Toronto International Film Festival announces Gala and Special Presentations programmes for TIFF 2017

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS FIRST GALA AND SPECIAL PRESENTATION TITLES FOR 2017
Featuring premieres from filmmakers including Hany Abu-Assad, Haifaa Al Mansour, Darren Aronofsky, George Clooney, Guillermo del Toro, Richard Eyre, Stephen Frears, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Greta Gerwig, Craig Gillespie, David Gordon Green, MahamatSaleh Haroun, Angelina Jolie, Anurag Kashyap, Mélanie Laurent, Sebastián Lelio, Ben Lewin, Martin McDonagh, Hansal Mehta, Olivier Nakache, Alexander Payne, Angela Robinson, Andy Serkis, Eric Toledano, Wim Wenders, Joe Wright and more.

Piers Handling, CEO and Director of TIFF, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF, today unveiled the first round of titles premiering in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes of the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival®. Of the 14 Galas and 33 Special Presentations, this first announcement includes 25 World Premieres, eight International Premieres, six North American Premieres and eight Canadian Premieres.

“Festival-goers from around the world can anticipate a remarkable lineup of extraordinary stories, voices and cinematic visions from emerging talent and some of our favourite masters,” said Handling. “Today’s announcement offers audiences a glimpse at this year’s rich and robust selection of films, including works from Canada, USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, India, Chile, Egypt and Cambodia.”

Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2016 Award Winners

The Toronto International Film Festival® announced its award winners at a ceremony at TIFF Bell Lightbox today, hosted by Piers Handling, CEO and Director of TIFF, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival. To watch the presentation, visit tiff.net/ceremony. The 41st Festival wraps up this evening.

The short film awards below were selected by a jury comprised of American filmmaker Abteen Bagheri (That B.E.A.T.), French filmmaker Eva Husson (Bang Gang), and Canadian filmmaker Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls).

SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
The Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film goes to Alexandre Dostie’s Mutants. The jury remarked, “Mutants takes a summer in Quebec and infuses it with a ribald lyricism. Awkward moments of sexual awakening paired with self cannibalism and self immolation rise it above standard nostalgia. It was a film that took chances with both its subject matter and humour, and framing it through the eyes of children. Congratulations.” The award offers a $10,000 cash prize.

Toronto International Film Festival announces Canadian selections, Talent Lab, Pitch This!, Rising Stars

POLITICS AND BOLD STORYTELLING HEADLINE CANADIAN LINEUP AT THETORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Toronto International Film Festival® announced an exciting lineup of Canadian features, packed with World Premieres from acclaimed filmmakers Deepa Mehta, Alanis Obomsawin, Bruce McDonald, and Brigitte Berman to promising new work from Kevan Funk, Anne Émond, Chloé Robichaud, Jamie Kastner, and Vincent Biron. North American Premieres include the latest from Xavier Dolan, Nathan Morlando, Kim Nguyen, Ann Marie Fleming, and Johnny Ma.

“We are thrilled to present a robust selection of projects from some of Canada’s best filmmakers,” said Steve Gravestock, Senior Programmer, TIFF. “From thought provoking documentaries and affecting dramas, to unconventional biographies and thrillers, to animated features, this year’s selections highlight the diversity and high-calibre work produced in Canada.”

“We are proud to shine a spotlight on both veteran filmmakers and emerging talent in this year’s slate,” said Magali Simard, Film Programmes Manager, TIFF. “Canadians continue to forge their own path on a global scale with their own distinct perspectives and methods of storytelling.”

Call for submissions: EURODOC Pitch, and One‐on‐One for Emerging Filmmakers

CALL FOR PROJECTS:
EURODOC PITCH and ONE‐ON‐ONE FOR EMERGING FILMMAKERS

Montreal, August 1, 2016 – Doc Circuit Montréal (DCM) is delighted to announce two exciting calls for projects: the EURODOC Pitch and the One‐on‐One for Emerging Filmmakers. Established québecois producers and emerging filmmakers are invited to submit their documentary projects by September 15th as part of these two pitching events.

EURODOC Pitch

We are now accepting submissions to the prized EURODOC Pitch! Five Quebec-based documentary producers will be selected for the opportunity to pitch live in the hopes of receiving a $4,000 grant and securing a much coveted slot for one of Europe’s leading training programs.

Toronto International Film Festival announces first films for 41st edition

2016 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS ITS FIRST SLATE OF GALAS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Featuring World Premieres from filmmakers including Oliver Stone, Mira Nair, Ewan McGregor, Konkona Sensharma, Lone Scherfig, Raja Amari, Jonathan Demme, Baltasar Kormákur, Amma Asante, Christopher Guest, Feng Xiaogang, Rob Reiner, J.A. Bayona, Arnaud des Pallières, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and many more

Piers Handling, CEO and Director of TIFF, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, announced the first round of titles premiering in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes of the 41st Toronto International Film Festival.

Of the 19 Galas and 49 Special Presentations announced, this initial lineup includes films from such celebrated directors as Werner Herzog, Denis Villeneuve, Jim Jarmusch, Mia Hansen-Løve, Rebecca Zlotowski, Tom Ford, François Ozon, Andrea Arnold, Maren Ade, Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee woon, Kenneth Lonergan, Antoine Fuqua, Damien Chazelle, Pablo Larraín, and Paul Verhoeven.

Call for submissions: TIFF Studio 2016

TIFF Studio 2016 Applications are now open:
Calling Canadian writer-directors!

Applications for Canadian writer-directors are now open for TIFF Studio, our year round training programme for mid-career professionals, co-supported by the Harold Greenberg Fund and the Director’s Guild of Canada. Our fourth edition will run from June to January 2017.

Studio is a space for filmmakers to be inspired, consolidate skills, exchange ideas, and discuss challenges in a collaborative environment. Offered to a select group of 10 mid-career, writer-directors, Studio is intended to take the candidates careers to the next level, via creative and business skill development.

The 19th Annual TIFF Kids International Film Festival, April 8 – 24, 2016

CONNECTING CHILDREN TO THE BEST CINEMA FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AT THE 19th ANNUAL TIFF KIDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Festival extended to three weekends to make room for more films, more family time and more fun!

Toronto – The TIFF Kids International Film Festival™, one of the world’s premier film festivals for children aged 3-13, returns for its 19th year, brimming with exhilarating stories, diverse programming, and lively animations that will delight and inspire children and parents alike.

The 73rd Golden Globe Awards winners

The gala ceremony for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards took place tonight. It was hosted for the fourth time by Ricky Gervais.

The night's biggest winner was Alejandro González Iñárritu's The Revenant. It won for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. Last year, Iñárritu shared the Best Screenplay prize for Birdman but was edged out in the Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Director categories by Boyhood.

Denzel Washington was the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award which honours extraordinary contributions to the entertainment world.

9 Foreign Language Films Advance in Oscar Race

Nine features will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Academy Awards®. Eighty films had originally been considered in the category.

Foreign Language Film nominations for 2015 are being determined in two phases.

The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based Academy members, screened the original submissions in the category between mid-October and December 14. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

Nominations announced for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards

Carol, The Revenant, Steve Jobs and The Big Short led the the nominations for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards, announced early in the morning today, December 10. Among the TV nominees the highlights were American Crime, Fargo, Mr. Robot, Outlander, Transparent and Wolf Hall, with three nominations each.

The nominations were introduced by HFPA president Lorenzo Soria and announced by America Ferrera, Angela Bassett, Chloe Grace Moretz and Dennis Quaid.

For both films and TV this year’s nominations made it clear that this would be a wide open race, with no clear favorites. With five nominations – best motion picture, drama; best performance by an actress, drama for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara; best director, Todd Haynes; and best original score, Carter Burwell – Carol leaps to the forefront but The Big Short, The Revenant and Steve Jobs are right behind, with four nominations each. The Revenant and The Big Short have an important advantage, though – both were included in the best motion picture categories, for drama and musical or comedy, respectively.

Award winners of the 18th Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM)

The Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (Montreal International Documentary Festival or RIDM) will close tomorrow, Sunday November 22, after presenting 143 films and numerous parallel activities and events. The award winners for the 18^th annual RIDM were announced this evening during the closing ceremony at Concordia University’s Alumni Auditorium (H110).

GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE

Presented by TV5, the Grand Prize for Best Canadian Feature is awarded to Jean-François Lesage’s Un amour d’été, the jury particularly appreciated this “ode to coexistence and joie de vivre that freezes time. A subtly political declaration celebrating the happiness that comes from being together; a nocturnal interlude whose deep appeal to the senses is underscored by remarkable imagery.”

the 28th image+nation Montreal International LGBT Film Festival, Nov 26 – Dec 6

image+nation, Canada’s longest-running LGBT film festival, is all set to return for another 10 days of the finest LGBT cinema from across the globe.

From 26 November - 6 December, image+nation 28 will bring to Montréal the cream of world LGBT cinema for an incredible 28th year in a row. With a line-up of unflinching, powerful documentaries, beautifully shot art-house creations, hilarious comedies and more, image+nation 28 has something for all tastes.

This year, for the very first time, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will host image+nation in the cultural heart of Montreal. As well as opening and closing events, the museum will be a primary venue for the duration of the Festival. As part of the image+nation @ MBAM series, where monthly image+nation screenings have been taking place throughout the year, the festival includes Welcome to This House: A Film on Elizabeth Bishop / Where Are The Dolls on Nov 28. image+nation @ MBAM is an intimate series of films and interviews that introduce a new voice and vision exploring the interweaving of identities and cultural expression.

The 5th edition of La Grande Dégustation de Montréal

The curtain came down Saturday evening on the fifth edition of La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, which took place November 5, 6 and 7 at Place Bonaventure, Montreal. This year’s event marks an important milestone in what has become Quebec’s premier wine event. Presented by the Association québécoise des agences de vins, bières et spiritueux and the Société des alcools du Québec, La Grande Dégustation de Montréal welcomed more than 13,000 visitors over three days. This represents an increase of almost 11% compared to last year. This year’s edition of La Grande Dégustation de Montréal brought togethernearly 200 producers who showcased some 1,200 products.

“We are thrilled with the public’s growing interest in La Grande Dégustation de Montréal. We can see the emergence of a growing crowd of well-informed youth who are very curious about wine,”states Daniel Richard, President of La Grande Dégustation de Montréal. “With such a wide selection, private imports and events enjoyed by beer, wine and spirits enthusiasts, we welcome this success as a driving force for editions to come.”

Academy announces 81 countries in competition for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar

Eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Academy Awards®. Paraguay is a first-time entrant.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Tribute to Chantal Akerman at the 18th Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM)

In light of the tragic death of filmmaker Chantal Akerman, the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal / Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) will pay tribute to the distinguished member of the cinema community. Her final film, No Home Movie, presented in the official competition at the Locarno Festival this summer, will be screened at this November’s RIDM, as will a portrait of the director, I Don't Belong Anywhere - Le cinéma de Chantal Akerman, directed by Marianne Lambert, who will attend the festival. Festivalgoers will also have the chance to rediscover Akerman’s De l’autre côté, her 2002 documentary about Mexican migrants.

19th Reel Asian Film Festival – full programming announced

REEL ASIAN CELEBRATES 19TH YEAR

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian), presented by National Bank, celebrates its 19th annual edition from November 5 to 15, 2015 with high-profile guests from around the world, screening venues in Toronto, North York, and Richmond Hill, and a special exhibition by acclaimed Canadian filmmaker and artist, Randall Okita. This year, Reel Asian will present 72 films from over 10 regions including Afghanistan, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada and the United States.

imagineNATIVE Announces Feature Films and Documentaries

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
Announces Feature Films and Documentaries
Plus
The Witching Hour Program • Industry Series

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, with presenting sponsor Bell Media, announces the Festival’s feature length films and documentaries, the return of The Witching Hour: Late Night Program, and the FREE Industry Series with panels, talks and case studies.

The 16^th imagineNATIVE Festival will present feature length films from October 14-18, 2015 such as Esprit de Corps, a Filipino film about two military cadets in a brutal training camp during the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship; The Dead Lands, the first-ever Maori-language action film, starring Lawrence Makoare (The Lord of the Rings) and James Rolleston (Boy); Chasing the Light, a dark comedy by Blackhorse Lowe with comparisons to Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino films; Le Dep, a French film about a young Innu woman held at gunpoint while working at her father’s dépanneur; and The Last Saint, a film with an unapologetic look at gang wars and drug addiction, directed by Rene Naufahu, known for his role in The Matrix trilogy.

Call for submissions: 2016 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

Submissions for Hot Docs 2016 are now open.

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market. Each year, the Festival presents a selection of approximately 200 cutting-edge documentaries from Canada and around the globe.

The 2016 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival will take place from April 28–May 8.

TIFF 2015 review – Der Nachtmahr

Der Nachtmahr
Directed by AKIZ

Review by Allan Tong

Sixteen-year-old German Tina (Carolyn Genzkow) attends a wild drug-fuelled pool party one night with her friends, imagines her own death and slowly descends into madness. Or does she?

The premise of Der Nachtmahr is a riff off Polanki's 1965 psychological thriller Repulsion which director AKIZ freely acknowledges as an influence. The key difference between that film and this is that Tina sees an E.T.-like creature that nobody else does, so her parents and friends believe she's nuts.

TIFF 2015 reviews – Keith Richards: Under the Influence / Janis: Little Girl Blue

Keith Richards: Under The Influence
Directed by Morgan Neville

Janis: Little Girl Blue
Directed by Amy Berg

Reviews by Allan Tong

Documentaries of two sixties rock icons screened at TIFF last week. Of the two, Morgan Neville's Keith Richards: Under the Influence attracted more attention because its subject flew into Toronto and personally presented this film the night before its worldwide release on Netflix.

Neville, who directed the Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom (good, but overrated), described Under the Influence at a press conference as a “scrapbook” that he never intended to be an adaptation of Ricahrds' superb memoir, Life. On those terms, Neville succeeeds and it explains the holes in the documentary. Notably, the film completely ignores the influences of early Stones' guitarist Brian Jones and first wife Anita Pallenberg in Richards' early life and career. Also, while it's true it's been done to death, there's no mention of Richards' drug addictions and drug bust.