The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival kicks off Thursday and the fest’s schedule is packed with women-centric and women-made projects we can’t wait to catch. As usual, Women and Hollywood has put together a list of titles — by no means exhaustive — that we’re psyched to see. They include biopics of abolitionist Harriet Tubman and pioneering scientist Marie Curie and female-driven coming-of-age stories. These films feature many newcomers as well as stars including Rosamund Pike, Beanie Feldstein, and Cynthia Erivo.
Other pics on our radar include Marielle Heller’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” which centers on the connection a cynical journalist establishes with Mr. Rogers, and Rose Glass’ religious-psychological horror flick “Saint Maud,” the only women-directed film selected for TIFF’s genre section, Midnight Madness.
TIFF 2019 will take place September 5-15. Keep an eye out for our interviews, which be rolling out throughout the fest.
Below, find the TIFF films Women and Hollywood is especially looking forward to, in no particular order. Plot synopses courtesy of the fest.
“I Am Woman” – Directed by Unjoo Moon; Written by Emma Jensen
What it’s about: This uplifting biopic tells the story of Helen Reddy, the fiercely ambitious Australian singer behind the 1971 megahit anthem that became the rallying cry of the women’s liberation movement.
Why we’re excited: It’s time to hear Helen Reddy roar. With “I Am Woman,” Helen Reddy proudly and loudly paid tribute to women’s strength and resiliency. Unjoo Moon’s latest tells her story. The biopic revisits the sexist treatment Reddy received on the road to stardom — including judgement about her being a single mom and doubts about the bankability of female-led acts. Reddy’s anthem remains as timely as ever, as does her personal journey.
“The Perfect Candidate” – Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour; Written by Haifaa Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann
“The Perfect Candidate”
What it’s about: Frustrated with the limits placed upon her because of her gender, a small-town Saudi doctor takes matters into her own hands and runs for local council, in this family drama from Haifaa Al-Mansour.
Why we’re excited: We’ve been following Haifaa Al-Mansour’s career closely since her 2012 feature directorial debut, “Wadjda.” Since that tale of a Saudi girl fighting the constrains of her community, Al-Mansour has explored the many ways women are held back by the patriarchy in biopics (“Mary Shelley”) and comedies (“Nappily Ever After”) alike. Now she’s turning her attention to local politics, and returning to Saudi Arabia, with “The Perfect Candidate.” As women increasingly run for office in the hopes of changing the systems that have kept them down — and those working within said systems do all they can to maintain the status quo — Al-Mansour’s latest promises to be exactly the big-screen comedic drama we need right now.
“How to Build a Girl” – Directed by Coky Giedroyc; Written by Caitlin Moran
“How to Build a Girl”
What it’s about: A working-class teenager (Beanie Feldstein) tries to reinvent herself as a hip London music critic, in this unconventional coming-of-age story based on British author Caitlin Moran’s semi-autobiographical novel. Also starring Chris O’Dowd, Emma Thompson, and Paddy Considine.
Why we’re excited: We’re all huge fans of Caitlin Moran’s delightful novel of the same name. “Lady Bird” and “Booksmart” breakout Beanie Feldstein feels perfectly cast as a clever teen desperate to leave her hometown and former self behind. Coky Giedroyc’s “How to Build a Girl” could be this generation’s “Almost Famous.” The coming-of-age comedy promises a great soundtrack and a funny, emotionally resonant story about a teen whose life is forever changed by her love of rock ‘n’ roll and the written word, “but uniquely, this one is about a girl,” as Giedroyc said in a soon-to-be published interview with us. When we asked what she hopes audiences get out of the film, she emphasized, “That you can fuck up multiple times in your teenage years, commit appalling fashion crimes, sleep with the wrong people, and behave like a total arse, but you can still pick yourself up, reinvent yourself, and everything will be OK.” It’s a simple but powerful message — and one that teen girls in particular will benefit from receiving.
“Radioactive” – Directed by Marjane Satrapi
“Radioactive”
What it’s about: Based on Lauren Redniss’ award-winning graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi’s (“Persepolis”) biopic stars Rosamund Pike as two-time Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie, highlighting the groundbreaking discoveries she made with her husband, Pierre (Sam Riley).
Why we’re excited: There aren’t enough films celebrating the work of brilliant women in the STEM field — let alone women-directed films celebrating the work of brilliant women. “Radioactive” offers both. The Marie Curie biopic, from filmmaker, author, and artist Marjane Satrapi, seems to give equal weight to the legendary scientist’s pioneering research and her relationship with her husband and lab partner, Pierre. Too often biopics about women focus unnecessarily on their romantic lives, and give short shrift to their accomplishments and ambitions. “Radioactive” looks like it will take a different route: the very reason Marie falls in love is because she’s finally met her intellectual equal.
“Harriet” – Directed by Kasi Lemmons; Written by Kasi Lemmons and Gregory Allen Howard
What it’s about: Tony-winning star Cynthia Erivo stars in Kasi Lemmons’ inspiring biopic about renowned abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery and risked her life to lead others to freedom through the network of safehouses known as the Underground Railroad.
Why we’re excited: Don’t be surprised if you hear Cynthia Erivo’s name being called when Oscar nominations are announced next year. “Harriet” doesn’t mark the Broadway sensation’s screen debut — she’s appeared in “Widows” and “Bad Times at the El Royale” as well as a handful of TV series — but the biopic is her first starring role on the big screen, and if the trailer is any indication, she’s more than capable of carrying a film. “Eve’s Bayou” director Kasi Lemmons tells the story of a true hero — a woman who risked everything to stand up for what was right. This is an important chapter in American history, and we’re betting the film won’t shy away from the horrors of slavery — and its lasting legacy.
“Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Alanis Obomsawin
What it’s about: Alanis Obomsawin’s remarkable 53rd film documents the story of a young boy forced to spend all five years of his short life in hospital while the federal and provincial governments argued over which was responsible for his care, as well as the long struggle of Indigenous activists to force the Canadian government to enforce “Jordan’s Principle” — the promise that no First Nations children would experience inequitable access to government-funded services again.
Why we’re excited: “Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger” makes the personal political, and vice versa. By focusing on one boy, documentarian Alanis Obomsawin unpacks the ramifications of bureaucratic red tape and spotlights the systemic disenfranchisement of indigenous peoples. The documentary also traces the birth, rise, and impact of a social movement. The government’s mistreatment of Jordan River Anderson inspired indigenous activists to fight back, and eventually resulted in the passage of “Jordan’s Principle” in 2007. The policy was designed to ensure First Nations children received equitable government services. As much as Obomsawin’s doc is a cautionary tale, it’s also a testament to the power of activism.
“Rocks” – Directed by Sarah Gavron; Written by Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson
“Rocks”
What it’s about: Shola (Bukky Bakray), or Rocks, as she’s known, lives in a London council flat with her younger brother Emmanuel and their single mother. Mum is busy and stressed, leaving Rocks to spend all her free time with school friends. One day, she comes home to find her life radically altered: she is suddenly on her own with a child to take care of.
Why we’re excited: As director Sarah Gavron told us in a soon-to-be-published interview, “Rocks” offers insight into the world of teen girls as well as the realities many young black women face today. Gavron “had wanted to work on a story about young women for some years as there are so few stories on screen which show teenage girls in all their dimensions.” The filmmaker revealed that co-writer Theresa Ikoko sees “Rocks” as “a love letter to her big sister and young black women who often have to be stronger and more resilient than their years should require.” Like “How to Build a Girl” and Greta Gerwig’s TIFF 2017 pic “Lady Bird,” “Rocks” gives young women their due on-screen, portraying them as the complex, smart, funny, wise-beyond-their-years people they so often are in real life.
“Proxima” – Written and Directed by Alice Winocour
“Proxima”
What it’s about: Alice Winocour (“Disorder,” “Augustine”) builds on her meticulously crafted body of work with this incisive drama, in which an astronaut and mother (Eva Green) grapples with her commitment to her daughter as she undergoes grueling physical training for a one-year stint in space.
Why we’re excited: Contrary to what we usually see in pop culture, women can be good at both motherhood and their high-powered careers. Additionally, mothers can be conflicted about the time they spend with their families versus the time they spend at work — and it doesn’t necessarily negate either their role as a mom or their role as a professional. Alice Winocour’s latest, “Proxima,” embraces the nuances of the modern working mother. Sarah (Eva Green) is an astronaut prepping for her first mission. She’s also a mother who feels guilty about leaving her young daughter for a year-long trip in space. Both aspects of Sarah’s life are simultaneously extraordinary and mundane. She’s about to go on an adventure most people could hardly dream of, yet it takes months of extensive, exhausting training. Motherhood means monotony and drudgery, but it is also filled with mutual love and devotion. Being an astronaut isn’t necessarily better than being a mother, and vice versa. Through Sarah’s situation, “Proxima” focuses on the pressures women feel to pick either a career or motherhood and, via Sarah’s male colleagues, asks why men aren’t held to the same expectation.
“The Audition” – Directed by Ina Weisse; Written by Ina Weisse and Daphné Charizani
What it’s about: A stern, particular violin teacher (Nina Hoss) becomes fixated on the success of one of her pupils at the expense of her family life, in this subtle, forceful, and meticulously arranged visual concerto from acclaimed German actor Ina Weisse.
Why we’re excited: We still can’t get Maggie Gyllenhaal’s performance as an overly dedicated, boundary-crossing educator in “The Kindergarten Teacher” out of our heads. Ina Weisse’s “The Audition” is giving us similar vibes to Sara Colangelo’s 2018 drama, which saw a wannabe mentor taking a student far too closely under her wings. Whereas Gyllenhaal’s character dedicates herself to nurturing her gifted pupil, the violin teacher at the center of “The Audition” is convinced that “greatness comes from struggle and nothing is ever good enough — something she herself was taught at a young age,” according to TIFF’s synopsis of the film. As complicated as student-teacher dynamics are, depictions of the relationship rarely offer anything but tawdry cliches about a male teachers sexualizing their female protégées or cheesy inspirational stories about larger-than-life teachers. Like “The Kindergarten Teacher” before it, we expect “The Audition” to dig into muddier, and more interesting, waters.
