TIFF Unveils Midnight, Discovery, and Wavelengths Lineups, from ‘The Al Yankovic Story’ to Ti West’s ‘Pearl’

Ryan Lattanzio
·5 min read
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The Toronto International Film Festival lineup continues to unfold, with TIFF announcing the programs for its Midnight Madness, Discovery, and Wavelengths programs on Thursday. The festival runs September 8 through 18.

“For TIFF audiences in the know, the Discovery, Midnight Madness and Wavelengths programmes are where you’re rewarded for taking risks and being adventurous,” offered Anita Lee, TIFF’s chief programming officer. “Whether it’s the discovery of an audacious new auteur, a brilliant visionary work that reimagines storytelling or the most wicked cinematic experience you will ever have, this is where you will find it.”

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Discovery

“TIFF’s Discovery program is a showcase of cinema and talent from around the world — a place to unearth work that is bold, distinctive, and, above all, passionate,” said Dorota Lech, Discovery lead and international programmer, TIFF. “This year’s robust program offers 24 films that shook us to the core, filled us with joy, broke our hearts, and, most importantly, reminded us that the future is bright.”

“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” Aitch Alberto | USA World Premiere

“Baby Ruby,” Bess Wohl | USA World Premiere

“Carmen,” Benjamin Millepied | Australia, France World Premiere

“Daughter of Rage” (“La Hija de todas las Rabias”), Laura Baumeister | Nicaragua World Premiere

“A Gaza Weekend,” Basil Khalil | United Kingdom, Palestine World Premiere

“I Like Movies,” Chandler Levack | Canada World Premiere

Discovery Opening Night Film
“The Inspection Elegance Bratton” | USA World Premiere

“A Long Break,” Davit Pirtskhalava | Georgia World Premiere

“Pussy,” Joseph Amenta | Canada World Premiere

“Return to Seoul,” Davy Chou | South Korea, France, Germany, Belgium International Premiere

“ROSIE,” Gail Maurice | Canada World Premiere

“Runner Marian Mathias | USA, France, Germany World Premiere

“SHIMONI,” Angela Wanjiku Wamai | Kenya World Premiere

“Snow and the Bear,” Selcen Ergun | Turkey, Germany, Serbia World Premiere

“Something You Said Last Night,” Luis De Filippis | Canada, Switzerland World Premiere

“Susie Searches,” Sophie Kargman | USA World Premiere

“Sweet As,” Jub Clerc | Australia International Premiere

“The Taste of Apples is Red,” Ehab Tarabieh | Israel, Germany World Premiere

“This Place,” V.T. Nayani | Canada World Premiere

“Unruly” (“Ustyrlig”), Malou Reymann | Denmark World Premiere

“Until Branches Bend,” Sophie Jarvis | Canada World Premiere

“When Morning Comes,” Kelly Fyffe-Marshall | Canada World Premiere

“The Young Arsonists,” Sheila Pye | Canada World Premiere

Midnight Madness

“I am thrilled to announce that Midnight Madness has returned to its traditional 10-film configuration and has a new home at the Royal Alexandra Theatre,” said section curator Peter Kuplowsky. “I also couldn’t have hoped for a more appropriate Opening Night film than ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’ — a beautifully deranged ‘biopic’ made in the great Midnight movie tradition of challenging conventions and forging one’s own path, no matter how weird.”

“The Blackening Tim Story” | USA World Premiere

Midnight Madness Closing Night Film
“Leonor Will Never Die,” Martika Ramirez Escobar | Philippines Canadian Premiere

“Pearl,” Ti West | USA North American Premiere

“The People’s Joker,” Vera Drew | USA World Premiere

“Project Wolf Hunting,” Kim Hongsun | South Korea World Premiere

‘Sick,” John Hyams | USA World Premiere

“Sisu,” Jalmari Helander | Finland World Premiere

“Venus,” Jaume Balagueró | Spain World Premiere

“V/H/S 99,” Flying Lotus, Johannes Roberts, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Vanessa & Joseph Winter | USA World Premiere

Midnight Madness Opening Night Film

“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” Eric Appel | USA World Premiere

WAVELENGTHS

“The selections in this year’s Wavelengths lineup reimagine the possibilities of cinema in ways both inspiring and rejuvenating,” said senior curator Andréa Picard. “The program itself continues to champion film as art in a climate increasingly challenging for non-commercial and non-conforming work. The filmmakers and artists in this year’s edition expand the language of film and video, employing narrative, documentary, hybrid, and formalist approaches to assert film’s status as an autonomous art form and the cinema itself as an essential, communal experience.”

Features

“Concrete Valley,” Antoine Bourges | Canada World Premiere

“De Humani Corporis Fabrica,” Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor | France, Switzerland North American Premiere

“Dry Ground Burning” (“Mato Seco em Chamas”), Joana Pimenta, Adirley Queirós | Portugal, Brazil North American Premiere

“Horse Opera,” Moyra Davey | USA Festival Premiere

“Pacifiction,” Albert Serra | France, Spain, Germany, Portugal North American Premiere

“Queens of the Qing Dynasty,” Ashley McKenzie | Canada North American Premiere

“Unrest” (“Unrueh”), Cyril Schäublin | Switzerland North American Premiere

“Will-o’-the-Wisp” (“Fogo-Fátuo”), João Pedro Rodrigues | Portugal, France North American Premiere

Shorts

“After Work,” Céline Condorelli, Ben Rivers | United Kingdom North American Premiere

“Bigger on the Inside,” Angelo Madsen Minax | USA World Premiere

“EVENTIDE,” Sharon Lockhart | USA World Premiere

“F1ghting Looks Different 2 Me Now,” Fox Maxy | Mesa Grande Reservation/USA Festival Premiere

“Fata Morgana,” Tacita Dean | United Kingdom, USA Festival Premiere

“Hors-titre,” Wiame Haddad | France North American Premiere

“I Thought the World of You,” Kurt Walker | Canada North American Premiere

“Moonrise,” Vincent Grenier | USA, Canada | World Premiere

“The Newest Olds,” Pablo Mazzolo | Argentina, Canada World Premiere

“Puerta a Puerta,” Jessica Sarah Rinland, Luis Arnías | Mexico, USA, Venezuela International Premiere

“The Time That Separates Us,” Parastoo Anoushahpour | Canada, Jordan, Palestine World Premiere

“What Rules the Invisible, Tiffany Sia | USA North American Premiere

Exhibition

Meriem Bennani: “Life on the CAPS” (2022) and “2 Lizards” (2020)

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, September 9–18
Free Admission
Presented in partnership with The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery and The Vega Foundation.

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