Stephen ChboskyB次元官网网址檚 musical feature B次元官网网址淒ear Evan HansenB次元官网网址� will open this yearB次元官网网址檚 hybrid Toronto International Film Festival, with organizers touting an expansion of last yearB次元官网网址檚 shrunken showcase and a return of red carpets and in-person glitz as pandemic border measures ease.
Organizers on Tuesday revealed the first selections of high-profile gala and special presentations slots for the 46th edition, which runs Sept. 9 to 18.
Newly announced star-studded features making world premieres include B次元官网网址淭he Eyes of Tammy FayeB次元官网网址� by Michael Showalter, Barry LevinsonB次元官网网址檚 biographical boxer drama B次元官网网址淭he SurvivorB次元官网网址� and Michael McGowanB次元官网网址檚 Canadian adaptation B次元官网网址淎ll My Puny Sorrows.B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檙e among more than 100 films set to screen digitally and in-person at downtown drive-in and open-air cinemas, as well as some in-person venues, including TIFF Bell Lightbox and Roy Thomson Hall.
TIFF co-head and artistic director Cameron Bailey said the festival wants to stage this yearB次元官网网址檚 galas and special presentations as safely as possible while reviving some pre-pandemic excitement.
Still, red carpets will likely be smaller than usual and be held indoors B次元官网网址� a departure from the usual outdoor media spectacles that attract hordes of fans seeking hugs, photos and autographs from celebrities.
TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement came a day after the federal government said fully vaccinated United States citizens and permanent residents will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9. Visitors from the rest of the world will be allowed into Canada starting Sept. 7.
TIFF co-head and executive director Joana Vicente said theyB次元官网网址檙e still trying to figure out whether local press and industry will also need to be fully vaccinated, and what COVID-19 testing might be required.
B次元官网网址淲e know that everyone who will come into Canada will need to be tested and have proof of vaccine, so thatB次元官网网址檚 already taken care of,B次元官网网址� Vicente said in an interview.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just taking a lot into consideration and figuring out what are the right safety and health measures.B次元官网网址�
Steven Levenson adapted B次元官网网址淒ear Evan HansenB次元官网网址� from his hit Tony Award-winning stage show, with Ben Platt reprising his acclaimed leading role as a teenager who has social anxiety disorder.
Amy Adams, Julianne Moore and Kaitlyn Dever are among the other cast members in the story directed by Chbosky, whoB次元官网网址檚 known for his film and novel B次元官网网址淭he Perks of Being a Wallflower.B次元官网网址�
The feature, which will have its world premiere with a gala presentation at Roy Thomson Hall, follows in the footsteps of past music-filled TIFF openers including B次元官网网址淎merican Utopia,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淥nce Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band,B次元官网网址� the U2 documentary B次元官网网址淔rom the Sky DownB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淪core: A Hockey Musical.B次元官网网址�
Bailey said while B次元官网网址淒ear Evan HansenB次元官网网址� covers hard-hitting subject matter, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 not a heavy movie.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a movie thatB次元官网网址檚 got so much hope to it, that has this beautiful soaring score,B次元官网网址� he said in an interview Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淎 great cast, a great story and a tone that I think is what we want to start with: WeB次元官网网址檝e been through a tough year, weB次元官网网址檙e not afraid of facing tough issues in life, but we want to focus on the hope.B次元官网网址�
Chinese director Zhang YimouB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淥ne Second,B次元官网网址� about the connection between a travelling film projectionist and an escaped prisoner, will close the fest.
B次元官网网址淗e set it in the 1970s and during the Cultural Revolution in China, at a time when movies were really one of the few ways that people could be entertained as a group,B次元官网网址� Bailey said.
B次元官网网址淎nd so you really get a sense of, when you have very little else, how movies can transport you and how they can transform you.B次元官网网址�
Vicente said thatB次元官网网址檚 one of the themes of the festival, after over a year of devastating theatre shutdowns: B次元官网网址淛ust reminding people of the magic of coming together to watch a film and get immersed.B次元官网网址�
TIFF announced 10 galas and 22 special presentations Tuesday, including B次元官网网址淎ll My Puny Sorrows,B次元官网网址� based on the Miriam Toews book. Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon star in the adaptation of a tale inspired by the Manitoba authorB次元官网网址檚 relationship with her older sister and father.
Other newly announced world premieres include B次元官网网址淭he Eyes of Tammy Faye,B次元官网网址� starring Jessica Chastain as televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, and B次元官网网址淭he Middle ManB次元官网网址� by Bent Hamer, a Norway/Canada/Germany/Denmark co-production with Canuck stars Don McKellar, Paul Gross and Rossif Sutherland.
Then thereB次元官网网址檚 Walt BeckerB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淐lifford the Big Red Dog,B次元官网网址� a Canada/United States/United Kingdom co-production based on the childrenB次元官网网址檚 book series about a giant red pooch.
B次元官网网址淚 love that people are like, B次元官网网址榃hat?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Bailey said with a laugh about social media reactions to B次元官网网址淐liffordB次元官网网址� being in the lineup.
B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址楥liffordB次元官网网址� is just super fun. ItB次元官网网址檚 really that simple,B次元官网网址� he added, noting itB次元官网网址檚 a well-known story with B次元官网网址渂ig Hollywood visual effectsB次元官网网址� and an all-star cast including David Alan Grier as the voice of Clifford.
B次元官网网址淔or every family whoB次元官网网址檚 had kids at home for a long time and just missed taking them out to a big screen adventure, this is for you.B次元官网网址�
Previously announced titles getting world premiere gala presentations include U.S. filmmaker Alison KlaymanB次元官网网址檚 documentary B次元官网网址淛agged,B次元官网网址� about Ottawa-raised singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.
TIFF said it added Scotiabank Theatre Toronto to its screening venues for the first five days of the festival, and will also show films at the Princess of Wales Theatre and the Cinesphere Theatre at Ontario Place.
Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
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