Every year, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) welcomes film lovers and moviegoers worldwide to share their love of cinema.
Various films spanning different genres are shown on big screens at various TIFF venues, including Roy Thomson Hall, the Princess of Wales Theatre, the Royal Alexandra Theatre, TIFF Lightbox, and, of course, Scotiabank Theatre (which features everyone’s favourite escalator).
This year, these theatres will host TIFF’s wonderful selection of women-directed movies. From family dramas to sports underdog stories, women directors took TIFF by storm. If you didn’t have a chance to catch some of these marvellous movies at the festival, be sure to bookmark this article so you can remember to see some of these films when they’re released in theatres and on streaming services.
It was extremely difficult to keep the list to only five selections, so here are some of our honourable mentions: Elizabeth Lo’s Mistress Dispeller, Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, Sook-Yin Lee’s Paying For It, Rachel House’s The Mountain, and Angelina Jolie’s Without Blood.
Without further ado, check out the picks below that we think you should keep on your radar after TIFF.
Nightbitch
Marielle Heller is no stranger to TIFF, having previously screened her other films Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood at the festival. This year, she’s back with Nightbitch. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, the film follows Mother (Amy Adams) as she navigates being a stay-at-home mom while her husband frequently travels for business. While she loves her son, Mother feels like she is losing herself – something confirmed when she believes she might be turning into a dog.
On Becoming A Guinea Fowl
“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is not for the faint of heart. It does delve into mature themes and is steadfast in showcasing how normalized specific bad actions can become in a highly traditional community. The values this Bemba family embraces are detrimental to their own. Yet, when the film wraps and the genesis of the film title comes full circle, you see how culture can be perceived as immovable as nature—fallible but inevitable.” Read our full review here.
Rez Ball
“Evident to all who watch the film, Rez Ball is Freeland’s admiration and love letter to her community. Complete with phenomenal performances, a great story and a determined focus on the Indigenous community, which Hollywood often overlooks, Rez Ball is one of the best coming-of-age films in recent memory. Everyone who took part in the making of this movie deserves to be awarded an MVP trophy.” Read our full review here.
The Last Showgirl
Shelley (Pamela Anderson) has been a Vegas showgirl for the last 30 years. However, when it’s announced that the show is coming to a close, Shelley must pivot and figure out what comes next. Not only does she have to come to terms with the end of the only career she’s known, but she has to think deeply about what her career has cost her. Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl features Anderson in her finest performance.
Village Keeper
Writer-director Karen Chapman brings her first dramatic feature to TIFF with Village Keeper. Haunted by violence in her past and present, the film’s protagonist, Jean (Olunike Adeliyi), is clouded by her past but must learn to navigate through the present. Chapman creates a nuanced and layered look at Jean, with Adeliyi giving a stunning performance that will captivate audiences.
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