Year after year, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) offers something for everyone, and this year was no exception. The selection of films was outstanding, including some that are sure to make noise during awards season, first-time filmmakers making a splash, established actors delivering some of their best work, and so much more.
If you wanted to star gaze, there was no shortage of celebrities: Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Denzel Washington, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez and Zoe Saldana, to name a few. Plus musical superstars Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Pharrell Williams and the Tragically Hip.
While the film festival was taking place, there was an industry conference with a multitude of sessions for emerging filmmakers to hone their talent. These sessions included filmmakers like Alfonso Cuaron (Disclaimer), Matthew Rankin (Universal Language) and Janicza Bravo (The Listeners).
During the opening weekend, King Street was transformed into Festival Street, featuring vendors and a variety of free events for attendees.
Canada’s largest city is always bustling, yet TIFF’s celebration of film infuses it with even more vitality, drawing visitors from across the globe to the 11-day festival. And, unlike other times of the year, there’s no need to worry about movie-goers texting in theatres, as attendees are solely focused on the screen, engrossed in the enthralling storytelling and outstanding performances.
The films that do well at TIFF usually go on to have a lot of success at the Academy Awards.
The top award at TIFF is the Peoples Choice Award, which festival attendees vote on. Over the last ten years, all of the movies that have won the People’s Choice Award have gone on to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Five of the last Best Picture winners have gone through TIFF.
In addition to the Peoples Choice Awards, TIFF has the TIFF Tribute Awards that honour distinguished achievements in filmmaking. Many of the TIFF recipients have gone on to win Academy Awards.
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Anthony Hopkins (The Father), Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and Brendan Fraser (The Whale) are just a few who have won a TIFF Tribute Award and who have gone on to win an Academy Award.
This year, some of the recipients of the TIFF Tribute Award included Amy Adams, Jharrel Jerome, Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie. Will any of them be able to parlay this into Academy Award success? Time will tell.
The People’s Choice Award this year went to The Life of Chuck, directed by Mike Flanagan. The movie, starring Tom Hiddleston, chronicles the life of Charles Krantz across three distinct chapters and is based on a novella by Stephen King.
There were many films that connected with audiences during the festival. The Last Showgirl saw Pamela Anderson starring as a Las Vegas showgirl adapting to the fact that her show was ending abruptly after 30 years. The film showcased the best performance of Anderson’s career. This might not be a bold statement considering her resume, but Anderson herself said, “I think I have been waiting my whole life for this role”
Another film that resonated with audiences was SATURDAY NIGHT, a behind-the-scenes film of the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live. It is a very fast-paced film that displays all the politics of bringing the show to life.
My favourite film at the festival was Anora, Sean Baker’s (The Florida Project) latest film about a sex worker who meets a young man who turns out to be the son of a Russian Oligarch. Hell breaks loose when his family finds out about their relationship.
Stay tuned to OLM for reviews of over 40 films from TIFF24 in capsule or full review form.
Meanwhile, here’s my list of favourite films from the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival to keep an eye on:
40 Acres
Anora
Cloud
Emilia Perez
Flow
Millers in Marriage
Relay
The Assessment
The Last Showgirl
The Substance
