40 films and 11 delirious days later, it’s finally time to wrap up my #TIFF24 experience with my Top 10 of the Festival. It’s been an incredible 11 days, and I’m very impressed with the calibre of films I was able to experience this year. Putting together my Top 10 is always an opportunity to reflect and what films had the biggest impact on me, while acknowledging that this list is specific to my own tastes and only reflects the small fraction of the 278 films the festival has to offer. But I hope this list gives you a bit of a glimpse of films to come and what you have to look forward to in theatres in the near future. So here we go!
#10 The Mother and the Bear | Director Johnny Ma | Canada, Chile | Centrepiece
TIFF Synopsis: When her grown daughter Sumi has a bad fall in Winnipeg, anxious widow Sara (Kim Ho-jung) travels from Korea to be with her — and discovers she doesn’t really know Sumi at all.
My Review: Starting off our list we have a film that was a pleasant surprise, and my favourite Canadian entry at the festival. I’m a bit pre-disposed to liking the k-drama format, but director Johnny Ma is able to utilize the structure so well and apply it to a story involving a multi-generational Korean/Canadian family with a strained mother-daughter relationship. There’s a great mix of humour, drama, romance and a splash of magical realism, and what results is an incredibly charming modern Canadian film.
Canadian Release Date: TBD (Elevation Pictures)
#9 Emilia Pérez | Director Jacques Audiard | France/USA/Mexico | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Featuring fearless performances from Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and the amazing Karla Sofía Gascón, the latest from director Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone, TIFF ’12; The Sisters Brothers, TIFF ’18) audaciously merges pop opera, narco thriller, and gender affirmation drama.
My Review: Emilia Perez won’t be for everyone, especially for those who aren’t aware that it’s a pop musical and aren’t prepared to suspend their disbelief. But as crazy as this film is, as a pop musical / cartel thriller / transgender story, it fascinatingly works. Its cast is absolutely phenomenal, particular Zoe Saldana who serves as the films lead, which helps to pull off this incredible vision of director Jacques Audiard. What results is an incredibly powerful and surprisingly inspiring tale.
Canadian Release Date: Limited Release November 1st; streaming on November 13th, 2024 (Netflix)
#8 Superboys of Malegaon | Director Reema Kagti | India | Gala Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Helmed by Reema Kagti (Talaash: The Answer Lies Within) in her latest collaboration with producer Zoya Akhtar (Gully Boy), this uplifting story chronicles the life of Nasir Shaikh, whose no-budget, community-sourced movies turned his hometown into an unlikely dream factory.
My Review: Filled with earnestness, love and pure joy, and a reverential spirit towards the art of independent film making, the premiere of this movie came as a breath of fresh air amongst the many heavier TIFF offerings. It took a little bit for me to get used to the style of the movie, being relatively new to Indian cinema. But what resulted is a truly heartwarming experience rooted in the real life story of director Nasir Shaikh.
Canadian Release Date: Streaming in January 2025 (Amazon MGM Studios)
#7 The Seed of the Sacred Fig | Director Mohammad Rasoulof | Iran, France, Germany | Centrepiece
TIFF Synopsis: From renowned filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival) is a social drama turned cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat.
My Review: The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a true testament to the power of cinema and its ability to further social discourse and bring to screen a real human experience that would otherwise have remained hidden to most of the world. Set amongst the backdrop of the 2022 women’s rights protests in Iran, director Mohammad Rasoulof seamlessly integrates real life footage of police brutality into this family drama film. While the middle of the film drags on a bit too long for my taste, the final climax of the movie is as satisfying as it is tense. It’s impossible to deny the courage that went into the making of this film.
Canadian Release Date: TBD (Elevation Pictures)
#6 SATURDAY NIGHT | Director Jason Reitman | USA | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Director Jason Reitman captures the frenzied lead-up to the very first episode of Saturday Night Live as a motley bunch of then-unknown and untrained young comedians prepare to step into a revolutionary spotlight that will change history and make them all stars.
My Review: I’m a huge SNL fan, so this film, as a dynamic retelling of the lead up to the first episode of SNL, I was probably a bit pre-disposed to enjoying. But that said, it’s truly remarkable how enjoyable it was to watch this film. From its kinetic script and edit, its energetic score, to its pitch perfect casting – I was truly impressed on so many levels. While the cast is stacked, standouts to me were Cory Michael Smith’s Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien’s Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris’ Garrett Morris and Kim Matula’s Jane Curtin. Each actor felt like they embodied their roles, with none coming across as a cheap caricature or imitation. And the ramp and end of the movie is just perfection.
Canadian Release Date: October 4th, 2024
#5 We Live in Time | Director John Crowley | United Kingdom/France | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Featuring gorgeously detailed performances from Oscar nominees Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, this inventively structured romance explores the question of how to make the most of our time in this world.
My Review: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield put on a masterclass in acting, with an instant chemistry that is absolutely to die for (pun intended?). Direct John Crowley jumps between three timelines, with a non-linear narrative that really enhances the movie watching experience. And there’s an authenticity to the script and the acting that impeccable. I can’t wait to rewatch this one in theatres.
Canadian Release Date: Limited Release on October 11th, 2024
#4 Anora | Director Sean Baker | USA | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: This Palme d’Or winner follows a turbulent relationship between a New York–based exotic dancer and the son of a Russian oligarch.
My Review: Sean Baker’s Anora is so well deserving of all its accolades to date, with both halves of the movie being incredibly well imagined and constructed. The first half, serving as a modern-day Cinderella story, is a joyful expression of youth, and really captures that euphoric energy of young love. Its second half, is that perfect fall from grace, filled with tension, pain, and the right amount of catharsis, topped off with some refreshing amounts of humour. Mikey Madison’s performance is truly phenomenal, bringing a real authenticity and vulnerability to her role. So glad I could catch this at the festival!
Canadian Release Date: October 18th, 2024 (Elevation Pictures)
#3 Love In The Big City | Director E.oni | South Korea | 2024 | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: No one believes roommates Jae-hee and Heung-soo are just friends, but they’re used to being misunderstood. Kim Go-eun and Steve Sanghyun Noh star in this romance exploring how young adults live and love in the big city of Seoul.
My Review: I’m a bit shocked myself at how much I truly enjoyed Love in the Big City. But as a solid coming of age story following two outcast best friends, this one just checked all the right boxes. This one really feels like an elevated k-drama, with beautiful cinematic shots and sequences sprinkled amongst the usual k-drama tropes. Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun deliver on solid performances and perfect chemistry. Again, acknowledging my own proclivity towards a good k-drama, I acknowledge that this film might not work for everyone, but for me this was a surprise standout of the festival.
Canadian Release Date: TBD
#2 The Wild Robot | Director Chris Sanders | United States of America | 2024 | Gala Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Featuring the voices of Pedro Pascal, Catherine O’Hara, Lupita Nyong’o, Stephanie Hsu, and Bill Nighy, this DreamWorks Animation sci-fi adventure follows a robot designed to assist humans who finds herself stranded on an island populated exclusively by beasts.
My Review: The Wild Robot was probably my most anticipated movie of the festival, and it did not disappoint. I stand by my review when I say that this truly achieved a new height for feature-length animation, weaving together a solid & heartfelt narrative with a refreshingly stunning art style to create a true work of art. While it may be a tough feat to achieve, I wouldn’t be surprised if this one earned a Best Picture nomination (which would be the fourth animated film ever to do so). That’s how fantastic this film is!
Canadian Release Date: September 27th, 2024
#1 The Life of Chuck | Director Mike Flanagan | USA | Special Presentations
TIFF Synopsis: Mike Flanagan takes a detour from the macabre with this adaptation of a uniquely structured Stephen King novella that unravels a seemingly ordinary accountant’s world.
My Review: This movie didn’t even make it onto my Top 30 most anticipated list of the festival, which makes it feel even more impressive that it’s topping this list. But after catching a press screening on the third day of the fest, this movie quickly catapulted to the top of my favourites. And after re-watching the film after it won the People’s Choice Award, it further solidified it’s position as my top movie of the festival. Because truly on my rewatch I had chills for more than half of the film runtime.
This movie is hard to describe. While it’s adapted from a Stephen King novella it’s not a horror film by any means. It’s about life and death, and what it means to have a finite amount of time on this planet. But before you think the movie is overly dark and melancholic, let me just tell you there are several absolutely joyous dance sequences to experience and enjoy.
For me, The Life of Chuck is just so deeply emotional and resonant, especially if you put aside any cynicism and go in with an open mind. Its script is poignant, and enhanced by its beautiful visuals and perfect score by The Newton Brothers. And while told in three very different acts, seeing how each story is perfectly intertwined really exemplifies the genius behind the film. This one really worked for me, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Canadian Release Date: TBD
In Conclusion
And that’s it, my epic week of movie watching at #TIFF24 has finally come to an end! Thank you to those that supported me throughout my TIFF festival experience this year, thank you to the TIFF staff and volunteers who put together yet another great festival, and thank you to the friends and family who generously shared their time with me on this marathon journey. And for those following at home, I hope that through this top 10 list you might find some new films to look forward to as they slowly get released over the next few months!
So what were your favourite films of the festival?
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