TIFF to premiere films directed by Michael Keaton, Viggo Mortensen at this year’s fest

Several stars are settling into the director’s chair and premiering their tasks at the Toronto Intercontinental Movie Competition (TIFF) this yr, including Viggo Mortensen, Michael Keaton, Chris Pine and Anna Kendrick.

Mortensen’s Canadian co-made western titled The Useless You should not Harm is between the galas and particular presentations introduced by TIFF amid ongoing labour action in Hollywood that could transform this year’s competition encounter.

In the meantime, Keaton directs and stars alongside Al Pacino in the thriller Knox Goes Absent, with the Birdman actor playing a strike guy in danger of losing his memory. That film — as perfectly as Pine’s secret/comedy Poolman, in which he co-stars with Annette Bening — will have its world premiere at the pageant.

Other celebrities that are established to premiere directorial tasks at TIFF are Anna Kendrick, with Lady of the Hour, and Kristin Scott Thomas, with North Star.

The competition is a key system for Hollywood to debut its fall fare and awards hopefuls. But like the Venice Movie Pageant, which begins about a week prior to TIFF launches on Sept. 7, Toronto organizers are anxiously following the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

While these strikes go on, actors and writers are prohibited by their unions from advertising and marketing their movies. TIFF will go ahead, no matter, but an ongoing strike would sap the festival of A-listers and definitely lessen the regular cacophony of excitement emanating from Toronto.

Present-day strike motion procedures would probable avoid administrators who also star in their film — these as Pine and Keaton — from promoting their perform as an actor, but they’d be equipped to converse to the media from a director’s place of watch.

The strike has presently led to 1 of Venice’s leading titles — Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, starring Zendaya — to pull out as the festival’s opening evening selection and postpone its release to April.

Nonetheless, various assignments from noteworthy administrators like South Korean filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (Monster) and British director Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Curiosity) will have their Canadian premieres at the pageant.

Director Richard Linklater’s comedy-thriller Hitman, starring Glen Powell as a Houston cop who will work undercover as a hired assassin, will have its North American premiere at TIFF.

Elliot Page, Annie Murphy amongst Canadian talent

Recently introduced Canadian projects include things like Val-d’Or, Que.,-born director Sophie Dupuis’s queer romance Solo, which centres on a Montreal drag performer navigating relatives and partnership problems.

Montreal-primarily based filmmaker Chloé Robichaud’s Times of Happiness, starring Sophie Desmarais as a younger orchestra conductor navigating a difficult romantic relationship with her father-slash-agent, will have its earth premiere at the fest — as will Swan Tune by Langley, B.C. director Chelsea McMullan.

Also on the listing is Dominic Savage’s Near to You, a Canada-United Kingdom co-manufacturing starring Elliot Web page. Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy will be showcased in Fingernails by Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou.

Many other acquainted Canadian faces will appear on the major screen at TIFF this 12 months. Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Dollars will co-star Seth Rogen, whilst Taika Waititi’s formerly introduced soccer comedy Upcoming Targets Wins will star Will Arnett. Atom Egoyan’s latest film 7 Veils will feature a mainly Canadian supporting solid.

Canadian rockers Nickelback will get the documentary procedure in Dislike To Love: Nickelback by director Leigh Brooks, which will juxtapose the band’s wild, multi-decade success with its adore/hate reputation.

TIFF suggests its 1st announcement of 2023 options involves 7 intercontinental premieres, 37 earth premieres, 12 North American premieres and 4 Canadian premieres.