Viggo Mortensen, Guillermo del Toro, Spike Lee & More Speaking At TIFF Industry Conferences

Anthony D'Alessandro
·5 min read
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TIFF continues to build out its speaker lineup despite the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes barring a number of participants from this year’s 48th edition.

Of note, actor Viggo Mortensen will appear on stage in Toronto to discuss his sophomore directorial feature, the western The Dead Don’t Hurt, a movie he also stars in with Garret Dillahunt, Danny Huston and Vicky Krieps. Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike, Mortensen will appear at TIFF under the guise of director. He’ll be joined by producer Jeremy Thomas and Regina Solórzano. Global rights are available on The Dead Don’t Hurt; HanWay Films is handling.

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Also having onstage conversations in the Visionaries section are Oscar winners Guillermo del Toro and Spike Lee.

Last week, TIFF announced that Pedro Almodovar, who is already receiving a tribute at the fest, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and the stars of Korean disaster epic, Concrete Utopia, are already set to have sitdown conversations.

All the sessions for TIFF’s Industry Conference which spans the programming of Visionaries, Dialogues, Perspectives, Connections, Microsessions, and Spotlights, will take place at the Glenn Gould Studio.

“Our Industry Conference aims to be a pivotal platform for thought-provoking discussions by industry leaders,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “The sessions and speakers reflect our commitment to diverse perspectives and creative exploration towards sparking innovation within the industry.”

“This year’s event offers something for everyone, whether you are an emerging creator or experienced
producer, and its scale and curation supports our growing industry attendance,” said Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical.

VISIONARIES
Inspirational onstage conversations with individuals who are forging creative and business pathways in the industry. Speakers include:
● Spike Lee — An in-depth conversation discussing the process of forging a distinct filmic language
throughout his expansive, multi-decade career.
● Ladj Ly — A discussion on his bold approach and unwavering commitment to telling stories that explore
deeply personal portraits about communities revolting against broken systems.
● Guillermo del Toro — A conversation about the liberating potential of fantastical worlds; the magic that
exists within the details; and his wide-spanning career crafting intricate and cinematic love letters.
Made possible with the support of the Directors Guild of Canada.
● See-Saw Films — A celebratory talk on the company’s remarkable 15 years of delivering critically
acclaimed stories to global audiences, including The King’s Speech, Lion, The Power of the Dog, and
many more.
● Nadine Labaki — With more than a decade’s worth of accolades under her belt, director, writer, and
actor Nadine Labaki will discuss her highly meticulous creative process, her devout interest in life’s
peculiarities, and the capacity for cinema to bring about social change.

Lucy Walker — A discussion on Doc Day, focusing on Walker’s incredible career, including her long
friendship with Doc Society co-founder Jess Search, who died this summer. Programmed by Thom
Powers.
● Anand Patwardhan — A talk on Doc Day with Patwardhan, a singular figure of independent documentary
in India who has given inspiration to a flourishing of new directors today. Programmed by Thom
Powers.


DIALOGUES
Conversations on the art and craft of storytelling, featuring screen-based creators (directors, producers, and series creators) and industry professionals. Dialogues sessions include:

● The Dead Don’t Hurt with Viggo Mortenson, Regina Solórzano, and Jeremy Thomas. Supported by
Directors Guild of Canada Ontario.
● Feature Film Development with Sara Rastogi (Hoorae Media) and Kate Oh (Monkeypaw Productions).
● Directors Nora El Hourch (Sisterhood) and Katja Gauriloff (Je’vida). Programmed by Jason Ryle.
● Directors Cord Jefferson (American Fiction) and Lulu Wang (Expats).
● Producers Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral (Les Indésirables) and Farhana Bhula (How to Have Sex).
● Short Cuts to First Features with Fawzia Mirza and Andria Wilson Mirza (The Queen of My Dreams),
Zarrar Kahn and Anam Abbas (In Flames). Programmed by Jason Anderson.
● What is the Documentary Marketplace Today? (Doc Day) A panel of industry figures analyze where
opportunities still exist for creative documentaries. Programmed by Thom Powers.

PERSPECTIVES
Moderated and focused discussions on the current state and future of the industry. The Media Partner for
Perspectives is Screen International. Perspective sessions include:
● AI and Film: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Responsibility — Leading experts on AI discuss
the technology’s long-term sustainability in the industry as it relates to data, ethics, and filmmaking.
Programmed by Manal Siddiqui.
● The Current Landscape of International Series Production — Yi Qiao, Director Drama, ZDF; Navi Lamba,
Head of Development, BBC Comedy; Jamie Lynn, EVP Co-Production & Distribution, Fremantle; and Joe
Lewis, CEO, Amplify Pictures.
● Celebrating the Cinema of the Korean Diaspora — Guests include: outstanding filmmakers Anthony
Shim (dir. Riceboy Sleeps), Albert Shin (dir. Disappearance at Clifton Hill, In Her Place), and Christina Oh
(prod. Minari, Okja). Presented by The Korean Film Council.
● On African Cinemas and its Industries — Apolline Traoré (dir. Sira), Chioma Onyenwe (prod. I Do Not
Come To You By Chance), Tshepiso Chikapa-Phiri (prod. Death of a Whistleblower), and Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development & Partnerships, Realness. Programmed by Nataleah Hunter-Young,
International Programmer (Africa & Arab West Asia).
● Seize Control of Your Distribution (Doc Day) — Peter Broderick, who has spent decades helping
independent filmmakers design and implement cutting-edge distribution strategies, returns with a new
manifesto, along with case studies of documentary projects that made far-reaching impact and profits
using strategies to build sustainable careers. Programmed by Thom Powers.
● DOC’s “Getting Real” Report (Doc Day) — The Documentary Organization of Canada will share their
findings for the first time and explain why this latest edition of their “Getting Real” reports could be a
game-changer for documentary filmmakers. Programmed by Thom Powers

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