By Anne Brodie
Dune – Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset in the galaxy. Stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya.
Dear Evan Hansen from writer-director Stephen Chbosky opens TIFF 20. It’s the film adaptation of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical about Evan Hansen, a high school senior with an anxiety disorder in the aftermath of the suicide of a friend. Stars Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever and Amandla Stenberg.
Kristen Stewart is transformed as Princess Diana in Pablo Larraín’s Spencer. During her Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, Diana decides to leave Prince Charles. Also stars Sean Harris, Sally Hawkins, and the wonderful Jack Farthing as Prince Charles. In Conversation With… Kristen Stewart Presented by TIFF’s Share Her Journey community is skedded for Sept 15 at 12:30 pm on TIFF Bell Digital Talks.
Charlotte – An account of German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon living in the south of France between 1941 and 1943. Keira Knightley, Marion Cotillard and Brenda Blethyn provide the voices.
NIght Raiders – A mother joins an underground band of vigilantes to try and rescue her daughter from a state-run institution. Writer director Danis Goulet starring Elle-Máijá TailfeathersBrooklyn Letexier-Hart and Alex Tarrant.
All My Puny Sorrows based on the best-selling novel by Miriam Toews, from writer/director Michael McGowan follows the travails of women raised Mennonite women who suffer relationship and existential problems in East Village (North Bay location). Stars Alison Pill, Mare Winningham, Sarah Gadon and Amybeth McNulty.
Petit Maman– Nelly has just lost her grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother’s childhood home. While exploring the woods, she meets a girl her same age building a treehouse. Writer director Céline Sciamma, starring Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz and Nina Meurisse.
The Forgiven from John Michael McDonagh is set in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, over the course of a weekend as Western guests attend a house party in a grand villa. An accident occurs with consequences for the local Muslims and the visitors. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain and Matt Smith.
Hold Your Fire a documentary directed by Stefan Forbes examines an event in Brooklyn in1973 when Shu’aib Raheem and his Muslim friends attempted to steal guns for self-defence leading to the longest hostage siege in NYPD history. NYPD psychologist Harvey Schlossberg fought to avert a bloodbath, reform police methods, and save lives.
The Forgiven takes place over a weekend in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco and explores the reverberations of a random accident on the lives of both the local Muslims and Western visitors to a house party in a grand villa.
The Survivor – Post World War II, Harry Haft is a boxer who fought fellow prisoners in the concentration camps to survive. He becomes a legend and fights high-profile fights legends like Rocky Marciano as a way to find his first love again. Stars Ben Foster, Billy Magnussen and Peter Sarsgaard, from Barry Levinson.
One Second– A movie fan in remote farmland strikes a relationship with a homeless female vagabond. Written and directed by Yimou Zhang, starring Yi Zhang, Haocun Liu, and Wei Fan.
Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades) by Jacques Audiard. Emilie meets Camille, who is attracted to Nora, who crosses the path of Amber. Three girls and a boy redefine what modern love is. Starring Noémie Merlant, Lucie Zhang, Makita Samba and Jehnny Beth.
The Worst Person In The World by Joachim Trier. Julie is turning thirty and her life is an existential mess. She throws herself into a new relationship but finds some life choices are already behind her. Stars Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie et Herbert Nordrum.
Official Competition by Mariano Cohn and Gaston Duprat. A billionaire entrepreneur wants to make a movie and recruits a famous filmmaker to make it happen. Two big stars with bigger egos clash and threaten to ruin the whole affair. Stars Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez.
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain by Will Sharpe. Two British artists with a spirited zest for life, paint and inspire others to live life large through imagination and adventure. Stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy and Andrea Riseborough.
Maria Chapdelaine from Sébastien Pilote. The iconic Canadian story of a girl and her family, pioneers clearing land in rural Québec in early 1900. It’s a hard, rewarding life, but she is faced with a quandary – to marry a fur trapper and logger, a big city American or a determined young farmer. Stars Sara Montpetit, Sébastien Ricard and Hélène Florent.
Wildhood from Bretten Hannam follows two gay Mi’kmaw teens living in desperation of the reservation, who flee abusive homes, one in search of his absent mother and a deeper connection to his heritage. Stars Phillip Lewitski, Joshua Odjick and Michael Greyeyes.
Compartment No. 6 (Hytti nro 6), from Juho Kuosmanen finds two dissimilar strangers stranded sharing a compartment on a train from Moscow to the arctic port of Mandusk. She’s a student he’s a construction worker; the trip will have long-ranging effects. Set in the late 90’s post-Soviet Union and stars Seidi Haarla and Yuriy Borisov.
Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, an Indonesian film by Edwin, is about a sleeping bird, a symbol of peace, hibernating in dangerous city territory run by macho men. Stars Seperti Dendam, Rindu Harus and Dibayar Tuntas.
Scarborough, from Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson, follows young friends living in a low-income neighbourhood. Stars Liam Diaz, Essence Fox, Anna Claire Beitel. Wonder where in Canada this was shot? 🙂
Mothering Sunday from Eva Husson finds a maid living in post-World War I England planning to meet the man she loves before he leaves to marry another woman. Stars Odessa Young, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Josh O’Connor.
Darin J. Sallam’s Farha is a 14-year-old girl in 1948 Palestine watches from a locked pantry as catastrophe descends on her home. Stars Karam Taher, Ashraf Barhom and Ali Sulima.
For full listings, ticketing, everything you need to know, go to https://tiff.net.