We’re just 2 days away from the 2018 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. We’ve assembled a list — by no means exhaustive — of some of the women-directed titles we’re most looking forward to. Spanning continents, decades, and genres, the films tackle subject matter as varied as civil war, fishing, and forgery. You’ll notice some newcomers and familiar faces — Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Amandla Stenberg among them.
We’ve already started rolling out our interviews with women directors screening features in the fest — stay tuned, there’s plenty more coming.
Women-centric films (not directed by women) we’re excited about include Viola Davis-led caper “Widows” and “Maiden,” a doc about the first all-female sailing crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race. Plus, TIFF will host an entire shorts program — no. 05 –that’s dedicated to “tough women.”
TIFF runs from September 6-16. On September 7, the fest will host the Share Her Journey rally, which is calling attention to inequality in the industry.
In no particular order, here are 16 films we’re feeling especially excited about. Plot synopses courtesy of TIFF.
“Vita & Virginia” – Directed by Chanya Button
“Vita & Virginia”: TIFF
What it’s about: Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki shine as socialite and author Vita Sackville-West and literary icon Virginia Woolf, respectively, in director Chanya Button’s sumptuous double portrait of two uncompromising women and the unconventional affair behind one of Woolf’s greatest novels.
Why we’re excited: Button’s first feature film, “Burn Burn Burn,” explored the intimacy between two female friends. Her second, “Vita & Virginia,” is also about the intimacy between women, but she shifts her focus from friends to lovers. This romantic biopic presents a side to Virginia Woolf that has only been alluded to in pop culture (see: “The Hours”) before. While Woolf was married to a man, she also had affairs with women. Not only does “Vita & Virginia” offer attention to that aspect of Woolf’s life and identity, it also turns the spotlight on Vita Sackville-West, a gifted writer in her own right — and who didn’t make quite the mark on history she should have.
“Out of Blue” – Directed by Carol Morley
What it’s about: A homicide detective’s (Patricia Clarkson) investigation into the shooting of a leading astrophysicist and black-hole expert destabilizes her view of the universe and herself, in the third fiction feature from Carol Morley (“Dreams of a Life”).
Why we’re excited: An adaptation of Martin Amis’ “Night Train,” “Out of Blue” sees Patricia Clarkson following up her chilling performance in “Sharp Objects” with another meaty role. “I was attracted to the book because there was a female lead detective, and I was excited to expand on her, and make a film about a complex woman who owns the investigative gaze,” Morley told us in a soon-to-be published interview. In a genre that remains dominated by “Complicated Men,” it will be a refreshing change of pace to see Clarkson, who is in her late 50s, take the lead in what Morley describes as an unconventional police procedural dealing with the themes of cosmology and black holes.
“Lionheart” – Directed by Genevieve Nnaji
“Lionheart”: TIFF
What it’s about: In order to save her father’s ailing bus company, competent but perennially overlooked Adaeze must find a way to work alongside feckless Uncle Godswill in the sharp and comically observed directorial debut from Nollywood star Genevieve Nnaji.
Why we’re excited: Inspired by her own friends and families’ businesses, Genevieve Nnaji is sharing a culturally-specific story: one that explores the societal expectations Nigeria places on women, men, the young, and the old. “I want people to reflect on the endless possibilities of growth and success that comes with men and women, the old and the young, working together,” she told us in a soon-to-be-published interview. “A world where insecurities are tackled and equality is encouraged.” If that’s “Lionheart’s” vision, then count us in.
“Destroyer” – Directed by Karyn Kusama
What it’s about: When a new case uncovers traumas from a past undercover operation, an LAPD detective (Nicole Kidman) is forced to face her personal and professional demons, in this genre-defining work from Karyn Kusama (“Jennifer’s Body”).
Why we’re excited: Nicole Kidman is nearly unrecognizable in stills for “Destroyer.” The Australian star is already receiving Oscar buzz for her gritty turn as an LA detective. “I’ve been drawn to stories about moral accountability, and the story of Erin Bell elicited extreme and thorny emotions from me,” Kusama told us. “She’s a difficult person who has trouble being honest with herself, and though she sometimes behaves badly, there is also something deeply sympathetic about her.” The crime epic promises to introduce viewers to a new side of Kidman, and the opportunity to see Kusama, who last directed 2015 horror-thriller “The Invitation” working in yet another genre, following projects such as high school zombie pic “Jennifer’s Body,” sci-fi “Æon Flux,” and boxing drama “Girlfight.”
“Tell It to the Bees” – Directed by Annabel Jankel
What it’s about: Academy Award winner Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger star in this wrenching drama of a shunned small-town doctor and beekeeper in post-war Britain who befriends a struggling mother and son, helping them discover that love can be found in many forms.
Why we’re excited: Pop culture has mined the stuffiness of post-war England before (“The Deep Blue Sea,” “The Crown,” myriad others), but the focus has mostly been on the constraints of class and gender roles. With “Tell It to the Bees,” director Annabel Jankel adds another layer to a society still shell-shocked from WWII: same-sex love. “I loved the story and the quality of the writing in the novel by Fiona Shaw,” Jankel told Women and Hollywood. “I was fascinated by the clash of class, gender, and society. It was a microcosm of a wider society, where homosexuality between men was a criminal offense in the UK, and between women — if even conceivable — was simply reprehensible.” We’re all familiar with the against-all-odds romance, but, with women driving the story on both sides of the camera, it sounds as if “Tell It to the Bees” will give the genre a desperately-needed boost.
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” – Directed by Marielle Heller
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”: Fox Searchlight Pictures
What it’s about: A jaded, out-of-work biographer (Melissa McCarthy) resorts to selling forged historical letters on the black market, and grapples with the ethical complications that arise, in Marielle Heller’s charming biopic about bestselling writer Lee Israel.
Why we’re excited: We simply adored Heller’s debut, 2015 Bel Powley-starrer “Diary of a Teenage Girl.” The coming-of-age pic seamlessly blended drama and comedy, excelling at both, and it sounds like “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” will also straddle both genres. “I love stories about misunderstood people. Lee is a cantankerous, probably-alcoholic lesbian who spends most of her time with her cat — not the type of female character that Hollywood movies tend to focus on. But she’s whip-smart, funny as hell, and a joy to spend time with,” Heller told us. McCarthy is — very rightfully — celebrated for her comic talents, but it will be nice to see the “Happytime Murders” actress showing off her dramatic chops.
“Endzeit – Ever After” – Directed by Carolina Hellsgård
What it’s about: Carolina Hellsgård’s chilling second feature follows two women fighting for their lives in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies — a future Hellsgård presents as both horrific and hopeful.
Why we’re excited: “I am from Sweden, and I grew up with fairy tales speaking of trolls living in the forest. There is a direct link between my childhood bedtime stories and ‘Ever After,’” Hellsgård hinted in an interview with us. She explained that the film “is not only about guilt, but emancipation. Two young women leave an oppressive society and venture into an apocalyptic world. In the end, they decide to not return to civilization but to choose nature and ultimately freedom. They prefer chaos to order, freedom over control, and love over fascism.” “Ever After” sounds like a dark fairy tale infused with social commentary — a zombie pic with plenty of brains.
“The Chambermaid” – Directed by Lila Avilés
“The Chambermaid”: TIFF
What it’s about: Eve (Gabriela Cartol) works long hours as a maid at a luxurious hotel in Mexico City. A young, single mother who travels far to get to her place of work, Eve has aspirations for the future and hopes that her diligence will get her a coveted spot as the cleaner on an executive floor. She enrolls in the hotel’s adult education program in her quest for a better life but quickly discovers that it’s not necessarily the most hard-working who get noticed for advancement.
Why we’re excited: Avilés previously wrote a play about chambermaids, and later spent years following them at their jobs. “There was something in their work that really touched me,” she told us. With so much time spent with people who actually do the job, it seems likely that the writer-director will offer a realistic — and insightful — take on the work and the those who do it. Plus, it’s rare to see a film about someone cleaning hotel rooms — when we do see these characters, who are usually women, it’s a fleeting shot of a chambermaid exiting or entering a room. This time around, the narrative centers on the underpaid and underappreciated worker.
“Ghost Fleet” (Documentary) – Directed by Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron
What it’s about: The global fishing industry is cast under a harsh light in this documentary following Thai human-rights activist Patima Tungpuchayakul as she and her team seek to bring home workers essentially enslaved at sea.
Why we’re excited: Service is a reporter and helped break the story of slavery in the fishing industry for NPR’s “Morning Edition” in 2012. “Ghost Fleet” is her latest effort to draw attention to the horrors of modern fishing. While “ethical” food and sourcing is becoming increasingly important to consumers, fish hasn’t been as big a part of the conversation so far. “I’d like [audiences] to think about where their fish comes from,” she said in an upcoming interview with us. “I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and, up here, a lot of food comes with story. This apple was grown biodynamically on a small farm 3.2 miles from the market. That steak came from a grass-fed cow named Jack. But fish just shows up — storyless, blameless –divorced from the people who caught it or the oceanic ecosystems obliterated in the process. Our team is setting out to change that.”
“Fig Tree” – Directed by Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian
“Fig Tree”: TIFF
What it’s about: Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian’s unflinching feature debut, set at the end of the Ethiopian Civil War, follows a Jewish Ethiopian teenage girl as she attempts to save her Christian boyfriend from being drafted, even as she and her family are poised to flee the country.
Why we’re excited: “I wanted to share the spirit of women and men who touched my heart and who are still padding my memories, and perhaps give visibility and voice to the lives of many immigrants who seemed happy when they achieved their goal and arrived in the new land they so wished for. But the truth is that for many of us, like Mina from ‘Fig Tree,’ it was not only a new beginning but also the end of a period, and the migration remained a personal wound and tragedy,” Davidian told us in a soon-to-be published interview. “Fig Tree” won’t offer an oversimplified depiction of an immigrant’s experiences with a hackneyed happy ending — instead, it promises to dig into the nuances of leaving land, and loves ones, behind.
“The Lie” – Directed by Veena Sud
What it’s about: In this thriller from Toronto-born writer-director Veena Sud, two parents wrestle with the consequences of their teenage daughter’s lethal mistake, proving just how far any parent would go to protect their child.
Why we’re excited: “The Lie” re-teams Sud with the lead actress of her beloved AMC/Netflix series “The Killing.” This time around, it sounds as though Mireille Enos, who played a police officer on the Emmy winner, may be on the wrong side of the law. Fresh from grappling with complex moral questions in her short-lived Netflix series “Seven Seconds,” Sud will again dig deep into the lengths people are willing to go to keep themselves and the ones they love safe.
“Mouthpiece” – Directed by Patricia Rozema
What it’s about: Patricia Rozema (“I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing”) adapts the award-winning two-women play by Amy Nostbakken and Norah Sadava, about an aspiring writer attempting to reconcile her feminism with the conformist choices of her mother following her mother’s sudden death.
Why we’re excited: Rozema’s latest feature seems to be a film that directly addresses the complexities of feminism today. As our culture continues to question and push back against pre-#MeToo and -#TimesUp attitudes and behaviors, it also butts heads against the beliefs of previous generations. Our mothers’ perspectives don’t necessarily line up with our own, yet, because we love them, we can’t just ignore their views. But we can’t sacrifice what we stand for on the basis of familial respect, either. “Mouthpiece” promises to be a film that delves into the divide between mothers and daughters, and women’s roles now and then.
“Where Hands Touch” – Directed by Amma Asante
“Where Hands Touch”
What it’s about: Amandla Stenberg stars in director Amma Asante’s (“A United Kingdom”) disquieting coming-of-age romance about a Black German teenager who falls in love with a member of the Hitler Youth.
Why we’re excited: “Where Hands Touch’s” first images were met with a backlash. Many were concerned about the so-called Nazi romance, but Asante met the controversy head-on.”My passion has been to shine a light on the existence of the children of color who were born and raised under Hitler. These children were also persecuted and my wish has been to explore how Black and Bi-racial identity was perceived and experienced under Nazi fascist rule,” she said. The writer-director emphasized that the film does not “romanticize Nazis,” and those familiar with her works — a number of which are inspired by true stories and focus on interracial romances from the past — wouldn’t suspect otherwise. She often confronts oppressive societies and the power of love to unite those living within them.
“Firecrackers” – Directed by Jasmin Mozaffari
What it’s about: An intense drama about two young women desperate to escape their repressive small town, whose friendship is challenged after a night of debauchery threatens to undo their grand plans for freedom.
Why we’re excited: “For me, this film really is about the fight to survive and feel free under patriarchal oppression,” Mozaffari said of her feature directorial debut in a soon-to-be-published interview. “Firecrackers” is an examination of what freedom means in the literal sense, and in how it applies to men and women living in a world where the former hold the power. “I wanted to look at how both men and women are affected by these ideas of masculinity, femininity, and sexuality, and how patriarchal ideas keep all of us feeling trapped,” Mozaffari explained. It appears “Firecrackers” is yet another example of how the current (patriarchal) system just isn’t working for anyone anymore.
“Freedom Fields” (Documentary) – Directed by Naziha Arebi
“Freedom Fields”: TIFF
What it’s about: Naziha Arebi offers an intimate look at post-revolution Libya through the eyes of an aspiring all-female soccer team, whose struggle to gain mainstream acceptance mirrors the broader challenges facing women in contemporary Libyan society.
Why we’re excited: The media loves to portray Middle Eastern women as cunning or damsels in distress, but Naziha Arebi’s feature debut provides a different, much-needed perspective. Describing the Libyan women’s soccer team she documented as “totally down to earth,” the Libyan-British director presents them as the three-dimensional people they are — “not this ‘exotic’ or ‘tragic’ image of women we so often see depicted from this region.” “Yes their lives were/are tough,” she says in an upcoming interview with us, “but they weren’t victims. They could be me or you, it’s just different geography, different privilege.” With xenophobia, Islamophobia, and racism on the rise, “Freedom Fields” is the kind of doc people need to see right now.
“Viper Club” – Directed by Maryam Keshavarz
What it’s about: In Iranian-American filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz’s latest, a war correspondent gets taken hostage while on assignment, prompting his mother (Susan Sarandon) — impatient with the government’s lack of concern — to take matters into her own hands.
Why we’re excited: We always love to see badass mothers in the movies, and Susan Sarandon’s Helen is just that: a take-no-bullshit woman who decides to do whatever she has to in order to save her son, no matter the obstacles that come her way. Plus, if “Viper Club” receives the reception that Keshavarz’s first feature, 2011’s “Circumstance,” did, we may just see the film make a splash once awards season rolls around.
