The 47th Annual Toronto International Festival (TIFF) is taking the world by storm from its Great White North locale, as this proud Canadian jewel – once again - offers countless movie options for professionals and fans of all ages.
Certainly, TIFF is a mammoth 11-day event, and this proud Phoenix Film Festival critic has caught 32 films so far (as of Sept. 15, Day 8). Let me take a moment to jot down five of my favorites, The Best of TIFF 2022 – Part One. On Sept. 23, I’ll add an additional five in a Best of TIFF 2022 – Part Two article.
Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you soon, Phoenix!
“Godland” – Hlynur Palmason (“A White, White Day” (2019)) effectively presents a decisive clash between naivete and nature in a scenic drama about a Danish priest’s attempt to establish a church in 19th-century Iceland. Indeed, Palmason fashions the Icelandic countryside as a mystical and intimating character for the audience and the clergyman (Elliott Crosset Hove), but Lucas’ (Hove) lofty emotional make-up also collides with the locals’ earthy pragmatism. Palmason channels his inner Werner Herzog and Terrence Malick in this instant classic.
“Holy Spider” – A serial killer is murdering prostitutes in Mashhad, Iran, and a committed journalist (Zar Amir-Ebrahimi) travels to this anxious city to investigate the hideous crimes in a gripping, grimy thriller from director/co-writer Ali Abbasi (“Border” (2018)). Amir-Ebrahimi – who won Cannes’ 2022 Best Actress Award - delivers a harrowing turn as Rahimi, a woman fighting for the truth while battling sexism along the way. Abbasi’s film – based on a true story - reveals the perpetrator very early during the first act, leading to surprising turns in the second and third.
“One Fine Morning” – Lea Seydoux gives one of the best TIFF 2022 performances as a 30-something single mom attempting to divide time between her ailing father, her daughter, and a brand-new love interest. To further complicate matters, Sandra (Seydoux) is the other woman in the romantic relationship. Filmmakers have told these narratives for ages, but director/writer Mia Hansen-Love refreshingly avoids clichés here and offers innumerable views of Paris as a background, including a climb up Montmartre.
“Sisu” – The year is 1944. WWII is nearly over. A gray-bearded Finnish gold prospector (Jorma Tommila) simply wants to seek gilded treasure. Unfortunately, he randomly encounters a squadron of about 30 Nazi soldiers looking for trouble. However, misfortune has found these German combatants because this particular – otherwise ordinary-looking – Finn is a one-man killing machine! Director/writer Jalmari Helander’s wild, bloody flick delivers cartoonish gore and theatrical insanity that will delight Midnight Madness audiences.
“Women Talking” – Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, and Sheila McCarthy lead an impressive ensemble in director/writer Sarah Polley’s (“Stories We Tell” (2012)) first big-screen movie – adapted from Miriam Toews’ novel - in 10 years. When certain men in a rural, religious community commit a hideous deception on the women, several chosen ladies gather in a barn to decide their next steps. Powerful, poignant discourse occurs in this ordinary locale, and the conversations focus on the characters’ specific plight but also on issues that have occurred throughout human history.
