We will have a large article tomorrow morning on the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival award winners at TIFF 2023. We thought to have some fun and share some excitement over some of the Canadian films that might have significance, even without winning a major award.
The idea of a contest to test my Canadian film trivia knowledge sounds better than a donair, a plate of poutine, and butter tarts for dessert. Sorry I missed that event.
Team #BACKSPOT at our WORLDWIDE PREMIERE @tiff_net ✨🌎🎬#tiff23 pic.twitter.com/B1tGfzzmp9
— D.W. Waterson (@dw_waterson) September 15, 2023
Backspot has tremendous potential as a film, Canadian film or otherwise. Bottoms (not a Canadian film) from Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman may have a stronger marketing budget, but Backspot could be the better film.
We were a bit surprised this film didn't scratch at an award at TIFF 2023.
“You could really feel us transcend.” ✨@TheElliotPage reflects on his experience with director Dominic Savage (@SavageDominic) and co-star Hillary Baack while filming CLOSE TO YOU.
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 14, 2023
The movie made its moving World Premiere at #TIFF23. pic.twitter.com/lUfIZwQeFB
Pageboy: A Memoir may be one of the most interesting books of 2023, Canadian or otherwise. Curious to see what comes of Close to You, especially with a potential limit on major American films. Elliot Page is also an executive producer on Backspot.
"I think TIFF is my home." ❤️
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 14, 2023
Deepa Mehta (@IamDeepaMehta) shares how it feels to be back in Toronto for the World Premiere of I AM SIRAT. #TIFF23 pic.twitter.com/QhCS9JnW1l
We think I Am Sirat will be more interesting and perhaps better edited than Funny Boy from Deepa Mehta.
THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS mashes up textures of Indian cinema and a Canadian coming-of-age picture, tracing key moments in the lives of a mother and daughter born three decades apart. pic.twitter.com/pWQVaPyzjB
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 10, 2023
Canada is very good at films with strong immigrant stories. The Queen of My Dreams has some promise. This is the full-length directorial debut from Fawzia Mirza (which would have made this eligible for the Best Canadian First Feature Film if TIFF brought that back) and features 2023 TIFF Rising Star Amrit Kaur. Never hurts to have one of our favourite Canadian actors in Hamza Haq in the cast.
"This film is for everyone who has ever felt like their existence was a problem to be solved or who never felt like they fit into the suffocating boxes the world wants to package us in." -- Molly McGlynn https://t.co/8hN1iGMA5F
— Barbara Dylla (@Walk_Bike_Bus) September 14, 2023
Molly McGlynn's new film Fitting In / Bloody Hell is based from her own medical experience. Should be funny and also informative.
#TIFF23 SPOTLIGHT: Backspot star Devery Jacobs and filmmaker D.W. Waterson talked to #CherryPicks about the new film, what they learned about themselves while making it, and why people tend to underestimate cheerleading. #TIFF2023 @kdeveryjacobs @dw_waterson
— CherryPicks (@TheCherryPicks) September 14, 2023
** Backspot has a… pic.twitter.com/C26JvMlr2M
Eli Glasner covers film for the CBC. Glasner rarely talks about Canadian film in any language so this very short piece for The National is worth noting.
The story is supposed to be about French-Canadian film. Glasner focuses mostly on actor Sophie Desmarais and writer-director Chloé Robichaud from Days of Happiness | Les Jours heureux. He briefly talks to Sophie Dupuis (Solo).
Unfortunately, Glasner mixes in a French (as in France) film Anatomy of a Fall starring German actor Sandra Hüller speaking English.
We would have suggested actual French-Canadian directors who had films at TIFF, such as Monia Chokri (The Nature of Love | Simple Comme Sylvain) or Louise Archambault (Irena's Vow). Maybe Radio-Canada could have produced the feature with subtitles for the English speaking audience.
Then again, Glasner's point was that French Canada filmmaking doesn't stray outside Quebec. Sophie Nélisse (Irena's Vow) and Théodore Pellerin (Solo) are a few of plenty of acting exceptions.
As an editor, I cringe when obvious mistakes are made, even in a 2-minute TV news piece. Nothing wrong with celebrating 3 French-Canadian films in a story about French-Canadian films.
2023 TIFF preview
2023 TIFF Rising Stars
Once in a lifetime. Talking Heads reunite at #TIFF2023 for the @IMAX world premiere of STOP MAKING SENSE. pic.twitter.com/OPKhukAJmF
— A24 (@A24) September 11, 2023
Will take a Talking Heads reunion over most celebrity interactions at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sorry we missed that in person. Getting David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz together is really rare. Stop Making Sense is an amazing concert film. The reunion was missing the director, the late Jonathan Demme.
“Making movies is an arduous job but a great adventure."
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 11, 2023
🏆 Pedro Almodóvar accepts the #TIFFTribute Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, presented by @participant. #TIFF23 pic.twitter.com/2DuIMMh3pp
As much as we love Canadian film, we recognize the amazing filmmakers from around the world. Appreciate Pedro Almodóvar, one of the best filmmakers anywhere, alive or dead. So incredible.
“You give me this gift, and if I can give something back to all of you, I will give back to you the feeling that you’re accepted for who you are.”
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 11, 2023
🏆 Vicky Krieps accepts the #TIFFTribute Performer Award. #TIFF23 pic.twitter.com/cpKEnZMnv0
Your humble narrator has seen 3 films in the last year featuring Vicky Krieps, each in a different language. Corsage (German), Hold Me Tight (French), and Bergman Island (English). First saw her in The Chambermaid (2014). Not a minor actor in any of these films; Krieps is the star. Krieps is so smooth and fluid on screen that you have to watch her every move.
Krieps is a Luxembourg actor so you can win a bar bet to show you know one actor from that country. maybe we can sneak Krieps into a Canadian film. By sneak, I mean make her the lead.
2023 TIFF Canadian film preview
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
We will have a lot more on the award winners tomorrow morning for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
photo credit: Reel Canada/Facebook
Twitter captures: @dw_waterson; @TIFF_net (x3); @Walk_Bike_Bus; @TheCherryPicks; @A24; @TIFF_net (x2)
video credit: CBC News
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