The Gala and Special Presentations programs have been unveiled for the 47th Toronto International Film Festival, taking place September 8–18. The films from the 2022 Official Selection amount to 18 Galas and 45 Special Presentations.
“We’re excited to welcome some of the most celebrated figures in movies back to Toronto to present their Gala and Special Presentation films,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. “With stories that span six continents and feature performances you just have to see, this lineup delivers the rich experiences we wait all year for. Cinema is alive. Red carpets are back. And the best audience in the world awaits them in Toronto.”
This will mark the return of a full-fledged in-person Toronto fest after the COVID pandemic caused the event to go largely virtual, with greatly pared down face-to-face proceedings.
Among the newly announced films are director Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light and Darren Aronofsky’s Whale in the Special Presentations lineup, and Gala Presentations entries such as Peter Farrelly’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever and Tyler Perry’s A Jazzman’s Blues.
Here’s the full rundown, which includes some previously announced films such as The Swimmers and The Woman King. (Titles with an asterisk indicate a previously announced film.)
GALA PRESENTATIONS 2022
Alice, Darling director Mary Nighy | Canada, USA
World Premiere
Black Ice Hubert Davis | Canada
World Premiere
Butcher’s Crossing Gabe Polsky | USA
World Premiere
The Greatest Beer Run Ever Peter Farrelly | USA
World Premiere
The Hummingbird Francesca Archibugi | Italy, France
World Premiere
Hunt Lee Jung-jae | South Korea
North American Premiere
A Jazzman’s Blues Tyler Perry | USA
World Premiere
Kacchey Limbu Shubham Yogi | India
World Premiere
Moving On Paul Weitz | USA
World Premiere
Paris Memories Alice Winocour | France
North American Premiere
Prisoner’s Daughter Catherine Hardwicke | USA
World Premiere
Raymond & Ray Rodrigo García | USA
World Premiere
Roost Amy Redford | USA
World Premiere
Sidney Reginald Hudlin | USA
World Premiere
The Son Florian Zeller | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Opening Night Film
*The Swimmers Sally El Hosaini | United Kingdom
World Premiere
What’s Love Got To Do With It? Shekhar Kapur | United Kingdom
World Premiere
*The Woman King Gina Prince-Bythewood | USA
World Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2022
Allelujah Sir Richard Eyre | United Kingdom
World Premiere
All Quiet on the Western Front Edward Berger | USA, Germany
World Premiere
The Banshees Of Inisherin Martin McDonagh | United Kingdom, Ireland, USA
North American Premiere
Blueback Robert Connolly | Australia
World Premiere
The Blue Caftan Maryam Touzani | Morocco, France, Belgium, Denmark
North American Premiere
Broker Hirokazu Kore-eda | South Korea
Canadian Premiere
*Brother Clement Virgo | Canada
World Premiere
*Bros Nicholas Stoller | USA
World Premiere
*Catherine Called Birdy Lena Dunham | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Causeway Lila Neugebauer | USA
World Premiere
Chevalier Stephen Williams | USA
World Premiere
Corsage Marie Kreutzer | Austria, France, Germany
North American Premiere
Decision to Leave Park Chan-wook | South Korea
North American Premiere
Devotion JD Dillard | USA
World Premiere
Driving Madeleine Christian Carion | France
International Premiere
El Suplente Diego Lerman | Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Spain, France
World Premiere
Empire of Light Sam Mendes | United Kingdom, USA
Canadian Premiere
The Eternal Daughter Joanna Hogg | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
*The Fabelmans Steven Spielberg | USA
World Premiere
*Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Rian Johnson | USA
World Premiere
Good Night Oppy Ryan White | USA
International Premiere
The Good Nurse Tobias Lindholm | USA
World Premiere
Holy Spider Ali Abbasi | Denmark, Germany, Sweden, France
Canadian Premiere
Joyland Saim Sadiq | Pakistan
North American Premiere
The King’s Horseman Biyi Bandele | Nigeria
World Premiere
The Lost King Stephen Frears | United Kingdom
World Premiere
A Man of Reason Jung Woo-sung | South Korea
World Premiere
The Menu Mark Mylod | USA
World Premiere
*On the Come Up Sanaa Lathan | USA
World Premiere
One Fine Morning Mia Hansen-Løve | France
Canadian Premiere
Other People’s Children Rebecca Zlotowski | France
North American Premiere
Moonage Daydream Brett Morgen | USA
North American Premiere
*My Policeman Michael Grandage | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Nanny Nikyatu Jusu | USA
International Premiere
No Bears Jafar Panahi | Iran
North American Premiere
The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile Kathlyn Horan | USA
International Premiere
Saint Omer Alice Diop | France
North American Premiere
Sanctuary Zachary Wigon | USA
World Premiere
Stories Not to be Told Cesc Gay | Spain
World Premiere
Triangle of Sadness Ruben Östlund | Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, France, Greece
North American Premiere
Walk Up Hong Sangsoo | South Korea
World Premiere
Wendell & Wild Henry Selick | USA
World Premiere
The Whale Darren Aronofsky | USA
North American Premiere
Women Talking Sarah Polley | USA
International Premiere
The Wonder Sebastián Lelio | United Kingdom, Ireland
Canadian Premiere
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More