Darlings, TIFF is turning fifty, and she’s wearing her diamonds. The Toronto International Film Festival just dropped its latest lineup of world premieres, and — oh my stars — it’s a constellation of talent that would make the Hollywood Walk of Fame blush with envy.
The crown jewel? Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” (and yes, that title is giving us delicious film noir vibes). Daniel Craig’s molasses-smooth detective Benoit Blanc is back for thirds, this time surrounded by a cast that reads like someone’s fantasy dinner party guest list: Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and Kerry Washington. Johnson’s clearly got a soft spot for Toronto — all three Knives Out films have made their grand debut on TIFF’s red carpet.
“Since its inception, TIFF has championed global cinema that opens our eyes and brings us together,” mused Anita Lee, TIFF’s Chief Programming Officer. Well, honey, that’s putting it mildly. This September 4-14, the festival’s rolling out eleven new additions to its Gala and Special Presentations programmes that’ll have cinephiles booking their flights faster than you can say “And the Oscar goes to…”
Speaking of must-sees — Derek Cianfrance’s “Roofman” might just be the wildest true story you’ll catch this year. Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst headline this stranger-than-fiction tale about Jeffrey Manchester, an ex-Army Reserve officer who took “thinking outside the box” perhaps a bit too literally. His specialty? Breaking into McDonald’s through the roof (hence the rather on-the-nose nickname). The cherry on top? He eventually set up camp inside a Toys R Us store. You simply cannot make this stuff up.
Then there’s Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” — a gut-punch of a period piece starring Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, and Emily Watson. The film (which whispers suggest might grace Venice first) peels back the curtain on Shakespeare’s home life, specifically the raw grief of Agnes Shakespeare after losing her young son. Yes, that Hamnet — the namesake whose death may have sparked the creation of literature’s most famous Danish prince.
The lineup keeps serving drama with Paul Greengrass’s “The Lost Bus,” featuring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera tackling California’s deadliest wildfire. Meanwhile, Nicholas Hytner’s breaking his eight-year silver screen silence with “The Choral,” a 1916 Yorkshire tale that reunites him with playwright Alan Bennett.
In what might be the festival’s most intriguing cultural crossover, HIKARI’s “Rental Family” stars Brendan Fraser (fresh off his comeback tour) as an American actor in Tokyo who finds purpose in Japan’s unique family rental service industry. It’s exactly the kind of genre-defying gem that TIFF excels at discovering.
This golden anniversary edition isn’t just about the screenings — TIFF’s adding an International People’s Choice Award to its trophy cabinet, expanding its celebration of global storytelling. For ten glorious days, Toronto will transform into cinema’s beating heart, from the grandeur of Roy Thomson Hall to the intimate corners of the TIFF Lightbox.
As the festival approaches its half-century milestone, one thing’s crystal clear: TIFF remains that rare bird that can juggle Hollywood glamour and artistic innovation without dropping either ball. It’s where blockbuster dreams and indie darlings share the same red carpet — and darling, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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