festival,
for more than 12 years — earned him the title and Sew the Winter to my Skin (18).
of folk hero to some, and notorious bandit
to others.
Qubeka picks up Kepe’s tale in the 1950s,
during the massive hunt by authorities to
apprehend and punish this mid-century
Robin Hood figure. On one hand, Sew the
Winter to my Skin is a keenly observed
epic-adventure drama (and a nod to the
western) that captures the horrors of South
Africa’s racist colonial regime. Qubeka, how-
ever, also subverts the conventions of the
period piece by using limited dialogue and an
immersive score. Instead of simply roman-
ticizing Kepe’s myth again, Qubeka, through
his evocative formal choices, probes, as he
contemporary world cinema 243
Black 47
Set during the nadir of Ireland’s Great
Lance Daly Famine, this searing new film from
IRELAND/LUXEMBOURG, 2018 director Lance Daly could be character-
English ized as a Western. Rooted in history but
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE realized with the sweep of fable, Black
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
47 tells a riveting tale of hardship
Production Company: Fastnet Films/Primeridian and revenge.
Entertainment/ArtCastle/Samsa Film
Producer: Macdara Kelleher It is 1847 and Feeney (James Frecheville)
Screenplay: PJ Dillon, Pierce Ryan, Lance Daly, returns to his home in the west of Ireland
Eugene O’Brien after having fought for the British army
Cinematographer: Declan Quinn
Editor: John Walters, Julian Ulrichs abroad. It is two years into the famine and
Production Designer: Waldemar Kalinowski one million people have already perished,
Music: Brian Byrne including Feeney’s mother. His home, mean-
Principal Cast: Hugo Weaving, James Frecheville,
Stephen Rea, Freddie Fox, Barry Keoghan, Moe Dunford, while, has been rendered uninhabitable and
Sarah Greene, Jim Broadbent his brother has been hanged by the British.
Production: Fastnet Films Feeney had planned to relocate to the US,
20 Herbert Place but the horrors and injustices to which
Dublin 2 Ireland he bears witness steer him toward another
enquiries@fastnetfilms.com
path — one that will find him exerting his
CONTACT INFORMATION wrath upon officials, collaborators, and
US Distributor: IFC FILMS others in power.
International Sales Agent: Altitude Film Sales
(see page 359) A four-man crew is dispatched to stop
Feeney, among them Hannah (Hugo
Weaving), who fought alongside him.
Hannah, too, has run afoul of the law
and joining the hunt for his former
comrade is his only hope of averting his own
death sentence.
244 contemporary world cinema
Black 47 is filled with haunting vistas of
blighted landscapes, riveting moments of
violence, and mesmerizing performances
from its stellar cast, which also features
Stephen Rea, Freddie Fox, Barry Keoghan,
Jim Broadbent, and Moe Dunford (also
at this year’s Festival in two other titles:
The Dig and Rosie).
Daly proves himself an imaginative
reviver of the Western genre and, more
importantly, a devoted student of Irish
history. The Great Famine begs to be remem-
bered — and this stunning film offers a
tour of that terrible time no viewer will
soon forget.
MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Lance Daly was born in Dublin. His
films Kisses (08) and Life’s a Breeze
(13) both screened at the Festival. His
other directorial credits include The
Halo Effect (04) and The Good Doctor
(11). Black 47 (18) is his latest film.
programme sponsored by
Look at Me
With his latest film, Nejib Belkadhi (last performance that opens up questions about
Nejib Belkadhi seen at TIFF in 2013 with Bastardo) cre- masculinity, nurturing, and duty.
QATAR/FRANCE/TUNISIA, 2018 ates a touching portrait of a man struggling KIVA REARDON
Arabic with the confines of masculinity, with what
WORLD PREMIERE it means to be “a provider,” and, above all, Nejib Belkhadi was born in Tunis
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
with how to create a loving home. and worked as an actor before mak-
ing his television directorial debut
Production Company: Propaganda Productions/ In many ways, Lotfi (Nidhal Saadi) was in 1999. He directed the short film
Mille et Une Productions
Producer: Imed Marzouk living the dream. After leaving his native Tsawer (05), the award-winning
Screenplay: Nejib Belkadhi Tunisia, he settled in Marseille, opened an documentary VHS-Kahloucha (06),
Cinematographer: Hazem Berrabah appliance store, and fell in love. With a baby and the feature Bastardo (13), which
Editor: Malek Chatta screened at the Festival. Look at Me
Sound: Yacine Meliani, Aymen Labidi on the way, his life in France seemed solid. (18) is his latest feature.
Music: Selim Ben Salah However, cracks quickly appear. Lotfi’s
Principal Cast: Nidhal Saadi, Idryss Kharroubi, default persona is one of macho bravado and
Sawssen Maalej
he’s often quick to anger. When his brother TIFF Speaker Series
Production: Propaganda Productions calls from back home, Lotfi is pulled back to Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Randall Hansen.
41 Avenue Habib Bourguiba
a place — and family — he thought he could
See page 32 for more details.
La Marsa 2070 Tunisia
propaganda@gnet.tn leave behind. Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
Although he hopes his stint in Tunisia
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: MPM Premium will be short, the family issues prove to be
(see page 359) more complex than anticipated. Lotfi finds
himself torn, choosing between two places,
two families, two lives. His choice at this
crossroads will determine what kind of man
he wants to be.
Saadi, celebrated for his stand-up in
France and North Africa, steps into the dra-
matic realm with ease, giving a compelling

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 245

Zhuang Si Le Yi Zhi Yang
Jinpa
Pema Tseden
CHINA, 2018
Tibetan
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
86 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Jet Tone Films Ltd. (Shanghai)/
Shanghai Tang Dynasty Communications Co., Ltd./
Master China Films Ltd. (Beijing)
Executive Producer: Chan Ye Cheng, Zhao Xiaowen
Producer: Wong Kar Wai, Jacky Pang
Screenplay: Pema Tseden
Cinematographer: Lu Songye
Editor: William Chang
Production Designer: Tenzin Nyima
Sound: Tu Duu-Chih, Wu Shu-Yao
Music: Lim Giong, Point
Principal Cast: Jinpa, Genden Phuntsok, Sonam Wangmo
Production: Jet Tone Films Ltd. (Shanghai)
Unit 1207, 12/F, Core F, Cyberport 3,
100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong
production@jettone.net
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Block 2 Distribution Ltd.
(see page 359)
246 contemporary world cinema
Light shines down onto the vast barren between dream and reality are blurred and
plains of Tibet, along a desolate road passing irrelevant. Filled with beautiful composi-
through Kekexili, the largest and highest pla- tions and bathed in romantic lighting and
teau in the world. It illuminates the solitary saturated colours, the director’s unique
path of Jinpa in this cinematic adaptation visual style and mesmerizing storytelling
of the stories “The Slayer” by Tsering Norbu confirm him as a leading filmmaker of con-
and “I Ran Over a Sheep” by the director of temporary world cinema and a strong voice
the film, Pema Tseden. in Tibetan cinema.
“’O sole mio” blares from an old cassette GIOVANNA FULVI
deck in the beaten up truck that Jinpa
drives in solitude, making deliveries on the Pema Tseden is a Tibetan screen-
Qinghai-Tibet route. Like the sound of the writer, literary writer, and director. He
wrote and directed the features The
wind on the lonely plains, it is deafening — an Silent Holy Stones (05), The Search
appropriate companion to the sun-stricken, (09), Old Dog (11), and Tharlo (15).
deserted surroundings. Jinpa (18) is his latest feature.
Jinpa, distressed at having accidentally
run over a sheep, comes across a young man
who is hitching a ride. The traveller, also
named Jinpa, belongs to the Khampa clan.
He is on his way to avenge his father’s death.
Little does the driver know that this
short encounter will forever mark his life
and change his destiny. The Khampa man
has involved the driver in his own personal
story, and his dream has somehow become
the driver’s dream.
A fascinating film about a journey of
awakening on the road to the future, Jinpa
occupies a realm where the boundaries
programme sponsored by
La disparition des
It is near the end of high school, and Léo work. With exquisite close-ups and dreamy
lucioles dreams of escape. She feels stuck in her musical flourishes that harken back to clas-
The Fireflies Are Gone small-town, industrial Québécois life. The sic melodramas, Pilote creates an evocative
easiest target for her frustrations is her pop fantasy amidst the customary political
Sébastien Pilote stepdad, a local talk-radio celebrity on the tensions in a small Quebec town.
wrong side of a political divide that forced DANIS GOULET
CANADA, 2018
French
her union-organizing father out of town. Léo
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE misses her father and yearns to leave, but her Sébastien Pilote was born in
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) rebellion du jour only seems to manifest Saguenay, Quebec. His first short film
Dust Bowl Ha! Ha! (07) was a Festival
Production Company: ACPAV itself as malaise. Enter Steve, a much older and Canada’s Top Ten selection. His
Executive Producer: Robert Lacerte metalhead who still lives in his mother’s features include The Salesman (11),
Producer: Bernadette Payeur, Marc Daigle
Screenplay: Sébastien Pilote
basement. The Auction (13), and The Fireflies
Cinematographer: Michel La Veaux Léo is fascinated by Steve, and sees in him Are Gone (18).
Editor: Stéphane Lafleur much more than the archetypal loser he may
Production Designer: Éric Barbeau
Sound: Gilles Corbeil, Olivier Calvert, Stéphane Bergeron
appear to be. He is kind and genuinely con-
Music: Philippe Breault tent to teach guitar in his bachelor cave and
Principal Cast: Karelle Tremblay, Pierre-Luc Brillant, take his mom’s Shih Tzu on daily walks. As
Luc Picard, François Papineau, Marie-France Marcotte
their relationship grows over the summer,
Production: ACPAV an ever-present longing lingers beneath the
1030, rue Cherrier, bureau 404
Montreal, Quebec H2L 1H9 Canada
surface of their friendship — and Léo must
info@acpav.ca decide how to express her deep desire for
something more.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Seville International
Like Sébastien Pilote’s previous films,
International Sales Agent: Seville International The Fireflies Are Gone is rooted in the strug-
(see page 359) gles of changing rural Quebec. However,
the tenacious vigour of Léo’s teenage angst,
brought to life by the magnetic (and 2015
TIFF Rising Star) Karelle Tremblay, sets
this film apart from the director’s earlier

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 247

Gräns
A recent favourite at Cannes, Ali Abbasi’s suggesting a time when we were closer to
Border Border is a stunning, near–note perfect the natural world and its odder anomalies,
mystery that seamlessly fuses fantasy, social a world that now seems distant while feeling
Ali Abbasi commentary, and psychological insight. The creepily familiar. Border is an eerie, unfor-
SWEDEN/DENMARK, 2018 heroine, Tina (Eva Melander), was born with gettable, and affecting work.
Swedish
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
a facial “disfiguration,” a strange scar on her STEVE GRAVESTOCK
108 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) tailbone, and the ability to sense or smell
Production Company: Meta Films
how people feel. She’s especially adept at Ali Abbasi is an Iranian-born Swedish
Executive Producer: Anna Croneman, Peter Nyren, detecting fear or unease. director. His films include M for
Markus (11), Shelley (16), and Border
Thomas Gammeltoft, Erika Wasserman These skills make her invaluable as a (18), which won the Un Certain
Producer: Nina Bisgaard, Piodor Gustafsson,
Petra Jonsson
border guard. But her latest two attempted Regard prize at Cannes.
Screenplay: Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf, busts are more troubling than the usual
John Ajvide Lindqvist routine arrests of pimply teenagers smug-
Cinematographer: Nadim Carlsen
Editor: Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Anders Skov
gling booze. First, there’s the twitchy
Production Designer: Frida Hoas businessman who turns out to be carrying
Sound: Christian Holm child pornography. His crime so enrages
Music: Christoffer Berg, Martin Derkov
Principal Cast: Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff,
Tina that she begins to take foolish risks
Jögen Thorsson, Ann Petrén, Sten Ljungren when she’s brought in to help with the inves-
Production: Meta Films
tigation. Then there’s the suspicious Vore
Lille Strandstræde 20C, 2. (Eero Milonoff, who played the desperate
Copenhagen 1254 Denmark manager in The Happiest Day in the Life of
nina@metafilm.dk
Olli Mäki), who shares physical traits with
CONTACT INFORMATION Tina, and has a cocksure smirk that never
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media leaves his face. It’s a look suggesting he
US Distributor: NEON
International Sales Agent: Films Boutique
knows things Tina doesn’t, knowledge that
(see page 359) may disrupt her life completely.
Based on a short story by Let the Right One
In author John Ajvide Lindqvist, Border con-
jures up memories of unsettling folk tales,

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 249

Reason Anand Patwardhan’s passionate, detailed
chronicling of injustices in India has made
Reason is not an easy film to watch, nor
should it be. The film denounces — and
Anand Patwardhan him the filmmaking conscience of his nation. depicts — violence perpetrated or fuelled
In The Name of God, Jai Bhim Comrade, and by religious nationalists pushing to make
INDIA, 2018
English, Hindi, Marathi
Father, Son, and Holy War stand not only India a Hindu state. As Reason builds and
WORLD PREMIERE as first-rate documentaries, but as direct expands toward its conclusion, the scale of
260 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) interventions on behalf of justice and com- the dangers India faces becomes clear, and
Production Company: Anand Patwardhan passion. After years of work, Patwardhan connections are made between the country’s
Producer: Anand Patwardhan is back with perhaps his most urgent and inner conflicts and the similar political fires
Cinematographer: Anand Patwardhan, Simantini Dhuru
Editor: Anand Patwardhan
thorough film yet. burning all over the world. Even with count-
Animator: Hanoch Samuel, Shrujana Shridhar, Utkarsh, Divided into eight chapters, Reason sets less people of conscience offering resistance,
Shashwat out to chart what Patwardhan sees as India’s the film ends with yet one more assassina-
Sound: Anand Patwardhan, Simantini Dhuru
Music: Shahir Nikam, Shital Sathe, Sachin Mali
slide away from the complex tumult of a sec- tion. This time it is a journalist.
ular democracy towards hardening divisions CAMERON BAILEY
Production: Anand Patwardhan of power, caste, and religious belief — lines
anandpat@gmail.com
(see page 359)
that are enforced increasingly by violence. Anand Patwardhan was born in
The first chapters recount the work, Mumbai and studied at the University
of Mumbai and McGill University. His
struggles, and eventual assassinations of documentaries include In the Name
Narendra Dabholkar, a rationalist who of God (92) and Father, Son and Holy
fought what he called “blind faith,” and War (94), which both played the
Govind Pansare, a communist politician Festival, as well as War and Peace
(02) and Jai Bhim Comrade (11).
and anti-caste activist. Later chapters probe Reason (18) is his most recent film.
subjects such as Dalit caste protests against
social oppression, terrorism’s tangled roots,
and how religious outrage can so easily
descend into mob violence. Accompanying
interviews, captured footage, and archive
sequences, Patwardhan’s voiceover makes
connections and provides deeper context.

programme sponsored by

284 tiff docs

Les routes en février
Still mourning the death of her father, Sarah establishes Jerkovic as one of Canada’s
Roads in February travels from Montreal to a sleepy village in bright new talents.
rural Uruguay to visit her paternal grand- DANIS GOULET
Katherine Jerkovic mother, Magda. Over a decade ago, Sarah and
CANADA/URUGUAY, 2018 her parents left Uruguay and never returned. Katherine Jerkovic was born in
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
Driven by childhood memories, she hopes Canada and is based in Montreal.
She received an MFA in cinema
82 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) to renew her relationship with Magda and at Concordia University. She has
Production Company: 1976 Productions/Cordon Films
with her home country. But as soon as Sarah directed the short films Atlas sur
Producer: Nicolas Comeau arrives, a quiet unease forms. Magda doesn’t l’aube (04) and Le gardien d’hiver
Screenplay: Katherine Jerkovic understand why her son never returned to (10). Les routes en février (18) is her
Cinematographer: Nicolas Canniccioni debut feature film.
Editor: Sophie Farkas-Bolla
see her and must now live with the fact that
Production Designer: Olivier Laberge he never will. The tension comes as a sur-
Sound: Pablo Villegas, Bruno Pucella, Isabelle Lussier prise to Sarah, who must face the distance
Music: David Drury, Ines Canepa
Principal Cast: Arlen Aguayo Stewart, Gloria Demassi
between herself, her family, and her country
of origin in addition to her grief.
Production: 1976 Productions
4450 avenue Papineau
Director Katherine Jerkovic skilfully
Montréal, Quebec H2H1T8 Canada infuses each scene with an intimate yet
nc@1976.tv powerful tone as Sarah struggles to recon-
CONTACT INFORMATION
cile the gulf between the past and present,
Canadian Distributor: Axia Films and ideals and reality. The stifling heat
(see page 359) and torpid pace of rural life in Uruguay
heightens her growing sense of alienation.
Arlen Aguayo Stewart and Gloria Demassi
deliver beautifully subtle performances,
where the gravity lies in what remains
unsaid between them. An evocative slice of
life with an assured visual style, Roads in
February is an enthralling debut that firmly

programme sponsored by

260 contemporary world cinema

Styx
Aptly named for the river in Greek mythol- photography, which showcases the simul-
Wolfgang Fischer ogy that separates our world from the taneous confined and expansive spaces of
GERMANY/AUSTRIA, 2018 underworld, Wolfgang Fischer’s second Rike’s ocean voyage and the respective feel-
English, German feature, Styx, follows Rike (Susanne Wolff ) ings of claustrophobia and loneliness that
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE on a solo voyage across the Atlantic. In this result, Fischer’s palpably tense, captivat-
94 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
at-once riveting and unadorned procedural, ing, and tight moral drama pits two worlds
Production Company: Schiwago Film GmbH/ Rike must navigate more than high seas and against each other: the ideal and the real. As
Amour Fou Vienna GmbH
Producer: Marcos Kantis inclement weather; she must also decide Rike’s Hippocratic oath is tested, so too is
Screenplay: Wolfgang Fischer, Ika Kuenzel which world she belongs in. the hypocrisy of the Western world. Though
Cinematographer: Benedict Neuenfels Fischer’s efficient opening gives us an we have the tools to overcome the elements,
Editor: Monika Willi
Sound: Andreas Turnwald, Uwe Dresch immediate understanding of the intense do we have the will to overcome ourselves?
Principal Cast: Susanne Wolff, Gedion Wekesa Oduor psychological and physical pressures of KERRI CRADDOCK
Production: Schiwago Film GmbH Rike’s profession as a doctor and first
Großbeerenstr. 64 responder in Cologne, Germany. When she Wolfgang Fischer was born in
Berlin 10963 Germany sets sail for Ascension Island — midway Austria. He studied film at the
mkantis@schiwagofilm.de Art Academy of Düsseldorf and
between Africa and South America — from at the Academy of Media Arts
CONTACT INFORMATION Gibraltar, her 12-metre yacht paling in com- in Cologne. He has directed the
Canadian Distributor: Film Movement parison to the mammoth cargo ships with short film Grau (01) and the
US Distributor: Film Movement
International Sales Agent: Beta Cinema which she shares the ocean, it’s clear that feature film What You Don’t See
(09). Styx (18) is his latest feature.
(see page 359) she’s an accomplished sailor and prepared
for a long journey. But when her daily rou-
tine is thrown off by a powerful storm, Rike
wakes up to a crisis of a material and moral
scale that she could never have anticipated.
Devoid of score and with virtually no dia-
logue, the film lays bare Fischer and Wolff’s
respective abilities as filmmaker and actor.
It’s a good thing they both kick ass. Aided by
Benedict Neuenfels’s gorgeously detailed

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contemporary world cinema 261

Netemo Sametemo
A film on the mundane magic of falling here his signature filmmaking: beauti-
Asako I & II in love, Asako I & II is the brilliant screen fully composed, radiance-breathing takes.
adaptation of Tomoka Shibasaki’s best- Asako I & II confirms him as one of the most
Ryusuke Hamaguchi selling novel, Netemo Sametemo, original filmmakers in contemporary Asian
JAPAN/FRANCE, 2018 When Asako (Erika Karata), a shy stu- cinema, an auteur who has assimilated the
Japanese dent from Osaka, meets Baku (Masahiro Japanese filmmaking tradition, bringing it
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
119 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Higashide) at a photo exhibition, it’s love at to a new level with his inimitable style and
first sight: a mystical experience erasing the personal sensibility.
Production Company: Nagoya Broadcasting Network/
Bitters End world around them — akin to a curse. Baku GIOVANNA FULVI
Producer: Yuji Sadai, Teruhisa Yamamoto, is a mysterious and gorgeous-looking young
Yasuhiko Hattori man. He likes to disappear when the mood Ryusuke Hamaguchi was born in
Screenplay: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Sachiko Tanaka
Cinematographer: Yasuyuki Sasaki strikes him; one day he’s gone for good. Kanagawa, Japan. He studied film
at the Tokyo University of the Arts.
Editor: Azusa Yamazaki Two years later, Asako, now working His films include Passion (08),
Production Designer: Masato Nunobe as a server in a Tokyo coffee shop, spots The Depths (10), Touching the
Sound: Mikisuke Shimazu
Music: tofubeats Ryohei (also Higashide). A young employee Skin of Eeriness (13), and Happy
Principal Cast: Erika Karata, Masahiro Higashide, at a company that produces sake, he looks Hour (15).  Asako I & II (18) is his
latest feature.
Koji Seto, Rio Yamashita, Sairi Ito, Daichi Watanabe exactly like Baku, to the point that Asako is
Production: Nagoya Broadcasting Network convinced she’s finally found her lost lover.
2-10-1 Tachibana Naka-ku Ryohei may look like Baku but he is a very
Nagoya 460-8311 Japan
contact@nagoya.jp.com different person: he has no secrets, he is
honest and kind-hearted and will love Asako
CONTACT INFORMATION with a faithful, protective love, destined to
Canadian Distributor: MK2 Mile End
US Distributor: Grasshopper Film last forever — the kind of love that’s so reas-
International Sales Agent: MK2 Films suring it might even be scary.
(see page 359) In the minute description of everyday
life, shaken by epochal events like the
Fukushima earthquake, or in the perfect
rendering of Asako’s hesitations and
uncertainty, Ryusuke Hamaguchi shows

programme sponsored by

262 contemporary world cinema

Hatzlila
This semi-autobiographical film from to be a man, The Dive is ultimately about
The Dive writer-director and actor Yona Rozenkier something much more profound: what it
smartly surveys a spectrum of responses to means to be human.
Yona Rozenkier Israel’s deeply ingrained macho imperative. JANE SCHOETTLE
ISRAEL, 2018 Upon learning of his father’s death,
Hebrew, Italian
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
prodigal son Yoav (Yoel Rozenkier) returns Yona Rozenkier was born in Yehiam,
91 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) to the sparsely populated kibbutz where he Israel. He is a graduate of the Tel Aviv
University film and TV department.
Production Company: Gaudeamus Productions
was raised. He’s greeted by his mother, his His directorial credits include the
Executive Producer: Dominique Welinski, Ben Karniel, elder brother Itai (Yona Rozenkier), and his short films Bugs on a Helmet (11) and
Raz Yosef, Yaron Bloch, Dubi Rubinstein, Reuven Hecker younger brother Avishai (Micha Rozenkier), Raz and Radja (12). The Dive (18) is
Producer: Efrat Cohen, Kobi Mizrahi
Screenplay: Yona Rozenkier
who is about to ship off to perform his mili- his debut feature film.

Cinematographer: Oded Ashkenazi tary service in Lebanon. Yoav is an ex-officer

Editor: Or Lee-Tal traumatized by his experiences, while Itai
Production Designer: Yonatan Bereskin
Sound: Ami Arad, Michael Roytih
remains a serviceman and believes fiercely
Music: Israel Bright in a man’s patriotic duty. Their conflicting
Principal Cast: Yoel Rozenkier, Micha Rozenkier, perspectives generate a deep rift in Avi.
Yona Rozenkier
The brothers have another duty to per-
Production: Gaudeamus Productions form, however: their father’s final request
The Steve Tisch School of Film & TV
Tel Aviv 6139001 Israel
was for the three of them to dive together
efrat@gaudeamus.co.il and deposit his remains in an undersea cave.
This ambitious mission may represent the
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Stray Dogs
last opportunity for the brothers to look past
(see page 359) their differences and give each other the love
and support needed to move forward in life.
Drawing beautiful performances from his
cast, Rozenkier’s debut feature represents a
deep dive into questions of loyalty to one’s
family, country, and gender. Yet, rather than
reinforce stereotypes about what it means

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contemporary world cinema 257

Share Her Journey
Join the movement!

shareherjourney.org
Together, we’re providing more opportunities
for women in front of and behind the camera.
Share Her Journey is generously supported by the RBC Foundation, Betty-Ann Heggie, Anne-Marie Canning, Micki Moore, Nespresso, Jennifer Tory
and over 1,000 individual donors.
Minuscule — Les
Following Valley of the Lost Ants (2014
Mandibules du Bout du TIFF Kids Festival), this new chapter in the
Hélène Giraud was born in Paris. She
worked as art director, co-writer, and

Monde
Minuscule — Mandibles
From Far Away
Thomas Szabo,
Hélène Giraud
FRANCE, 2018
No dialogue
WORLD PREMIERE
90 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Futurikon Films/Ifilmfilm
Entertainment Co., Ltd/France 3 Cinéma
Executive Producer: Philippe Delarue
Producer: Philippe Delarue, Zhou Tianxiang
Screenplay: Thomas Szabo, Hélène Giraud
Cinematographer: Dominique Fausset
Animator: Laurens Ehrmann-Gavini, Thomas Monti,
Julien Bagnol, Cyril Tchernomordik
Editor: Valérie Chappellet, Benjamin Massoubre
Production Designer: Hélène Giraud, Franck Benezech
Sound: Côme Jalibert, Yann Lacan
Music: Mathieu Lamboley
Production: Futurikon Films
ongoing series of eye-popping insect odys-
seys is the most dazzling adventure in the
Minuscule universe yet.
Just as winter begins to blanket his sleepy
village, a little ladybug cozies his way into a
chestnut factory and finds himself acciden-
tally trapped inside a shipment heading for
the Caribbean! His parent, through some
quick investigative work, figures out the
little guy’s exotic destination and sets out
on a heroic overseas journey to rescue his
beloved offspring.
The mission gets more complicated when
the father ladybug learns that his son’s new
Caribbean home is on the verge of being
demolished by a massive construction
project. Along with some help from an old
pal who comes sailing to the rescue, this
crew of colourful teensy heroes develops
an elaborate plan to save a precious patch
of rainforest.
co-director of seasons 1 and 2 of the
Minuscule (06–12) series (98). She
co-directed TIFF Kids’ Festival selec-
tion Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants
(13). Minuscule — Mandibles From Far
Away (18) is her latest feature.
Thomas Szabo was born in
France and graduated from the
Duperré School of Applied Arts
in Paris. He is the director of the
children’s television series Les
Zinzins de L’Espace (97). He was
the co-writer and co-director of
the series Minuscule (06–12). He
co-directed the TIFF Kids’ Festival
selection Minuscule: Valley of the
Lost Ants (13). Minuscule —
Mandibles From Far Away (18) is his
latest feature.
TIFF Kids
Entertaining and illuminating: films from around the world for

This innovative combination of real

the whole family.
12 rue de Turenne
Paris 75004 France landscapes and animation offers some of
philipped@futurikon.com
the most immersive images imaginable.
CONTACT INFORMATION Told without dialogue, Mandibles From Far
International Sales Agent: Futurikon Away is a microcosmic tale with maximum
US Sales Agent: United Talent Agency (UTA),
Backup Media
excitement — one that will keep you glued to
(see page 359) your seat and buzzing with delight.
JENNIFER BARKIN

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contemporary world cinema 259

Un Ange
Lush, sensual, and hallucinatory, this latest Robert Favreau’s Un dimanche à Kigali, is
Angel film from auteur Koen Mortier is no ordinary simultaneously earthy and angelic. This is
love story. A wondrously cinematic adapta- a stunningly provocative exploration of the
Koen Mortier tion of a novel by Belgian author Dimitri limits of bodies and the limitlessness of love.
BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS/SENEGAL, 2018 Verhulst, Angel tells the story of people from KERRI CRADDOCK
French, Wolof
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
different worlds whose paths cross for one
105 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) brief but unforgettable encounter. Koen Mortier was born in Beernem,

Production Company: CZAR Film & TV/

Anonymes Films/Graniet Film
Executive Producer: Eurydice Gysel
Producer: Eurydice Gysel, Koen Mortier
Screenplay: Koen Mortier (based on a novel by
Dimitri Verhulst)
Cinematographer: Nicolas Karakatsanis
Editor: Nico Leunen
Production Designer: Geert Paredis
Sound: Senjan Jansen
Music: Soulsavers
Principal Cast: Vincent Rottiers, Fatou N’Diaye
Production: CZAR Film & TV
Koolmijnenkaai 30
Brussels 1080 Belgium
eurydice.gysel@czar.be
Fae (Fatou N’Diaye) is a Senegalese sex Belgium. He studied at the Vrije
Universiteit Brussel and RITS at
worker and Thierry (Vincent Rottiers) is a Erasmus Hogeschool in Brussels.
world-renowned Belgian racing cyclist who His directorial credits include Ex
has known both acclaim and disgrace. They Drummer (07) and 22nd of May
meet when Thierry and his brother travel to (10), both of which screened at the
Festival. Angel (18) is his latest film.
Dakar for a holiday. Far from eager to explore
the local sex trade — he normally needs to be
in love to make love — Thierry finds there’s
something about Fae he can’t deny. Together
they experience a communion that restores
in both a sense of dignity and the promise
of redemption. Then things take a terrifying
turn and Fae is arrested, despite having done
nothing wrong.
With its seductive colour palate of satu-
rated reds, greens, and blues, Angel envelops
us in a voluptuous embrace. Mortier’s story
telling is circular, prowling through past and
present, dreams and fantasies. Rottiers’s
subtly graded performance is both touching
and troubling, while N’Diaye, who viewers
might recognize from Quebec director

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 271

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Il Vizo Della Speranza
Two years ago, Edoardo de Angelis emerged but de Angelis’s feel for the people of the
The Vice of Hope with the highly distinctive Indivisible, which Volturno river gives The Vice of Hope its
recounted the unusual story of two con- impressive emotional power.
Edoardo de Angelis joined twins whose parents turn them into PIERS HANDLING
ITALY, 2018 a singing act. What was so impressive about
Italian
WORLD PREMIERE
that film was its sense of location — it was Edoardo de Angelis was born in
100 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) set in Caserta, north of Naples, and delivered Naples. His feature films as direc-
tor include Mozzarella Stories (11),
Production Company: Tramp Limited/O’Groove
largely in Neapolitan dialect — and that is Perez. (14), and Indivisible (16), which
Producer: Attilio De Razza the case again in the director’s unsettling made its international premiere at
Screenplay: Edoardo de Angelis, Umberto Contarello The Vice of Hope. Placing his new film along the Festival. The Vice of Hope (18) is
Cinematographer: Ferran Paredes Rubio
Editor: Chiara Griziotti
the riverscape of the Volturno where it filters his latest film.

Production Designer: Carmine Guarino out into the Tyrrhenian Sea at Caserta, de
Sound: Vincenzo Urselli Angelis has emerged with another impres-
Music: Enzo Avitabile
Principal Cast: Pina Turco, Massimiliano Rossi,
sive film that marks him as one of the key
Marina Confalone, Cristina Donadio new voices in contemporary Italian cinema.
Production: Tramp Limited
The story concerns the hiring of women
Via Giuseppe de Spuches, 38 as surrogate mothers paid to bear children
Palermo 90141 Italy and then hand them over to paying clients.
a.derazza@spettacoliadr.it
De Angelis uses this as an entry point into
CONTACT INFORMATION the murky underbelly of this isolated com-
International Sales Agent: True Colours munity. Maria (Pina Turco), the central
(see page 359)
character, works and exists in this nether-
world, running the surrogates from place
to place along the river. When one of the
women disappears it is Maria’s job to find
her. Maria is soon caught up in a series of
decisions about her place in this scheme,
which she sees as having no future.
The story provides the narrative thrust,

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 265

Retrospekt
Awash in intrigue and pathos, Dutch In a bravura feat of elliptical storytell-
Esther Rots writer-director Esther Rots’s second feature ing, Rots slides seamlessly among points
NETHERLANDS/BELGIUM, 2018 is an intricate puzzle narrative where the in time, keeping us sufficiently oriented
Dutch, Flemish stakes only escalate with every new shard of while retaining a tantalizing air of mystery.
WORLD PREMIERE revelation. Anchored by an extraordinarily Enhancing the film’s transitions are songs
101 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
nimble performance from Circé Lethem, by composer Dan Geesin, whose eerie lyrics,
Production Company: Rots Filmwerk & Column Film/ Retrospekt takes us on a spin around a rou- such as “She got lost on Memory Lane,” tease
Serendipity Films
Executive Producer: Frank Klein lette wheel of fractured memories. us with the knowledge that, buried under
Producer: Gijs van de Westelaken, Hugo Rots, We first meet Mette (Lethem) during a Mette’s trauma, is a key that will unlock the
Chantal van der Horst, Esther Rots, Ellen De Waele holiday in Belgium where, despite being hidden cache of recollections that will make
Screenplay: Esther Rots
Cinematographer: Lennert Hillege pregnant, she attempts to intercede in a vio- sense of all this disorder.
Editor: Esther Rots lent dispute in a clothing-store fitting room. MICHÈLE MAHEUX
Production Designer: Kurt Rigolle The film then jumps ahead to find Mette and
Sound: Dan Geesin
Music: Dan Geesin her husband, Simon (Martijn van der Veen), Esther Rots was born in Groenlo,
Principal Cast: Circé Lethem, Lien Wildemeersch, disagreeing over who should take time off to Netherlands. She studied at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Arnhem and
Martijn van der Veen care for their newborn second child. Mette the Netherlands Film and Television
Production: Rots Filmwerk & Column Film works at a domestic violence support centre, Academy in Amsterdam. Her films
Volkerakstraat 3-2 a job she’s passionate about, and she resents include the shorts Play With Me (02)
Amsterdam 1078 XM Netherlands
info@rotsfilmwerk.nl the presumption that Simon’s professional and I Sprout (03) and the feature Can
Go Through Skin (09). Retrospekt
life should take priority over hers. (18) is her latest film.
Just as this conflict is taking shape, the
film jumps ahead still further. Some catas-
trophe has struck, leaving Mette’s mind and
body in disarray and her memories asunder.
Sometime after her second birth, Mette
invited Lee (Lien Wildemeersch), one of her
clients, to live in her home. Lee is a victim of
abuse. Can she be trusted?

programme sponsored by

266 contemporary world cinema

Sibel
The latest film from Franco-Turkish
Çağla Zencirci, directing duo Guillaume Giovanetti and
Guillaume Giovanetti Çağla Zencirci (TIFF ’13’s Ningen) takes
us to Turkey’s gorgeous Black Sea region
FRANCE/GERMANY/LUXEMBOURG/
TURKEY, 2018 to tell a modern-day Cinderella story of
Turkish female empowerment.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Sibel (Damla Sönmez) lives with her
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
family in a remote mountain village. A hard
Production Company: Les Films du Tambour/Riva worker, she seems constantly on the move,
Filmproduktion/Bidibul Productions/Mars Production/
Reborn Production cooking, chopping wood, trimming bushes,
Producer: Marie Legrand, Rani Massalha, Michael Eckelt, and picking crops. She knows her way
Johannes Jancke, Lilian Eche, Christel Henon, around a rifle and is determined to slay a wolf
Marsel Kalvo, Nefes Polat, Marc Simoncini
Screenplay: Çağla Zencirci, Ramata Sy, that has been spotted prowling the woods.
Guillaume Giovanetti Mute since the age of five, Sibel is a pariah
Cinematographer: Eric Devin among the women in her community who
Editor: Véronique Lange
Sound: Tim Stephan, Stephan Konken are superstitious and regard her as bad
Music: Bassel Hallak, Pi luck. Even her little sister treats her spite-
Principal Cast: Damla Sönmez, Emin Gürsoy, fully, as though she were a lesser being, one
Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Elit Iscan, Meral Çetinkaya
expected to perform all the menial tasks.
Production: Les Films du Tambour But she maintains friendship with elderly
102 Quai Louis Blériot
Paris 75016 France local eccentric, Narin (Meral Çetinkaya),
contact@filmsdutambour.com and with her father, Emin (Emin Gürsoy),
the village mayor, with whom she communi-
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Pyramide International cates via an ancient whistled argot that few
(see page 359) still understand.
Sibel’s routine is interrupted by the arrival
of Ali (Erkan Kolçak Köstendil), an alluring,
wounded fugitive. She endeavours to provide
care and safe harbour to Ali, which will inev-
itably steer her toward a confrontation with
Emin. It will also steer her toward a path of
self-actualization.
Giovanetti and Zencirci have sculpted
this lovely film with a balance of fairy tale
elements, unfussy realism, and character
and location–driven camerawork. Sibel’s
greatest asset, however, is Sibel herself.
Despite playing the underdog, Sönmez
doesn’t over ingratiate. Rather, she’s fiery
and tough, imbuing her heroine with a sort
of feral magnetism that makes it that much
more satisfying when, despite her inability
to speak, Sibel finds her true voice.
KERRI CRADDOCK
Guillaume Giovanetti was born
in Lyon, France. He and Çağ la
Zencirci have co-directed several
films, including Noor (12) and
Ningen (13), which screened at the
Festival. Sibel (18) is their latest film.
Çağla Zencirci was born in Ankara,
Turkey. She and Guillaume Giovanetti
have co-directed several films, includ-
ing Noor (12) and Ningen (13), which
screened at the Festival. Sibel (18) is
their latest film.

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 267

Ulysse & Mona
Ulysse & Mona is a sheer delight from begin- Ulysse & Mona constantly astounds in its
Ulysses & Mona ning to end, a film of taut control and fine choices — in where it takes us, and the very
construction, full of narrative surprises, ways in which it acts against expectations. It
Sébastien Betbeder with a tour-de-force performance from could have been easy to slip into cliché with
FRANCE, 2018 retired soccer great Éric Cantona and this story; Betbeder sidesteps every one and
French
WORLD PREMIERE
superbly realized direction and writing from emerges with a gem of a film.
82 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Sébastien Betbeder, whose Les Nuits avec PIERS HANDLING

Production Company: Envie de Tempête Productions

Producer: Frédéric Dubreuil
Screenplay: Sébastien Betbeder
Cinematographer: Romain Le Bonniec
Editor: Céline Canard
Production Designer: Nicolas Trabaud
Sound: Jérôme Aghion
Music: Minizza
Principal Cast: Manal Issa, Éric Cantona,
Quentin Dolmaire, Marie Vialle, Micha Lescot,
Jean-Luc Vincent
Production: Envie de Tempête Productions
38, rue René Boulanger
Paris 75010 France
frederic@enviedetempete.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Cercamon
(see page 359)
Théodore screened at TIFF in 2012.
Cantona plays Ulysse, a famous artist Sébastien Betbeder was born in
who has disappeared into the country to Pau, in the French Pyrénées. He
graduated from l’École supérieure
live by himself in a rickety mansion. His des Beaux-Artes de Bordeaux. His
life is in tatters. His artistic reputation is features as writer-director include
at an all-time low. He has left his wife, and Nuage (07), La vie lointaine (09),
his son is a disaffected stranger to him. Yoshido (Les autres vies) (10), Les
Nuits avec Théodore (12), which
Into this wreck of an existence comes a played TIFF, 2 Autumns, 3 Winters
young art student. Mona (Manal Issa) who (13), Journey to Greenland (16), and
admires Ulysse’s work and, naively, hopes to Ulysse & Mona (18).
become his assistant. She tracks him down
at his isolated retreat, where he is playing
tennis alone with a ball machine. Ulysse is
completely uninterested in Mona’s request
to study at his side. For him, there is no hope,
no future, no tomorrow.
From this premise Betbeder spins a
beautifully understated film, about a man
who has hit bottom and a young woman
who inserts herself into his life, without the
pretence of romance or over-sentimentality.

programme sponsored by

268 contemporary world cinema

Bulbul Can Sing
Last year Rima Das came to the Festival with illuminate this girl’s coming to woman-
Rima Das Village Rockstars, her delightful drama about hood and self-awareness. A villager’s stray
INDIA, 2018 a girl with a dream. After its premiere here, remark compresses centuries of tradition
Indian, Assamese it went on to sweep India’s National Film and offers guidance to Bulbul, but also con-
WORLD PREMIERE Awards and play dozens of festivals around straint. And as she learns to walk with both
95 minutes | Colour
the world. Das is back with another breath of love and death in her life, countless varia-
Production Company: Flying River Films fresh air, once again shot amidst the timeless tions of natural light give her whole world
Executive Producer: Rima Das
Producer: Rima Das beauty of her home village in India’s Assam an immersive glow.
Screenplay: Rima Das state. As in the earlier film, Das imbues every CAMERON BAILEY
Cinematographer: Rima Das frame with insight and respect, and this time
Editor: Rima Das
Production Designer: Rima Das there’s a growing exploration of adolescence. Rima Das was born in Assam, India.
Sound: Susmit Bob Nath Bulbul Can Sing is no simple rural idyll. She has directed the short film
Pratha (09) and the features Man
Principal Cast: Arnali Das, Manoranjoan Das, Bulbul is an exuberant young woman, with the Binoculars (16) and Village
Manabendra Das, Bonita Thakuriya, Pakija Begam
most happy when she’s hanging out in the Rockstars (17), which played the
Production: Flying River Films fields with her friends Bonny and Sumu. As Festival. Bulbul Can Sing (18) is her
306 Himgiri, Lokhandwala
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053 India these three teenagers, two girls and a boy, latest film.

rimaflyingriverfilms@gmail.com begin to define their own identities, they find

(see page 359) themselves increasingly clashing with the
age-old rules set down by the village. Bulbul
is attracted to a boy for the first time, but her
mother advises that “Girls should be modest.
Girls should behave well.” Sumu is bullied
for not conforming to what his peers expect
of a young man. For Bonny, the pressures of
the community become unbearable.
Das recounts her story in the pure lan-
guage of cinema. The camera finds moments
— in a music class, by a lake, or on the
landscape of Bulbul’s face — that suddenly

programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 269

Das schönste Paar
Married couple Malte (Maximilian Writer-director Sven Taddicken cleverly
The Most Beautiful Couple Brückner) and Liv (Luise Heyer) are crafts an intense relationship drama and
enjoying their Mallorca vacation until the gripping revenge thriller. Aided by the strong
Sven Taddicken unthinkable happens: they are assaulted performances of his two leads — whether
GERMANY/FRANCE, 2018 by three young men and Liv is raped while preparing a meal or facing their worst night-
German
WORLD PREMIERE
Malte is pinned down, unable to stop them, mare head-on — the tension established
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-CINEMA) forced to watch. in the film’s opening scenes never lets up.
Back in Germany their life appears to The Most Beautiful Couple asks how far we
Production Company: One Two Films/
Arsam International
return to something like normal. They con- would go to protect those we love and, if we
Producer: Sol Bondy, Jamila Wenske, tinue to teach at the same high school and couldn’t protect them, how far would we
Ilann Girard (Co- Producer) Malte plays weekend gigs with his band. go to avenge them? How far would we go to
Screenplay: Sven Taddicken
Cinematographer: Daniela Knapp
We learn that it’s been two years since the avenge ourselves?
Editor: Andreas Wodraschke assault. Liv has been seeing a therapist. KERRI CRADDOCK
Production Designer: Juliane Friedrich She wants to move on, in the bedroom and
Sound: Christoph Schilling
Music: Eric Neveux
otherwise, even openly talking about what Sven Taddicken was born in
Principal Cast: Maximilian Brückner, Luise Heyer, happened with friends and forgiving her Hamburg. His features include My
Brother the Vampire (01), Emma’s
Leonard Kunz, Jasna Fritzi Bauer attacker in the abstract. But Malte is stuck, Bliss (06), 12 Paces Without a Head
Production: One Two Films unable to absolve the rapist or more impor- (09), and Original Bliss (16). The
Hauptstr. 31 tantly, himself, for what happened. And then, Most Beautiful Couple (18) is his
Berlin 10827 Germany
info@onetwofilms.com
he sees him. He’s ordering a kebab after what latest feature.

seems like a fun night out with his girlfriend.

CONTACT INFORMATION How is this even possible? With their rela-
International Sales Agent: Beta Cinema
(see page 359)
tionship tenuously held together by the
pretense of normalcy, and without the help
of the police, Liv and Malte must chart a path
forward, together.

programme sponsored by

270 contemporary world cinema

The Weekly
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The Elephant Queen
The human world is, even to this day, remiss
Victoria Stone, in its acceptance of female leadership but
Mark Deeble the animal kingdom has forged ahead. Enter
Athena, a charismatic giant tusker with an
UNITED KINGDOM/KENYA, 2018
English unmistakable attitude.
WORLD PREMIERE Earning the respect of her extended
96 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema) family by ruling with loving practicality,
Production Company: Deeble & Stone Athena knows that the fate of her herd is
Producer: Victoria Stone, Lucinda Englehart on her shoulders — a responsibility she
Screenplay: Mark Deeble
Cinematographer: Mark Deeble does not take lightly. The challenges faced
Assistant Director: Etienne Oliff by one newborn, Mimi, remind us how
Editor: David Dickie fragile life can be in an unforgiving climate,
Sound: Tim Owens
Music: Alex Heffes and just how much herd members rely on
With: Chiwetel Ejiofor one another.
Production: Deeble & Stone When faced with a drought, Athena
Old Coastguards, Gurnards Head, Zennor must weigh whether to lead her fam-
St. Ives TR26 3DE United Kingdom ily from the water hole they call home
vicky@deeblestone.com
out into the badlands in search of food
CONTACT INFORMATION and water, knowing that the smallest
International Sales Agent: Mister Smith Entertainment elephants may not be strong enough to
US Sales Agent: Endeavor Content, Mister Smith
Entertainment complete the trip.
(see page 359) Filmmakers Mark Deeble and Victoria
Stone immersed themselves with their
subjects, living up close and personal with
Athena and her herd for over four years.
Truly earning their reputations as gentle
giants, these majestic creatures are captured
in the most intimate moments — high-
lighting the striking similarities between
elephants and people.
programme sponsored by
This harrowing journey through a mag-
nificent landscape is a touching tribute to
a vanishing species. The Elephant Queen is
a compelling story of unbreakable familial
bonds and an unwillingness to give up.
JENNIFER BARKIN
Victoria Stone has an MA from the
Royal College of Art in London. She
and Mark Deeble are Emmy and
Peabody award-winning wildlife
documentarians. Their films include
The Queen of Trees (05) and The
Elephant Queen (18), their most
recent work.
Mark Deeble is from Cornwall, and
studied zoology at Imperial College
London. He and Victoria Stone are
Emmy and Peabody award-winning
wildlife documentarians. Their films
include The Queen of Trees (05) and
The Elephant Queen (18), their most
recent work.
Recommended for ages 7+
Content Advisory: Circle of life depicted.
TIFF Kids
Entertaining and illuminating: films from around the world for the
whole family.
tiff docs 283
Win a pair of tickets by telling us your October 25, 9pm
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favourite scary movie by September 16. Reitman Square

350 King Street West
Enter at tiff.net/winboombox
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„Îmi este indiferent
Named Best Feature at this year’s Karlovy Jude’s film is a colourful, engaging, and
dacă în istorie vom Vary International Film Festival, “I Do at times, deeply humorous work that comes
intra ca barbari” Not Care If We Go Down In History As alive through Marius Panduru’s cinematog-
Barbarians” marks Radu Jude’s return raphy (employing 16mm and digital) and an
“I Do Not Care If We to TIFF after nearly a decade. Politically adroit ensemble cast.
Go Down In History As incisive, formally engaging, and highly enter- A deeply resonant film, “I Do Not Care…”
Barbarians” taining, this is Jude’s Godardian calling is a timely unmasking of the (intentional)
card and the culmination of his cinematic amnesia that echoes today’s parochial
Radu Jude concern with the representation of history, political populism and reminds us of the
ROMANIA/CZECH REPUBLIC/FRANCE/ Romania’s troubled past, and the dynamics old adage that forgotten history is bound to
BULGARIA/GERMANY, 2018 at play in narratives of power. be repeated.
Romanian
From its Brechtian overture, Jude’s DIMITRI EIPIDES
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
140 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) film foregrounds its performative nature
as young theatre director Mariana Marin Radu Jude was born in Bucharest.
Production Company: Hi Film Productions/Endorfilm/
LES FILMS D’ICI/KLAS Film/Komplizen Film (Ioana Iacob) is holding auditions for His first feature, The Happiest Girl
in the World (09), screened at the
Executive Producer: Valentino Rudolf a commissioned re-enactment of the Festival. His other films include A
Producer: Ada Solomon
World War II Odessa massacre, in which Film for Friends (11), Everybody in
Screenplay: Radu Jude
Cinematographer: Marius Panduru the Romanian army killed tens of thou- Our Family (12), Aferim! (15), Scarred
Editor: Catalin Cristutiu sands of Ukrainian Jews. Mariana’s Hearts (16), and The Dead Nation
(17). “I Do Not Care if We Go Down
Production Designer: Iuliana Vilsan
militancy for authenticy, driven by feel- In History As Barbarians” (18) is his
Sound: Jean Umansky
Principal Cast: Ioana Iacob, Alexandru Dabija, ings of moral obligation, is met with most recent feature.
Alex Bogdan, Ilinca Manolache, Serban Pavlu opposition on multiple fronts, including the
Production: Hi Film Productions charismatic Movilă (Alexandru Dabija),
23A, Gramont St. a city representative who pressures her
Bukarest 040182 Romania
to tone down the accusatory rhetoric, and TIFF Speaker Series
office@hifilm.ro
the bubbling mutiny of her ragtag troupe of Watch, experience, be enriched. Guest speaker: Ron Levi.

volunteer re-enactors, aghast at her assess-

See page 32 for more details.
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Beta Cinema
(see page 359)
ment of history. Special thanks to our programming partner, the University of
Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.
When an ultimatum is given at the 11th
hour threatening to close down the entire
production, Mariana must decide whether
to dilute the show’s content.
programme sponsored by

contemporary world cinema 273

The Sweet Requiem
This bold new work from directors Ritu take us inside that experience. This latest
Kyoyang Ngarmo Sarin and Tenzing Sonam (TIFF ’05’s work is their most powerful and compas-
Dreaming Lhasa) is a tale of tragedy, ret- sionate yet, contending with the sinister
Ritu Sarin, Tenzing Sonam ribution, and courage. Shifting between a shadows of the past while envisioning a
INDIA/USA, 2018 present-day struggle to overcome trauma better future.
Tibetan
WORLD PREMIERE
and flashbacks to a harrowing trek through CAMERON BAILEY
91 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) the Himalayas, The Sweet Requiem offers an
Production Company: White Crane Films/Dialectic
unforgettable reflection on the refugee crisis Ritu Sarin was born in New Delhi.
Executive Producer: Yodon Thonden, Francesca von in a part of the world too rarely reported on. She studied at Miranda House in
Delhi University, and at the California
Habsburg, Vishwanath Alluri Dolkar (Tenzin Dolker) is a 26-year-old College of the Arts. She has directed
Producer: Ritu Sarin, Shrihari Sathe
Screenplay: Tenzing Sonam
living in exile in Delhi. An unexpected several films with Tenzing Sonam,
Cinematographer: David McFarland encounter with a figure from her past sets including Dreaming Lhasa (05),
Editor: Jabeen Merchant off a flurry of memories she had long which screened at the Festival. The
Production Designer: Aradhana Seth Sweet Requiem (18) is her latest film.
Sound: Shalini Agarwal
repressed regarding the journey that brought
Music: Michael Montes her here. Tenzing Sonam was born in
Principal Cast: Tenzin Dolker, Jampa Kalsang, Dolkar was only eight when she and her Darjeeling. He studied at St.
Rabyoung Thonden Gyalkhang, Shavo Dorjee, Stephens College, Delhi University,
Lhakpa Tsering
father left their Tibetan home in a desper- and at the University of California. He
ate attempt to start anew in a safer land. has directed several films with Ritu
Production: White Crane Films
E-302 Som Vihar
As memories of what became a disastrous Sarin, including Dreaming Lhasa (05),
New Delhi 110022 India expedition take shape, Dolkar resolves to which screened at the Festival. The
Sweet Requiem (18) is his latest film.
info@whitecranefilms.com confront the man she believes responsible.
The Sweet Requiem authentically captures
the life-and-death stakes of the real-life
escape across the border on which it was
based, but the film’s deeper insights emerge
from the complex and shifting allegiances
Dolkar must navigate in exile. Sarin and
Sonam, who is the child of Tibetan refugees,
draw on their knowledge and perspective to

programme sponsored by

274 contemporary world cinema

Før Frosten
Before the Frost
Michael Noer
DENMARK, 2018
Danish, Swedish
WORLD PREMIERE
104 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Nordisk Film Production A/S
Executive Producer: Henrik Zein, Lena Haugaard
Producer: Matilda Appelin, René Ezra, Tomas Radoor
Screenplay: Jesper Fink, Michael Noer
Cinematographer: Sturla Brandth Grøvlen
Editor: Adam Nielsen
Production Designer: Søren Schwarzberg
Sound: Morten Green, Nino Jacobsen
Music: Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen
Principal Cast: Jesper Christensen, Clara Rosager,
Ghita Nørby, Magnus Krepper, Elliott Crosset Hove,
Rasmus Hammerich, Bertil de Lorenzi, Gustav Giese,
Oscar Dyekjær Giese
Production: Nordisk Film Production A/S
Mosedalvej 14
Valby 2500 Denmark
maria.fogt@nordiskfilm.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: TrustNordisk
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
Michael Noer’s fifth feature, set in 19th
century Denmark, is a heart-wrenching
portrait of a struggling family of freeholders.
For years, Jens — iconic Danish actor
Jesper Christensen, leading a stellar cast
— has been fighting to survive on a harsh,
unyielding piece of land. The family’s decline
in fortune is deeply felt and underscored
by the local burghers. The parish priest
humiliates them by moving them further
back in the church, and Jens is now being
targeted by Gustav, a wealthy Swede looking
to expand his holdings. With winter coming,
Jens must choose between marrying off his
beloved daughter or losing his family’s only
means of survival.
Noer, whose remake of Papillion played
the Festival last year, has described the
film as a Danish western where harsh con-
ditions prevail. But since it’s set in the Old
World, its characters’ options for mobility
are curtailed. Jens and his family have seen
what happens when someone is left landless,
and are terrified by the prospect. What can
happen when circumstances force a person
to make awful decisions?
The depth of Christensen’s performance,
the power of Noer’s direction, and the taut
screenwriting by Noer and Jesper Fink
ensure we empathize with Jens’s plight even
as fate threatens to close in on him.
One of the most respected actors in
Europe, Christensen has worked with a
stunning and diverse range of filmmak-
ers, from Lone Scherfig to Lars von Trier,
Jean-Marc Vallée to Jan Troell, and played
Mr. White in the latest Bond film. This is his
most memorable work yet.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Michael Noer was born in Esbjerg,
Denmark, and studied at Denmark’s
National Film Academy. His films
include the documentary Son of
God (10) and the features Hit First,
Hit Hardest (10), Northwest (13), Key
House Mirror (15), and Papillon (17),
which played the Festival. Before the
Frost (18) is his latest film.
contemporary world cinema 275
 ®Toronto International Film Festival Inc. used under license. ©2018 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. 0117

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OF THE TIFF® DOCS PROGRAMME

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2018 STUDIO 54
 TIFF Docs
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Fahrenheit 11/9
In July 2016, Michael Moore was treated like
Michael Moore a crackpot doomsayer for writing the essay
USA, 2018 “5 Reasons Why Trump Will Win.” His pre-
English diction was the opposite of most pollsters
WORLD PREMIERE and pundits but it came true in the wee hours
120 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
of November 9, 2016 when the electoral col-
Production Company: Midwestern Films lege votes were tallied.
Executive Producer: Basel Hamdan, Tia Lessin
Producer: Michael Moore, Carl Deal, Meghan O’Hara Now Moore brings his sharp satire to ana-
Screenplay: Michael Moore lyze the legacy of 11/9 and to raise questions
Cinematographer: Luke Geissbühler, Jayme Roy about what lies ahead. Trump is a master
Editor: Doug Abel, Pablo Proenza
distractor with his incendiary tweets, staff
Production: Midwestern Films firings, and outright lies. But within the
685 3rd Ave.
New York NY 10017 USA chaos, his administration has delivered on
carl@elsewherefilms.org a right-wing agenda with tax cuts for the
wealthy, environmental deregulation, court
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: levelFILM appointments, and treaty withdrawals that
US Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment will be felt long into the future.
International Sales Agent: AGC International In Moore’s three decades of filmmak-
(see page 359)
ing, he’s often voiced progressive ideas
that sound radical at first but eventually
become mainstream. His most famous
work, Fahrenheit 9/11 — named for another
infamous date — decried the US’s war in
Iraq long before it became widely derided.
A similar dynamic runs through Roger &
Me on America’s loss of industry, Bowling
for Columbine on gun control, and Sicko on
health care.
programme sponsored by
Moore likes to subvert expectations,
so we’ll refrain from disclosing too many
details of Fahrenheit 11/9. Let’s just say
there are aspects that feel very timely in
the lead-up to the US Congressional elec-
tions. But overall, this is an evergreen film
that applies historical lessons from both
progressive and repressive movements. It
speaks strongly to a younger generation in
the hope that they might fix what the previ-
ous generation has royally fucked up.
THOM POWERS
Michael Moore was born in Flint,
Michigan. His Fahrenheit 9/11
(04) won the Palme d’Or and the
FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes. Many
of his documentaries have played
the Festival, including his debut
feature, Roger & Me (89), The Big
One (97), Bowling for Columbine
(02), which won the Academy Award
for Best Documentary Feature,
Slacker Uprising (07), Capitalism:
A Love Story (09), and Where To
Invade Next (15). Fahrenheit 11/9
(18) is his latest film.
tiff docs 279
The Biggest Little Farm
Filmmaker John Chester and his wife Molly Little Farm is a testament to idealism.
John Chester Chester, a culinary writer, trade city life to For urban viewers, it’s a necessary confron-
USA, 2018 start their own farm on a stretch of depleted tation with how our food is grown. It’s also
English soil outside Los Angeles. Part of their a family adventure, full of suspense and
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE inspiration is to offer a better, outdoor life emotion that will leave a lump in your throat.
89 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
for their rescue dog, Todd. Moreover, they THOM POWERS
Production Company: FarmLore Films want to live in better harmony with nature.
Executive Producer: Laurie David, Erica Messer
Producer: Sandra Keats, John Chester Many of us hold similar dreams, but John John Chester was born in Baltimore.
Screenplay: Mark Monroe, John Chester and Molly put them into action. He is an Emmy Award–winning
documentary director and writer.
Editor: Amy Overbeck John chronicles their efforts for more His films include Euphoria (05),
Music: Jeff Beal
than eight years in this sweeping epic of Lost in Woonsocket (07), and Rock
Production: FarmLore Films twists and turns related to the creation of Prophecies (09). The Biggest Little
10700 Broadway Road
Moorpark, CA 93021 USA Apricot Lane Farms. As neophytes, John Farm (18) is his latest film.

sandra@apricotlanefarms.com and Molly enlist a consultant, Alan York,

whose vision is to raise an array of crops
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: United Talent Agency (UTA) and livestock. Alan cautions that it will take
(see page 359) seven years before they fully realize their
potential. During that wait, they face mount-
ing obstacles: coyotes, insects, bad weather,
and disease, like a modern-day Little House
on the Prairie. Most farmers would respond
with pesticides, extermination, and concen-
tration on a single crop. But following their
guru, John and Molly remain steadfast in
their commitment to working with nature,
not against it.
Teeming with stunningly beautiful
images of flora and fauna — and a pregnant
hog that will melt your heart — The Biggest

programme sponsored by

280 tiff docs

Women Make Film:
Since the birth of cinema, women directors discoveries among the 150 films in over 30
A New Road Movie have made stunning contributions across languages quoted here. Perhaps your discov-
Through Cinema all genres. Yet most cinema histories tell a ery will be British animator Alison de Vere
male-dominated story. Now Mark Cousins or Auschwitz survivor Wanda Jakubowska
Mark Cousins shows us what we’ve been missing as he or Japanese actress-turned-director Kinuyo
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 debuts the first four hours of Women Make Tanaka. All the referenced titles will be
Arabic, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Chechen, Czech, Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema, a published on the film’s website, so there’s
Danish, English, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, project that will eventually grow to 16 hours. no need to scribble notes in the dark.
Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish, Malayalam,
Mandarin, Mongolian, Norwegian, Persian, When it comes to creating filmic histories, The cascading images stir many emotions.
Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Cousins has no equal. His 15-hour epic The Perhaps you’ll feel embarrassment confront-
Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Ukrainian, Urdu Story of Film: An Odyssey drew upon clips ing so many gaps in your knowledge or anger
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
240 minutes | Colour and Black and White/ from over 620 films from over 50 countries. over the filmmakers’ canonical neglect.
DCP (D-Cinema) He takes a similar approach in Women Ultimately, those feelings give way to amaze-
Production Company: Hopscotch Films Make Film, weaving clips into a corrective ment at the abundance and magnificence of
Executive Producer: Tilda Swinton, Clara Glynn film essay. This debut section is narrated Women Make Film.
Producer: John Archer by Cousins’s longtime collaborator Tilda THOM POWERS
Screenplay: Mark Cousins
Editor: Timo Langer Swinton; future sections will be narrated
Sound: Becky Thompson by other women. Mark Cousins was born in Belfast.
Music: Germaine Tailleferre, Suite Burlesque, The focus isn’t on the directors’ biog- He studied film, media and fine art at
Clinton-Narboni Duo the University of Stirling in Scotland.
With: Tilda Swinton raphies or career obstacles but on their His feature documentaries are the
artistry. The film is organized into thematic TIFF selections The Story of Film: An
Production: Hopscotch Films
Film City Glasgow, 401 Govan Road chapters such as opening scenes, framing Odyssey (11) and A Story of Children
Glasgow G51 2QJ United Kingdom a shot, and characters meeting cute. It’s and Film (13), as well as The New
Ten Commandments (08), The First
john@hopscotchfilms.co.uk like a film school, only all the examples are Movie (09), and What is This Film
CONTACT INFORMATION directed by women. Called Love? (12). Women Make Film
International Sales Agent: Dogwoof Some names may be familiar: Akerman, (18) is his latest feature.
(see page 359) Arzner, Bigelow, Campion, Denis, Dunye,
DuVernay, Harron, Kopple, Lupino, Spheeris,
Varda. But be prepared to make countless

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tiff docs 281

Au temps où les Arabes
A bold corrective to narrow notions about and a trove of archival materials that remind
dansaient what it means to be Muslim, director Jawad us of the long and often sensual history of
When Arabs Danced Rhalib’s When Arabs Danced is also a stirring dance and music found throughout the
testament to the power of art to reconfigure Arab world.
Jawad Rhalib identity. Beginning with Rhalib’s memories Our media is plagued with images and
BELGIUM, 2018
of childhood shame regarding his mother’s rhetoric that reduce Muslim culture to ter-
French, Arabic, Flemish, Farsi, English belly dancing, the film quickly expands its ror and tragedy. Rhalib’s passionate work
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE purview from personal essay to cultural — which won Best Film in the Grand Angle
84 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
investigation. section at Visions du Réel and also received
Production Company: R&R Productions/ZON_DER¨LING Rhalib visits several countries and the Audience Award — remedies this with
Executive Producer: Nouredin Rhaleb
Producer: Nouredin Rhaleb
documents diverse creative endeavours, scene after scene in which that same culture
Screenplay: Jawad Rhalib each constrained by fundamentalist is shown to be infused with expressions of
Cinematographer: François Schmitt repression within the Muslim world and beauty, provocation, and movement... and
Editor: Stijn Deconinck
Sound: Lionel Halflants
xenophobic stereotypes outside of it. could not feel more fiercely alive.
Music: Simon Fransquet A Belgian theatre company stages an adap- THOM POWERS
With: Mourade Zeguendi, Sachli Gholamalizad, tation of Michel Houellebecq’s incendiary
Hiam Abbas, La Diva Live, Love & Revenge
novel Submission and grapples with thorny Jawad Rhalib has worked as an
Production: R&R Productions ethical questions raised by its Islamophobic author and journalist. His films
rue de Molenbeek, 167 Boite A8 include the documentaries El Ejido,
Bruxelles 1020 Belgium
views. An Egyptian contemporary dance The Damned of the Sea (08) and
info.rrprods@gmail.com troupe develops work that transgresses cur- Le chant des tortues (13), and the
rent prohibitions against bodily expression. features 7, rue de la Folie (14) and
Palestinian actor Hiam Abbas (The Visitor) Insoumise (16). When Arabs Danced
(18) is his latest film.
rehearses a bristling solo performance con-
fronting fearful, violent attitudes toward
female sexuality.
As invested in mood as it is in message,
When Arabs Danced forgoes conventional
artist-profile tropes in favour of a weave of
rehearsals, conversations, performances,

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282 tiff docs

Prosecuting Evil: The
Few people today have heard of Ben Ferencz. Directed with skill and empathy,
Extraordinary World of But this portrait of the 99-year-old lawyer, Prosecuting Evil poses some tough and inci-
Ben Ferencz directed by Festival veteran Barry Avrich, sive questions. Most pointedly, what does
couldn’t be more relevant. Racism, antisemi- it say about our time that we endow fame
Barry Avrich tism, and the alt-right ( just a euphemism for on horrific, opportunistic white suprema-
CANADA, 2018 neo-Nazis) are on the rise, and long-standing cists like Steve Bannon, but remain largely
English international alliances predicated on com- unaware of extraordinary individuals like
WORLD PREMIERE mon values and notions of justice are now Ben Ferencz?
83 minutes | Colour and Black and White/
DCP (D-Cinema) endangered (often by those too ignorant of STEVE GRAVESTOCK
history to remember why they were created).
Production Company: Melbar Entertainment Group
Executive Producer: Barry Avrich, Patrice Theroux, Ferencz’s family fled Europe in the 1920s Barry Avrich was born in Montreal
Martin Katz because of antisemitism and as a child he and studied film at Ryerson and the
University of Toronto. His documen-
Producer: Barry Avrich, Caitlin Cheddie grew up in one of the toughest neighbour- taries include Show Stopper: The
Screenplay: Barry Avrich
Cinematographer: Ken Ng hoods in the United States: New York City’s Theatrical Life of Garth Drabinsky (12)
Editor: Tiffany Beaudin Hell’s Kitchen. The region, then populated and Filthy Gorgeous: The Bob Guccione
Production Designer: Josh Sinclair by Italian, Irish, and Jewish immigrants, Story (13), which both played at TIFF.
Sound: Richard Spence-Thomas He also directed the Festival shorts
Music: Michael Perlmutter was a hotbed for gang activity, pervasive Red Alert (14) and The Man Who Shot
With: Ben Ferencz, Alan Dershowitz, poverty, and racist attitudes. Ferencz was Hollywood (15). Prosecuting Evil: The
Justice Rosalie Abella, Don Ferencz, Fatou Bensouda, refused entry to public school because he Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz
General Wesley Clark, Richard Dicker, David Scheffer
was too small and didn’t speak English. Still, (18) is his latest film.
Production: Melbar Entertainment Group he persevered, and became a lawyer before
559 College Street, Suite 401
Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A9 Canada enlisting in the US Army during the Second
melbargroup@live.ca World War.
A relentless gadfly who persistently
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Canadian Broadcasting asked tough questions (and still does today),
Corporation Ferencz wound up working as part of the
International Sales Agent: Canadian Broadcasting prosecution at the Nuremburg trials and
Corporation
(see page 359) later became a key agitator for the creation
of the United Nation’s International Court
of Justice in The Hague.

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tiff docs 285

This Changes
Everything
Tom Donahue
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: CreativeChaos vmg
Executive Producer: Geena Davis, Regina K. Scully,
Ku-ling Yurman, Madeline Di Nonno, Steve Edwards,
Jennie Peters, Simone Pero, Patty Casby
Producer: Ilan Arboleda, Kerrianne Flynn, Tom Donahue
Cinematographer: Stefano Ferrari
Editor: Jasmin Way
Music: Leigh Roberts, Allison Piccioni
Principal Cast: Geena Davis, Meryl Streep,
Chloë Grace Moretz, Yara Shahidi, Natalie Portman,
Taraji P. Henson, Reese Witherspoon, Cate Blanchett,
Jill Soloway, Shonda Rhimes, Alan Alda, Sandra Oh,
Anita Hill, Jessica Chastain, Rose McGowan,
Judd Apatow, Rosario Dawson, Maria Geise,
Amandla Stenberg
Production: CreativeChaos vmg
68 Jay Street, 605A
Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
info@creativechaosvmg.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: ICM Partners
(see page 359)
286 tiff docs
This Changes Everything gathers a who’s
who of female actors and directors for
a powerful call to action on elevating
women’s roles in film and television both
on and off screen. Meryl Streep, Sandra
Oh, Jessica Chastain, Shonda Rhimes,
Reese Witherspoon, Taraji P. Henson, and
executive producer Geena Davis are among
the many powerful agents of change in the
documentary.
The gender gap has become an urgent
topic in recent years. But even the most jaded
viewers will be taken aback by the film’s
compelling evidence and anecdotes. Davis
(Thelma and Louise) has led groundbreak-
ing research into Hollywood’s portrayal of
women. Those damning facts become vivid
through an array of iconic film clips.
Filmmaker Tom Donahue has a long
investment in chronicling Hollywood’s
gender bias. His documentary Casting By
championed casting directors, an under-
valued field dominated by women. His
commitment signifies that righting the gen-
der gap isn’t a job that falls only to women.
“Progress will happen when men take a
stand,” Streep says in the film.
Even those who consider themselves
informed on this topic will find fresh revela-
tions. Fighting for change isn’t new. The film
covers critical feminist filmmaker uprisings
in the 1960s and ’80s that were quelled by
the status quo. Today, power dynamics are
shifting as voices of dissent get louder. In the
film, women testify candidly to their experi-
ences of sexism and harassment. “When I
think I’m acting it’s really [the camera] pan-
ning across my ass,” says Rose McGowan.
As the film makes plain, Hollywood has
been a powerful force in shaping negative
gender roles for over a century. Now the
industry can play a positive role in recasting
those roles for a better future.
THOM POWERS
Tom Donahue is an American
filmmaker, editor, and producer.
His documentary features include
Casting By (12), which screened
at the Festival, as well as Guest of
Cindy Sherman (08), and Thank You
for Your Service (15). This Changes
Everything (18) is his latest film.
programme sponsored by
Les tombeaux
Cambodian-born, France-based filmmaker soil is saturated with blood, of the faces of
sans noms Rithy Panh has dedicated much of his the dead appearing on the rippling surface
Graves Without a Name career to investigating the campaign of of a stream.
genocide undertaken by the Khmer Rouge The crimes of the Khmer Rouge are
Rithy Panh during the Cambodian Civil War and woefully under-documented, which is itself
FRANCE/CAMBODIA, 2018
memorializing its victims. Panh’s ingenious a crime, both against history and against
French, Khmer non-fiction films — such as The Missing those who seek some resolution to their grief.
CANADIAN PREMIERE Picture (TIFF ’13), which was nominated Graves Without a Name makes a small but
115 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
for an Academy Award and won the Un significant step toward rectifying this lack,
Production Company: Catherine Dussart Production/ Certain Regard prize at Cannes — find petitioning not for vengeance but, rather,
ARTE France/Anupheap Production
Producer: Catherine Dussart
inventive cinematic means to contend with for healing.
Screenplay: Rithy Panh pieces of history for which little archival GIOVANNA FULVI
Cinematographer: Rithy Panh, Prum Mésar material exists.
Editor: Rithy Panh
Sound: Eric Tisserand, Vann Sereyrathanan,
Driven by Panh’s own desire to know Rithy Panh was born in Phnom Penh.
Julien Ngo Trong where the remains of his many murdered He is a graduate of Paris’s La Fémis.
His films Rice People (94), S21: The
Music: Marc Marder loved ones lie, Graves Without a Name Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (03),
Production: Catherine Dussart Production continues this project, focusing less on the The Sea Wall (08), Duch, Master
25 Rue Gambetta atrocities committed and more on the spiri- of the Forges of Hell (11), and The
Boulogne-Billancourt 92100 France
cdp@cdpproductions.fr
tual well-being of those affected—whether Missing Picture (13) screened at the
Festival. Graves Without a Name (18)
living or dead. The film alternates between is his latest film.
CONTACT INFORMATION a poetic voiceover, written by Panh and
International Sales Agent: Playtime
(see page 359)
Agnès Sénémaud, featuring excerpts from
texts by Paul Éluard and Jean Cayrol, and
testimonies from survivors, all of them
superb storytellers. As these voices are
heard, we are treated to haunting and very
beautiful images, of the construction of
sacrificial materials, of a landscape whose

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tiff docs 287

Carmine Street Guitars
Ron Mann finds perfect metaphors for Kelly offers his own prudent observa-
Ron Mann North America’s culture wars. His subjects tions, like how using more than three chords
CANADA, 2018 have ranged from jazz to comics to pot, with is just showing off. The shop’s excessive
English each standing in for an issue stretching far testosterone is offset by Kelly ’s
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE beyond its specific milieu. In Carmine Street apprentice, Cindy Hulej, who does amaz-
80 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Guitars, written by longtime associate Len ing woodwork on her own creations,
Production Company: Sphinx Productions Blum, Mann finds the ideal emblem for the embellishing them with images of
Executive Producer: Carter Logan, Michael Hirsh
Producer: Ron Mann fight against gentrification. everything from the Traveling Wilburys
Screenplay: Len Blum Rick Kelly has been making custom to Betty Page.
Cinematographer: John Minh Tran, Becky Parsons guitars at his Greenwich Village shop for It’s a beautiful and uniquely emotional
Editor: Robert Kennedy
Production Designer: Craig Small, Matthew Badiali decades. But not just any guitars: Kelly piece about fighting the cash nexus and
Sound: Ted Rosnick uses preserved and repurposed wood scav- trying to preserve history in the most imme-
Music: The Sadies enged from historic New York buildings. diate manner. And it’s about guitars!
With: Rick Kelly, Cindy Hulej, Dorothy Kelly
And his dream of making a guitar from the STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Production: Sphinx Productions floorboards of McSorley’s, the oldest con-
24 Mercer St.
Toronto, ON M5V 1H3 Canada tinuously operating bar on the island, might Ron Mann was born in Toronto and
mike@filmswelike.com be coming true. studied at the University of Toronto.
His documentary features include
Carmine Street Guitars’ list of custom- Comic Book Confidential (88); Twist
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Films We Like ers is legendary and many — Patti Smith (92) and Grass (99), both of which
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory Group co-founder Lenny Kaye, Eleanor played at the Festival; Know Your
(see page 359) Friedberger, Charlie Sexton, director and Mushrooms (08); Altman (14); and
Carmine Street Guitars (18).
part-time guitarist Jim Jarmusch — show
up to perform, talk gear, and tell stories
about everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Bob
Dylan. The legendary Bill Frisell recalls
starting his career in Colorado with a group
inspired by the surf band craze, offering as a
tribute an insanely soulful, jazzy instru-
mental version of the Beach Boys chestnut
“Surfer Girl.”

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304 tiff docs

Quincy
No one has had a career like Quincy Jones.
Rashida Jones, Alan Hicks His contributions to (and influence on)
USA, 2018 everything from jazz to soundtracks to
English pop to hip-hop as a composer, arranger,
WORLD PREMIERE and producer are immense. Now 85, Q —
120 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
as he’s known to friends — hasn’t slowed
Production Company: Le Train Train/Bob’s Your Uncle/ down. This intimate portrait follows him
Tribeca Film
Executive Producer: Jane Rosenthal, Adam Fell, over three years on the road as he pre-
Berry Welsh pares to stage a star-studded concert for
Producer: Paula Dupré Presmen the opening of the National Museum of
Screenplay: Rashida Jones, Alan Hicks
Cinematographer: Rory Anderson African American History & Culture in
Editor: Andrew McAllister, Will Znidaric Washington, DC. His daughter Rashida
With: Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones, Kendrick Lamar, Jones, the actor-writer-director-producer,
Herbie Hancock, Dr. Dre
teams with filmmaker Alan Hicks (Keep
CONTACT INFORMATION On Keepin’ On, about jazz legend Clark
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc. Terry) to direct this jubilant celebration of
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
(see page 359) Quincy Jones’s past and present.
Jones is as skilled with storytelling as
he is with tunes. His list of collaborators is
astonishing and he has delightful reflections
on them all: Count Basie, Herbie Hancock,
Chick Corea, Dinah Washington, Frank
Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Michael Jackson…
and that’s just the beginning. Jones’s
achievements aren’t limited to music. As a
film and TV producer, he played a key role
on The Color Purple and The Fresh Prince
of Bel-Air. His personal life is similarly pro-
digious; Jones has seven children from five
programme sponsored by
different relationships. He candidly reflects
on the role of family in his life. His childhood
in Chicago was marked by the absence of his
mother and the brutality of the streets. He
describes his life as “always running, trying
to fill that black hole in my soul.”
The film deftly interweaves Jones’s
history, while letting us watch him at work,
wrangling talent for the NMAAHC show,
phoning everyone from Colin Powell to
Oprah Winfrey. The film culminates in
performances by Ray Charles and others
who exemplify the immensity of Quincy
Jones’s impact.
THOM POWERS
Rashida Jones was born in
Los Angeles. She studied religion
and philosophy at Harvard. She is an
actor, writer, producer, and director
for film and television. Quincy (18) is
her latest film.
Alan Hicks was born in Wollongong,
Australia. He studied jazz at William
Paterson University in New Jersey.
He directed the documentary feature
Keep on Keepin’ On (14). Quincy (18)
is his latest film.
tiff docs 289
Maria by Callas
Maria by Callas captures one of the great and husband. She expresses regret over
Tom Volf talents of the 20th century, combining beau- never becoming a mother, and she shares
FRANCE, 2017 tifully restored archival footage with her her feelings about her long love affair with
French, English own words. The Greek-American soprano Aristotle Onassis that lasted after his mar-
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE rose to fame after World War II and became riage to Jackie Kennedy.
113 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP
(D-Cinema) a star attraction in all the major opera Callas’s music is paramount in the film.
houses. This film gives us fresh insights into We’re treated to her signature arias from
Production Company: Petit Dragon/Eléphant Doc
Producer: Emma Lepers, Gaël Leiblang, Tom Volf, her public and private lives. the operas Norma, La Traviata, Carmen,
Emmanuel Chain, Thierry Bizot Maria Callas died at age 53 in 1977. and Tosca. As Callas told Frost, “If someone
Screenplay: Tom Volf Director Tom Volf represents a new gen- really tries to listen to me, he will find all
Editor: Janice Jones
With: Joyce DiDonato eration that has become enamoured of her myself there.”
legacy. His years of research uncovered rare THOM POWERS
Production: Petit Dragon
10 rue des filles du calvaire writings that will soon be published in his
Paris 75003 France third book about her, Maria Callas: Letters Tom Volf is a French photographer,
emma@petitdragon.fr & Mémoires. He draws upon passages from director, and actor. He has appeared
in the French television movie Le
CONTACT INFORMATION those journals and they are voiced in the film nègre de Molière (05). Maria By
Canadian Distributor: MK2 Mile End by American opera singer Joyce DiDonato. Callas (17) is his first film.
US Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics We hear Callas herself in interviews she
International Sales Agent: MK2 Films
(see page 359) gave during her lifetime, including a candid
conversation with David Frost that was
considered lost until Volf discovered that
her butler had kept a copy.
The film overturns Callas’s reputation
for tempestuousness by giving a differ-
ent perspective on key events in her life,
including an infamous performance cancel-
lation in Rome and her falling out with the
Metropolitan Opera leader Rudolf Bing. We
learn of the control she felt from her mother

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290 tiff docs

Free Solo
By the age of 30, Alex Honnold was known You don’t need to be a climbing enthusiast
E. Chai Vasarhelyi, as one of the most accomplished rock to marvel at the wonders of both humans and
Jimmy Chin climbers of his generation. He was featured nature captured in extraordinary cinema-
USA, 2018
in adventure magazines and authored the tography. For movie-going suspense, nothing
English memoir Alone on the Wall. But he remained can match the real-life daring in Free Solo.
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE obsessed by a challenge that no climber had THOM POWERS
97 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
ever achieved: to ascend free solo — with-
Production Company: Little Monster Films/ out safety ropes — up the 3,000-foot cliff E. Chai Vasarhelyi was raised in
Itinerant Media/Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation/
National Geographic Documentary Films
of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite New York and studied at Princeton
University. Her features include
Executive Producer: Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, National Park. Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love
Tim Pastore, Matt Renner Directors E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy (08), Touba (13), Incorruptible (15),
Producer: E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Evan Hayes, Jimmy Chin,
Shannon Dill
Chin previously made the acclaimed and Meru (15), co-directed with her
Cinematographer: Jimmy Chin, Clair Popkin, mountain-climbing movie Meru. They fol- husband, Jimmy Chin. Free Solo (18)
is her latest film.
Mikey Schaefer low Honnold over two years as he tests the
Editor: Bob Eisenhardt
Music: Marco Beltrami
limits of his ambition. “If you’re seeking
With: Alex Honnold perfection, free soloing is as close as you Jimmy Chin is a Minnesota-born
professional mountain climber,
Production: Little Monster Films
can get,” Honnold declares. But Chin, an photographer, and filmmaker. His
160 Claremont Ave., Ste. A North experienced adventure photographer who’s photography has been featured in
New York, NY 10027 USA cheated death before, has a different take: “If National Geographic and Outside.
chai.vasarhelyi@gmail.com
you’re pushing the edge, eventually you find He previously collaborated with his
wife, E. Chai Vasarhelyi, on Meru (15).
CONTACT INFORMATION the edge.” Free Solo (18) is his latest film.
US Distributor: National Geographic Documentary Films Honnold has long been a loner, living
US Sales Agent: Cinetic Media
(see page 359)
out of his van for nine years. We watch
as he makes lifestyle changes with a new
girlfriend, Sanni. Will that emotional attach-
ment be helpful or harmful when he needs
total concentration?

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Divide and Conquer:
As the powerhouse behind Fox News, hesitate to block a woman’s professional
The Story of Roger Ailes changed the course of US advancement, deploy a private investigator,
Roger Ailes politics and discourse as much as Hearst or smear her in the press. In a jovial 1992
or Pulitzer affected their times. Ailes was interview with Charlie Rose, Ailes says, “If
Alexis Bloom a key force in electing several Republican you want to have tremendous political influ-
USA, 2018 presidents, including Donald Trump, with ence and still be a womanizer, drug abuser,
English consequences felt around the world. Before or an alcoholic, you only have one choice
WORLD PREMIERE #MeToo was a mass movement, Ailes was of career and that’s journalism.” Much of
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
among the first media giants to be toppled Ailes’s influence took place in the shadows.
Production Company: Jigsaw Productions/ by accusations of sexual harassment. This This documentary finally brings it to light.
A&E IndieFilms/Impact Partners/Baird Films
Executive Producer: Molly Thompson, Elaine Frontain career-spanning documentary is vital to THOM POWERS
Bryant, Robert Sharenow, Alex Gibney, Stacey Offman, understanding the power broker who will
Dan Cogan, Jenny Raskin, Regina K. Scully, be studied for generations to come. Alexis Bloom is an American docu-
Geralyn White Dreyfous, Maiken Baird
Producer: Will Cohen, Alexis Bloom Filmmaker Alexis Bloom charts the rise mentary filmmaker and producer.
She produced the films Speaking
Cinematographer: Antonio Rossi, Charlotte Kaufman and fall of Ailes interviewing both allies and with Light (12) and We Steal Secrets
Editor: Pax Wassermann enemies. Ailes started as a producer on The (13), and directed the television
Music: Will Bates
Mike Douglas Show in the 1960s, then piv- documentary Bright Lights: Starring
Production: Jigsaw Productions oted to become a media advisor to Richard Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
26 Broadway, Suite 1301 (16). Divide and Conquer (18) is her
New York, NY 10004 USA Nixon. That launched a lucrative career as latest film.
info@jigsawprods.com an advisor to numerous Republicans. Ailes
then reinvented himself to create an entire
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Distributor: A+E Networks cable-TV channel devoted to talk shows
International Sales Agent: A+E Networks (the predecessor to MSNBC) before he was
US Sales Agent: Cinetic Media tapped by media tycoon Rupert Murdoch to
(see page 359)
oversee Fox News.
In interviews going all the way back to his
days at Mike Douglas, the film traces how
Ailes repeatedly used his power to sexually
coerce women. If he was denied, he didn’t

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American Dharma
If Stephen K. Bannon were a fictional char-
Errol Morris acter, you’d have a hard time believing his
USA/UNITED KINGDOM, 2018 narrative arc. He did stints as an invest-
English ment banker and movie producer before
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE steering the far-right media site Breitbart
100 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP
4K (D-Cinema) News as it swiftly moved from the fringe to
the centre of American politics. As the chief
Production Company: Fourth Floor Productions/Maje
Productions/Storyteller Productions/Moxie Pictures executive of Donald Trump’s campaign, he
Executive Producer: Michael Lesslie helped the candidate navigate several con-
Producer: Errol Morris, Marie Savare, P.J. van Sandwijk, troversies that would have ended the career
Robert Fernandez, Steven Hathaway
Cinematographer: Igor Martinovic of any previous politician. He had a brief
Animator: Jeremy Landman run in the White House as Trump’s chief
Editor: Steven Hathaway strategist. After being ousted, he continues
Production Designer: Adam Stockhausen
Sound: Stephen Bores to exert a powerful influence on right-wing
Music: Paul Leonard-Morgan ideologues in the US and abroad.
With: Stephen K. Bannon Errol Morris gives Bannon a documen-
Production: Fourth Floor Productions tary treatment comparable to his profiles
650 Cambridge Street of Donald Rumsfeld in The Unknown
Cambridge, MA 02141 USA
skip@errolmorris.com Known and Robert McNamara in The Fog
of War. Morris has a flare for illustrating
CONTACT INFORMATION his political dialogues with eclectic imag-
US Sales Agent: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
(see page 359) ery. With Bannon, the interview is set in a
Quonset hut that resembles a set from the
Gregory Peck World War II drama Twelve
O’Clock High. Bannon and Morris reference
that film along with works by John Ford,
Stanley Kubrick, and Orson Welles.
Morris doesn’t hold back on his points
of political disagreement with Bannon,
programme sponsored by
but they also find areas of commonality.
Morris says he sees a “good Bannon” and
a “bad Bannon.”
His interview seeks to understand the
complexity of those dual personas. They
go over key moments in Bannon’s career,
including the growth of Breitbart, the
final month of Trump’s campaign, and the
violent alt-right rally in Charlottesville.
Bannon frequently invokes the Sanskrit
word “dharma” used in the film’s title. He
relates the word to duty, destiny, fate, and
obligation. The film is an exploration of
Bannon’s theory of dharma and the effects
it has had on US politics.
THOM POWERS
Errol Morris was born in New
York and studied at Princeton. His
Oscar-winning documentary The
Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from
the Life of Robert S. McNamara
(03) as well as The Thin Blue Line
(88), Tabloid (10), The Unknown
Known (13), and The B-Side: Elsa
Dorfman’s Portrait Photography
(16) all played the Festival.
American Dharma (18) is his lat-
est film.
tiff docs 293
Svideteli Putina
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Russian President resides in Latvia, away from the tightened
Putin’s Witnesses Boris Yeltsin surprised the world by control over Russian media.
announcing that he was stepping down In addition to filming with Putin, Mansky
Vitaly Mansky and turning the office over to the country’s also had close access to Yeltsin, filming him
LATVIA/SWITZERLAND/CZECH REPUBLIC, newly appointed Prime Minister, Vladimir on the night of Putin’s 2000 election. In his
2018 Putin. The transition called for Putin to narration, Mansky draws attention to other
Russian serve as acting President until a special figures surrounding Putin at that time.
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) election was held three months later. He Many would later join his opposition. This
refrained from the normal campaign tactics time capsule is a vital piece of history and
Production Company: Studio Vertov/Hypermarket Film/ of running television commercials or also a cautionary tale against political com-
Golden Egg Production debating his opponents. Instead, his team placency. Putin’s Witnesses won the Grand
Producer: Natalya Manskaya, Filip Remunda, Vít Klusák,
Gabriela Bussmann hired filmmaker Vitaly Mansky to follow Prix Documentary award at this year’s
Editor: Gunta Ikere Putin in office for a television documentary. Karlovy Vary Film Festival
Sound: Anrijs Krenbergs Now Mansky returns to the intimate THOM POWERS
Music: Karlis Auzans
footage he shot inside Putin’s circle over
Production: Studio Vertov the course of the year 2000 to bring a new Vitaly Mansky was born in Lviv,
Šarlotes iela 7-20
Riga 1001 Latvia perspective on the leader who has played Ukraine, and is the founder of Russian
documentary festival Artdocfest.
office@artdocfest.com a crucial role in global politics ever since. As a filmmaker, he is known for the
Mansky’s act of bearing witness allows us documentary features Motherland or
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Deckert Distribution to better understand the machinations that Death (11), Pipeline (13), Under the
(see page 359) enabled Putin to consolidate power in this Sun (15), and Close Relations (16).
Putin’s Witness (18) is his latest film.
pivotal period.
Mansky was last at the Festival two
years ago with his film Close Relations, a
personal journey through modern Ukraine
in the aftermath of Putin’s annexation of
Crimea. Mansky was born in Ukraine then
moved to Russia, where he lived during
the breakup of the Soviet Union. Today he

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Meeting Gorbachev
Across a six-month period, Werner Herzog Reagan to reduce nuclear weapons, foster-
Werner Herzog, conducted three interviews with Mikhail ing Germany’s reunification, and navigating
André Singer Gorbachev that are the foundation for this the tumultuous years of glasnost. Other key
riveting film, co-directed by André Singer. eyewitnesses to this history from the US,
UNITED KINGDOM/USA/GERMANY, 2018
English, Russian, German, Polish In over 50 years of filmmaking, Herzog Germany, Hungary, and Poland are inter-
CANADIAN PREMIERE has scarcely engaged with a politician so viewed in the film.
90 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema) directly. He clearly admires Gorbachev for We see Gorbachev as a statesman and as
Production Company: Spring Films/ being the kind of world leader that’s in short a human, especially when he speaks of his
Werner Herzog Film supply today, known for his grace, wisdom, beloved late wife Raisa. Against the back-
Executive Producer: Richard Melman, Molly Thompson,
Eli Lehrer and commitment to peace. drop of our current world leaders, this feels
Producer: Lucki Stipetic, Svetlana Palmer Now 87, Gorbachev speaks like a man like an ideal time to be Meeting Gorbachev.
Screenplay: Werner Herzog, André Singer with nothing to lose. He is respected more THOM POWERS
Cinematographer: Richard Blanshard, Yuri Barak
Editor: Michael Ellis outside Russia than inside, where he’s
Sound: Vladimir Rizun, Vasily Amochkin, Simon Bishop, blamed for the Soviet Union’s breakup in Werner Herzog was born in
Alexander Kuckuck 1991. He laments that “we didn’t finish the Munich. He has written, pro-
Music: Nicholas Singer duced, and directed more than 50
Principal Cast: Mikhail Gorbachev, Miklós Németh, job of democracy in Russia.” And he worries films. His films include the TIFF
George P. Shultz, James A. Baker III, Lech Walesa, that others took the wrong lessons from selections Bad Lieutenant: Port
Horst Teltschik perestroika: “Americans think they won of Call New Orleans (09), Cave
Production: Spring Films the Cold War and this went to their head. of Forgotten Dreams (10), Into the
Abyss (11), Into the Inferno (16), and
47 Conduit Street What victory?” Salt and Fire (16). Meeting Gorbachev
London W1S 2YP United Kingdom
info@springfilms.tv
Herzog applies his own unique perspec- (18) is his latest film.
tive and narration to a deep archive of
CONTACT INFORMATION footage. He always has an eye for the absurd André Singer is a British documen-
US Distributor: A&E Networks (History Channel)
International Sales Agent: A&E Networks
and he finds it here in a news report about tary filmmaker. His features include
the TIFF selections Into the Abyss (11)
US Sales Agent: Submarine Entertainment catching slugs with beer. (It makes sense in and Into the Inferno (16). Meeting
(see page 359) the context.) Overall, he treats the history Gorbachev (18) is his latest film.
with a serious tone. He traces Gorbachev’s
rise in the Communist party, being named
President of the USSR, facing the Chernobyl
nuclear disaster, negotiating with Ronald

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Walking on Water
Bulgarian director Andrey Paounov (The weather, overcrowding, and maddening
Andrey Paounov Mosquito Problem, The Boy Who Was a King) bureaucracy.
ITALY/USA, 2018 makes a jubilant return to the Festival with Walking on Water gives us a rare look into
Italian, English this illuminating portrait of a master artist the business of large-scale art production
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE and the arduous business of bringing an — and the sort of temperament required to
105 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
ambitious work to life. bestow unto the world something that feels
Production Company: Kotva Films/Ring Film Walking on Water follows internation- close to a miracle.
Producer: Izabella Tzenkova, Valeria Giampietro
Cinematographer: Simone D’Arcangelo, Anastas Petkov, ally renowned environmental artist — and THOM POWERS
Pietro Daviddi, Antonio Ferrera, Snejina Latev, Paounov’s fellow countryman — Christo
Martina Cocco, Debora Vrizzi, on his quest to realize “The Floating Andrey Paounov was born in Sofia,
Wedigo Von Schultzendorff, Franco Piroli
Editor: Andrey Paounov, Anastas Petkov Piers,” originally conceived in 1970 by Bulgaria. He is a graduate of Sofia’s
National Academy of Theatre and
Sound: Mike Karas, Roberto Marelli, Tyler Evans, Christo and his late wife and collaborator, Film Arts. His films The Mosquito
Fabio Russo Jeanne-Claude. In 2016, seven years after Problem and Other Stories (07)
Music: Saunder Jurriaans, Danny Bensi
With: Christo Jeanne-Claude’s death, this stunning, and The Boy Who Was a King (11)
site-specific masterpiece — which allows screened at the Festival. Walking on
Production: Kotva Films Water (18) is his latest film.
324 Pearl St., Suite 3A visitors to walk across a great stretch of
New York, NY 10038 USA water, buoyed by polyethylene cubes draped
izabellatzenkova@gmail.com in luminous yellow fabric — was finally
CONTACT INFORMATION cleared to be mounted on Italy’s Lake Iseo,
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA) which lies at the foot of the Alps. But secur-
(see page 359) ing a location proved to be only the first step
in a tumultuous process of creative problem
solving and prickly negotiations.
Not one to suffer fools, Christo is a
larger-than-life personality. Now in his
eighties, he has lost none of his feistiness or
self-possession. His director of operations
(and nephew) Vladimir Yavachev is likewise
a lion, helping Christo contend with bad

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296 tiff docs

The Truth About
Killer Robots
Maxim Pozdorovkin
USA, 2018
English, Mandarin, Japanese, German
WORLD PREMIERE
83 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Third Party Films
Executive Producer: Sara Bernstein, Lisa Heller
Producer: Joe Bender, Maxim Pozdorovkin
Cinematographer: Joe Bender
Editor: Maxim Pozdorovkin, Isabel Ponte
Production Designer: Violet Overn
Sound: Matvey Kulakov
Music: The Presidential Band
Production: Third Party Films
506 Greene Ave #1
Brooklyn NY 11216 USA
joe@thirdpartyfilms.com
programme sponsored by
Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov was
the first person to imagine laws for robots.
In his 1942 short story “Runaround,” set in
the middle of the 21st century, he laid down
the first law, which states: “A robot may not
injure a human being or, through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm.” Now
we’re catching up to Asimov’s future and
his number one law is already being tested.
Filmmaker Maxim Pozdorovkin charts
the emerging cases where robots have
caused the deaths of humans: in an auto-
mated Volkswagen factory, in a self-driving
Tesla vehicle, and from a bomb-carrying
droid used by Dallas police. Each case
raises questions of accountability, legality,
and morality but they are typically shrouded
in cover-ups or treated as freak anomalies.
Pozdorovkin makes the case that we need
to pay more attention. He explores provoca-
tive viewpoints from engineers, journalists,
philosophers, and, through archival footage,
Asimov himself.
The film goes beyond sensational deaths
to examine subtler ways that robots pose
a threat. They are job killers. Pozdorovkin
documents the accelerating ways in which
robots are replacing humans, not just in the
sector of manufacturing but everywhere
from fast food to farming to legal work. The
next time you hear politicians promising
to bring back jobs, you’ll have to wonder if
they’re delusional or just lying.
The film encompasses multiple points of
view. Some see robots as a way to increase
prosperity for all humans while others
fear inequality will only widen. As a wry
storytelling device, Pozdorovkin enlists a
robotic voice to narrate the film as if from
the future. This is an eye-opening work of
science non-fiction.
THOM POWERS
Maxim Pozdorovkin is a Russian
documentary filmmaker. He
obtained his PhD at Harvard. His
documentary features include
Capital (11), Pussy Riot: A Punk
Prayer (13), The Notorious Mr. Bout
(14), and Our New President (17).
The Truth About Killer Robots (18)
is his latest film.
tiff docs 297
Ghost Fleet
We normally think of slavery as something
Shannon Service, historical. But in the global fishing industry,
Jeffrey Waldron it still takes place far away where no one
can bear witness. Thailand human-rights
USA, 2018
English, Burmese, Thai, Khmer activist Patima Tungpuchayakul has led a
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE crusade to help her country’s victims and
90 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) expose their conditions. In Ghost Fleet, we
Production Company: Vulcan Productions/ follow her team on a seafaring rescue mis-
Seahorse Productions sion to bring home prisoners who have spent
Executive Producer: Paul G. Allen, Carole Tomko,
Jannat Gargi, Rocky Collins, Julia Ormond, Geralyn years in captivity.
Dreyfous, Shari Sant Plummer, Shannon Joy Filmmakers Shannon Service and Jeffrey
Producer: Jon Bowermaster, Shannon Service Waldron tell this high-stakes story with
Cinematographer: Jeffrey Waldron
Editor: Parker Laramie great suspense and sensitivity. Service
Music: Mark degli Antoni started reporting on the topic several
Principal Cast: Patima Tungpuchayakul, Tun Lin, years ago for NPR, and Waldron is an
Chutima “Oi” Sidasathian
accomplished cinematographer.
Production: Vulcan Productions Thailand has the fourth-largest seafood
505 5th Ave S, Suite 900
Seattle, WA 98104 USA market in the world. (Your frozen shrimp
JannatG@Vulcan.com ring likely came from there). But due to
depletion of stock in its nearby waters, the
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: Endeavor Content fishing industry has started sending boats
(see page 359) greater distances and resorted to keeping
workers at sea against their will for years at
a time. The small fishing boats transfer their
stock to a mother ship, so that the fishers
rarely get close to dry land.
When the enslaved workers do spot
shore, they frequently make a desperate
jump, sometimes, like Robinson Crusoe,
298 tiff docs
taking refuge on island jungles for years.
The unlucky ones are recaptured and
tortured in company prisons.
One escaped slave, Tun Lin, joins
Tungpuchayakul on her mission to search
the southern islands of Indonesia where
escaped slaves have been reported to be
hiding; over the years, they’ve rescued more
than 4,000. Their adversaries are ruthless
but the activists’ determination is fierce.
When they’re able to achieve a reunion
between an escaped slave and his family,
it’s like watching a ghost come back to life.
THOM POWERS
Shannon Service is an American
journalist and filmmaker. She has
been published in The New York
Times, The Guardian, and Slate.
Ghost Fleet (18) is her first docu-
mentary feature.
Jeffrey Waldron was born in
Houston and studied film at USC
and the American Film Institute
Conservatory. As a cinematographer,
his credits include Cement Suitcase
(13), We Go On (16), and the TV series
Dear White People (17–). Ghost Fleet
(18) is his first feature film.
programme sponsored by
Hjertelandet
Heartbound
Janus Metz,
Sine Plambech
DENMARK/NETHERLANDS/SWEDEN, 2018
Danish, Thai, Loatian, English
WORLD PREMIERE
90 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Magic Hour Films/Metz Film/
Upfront Films/Baldr Film/Vilda Bomben Film/
Film i Väst
Producer: Lise Lense-Møller
Cinematographer: Henrik Bohn Ipsen
Editor: Marion Seraina Tuor, Søren Ebbe
Sound: Niklas Skarp
Music: Uno Helmersson
Principal Cast: Sommai Molbæk, Niels Jørgen Molbæk,
Jarinya Andersen, Kjeld B. Andersen,
Saowalak Nielsen, John Nielsen, Frank Andersen,
Prasoet Navoram, Saengrawi Ainchan-Saa,
Titakorn Phoothanonnok, Nuntawat Tantiang
Production: Magic Hour Films
Fortunvej 56
Copenhagen 2920 Charlottenlund Denmark
llm@magichourfilms.dk
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Autlook Filmsales
US Sales Agent: Cinetic Media, Creative Artists Agency
(CAA)
(see page 359)
Filmed over 10 years and two continents,
this profoundly humane documentary is
a true labour of love. It is also very much
about love, albeit a variation on love we may
not immediately recognize. Co-directed by
Janus Metz —whose Armadillo and Borg
vs. McEnroe have screened at the Festival
— and Sine Plambech, who is also an
anthropologist, Heartbound closely follows
the lives of women who leave their homes
to marry abroad so as to provide for their
families. Their journeys, though born of
desperation, will surprise you.
Sommai relocated to a small fishing
community in the sparsely populated Thy
region of Denmark 25 years ago. She met
her Danish husband during her time as a
sex worker in Pattaya, Thailand, and in
the intervening years she has helped other
Thai women find Danish husbands. At the
outset, these stories might appear straight-
forward: men from a wealthy country
exploit women from a developing country.
But as this remarkable film progresses, a
very different, far more complicated pic-
ture emerges.
Metz and Plambech built upon years of
research and relationships to construct this
generous, compassionate group portrait of
wives, husbands, and children navigating
wildly different cultures and compromises
that gradually shift in nature from sacrifice
to choice. As the world struggles to com-
prehend a new era of global migration,
we would do well to pay attention to what
transpires in Heartbound. Though fraught
on many levels, these stories are love sto-
ries — with all the discoveries, frustrations,
and connections that implies.
THOM POWERS
Janus Metz was born in Denmark
and studied at Roskilde University.
His films Armadillo (10) and Borg
vs. McEnroe (17) both screened at
the Festival. Heartbound (18) is his
latest film.
Sine Plambech was born in
Denmark and is currently study-
ing at the Danish Institute for
International Studies. She has
co-directed the documentaries
Love on Delivery (07), Ticket to
Paradise (08), and Trafficking (10).
Heartbound (18) is her latest film.

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What is Democracy?
With democracies facing assault around
Astra Taylor the world from far-right demagogues and
CANADA, 2018 foreign meddling, Astra Taylor’s expansive
English, Arabic, Spanish, Greek and often chilling What is Democracy?
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE could not have come at a better time.
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Peppered with observations from Plato, the
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada film casts a wide net, ranging effortlessly
Executive Producer: Anita Lee
Producer: Lea Marin through subjects as diverse as ancient
Screenplay: Astra Taylor Greece, the 1960s civil rights movements,
Cinematographer: Maya Bankovic and recent false claims about voter fraud.
Editor: Robert Kennedy
Sound: Sanjay Mehta, David McCallum The film is framed around a scholar’s
Music: Heather McIntosh analysis of a Renaissance painting com-
Production: National Film Board of Canada missioned by the wealthy denizens of Siena
3155 Cote-de-Liesse Rd. to warn against democracy and indepen-
Montreal, Quebec H4N2N4 Canada dent thought by representing oligarchs as
festivals@nfb.ca
inherently virtuous and rational, godlike
CONTACT INFORMATION figures while threatening protestors with
Canadian Distributor: National Film Board of Canada depictions of grisly punishment. These
US Distributor: Zeitgeist Films Ltd.
International Sales Agent: National Film Board of unsettling images have contemporary
Canada applications from the collapse of the Greek
(see page 359) economy (where the wealthy sponsored
a bailout for Greece and essentially paid
themselves) to well-off white people in
Florida who claim that the deck is stacked
against them because of their ances-
try and wealth. (One blank-eyed child
asks if democracy is where they tell you
what to do.)
300 tiff docs
The greatest lesson is that the potential
for democracy’s failure is inherent in the
freedoms it offers. (As Cornel West puts
it, “Every democratic experiment will end
in tyranny” or, to quote Plato, “the great-
est penalty for refusing to rule is to be
ruled by someone worse than oneself.”)
Democracy’s one unavoidable cost is con-
stant vigilance.
What is Democracy?’s cogent, persua-
sive analysis may be sobering, but it’s also
bracing: a philosophical call to arms to save
something we hold dear yet, dangerously,
take for granted.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Astra Taylor was born in Winnipeg.
She is known for her work as
an activist and documentarian.
Her films include Zizek (05),
Examined Life (08), and her
latest feature, What is Democracy?
(18), all of which have screened at
the Festival.
programme sponsored by
Angels Are Made
of Light
James Longley
USA/DENMARK/NORWAY, 2018
Dari, Pashto, Arabic, English
CANADIAN PREMIERE
117 minutes | Colour and Black and White/DCP
4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Daylight Factory/
Final Cut For Real/Louverture Films/Piraya Film
Executive Producer: Danny Glover, Anatoly Savin,
Jeff Sanderson, Lara Sanderson, Basil Shadid
Producer: James Longley, Joslyn Barnes,
Signe Byrge Sørensen, Torstein Grude
Cinematographer: James Longley
Editor: Janus Billeskov Jansen, Waltteri Vanhanen,
James Longley
Sound: Henrik Garnov, Thomas Arent, Jamshid Amiry,
Nasim Aalemi, Nasim Ansari, Saboor Arghandiwal
Music: John Erik Kaada
Production: Daylight Factory
2608 Second Ave., Ste. 117
Seattle, WA 98121 USA
james.longley1@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
US Sales Agent: ro*co films
(see page 359)
programme sponsored by
A dozen years after his Oscar-nominated
Iraq in Fragments, American documentar-
ian James Longley delivers a sweeping,
profoundly compassionate group portrait of
Afghan students and teachers still weather-
ing national turbulence.
Longley spent years at Kabul’s Daqiqi
Balkhi School observing classes and fol-
lowing the daily lives of several boys who
study there, such as Sohrab, who finds
solace in books and hopes to avoid the life
of low-paying manual labour his brothers
have resigned themselves to, and Nabiullah,
who operates a struggling food stall with his
father, a former Mujahedeen. Longley also
gleans the thoughts and hopes of some of
Sohrab and Nabiullah’s instructors, who
remember a golden age before the Taliban,
before tribal strife, before Afghanistan
became a Cold War pawn, and before the
recent prolonged US occupation that left
them only more divided than before.
As his subjects tell their stories in
poignant voiceover, Longley offers us an
arresting series of gorgeously photographed,
often-troubling images: a half-destroyed
mosque whose perforated roof lets in rays
of sunlight; streets teeming with flagellants,
singers, and demonstrators protesting an
election they are certain is corrupt. The
Kabul on display in Angels Are Made of
Light is a place fraught with poverty and
instability, but by placing his focus on the
next generation and the men and women
who educate them, Longley has seized
upon Afghanistan’s single most important
resource: relentless, radiant hope.
THOM POWERS
James Longley was born in Eugene,
Oregon. He studied cinema and
Russian at Wesleyan University and
attended Moscow’s All-Russian
Institute of Cinematography. His
films include the Festival selec-
tion Sari’s Mother (06) and Iraq in
Fragments (06), both of which were
nominated for Oscars. Angels are
Made of Light (18) is his latest film.
tiff docs 301
Freedom Fields
Naziha Arebi
LIBYA/UNITED KINGDOM/NETHERLANDS/
USA/QATAR/LEBANON/CANADA, 2018
Arabic, English
WORLD PREMIERE
99 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: SDI Productions Ltd/
HuNa Productions
Executive Producer: Sonja Henrici, Noe Mendelle
Producer: Flore Cosquer, Naziha Arebi
Cinematographer: Naziha Arebi
Editor: Ling Lee, Alice Powell, Maya Hawke
Sound: Giovanni Buccomino
Music: Katya Mihailova
Production: SDI Productions Ltd
ECA - 74 Lauriston Place
Edinburgh EH3 9DF United Kingdom
flore@scotdoc.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Wide House
302 tiff docs
“We’ve lived many beginnings,” says Fadwa, Whether you’re a fan of soccer or not,
the young protagonist in Naziha Arebi’s Arebi draws the viewer into a world where
debut documentary, Freedom Fields. Fadwa (as the women chant before they play)
is remarking on the state of post-revolution “determination, will, strength” are words
Libya in the aftermath of the violent over- to live by.
throw of Col. Moammar Gadhafi and the KIVA REARDON
reformative protests of the Arab Spring.
However, as we are soon to find out, her com- Naziha Arebi is an actor and director
ment also speaks to another dream close to raised in Hastings, England. She
completed an MA in Screen at the
her heart: to play soccer for her country on Central Saint Martins College of
the international stage. Art and Design. She directed the
The challenges are extraordinary. The short documentary Granny’s Flags
women on the team struggle to gain (12). Freedom Fields (18) is her first
feature film.
resources, respect, and even the right to play,
as certain segments of society don’t sup-
port their efforts. Arebi follows the players
over the course of four years, filming from
2012 to 2016, documenting their training,
issues off the pitch, and how, in many ways,
their hopes and difficulties speak to the
broader position of women in contemporary
Libyan society.
Arebi brings a keen eye to the docu-
mentary, capturing the beauty of street
life and the women’s games with stunning
cinematography.
programme sponsored by
Monrovia, Indiana
Frederick Wiseman has had an unparalleled juxtaposition: What does it mean in a land
Frederick Wiseman career, directing over 40 non-fiction films where animals are mass-processed for food
USA, 2018 across six decades. For the past 10 years, he’s that we see a veterinarian going to great
English tended to focus on the diverse metropolises lengths to treat a pet dog?
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE of New York, London, and Paris, where he’s With its depiction of Freemasons, gun
143 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
dwelled on the concerns of arts administra- shops, and farm auctions, Monrovia, Indiana
Production Company: Civic Film LLC tors, immigrants, and intellectuals. Now he is one more piece of Wiseman’s grand mosaic.
Executive Producer: Karen Konicek
Producer: Frederick Wiseman shifts to a different environment, that of THOM POWERS
Cinematographer: John Davey small-town America, in Monrovia, Indiana,
Editor: Frederick Wiseman where the population barely breaks 1,000. Frederick Wiseman was born in
Sound: Frederick Wiseman
In the aftershock of the 2016 election, Boston and studied at Yale Law
School. He has directed over 40
Production: Civic Film LLC coastal journalists had to reckon with being documentaries and has received
1 Richdale Ave., Unit 4
Cambridge, MA 02140 USA out of touch with red-state America. In his multiple honours, including the
info@zipporah.com own way, Wiseman helps fill that void, by Guggenheim and MacArrthur fel-
immersing us for a couple of months into lowships. Many of his films, including
CONTACT INFORMATION Boxing Gym (10), Crazy Horse (11),
US Distributor: Zipporah Films a corner of the Midwest seldom depicted At Berkeley (13), National Gallery
International Sales Agent: Doc & Film International on film. He isn’t tackling politics overtly, (14), In Jackson Heights (15), and Ex
US Sales Agent: Zipporah Films but he allows us to contemplate a region Libris – The New York Public Library
(see page 359)
where farming, sports, and the Christian (17) have screened at the Festival.
Monrovia,Indiana (18) is his latest
church are dominant factors in a mainly documentary.
white community.
Last year, Wiseman resisted calling his
work “observational” insisting “that’s much
too passive.” He wants to remind viewers
that every shot and edit is intentional. But
he’s never blunt in explaining his choices
with narration or text cards. He wants
the audience to make their own decisions
about what they’re watching. To pick one

programme sponsored by

tiff docs 303

Aglumi
Three longtime friends, Tazo, Guram, and Nino Zhvania’s debut feature is a
Parade Trulaila, accidentally reunite in Tbilisi, revelatory glimpse into Georgian society.
Georgia, after years apart. Life has not been A tragicomedy at its core, the film marks
Nino Zhvania easy; one is newly released from prison, a director who is precise and steadfast in
GEORGIA/RUSSIA, 2018 another is a struggling street painter, her vision and simultaneously maintains a
Georgian and the third is an actor and womanizer. nuanced, hawkeyed view of her society.
WORLD PREMIERE
87 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
The only things they have in common Parade is a love letter to the director’s
are fading memories of the good old days country, albeit with a powerful lesson:
Production Company: New Georgian Film/IbRus
Executive Producer: Nikoloz Abramashvili
and a dissatisfaction with their present cherish what you hold closest to your heart
Producer: Nikoloz Abramashvili, Rusudan Glurjidze circumstances. Luckless so far, they decide because someday all that is left will be
Screenplay: Irakli Samsonadze upon an adventure with the potential of memories and time passed.
Cinematographer: Gigi Samsonadze
Editor: Nodar Nozadze
changing their trajectories. DIMITRI EIPIDES
Production Designer: Gogi Tatishvili The men aimlessly hit the road. As we
Sound: Paata Godziashvili marinate in their sorrows and joys, listening N i n o Z h va n i a wa s b o r n i n
Principal Cast: Guga Kotetishvili, Goga Pipinashvili,
Archil Kikodze, Nikoloz Abramashvili
to their stories and jokes, glimpses of their Tbilisi and studied film direct-
ing at the Gerasimov Institute of
respective formative moments are revealed. Cinematography. Her short films
Production: New Georgian Film
2 Brothers Kakabadze Street
The subtle differences among the characters include Asatiani (07), Excuse Me,
Tbilisi 0108 Georgia slowly become apparent to the audience and My Friend (11), and My Friend Iliko
newgeofilm@yahoo.com certain moments — like a chance meeting (12). Parade (18) is her first feature.

with a group of women that also breaks the

ice between the old friends — are particu-
larly revealing. With no particular direction,
our heroes are hapless wanderers with every
potential on the horizon. The Georgian
countryside, also worn and somehow fro-
zen in the past yet steeped in tradition and
charm, is their guide.

discovery 191
Edge of the Knife
The first feature film made entirely in the
Gwaai Edenshaw, Haida language — a critically endangered
Helen Haig-Brown language spoken fluently by fewer than 20
people — Edge of the Knife is a stunning cin-
CANADA, 2018
Haida ematic achievement and a spellbinding tale
WORLD PREMIERE of pride, tragedy, and remorse set in Haida
100 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Gwaii in the 1800s.
Production Company: Niijang Xyaalas Productions Ltd. Two extended families meet at their
Executive Producer: Zacharias Kunuk annual fishing camp one summer on the
Producer: Jonathan Frantz
Screenplay: Gwaai Edenshaw, Jaalen Edenshaw, shores of Haida Gwaii, in Canada’s Pacific
Graham Richard, Leonie Sandercock Northwest. Charming Adiits’ii is close to the
Cinematographer: Jonathan Frantz family of his best friend Kwa and an ardent
Editor: Sarah Heder
Production Designer: Sandy Cochrane teacher to Kwa’s young son. The boy looks up
Sound: Roderick Matte to him, but Kwa’s wife, Hlaaya, is concerned
Music: Kinnie Starr that Adiits’ii’s appetite for challenges may
Principal Cast: Tyler York, William Russ, Adeana Young
lead to reckless choices. Tragedy strikes
Production: Niijang Xyaalas Productions Ltd. when a storm hits the small encampment
PO Box 82
Masset BC V0T 1MO Canada and Adiits’ii becomes estranged from the
dana@skidegate.ca group. Presuming him dead, they return to
their winter home without him. Adiits’ii
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: creeps deep into the forest and begins his
Isuma Distribution International Ltd. ominous transformation into a Gaagiid/
(see page 359) Gaagiixiid — the legendary Haida Wildman.
In this spectacular rendering of a classic
Haida story, life on the land is shaped by the
power of the elements, where natural and
supernatural forces co-exist.
Co-directed by Haida filmmaker Gwaai
Edenshaw and Tsilhqot’in filmmaker Helen
192 discovery
Haig-Brown, this ambitious project was a
collaboration with Isuma, the team behind
the landmark film Atanarjuat: The Fast
Runner. Made with a Haida cast and in col-
laboration with the Haida Council, Edge of
the Knife proves that cinema can be at once
a powerful vessel for riveting storytelling
and a vital act of Indigenous language and
culture revitalization.
DANIS GOULET
Gwaai Edenshaw is an metalworker,
artist, and illustrator. He is a found-
ing member of the K’aalts’idaa K’ah
Storytelling Society. Edge of the Knife
(18), co-directed with Helen Haig
Brown, is his first film.
Helen Haig-Brown is from the
Yunesit’in community of the
Tsilhqot’in Nation. She graduated
from the Indigenous Independent
Digital Filmmaking program
at Capilano University. Her work as
director includes the shorts My Big
Brother (05) and The Cave (09),
and the feature My Legacy (14).
Edge of the Knife (18), co-directed
with Gwaii Edenshaw, is her
latest film.
Kursk
The August 2000 sinking of the nuclear From its first scenes, which echo The
Thomas Vinterberg submarine Kursk was a tragedy — one that Deer Hunter in their depiction of a wedding
BELGIUM/LUXEMBOURG, 2018 could have been avoided. The disaster preceding a fateful deployment, Kursk keeps
English haunts us still, and it has been vividly recre- its focus squarely on the camaraderie and
WORLD PREMIERE ated in this new film from director Thomas heroism of the submarine crew and their
117 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Vinterberg and screenwriter Robert Rodat families. The film is a heartrending tribute
Production Company: Via Est/Belga productions (Saving Private Ryan), starring Matthias to victims and survivors — and a work of
Producer: Ariel Zeitoun
Screenplay: Robert Rodat Schoenaerts, Léa Seydoux, and Colin Firth. nerve-racking suspense, even if you know
Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle It is the first major Russian Navy exer- how it’s going to end.
Editor: Valdis Oskardottir, Sigurdur Eythorsson cise since the end of the Soviet Union, CAMERON BAILEY
Production Designer: Thierry Flammand
Sound: Jan Deca, Jean-Paul Hurier, but the K-141 Kursk is deemed unsink-
Guillaume Bouchateau able and its crew recognized as the best Thomas Vinterberg was born in
Music: Alexandre Desplat in the Northern Fleet. Among that crew Copenhagen and graduated from the
Principal Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Léa Seydoux, National Film School of Denmark. He
Colin Firth is Captain-Lieutenant Mikhail Kalekov co-founded the Dogme 95 movement
(Schoenaerts), a devoted naval officer with and directed its inaugural film, The
CONTACT INFORMATION a loving wife (Seydoux), a child, and another Celebration (98), which screened at
International Sales Agent: Europa Corp
US Sales Agent: Europa Corp on the way. He and his crew board the Kursk the Festival, as did Dear Wendy (05),
The Hunt (12), and The Commune
(see page 359) and descend into the Barents Sea with a (16). His other features include
sense of optimism and fraternity. Submarino (10) and Far From the
Then come the explosions. Many lives are Madding Crowd (15). Kursk (18) is
lost instantly, but Mikhail and others are his latest work.

safe in one of the sealed rear compartments.

They have air and food to last until they are
rescued, but when will help arrive? Once the
sub’s seismic activity is detected, Britain,
France, and Norway offer their assistance,
but Russia insists it has the situation under
control. Time is of the essence, but time
keeps passing.

special presentation 161

American Woman
A child’s disappearance is a parent’s worst Written by Brad Ingelsby, American
Jake Scott nightmare. This riveting drama from direc- Woman pulls us deep into the lives of these
USA, 2018 tor Jake Scott (Welcome to the Rileys) tracks good, flawed, ordinary people. Miller has
WORLD PREMIERE one woman’s efforts to navigate that night- never given a performance quite this lived-in
111 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) mare over a period of 11 years. Featuring and emotionally layered. Her character’s
Production Company: Scott Free/ stunning performances from Sienna Miller, pain is soul-piercing, but so are her resil-
Romulus Entertainment Aaron Paul, Amy Madigan, and Christina ience and survival skills. This is a harrowing
Executive Producer: Ryan Stowell, Shea Kammer,
Erika Olde, Brad Ingelsby, Joseph Ingrassia Hendricks, American Woman is about the story but also a healing one.
Producer: Ridley Scott, Kevin Walsh, Michael Pruss, tragedies that change a person — and the life JANE SCHOETTLE
Brad Feinstein that happens in between.  
Screenplay: Brad Ingelsby
Cinematographer: John Mathieson BSC Deb (Miller) was never shy about being Jake Scott was raised in London and
Editor: Joi McMillon the bad girl in her family. She had her daugh- is now based in Los Angeles. He has
directed music videos for such artists
Production Designer: Happy Massee ter Bridget young, Bridget had her son Jesse as Radiohead, R.E.M., Oasis, U2, and
Sound: Andy Hay
Music: Adam Wiltizie young, and the three of them live a more or George Michael. He has also directed
Principal Cast: Sienna Miller, Christina Hendricks, less happy life in their small Pennsylvania the features Plunkett & Macleane
Aaron Paul, Will Sasso, Amy Madigan town. Then one night Bridget goes out with (99), Welcome to the Rileys (10),
and American Woman (18).
Production: Scott Free her old boyfriend — Jesse’s father — and
614 N. La Peer Drive never returns. Deb’s mother (Madigan) and
Los Angeles, CA 90069 USA
claudia@scottfree.com sister (Hendricks) join the entire commu-
nity in a thorough search, but to no avail.
CONTACT INFORMATION Time passes, the devastation eases little
International Sales Agent: Bloom
US Sales Agent: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment by little, and Deb moves on, raising Jesse on
(see page 359) her own. She starts a new career and finds
new love in Chris (Paul), a charismatic
construction worker and musician. But
just when her devastating loss seems far
behind her, new truths come to light that
change everything.

162 special presentation

Hold the Dark
Jeremy Saulnier
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
125 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: VisionChaos/Addictive Pictures/
filmscience
Executive Producer: Vincent Savino, Uwe Feuersenger,
Riva Marker, Luc Etienne, Ben Browning
Producer: Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder,
Eva Maria Daniels, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani
Screenplay: Macon Blair
Cinematographer: Magnus Nordenhof Jønck
Editor: Julia Bloch
Production Designer: Ryan Warren Smith
Sound: Tony Volante
Music: Brooke Blair, Will Blair
Principal Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård,
James Badge Dale, Riley Keough, Julian Black Antelope
Production: VisionChaos
11766 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 500
Los Angeles, CA 90025 USA
eva@evadanielsproductions.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
(see page 359)
With three features under his belt — and
two of them, Blue Ruin and Green Room,
screening at the Festival — Jeremy Saulnier
has already staked a claim as a master crafts-
man of moody, character-driven thrillers in
which acts of violence are swift, merciless,
and seem to have emerged from some primal
pith within the human psyche.
With Hold the Dark, the director’s signa-
ture is now fully discernable, though the film’s
premise feels worlds away from those of its
predecessors. Starring Golden Globe winners
Jeffrey Wright and Alexander Skarsgård (also
appearing at the Festival in, respectively, The
Public and The Hummingbird Project), and
Golden Globe nominee Riley Keough, this
Alaska-set murder ballad is chilling in every
sense of the word.
A child is missing. His home is one of a
handful of trailers on the edge of the wilder-
ness. His father (Skarsgård) is serving in the
Middle East and his mother (Keough) seems
to be succumbing to cabin fever. She calls in
Russell Core (Wright), a writer and expert
on wolves; she believes the creatures took
her boy and hopes Core can find him.
Core accepts the mission as a pretext to
visit his estranged daughter in Anchorage,
but quickly realizes he’s taken on a stranger
and more sinister task that he could have
anticipated. He finds himself in the middle
of both a long-simmering dispute between
a disenfranchised Indigenous community
and the local authorities, and a mass-murder
investigation.
Adapted from William Giraldi’s novel by
actor and scenarist Macon Blair — who has
appeared in each of Saulnier’s features —
Hold the Dark is equal parts neo-noir and
ancient myth. Tinged with the supernatural
but grounded in grisly realism, it is a nasty
campfire tale you won’t soon shake off.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Jeremy Saulnier was born in
Alexandria, Virginia, and studied at
New York University’s Tisch School of
the Arts. His films as writer-director
include the short Crabwalk (04)
and the features Murder Party (07),
Blue Ruin (13) and Green Room
(15), the latter two of which played
the Festival‘s Midnight Madness
programme. Hold the Dark (18) is
his latest film.
special presentation 163
Gloria Bell
Sebastián Lelio’s award-winning 2013 TIFF Drawing dazzling energy from his new
Sebastián Lelio selection Gloria followed the ups and downs cast and locations, Lelio follows Gloria as
USA/CHILE, 2018 of a fifty-something divorcée (played by the she navigates midlife romance and figures
English divine Paulina García) as she searched for out what she truly wants. While we can all
WORLD PREMIERE love and self-realization in Chile’s capital. sympathize with Arnold — and Turturro has
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
The film captivated audiences and critics never been more comically vulnerable — it’s
Production Company: Fabula/FilmNation Entertainment alike. He followed Gloria’s triumph with Gloria we’re always rooting for. Moore’s
Executive Producer: Julianne Moore, Shea Kammer,
Rocio Jadue, Ben Browning, Glen Basner, Milan Popelka, two films in a single year: 2017’s Academy take on the character is a fresh revelation:
Alison Cohen Award–winning A Fantastic Woman and his while maintaining Gloria’s feisty spirit and
Producer: Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, first English-language film, Disobedience, eagerness to connect, she discovers just how
Sebastián Lelio
Screenplay: Sebastián Lelio both of which screened at last year’s Festival. satisfying it can be to dance alone.
Cinematographer: Natasha Braier Now Lelio returns with a revitalized remake DIANA SANCHEZ
Editor: Soledad Salfate of his breakthrough, transporting the epony-
Production Designer: Dan Bishop
Music: Matthew Herbert mous Gloria to Los Angeles and casting the Sebastián Lelio was born in Santiago,
Principal Cast: Julianne Moore, John Turturro, inimitable Julianne Moore to play her. Chile, and graduated from la Escuela
de Cine de Chile. His features The
Michael Cera, Caren Pistorius, Brad Garrett, Gloria adores her adult children (Michael Year of the Tiger (11), Gloria (13),
Jeanne Tripplehorn, Rita Wilson, Holland Taylor
Cera and Caren Pistorius), but she’s inter- Disobedience (17), and A Fantastic
Production: Fabula ested in being more than a grandmother. Woman (17), which won an Academy
Holanda 3017
Nunoa Santiago 7770057 Chile She loves to spend her evenings dancing in Award for Foreign Language Film,
all screened at the Festival. Gloria Bell
contacto@fabula.cl singles clubs, hoping to meet Mr. Right. It (18) is his latest film.
all seems to be falling into place when she
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: VVS Films meets the recently divorced Arnold (John
US Distributor: A24 Turturro), who falls for her bright smile and
International Sales Agent: FilmNation Entertainment sees the beauty behind her oversized glasses.
(see page 359)
But Arnold’s ex-wife and grown-up daughters
have an unhealthy hold on him, and it seems
he doesn’t know how to let go of the past — or
his incessantly ringing mobile phone.

164 special presentation

Manbiki Kazoku
Osamu, a middle-aged man, and Shōta (Kairi Whether capturing the hubbub of meal-
Shoplifters Jyo), a young boy, walk into a grocery store. times from a cranny in the family’s cramped
They play it cool, not speaking but, rather, flat or tracking treks for food and goods in
Hirokazu Kore-eda signalling to each other with their hands sundry corners of the city, Kore-eda’s cam-
JAPAN, 2018 and eyes. One provides cover while the other era exudes a quiet compassion for these
Japanese
CANADIAN PREMIERE
snatches goods. They stroll out the door with marginalized misfits struggling to make ends
121 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) a hidden bounty before anyone notices. meet in a merciless urban environment.
Production Company: Fuji Television Network, Inc./
The latest from Japanese master Hirokazu Shoplifters is an unforgettable testament
Gaga Corporation/Aoi Promotion Kore-eda (Nobody Knows) begins with to the notion that the family who steals
Executive Producer: Takashi Ishihara, Tom Yoda, the mischief and intrigue of a heist movie, together stays together.
Yasuhito Nakae
Producer: Kaoru Matsuzaki, Akihiko Yose, Hijiri Taguchi
but Shoplifters is much more. Winner of GIOVANNA FULVI
Screenplay: Hirokazu Kore-eda the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film
Cinematographer: Ryuto Kondo Festival, this tender, wise, suspenseful film is Hirokazu Kore-eda was born in
Editor: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Production Designer: Keiko Mitsumatsu
an incisive social critique and characteristi- Tokyo. He studied literature at
Waseda University. His films include
Sound: Kazuhiko Tomita cally nuanced family portrait delivered with Maborosi (95), After Life (98),
Music: Haruomi Hosono breathtaking grace. Nobody Knows (04), Still Walking
Principal Cast: Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka,
Kilin Kiki, Kairi Jyo, Miyu Sasaki
The resourceful grifters at the heart of (08), I Wish (11), Like Father, Like
Shoplifters are not, however, all blood rela- Son (13), Our Little Sister (15), and
Production: Fuji Television Network, Inc. The Third Murder (17), all of which
2-4-8 Daiba Minato-ku
tives. Osamu (Lily Franky) and Shōta (Kairi played the Festival. Shoplifters (18)
Tokyo 137-8088 Japan Jyo) find four-year-old Juri (Miyu Sasaki) is his latest film.
kaoru.matsuzaki@fujitv.co.jp freezing on a balcony and take her back to
CONTACT INFORMATION
their poor but happy home. And though
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media Osamu’s wife doesn’t want another mouth to
US Distributor: Magnolia Pictures feed, any plans to return Juri to her parents
International Sales Agent: Wild Bunch
(see page 359)
are given the kibosh after signs of abuse are
discovered on the little girl’s body. If they’re
not demanding a ransom, how could this be
a kidnapping?

special presentation 165

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 Discovery
Directors to watch.
The future of world cinema.
Guo Chun Tian
Sixteen-year-old Peipei crosses the bor- that divides childhood from adulthood.
The Crossing der nearly every day, travelling from her Alternating between unobtrusive hand-held
mainland China home to her Hong Kong camerawork and interjections of ostentatious
Bai Xue high school and back again. Customs style — such as sudden, adrenaline-fuelled
CHINA, 2018 officials glimpse her school uniform and freeze-frames — Bai displays a crackerjack
Mandarin, Cantonese innocent face and wave her through with- cinematic storytelling sensibility, slowly
WORLD PREMIERE
99 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
out a second thought. But Peipei is about to ratcheting up tension while our impression-
become involved in some illicit activities able young heroine receives a crash course in
Production Company: Wanda Pictures
Executive Producer: Tian Zhuangzhuang
that will render her routine into something how to take charge of one’s life… and quite
Producer: Cary Cheng highly dangerous. possibly lose everything in the process.
Screenplay: Bai Xue, Lin Meiju Peipei’s father works the night shift at GIOVANNA FULVI
Cinematographer: Piao Songri
Editor: Matthieu Laclau, Tom Lin, Tsai Yann-Shan
a shipping yard while her mother fritters
Production Designer: Cheung Siu Hong away the family’s earnings at late-night Bai Xue was born in China. She
Sound: Feng Yanming, Lin Xuelin mahjong parties. Eager to please her best obtained her MFA from the Beijing
Music: Gao Xiaoyang, Li Bin Film Academy. After competing in
Principal Cast: Huang Yao, Sunny Sun, Carmen Soup,
friend, a wealthy girl making plans for the the CFDG China Young Film Director
Kong May Yee Elena, Ni Hongjie, Liu Kaichi, Jiao Gang two of them to spend Christmas holidays at Support Program, she made her first
Production: Wanda Pictures
a Japanese hot spring, Peipei is desperate to feature, The Crossing (18).
5F Building #12, Wanda Plaza raise some cash. Her attempt to earn money
93 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District waitressing yields unimpressive results. But
Beijing 100022 China
diana.zhangyi@foxmail.com
once she crosses paths with the handsome
young Hao and his band of smartphone
CONTACT INFORMATION smugglers, an alluring windfall suddenly
International Sales Agent: Wanda Pictures
(see page 359)
seems feasible.
Bai Xue’s captivating debut uses Peipei’s
precipitous slide into illegality as a platform
upon which to consider numerous kinds of
crossings: the traversal of national boundar-
ies; the line that separates the law-abiding
citizen from the criminal; the frontier

168 discovery
ANIARA
Pella Kågerman,
Hugo Lilja
SWEDEN, 2018
Swedish
WORLD PREMIERE
106 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Meta Film Stockholm AB
Executive Producer: Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen,
Nina Bisgaard, Eddy Moretti, Danny Gabai,
Natalie Farrey, Vincent Landay, Glenn Lund
Producer: Annika Rogell, Markus Waltå
Screenplay: Pella Kågerman, Hugo Lilja
Cinematographer: Sophie Winqvist Loggins
Editor: Pella Kågerman, Björn Kessler,
Michal Leszczylowski
Production Designer: Linnéa Petterson,
Maja-Stina Åsberg
Sound: Calle Wachtmeister
Music: Alexander Berg
Principal Cast: Emelie Jonsson, Arvin Kananian,
Bianca Cruzeiro, Anneli Martini, Jennie Silfverhjelm,
Peter Carlberg, Emma Broomé
Production: Meta Film Stockholm AB
BOX 36
Höganäs Sverige 263 21 Sweden
info@metafilm.se
Based on a prescient epic poem by Swedish
Nobel Prize winner Harry Martinson, Pella
Kågerman and Hugo Lilja’s astounding
and eerie ANIARA charts the fate of the
human race after they have destroyed the
planet. One of several ships launched into
space to start anew on Mars, ANIARA is
designed to meet the needs of a species that
has just consumed its birthplace: it’s a giant
shopping mall. (It may be the best use of
mall-as-metaphor since George A. Romero’s
Dawn of the Dead.) When an accident knocks
the ship off course and disables its steering,
the likelihood that these once-sanguine
colonizers will ever reach their destination
gradually begins to shrink.
A caustic portrait of humanity’s capacity
for self-delusion, self-abuse, and consump-
tion, ANIARA follows the ship’s passengers
as they deal with uncertainty and dread but
continue to indulge their appetites when-
ever and however they can.
The protagonist, Mr (Emelie Jonsson),
runs a room where a sentient computer
allows humans to experience near-spirit-ual
memories of the planet. Before the
accident, no one is interested. There’s
shopping to be done. After the accident,
the passengers can’t get enough, and the
psychological weight of their anxiety and
aggression drives the computer to depres-
sion. Mr tries to carve out a meaningful
life given the circumstances and finds herself
buffeted by the changes the micro-society
experiences, from the deterioration of the
ship’s command to the rise of deranged cults.
Directed and adapted by Kågerman and
Lilja with skill and astonishing ingenuity,
the film veers from satire to action, and
horror to tragedy, almost effortlessly.
ANIARA is an exemplary, timely work of
speculative fiction.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Pella Kågerman is a Swedish
writer, director, and artist. She has
directed the short films The Swedish
Supporter (11, co-directed with Hugo
Lilja), Stormakstiden (14), and The
Swedish Empire (14). ANIARA (18)
is her first feature.
Hugo Lilja was born in Umeå,
Sweden. His short films include
Judgement Day (07), Home Service
(08), The Unliving (10), The Swedish
Supporter (11, co-directed with
Pella Kågerman), and Security (15).
ANIARA (18) is his first feature.
discovery 169
A-wol Ba-di
There is a fine line between admiration and this tendency has become the norm. Perhaps
Our Body obsession. Admiration grows from respect, Ja-young is the only one being honest about
but when it goes a step too far, it can lead to her feelings.
Han Ka-ram destruction. In Our Body, curiosity turns GIOVANNA FULVI
SOUTH KOREA, 2018 into admiration, which then risks evolving
Korean
WORLD PREMIERE
into something much worse. Han Ka-ram was born in Seoul
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Ja-young (Moon Choi) is a 31-year-old and studied cinema at the Korean
Academy of Film Arts. Her short films
Production Company: Korean Academy of Film Arts
woman who loses her ambition after many include Affogato (16) and Tombstone
Producer: Park Syu-young gruelling years of studying for the public offi- Refugee (17). Our Body (18) is her
Screenplay: Han Ka-ram cial exam. One lonely evening, she reflects on feature film debut.
Cinematographer: Lee Seong-eun
Editor: Han Ka-ram
her life and her failures while stopping in a
Production Designer: Kim Young-tak, Kim Ji-young, park near her house, feeling miserable, when
Lee Hyun-soo, Kim Hee-jae suddenly a beautiful, fit runner, Hyun-joo
Sound: Yoon Jong-min, Cho Han-cheol
Music: Lee Su-yeon, Lee Hae-in
(Ahn Ji-hye), glides smoothly past her.
Principal Cast: Moon Choi, Ahn Ji-hye Intrigued by this celestial vision of harmony
Production: Korean Academy of Film Arts
and grace, Ja-young repeatedly returns to
143, Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu the stairs, hoping to meet the object of her
Seoul 04053 South Korea curiosity. When she materializes from the
sales@mline-distribution.com
darkness, Ja-young chases after her like
CONTACT INFORMATION Alice after the rabbit. Will Hyun-joo take
International Sales Agent: M-Line Distribution Ja-young to Wonderland?
(see page 359)
A strong debut from the promising Han
Ka-ram, Our Body is on one level a critical
look at contemporary social issues among
young adults in an economy where employ-
ment is hard to come by and age becomes a
handicap. But it’s also a bigger discussion
about how society shapes us as individuals.
We compromise our identity to belong, and

170 discovery
Farming
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
UNITED KINGDOM, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
107 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Groundswell Productions/
Montebello Productions
Executive Producer: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje,
David Ostrander, Richard Abend, Fréderic Fiore,
Eric Tavitian, Marie-Gabrielle Stewart
Producer: Michael London, Janice Williams,
Francois Invernel, Andrew Levitas
Screenplay: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Cinematographer: Kit Fraser
Editor: Tariq Anwar
Production Designer: Miren Marañon
Sound: Glen Gathard
Music: Ilan Eshkeri
Principal Cast: Damson Idris, Kate Beckinsale,
John Dagleish, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jamie Winstone,
Genevieve Nnaji, Zephan Amissah
Production: Groundswell Productions
c/o Hanway Films, 24 Hanway Street
London, County W1T 1UH United Kingdom
mlondon@groundswellfilms.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: HanWay Films
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA),
William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
(see page 359)
One of the most shocking social experi-
ments in recent UK history involved the
farming out of Nigerian children to white
families in the 1960s. Drawing on his own
life story, actor-turned-director Adewale
Akinnuoye-Agbaje writes and directs this
electrifying film that spans the experience
of its protagonist from childhood into
adulthood. A coming-of-age film unlike any
other, it is a painful but moving look at what
this experiment meant to a London-born
child whose Yorùbá parents voluntarily gave
him to a white working-class family, think-
ing they were giving him the opportunity
for a better life.
Enitan’s (Damson Idris) upbringing is a
rollercoaster ride that ends up out of control.
Living with a half-dozen other children in
his new foster home, the young boy drifts off
into a world of fantasy in an effort to cope
but, of course, he is rudely awakened by
reality. A brief move back to Nigeria, where
he can’t speak his parents’ native tongue,
offers no asylum. Sent back to England,
he is desperate to fit in, to meet with soci-
ety’s approval. This takes him on the most
mind-bending of trips during which he joins
a white, Clockwork Orange–like skinhead
gang led by a racist psychopath, and finds
himself beating up on his own kind. These
moments are the most disturbing and trou-
bling, as this once-sensitive, contemplative
adolescent turns into a violent menace.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje withholds nothing as
he details Enitan’s hurt, his yearning, and
his descent into destructive self-loathing.
But the story does not end here. Farming
leads us on a journey of twists and turns,
and of perseverance, that will take Enitan in
directions not only unexpected, but seem-
ingly unreachable.
PIERS HANDLING
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was
born in Islington, North London. He
graduated with a master’s degree in
law from King’s College London, and
worked as a model before turning
to acting. His many film and televi-
sion credits include Congo (95), Oz
(97–03), The Bourne Identity (02),
The Mistress of Spices (05), Lost
(05–10), Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (05),
Killer Elite (10), Trumbo (15), and
Suicide Squad (16). Farming (18) is
his feature directorial debut.
discovery 171
Da Xiang Xi Di Er Zuo
A restless camera stalks lives scarred by is having an affair with a school official and
An Elephant Sitting Still indifference, violence, and despair amid the fears the release of a revealing video. They
frozen post-industrial decay of an anony- are escaping from their families, authorities,
Hu Bo mous city somewhere in northern China. It gangsters, and the bleak nature of reality on
CHINA, 2018 spins a wrenching tale of rage and beauty in their way to Manzhouli.
Mandarin
CANADIAN PREMIERE
Hu Bo’s magnificent debut film. GIOVANNA FULVI
234 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) Achingly elegant and epic, An Elephant
Screenplay: Hu Bo
Sitting Still is destined to become a land- Hu Bo was born in Jinan, China
Cinematographer: Fan Chao mark of new Chinese cinema, albeit one and studied film directing at the
Beijing Film Academy. The author
Editor: Hu Bo tainted by tragedy, as the immense talent of of many popular novels, he wrote
Production Designer: Xie Lijia
Sound: Ren Yiming
Hu Bo is now forever lost due to the young and directed his feature debut, An
Music: Hua Lun director’s death shortly after the completion Elephant Sitting Still (18), before his
Principal Cast: Zhang Yu, Peng Yuchang, Wang Yuwen, of this film. death in October 2017.
Liu Congxi
Somewhere further up north and away
from all daily concerns in the city of
CONTACT INFORMATION Manzhouli, a mythical elephant is said to
Canadian Distributor: KimStim
US Distributor: KimStim
be sitting still, indifferent to the brutality
International Sales Agent: Rediance of the world — casting a legendary spell and
(see page 359) drawing the protagonists of this story, which
unfolds during a single, eventful day.
Punctuated by long takes and silences
and sudden outbursts of verbal and physical
violence, the film’s complex narrative flows
seamlessly. It tells the stories of 16-year-old
Weibu (Peng Yuchang) who is bullied at
home and in school, his old neighbour Wang
Jin (Liu Congxi) who has been evicted from
his home by his estranged family, and his
classmate Huang Ling (Wang Yuwen) who

172 discovery
Girl
Fifteen-year-old Lara dreams of becoming a Though conflict is ever present in Girl,
Lukas Dhont ballerina. Assigned male at birth, Lara has to Dhont’s mastery lies in his decision to
BELGIUM, 2018 overcome more than blistered, bloody feet to focus on the internal, rather than the exter-
French, Dutch realize her dream. With remarkable control nal, making the moments when it escapes
CANADIAN PREMIERE and sensitivity, Belgian first-time helmer to the surface all the more affecting. His
106 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Lukas Dhont brings trans experiences to the storytelling, featuring a deceptively modest
Production Company: Menuet fore with a coming-of-age story that explores script (co-written with Angelo Tijssens)
Producer: Dirk Impens
Screenplay: Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens the psychological and physical journey inspired by a true story, favours the visual
Cinematographer: Frank Van Den Eeden of transitioning from adolescent to adult. over dialogue, highlighting the incredibly
Editor: Alain Dessauvage Recently admitted on a probationary expressive and physical principal perfor-
Production Designer: Philippe Bertin
Sound: Yanna Soentjens basis to one of Belgium’s most prestigious mance of Victor Polster. Through Lara’s
Music: Valentin Hadjadj ballet academies, Lara approaches her exquisite, diligent path to self-acceptance,
Principal Cast: Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter dancing much as she does her life, with Dhont questions the possibility of perfec-
Production: Menuet meticulous, relentless, even punishing dis- tion; as a filmmaker, he is well on his way to
PUURSESTEENWEG 390C cipline. Each day begins with stretching to achieving it.
Ghent 2880 BORNEM Belgium
info@menuet.be improve her flexibility and taping down her KERRI CRADDOCK
penis to hide the one thing that, in her eyes,
CONTACT INFORMATION betrays her female identity. Those close to Lukas Dhont was born in Ghent,
Canadian Distributor: Netflix, Inc.
US Distributor: Netflix, Inc. Lara already see a girl. Even in the height- Belgium. He has directed the short
films Headlong (12) and L’Infini (14)
International Sales Agent: The Match Factory ened body-conscious world of ballet, her as well as the short documentary
(see page 359) transition goes practically unnoticed. But, Skin of Glass (12). His first feature,
desperate for her outer body to reflect her Girl (18), was awarded the Caméra
inner self, Lara grows impatient — with hor- D’Or award at Cannes.

mone therapy that yields minimal results,

with her psychotherapist’s constant need
to assess her emotional state, and with her TIFF Next Wave
father’s awkward, if loving, reassurances. Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

While Lara demonstrates bravery beyond

young voices in today’s fast-moving world.

her years, she’s not interested in being brave; This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
she just wants to be.

discovery 173
Fig Tree
Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian
ISRAEL/GERMANY/FRANCE/ETHIOPIA, 2018
Amharic
WORLD PREMIERE
93 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Black Sheep Film Productions/
av Medien Penrose/En Compagnie Des Lamas
Producer: Saar Yogev, Naomi Levari, Felix Eisele,
Sandrine Brauer
Screenplay: Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian
Cinematographer: Daniel Miller
Editor: Arik Lahav Leibovich
Production Designer: Danny Avshalom
Sound: Ludovic Elias, Daniel Iribarren,
Adrian Baumeister
Music: John Gürtler, Jan Miserre
Principal Cast: Betalehem Asmamawe, Yohanes Muse,
Weyenshiet Belachew, Mareta Getachew, Mitiku Haylu,
Kidest G/Selasse, Tilahune Asagere, Rodas Gizaw
Production: Black Sheep Film Productions
1 Yagia Kapayim Street
Tel Aviv 6777885 Israel
office@bsheepfilms.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Films Boutique
(see page 359)
174 discovery
Ethiopian-Israeli writer-director Aäläm-
Wärqe Davidian makes a startlingly confi-
dent feature debut with this story of lives
torn asunder by civil war. Set in Addis Ababa
in 1989, Fig Tree follows a teenage girl’s har-
rowing coming of age.
Mina is 14 years old. The Ethiopian Civil
War has been underway her entire life. She
lives with her brother and grandmother in a
humble house with newsprint for wallpaper.
The family is Jewish and is planning to flee
Ethiopia for Israel, where Mina’s mother
awaits their reunion. But this plan leaves
out the person Mina loves most: Eli, her
Christian boyfriend, who lives in the woods
so as to evade being drafted into Mengistu
Haile Mariam’s army. Mina hatches a
scheme to save Eli, but everyone and every-
thing seems set against her.
Drawing upon her own memories of
growing up in wartorn Ethiopia, which
she left at age 11, Davidian’s approach is
unsentimental and focused on her heroine’s
plight. In capturing the particular nature of
Mina’s life, Davidian blurs the lines between
the quotidian and the extraordinary: we
see her attend school or cuddle with Eli
under the shade of a fig tree via the same
clean, cool camerawork that shows her
watching boys being scooped off the street
and corralled into military vehicles, or dis-
covering a paraplegic soldier attempting
suicide. Fig Tree offers us a rare opportu-
nity to better understand the impact of civil
war on the lives of ordinary people — and it
pulls no punches.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian was born in
Awash, Ethiopia. She studied cinema
at Sam Spiegel Film & Television
School. She has directed the short
films Transitions (16) and Facing the
Wall (16). Fig Tree (18) is her feature
directorial debut.
TIFF Next Wave
Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of
young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
Tito e os Pássaros
Tito and the Birds
Gustavo Steinberg,
Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto
BRAZIL, 2018
Portuguese
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
73 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Bits Filmes
Executive Producer: Daniel Greco, Felipe Sabino
Producer: Gustavo Steinberg
Screenplay: Eduardo Benaim, Gustavo Steinberg
Editor: Vânia Debs, Thiago Ozelami
Sound: Ultrassom Music Ideas
Music: Gustavo Kurlat, Ruben Feffer
Principal Cast: Matheus Nachtergaele, Denise Fraga,
Mateus Solano, Otávio Augusto, Pedro Henrique
Production: Bits Filmes
Av. Paulista 575 cj. 1708
São Paulo 01311-911 Brazil
info@bits.productions
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Shout Factory
US Distributor: Shout Factory
International Sales Agent: Indie Sales
(see page 359)
In a world where fear spreads like disease,
10-year-old Tito is on a mission to save its
inhabitants from themselves.
Tito loves helping his scientist dad, Rufus,
with his inventions; Tito’s mom, though,
always a skeptic, worries that something will
go terribly wrong while the two are experi-
menting. When Rufus’s latest invention, a
machine that can understand birds, starts
smoking and sparking, Tito is injured and
his mom decides that, for Tito’s safety, they
should live apart.
Years later, people start falling ill and the
epidemic begins to spread: the cause, Tito
determines, is fear. Recalling his father’s
research, Tito knows that the cure must be
in understanding birdsong. In order to save
others, Tito must resist falling victim to his
own fear. Relying on his friends, Sarah and
Buiú, he sets out to find his father and com-
plete the research before it’s too late.
Created using oil painting, digital draw-
ing, and graphic animation, Tito and the
Birds is brought to life through richly tex-
tured and vibrant images that add to the
storytelling. It’s like every background is its
own character.
While seemingly fantastical, Tito and
the Birds is a timely exploration of fear in
contemporary society, where horrific head-
lines dominate the news cycle and people are
inundated by media. It’s in deconstructing
the fear that Tito becomes a hero — find-
ing strength in the faith that it’s okay to be
scared, so long as you don’t let it define you.
JENNIFER BARKIN
Gustavo Steinberg was born in São Paulo and works as a
producer, screenwriter, and director. His films include End
of the Line (08). Tito and the Birds (18) is his latest feature.
Gabriel Bitar is an animator, painter, and photographer
based in São Paulo. He has directed the short film The
City and Desire Nº5 (10). Tito and the Birds (18) is his first
feature film.
André Catoto was born in Rio de Janeiro. He is the director
of the films Segredo (08) and Say I am Only Seventeen (15).
Tito and the Birds (18) is his first feature.
Recommended for ages 8+
Content Advisory: limited use of strong language,
children shown in perilous situations
TIFF Kids
Entertaining and illuminating: films from around the world for
the whole family.
discovery 175
Saf
Turkish director Ali Vatansever’s achingly child. As Kamil’s work becomes increasingly
Ali Vatansever resonant second feature unearths the human alienating and dangerous, Remziye finds
TURKEY/GERMANY/ROMANIA, 2018 cost of unchecked, politically motivated herself in a desperate situation.
Turkish, Arabic urban renewal in a time of economic uncer- Compassionately written and crisply ren-
WORLD PREMIERE tainty and burgeoning migration. While dered, Saf is a special achievement, gracefully
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
focusing on a young couple’s struggle to transitioning at its midpoint from one pro-
Production Company: Terminal Film/2Pilots Film/ make a life in modern Istanbul, Vatansever tagonist’s point of view to another’s. This is
4 Proof Film
Producer: Selin Tezcan, Oya Ozden, Harry Flöter, addresses a broader spectrum of urgent no mere narrative stunt but, rather, a gesture
Jörg Siepmann, Anamaria Antoci issues that affect this particular metropolis toward understanding how the plight of a
Screenplay: Ali Vatansever — and, by extension, the world. single person connects to that of another —
Cinematographer: Tudor Vladimir Panduru
Editor: Evren Lus Kamil (Erol Afsin) is only 28 years and, one by one, to the whole world.
Sound: Volkan Ozger, Erkan Ates old, but his mounting worries make him KERRI CRADDOCK
Principal Cast: Saadet Isil Aksoy, Erol Afsin, Onur Buldu, look much older. He initially can’t bring
Ummu Putgul, Kida Ramadan
himself to accept work at one of the many Ali Vatansever was born in Istanbul.
Production: Terminal Film high-rise developments responsible for He studied industrial design at
Cumhuriyet Mah. Izzetpasa Sok. 27/1 Sisli Istanbul Technical University and film
Istanbul 34380 Turkey pushing residents out of his native Fikirtepe at Istanbul Bilgi University and the
selinvatansever@terminal.com.tr neighbourhood, but financial desperation Rochester Institute of Technology.
eventually trumps ideals. Kamil secretly He made his directorial debut with El
takes a job as a bulldozer operator, working Yazısı (12). Saf (18) is his second film.

under the table for the same reduced wage

that was given to the Syrian refugee he
replaced, much to the violent resentment
of his fellow Turkish co-workers.
Kamil’s wife, Remziye (Saadet Isil Aksoy),
works as a housekeeper for an affluent fam-
ily. She maintains the optimism that Kamil
lacks and dreams of sharing their humble
apartment and its beloved garden with a

176 discovery
Clara
Director Akash Sherman crafts a human need for love and connection. Both
Akash Sherman remarkably compassionate sci-fi drama grand and intimate, Clara firmly establishes
CANADA, 2018 that captures the palpable thrill of be- newcomer Sherman as a filmmaker to watch.
English ing on the edge of discovery. Profound discovery may be within reach, but
WORLD PREMIERE Isaac Bruno is an astronomer consumed only with the courage to follow the heart as
106 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
with finding signs of life in the cosmos. well as the mind.
Production Company: Serendipity Point Films When his obsession jeopardizes his job, he DANIS GOULET
Executive Producer: Anant Singh, Brian Cox,
Mark Musselman ignores a friend’s advice to get his life back
Producer: Ari Lantos on track and instead delves deeper into his Akash Sherman studied at the
Screenplay: Akash Sherman search, in part to escape a tragedy in his past. University of Alberta and has worked
Cinematographer: Nick Haight as a director, editor, and screenwriter.
Editor: Matthew Lyon A young woman named Clara, who is both a His films include A Teaching Game
Production Designer: Chris Crane scientist and an artist, offers her help, and (12) and The Rocket List (15). Clara
Sound: Jeffrey Magat Isaac reluctantly accepts her expertise as a (18) is his latest feature.
Music: Jonathan Kawchuk
Principal Cast: Patrick J. Adams, Troian Bellisario, research associate.
Ennis Esmer, Kristen Hager, RH Thomson Although they are both seekers, Clara’s
Production: Serendipity Point Films open-minded approach clashes with Isaac’s
9 Price Street literal-mindedness. As they edge closer to
Toronto M4W 1Z1 Canada finding habitable worlds, Isaac’s tunnel
wsaffer@serendipitypoint.com
vision makes him blind to what Clara offers
CONTACT INFORMATION — and fail to recognize that she has hidden
Canadian Distributor: D Films Corporation struggles of her own. Clara urges Isaac to
International Sales Agent: Distant Horizon
US Sales Agent: Cinetic Media be open to inexplicable truths, but he des-
(see page 359) perately clings to rationality. Even as their
connection grows, Isaac’s preoccupation
threatens to be his undoing and the downfall
of the entire project.
Sherman skilfully explores humankind’s
greatest ambition — to reach beyond our
world — while grounding the film in the basic

discovery 177
Kona fer í stríð
Woman at War
Benedikt Erlingsson
ICELAND/FRANCE/UKRAINE, 2018
Icelandic
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
100 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Slot Machine
Producer: Marianne Slot
Screenplay: Benedikt Erlingsson, Ólafur Egill Egilsson
Cinematographer: Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson
Editor: Davíð Alexsander Corno
Sound: François De Morant, Raphaël Sohier,
Vincent Cosson, Aymerick Devoldère
Music: Davíð Þór Jónsson
Principal Cast: Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir,
Davíð Þór Jónsson, Magnús Trygvason Eliasen,
Ómar Guðjónsson
Halla (Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir in a bravura
performance) is a choirmaster who loves
her job. And she’s just learned she’s been
approved to adopt a child from a war-torn
area in Ukraine, a longtime dream of hers.
The only hitch is that Halla is also a ter-
rorist — an eco-terrorist to be exact. The
proliferation of heavy industry, urged on by
unscrupulous politicians, has been ruining
Iceland’s rugged landscape and she’s taken
action. Dubbed the Mountain Woman, Halla
soon becomes the scourge of the aluminum
industry. Halla is determined to see things
through… but she can’t help wondering,
would it be more fulfilling to save hypo-
thetical future lives or one actual life: the
Godard, or even Alain Tanner’s classic
Jonah Who Will Be 25 In The Year 2000.
A tiny jazz band follows Halla everywhere
she goes — on rooftops, in remote fields, in
the middle of a flood — sometimes joined by
a cadre of singers in traditional Ukrainian
dress. It’s a reminder that the revolution
should be hopeful, not just gloom and doom.
And it should come with cool music.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Benedikt Erlingsson was born in
Iceland. He is a director of theatre,
television, and film. He has directed
the short films Thanks (07), and
Naglinn (08) and the feature Of
Horses and Men (13). Woman at War

Production: Slot Machine

daughter she has yet to meet and may never if (18) is his latest film.

10 rue Sainte-Anastaste she’s apprehended.

Paris 75003 France Benedikt Erlingsson’s second feature
slotmachine@slotmachine.fr
drills deep into the inevitable dilemmas
CONTACT INFORMATION plaguing almost everyone committed to
Canadian Distributor: Mongrel Media the greater good. And the political satire
US Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
International Sales Agent: Beta Cinema
here is precise and rich. It’s evident in the
(see page 359) sleazy Fox News–style way the govern-
ment demonizes Halla. At the same time,
there’s a puckish, postmodernist sense
of humour percolating though Woman at
War that suggests vintage Makavejev and

178 discovery
Cascos Indomables
Helmet Heads
Neto Villalobos
COSTA RICA/CHILE, 2018
Spanish
WORLD PREMIERE
84 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Pacífica Grey/La Sucia
Centroamericana Producciones/Cinestación
Executive Producer: Neto Villalobos, Marcelo Quesada,
Omar Zúñiga, Karina Avellán, Dominga Sotomayor
Producer: Neto Villalobos, Marcelo Quesada,
Karina Avellán
Screenplay: Neto Villalobos
Cinematographer: Nicolás Wong
Animator: Marte Estudio, Osopez, Wenox Media
Editor: Neto Villalobos, Andrea Chignoli
Production Designer: Olga Madrigal
Sound: Nano Fernández
Music: Pablo Rojas, Adrián Poveda
Principal Cast: Arturo Pardo, Daniela Mora, Harvey
Monestel, Charly Mora, Gabriel Rojas, William Quirós,
Janko Navarro
Production: Pacífica Grey
Los Yoses, San José 11501 Costa Rica
marcelo@pacificagrey.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Visit Films
US Sales Agent: Visit Films
(see page 359)
Nothing beats the freedom of zipping around Villalobos’s approach is fresh and unique
on a motorcycle, especially in congested and complemented by a cast of quirky char-
metropolises where they are unaffected acters. Reflecting on ideas of masculinity,
by traffic jams. Costa Rican filmmaker friendship, and life’s small dreams, Helmet
Neto Villalobos’s Helmet Heads follows Heads pays homage to men who are not quite
motorcycle deliveryman Mancha (Arturo ready to leave boyhood behind.
Pardo) as he navigates the streets of San DIANA SANCHEZ
José on his bike, hangs out with his fellow
motor-delivery crew, and meets up with Neto Villalobos was born in San
his girlfriend Clara (Daniela Mora) to hang José, Costa Rica, and studied film
direction in Barcelona. His work
out and have sex outdoors — on the motor- includes the short films 100 al Éste
cycle! — surrounded by dogs at the sanctuary (10), El Papa de Ernesto (10), and
where she works. It’s an easy, unencumbered Jason (11). His first feature, All About
existence in the tropics and Mancha wants the Feathers (13), premiered at the
Festival. Helmet Heads (18) is his
to hang on to it. latest film.
Things are set to change when Clara
is offered a job on Isla Caballo and wants
Mancha to accompany her. At the same time,
the place where Mancha and his friends work
has gone under. Not only did the bosses leave
without paying them, they took the bike that
Mancha had left parked at the offices. When
Mancha finds himself selling ice cream while
riding a regular bicycle, he realizes it’s time
for him to act.
Villalobos’s comedic second feature is
punctuated by deadpan, understated perfor-
mances and hilariously absurd situations. As
with his previous film, All About the Feathers,
discovery 179
Emu Runner
Imogen Thomas
AUSTRALIA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Imogen Thomas Films
Producer: Imogen Thomas, Victor Evatt, John Fink,
Antonia Barnard, Gabriel Barber-Shipton
Screenplay: Imogen Thomas
Cinematographer: Michael Gibbs
Editor: Jenny Hicks, Nicole Norelli
Production Designer: Lissa Coote
Sound: Tom Heuzenroeder
Music: Ben Fink, Peter Davison
Principal Cast: Rhae-Kye Waites, Maurial Spearim,
Letisha Boney, Wayne Blair, Rodney McHughes,
In nature, the male emu takes on the role of
rearing the chicks. The human parallel to
this emu trait is explored in this delicately
beautiful feature debut from filmmaker
Imogen Thomas.
In the remote community of Brewarrina
in northwest New South Wales, Gem (char-
ismatic newcomer Rhae-Kye Waites), a
spirited nine-year-old girl, is at a loss with
how to deal with the unexpected death of
her mother. She finds little guidance from
her father, Jay Jay (popular Australian
actor-director Wayne Blair), a stalwart,
well-meaning man who feels the skeptical
Thomas and the entire Brewarrina com-
munity. Each moment of care shows on the
screen. The film’s theme of respecting dif-
ferences while treasuring community has
never felt more contemporary, compelling,
or universal.
JANE SCHOETTLE
Imogen Thomas was born in
Wellington, Australia. She graduated
with a Masters of Fine Arts from the
NYU Tisch School of Arts. Her short
films include Quiet Hour (01) and
Mixed Bag (08). Emu Runner (18) is
her first feature film.

Mary Waites, Rob Carlton, Lindsay Waites, Stella Carter, eyes of the community on him as a newly
Georgia Blizzard widowered parent to three girls. Instead, at
Production: Imogen Thomas Films the moment of her greatest need for comfort,
41 Illeroy Avenue Gem encounters and forges a bond with a
Killara, New South Wales 2071 Australia
imogenthomas@bigpond.com wild emu, the totem bird of her ancestors.
While her connection with the bird gives
her solace, it also leads to behaviours that
bring Gem to the attention of Heidi (Georgia
Blizzard), a new social worker in town. Heidi
has good intentions, but she is inexperienced
and her idealism and naiveté put those she is
charged with caring for at terrible risk.
Elegantly photographed and sparing
in its use of dialogue, Emu Runner was a
multi-year collaboration between director

180 discovery
Lionheart
Genevieve Nnaji
NIGERIA, 2018
English, Hausa, Igbo
WORLD PREMIERE
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: The Entertainment Network
(T.E.N.)
Executive Producer: Chinny Onwugbenu,
Genevieve Nnaji
Producer: Chinny Onwugbenu
Screenplay: Chinny Onwugbenu, Genevieve Nnaji,
Ishaya Bako, Emil Garuba, C.J. Obasi
Cinematographer: Yinka Edward
Editor: George Cragg
Production Designer: Pat Nebo
Sound: Kulanen Ikyo, Ansgar Frerich
Music: Kulanen Ikyo
Principal Cast: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh,
Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu
Production: The Entertainment Network (T.E.N.)
12821 Netherleigh Place
Herndon, VA 20171-4222 USA
chinny.o@tenafrica.tv
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: MPM Premium
(see page 359)
Nollywood superstar Genevieve Nnaji and captures the delicate balance between
returns to TIFF, this time behind the cam- honouring one’s family while finding the
era with a directorial debut that puts a new courage to strike out on one’s own.
spin on the old adage “family and business KIVA REARDON
don’t mix.”
Nnaji plays Adaeze, a level-headed Genevieve Nnaji is a Nigerian-born
executive in her father’s bus company, producer, media entrepreneur,
and actor. She is one of the most
Lionheart Transport. Time and again, recognizable stars in Nollywood,
Adaeze has proven her keen ability to make appearing in nearly 100 films and
a profit and to manage the most heated situ- television shows. Lionheart (18)
ations. But when her father (stalwart star marks her directorial debut.
Pete Edochie) falls ill, both she and her
rival (Kalu Egbui Ikeagwu, boosting the
marquee cast) are passed over in favour of
Adaeze’s less-than-suave uncle, Godswill
(Nkem Owoh, who lights up the screen with
his comic presence).
Determined to fight her way to the top,
but not wanting to go against her father’s
wishes, Adaeze feels like the proverbial
bus has left the station without her. She
must quickly shift gears, however, when
she and Godswill discover that Lionheart
is running on fumes, financially. Together,
the unlikely duo must come together to
save the company and their family name.
Sharply and comically observed, Nnaji’s
film deals with the everyday sexism
that saturates workplaces everywhere,
discovery 181
Firecrackers
Best friends Lou and Chantal have made Kurimsky and Karena Evans and made by
Jasmin Mozaffari big plans to ditch their grim little town for an almost entirely female key crew, the skil-
CANADA, 2018 New York as soon as possible. But towns fully tenacious Firecrackers is a remarkable
English like this — and particularly the men who testament to what female-driven narratives
WORLD PREMIERE inhabit them — don’t look favourably on can be.
93 Minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
defiant young women who have better places DANIS GOULET
Production Company: Prowler Film/Wildling Pictures/ to be. The night before their departure, Lou
Alcina Pictures/White Windsor LLC and Chantal go out partying and Chantal’s Jasmin Mozaffari was born in
Executive Producer: Paul Barkin, Matt Code, Daniel Blanc
Producer: Caitlin Grabham, Kristy Neville ex-entanglement Kyle finds out about their Toronto and attended Ryerson
University’s Film Studies program.
Screenplay: Jasmin Mozaffari plans. As his cousin later explains, “He gets She has written and directed short
Cinematographer: Catherine Lutes territorial and shit, okay? It’s in our blood.” films including 4:44 (12), Firecrackers
Editor: Simone Smith
Production Designer: Thea Hollatz Lou and Chantal want to be free. But no (13), Sleep on the Tracks (15) and
Sound: Brandon Benoit matter how ferociously they stick up for Wave (15). Firecrackers (18) is her
feature film debut.
Music: Casey MQ themselves, winning independence means
Principal Cast: Michaela Kurimsky, Karena Evans
upending the social order and that always
Production: Prowler Film comes with serious risks. Is it more benefi-
prowlerfilm@gmail.com
cial to fall back into line, even if the status TIFF Next Wave
CONTACT INFORMATION quo comes with its own inherent menace? Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of

Freedom can’t be reached without struggle,

Canadian Distributor: levelFILM young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
(see page 359)
but for Lou and Chantal to have a shot, they This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
will have to find the kind of resilience that
only comes from sticking together.
This highly anticipated feature debut from
Jasmin Mozaffari marks the bold arrival of
a vital new voice. In the same vernacular as
social-realist auteurs Andrea Arnold and
Lynne Ramsay, Mozaffari’s searing drama
brims with explosive intensity. Driven by
audacious lead performances from Michaela

182 discovery
Yom Adaatou Zouli
At the outset of the war in Syria, a young
The Day I Lost mother, Sana (Sawsan Ercheid), is trying to
My Shadow maintain normalcy in her home for the sake
of her son. But between power outages, the
Soudade Kaadan water being cut off, and gas shortages — to
SYRIA/FRANCE/QATAR/LEBANON, 2018
say nothing of the shelling taking place
around loss and separation, not just from
family and loved ones but also from one’s
own sense of self.
KIVA REARDON
Soudade Kaadan was born in

Arabic only blocks away — Sana’s daily duties are France and is of Syrian descent.
She studied theatre criticism at the
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE becoming increasingly Sisyphean. Intent on Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in
95 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
cooking for her son, Sana takes a risk: along Syria, and filmmaking at the Saint

Production Company: KAF Production

with brother-and-sister duo Reem (Reham Joseph University in Lebanon. Her

Producer: Amira Kaadan Al Kassar) and Jalal (Samer Ismael), Sana work includes the documentaries
Damascus Roof and Tales of Paradise
Screenplay: Soudade Kaadan hires a cab to reach a nearby town said to (10) and Obscure (17). The Day I Lost
Cinematographer: Eric Devin
Editor: Soudade Kaadan, Pierre Deschamps
have propane. My Shadow (18) is her first narrative
Sound: Rayan Obeidine The planned day trip, however, swiftly feature.
Music: Kinan Azmeh spins out of control. When the trio is caught
Principal Cast: Sawsan Ercheid, Reham Al Kassar,
in a misunderstanding at a checkpoint,
Oweiss Moukhallalati, Samer Ismael
they find themselves lost on the outskirts of
Production: KAF Production
Damascus. With night falling, and her son
Moussaitbe
Beirut 00000 Lebanon alone at home, Sana is dragged deeper into
info@kafproduction.com the conflict and, at times, into another world.
(see page 359)
After working in documentary, largely
around refugee experiences, Soudade
Kaadan makes an evocative and assured
shift to fiction. She avoids the usual narra-
tives around war in favour of immersing her
audience in the emotional world of her char-
acters. The Day I Lost My Shadow exudes
visual poetry while charting metaphors

discovery 183
aKasha
No viable solution to the civil war in South hajooj kuka was born in Sudan and
hajooj kuka Sudan has been found since the outbreak studied in both Lebanon and the
United States. His documentary
SUDAN/SOUTH AFRICA/QATAR/GERMANY, of violence in 2013. But every year, all feature Beats of the Antonov (14)
2018 sides are forced to put down their arms played the Festival. aKasha (18) is
Arabic due to an unlikely power: mud. During the his latest film.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
78 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) rainy season, rebels return home to their
families and loved ones to take advantage
Production Company: Big World Cinema/Refugee Club/
Komplizen Film of the pause in fighting. It’s right after
Producer: hajooj kuka, Steven Markovitz this welcome lull that hajooj kuka begins
Screenplay: hajooj kuka his offbeat comedy about a love triangle
Cinematographer: Giovanni P. Autran, hajooj kuka
Editor: hajooj kuka between a boy, a girl, and an AK-47.
Sound: Shantos Ssekito, Kamal Ramadan After a post-coital argument with Lina
Music: Nancy Mounir, alsarah (Ekram Marcus), Adnan (Kamal Ramadan)
Principal Cast: Ekram Marcus, Kamal Ramadan,
Ganja Chakado hightails it without grabbing his gun. With
his pants barely pulled up, he runs into Absi
Production: Big World Cinema
1st floor, 114 Hout Street (Ganja Chakado), a young man who’s not
Cape Town 8001 South Africa keen on rejoining the fighting. He wants to
info@bigworld.co.za dodge the “kasha,” the annual round-up of
CONTACT INFORMATION soldiers. The pair then embark on a wild 24
International Sales Agent: Big World Cinema hours — dodging their higher-ups, elders,
(see page 359) and romantic rivals alike — to try and get
back Adnan’s girl, his gun, and his dignity.
Last at TIFF in 2014 with his documen-
tary Beats of the Antonov, kuka makes a move
here to fiction, blending wry observational
moments with cleverly written comedy, cre-
ating a rarely seen take on conflict and love.
KIVA REARDON

184 discovery
Tarde para morir joven
A bittersweet group portrait that captures With its sun-kissed images and magnifi-
Too Late to Die Young individuals — and a nation — in a moment cent ensemble cast, Too Late to Die Young
of dizzying transition, Too Late to Die Young immerses us in this experiment in communal
Dominga Sotomayor confirms Chilean writer-director Dominga renewal. Yet it is through the adolescent char-
CHILE/BRAZIL/ARGENTINA/NETHERLANDS/ Sotomayor (Thursday Till Sunday) as one of acters like Sofia and Lucas that the film most
QATAR, 2018 the most assured talents of her generation. poignantly invokes the joy and heartache of
Spanish
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
It is the summer of 1990. As Chile returns plunging headlong into an unknown future.
110 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema) to democracy after 17 years of dictatorship, DIANA SANCHEZ
Production Company: Cinestación/RT Features/
a small network of previously urban fami-
Ruda Cine/Circe Films lies have decided to return to rural living, Dominga Sotomayor was born in
Executive Producer: Omar Zúñiga, Sophie Mas, constructing their new community at the Santiago de Chile. She studied cin-
Daniel Pech ema at the Universidad Católica de
Producer: Dominga Sotomayor, Rodrigo Teixeira
foot of the Andes. While the adults busy Chile. Her directorial credits include
Screenplay: Dominga Sotomayor themselves with such essentials as electric- Thursday Till Sunday (12) and Mar
Cinematographer: Inti Briones ity and plumbing, the children run free on a (14). Too Late to Die Young (18) is her
Editor: Catalina Marín
Production Designer: Estefanía Larraín
vast playground of woods and rivers. latest film.

Sound: Claudio Vargas, Julia Huberman Sixteen-year-old Sofia, meanwhile,

Principal Cast: Demian Hernández, Antar Machado, struggles with challenges of a more inter-
Magdalena Tótoro
nal nature. Her father is withdrawn, while
Production: Cinestación her mother, a popular musician, is largely
Juana de Arco 2069 Depto 34
Providencia, Santiago, RM 7510320 Chile
absent, though she promises to visit the
info@cinestacion.cl encampment for its imminent New Year’s
Eve celebrations. Clearly adored by Lucas, a
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: Stray Dogs
sensitive boy her age, Sofia has her sights set
(see page 359) on Ignacio, a charismatic young man with a
motorbike on which Sofia dreams of being
swept off to some place far from this.

discovery 185
Rafiki
Wanuri Kahiu
KENYA/SOUTH AFRICA/FRANCE/LEBANON/
NORWAY/NETHERLANDS/GERMANY/USA, 2018
English, Swahili
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
82 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Big World Cinema/
Afrobubblegum/MPM Film/Schortcut Films/
Ape&Bjørn/Rinkel Film/Razor Film Produktion GmbH/
Tango Entertainment
Producer: Steven Markovitz
Screenplay: Wanuri Kahiu, Jenna Bass
Cinematographer: Christopher Wessels
Editor: Isabelle Dedieu
Production Designer: Arya Lalloo
Sound: Frédéric Salles
Principal Cast: Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva,
Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Musyoka
Production: Big World Cinema
1st floor, 114 Hout Street
Cape Town 8001 South Africa
info@bigworld.co.za
CONTACT INFORMATION
Canadian Distributor: Film Movement
US Distributor: Film Movement
International Sales Agent: MPM Premium
(see page 359)
186 discovery
“Fun, fierce and frivolous African art.” This
is how director Wanuri Kahiu defines
AFROBUBBLEGUM, her vision for the
future of filmmaking on the African con-
tinent. Her latest feature, which showed
at Cannes, embodies this ethos perfectly.
A love story between two young women
(played by newcomers Samantha Mugatsia
and Sheila Munyiva) in a society that still
bans homosexuality, Rafiki is saturated with
joy, heartbreak, and a richly effervescent cin-
ematography that showcases Kahiu’s native
Nairobi in all its vibrancy.
When Kena and Ziki first lock eyes, it’s
a genuine coup de foudre despite the fact
their families are political rivals. The young
women grow close, but as they are not able to
show their attraction in public — or even to
their relatives and friends — they are forced
to sneak small moments in private. Together
they create their own world, vividly evoked
through Kahiu’s filmic eye, where their love
isn’t anything other than an expression of
their commitment to each other. The space
they create however, isn’t immune to the
biases of the outside world.
Co-written with Jenna Bass (at TIFF
last year with High Fantasy) and inspired
by Monica Arac de Nyeko’s story Jambula
Tree, Rafiki is a celebration of love.
KIVA REARDON
Wanuri Kahiu was born in Nairobi
and studied producing and direct-
ing at UCLA’s school of theatre, film,
and television. Her films include the
shorts Ras Star (06) and Pumzi (09),
and the features From a Whisper
(09), Africa First: Volume One (10),
Who Am I? (16), and Rafiki (18).
TIFF Next Wave
Celebrating the highs and lows (and everything in between) of
young voices in today’s fast-moving world.
This film has been selected for the next generation of film lovers
by the TIFF Next Wave Committee.
Freaks
Shot through with paranoia and claus-
Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein trophobia, Zach Lipovsky and Adam
CANADA, 2018 Stein’s genre-bending Freaks focuses on
English nine-year-old Chloe (Lexy Kolker) and her
WORLD PREMIERE constantly distraught father (Emile Hirsch).
104 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Isolated and desperate to get outside and
Production Company: Freak Productions Inc. experience life beyond the crumbling walls
Executive Producer: M. Alan Stein, Rick Alyea,
Elisabeth Costa de Beauregard, Phil Kim of their dilapidated house, Chloe finally
Producer: Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein, Jordan Barber, makes a break for it when her sleep-deprived
Mitchell Waxman father drifts off. But the outside world
Screenplay: Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein
Cinematographer: Stirling Bancroft isn’t all she envisioned. The fierce light is
Editor: Sabrina Pitre disorienting, almost nauseating, and the
Production Designer: Moe Curtin neighbours, whom Chloe has been hearing
Music: Timothy Wynn
Principal Cast: Lexy Kolker, Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, about for years, are creepily bland. She’s
Amanda Crew, Grace Park immediately met by a twitchy, oddly familiar
Production: Freak Productions Inc. ice-cream salesman (Bruce Dern) who gives
308-933 Seymour Street off the wrong kind of vibes but entices Chloe
Vancouver BC V6B 6L6 Canada onto his truck. He speeds off to the park and
zeeworks@gmail.com
en route she’s introduced to a strange world,
CONTACT INFORMATION haunted by the threat of freaks who look
US Sales Agent: Creative Artists Agency (CAA), like us but are markedly different — and
Gersh Agency
(see page 359) likely dangerous.
An oblique allegory about refugees, diver-
sity, and fear of difference, Freaks juggles
ambiguity and mystery virtually to its last
scenes. Presenting events through the eyes
of a young girl who is terrified, incapable of
understanding all that’s going on around her,
prone to fantasy, and uncertain about who
she can trust, Stein and Lipovsky create an
unsettling world.
Like those chilling early Philip K. Dick
novels or Bendis and Coipel’s House of M,
where reality is constantly threatening to
collapse, Freaks grounds its more fantastic
elements in a carefully created and fully
conceived environment, boasting enough
psychological acuity to entertain the most
demanding viewer, and enough shocks and
surprises to keep everyone guessing.
STEVE GRAVESTOCK
Za c h L i p ovs ky was born in
Vancouver. He has worked as both an
actor and director. His films include
Tasmanian Devils (13), Leprechaun:
Origins (13), Dead Rising: Watchtower
(15), and Freaks (18).
Adam Stein was born in Vancouver.
He is a producer and director whose
films include Forever Boys (16)
and Trunk (16). Freaks (18) is his
latest film.
discovery 187
La Camarista
Eve (Gabriela Cartol) works long hours as friends at work, engages in a flirtation with
The Chambermaid a maid at a luxurious hotel in Mexico City. one of the window cleaners, and continu-
A young, single mother who travels far to ally works hard to earn promotion, we get
Lila Avilés get to her place of work, Eve has aspirations to know her a little better and, through
MEXICO/USA, 2018 for the future and hopes that her diligence Avilés’s gaze, become privy to a young
Spanish will get her a coveted spot as the cleaner on woman’s journey of self-discovery.
WORLD PREMIERE an executive floor. She enrolls in the hotel’s DIANA SANCHEZ
102 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
adult education program in her quest for a
Production Company: Limerencia/ better life but quickly discovers that it’s not Lila Avilés was born in Mexico and
LA Panda Productions/Bad Boy Billy Productions/
IMCINE/Bambú Audiovisual necessarily the most hard-working who get has worked as a film, television,
and stage actor. Her directing
Executive Producer: Jana Díaz Juhl, Pau Brunet, noticed for advancement. credits include the documentary
Axel Shalson The Chambermaid, Lila Avilés’s strik- Nena (17) and The Chambermaid
Producer: Romy Tatiana Graullera, Lila Avilés
Screenplay: Lila Avilés, Juan Carlos Marquéz ing debut, employs a quasi-documentary (18), her debut fiction feature.
Cinematographer: Carlos Rossini approach as it accompanies Eve on her
Editor: Omar Guzmán daily routine. She quietly enters one indis-
Production Designer: Vika Fleitas
Sound: Guido Berenblum tinguishable guest room after another and
Principal Cast: Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez we are struck by the intimacy behind the act
Production: Limerencia of cleaning a stranger’s mess. The disparity
Samuel Ramos 13. Int 201 between the guests and those working at
Mexico City 03100 Mexico the hotel — who often do not have hot water
tatiana.graullera@gmail.com
in their own homes — accurately reflects
CONTACT INFORMATION the reality in many Latin American coun-
International Sales Agent: Alpha Violet tries. The impersonal hotel, a high-rise of
(see page 359)
glass and concrete, overshadows the small
lives of those maintaining it for the wealthy
owners and guests: a microcosm of contem-
porary Mexican society.
The heart of The Chambermaid is the
compelling and unique Eve. As she makes

188 discovery
The Third Wife
Ash Mayfair
VIETNAM, 2018
Vietnamese
WORLD PREMIERE
96 minutes | Colour/DCP (D-Cinema)
Production Company: An Nam Productions/
Three Colors Productions/Mayfair Pictures
Executive Producer: Dang Thi Hoang Yen,
Dang Thanh Tam
Producer: Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, Ash Mayfair
Screenplay: Ash Mayfair
Cinematographer: Chananun Chotrungroj
Animator: Caspar Newbolt
Editor: Julie Béziau
Production Designer: Do Trong An
Sound: Edouard Morin, Roman Dymny
Music: Ton That An
Principal Cast: Le Vu Long, Tran Nu Yen Khe,
Mai Thu Huong Maya, Nguyen Phuong Tra My,
Nguyen Nhu Quynh
Production: An Nam Productions
MPlaza Building, 13th Floor,
39 Le Duan Street,
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
70000 Vietnam
ngoc@annamproductions.com.vn
CONTACT INFORMATION
International Sales Agent: m-appeal
(see page 359)
Set in late-19th century Vietnam, this to be a lucky beneficiary of her patriarchal
jewel-like debut feature from writer-director culture, but time will prove that forces such
Ash Mayfair is at once seductive and har- as romantic love, sexual taboo, and female
rowing, transporting us to a time and place independence will find their expression in
in which women are expected to stifle their even the most repressive of circumstances.
longings while performing duties for the GIOVANNA FULVI
men who possess them.
Though only 14 years old, May is selected Ash Mayfair was born in Vietnam
to be the third wife of a wealthy landowner. and educated in the UK and the US,
receiving an MFA in filmmaking at the
Her new home seems idyllic, her husband NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her
favours her, and she quickly becomes preg- short films include The Silver Man
nant with what she is certain will be the (11), Sam (11), Heart of a Doll (11),
desired male progeny. But trouble is quietly Grasshopper (12), and Lupo (16). The
Third Wife (18) is her debut feature.
brewing: she witnesses a forbidden tryst that
will spark a chain reaction of misfortunes
— and stir in May urges that until now had
been dormant.
Making sparing use of dialogue, Mayfair
conveys much of her story through elegantly
framed point-of-view shots and steeps The
Third Wife in sensuous sounds and images,
such as amber-lit dalliances or women
bathing in a sun-dappled stream.
Everywhere May turns she finds evidence
of fertility and death — a calf is born one day;
a donkey is euthanized the next. Her acceler-
ated journey from childhood to motherhood
will prompt her to question the supposed
natural order of things. May initially looks
discovery 189
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EQUALITY
and the first non-European member country.
Through the Council of Europe, the program aims
CONGRATULATIONS TO
to support the coproduction of cinematographic THE WOMEN DIRECTORS
works between member countries. NOMINATED FOR THE 2018
To learn more about eligibility requirements AUDENTIA AWARD!
and other helpful tools, visit The 2018 Audentia Award is presented by the Council of
www.telefilm/financing/eurimages Europe’s Eurimages Fund and the Toronto International
Film Festival®.

Audentia – meaning “courage” or “bravery” in Latin –

reflects two vital qualities for any woman wishing to
pursue a career in film directing. With the Audentia
Award, Eurimages intends to celebrate women who have
had the courage to make that choice, by giving their work
greater visibility and inspiring other women to follow in
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The Wind
Emma Tammi
USA, 2018
English
WORLD PREMIERE
86 minutes | Colour/DCP 4K (D-Cinema)
Production Company: Soapbox Films & Divide/Conquer
Executive Producer: Adam Hendricks, Greg Gilreath,
John Lang, Zac Locke, Henry Jacobson, David A. Smith
Producer: Christopher Alender,
David Grove Churchill Viste
Screenplay: Teresa Sutherland
Cinematographer: Lyn Moncrief
Editor: Alexandra Amick
Production Designer: Hillary Andujar, Courtney Andujar
Sound: Juan Campos
Music: Ben Lovett
Principal Cast: Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles,
Ashley Zukerman, Miles Anderson, Dylan McTee
Production: Soapbox Films
1015 W. Isabel St.
Burbank, California 91506 USA
chrisalender_asst@soapboxfilms.com
With The Wind, director Emma Tammi and With its exquisite photography and
writer Teresa Sutherland have embarked on its dread-soaked tone, The Wind, in the
a nightmarish yet empathetic exploration of tradition of The Witch, represents an un-
domestic solitude, skilfully conjuring — in canny chapter in the annals of American
bone-chilling visual and sonic strokes — an folk-horror.
indescribable spectre that seems to emanate PETER KUPLOWSKY
from the abysses of the night itself.
Unravelling across a series of flashbacks Emma Tammi was born in New
that propel us towards the devastating after- York City and studied at Wesleyan
University. She is known for co-
math of violence that opens the film and directing the feature Fair Chase (14)
beyond, the story assumes the perspective with Alex Cullen. The Wind (18) is her
of Elizabeth Macklin (Caitlin Gerard), a set- solo directorial debut.
tler of the 1800s who has accompanied her
husband in his effort to cultivate a desolate
stretch of the American Western frontier.
Elizabeth has long perceived a festering
evil permeating their pastures, only to have
her observations dismissed by her husband
as religious superstitions. However, when
a couple arrives to rehabilitate a nearby
abandoned cabin, their strange experi-
ences rekindle Elizabeth’s own infectious
paranoia. As with any great horror film, the
devil is in the details (often quite literally),
and Tammi meticulously sows sinister
threads into every creak of wood, every rattle
of rusted metal, and every eerie breath of
howling wind.

348 midnight madness