By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --The Toronto International Film Festival unveiled a starry lineup to its 48th edition on Monday, even if remains unclear if stars will be there to walk red carpets due to the ongoing actors and writers strikes.
Among the films making their world premieres at TIFF this year are Craig Gillespie’s GameStop drama “Dumb Money,” with Paul Dano and Pete Davidson; Ellen Kuras’ “Lee,” starring Kate Winslet as war photographer Lee Miller, and Tony Goldwyn’s "Ezra,” with Robert De Niro and Rose Byrne.
Also headed to Toronto are Michael Keaton’s “Knox Goes Away,” starring Al Pacino and James Marsden; Kristen Scott Thomas’ “North Star,” featuring Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller; David Yates’ Netflix drama “Pain Hustler,” starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans; and Maggie Betts’ “The Burial,” with Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones.
Those films, and many more including directorial debuts by Anna Kendrick (“Woman of the Hour”) and Chris Pine (“Poolman”), will make up some of the gala premieres at TIFF, the largest film festival in North America.
The festival is a key platform for Hollywood to debut its fall fare and awards hopefuls. But like the Venice Film Festival, which begins about a week before TIFF launches on Sept. 7, Toronto organizers are anxiously following the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
While those strikes continue, actors and writers are prohibited by their unions from promoting their films. TIFF will go forward, regardless, but an ongoing strike would sap the festival of A-listers and surely lessen the usual cacophony of buzz emanating from Toronto.
The strike has already led to one of Venice’s top titles — Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” starring Zendaya — to pull out as the festival’s opening night selection and postpone its release to April.
Other major titles coming to TIFF include Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” starring Paul Giamatti as a boarding school professor; Richard Linklater’s “Hitman,” an action comedy starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona; Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “Nyad,” starring Annette Bening as long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad; Mahalia Belo’s “The We End Start From,” starring Jodie Comer as a mother fleeing a flooded London; and Ethan Hawke’s “Wildcat,” featuring his daughter, Maya Hawke, as author Flannery O’Connor.
TIFF previously announced that Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy “ Next Goal Wins “ will open this year’s festival, which runs through Sept. 17.
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 – US 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 – US 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 2023
*Previously announced
"A Difficult Year," Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache | France
International Premiere
Sales Title – US 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 – US 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 – 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
"Hit Man," Richard Linklater | USA
North American Premiere
Sales Title – US 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 – US 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 – US 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 – US 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 – International 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 – North American 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 – North American Rights Available
"Woman of the Hour," Anna Kendrick | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More