Bruce Springsteen (Courtesy of TIFF)
Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Robbie Williams, Pharrell Williams… No, this isn’t a poster for a mega-concert. Instead, each of them will appear in a film that will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which runs from September 5 to 15 this year.
One year after its golden jubilee, TIFF has become one of the world’s biggest events. It’s also the world’s largest film festival. However, at the 49th edition of TIFF, movie stars are getting a lot of attention from superstar musicians.
In Travel Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street BandThe multiple Grammy Award winner chronicles the journey he and his band have taken since the 1970s and looks ahead to the future, including, incredibly, another tour. Elton John: It’s never too late is an intimate portrait of the musical icon, also from the 1970s, co-directed by her husband David Furnish. Canadian-born singer-songwriter Paul Anka, famous since his 1957 hit single Dianaappears in Paul Anka: His pathtalking about his career spanning more than seven decades. TIFF programmer Jane Schoettle says the film “offers a fresh perspective for longtime fans as well as newcomers ready to learn just how momentous this artist’s words have been over the years.”
British pop superstar Robbie Williams, who initially gained fame with the 90s boy band Take That, appears in Best manJay-Z, Gwen Stefani and Kendrick Lamar are among those lending their voices to rapper, songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams’ life story, told through Lego bricks, in the animated feature film. Piece by pieceCameron Bailey, TIFF’s executive director, said the Lego format offers a “bright, joyful and energetic treatment that captures the multi-faceted musician’s unwavering creative spirit.”
On a classic note, Andrea Bocelli: Because I believe It captures the craft and life of the 65-year-old Italian tenor who lost his sight at age 12 but whose voice is still going strong, collaborating with artists ranging from soprano Cristina Pasaroiu to pop stars Jennifer Lopez and Dua Lipa.
In addition to septuagenarian stars like Springsteen and John, TIFF audiences can also expect a full quota of movie stars arriving to promote their films, from veteran comedian Ben Stiller, who stars in the opening night film, nutcrackerto Australian star Rebel Wilson, who makes her directorial debut with the closing night film, The Deb.
“TIFF’s goal is to showcase both returning and first-time directors at the festival on a big stage, and we’re excited for fans to experience these two films, and the many diverse works premiering in between,” says Anita Lee, TIFF’s director of programming.
The festival will also host highly anticipated films from acclaimed directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and Ron Howard, and actors such as Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Juliette Binoche, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley. More stars will arrive at TIFF at the awards galas with actresses Cate Blanchett, Amy Adams and Sandra Oh and director David Cronenberg.
In recent years, South Korean action films have become big crowd favorites at TIFF, and this year’s offering includes the historical thriller Harbin and I, the executioner, A high-octane sequel to the 2015 blockbuster Veteran. The sequel has a social media angle that will resonate globally, as TIFF programmer Giovanna Fulvi says: “The film’s critique of vigilantism and social media abuse, and its reflection on societal disillusionment with the legal system are timely and deeply rooted in a global collective consciousness.”
The Indian presence this year at Gala Presentations, the star section of TIFF, is Malegaon Superboysdirected by Reema Kagti and produced by Zoya Akhtar. While the film does not feature any Bollywood stars, Meenakshi Shedde, TIFF’s senior programming advisor for South Asia, says it does feature “mindie” or mainstream+indie stars like Adarsh Gourav (The white tiger), Shashank Arora (Qualification) and Vineet Kumar Singh (Wasseypur Gangs). Shedde adds: “For me, TIFF also serves to help relatively younger stars shine brighter.”
TIFF’s audience awards have proven to be a determining factor for the Oscars over the years. Some famous winners who went on to take home the Oscar for Best Picture include Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech and 12 Years a SlaveThe most anticipated premieres at TIFF this year, as possible Oscar nominees in several categories, will be those starring Amy Adams. Night BitchDreamWorks animated feature film, The wild robot, and the Mike Leigh drama, Hard truths.
First published: September 5, 2024 | 17:17 IS
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