TIFF Lineup Unveiled Amid Strikes: Awards Contenders ‘Dumb Money’, ‘The Holdovers’, ‘Rustin’; Starry Pics For Sale With Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, Michael Keaton, Viggo Mortensen & More
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The dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes aren’t stalling the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, which announced the first 60 feature films in what’s expected to be a 200-plus-title schedule. Last year counted some 260 full-length films.
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TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey promised “a bumper crop” of acquisition titles this year, and indeed there are 39 movies that have either domestic or international distribution rights up for grabs; roughly 18 of them have U.S. rights available.
And while there’s only a handful of awards contenders from theatrical and streaming studios, there is a plethora of starry independent movies, many available for sale. If SAG-AFTRA negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland can clear these titles for promotion (he told us at Comic-Con that the guild “is looking at the issue”), then there’s a shot that actors could show up at TIFF red carpet premieres — that is if the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA still haven’t hammered out a contract by the fest’s September 7-17 run.
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Awards strategists have told us that if the strike isn’t resolved by mid-August, then the odds of stars heading to Toronto, Venice or Telluride remains unlikely for regular motion picture and streaming features in the mix. The question is whether more awards titles or Q3 or Q4 tentpoles get programmed at TIFF. Sources close to the fest have told us that none of the studios is pulling out. Such was the unfortunate case for the Venice Film Festival, which lost its big opening-night title, Challengers, starring Zendaya. Since the Emmy-winning actress and social media heavyweight can’t promote due to the actors strike, MGM pushed the R-rated Luca Guadagnino-directed romance to the end of April.
Among those potential awards-contender world premieres at TIFF, Sony Pictures will tee off its September 22 theatrical release Dumb Money from director Craig Gillespie, about the everyday folks who flipped the script and turned GameStop into a meme stock. The pic stars Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Pete Davidson, Anthony Ramos, Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan and America Ferrera among others.
Focus Features’ The Holdovers from Alexander Payne title, which got snapped up by the Universal classic label last year at TIFF for $30M (as we first told you), will make its international premiere before its limited launch on October 27. Payne reteams with his Sideways Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, who plays a curmudgeonly teacher at a Northeast prep school in 1970 who has to oversee those students left behind on their Christmas break.
There’s also a slew of Netflix awards possibilities in the mix including David Yates’ Emily Blunt-Chris Evans pic Pain Hustlers (which we told you the streamer snapped up for $50M out of Cannes 2022); Grant Singer’s Reptile, starring Benicio Del Toro and Justin TImberlake; George C. Wolfe’s Rustin with Chris Rock and Colman Domingo, who stars as gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin; Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Nyad, about 64-year-old marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, who attempts to become the first person ever to swim from Cuba to Florida. That pic stars Annette Bening as Nyad, Jodie Foster and Rhys Ifans. Netflix is also bringing its $20M Sundance pickup, the thriller Fair Play, to the Great White North cinema celebration.
MGM has the Cord Jefferson-directed American Fiction starring Jeffrey Wright, Adam Brody and Issa Rae about English professor and author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, who writes a satirical novel under a pseudonym with the intent to expose the hypocrisies of the publishing industry. MGM’s parent company, Amazon Studios, has the Jamie Foxx-Tommy Lee Jones feature The Burial, directed by Maggie Betts, about a lawyer who helps a funeral home owner save his family business from a corporate behemoth, exposing a complex web of race, power and injustice.
Apple is also taking its $20M Sundance acquisition Flora and Son, from John Carney, to TIFF. There’s also a return of many Cannes-winning titles, i.e. Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall from Neon, A24’s Grand Prize winner The Zone of Interest and Queer Palm and Best Screenplay winner Monster from Kore-eda Hirokazu. There’s also Alice Rohrwacher’s Cannes pleaser La Chimera, which Neon took domestic on out of the fest.
Among the star-driven acquisition titles that have U.S. or North American rights available, there’s Lee starring Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough and Alexander Skarsgard, which follows the life of photographer Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue during World War II.
There’s Mahalia Belo’s The End We Start From, starring Jodie Comer, Katherine Waterston and Benedict Cumberbatch. Here’s the logline: When an environmental crisis sees London submerged by flood waters, a young family is torn apart in the chaos. As a woman and her newborn try and find their way home, the profound novelty of motherhood is brought into sharp focus in this intimate and poetic portrayal of family survival.
Domestic is available on Richard Linklater’s Hitman starring Top Gun: Maverick‘s Glen Powell.
In addition, there are many stars heading behind the camera with world premieres including Tony Goldwyn’s Ezra, starring Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Vera Farmiga and Whoopi Goldberg (North American and some international rights available); Chris Pine’s Poolman, starring the Star Trek star, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito and Annette Bening (some rights available); Viggo Mortensen’s The Dead Don’t Hurt with Vicky Krieps, Garret Dillahunt and Danny Huston (North American available); and Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour (U.S. available).
There’s also Kristin Scott Thomas’ feature directorial debut, North Star, with Sienna Miller and Scarlett Johansson and Scott Thomas (foreign rights available), and the Michael Keaton-directed thriller Knox Goes Away, about a contract killer who was diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia but has an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son. The pic stars Al Pacino, James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden and Keaton (U.S. rights available).
Since the DGA and AMPTP have agreed to a new contract, directors technically can show up at festivals to promote their work under that hat. Such multihyphenates such as Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson, who respectively had Killers of the Flower Moon and Asteroid City at Cannes, did press back in May.
The 60 official selections in the Gala and Special Presentations program\s rep 70 countries. Today’s lineup comprises 37 world premieres, seven international premieres, 12 North American
premieres and four Canadian premieres.
“This year’s Galas & Special Presentations showcase a rich tapestry of talent, vision, and storytelling,” said
Bailey in statement. “From thought-provoking narratives to breathtaking visuals and stories so unreal they have to be real, each work embodies the power of cinema to inspire, challenge, and move audiences. Get ready to experience an unforgettable celebration of film and a memorable and star-studded festival, showcasing the best of global cinema for film lovers in September.”
GALA PRESENTATIONS 2023
*Previously announced
Concrete Utopia Um Tae-Hwa | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales title: North America rights available
Dumb Money Craig Gillespie | USA
World Premiere
Fair Play Chloe Domont | USA
International Premiere
Flora and Son John Carney | Ireland/USA
Canadian Premiere
Hate to Love: Nickelback Leigh Brooks | Canada
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Lee Ellen Kuras | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
*Next Goal Wins Taika Waititi | USA
World Premiere
Nyad Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA
International Premiere
Punjab ’95 Honey Trehan | India
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Solo Sophie Dupuis | Canada
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
The End We Start From Mahalia Belo | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: North American rights available
The Movie Emperor Ning Hao | China
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
The New Boy Warwick Thornton | Australia
North American Premiere
Sales title: North American rights available
The Royal Hotel Kitty Green | Australia/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A Difficult Year Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache | France
International Premiere
Sales title: – U.S. rights available
A Normal Family Hur Jin-ho | South Korea
World Premiere
Sales title: North American rights available
American Fiction Cord Jefferson | USA
World Premiere
Anatomy of a Fall Justine Triet | France
Canadian Premiere
Close to You Dominic Savage | Canada/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: Worldwide rights available
Days of Happiness Chloé Robichaud | Canada
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
El Rapto Daniela Goggi | Argentina
North American Premiere
Sales title: North American rights available
Ezra Tony Goldwyn | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: North American and some international rights available
Fingernails Christos Nikou | USA
International Premiere
Four Daughters Kaouther Ben Hania | France/Tunisia/Germany/Saudi Arabia
North American Premiere
Sales title: Some rights available
His Three Daughters Azazel Jacobs | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Hitman Richard Linklater | USA
North American Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon Alex Gibney | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Kidnapped Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France/Germany
North American Premiere
Knox Goes Away Michael Keaton | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
La Chimera Alice Rohrwacher | Italy/France/Switzerland
North American Premiere
Last Summer Catherine Breillat | France
North American Premiere
*Les Indésirables Ladj Ly | France
World Premiere
Sales title: North America rights available
Memory Michel Franco | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Monster Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan
North American Premiere
Mother Couch Niclas Larsson | USA
World Premiere
North Star Kristin Scott Thomas | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
One Life James Hawes | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Pain Hustlers David Yates | USA
World Premiere
Poolman Chris Pine | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: Some rights available
Reptile Grant Singer | USA
World Premiere
Rustin George C. Wolfe | USA
International Premiere
*Seven Veils Atom Egoyan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
Shoshana Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom/Italy
World Premiere
Sales title: North American rights available
Sing Sing Greg Kwedar | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
Smugglers Ryoo Seung-wan | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Swan Song Chelsea McMullan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales title: Some rights available
The Beast Bertrand Bonello | France/Canada
North American Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
The Burial Maggie Betts | USA
World Premiere
The Convert Lee Tamahori | Australia/New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales title: Worldwide rights available
The Critic Anand Tucker | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: Some rights available
The Dead Don’t Hurt Viggo Mortensen | Mexico/Canada/Denmark
World Premiere
Sales title: Worldwide rights available
The Holdovers Alexander Payne | USA
International Premiere
The Peasants DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman | Poland/Serbia/Lithuania
World Premiere
Sales title: Some rights available
The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer | United Kingdom/Poland/USA
Canadian Premiere
Together 99 Lukas Moodysson | Sweden/Denmark
World Premiere
Unicorns Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd | United Kingdom/USA/Sweden
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Uproar Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett | New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Wicked Little Letters Thea Sharrock | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales title: International rights available
Wildcat Ethan Hawke | USA
International Premiere
Sales title: Worldwide rights available
Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick | USA
World Premiere
Sales title: U.S. rights available
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