TIFF Unveils Docs, Midnight Madness & Wavelengths Lineup With Palme d’Or Winner ‘Titane’, Liz Garbus’ ‘Becoming Cousteau’ & More

Anthony D'Alessandro
·8 min read

Toronto International Film Festival announced its section of TIFF Docs presented by A&E IndieFilms, Wavelengths and Midnight Madness sections, and confirmed additions to the Special Presentation and Contemporary World Cinema programs of the fest.

“We’re so proud to present the films selected for the popular programmes TIFF Docs, Wavelengths and Midnight Madness,” stated Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head. “Always provocative, exhilarating and engaging, this year’s offerings are guaranteed to thrill Festival audiences.”

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“​A​s an audience-first ​film ​festival​, mesmerizing​ film lovers with boundary-pushing stories is pivotal,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head. “​​​It’s exciting that even in this exceptional time in our industry, we’re able to bring such​ ​thought-provoking selections​​ to these coveted TIFF programmes.”

Of note today in the lineup is the international premiere of National Geographic’s documentary Becoming Cousteau from two-time Oscar-nominated and two-time Emmy-winning director Liz Garbus (The Farm, Angola USA, What Happened, Miss Simone?) and Oscar-winning producers Dan Cogan (Icarus) Evan Hayes (Free Solo). The doc features never-before-seen 4K footage of Cousteau with exclusive access to the Cousteau Society Archives. Its focus will be on the inventor-explorer-environmentalist-filmmaker revolution, i.e., giving mankind the resources to explore the ocean with the Aqua Lung, calling attention to ocean pollution, and his longtime collaboration with the National Geographic Society.

There’s also Harry Wootliff’s BBC Films/Picturehouse Entertainment feature drama True Things About Me starring Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke and Hayley Squires about a young woman living on the fringes of society who becomes intoxicated by a stranger who overwhelms her quiet life.

Ari Folman’s animated historical feature Where is Anne Frank?, which was also at Cannes, will make its North American premiere in the Special Presentations section. The pic follows Kitty, the imaginary friend to whom Anne Frank dedicated her diary. A fiery teenager, Kitty wakes up in the near future in Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam and embarks on a journey to find Anne, who she believes is still alive, in today’s Europe. While the young girl is shocked by the modern world, she also comes across Anne’s legacy.

<img class="size-dl-article-body wp-image-1234799042" src="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?w=296&h=166&crop=1&quot; alt=" - Credit: NEON" width="296" height="166" srcset="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg 5821w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=125,70 125w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=660,370 660w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=1280,720 1280w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=1000,563 1000w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=910,511 910w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=681,383 681w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=450,253 450w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=250,140 250w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=380,212 380w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=296,166 296w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=248,139 248w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=200,112 200w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=270,152 270w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=60,34 60w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=352,198 352w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=110,62 110w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=285,160 285w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=640,360 640w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TITANE_Photo_3Carole_Bethuel.jpg?resize=800,450 800w" sizes="(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px" />NEON

Also, TIFF has programmed NEON’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner Titane from Julia Docournau.

Recently Canada opened its borders to U.S. Citizens on Aug. 9. Those looking to attend TIFF in person this year will need to show that they’ve been fully vaccinated with Government of Canada-approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson – AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD) at least 14 days prior to entering the country. In addition, those going to TIFF need to meet the pre-entry test requirements; provide a digital copy of vaccination documentation; provide COVID-19-related information electronically through the ArriveCAN app prior to arrival in Canada; provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine in case border agents determine they do not meet the necessary requirements; be asymptomatic upon arrival; and participate in random COVID-19 testing. Those meeting these standards can enter Canada without having to quarantine, including the elimination of the three-night hotel quarantine policy. This allows TIFF to welcome a portion of its traditional volume of international press, industry, and talent back to the Festival as permitted by the Canadian government.

TIFF DOCS
Presented by A&E IndieFilms

TIFF Docs Opening Film
Attica Stanley Nelson | USA
World Premiere

Beba Rebeca Huntt | USA/Mexico
World Premiere

Becoming Cousteau Liz Garbus | USA
International Premiere

Burning Eva Orner | Australia
World Premiere

Comala Gian Cassini | Mexico
World Premiere

The Devil’s Drivers Mohammed Abugeth, Daniel Carsenty | Qatar/France/Lebanon/Germany
World Premiere

Flee Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway
Canadian Premiere

Hold Your Fire Stefan Forbes | USA
World Premiere

Listening to Kenny G Penny Lane | USA
World Premiere

Oscar Peterson: Black + White Barry Avrich | Canada
World Premiere

The Rescue E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA/United Kingdom
International Premiere

Three Minutes – A Lengthening Bianca Stigter | Netherlands/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace Heather Hatch | Canada
World Premiere

WAVELENGTHS FEATURES

Futura Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher | Italy
North American Premiere

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher | Switzerland
North American Premiere

Wavelengths Opening Film
Neptune Frost Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman | Rwanda/USA
North American Premiere

A Night of Knowing Nothing Payal Kapadia | India/France
International Premiere

Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette | Canada
North American Premiere

The Tsugua Diaries (Diários de Otsoga) Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes | Portugal
North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS SHORTS

The Capacity for Adequate Anger Vika Kirchenbauer | Germany
World Premiere

Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) Nicolás Pereda | Mexico/Spain
International Premiere

earthearthearth Daïchi Saïto | Canada
North American Premiere

Inner Outer Space Laida Lertxundi | Spain
North American Premiere

Polycephaly in D Michael Robinson | USA
World Premiere

“The red filter is withdrawn.” (“Le-deu-pil-teo-ga Cheol-hoe-doeb-ni-da.”) Minjung Kim | South Korea
North American Premiere

Train Again Peter Tscherkassky | Austria
North American Premiere

MIDNIGHT MADNESS

After Blue (Dirty Paradise) Bertrand Mandico | France
North American Premiere

DASHCAM Rob Savage | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere

Saloum Jean Luc Herbulot | Senegal
World Premiere

Midnight Madness Opening Film
Titane Julia Ducournau | France
North American Premiere

You Are Not My Mother Kate Dolan | Ireland
World Premiere

Zalava Arsalan Amiri | Iran
North American Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Presented by Visa
(New additions to previously announced programme)

Ahed’s Knee (Ha’berech) Nadav Lapid | Israel/France/Germany
North American Premiere

The Box (La Caja) Lorenzo Vigas | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere (previously announced in Contemporary World Cinema)

France Bruno Dumont | France/Germany/Italy/Belgium
North American Premiere

Where Is Anne Frank? Ari Folman | Belgium/France/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Israel
North American Premiere

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
Presented by Sun Life
(New additions to previously announced program)

7 Prisoners (7 Prisioneiros) Alexandre Moratto | Brazil
North American Premiere

Compartment No. 6 Juho Kuosmanen | Finland/Germany/Estonia/Russia
North American Premiere

The Gravedigger’s Wife Khadar Ayderus Ahmed | France/Somalia/Germany/Finland
North American Premiere

Jockey Clint Bentley | USA
International Premiere

Small Body Laura Samani | Italy/France/Slovenia
North American Premiere

True Things Harry Wootliff | United Kingdom
North American Premiere

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