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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Even when a major film festival isn’t set to take place for at least a couple months, it can still find ways to generate hype and get people excited about what they might possibly be able to see at the upcoming event. Frequently, how festivals go about doing this is by announcing at least some of the features that will be screened (in some cases, for the first time ever) at some point during the multi-day event, giving potential attendees a brief glimpse into what lies in store for them upon entering one of the several venues taking part in the festival. Even when only a small fraction of the selected cinematic works are made known to the public prior to the event, those that are revealed, especially those that have already gathered a decent amount of attention, are usually enough to draw the interest of festival-goers and make them curious as to what else there is to offer. Because of all this, when a film festival does announce at least some of the films it’s chosen for exhibition, reactions tend to be equal parts enthusiastic and intrigued, with the inclusion of such films creating an impression that these are some of the most ambitious and skillfully crafted works of cinema that one may find throughout this entire year. That’s certainly what’s happening with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) right now; though its 2024 event won’t take place until later this September, it’s already generated quite a bit of buzz with the few titles it has declared as part of its upcoming festival line-up. Some of these films have already gotten their fair share of marketing and are therefore highly anticipated by film-goers; others are perhaps a bit less familiar but nonetheless succeed in getting people excited to see them. In any case, the films that TIFF organizers publicly revealed on Tuesday, June 18th are those that will likely be among the most looked-forward-to once the event begins on September 5th and continues until September 15th.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of the mainstream cinematic releases that are currently known to be awaiting a screening at TIFF is Universal and DreamWorks’ animated science fiction adventure “
“The Wild Robot”, which will be among the various films to receive their world premiere at the upcoming festival. So far, there’s been a great number of factors that have suggested that this film will be one to look out for: its director is Chris Sanders (best known for such critically acclaimed features as “Lilo & Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon”), its voice cast consists of well-regarded actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal, and its visually stunning art style brings to mind the earlier DreamWorks release “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”, which many have praised as one of the best films ever made by the studio. There’s just as much hope that “The Wild Robot”, the story of a robot stranded on a distant island who befriend the animals inhabiting the territory, will be just as universally beloved, and if its inclusion at this year’s TIFF is any indication, the odds of it receiving such a reception are very much in its favor.
Also set to makes its world premiere at the Toronto festival is the amusingly titled “Nightbitch”, a surreal blend of horror and comedy from director Marielle Heller (whose previous directorial credits include “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”). Based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder and starring Amy Adams in the lead role, the film has so far been described as a bizarre depiction of a woman whose transition to a stay-at-home mother role leads her down a horrifically peculiar path. What that means is not yet certain (unless, of course, one is already familiar with the source material), but what is certain is that the film’s screening will occur alongside Adams being honored by TIFF with a Tribute Performer Award that recognizes her long and impressive career as an actor, one that likely will be further praised come the release of “Nightbitch”.
Of course, these aren’t the only major releases one will have to look forward to at this year’s TIFF, and the few others that have been announced do seem to hold just as much potential to become a big breakout hit. Among said films are the following: the Elton John documentary “Elton John: Never Too Late” from directors R.J. Culter and David Furnish; “Harbin”, a South Korean drama directed by Woo Min-ho of “Inside Man” fame and starring actors Hyun Bin, Lee Dong-wook, Park Jeong-min, and Jeon Yeo-been; Mike Flanagan’s “The Life of Chuck”, an adaptation of a Stephen King short story starring Jacob Tremblay and Tom Hiddleston; and “Rez Ball”, a portrayal of Indigenous basketball players from director Sydney Freeland (who was previously involved in the production of “Echo” and “Reservation Dogs”, both of which also revolve primarily around characters of Indigenous backgrounds).
These titles may only be a small percentage of those that await exhibition at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, but they should be enough to attract the attention of festival attendees and make them more eager to find out what else there is to find throughout the eleven-day event. According to TIFF chief programming officer Anita Lee, the films revealed so far are indeed just a sampling of the plethora of cinematic creations that are currently being prepared to be shown at the festival, and those that have yet to be announced are in no way less exceptional. “We know the TIFF audience has been eagerly anticipating what films will be coming to Toronto this September, and today’s announcement is a perfect snapshot of what’s to come this year,” Lee states while discussing the films that she and her fellow festival organizers have chosen to make known to the public, further stating that “TIFF is renowned for showcasing works from both emerging and established filmmakers worldwide”. What those other films may be might not be currently known, but if those that are known are any indication, then it’s safe to say that there will be much to wait with excitement for at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.
