Whitney Houston, Celine Dion producer David Foster's documentary to debut at TIFF
The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival will sing the praises of legendary music producer David Foster.
TIFF co-heads Joana Vicente and Cameron Bailey announced Tuesday The Last Mogul director Barry Avrich’s latest documentary David Foster: Off the Record will hold its world-premiere screening at the upcoming festival, to be followed by a special tribute at the inaugural TIFF Tribute Gala.
Featuring a mix of rare archival footage, interviews, and unprecedented access to the Canadian-born musician and industry influencer’s life in a chronicle of his career of discovering, producing for, and/or collaborating with iconic artists such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Chicago, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, and Josh Groban.
To date, he has won 16 Grammys, a Golden Globe, and has notched three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song, on top of working on soundtracks for films like Urban Cowboy (1980), St. Elmo’s Fire (1985), and The Bodyguard (1992). In 1986, he founded the David Foster Foundation, which provides financial support to families in need of organ transplants in Canada.
Off the Record‘s narrative unfolds via interviews with Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Clive Davis, Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Cetera, Diane Warren, Carole Bayer Sager, Foster’s wife, singer-actress Katharine McPhee, and his daughters, Erin and Sara Foster.
“A global musical genius, David Foster has left his mark on some of the most timeless songs of today while discovering and launching the careers of the industry’s most talented artists, defining what it means to be a multi-hyphenate musician,” Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head of TIFF, said of the film in a press statement. “We are proud to celebrate his creations and collaborations with the World Premiere of David Foster: Off the Record at TIFF, honoring Foster in his native country.”
TIFF previously announced that, in addition to Foster’s tribute, three-time Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep will receive the festival’s first Actor Award at the debut TIFF Tribute Gala on Sept. 9 at the Canadian city’s Fairmont Royal York hotel. The new yearly ceremony will serve as a fundraiser to support TIFF’s film-focused initiatives.
TIFF 2019 — which will host screenings of films like Hustlers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Harriet — runs from Sept. 5-15, with ticketing information available on the festival’s website. Read on for the first round of titles joining the annual festival’s lineup, and check back on EW.com in the weeks ahead for future additions to the event’s program.
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