Toronto International Film Festival Unveils Packed Lineup Despite Actors' Strike

Various independent feature films are expected to be showcased at the Toronto Film Festival, scheduled to run from September 7 to 17

By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 25 July 2023 13:01 IST

Toronto International Film Festival Unveils Packed Lineup Despite Actors' Strike

Photo Credit: Twitter/@TIFF_NET

Robert De Niro (left) in a still from Ezra

Highlights

The Toronto film fest is a key part of the fall festival lineup
Movies hoping to build early Oscars momentum hold lavish premieres
Films starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Seth Rogen are included

The Toronto International Film Festival, North America's largest, on Monday, unveiled an A-list lineup of world premieres amid the Hollywood strikes, including movies starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Seth Rogen. The festival, which has been a launchpad for numerous Oscar-winning movies, is moving ahead with plans for its September 7 to 17 event in the face of doubts over whether the big names will come to promote their work. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) is on strike in a battle with studios over pay and other work conditions, meaning that its members generally cannot promote films produced by studios and streamers involved in the dispute.

However, SAG-AFTRA negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told Hollywood news outlet Deadline that actors could benefit from some kind of 'interim agreement' to head to Toronto in support of independent features. On the list of world premieres slated for TIFF are several expected award contenders including 'Dumb Money', starring Rogen and Paul Dano, about the amateur investors who turned GameStop into a Wall Street phenomenon in 2021. De Niro stars in actor Tony Goldwyn's 'Ezra', about a man (Bobby Cannavale) who moves back in with his father (De Niro) after blowing up his career and marriage.

Other world premieres include Taika Waititi's sports comedy 'Next Goal Wins', French filmmaker Ladj Ly's drama 'Les Indesirables', Atom Egoyan's 'Seven Veils' starring Amanda Seyfried, and Michael Keaton's 'Knox Goes Away', starring Pacino. Also on tap is the international premiere of awards hopeful 'The Holdovers' from director Alexander Payne (Sideways) about a teacher (Paul Giamatti) tasked with supervising students at a boarding school who cannot go home for Christmas break.

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in a statement that the lineup showcased a "rich tapestry of talent, vision, and storytelling." The Toronto film fest is a key part of the fall festival lineup, along with Venice and Telluride, at which movies hoping to build early Oscars momentum typically hold lavish premieres.

TIFF's annual People's Choice Award has become an increasingly accurate Oscars bellwether, predicting eventual best picture winners such as 'Nomadland', which took home the Academy Award in 2021, and 'Green Book'. The event only returned to full strength in 2022, after two years of online or hybrid events staged amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Dumb Money

Release Date 13 October 2023
Language English
Genre Biography, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Paul Dano, Sebastian Stan, Seth Rogen, Pete Davidson, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, Dane DeHaan, Clancy Brown, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nick Offerman, Myha'la Herrold, Rushi Kota, Talia Ryder, Marc Rebillet, Kate Burton, Deniz Akdeniz
Director
Craig Gillespie
Producer
Teddy Schwarzman, Aaron Ryder, Craig Gillespie

Next Goal Wins

Release Date 2 February 2024
Language English
Genre Comedy, Sport
Cast
Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Kaimana, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Frankie Adams, Rhys Darby, Angus Sampson, Chris Alosio, Sisa Grey
Director
Taika Waititi
Producer
Jonathan Cavendish, Garrett Basch, Taika Waititi, Mike Brett, Steve Jamison

The Holdovers

Release Date 16 February 2024
Language English
Genre Comedy, Drama
Cast
Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Tate Donovan, Carrie Preston, Gillian Vigman, Michael Provost, Brady Hepner
Director
Alexander Payne
Producer
David Hemingson, Mark Johnson, Bill Block

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