If you need a little help deciding on what films to add to your list of screenings at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, look no further! The 7 titles below which include both TV and film are definitely worth adding to your short list!
The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5–September 15, 2024.
The Order
Director: Justin Kurzel
Based on real events, The Order is a provocative thriller about one of the largest manhunts in history. Starring Jude Law, Jurnee Smollett, Nicholas Hoult, and Tye Sheridan, this all-star cast delivers riveting performances and keeps you on the edge of your seat from one scene to the next. Based on Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s nonfiction bestseller The Silent Brotherhood, The Order tells the story of a domestic terrorist group determined to promote their racist ideology — and the lawmen who will go to any lengths to stop them. One of the lawmen determined to solve this and do whatever it takes is Terry Husk (Jude Law). A deputy by the name of Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan) partners with Terry, who is more connected with the locals in this small town. Joanne Carney (Jurnee Smollett) is Terry’s boss and tries to keep a leash on him when things get a bit out of hand. The Order is set in 1983, but its themes of racial division, domestic terrorism and cultish behavior is very relevant to what is happening within our society today. The film is directed by Justin Kurzel, and Jude Law also serves as executive producer. The Order is worth your time if you love films with conflict, drama and emotional depth.
Dahomey
Director: Mati Diop
If you’re a fan of avant garde storytelling with a unique artistic perspective, then look no further with this title from filmmaker Mati Diop. Dahomey goes down the path of the historic repatriation of 26 royal treasures from the Musée du quai Branly in Paris. French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop takes us on a journey to discover the history behind the Kingdom of Dahomey, located within the borders of modern day Benin. The spiritual and ghostly voice of these treasures disturbed from the depths of the earth to be extracted and unveiled is a prominent storyteller throughout the film. The film dives into issues of colonialism and the stripping of one’s heritage to satiate the curiosity of a foreign people. As the wraithlike voice and music help craft and knit this story together, Dahomey offers a poetic and somber look at the expansion of museums and the effect it can have on a cultural collective. Mati Diop’s film Dahomey also won the Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
If you have a knack for psychological thrillers this is one you should definitely check out. Based on the Renée Knight novel of the same name, the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer will premiere at the festival. From series creator Alfonso Cuarón (Roma, Gravity, Children of Men) is an extraordinary tale about a woman fighting to keep the secrets of her past from getting out. Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett) receives a novel from an unknown author and is terrified to uncover that she is now the lead protagonist in a story that exposes the dark secrets of her past. Each episode is divided into a chapter — like the chapters of this novel — to slowly unpack the downward spiral of what is happening to Catherine and the people within her sphere of influence.
This includes her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The series is a total of 7 episodes and each one ends with a dramatic climax. Blanchett, who delivered an award-winning performance in the film Tár, a character also dealing with having her reputation compromised, draws some strong parallels here but with a twist. No surprise if Cate Blanchett’s name is mentioned in the awards conversation for this performance. Kevin Kline plays Stephen Brigstocke, a man who knows about Catherine’s past. Kline also provides a compelling performance. The dialogue is poetic, and there’s this artistic 3-person narration (as if the characters are reading from the book about their own story) that flows throughout the series. You can check out our review of the series here. If you can’t make it to the Toronto International Film Festival, you can wait to see it stream on Apple TV+ on October 11.
The Listeners
Director: Janicza Bravo
Can you hear that? This psychological thriller examines the life of a middle-aged college professor named Claire (Rebecca Hall) who is undergoing new changes in her body, specifically her hearing. In the impending BBC series The Listeners, Claire finds out something isn’t quite right when she starts hearing loud humming sounds around her environment. She goes through medical tests and nothing is suspicious. She informs her husband (Prasanna Puwanarajah) about this strange occurrence, but he brushes it off. It’s not until one of her students (Ollie West) approaches her and shares he hears the same sounds. As they try to unveil the mystery of what is happening to them, their lives and the people affected by them slowly get more complicated. Director Janicza Bravo is at the helm of this intriguing and captivating story that has you in the passenger seat of Claire’s journey ready to discover what exactly is happening to her.
Millers in Marriage
Director: Edward Burns
If you’re a fan of interconnected stories with a New York City backdrop, then check out Edward Burns’ latest film Millers in Marriage. The actor-director stars in the film along with an all-star ensemble cast about the messy and complicated relationships between three siblings. The story takes us to emotional touchpoints in each of these characters’ lives from the past and present as they are navigating their commitments to their partners.
Andy (Edward Burns) recently separated from his estranged wife Tina (Morena Baccarin). As he explores a new relationship with Renee (Minnie Driver), Tina unexpectedly decides to come back, which further complicates things between Andy and Renee. Andy’s sister Maggie (Julianna Margulies) is in a marriage that has gone stale with her husband Nick (Campbell Scott). As they drift further apart, they each blame one another for their shortcomings. Maggie’s sister Eve (Gretchen Mol), is also in a bad marriage with her husband Scott (Patrick Wilson), who is suffering from an alcohol addiction. With a beautiful music score and top-notch performances, this film will keep you transfixed on every moment from one scene to the next.
Superboys of Malegaon
Director: Reema Kagti
Based on the true story of Nasir Shaikh (Adarsh Gourav, The White Tiger), the heartwarming story centers on the amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. The residents of the town look to Bollywood cinema for a much needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh perspective into the town. When a group of friends get together to make a low-budget film using the resources they have outside of the Bollywood system, what happens next changes their lives forever. The power of cinema and its impact on the local residents provides them a great opportunity to become successful filmmakers. Yet, things change when Nasir connects with an investor who is interested more in financial return than entertaining audiences. If you want a film that will tug at your heart strings and you’re also a fan of the art of film production, this is a screening you don’t want to miss. Film geeks at the Toronto International Film Festival will appreciate this one.
The Luckiest Man in America
Director: Samir Oliveros
This movie scrutinizes one of the most infamous episodes of the popular ’80s TV game show Press Your Luck. Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell) plays Michael Larson, an unemployed ice cream truck driver from Lebanon, Ohio. After pretending to be someone else to get into an audition for the game show, the staff kick him out. He’s perceived as weird and creepy to Chuck, the casting director (Shamier Anderson) but recognized as an asset to the show by the executive producer Bill (David Strathairn). On that fateful day, which earned Michael the title “The Luckiest Man In America,” he earned over 100K playing and breaking records with his flawless knack for avoiding “whammies.” The film also stars Maisie Williams as Sylvia, a production assistant caught up in trying to adhere to company policy, yet in her sympathy towards Michael, allows him to call his family. Calls are prohibited during the taping of the game show. The film spends most of its running time on the singular episode taped that day that changed the course of TV game show history forever. If you’re interested in stranger-than-fiction true stories, this is flick that should definitely be on your radar.
Be sure to check out our list of all of the films highlighting Black films and filmmakers at the Toronto International Film Festival. Enjoy the fest!
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