Screen Rantwas on the ground for this year’sToronto International Film Festival(TIFF) and, with ten days worth of films, premieres, special screenings, and connecting with fellow film buffs, we’ve compiled a few awards to highlight the best of the fest. Of course,TIFF handed out its own awardsat the close of the festival, one of which was the people’s choice, while the others were jury-awarded prizes for the various filmmakers. These awards and recognitions are well-deserved, but what’s the fun in awards if they’re only given out once?
you may check out all of coverage — reviews and interviews — from the festival at ourTIFF page.
There were plenty of films that captured our attention. Whether they offered tour de force performances or stellar storytelling, TIFF featured a diverse, high-quality slate of films this year. For the sake of being fair and making sure to highlight different films and actors, each film or performance selected will only be featured once. That means a film or an actor can’t “win” more than one category. With that in mind, let’s get right to our awards, which feature the best film category and a rising star award for an up-and-coming actress.
Emilia Perez
Cast
Emilia Perez is a drama film that follows the life of Emilia Perez, a determined and ambitious individual striving to make a name for herself in a competitive environment. The story explores her journey as she navigates the challenges and obstacles that come her way, all while uncovering the complexities of her own identity.
Jacques Audiard’s unclassifiableEmilia Perezis the French filmmaker’s boldest work yet. It transcends genres - including narco crime saga, introspective drama, and pop opera - to become something wilder. The film follows the title character, played beautifully by Karla Sofía Gascón, a former drug lord who has disappeared and transitioned to a woman. When she returns to Mexico to take back her old life and seek redemption for her past, Emilia’s wife Jessi (Selena Gomez), their two children, and Rita (Zoe Saldaña), the lawyer who helped her transition, are caught up in the question of whether someone can find absolution.
The four women at the film’s center, which also includes a delicate turn from Adriana Paz, anchorEmilia Pérez, letting its unwieldy instincts flow free while grounding the film in deep but melodramatic emotion. Musical numbers about murder and transition live alongside moments of profound sadness and joyous discovery. That Audiard shoots these numbers as well as the more intimate moments is a testament to his handle on the material. This formal experimentation leads to some heart-racing moments, including a musical number set during a charity dinner and another in a karaoke bar. Its neon-lit scenes and shadowy framing only heighten the intensity of the proceedings. All of these disparate elements come together to make the impossible work. -Graeme Guttmann
Best Screenplay: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Cloud
2nd Place: Marielle Heller, Nightbitch
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’sCloudis like two movies in one. What begins as a slice-of-life comedy with tinges of intrigue about a dude who resells items on the internet becomes a gloriously absurd shoot ‘em up about internet beefs and petty grievances. Kurosawa handles this turn with aplomb, balancing scammer Yoshii’s shock at the upending of his life with the chaotically sleek gun battles and showdowns. There are even elements of horror here, ones that evoke the writer-director’s previous works likeChimeandPulse. -Graeme Guttmann
The Substance
Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth by creating a younger, more beautiful version of herself. But splitting time between her original and new body leads to horrifying consequences as her alternate self, Sue, begins to unravel her life in a disturbing body-horror descent.
It’s hard to overstate how brilliant Demi Moore is inThe Substance. She balances rage, sadness, and fortitude with a towering performance, all wrapped in the most disgusting and squirm-inducing body horror in years. The Academy’s aversion to genre often leads them to overlook performances in horror, but Moore’s turn inThe Substancebegs to be seen - and recognized. Like its over-the-top gore,The Substanceisn’t subtle in its themes about women’s beauty standards and aging, but that’s by design. Moore’s turn is equally maximalist, though there are moments where she gets to infuse the character of Elizabeth Sparkle with precise nuance that makes for a heartbreaking and gut-churning film. -Graeme Guttmann
Best Actor: Hugh Grant, Heretic
2nd Place: Mark Eidelshtein, Anora
Hereticis Hugh Grant like you’ve never seen him before. Well-known for his more comedic roles,Hugh plays a villainin this unsettling horror thriller and he does so exceptionally well. Grant plays the elusive Mr. Reed, who previously expressed interest in learning about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, though he uses that very reason to lure two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) into his home for a, uh, “conversation” that quickly spirals into an experience that is more horrifying than it seemed.
Under the direction of writing duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Grant utilizes his body language to come off as intimidating, while his smile — creepy as it is — is a picture of friendliness.Hereticis chilling enough on its own, but Grant elevates the material with a passionate, spooky performance that, frankly, disturbed me the whole way through. It’s a prime example of how a beloved actor’s face can turn into a menacing one that forces us to lean away from him in fear, while simultaneously wanting more from his startling character. -Mae Abdulbaki
Anora
Anora’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.
WhenAnoraearned raves out of Cannes, eventually clinching the Palme D’or, I was skeptical. Not because I don’t have faith in Sean Baker or Mikey Madison, who have both been favorites of mine for some time. But the praise being so loud made it seem likeAnoracould be one of those over-hyped festival offerings that often happens at major premieres. I’m happy to say that the hype forAnorais very, very real. It’s Sean Baker’s best film yet, with a star-making central performance that ties the whole chaotic thing together.
Madison stars as the title character, a sex worker in New York City who gets involved with a rich Russian boy. They eventually get married and things unravel from there. Baker finds the perfect pitch for his recipe of disorder, shouting and scuffles devolving into a citywide search as Anora’s resolve slowly weakens. Madison goes from cool confidence to quiet devastation by the end of the film and the final scene ofAnorais one that is both hopeful and gut-wrenching. -Graeme Guttmann
Biggest Surprise Of The Fest: Conclave
2nd Place: Nightbitch
Conclavesurpassed any expectations I had to become a TIFF favorite. The film’s synopsis is intriguing on its own, but what director Edward Berger and screenwriter Peter Straughan manage to accomplish in execution is tantalizingly suspenseful. The film follows a group of cardinals who must isolate themselves to choose a new pope, but what emerges is a political thriller with nuanced twists that only heighten the tension between its cast, led by a superb and endlessly patient Ralph Fiennes (who was considered for our best actor award).
Funny thing is I expectedConclaveto be interesting at the very least, but to be completely blown away by it is another thing entirely. It’s a film I’ve been thinking about since I first saw it, and it only gets more fascinating the longer I sit with it. It’s thought-provoking as it explores power and political tension between the cardinals, whose relationship with each other and the world is more precarious than we think.Conclave, based Robert Harris’ book, is intimate and nuanced. It keeps us hooked on every word and character as it builds toward a stunning ending. -Mae Abdulbaki
The Fire Inside
The story of Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan who trained to become the first woman in her country’s history to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport.
The Fire Inside, Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut, is not only an emotional sports drama but it boasts a captivating andlayered central performance by Ryan Destiny. The actress really impressed me in a difficult role, balancing the personal struggles of real-life boxer Claressa Shields with an ambitious and tough-on-the-outside persona. Destiny is simultaneously fiery and vulnerable, ambitious and disappointed when real-world challenges threaten to consume her. Known best for her role in the seriesStar, Destiny more than proved her skill as an actress. She put her all into this role and I’m excited to see what she tackles next. -Mae Abdulbaki
Although we agreed the above films should be awarded in their respective categories, each member of our team had their personal favorites from the festival. Some of those films didn’t necessarily land in any particular category, but they were considered the best of our viewing experiences while we were at TIFF. With so many films, it was impossible to see every film that was there, but even our individual top five lists highlight some popular choices —Anora,Emilia Pérez, andThe Substanceamong them.
