It is time to grab your buttery popcorn, as TIFF is making a return on September 5th—15th, 2024, with tons of special events and movies to see!
Are you ready to get your cinephile on? From September 5 to 15, 2024, TIFF returns, offering attendees special events ranging from the TIFF Tribute Awards, with Angelina Jolie as this year’s honouree, to a screening of Whiplash. Titles will be presented from various genres, including comedy, action-adventure, animation, and films from cultures around the world, and more!
For anyone unaware, TIFF is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to present international and Canadian cinema, creating transformational experiences for film enthusiasts and creators of all ages and backgrounds. As Canada’s premier home of cinema, TIFF offers a wide variety of activities, including screenings, lectures, workshops, events, and opportunities to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world.
There is no shortage of talent in Canada, either. Kirill Kripak is a filmmaker from Toronto. He started SCOPE-ENTERTAINMENT—a production company catering to both Dubai and Toronto—and is a producer on an upcoming film called The Performance, which happens to feature even more Canadian talent.
As a member of the industry and a film buff himself, Kripak spoke to CGM on what he loves about TIFF each year, “It’s been interesting seeing the varying productions that make it into TIFF each year, and while there’s no shortage of big films from international markets (Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book premiere comes to mind from years past), it’s always nice when there are films that come from our local talent. One such film is last year’s Boy Kills World, which opened at Midnight Madness and was produced by a team originating from Thornhill, just north of Toronto.”
At TIFF 2024, attendees can look forward to a range of special events, including screenings of beloved films and conversations with creative filmmakers. The special events that will be hosted include:
- Double Happiness Screening – Written and directed by Mina Shum, released in 1994. The film follows the story of Jade Li (Sandra Oh), who still lives with her parents and works at a family friend’s shop while dating a young man of Chinese ancestry. However, she secretly pursues a career as an actor behind her father’s back and eventually meets a charming man who is not Chinese.
- Whiplash Screening – Directed by Damien Chazelle and released in 2014. The film follows a story about Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) at a prestigious music academy, trying to become the best of the best drummer as he clashes with his insane instructor, Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons).
- Play the Part: Insights from Jia Zhang-Ke and Rafael Manuel – In partnership with Rolex, TIFF will present a special conversation with two participants of the Rolex mentoring program: Mentor Jia Zhang-Ke and Rafael Manuel. They will join TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey to provide insight into their creative exchange. The event will also feature an exclusive excerpt from Manuel’s upcoming feature Filipina and behind-the-scenes footage from Jia’s festival selection, Caught by the Tide.
- The Vision of Dune: A Conversation with Denis Villeneuve – This event will feature a screening of Dune: Part One, followed by a 40-minute intermission and then a screening of Dune: Part Two. It will conclude with a Q&A session with Denis Villeneuve, during which he will share his creative process in adapting the conclusion of Frank Herbert’s saga for the screen.
Alongside the special events at TIFF 2024, there will be premieres of many Canadian and international films worth checking out. If you’re a fan of Will Ferrell, a documentary premiering on September 5th titled Will & Harper follows Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as they traverse the U.S. after Steele’s announcement of her transition. For those interested in Canadian films, You Are Not Alone may be worth your time. It follows Leo, a man living in Montreal who delivers pizza and drinks heavily until he meets Rita, a sweet-natured musician. However, Leo is being targeted by an alien who hunts down single people, regardless of whether their luck has changed.
But aside from attending TIFF for the special events and premieres of many amazing movies, be sure to keep an eye out for the many celebrities attending the event! So far, the confirmed attendees include Angelina Jolie (Maleficent), Cate Blanchett (Carol), Elton John, Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina), Amy Adams (Enchanted), Will Ferrell (Elf), Bruce Springsteen, Selena Gomez (Hotel Transylvania), Andrea Bocelli, and Robin Williams.
Are you excited to attend TIFF? If so, be sure to grab your tickets from Ticketmaster, as the event will run from September 5–15, 2024. Stay tuned to CGMagazine, where we will have reviews of the biggest films and coverage on the ground at TIFF 2024.
Check out more of CGMagazine’s TIFF 2024 coverage here throughout the festival.
