2020 Toronto International Film Festival preview: 10 films on my 'must see' list
Images courtesy of TIFF'One Night in Miami' / 'Nomadland' / 'Another Round' (Images courtesy of TIFF)
2020 - the year that film festivals almost didn’t happen. Cinemas big and small worldwide closed. SXSW was the first major domino to fall - starting a chain reaction of film festivals of all scales to be postponed if not outright cancelled. But in the era of social distancing and cinematic uncertainty, the 45th Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 10-19) will not be deterred in 2020 - instead, TIFF will rely on the resurgence of drive-in theaters, outdoor screening and social distancing to keep one of film festival crown jewels shining.
With TIFF just about to begin tomorrow, here are the twenty films that I am excited to screen this year. Toronto’s iconic celebration of film marks the annual start to “award season,” with recent Best Picture winners and contenders ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ ‘La La Land,’ ‘Green Book’ and ‘12 Years a Slave’ all screening at TIFF ahead of their campaigns.
The 2020 TIFF slate of films includes works from all across the world. While the much anticipated drama ‘Ammonite’ (starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan) and ‘Bruised’ (Halle Barry’s directorial debut) will not be screened for film critics, here are the top 10 films I’m most excited to check out during #TIFF20:
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: While the world still very much in the middle of a historic pandemic, this documentary uses first-hand footage from the trenches of COVID-19 ground zero: Wuhan. The filmmakers document how the overwhelmed city tried to survive during its 76-day complete lockdown. Part of me feels like the situation is still too raw and watching this could be ‘too soon’ - but ‘76 Days’ seems too timely and important in this moment, especially with the harrowing prospect of a pandemic second wave.
Why it’s on this list: This dramatic comedy about aging, alcoholism and friends reunites director Thomas Vinterberg and actor Mads Mikkelsen, whose last collaboration was the amazing 2012 drama ‘The Hunt.’ That best foreign language film winner deftly chronicled the systematic alienation of a wrongfully accused man of a horrible crime - so this team seems like the perfect fit for a drama following a group of friends who decide stay drunk for an entire day is a good idea … while forgetting that long simmering feelings might bubble to the surface.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: Just the concept of a Grammy-award winning artist prepping for a homecoming concert amid social unrest is itself already intriguing. The fact that Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman (‘Cartel Land’ and ‘City of Ghosts’) is behind the camera automatically vaults this to the top of the must-see list.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: Idris Elba stars in this father-son drama about a taciturn father who reluctantly takes in his estranged and troubled teen son. Just under the surface of this family drama is the real-life story of the decades-long tradition of black horse-riding in Philadelphia. This clashing juxtaposition of the Old West and modern city life, with an American trope not often associated with black Americans looks to put the spotlight on an overlooked facet of life in America.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: The entire zombie genre is itself a satire on society. But the allure of a bloody, silly, gore-filled horror comedy depicting politicians literally eating each other alive just seems like the perfect recipe for a fun midnight film festival selection.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: Months after social unrest rocked cities across the United States, the sustained protests still show no sign of slowing down. In this moment, Americans are reflecting “how we got here” - how certain groups of Americans are treated in 2020 and what long-held historical symbols truly embody. And part of the American story is the colonization and genocide of the Indigenous peoples of North America. This take on cultural memory and its ripple effects in 2020 seems essential at this moment.
Why it’s on this list: Any film with Frances McDormand as its centerpiece automatically becomes a ‘must-see’ even simply based on her constant brilliance and powerhouse performances. Pairing McDormand with director Chloé Zhao (‘The Rider’) to tell the story of a woman barely surviving an itinerant life, working job-to-job, as she rootlessly wanders the American in search of the next meager paycheck is the opposite of the promised so-called ‘American Dream’ - but one closer to the American reality.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: What if Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown just hung out for a night out on the town in 1964? Actor-director Regina King (‘If Beale Street Could Talk’) makes her directorial debut in this big screen adaptation of the award-winning stage play. King made history as the first film directed by an African-American woman to be selected to screen at the Venice Film Festival.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: If awkwardness is an indicator of comedy, then watching a directionless twentysomething walk into a Jewish funeral filled with an embittered ex and a current sugar daddy, then ‘Shiva’ sounds like a perfectly delightful cringefest.
Image courtesy of TIFF.
Why it’s on this list: Fresh off the powerful ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble,’ documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter turns the camera on a man who spent his career capturing American leaders most intimate, candid moments. With less than three months before a Presidential election, this look at Pete Souza’s time as the official White House photographer to two beloved U.S. presidents feels like an appropriate moment to reflect on the differing legacies of current and past presidents.
Bonus: ‘My Heart Goes Boom!’
While many critics were disappointed that ‘Ammonite’ will not be screened for critics, I’m equally saddened that the Spanish musical ‘My Heart Goes Boom’ will not be screened for critics. 'My Heart’ is part of the TIFF Industry Selects slate, which represents 30 of the best films from around the world. Personally, I can only hope ‘My Heart’ finds a buy for U.S. distribution as soon as possible. Honestly, I’ve probably watched this trailer at least a dozen times.
The 45th Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 10-19 and features more than 50 new feature-length films. Complete festival information can be found at tiff.net.
