Every Torontonian knows that the second half of summer means one thing, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is approaching. And this year, the 50th anniversary of North America’s biggest film festival promises to deliver an incredible lineup!
From Keanu Reeves to Guillermo del Toro to Daniel Craig, TIFF organizers have announced the highly-anticipated galas and special presentations to premiere at this year’s festival that offers something for every cinephile.
These programs are known for representing the best of modern cinema, bringing titles from over 30 different countries, showcasing captivating stories and touching audiences across a wide range of styles and genres.
Here are some highlights of this year’s edition that we think you cannot miss.
Peak Everything
Calling all rom-com fans. TIFF has also announced its Closing Night Gala, and it’s nothing less than Canadian, modern romantic comedy Peak Everything. Starring Quebecois actor Patrick Hivon and American star Piper Perabo, this engaging storyline follows a kennel owner from Montreal who suffers with climate anxiety and depression, and falls in love with a customer service representative over the phone. But the audience soon finds out that there’s no better time for romance than when the world seems to be crumbling down.
The film is directed by Canadian TIFF veteran Anne Émond, the mind behind gems like Naissances, one of the top 10 TIFF shorts in 2009. Peak Everything’s premiere is set to take place on September 13.
Good Fortune
Can money solve all your problems? That’s a complex question that this movie aims to answer in a fun way. This comedy, starring Canadian star Keanu Reeves and one of Grey’s Anatomy’s favourite Sandra Oh, is actor Aziz Ansari’s first directorial work. It follows the story of an angel, Gabriel, who attempts to convince a struggling man that money isn’t everything by making him swap places with his rich boss. But soon, things start to go south for Gabriel and his magic starts to fade.
Poetic License
Say goodbye to the summertime with a movie that promises to be the perfect fall watch. The story features an unlikely friendship between two freshmen and a mature woman, which begins when the three of them take the same college poetry course. Written by Raffi Donatich and led by Euphoria star Maude Apatow, who is debuting in the director’s seat, the film aims to bring some optimism and excitement to the second half of the year.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Benoit Blanc is back in one of his most dangerous investigations yet. The beloved mystery Knives Out is returning for a third movie to premiere during TIFF, starring Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, and more renowned names. To keep the mystery alive and clues well-hidden, details of the movie’s plot are still a bit blurry at this time, with only a teaser trailer out yet. But given the success of the previous two films of the series, writer-director Rian Johnson will not disappoint.
Frankenstein
This one is for the fans that cheered on The Shape of Water for the 2018 Oscars and teared up over the emotional stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio in 2022. Award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro is back with a highly-anticipated adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic science fiction Frankenstein, which follows a scientist that creates a monstrous creature after an experiment of putting together different body parts. American author Oscar Isaac will give life to the daring scientist, as Jacob Elordi stars as the unusual creature in the film that will premiere in North America at the festival.
