Discovery. Midnight Madness & More at TIFF 2022
by Staff Editors
(August 4, 2022 – Toronto, ON) One day after reporting on TIFF’s Platform Program, today we learned about the film festival’s Discovery, Midnight Madness and Wavelength programs. A lineup that features 54 titles from filmmakers representing 26 countries.
“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, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “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.”
“TIFF’s Discovery programme 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. “The section has a rich history of championing the first and second features of visionary filmmakers such as Chantal Akerman, Julie Dash, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ildikó Enyedi, Jafar Panahi, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Steve McQueen, Michael Haneke, Christopher Nolan, Lav Diaz, Barry Jenkins, Alfonso Cuarón, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Warwick Thornton, Maren Ade, Joachim Trier, David Gordon Green, Pablo Larraín, Valeska Grisebach, and Jean-Marc Vallée, to name just a handful. This year’s robust programme 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.”
Unless otherwise noted, all the the films that follow will enjoy World Premieres at TIFF 2022. There will be another film aded to this list at a later date:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Aitch Alberto | USA
Baby Ruby Bess Wohl | USA
Carmen Benjamin Millepied | Australia, France
Daughter of Rage (La Hija de todas las Rabias) Laura Baumeister | Nicaragua
A Gaza Weekend Basil Khalil | United Kingdom, Palestine
I Like Movies Chandler Levack | Canada
The Inspection Elegance Bratton | USA (Discovery Opening Night Film)
A Long Break Davit Pirtskhalava | Georgia
Pussy Joseph Amenta | Canada
Return to Seoul Davy Chou | South Korea, France, Germany, Belgium
International Premiere
ROSIE Gail Maurice | Canada
Runner Marian Mathias | USA, France, Germany
SHIMONI Angela Wanjiku Wamai | Kenya
Snow and the Bear Selcen Ergun | Turkey, Germany, Serbia
Something You Said Last Night Luis De Filippis | Canada, Switzerland
Susie Searches Sophie Kargman | USA
Sweet As Jub Clerc | Australia
International Premiere
The Taste of Apples is Red Ehab Tarabieh | Israel, Germany
This Place V.T. Nayani | Canada
Unruly (Ustyrlig) Malou Reymann | Denmark
Until Branches Bend Sophie Jarvis | Canada
When Morning Comes Kelly Fyffe-Marshall | Canada
The Young Arsonists Sheila Pye | Canada
“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.”
Starring Daniel Radcliffe as music and comedy legend “Weird Al” Yankovic, the film leads a gonzo Midnight Madness lineup that includes a double dose of gore-filled action (Sisu and Project Wolf Hunting), two wildly surprising new instalments to iconic horror films (Pearl and V/H/S 99), some magnificently meta genre comedies (The Blackening, The People’s Joker, and Leonor Will Never Die), and a few killer creative horror team-ups (John Hyams and Kevin Williamson’s Sick, Jaume Balagueró and Álex de la Iglesia’s Venus).
Unless otherwise noted, all the the films that follow will enjoy World Premieres at TIFF 2022.
The Blackening Tim Story | USA
Leonor Will Never Die Martika Ramirez Escobar | Philippines (Midnight Madness Closing Night Film)
Canadian Premiere
Pearl Ti West | USA
North American Premiere
The People’s Joker Vera Drew | USA
Project Wolf Hunting Kim Hongsun | South Korea
Sick John Hyams | USA
Sisu Jalmari Helander | Finland
Venus Jaume Balagueró | Spain
V/H/S 99 Flying Lotus, Johannes Roberts, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Vanessa & Joseph Winter | USA
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Eric Appel | USA (Midnight Madness Opening Night Film)
“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 programme 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.”
Showcasing a mix of established auteurs, celebrated visual artists, and emerging filmmakers, this year’s Wavelengths presents eight features, two shorts programmes, and an exhibition, placing timeless, durational works alongside projects of the utmost contemporary urgency — each political by nature of its very existence and, by extension, resistance. Additionally, we are honoured to present a number of important moving-image works from recent gallery and museum exhibitions in the cinema, including an exceptional theatrical screening of Tacita Dean’s latest 16mm film, Fata Morgana. Another of this year’s highlights includes the first Canadian solo exhibition of Brooklyn-based Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani in an exciting partnership with The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery and The Vega Foundation. Meriem Bennani: Life on the CAPS will be exhibited free to the public at The Power Plant from September 9 through 18.
Unless otherwise noted, all the the films that follow will enjoy World Premieres at TIFF 2022.
Concrete Valley Antoine Bourges | Canada
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
EVENTIDE Sharon Lockhart | USA
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
The Newest Olds Pablo Mazzolo | Argentina, Canada
Puerta a Puerta Jessica Sarah Rinland, Luis Arnías | Mexico, USA, Venezuela
International Premiere
The Time That Separates Us Parastoo Anoushahpour | Canada, Jordan, Palestine
What Rules the Invisible Tiffany Sia | USA
North American Premiere
The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival runs September 9 to 18. The deadline to purchase ticket packages is August 14.
SOURCE: TIFF
