20 TORONTO MARKET REPORT
Geoff Macnaughton, TIFF’s newly-appointed Director of Industry
(and Lead programmer of Primetime), unveils the new developments
towards the industry. (^) ■ (^) VINCENT LE LEURCH
GEOFF MACNAUGHTON
DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY (AND LEAD PROGRAMMER OF PRIMETIME)
“We want our programming
to be adaptable to the changing
landscape”
◗ What are the main innovations
at this year’s TIFF industry-wise?
At this year’s Festival, we are thrilled
to provide new programming, crea-
tive development opportunities, and
more access to over 5,500 industry
professionals from around the world.
For instance, our Industry Conference
(September 6-10) will explore the
impact of global events and socio-
political trends shaping the film and
television industries today. Relevant
topics, such as climate change, culture
funding, data protection, immigration,
truth in journalism, and decolonizing
the screen, will all be unpacked on-
stage by advocates of change. We have
also introduced TIFF Talent Accelera-
tor, a new thread through our creative
development programmes that offers
promising female creators a year-long
development experience that starts at
Festival. Two Filmmaker Lab directors
suite page 22
◗ What will be the highlights
of this edition, industry-wise?
We are thrilled that our Conference
will open with an inspiring Moguls
conversation with the Academy
Award–winning duo of producer
and author Brian Grazer and direc-
tor Ron Howard and TIFF Opening
Night Film Once Were Brothers: Rob-
bie Robertson and the Band. These
industry veterans will share what
inspires them as creators; discuss
the evolution of the industry during
their decades-long partnership as
founders of Imagine Entertainment,
and their dedication to championing
stories that matter. We will also host
Lulu Wang (The Farewell) as one of
four Filmmakers Lab Governors.
She has generously agreed to help
us mentor the next generation of
talented international filmmakers.
Lulu Wang will also deliver one
of our two Master Class sessions.
Director Fernando Meirelles will
deliver our other. Another highlight
is the wealth of up-and-coming
actors selected for our Rising Stars
programme this year. Audiences will
soon be very familiar with internatio-
nal participants Chino Darín, Geral-
dine Viswanathan, Kelvin Harrison
Jr., and Josefine Frida, as well as
Canadian participants Kacey Rohl,
Mikhaïl Ahooja, Nahéma Ricci, and
Shamier Anderson. In addition to
this wealth of talents, the Festival
slate of films will include some major
sales titles that will draw conside-
rable interest from North American
Geoff and international distributors. ❖
Macnaughton.
PLATFORM LINE-UP 2019
Of the ten features in this year’s Platform
selection, 40% are directed by women.
The films hail from a wide range of regions,
including Europe, Latin America, East Asia,
and the US. All ten films in the programme
are eligible for the Toronto Platform Prize,
an award of $20,000 CAD given to the best film
in the programme, selected by a three-person
jury. Berlinale Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian,
film critic Jessica Kiang, and filmmaker Athina-
Rachel Tsangari make up this year’s jury.
THE SELECTION:
● Martin Eden by Pietro
Marcello(Italy/France)
● The Moneychanger
(Así Habló El Cambista)
by Federico Veiroj
(Uruguay/Argentina/Germany)
● My Zoe by Julie Delpy
(Germany/France)
● Proxima
by Alice Winocour
(France/Germany)
● Rocks by Sarah Gavron
(United Kingdom)
● The Sleepwalkers (Los Sonámbulos)
by Paula Hernández
(Argentina/Uruguay)
● Sound of Metal
by Darius Marder (USA)
● Wet Season
by Anthony Chen
(Singapore/Taiwan)
● Workforce (Mano De Obra)
by David Zonana (Mexico)
© CPB FILMS, SCARLETT PRODUCTIONSSavages b y Rebecca Zlotowski.
© CONNIE TSANG RANDOMS
© GEORGE PIMENTEL
Six compelling, thought-provoking
television series from around
the world —including works from
France, the US, the Czech Republic
and Australia, are part of the
Primetime programme at 2019 TIFF,
now in its fifth year.
64% of episodes to be screened
were created and directed
by women, and five of the six series
will make their world premiere
at TIFF. Adding to the experience,
each Primetime screening will be
followed by an extended, onstage
Q&A with members of the creative
team in attendance.
Series screening as part
of the Primetime programme
include:
BLACK BITCH (Australia)
2 episodes
Creators: Darren Dale,
Rachel Griffiths, Miranda Dear
Director: Rachel Perkins
BRIARPATCH (USA)
2 episodes
Creator: Andy Greenwald
Directors: Ana Lily Amirpour,
Steven Piet
LIMETOWN (USA)
2 episodes
Creators: Zack Akers, Skip Bronkie
Director: Rebecca Thomas
MRS. FLE TCHER (USA)
3 episodes
Creator: Tom Perrot ta
Directors: Nicole Holofcener,
Liesl Tommy
SAVAGES (Les sauvages, France)
2 episodes
Creators: Rebecca Zlotowski,
Sabri Louatah
Director: Rebecca Zlotowski
will be part of the inaugural class of six.
In addition to this support for female
creators, we are also making sure our
Festival is more accessible for parents in
the industry by introducing Childcare for
Professionals at TIFF. This new initiative
will provide all accredited industry, press,
and guests subsidized daycare during the
Festival and new family-friendly spaces
in key venues, like the TIFF Industry
Centre and Glenn Gould Theatre, home
of our Industry Conference.
◗ As the newly appointed Director
of Industry at TIFF, what are the
changes you’re willing to make
in the coming years (if there are
some changes to do!).
The changes that we have made this
year are the best indicators of where we
would like to go. We want our program-
ming to be adaptable to the changing
landscape; we want to increase the crea-
tive development opportunities that we
offer to women and under-represented
communities; and we want to lean into
the success of our Festival offering to
elevate our year-round engagement
with industry professionals and emer-
ging creators.
N° 3819 du 30 août 2018
Primetime celebrates
5 -year anniversary