The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is just over two months away, and its lineup is starting to take shape.
On Thursday, the festival announced that it will be screening world premieres of films by established and emerging filmmakers, including Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (“The Christophers”), Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar (“The Captive”), South Korean director Sung-hyun Byun (“Good News”), American director Nia DaCosta (“Hedda”) and Canada’s own Chandler Levack (“Mile End Kicks”).
“These first five films of our Official Selection reflect the innovation, heart, and global perspective that have made our Festival a home for great cinema over the past 50 editions,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a statement.
The announcement is extra special for Levack, a Toronto director with deep ties to the festival. Her second feature film, “Mile End Kicks,” is a coming of age rom-com set in Montreal in the summer of 2011.
“I’m completely overjoyed to premiere at TIFF,” Levack told the Star. “This film was a labour of love that involved the talents of many incredible filmmakers in Toronto and Montreal and it means a lot to play in my hometown, even though I am scared to have my parents watch the film.”
“TIFF audiences are truly the best in the world and I’m so honoured to celebrate my cast and crew and share the movie with them,” added Levack.
Soderbergh’s film “The Christophers” is a black comedy starring Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning and James Corden. The film tells the story of the estranged children of a famous artist, who develop a plan to hire a forger to finish their father’s paintings.
Amenábar’s “The Captive” is an adventure film that tells the story of Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes.
DaCosta’s “Hedda” is an adaptation of the classic Norwegian play “Hedda Gabler,” and will star Tessa Thompson.
Sung-hyun’s “Good News” is a crime thriller set in 1970 South Korea about a suspicious operation carried out by a group determined to land a hijacked airplane by any means necessary.
Presented for the second year by Rogers, TIFF is set to take place between Sept. 4 and 14. Earlier this month, the festival announced that it will open with a documentary about the Canadian comedy legend John Candy. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, “John Candy: I Like Me” traces the comedy star’s personal and professional life with never-before-seen home videos and candid recollections that reveal a son, husband, father and friend who battled personal ghosts and Hollywood pressures.
A hometown hero returns
Levack’s directorial debut, ”I Like Movies,” premiered at TIFF in 2022, where it was warmly received by audiences. The film — a hilarious, surprisingly dark and uncompromisingly Canadian coming-of-age tale about a teenage cinephile living in Burlington — went on to receive universal critical acclaim (it has 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and was later named one of the best Canadian comedy films of all time.
“Mile End Kicks,” tells the story of a young female rock journalist who is writing a book about Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” after getting fired from her alt-weekly job. As she navigates Mile End’s DIY music scene, the journalist becomes obsessed with “a horrible guy in a band.”
“I’d say it’s like ‘Almost Famous’ by way of ‘Girls,’ Levack said. “The film is heavily inspired by my experiences working as a young female music writer at places like SPIN Magazine. It’s about the dream of moving to Montreal versus the reality of living in a place where you don’t speak the language, about romantic obsession, about getting paid in CDs.”
The film stars “Euphoria” star Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariepy, Jay Baruchel and Robert Naylor. It also features the return of “I Like Movies” star Isaiah Lehtinen, who Levack called “my one true movie love.”
