Field Guide: It's Time For Toronto
PLUS: New Tools for Navigating Festivals, Funding, Work, and More
Happy Thursday, friends! Welcome to those who’ve joined Portrait as TIFF kicks off. This week, we’re diving into TIFF films from across the Portrait community.
Many of you listed below have RSVP’d for our industry mixer Saturday. Say hi in the Portrait TIFF group chat, a space for filmmakers from 25+ TIFF films.
Not headed to Toronto? You’ll still find new grants and roles below.
PLUS… there’s so much more in Portrait’s new DISCOVER TAB. AKA what we built over summer vacation. Check out our mobile-friendly festival guides and work of the week; search grants, funding, opportunities and more. It’s all on the app!
Now… let’s see what themes and stories are emerging from Toronto!
Roll of Honor: Toronto Special Edition
TIFF Films Questioning Our Culture
Thrillers Pitting The Individual Against The State
The King Tide. After a child with miraculous gifts arrives on an island, her adoptive parents must fight against the community for her safety. Tom Spriggs, Will Woods, Rob McGillivray, Ben Stranahan, Allison White.
In Flames. Spirits return with agendas the living cannot fully comprehend. A gripping drama about fundamentalist culture. Anam Abbas, Carol Ann Noronha.
Irena’s Vow. A former nurse risks her life to shelter Jewish men and women from the Nazi war machine. Sidney Chiu.
Redlights. Two Indigenous women’s evening takes a dangerous direction (short). Katelyn Cursio.
Films Exploring the Dark, Twisty Side of Fame
Hey, Viktor! A struggling Indigenous actor tries to rejuvenate his career in star and director Cody Lightning’s wildly funny debut mockumentary. Cody Lightning, Sara Corry, Samuel Miller, Kyle Thomas.
Dream Scenario. This satirical look at celebrity stars Nicolas Cage as an academic who starts appearing in people’s dreams. Daniela Barbosa.
The Contestant. The true story of a Japanese reality TV star left naked in a room for over a year, tasked with filling out sweepstakes. Clair Titley.
Deeper Reflections on Our History
Stamped from the Beginning. A history of anti-Black ideas grappling with present-day racism. Roger Ross Williams, Francesca Sharper, Wolfgang Held.
Black Life: Untold Stories. The collective histories of Black people in Canada. Leslie Norville, Christopher Rand.
Orlando: My Political Biography. Virginia Woolf’s classic is the starting point for a reflection on contemporary trans life. Benjamin Crossley-Marra, Mercy Lam.
Meteor. Grief and defiance against repression in Iran. Samuel Kiehoon Lee.
TIFF Films Messing with Modern Relationships
Modern Family Dramas
The Queen of My Dreams. Starting with their shared love of a Bollywood star, we see the connections uniting a mother and daughter across thirty years. Fawzia Mirza, Carol Ann Noronha, Simone Smith, Matt Irwin, Kamil Chima, Andria Wilson Mirza.
Mountains. An immigrant worker and his family contend with class aspirations in rapidly gentrifying Little Haiti. Robert Colom, Monica Sorelle, Eric Valdes.
Tautuktavuk. Two siblings’ attempts to heal and overcome trauma during the pandemic. Daniel Northway-Frank, Samuel Cohn-Cousineau.
Forbidden Romances
Bloom. Jodi Balfour’s character stumbles through heartbreak and grows a strange connection to a house plant. Geoff Manton, Angelica Stirpe, Shelby Manton, Sebastien Galina, Kristoff Duxbury, Adam Kirschner.
Last Summer. A prominent lawyer’s affair with her 17-year-old stepson threatens both her career and family. Mercy Lam, Benjamin Crossley-Marra.
Unicorns. Two people who might become lovers, if they can build a bridge between their very different worlds. Jenny Halper.
TIFF Films Building Their Own Bildungsroman
Coming-Of-Age Tales, Reimagined
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person. An empathetic teenaged vampire can’t bring herself to kill in this deadpan horror comedy. Rémi Dufresne, Jeanne-Marie Poulain, Line Sander Egede, Irène Bessone.
Backspot. Devery Jacobs and Evan Rachel Wood star in a Queer reimagining of the classic cheer movie. Katisha Shaw, John Davidson.
Frybread Face and Me. A preteen is sent to his grandma’s Navajo homestead, in a funny, touching debut. Billy Luther, Elliott Whitton, Brian Newman.
Summer Qamp. At Camp fYrefly, LGBTQ+ teens get to be kids, surrounded by counsellors who relate, in this documentary. Lulu Wei, Michelle Mama.
Portraits of the Masters at Work
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa. At 50, Lhakpa Sherpa returns to Everest for her 10th and record breaking climb. Devin Whetstone, Matthew Irving, Christopher Newman.
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. Alex Gibney captures the artist looking forward and back in this definitive profile. Julie Gratz, Andy Grieve.
Songs of Earth. Experience Norway’s landscapes of mountains, glaciers, and fjords, guided by the filmmaker’s 84-year-old father, Jørgen. Rebekka Karijord.
Swan Song. The National Ballet of Canada’s 2022 production of Swan Lake, directed and staged by the legendary Karen Kain. Derek Howard.
For additional rundowns on this year’s festival, check out these sources:
“How The Hollywood Strikes Could Impact the Toronto Film Festival” (Variety)
“20 Must-Watch Movies From the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival” (Rolling Stone)
“Screen’s guide to the Gala and Special Presentations” (Screen Daily)
IndieWire Screen Talk Live with SAG-AFTRA’s Lead Negotiator (TIFF Session)
Be sure to check out the TIFF Microsession on Sunday featuring the story behind the crime thriller, Orah, from Portrait members OC Ukeje and Felipe Tellez!
Window of Opportunity
Weekly Jobs, Grants, Labs, and More
Closing Soon: September Deadlines
MacDowell Fellowships (9/10 deadline)
US In Progress (9/10 deadline)
Tasveer Film Fund (9/10 late deadline)
Gotham Awards (9/15 deadline)
Nostos Screenwriting Retreat (9/15 deadline)
Bendfilm BIPOC Women Production Grant (9/15 deadline)
Stowe Story Labs: Feature Campus (9/15 deadline)
Writer-Driven Shorts Fund (9/15 deadline)
The Athena List (9/15 deadline)
AFI Conservatory: Directing Workshop for Women (DWW+) (9/15 deadline)
Voices with Impact Production Grant (9/17 deadline)
Film Independent Spirit Awards (9/19 deadline)
Black Public Media Open Call (9/25 deadline)
Proof of Concept Short Film Grant (9/26 deadline)
Graton Fellowship for Artists from California-Based Tribes (9/29 deadline)
South Arts Cross-Sector Impact Grant (10/2 deadline)
Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Video Editor, KTBS - TV.
Video Editor, eTeam Inc.
Video Shooter/Editor, iHeartMedia.
Senior Social Video Producer/Editor, NBCUniversal.
Executive Producer, KMGH, E.W. Scripps.
Videographer/Animator, Aquent.
Producer II, Political Unit, CNN, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Manager, Creative Operations, IMAX.
Coordinator, Documentaries, IMAX.
Multi Skilled Producer, CBS Chicago, Paramount.
Senior Producer, Branded Video, Dotdash Meredith.
Associate Producer (Temporary), Warner Bros. Discovery.
Senior Producer, Ogilvy.
Line Producer, CNN, Warner Bros. Discovery.
End Credits: Portrait Post of the Week
Congrats, Robert and team! And to all at festivals near and far. See you in Toronto and on the app!