TIFF Industry Selects Section Includes Steve Buscemi’s ‘The Listener’, Bill Pohlad’s ‘Dreamin’ Wild’; Jason Reitman’s Live Read Returns

Anthony D'Alessandro
·4 min read
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Th 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has selected its Industry Selects, a section of ten audience friendly films up for global acquisition. In addition it was announced that Jason Reitman’s Live Read is returning to the Festival for an all-star event featuring a surprise cast; the filmmaker presenting a surprise screenplay in honor of his late father, Ivan Reitman.

“We’ve worked to build a selection that will appeal to buyers as well as audiences,’’ said Norm Wilner, Programmer, Digital Releasing and Industry Selects. “We aim to celebrate new voices and showcase international talent, in line with the Festival’s global spirit.”

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“We’re delighted to present these director-driven and audience-engaging sales titles from around the world to international buyers who rely on our festival to strengthen their upcoming film slate,” added Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry and Theatrical. “Fostering sales at the Festival is a key part of our mandate, and the TIFF Industry Selects distinction is one of our newer initiatives that helps to support that mission.”

Of note here is another directorial from producer Bill Pohlad, Dreamin’ Wild, and Steve Buscemi’s directorial The Listener which stars, and was co-produced by, Tessa Thompson.

Reitman’s screenplay read will take place Friday, Sept. 9 at 3PM at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre. 

“The Jason Reitman Live Read delivers the pure nostalgia we love about our favourite movies, but charged with the excitement of live performance,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. “This year we’re honoured to host one of his father’s movies for our audience. We can’t wait to see this event unfold!”

TIFF has previously featured Reitman and all-star casts for live table reads of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights, Alan Ball’s American Beauty, John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club, and William Goldman’s The Princess Bride. Reitman created the Live Read in October 2011 in collaboration with Elvis Mitchell, for the film society of Los Angeles County Museum of Arts (LACMA).

Industry Selects Lineup:

Blue Jean (Georgia Oakley, UK)
In Thatcher’s England, a closeted physical education teacher (Rosy McEwen) wrestles over whether to risk her career ― and her safety ― by reaching out to a student (Lydia Page) wrestling with her own identity.

Driving Mum (Hilmar Oddsson, Iceland)
A middle-aged man (Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson) tries to honour his mother’s dying wish to be buried in her home in a remote Icelandic village by propping her up in the back seat of his car and driving her there.

Dreamin’ Wild (Bill Pohlad, US)
In 1979, teenagers Donnie and Joe Emerson recorded an album on their family’s Washington State farm. In 2012, the world caught up to it ― forcing Donnie (Casey Affleck) to reckon with his first failed run at stardom. Walton Goggins, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Messina, and Beau Bridges co-star.

Door Mouse (Avan Jogia, CAN)
A comic-book creator (Hayley Law, Riverdale) working at a burlesque club enlists the help of a colleague (Keith Powers, The Tomorrow War) to figure out what’s behind the disappearances of young women in their circle in this oddball neo-noir.

Harka (Lotfy Nathan, US/FRA/TUN/LUX/BLG)
Ali (Adam Bessa), a young Tunisian who makes a living bootlegging gasoline, finds himself pushed to the limit when his father dies suddenly, leaving him responsible for the care of his two younger sisters in the first dramatic feature from the award-winning director of 12 O’Clock Boys.

The Listener (Steve Buscemi, US)
In the early months of the pandemic, a young helpline volunteer (Tessa Thompson, who also produced) spends her shift offering a compassionate ear to people (Logan Marshall-Green, Margaret Cho, Blu del Barrio, Alia Shawkat, and more) in their darkest hours.

Kings of the World (Laura Mora, COL/LUX/FRA/MEX/NOR)
When one of them discovers he has an ancestral claim to a patch of land under a restitution agreement, five street kids from Medellin leave the city to start a new life in the country, only to find absolutely nothing is easy for five young men of no means in modern Colombia.

Klokkenluider (Neil Maskell, UK)
In this extremely bleak comedy, two security operatives (Tom Burke, Roger Evans) escort a British whistleblower (Amit Shah) and his partner (Sura Dohnke) to a remote country home in Belgium, where they await the arrival of the high-level journalist they hope will share their secret with the world.

Salt Lake (Kasia Rosłaniec, POL/SWE)
At the age of 64, Helena (Katarzyna Butowtt) announces her intention to pursue sexual experiences with other men ― much to the shock of her husband of 40 years (Krzysztof Stelmaszyk). A powerful exploration of late-life desire and emancipation.

Without Her (Arian Vazirdaftari, IRA)
As she prepares to emigrate to Denmark from Iran, Roya (Tannaz Tabatabaei) meets a strange, silent girl (Shadi Karamroudi) and decides to take her in, introducing her to her husband and children ― entirely unaware of the existential threat she’s welcomed into her home.

 

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