TIFF welcomes international filmmakers and stars back to Toronto
TORONTO, ON., Sept. 9, 2021—The Toronto International Film Festival® opens today and TIFF has shared all the excitement as well as offered a detailed peek at many of the special guests and talent that will attend the Festival in person this year. The Toronto International Film Festival®(TIFF) will kick off 10 days of exceptional international and Canadian cinema with over 100 films in its Official Selection, unparalleled events featuring acclaimed industry guests, and TIFF’s Industry Conference.
Recognized as the world’s largest public film festival, TIFF is poised to bring the theatrical experience back to life and continue its reputation as both a leader in amplifying under-represented cinematic voices and a bellwether for programming award-winning films from around the globe.
In-person screenings at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and Festival Village at the iconic Ontario Place punctuate this year’s Festival. Festival Village at Ontario Place comprises the Cinesphere IMAX Theatre, Visa Skyline Drive-in, RBC Lakeside Drive-In and the WestIslandOpen Air Cinema. TIFF 2021 highlights also includescreenings across Canada, and the return of the digital TIFF Bell Lightbox and TIFF Bell Digital Talks platforms.
The Festival’s public digital experience is presented by Bell, with film screenings on digital TIFF Bell Lightbox available across Canada. In Conversation With…talks and interactive Q&A sessions with actors and creators will be hosted on TIFF Bell Digital Talks, available worldwide.To increase the accessibility of the Festival, all films screened digitally will be closed-captioned.
TIFF also announced a special surprise screening of a never-before-seen film (World Premiere) from award-winning director Steven Soderbergh. Programmed in top secret collaboration with Soderbergh, details of this mystery screening, including ticket availability, to be revealed at a later date.
“It wouldn’t be TIFF if we didn’t have a surprise element to tease out — and this year it’s coming from a TIFF friend, Steven Soderbergh,” said Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey, Co-Heads, TIFF. “We are inspired by the excitement and anticipation we can already feel in the city. It has been a challenging time for everyone,and it’s so wonderful that in exactly seven days we will be able to welcome back international, national, and local audiences, industry guests, journalists, and film talent for an unforgettable TIFF 2021. We can’t wait.”
The Opening Night Gala Presentation at the 46th Toronto International Film Festival® will feature Tony Award–winning musical Dear Evan Hansen screening Thursday, September 9 at Roy Thomson Hall. While additional screenings of Dear Evan Hansen will take place at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, at the RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place and digitally on the digital TIFF Bell Lightbox platform.
Directed by Stephen Chbosky, Dear Evan Hansen is the story of a high-school senior with a debilitating anxiety disorder whose private letter to himself as part of a therapy exercise lands in the hands of a fellow classmate, with tragic consequences. The incident propels Evan on a journey of self-discovery that leads him toward belonging and acceptance, not only among the peoplewho love him, but also by Evan himself. Starring Tony winner Ben Platt as Evan, along with Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Nik Dodani, Dear Evan Hansen features songs from the original Broadway sensation.
What is showing at TIFF – a sampling of what is to come in the Festival’s Official Selection for 2021:
Le Bal des Folles directed by Mélanie Laurent (France) from Amazon Studios, Benediction, directed by Terence Davies (United Kingdom) from Bankside Films, Belfast, from director Kenneth Branagh (United Kingdom) from Focus Features, Charlotte, directed by Eric Warin and Tahir Rana (Canada/Belgium/France) from Elevation Pictures and MK2 Mile End, Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, directed by Dave Wooley, David Heilbroner (USA),The Guilty by director Antoine Fuqua (USA) from Netflix, HBO’s Jagged, documentary on iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, directed by Alison Klayman (USA), Lakewood, directed by Philip Noyce (Canada), Last Night in Soho, directed by Edgar Wright (United Kingdom) from Focus Features, Night Raiders, directed by Danis Goulet (Canada/New Zealand) from Elevation Pictures and Samuel Goldwyn Films, Petite Maman, directed by CélineSciamma (France) from Elevation Pictures and NEON and The Starling by director Theodore Melfi (USA) from Netflix. The Festival’s Gala and Special Presentations presented by Visa, will be announced on July 20. Films selected for TIFF’s programmes — Contemporary World Cinema presented by Sun Life, Discovery, TIFF Docs presented by A&E Indie Films, Midnight Madness, Primetime, Wavelengths TIFF Short Cuts and the Platform Programme will also be happening.
The Closing Night Gala of TIFF 2021, One Second, is the newest offering from the acclaimed Chinese director of Raise the Red Lantern and Hero, Zhang Yimou. The film tells the story of a travelling film projectionist and an escaped prisoner connected through cinema. One Second is a love letter to movies and a reminder of howtheycan unite people, regardless of our differences. “EverySeptember we invite the whole film world to Toronto,one of the most diverse, movie-mad cities in the world,” said Bailey. “And to have Zhang Yimou’s film here,now, is atrue joy.
This year’s TIFF guests to include a very lengthy list that will surely be added to. TIFF says this list is not complete and is subject to change.
Who is attending TIFF this year in Toronto?
Edwin Omar Abdi Omar Abu Amer Hany Abu-Assad Mohammed Abugeth Mounia Akl Kamila Andini Javier Andrade Daniel Andrade Nina Andresen Borud Thomas Antony Olajide Barry Avrich Khadar Ayderus Ahmed Arooj Azeem Babalwa Baartman Bilal Baig Julie Baldassi Alanna Bale Hamza Bangash Justine Bateman David Belton Clint Bentley Luke Bilyk Robi Botos Carolyn Bracken Jordan Bullchild Terril Calder Jorge Camarotti Laurent Cantet Daniel Carsenty Conor Casey Gian Cassini Jenna Cato Bass E. Chai Vasarhelyi Jessica Chastain Stephen Chbosky, Ben Platt, and__the attending cast of Dear Evan__Hansen Jimmy Chin Anna Claire Beitel Julie CohenClifton Collins Jr.Gudrun Columbus MwanyikaBenedict CumberbatchDamon D’Oliveira Vincent D’Onofrio Lily-Rose Depp Liam Diaz Kate Dolan Hazel Doupe Sam Dunn Bob Eisenhardt Rebecca Ferguson, Emma Ferreira Fab Filipo Stefan Forbes Maya Forbes Essence Fox Kenny G Liz GarbusAndrew Garfield Juanjo Giménez Danis Goulet Taylor GrayIvan Grbovic Michael Greyeyes Camille Griffin Bent Hamer Bretten Hannam Heather Hatch David Heilbroner Catherine Hernandez Anahí Hoeneisen Jayne Houdyshell Rebeca Huntt Eva Husson Darin J. Sallam Evan Jackson Leong Felix Jedi Ingram Isaac Richard Jenkins Bjørn JohnsonAliya KananiStephen Karam Emre Kayiş Alison Klayman Keira Knightley Penny LaneAna LazarevicBrooklyn Letexier-Hart Phillip Lewitski Tea Lindeburg Haley Lu Richardson Jean Luc Herbulot Manuel Martín Cuenca Gail Maurice Scott McGehee Michael McGowan Araya Mengesha Amalia Mesa Gustin John Michael McDonagh Amber Midthunder Fawzia Mirza Sara Mishara Kausar Mohammed Sara Montpetit Alexandre Moratto Tim Myles Shasha Nakhai Stanley Nelson Violet Nelson Tuva Novotny Phillip Noyce Josh O’Connor Alanis Obomsawin Eva Orner Gabriela Osio Vanden Gharrett Paon Ritwik Pareek Molly Parker Ruth Paxton Manny Perez Alison Pill Sébastien Pilote Steve PinkRodrigo Plá Ellie PosadasTahir RanaMarc RicciardelliJackie RichardsonKhadijah Roberts-Abdullah Anita Rocha da Silveira Daïchi Saïto Laura Samani Agustina San Martín Rob Savage Albert Shin Amil Shivji Paul Shkordoff Micheal Showalter David Siegel Denzal Sinclaire Steven Soderbergh June Squibb Bianca Stigter Pål Sverre Hagen John Sylliboy Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers Owen Teague Blaine Thurier Miriam Toews Thyrone Tommy Anisia Uzeyman Rhayne Vermette Denis Villeneuve Cherish Violet Blood Eric Warin Yasmin Warsame Dionne Warwick Haya Waseem Sigourney Weaver Jack Weisman Betsy West Saul Williams Rich Williamson Andria Wilson Mare Winningham Avery Winters-Anthony Wallace Wolodarsky Dave Wooley Aga Woszczyńska
For complete details on screenings, event schedules and tickets, visit tiff.net – your one-stop shop for all things TIFF.
TICKET PRICING FOR TIFF 2021 IS AS FOLLOWS:
Tickets for TIFF’s in-person venues — TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall, the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Cinesphere Theatre at Ontario Place, and Scotiabank Theatre:
●Regular film screenings: $25 including taxes + fees
●Premium film screenings: $40 including taxes + feesDrive-in screenings — Visa Skyline Drive-In and RBCLakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place:
●Car with 1–2 people: $49 including taxes + fees
●Car with 3+ people: $69 including taxes + fees Open-air cinema screenings — West Island Open AirCinema at Ontario Place
●Lawn access for 2 people: $38 including taxes + feesDigital TIFF Bell Lightbox:
●Regular film screenings: $19 including taxes + fees
●Premium film screenings: $26 including taxes + feesTIFF Bell Digital Talks
●In Conversation With… events: $12 including taxes+ fees (FREE for TIFF Members)
Lead Photo Dear Evan Hansen screening Opening Night Thursday, September 9 at Roy Thomson Hall.Starring Tony winner Ben Platt as Evan, along with Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Nik Dodani, Dear Evan Hansen features songs from the original Broadway sensation. photo supplied by TIFF
Other articles from mtltimes.ca – totimes.ca – otttimes.ca
