Stephen Jannise, Film Program Director
The stars were out as the beautiful city of Toronto rolled out the red carpet for another edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. Ryan Gosling, Dustin Hoffman, Ewan McGregor, Ben Affleck: you name ‘em, they were there to present the latest and greatest films that will compete for your attention and for Oscars next February. Some of the highlights:
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – David O. Russell returns with his latest film, a heartfelt, convention-defying film that features one of the finest acting ensembles this year. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give career-topping turns, and Robert De Niro delivers his finest performance in years. The streets of Toronto were buzzing after the film’s premiere, catapulting it to the top of Oscar prediction lists everywhere.
THE SESSIONS – After this Sundance crowd pleaser hits theaters in October, anyone who wasn’t already familiar with the talented John Hawkes certainly will be. After memorable supporting performances in WINTER’S BONE and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, Hawkes finally takes center stage, to the great pleasure of everyone who watches this film. But Hawkes isn’t alone, as this film features another extraordinary ensemble, including the always reliable Helen Hunt and William H. Macy. This film has now won over Sundance and Toronto, with the rest of the world soon to follow.
QUARTET – Having enjoyed one of the most highly praised acting careers of all time, Dustin Hoffman has made the move to directing with QUARTET. The transition to the other side of the camera could not have gone more smoothly. In his directorial debut, Hoffman has been put in charge of a formidable British cast, including all-stars like Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon. Certainly, everyone went into the film excited to see how Hoffman would fare as a director. Based on this evidence, we are witnessing the beginning of an exciting new chapter for one of our most beloved filmmakers.
The list goes on and on. From ANNA KARENINA to CLOUD ATLAS, TO THE WONDER to A LATE QUARTET, Toronto offered up a wealth of riches to get the fall film season started with a bang. Stay tuned for AFF’s Film Lineup announcement on Tuesday September 18, when we will be announcing our slate of world premieres, foreign finds, and yes, a few of these TIFF treasures.