Le Film Français - 30.08.2019

TORONTO MARKET REPORT 19

Cameron

Bailey.

Cameron Bailey, Artistic director and Co-Head of TIFF, tells Vincent

Le Leurch what’s new at this year’s, 44th festival.^ ■^ VINCENT LE LEURCH

CAMERON BAILEY

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CO-HEAD OF TIFF

“This year, every section

will have a stronger identity”

◗ What are the main innovations

or changes at this year’s TIFF?

As I started my new position, it was

important to me to bring other fresh

voices forward. We have elevated to

new positions a number of program-

mers who reflect the informed, global

perspectives on cinema you can find in

Toronto. Diana Sanchez now oversees

the whole programming team. Kiva

Reardon brings her experience in the

Middle East and Africa to her new role

as lead programmer for our Contempo-

rary World Cinema section, and Dorota

Lech’s long experience with European

and Central Asian cinema, in particu-

lar to her role as lead programmer for

Discovery. Both also bring complex

feminist perspectives. This year, every

section will have a stronger identity,

shaped by their lead programmers. 

◗ What are the trends you noticed

in the films you picked up?

I’ve been intrigued by how filmmakers

are responding to our age of normalized

hate. Taika Waititi brings the full force of

his satirical genius to bear on fascism in

Jojo Rabbit, one of the most important

films of the year. Destin Daniel Cretton’s

Just Mercy proposes empathy as a res-

ponse to state-sanctioned hate. In fact,

we saw more films exploring empathy

and love than we did direct attacks on

hate. Alice Winocour’s Proxima and Julie

Delpy’s My Zoe, both exceptional films,

approach the dilemma of maternal love

from very different perspectives. 

◗ What will be the highlights

of this edition of the Festival?

I think audiences will be excited

to see Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers,

a groundbreaking crime film with

Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu

as exotic dancers. This time they

are the heroes. Joaquin Phoenix’s

performance in Todd Phillips’ Joker

is exceptional. One of my favourite

debuts this year is David Zonana’s

Mano de obra. It is about a group of

labourers in Mexico but speaks to

eternal class divisions. And our new

Tribute Gala promises to be a high

point for the film industry gathered

in Toronto. We’re honouring Meryl

Streep, Joaquin Phoenix, Taika Wai-

titi and Roger Deakins. It should be

the brightest night of the festival. ❖

Toronto Fact Sheet

333

T i t le s

in the Festival

245

Features

82

Shorts

7,925

Productions

submitted

(vs 7,926

in 2018)

84

Countries

and regions

36%

F ilms

b y w omen

(35% in 2017)

21

LGBTQ+

stories

87

Languages and

dialects represented

840

Minu t e s

(L ong e s t film) :

Women Make Film:

A New

Road Movie

Through Cinema

(TIFF Docs)

280,000

Expected visitors

on Festival Street

37

Festivals

wor ke d

by TIFF

longest-

serving

volunteer

27

Screens

TIFF celebrates

Indigenous

filmmakers

A priority for TIFF, the selection of works
by Indigenous filmmakers includes a
strong line-up this year from veteran
artists to newcomers. New Zealand’s
Taiki Waititi will be honoured with the
inaugural TIFF Ebert Director Award.
The director is world-premiering at TIFF
his upcoming satireJojo Rabbit, to be
released in the US by Fox Searchlight in
October 2019. Other works by Indigenous
filmmakers include: Alanis Obomsawin’s
Jordan River Anderson, the Messenger,
Elle-Maija Tailfeathers’ The Body Remem-
bers When the World Broke Open, Zacha-
rias Kunuk’s One Day in the Life of Noah
Piugattuk, Jeff Barnaby’s Blood Quantum,
Myriam Verreault’s Kuessipan and Daniel
Gordon’s The Australian Dream. V. L. L.

Jojo Rabbit by Taiki Waititi.

N° 3819 du 30 août 2018

UNIFRANCE SUPPORTS A STRONG FRENCH SLATE

UniFrance is travelling to Toronto with various initiatives aimed at strengthening

the appeal of French cinema. This year, there are 34 films produced or coproduced by

France available in Toronto, 26 features, eight shorts and a TV series. The organization

is travelling to Ontario with more than thirty French actors and directors who will

promote their films extensively. Attending talents include Isabelle Huppert, Olivier

Assayas, Ladj Ly, Nicolas Bedos, Céline Sciamma, Justine Triet, Alice Winocour,

Roschdy Zem, Rebecca Zlotowski, to name but a few. The UniFrance booth, located on

the Hyatt’s mezzanine, Regency Ballroom, will host the following French international

sales companies: Bac Films, Be for films, Coproduction Office, Doc & Film International,

France TV Distribution, Indie Sales, Jour2Fête, Le Pacte, Luxbox, Memento Films

International, Orange Studio, Other Angle Pictures, Pyramide International, Reel

Suspects, SND Groupe M6, The Bureau Sales, UDI-Urban Distribution International,

Wide, Wide House and WTFilms. Other French companies attending are: Alfama,

Backup Media, Celluloid Dreams, Charades, Elle Driver, Gaumont, Kinology, MK2 Films,

MPM Premium, Pathé International, Playtime, SBS International, Studiocanal, TF1

Studio. The much sought-after UniFrance party is scheduled on September 7th.

The association hosts three meetings on the 6th and the 8th. Entitled French Lounges,

these meetings will gather talents, producers and sales agents. V. L. L.

©TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

© MATT BARNES/COURTESY OF TIFF

© DR