By Matt Neglia
The Toronto International Film Festival announced today the complete Platform programming. They also revealed that Academy Award-nominated actor Riz Ahmed (“Sound Of Metal“) will head the jury for the 2021 Platform Competition. Click below to see the five Special Event screenings added and the 2021 TIFF Short Cuts programming, which comprises of 38 short films.
PLATFORM PROGRAMME
Arthur Rambo Laurent Cantet | France
World Premiere
Drunken Birds (Les oiseaux ivres) Ivan Grbovic | Canada
World Premiere
Earwig Lucile Hadžihalilović | United Kingdom/France/Belgium
World Premiere
Huda’s Salon Hany Abu-Assad | Palestine/Egypt/Netherlands/Qatar
World Premiere
Mlungu Wam (Good Madam) (Mlungu Wam) Jenna Cato Bass | South Africa
World Premiere
Montana Story Scott McGehee, David Siegel | USA
World Premiere
Silent Land (Cicha Ziemia) Aga Woszczyńska | Poland/Italy/Czech Republic
World Premiere
Yuni Kamila Andini | Singapore/France/Indonesia/Australia
World Premiere
TIFF SHORT CUTS PROGRAMMING
TIFF is thrilled to unveil this year’s Short Cuts lineup, which comprises 38 new live-action narrative, documentary, and animated shorts by a diverse group of filmmakers representing 22 countries. Along with works by emerging talents from all over the world, the programme includes new films by such TIFF alumni as Zacharias Kunuk, Albert Shin, Matias Piñeiro, Lois Patiño, and Seth A. Smith. Among the filmmakers returning to Short Cuts are Terril Calder, Lee Filipovski, Rakan Mayasi, and Ayçe Kartal, as well as recent award-winner Paul Shkordoff (2020 IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film for Benjamin, Benny, Ben).
“We believe the 38 selections we are presenting in Short Cuts this year are some of the most remarkable films audiences will see this year,” says Short Cuts programmer Jason Anderson. “They are also a testament to the strength, imagination, and resilience that filmmakers have displayed in the face of all the recent challenges. And while these works may differ wildly when it comes to the stories they tell, the forms they take, and the people and perspectives they portray, they are all unique and deeply personal visions that we are thrilled to share with viewers.”
Short Cuts is also proud to continue introducing TIFF audiences to many of cinema’s most remarkable new talents. Among the Short Cuts alumni directors who are bringing first features to the Festival this year are Danis Goulet (Night Raiders), Thyrone Tommy (Learn To Swim), Haya Waseem (Quickening), Mounia Akl (Costa Brava, Lebanon), Justine Bateman (Violet), and Carlo Francisco Manatad (Whether the Weather is Fine).
A Few Miles South Ben Pearce | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice (Angakusajaujuq) Zacharias Kunuk | Canada
North American Premiere
Anxious Body Yoriko Mizushiri | France/Japan
North American Premiere
ASTEL Ramata-Toulaye Sy | France/Senegal
World Premiere
Beity Isabelle Mecattaf | Lebanon/United States of America
International Premiere
Bhai Hamza Bangash | United Kingdom/Canada/Pakistan
World Premiere
Boobs Marie Valade | Canada
North American Premiere
Charlotte Zach Dorn | United States of America
World Premiere
DEFUND Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, Araya Mengesha | Canada
World Premiere
Displaced (Pa Vend) Samir Karahoda | Kosovo
North American Premiere
DUST BATH Seth A Smith | Canada
World Premiere
Egúngún (Masquerade) Olive Nwosu | United Kingdom/Nigeria
World Premiere
Fanmi Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers, Carmine Pierre-Dufour | Canada
World Premiere
Hanging On Alfie Barker | United Kingdom
International Premiere
I Gotta Look Good for the Apocalypse Ayçe Kartal | France
North American Premiere
I Would Never Kiran Deol | United States of America
World Premiere
Little Bird Tim Myles | Canada
World Premiere
Love, Dad (Milý tati) Diana Cam Van Nguyen | Czech Republic/Slovakia
Canadian Premiere
Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics Terril Calder | Canada
World Premiere
Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit (Al motociclista no le cabe la felicidad en el traje) Gabriel Herrera | Mexico
Canadian Premiere
Nuisance Bear Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden | Canada
World Premiere
Ousmane Jorge Camarotti | Canada
World Premiere
Saturday Night Rosana Matecki | Canada
World Premiere
Shark Nash Edgerton | Australia
World Premiere
Soft Animals Renee Zhan | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Some Still Search (Algunos Siguen Buscando) Nesaru Tchaas | United States of America
World Premiere
Srikandi Andrea Nirmala Widjajanto | Indonesia/Canada
World Premiere
Successful Thawing of Mr. Moro (Lyckad upptining av herr Moro) Jerry Carlsson | Sweden
International Premiere
Sycorax (Sycorax) Lois Patiño, Matías Piñeiro | Portugal/Spain
North American Premiere
The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be Adeyemi Michael | United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
The Infantas (Las Infantas) Andrea Herrera Catalá | Spain
World Premiere
The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night Fawzia Mirza | United States of America/Canada
World Premiere
Together (Ham-Gye) Albert Shin | Canada/South Korea
World Premiere
Trumpets in the Sky Rakan Mayasi | Palestine/Lebanon/France/Belgium
World Premiere
Twelve Hours Paul Shkordoff | Canada
World Premiere
White Devil Mariama Diallo, Benjamin Dickinson | United States of America
World Premiere
You and Me, Before and After Madeleine Gottlieb | Australia
International Premiere
Zero (Nula) Lee Filipovski | Canada/Serbia
World Premiere
SPECIAL EVENTS
Reflecting the breadth of TIFF audiences’ interests, TIFF announced Part One of its Special Events Programme to engage and entertain audiences:
Special IMAX Screenings of Dune
TIFF previously announced that the award-winning Canadian filmmaker and 2021 TIFF Ebert Director Award honouree Denis Villeneuve will screen his film Dune as a World Exclusive Special IMAX Screening at Cinesphere Theatre at Ontario Place. The film, based on Frank Herbert’s classic novel, will screen at the Cinesphere in Toronto on the following dates:
- Saturday, September 11 – World Exclusive IMAX Special Event
- Sunday, September 12 – Repeat IMAX Screening
- Saturday, September 18 – Public IMAX Screening
TIFF is also delighted to announce an additional Special IMAX screening of Dune in Montreal presented by Bell at Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal on Sunday, September 12.
This screening is made possible in venue partnership with Cineplex as part of TIFF’s Canadian Satellite Screening programme. An additional screening of Dune will take place in Toronto at Scotiabank Theatre on September 13.
The Cinesphere is the world’s first permanent IMAX movie theatre, located on the grounds of Ontario Place. Constructed in 1971, it is the largest IMAX theatre in Ontario and has a longstanding relationship with TIFF: in 1976, the inaugural edition of TIFF, then called The Festival of Festivals, screened its first Opening Night film, Cousin, Cousine, and Closing Night film Gypsies are Found Near Heaven at the Cinesphere.
Special Event Films
TIFF is pleased to announce that the following films will be presented as part of the Special Event Programme. Full details on the events that will complement these screenings will be announced in the coming weeks.
A Hero – Asghar Farhadi | Iran
Memoria – Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Colombia/Thailand/United Kingdom/France/Germany/Mexico
Spencer – Pablo Larraín | United Kingdom/Germany
The Government of Canada opened its borders for non-essential travel from American citizens and permanent residents on August 9, 2021 and plans to open to citizens of any country on September 7, 2021 provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, and that visitors have been fully vaccinated with Government of Canada-approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson – AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD) at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Those meeting these requirements can travel to Canada without having to quarantine, including the elimination of the three-night hotel quarantine policy. As of August 9, 61.4% of Canada’s population is fully-vaccinated, one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Toronto boasts the highest percentage of fully-vaccinated citizens in North America with 72% as of the same date.
As a result of the opening of the border and increased capacities in cinemas in Ontario, TIFF has added to its list of venues to accommodate a number of additional in-person Public and Press & Industry screenings. TIFF Festival venues include: TIFF Bell Lightbox and marquee venues the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall, Scotiabank Theatre, and the Cinesphere IMAX Theatre at Ontario Place, plus outdoor screening venues at Ontario Place Festival Village, including the Visa Skyline Drive-In, RBC Lakeside Drive-In and the West Island Open Air Cinema. Press & Industry screenings will be held at the Scotiabank Theatre and TIFF Bell Lightbox. Public in-person screenings will have limited Press & Industry access.
Additionally, Public digital screenings will be programmed on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox for the accessibility of festival goers, but are limited to Canadian audiences. The TIFF Digital Cinema Pro platform will host digital Press & Industry screenings, as well as the TIFF Industry Selects market for industry buyers. Films available to Press & Industry on TIFF Digital Cinema Pro will be accessible to delegates worldwide, however, some exceptions may occur where the film rights holders have not authorized an online screening in selected regions. The TIFF Bell Digital Talks platform will host a variety of Public and Press & Industry talks, including: the In Conversation With… talks series, the Industry Conference and Press Conferences.
As a side note, it was also brought to my attention that John Michael McDonagh’s latest film “The Forgiven” was added to the Gala Presentations section of the festival. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain and recent Cannes Best Actor winner Caleb Landry Jones. The festival will run from September 9th –September 18th. What do you think of the lineup this year? Are you planning to attend in person or cover virtually? You can find more information on the lineup and the films here. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
You can follow Matt and hear more of his thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @NextBestPicture
