Following the summer lull after Cannes, the great race of international film festivals accelerates into full ignition at the end of August every year with the Venice Film Festival, an exotic (and wet) apéritif for what’s to follow. From there, the most important is the laudedToronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which furthers the cinephilic propulsion fromSep. 5 to Sep. 15. Afterward, there will be Fantastic Fest, the New York Film Festival, London, Chicago, Tokyo, Stockholm, and more.
For right now, though, TIFF is dominating the film market and cultural attention, and for good reason: many of what will become the best series andfilms of 2024are being screened in Toronto. Here we’ve collected the most promising titles from the festival. While we’d point to some with more certainty than others (Anora, Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, Cloud, Disclaimer, Faithless, Kill the Jockey, M - Son of the Century, The End, Presence, The Life of Chuck, The Listeners, We Live in Time), all the following films should be on any movie lover’s radar. It should be noted that descriptions have been partially provided by the incredible programmers at TIFF, with their names noted parenthetically.
(Dir. R.T. Thorne,The Porter, The Lake)
“In a post-apocalyptic future where food is scarce, the last descendants of a Black family of farmers who settled in Canada after the American Civil War must protect their homestead from an organized militia hell-bent on taking their land. Writer-director R.T. Thorne infuses the dystopian narrative with contemporary relevance and an inescapable historical metaphor, placing Black and Indigenous characters at the center of a story about people defending their land from those who would kill them for it without a second thought.” (Norm Wilner)Learn Acresand find screenings here.
(Dir. Ryan Cooper, Eva Thomas)
“An idyllic childhood with her mooshum and kookum, or grandparents, in her community of Peguis First Nation dissipates as Aberdeen’s hard-partying and absentee parents distances her from that haven. Now an adult, sleeping on public benches, Winnipeg-based Aberdeen is in survival mode. The last remaining stable parts of her life begin slipping away — her reliable brother Boyd is ill and gives up Aberdeen’s grandkids to the foster care system. Then she loses her ID.
“Houseless, and without proper identification, she is rebuffed time and again as she seeks out services meant to help her. It’s only when she hitches a ride back to her home community that she’s treated like a valued person and can see the potential to stop generational trauma.” (Kelly Boutsalis)Learn find screenings here.
(Dir. Marcelle Lunam,Habana Shakes)
“Numbers are everything to Grace Lisa Vandenburg. The life of Grace, a Melbourne-based mathematician, is largely governed by her arithmomania, an obsessive-compulsive need to count (three times to ensure accuracy) everything from the poppy seeds on her cake to the bristles on her toothbrush. In a chaotic, sometimes tragic, and constantly changing world, Grace’s preoccupation gives her a sense of order and control.
“Grace’s structured life takes an unexpected but not altogether unwelcome turn when she meets Seamus, a British immigrant captivated by Grace’s offbeat charm. As their relationship deepens, Grace grapples with revealing her compulsion. Adrift in this new reality, Grace must face the spectre of a long-buried childhood tragedy, forging a new path towards balance.” (Jason Ryle)Learn find screenings here.
All of You
(Dir. William Bridges,Soulmates, Black Mirror)
“Simon (Brett Goldstein) accompanies his best friend, Laura (Imogen Poots), as she takes a new test guaranteeing to match anyone with their soulmate. As Laura hurtles towards milestones with her new man, Simon begins to understand how deeply he cares about her, even if he’s not ready to accept it. Despite their feelings, Simon and Laura must navigate the path destiny has laid out for them, before it all becomes too much and their love spills over into their complicated lives.” (Jane Schoettle)Learn of Youand find screenings here.
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An Unfinished Film
(Dir. Lou Ye,Spring Fever, Saturday Fiction)
“Filmmaker Xiaorui and his team discovering fascinating old footage from a project abandoned 10 years earlier. Nostalgia and the desire to bring completion to a project dear to him prompts Xiaorui to reunite his original crew to complete it. Their efforts, however, are disrupted by the onset of COVID-19 in Wuhan, forcing the group into lockdown. Blending fiction with real footage from social media, Lou Ye creates a unique documentary-style narrative that conveys the early days of the pandemic.” (Giovanna Fulvi)Learn Unfinished Filmand find screenings here.
Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe
(Dir. Cosima Spender,Palio)
“Over the last 30 years, with a rare repertoire that encompasses pop, rock, and opera, Andrea Bocelli and his golden voice have touched the hearts of millions of listeners around the world. Using last year’s magisterial concert at the Baths of Caracalla as its anchor,Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believeis an intimate portrait of one of the world’s greatest living singers.
“This inspiring documentary tracks Bocelli’s path to success and ongoing dedication to his craft through interviews and archival performance footage, as well as informal gatherings, such as a diverting party where Bocelli’s friends and family reminisce over food and wine. When Bocelli sings, it is as though heaven has opened its gates, but watchingBecause I Believereminds us that this remarkable artist is very much rooted in the earth.“Learn Bocelli: Because I Believeand find screenings here.
(Dir. Sean Baker,The Florida Project, Red Rocket)
Anora’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.
“Sean Baker’s latest casts Mikey Madison as a sex worker named Anora, or Ani as she prefers to be called. She may live in a shabby Brooklyn apartment above the rattle of the subway, but every night, Ani glams up and puts on a flirty smile for the men at a local club. Between myriad lap dances, Ani finds herself talking to Vanya, a young Russian boy who joyfully throws around his parents’ money.
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“His innocence charms Ani, and the two fall into a comfortable rhythm. She shows him a good time, and he opens the door to a charmed life she could only have imagined. They begin a whirlwind romance that’s soon threatened by Vanya’s powerful family. Ani finds herself gripping onto a fantasy by her long pink fingernails.” (Jane Schoettle)Learn find screenings here.
Anywhere Anytime
“Issa (Ibrahima Sambou) is a young undocumented immigrant from Senegal living in Turin, Italy. He is doing his best to survive — and send money home — in a bustling city that in countless ways renders him invisible. Moreover, he’s living in a hostile landscape, in which people in his precarious position are at the whims of international politics and at the mercy of whomever they face. Fired by his previous employer, Issa finds work as a food-delivery rider, thanks to a kind friend (Moussa Dicko Diango).
“The arduous job requires the employee to provide their own means of transport, and soon Issa’s newly gained stability collapses when, during a drop-off, the bicycle he has just spent all his money on is stolen. Determined to overcome yet another challenge, Issa immediately embarks on an uphill odyssey through the city streets to recover his means of transport and survival.” (Dorota Lech)Learn Anytimeand find screenings here.
(Dir. Halina Reijn,Bodies Bodies Bodies)
“When Romy, the high-powered executive played by Nicole Kidman inBabygirl, starts cheating on her urbane theatre director husband (Antonio Banderas), it’s not because their sex life has diminished. As the opening scene explicitly demonstrates, there’s still significant heat between them. But when he goes to sleep, Romy sneaks out of the room to finish, alone, what she clearly couldn’t achieve with him.
“When Romy meets Samuel (Harris Dickinson), an impertinent intern at her company who can intuit more about her than she intends to share — and who’s happy to take control — it’s only a matter of time before they find themselves in a seedy hotel together. They wrestle, literally and figuratively, over a twisty power dynamic. Romy’s age and position give her an advantage, but as Samuel reminds her, he could ruin her life with one phone call.” (Anita Lee)Learn find screenings here.
Better Man
(Dir. Michael Gracey,The Greatest Showman)
“Let me entertain you!” Robbie Williams famously sang. From boy band euphoria to solo stadium tours, the UK pop star has lived large, loud, and right on the edge. No mere music biopic could do his highs and lows justice. And so Michael Gracey hit on an audacious, dazzling approach. Gather round and witness the life of Robbie Williams unfold in a rather unorthodox way, to say the least.Learn Manand find screenings here.
