This year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has a very eclectic Canadian film line-up. While some old familiar filmmakers have new releases, there is also a lot of young blood in this year’s line-up. The only thing missing is a new film by Xavier Dolan, who is still working on his follow-up to last year’s Mommy.
Here are my highlights from this year’s Canadian film line-up.
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Special Presentations
Into the Forest – Patricia Rozema, Canada (World Premiere)
Patricia Rozema (I Heard the Mermaids Singing) directs this film about two sisters, played by Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood, fending for themselves in the not-to-distant future. Sounds like an interesting premise.
Discovery
Sleeping Giant – Andrew Cividino, Canada (North American Premiere)
Expanded from last year’s short film of the same name, Sleeping Giant will probably be one of the must-see Canadian films of this year’s TIFF line-up.
Contemporary World Cinema
How Heavy This Hammer – Kazik Radwanski, Canada (World Premiere)
Three years following his debut feature Tower, Kazik Radwanski returns to TIFF with this film about a 47 year old father of two. As a big fan of Tower, I will most definitely try to fit this film into my TIFF schedule.
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Vanguard
Hellions – Bruce McDonald, Canada (World Premiere)
Seven years after Pontypool, Bruce McDonald returns to the horror genre with this Halloween-themed film. I’m definitely interested in checking this one out.
No Men Beyond This Point – Mark Sawers, Canada (North American Premiere)
The premise of this film, which involves a 37 year old man trying save men from
extinction in a world run by women, sounds like it can be possibly misogynistic. However, hopefully this will end up being a much deeper movie that it appears on the surface.
extinction in a world run by women, sounds like it can be possibly misogynistic. However, hopefully this will end up being a much deeper movie that it appears on the surface.
Wavelengths
The Forbidden Room – Evan Johnson and Guy Maddin, Canada (Canadian Premiere)
Guy Maddin has always been a very experimental filmmaker and this film, co-directed by Evan Johnson and Maddin’s first in the Wavelengths programm, looks to be his most experimental yet.
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