Today, TIFF announced the rest of its Real to Reel section, along with Mavericks, a new one-day Doc Conference and other offerings. With the Festival only three weeks and couple days away, we have a chance to stand back and consider all things documentary that are happening at TIFF.
Beyond Real to Reel, you'll find other non-fiction works sprinkled throughout the Festival. I've designed this guide to help you keep track. You can follow links to the film pages. The web site is going through daily updates. So if you don't see a full description or image online yet, keep checking back.
This list is organized alphabetically by section - from Canada First! to Yonge Dundas Square. [Pictured: Cleanflix]
Canada First!
All Fall Down Philip Hoffman, ON
North American Premiere
Local legend Philip Hoffman’s formally adventurous and emotionally devastating documentary looks at the tortured last years of Toronto writer George Lachlan Brown, setting the account against a backdrop of regional myths and conspiracies.
City to City
A History of Israeli Cinema – Part 1 Raphaël Nadjari, Israel/France
North American Premiere
This invigorating exploration of Israeli cinema draws upon numerous clips and engrossing interviews with filmmakers and historians. Part 1 covers the years 1932 to 1978, chronicling the Zionist struggle to create a state and shape its identity.
A History of Israeli Cinema – Part 2 Raphaël Nadjari, Israel/France
North American Premiere
In the second of this two-part documentary, filmmakers and scholars explore the development of Israel’s film culture from 1978 to the present.
Mavericks Conversation Series
Barry Levinson Presents The Band That Wouldn't Die
World Premiere
Barry Levinson has covered a lot of ground in his film career – from Southeast Asia in Good Morning, Vietnam to Las Vegas in Rain Man – but he always comes back to Baltimore. In this session, Levinson will present the world premiere of his latest work set in Baltimore, The Band That Wouldn’t Die, an hour-long documentary produced for ESPN Film’s 30 for 30 project, about a marching band that kept hope alive for the city’s football fans.
An Afternoon with Chris Rock
Chris Rock brings his comic insights to this Mavericks conversation, sitting down for an interview to highlight his new documentary, Good Hair (part of this year’s Festival), and branching out in spontaneous directions. Rock is never short on opinions. In Good Hair he focuses on the commerce and creativity behind African American hairstyles, unpacking a lot of cultural baggage that all of us carry, whether our hair is straight or curly.
Frederick Wiseman Presents La Danse – Le Ballet de l’Opera de Paris
North American Premiere
In this veritable feast of a Mavericks session, documentary master Frederick Wiseman (Public Housing, Ballet, Titicut Follies) will present the North American premiere of his 160-minute film La Danse, followed by an extended conversation about this new work and his career. In La Danse, Wiseman allows us to observe multiple corners of the Paris Opera Ballet, from rehearsal studios to costume rooms to administrative offices. We get extensive access to choreographers as they work with dancers in both classical and modern styles. You needn’t be a dance aficionado to marvel at the beauty and athleticism on display.
Peter Berg Presents Kings Ransom
World Premiere
Peter Berg presents the world premiere of Kings Ransom, produced for ESPN Film’s 30 for 30 project. The hour-long documentary explores how Wayne Gretzky’s move from Canada to Los Angeles changed the game of hockey. For fans, it’s a must-see. But even those unfamiliar with the sport can connect to the universal themes and will be dazzled by the archival clips of Gretzky’s mastery on ice. The resulting work tells a powerful story of family, money, national pride and opportunities lost and gained. Afterwards, Berg will sit down for an extended discussion of the film and his friendship with Gretzky.
Real to Reel
Ahead of Time Bob Richman, USA
World Premiere
This directorial debut from acclaimed cinematographer Bob Richman (The September Issue, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) creates a vivid portrait of Ruth Gruber. From the time she became the world’s youngest Ph.D. in 1931 at age 20 to her pivotal news coverage of the refugees aboard Exodus 1947, this energetic and inspiring 97-year-old has repeatedly defied tradition through her fearlessness and love of adventure.
The Art of the Steal Don Argott, USA
World Premiere
This art-world whodunit investigates what happened to the Barnes collection of Post-Impressionist paintings—valued in the billions—that fell prey to a power struggle after the death of owner Albert Barnes.
Bassidji Mehran Tamadon, Iran/France/Switzerland
International Premiere
For three years, Mehran Tamadon immersed himself into the very heart of the most extremist supporters of the Islamic republic of Iran (the Bassidjis) to understand their ideas.
Cleanflix Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi, USA
World Premiere
The Mormon religion preaches against the content of R-rated films, so several Utah-based entrepreneurs started offering “clean” versions of Hollywood movies at specialty DVD stores. But the thriving industry runs into legal problems and its own sex scandal.
Collapse Chris Smith, USA
World Premiere
From the acclaimed director of American Movie, this portrait of radical thinker Michael Ruppert explores his apocalyptic vision of the future, spanning the crises in economics, energy, environment and more.
Colony Carter Gunn and Ross McDonnell, Ireland
World Premiere
Several beekeepers around the U.S. cope with colony collapse disorder – the phenomenon that has caused millions of bees to mysteriously disappear – in this beautifully shot debut from a gifted directing duo.
Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould Peter Raymont and Michèle Hozer, ON
World Premiere
An enigmatic musical poet and world-renowned pianist, Glenn Gould continues to captivate international audiences twenty-six years after his early death. An intimate look at the man alongside the myth, Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould casts a new light on a genius whose ideas were as controversial, and his private life as passionate as his music.
Google Baby Zippi Brand Frank, Israel
International Premiere
In India, the latest form of outsourcing is surrogate mothers who carry embryos for couples who can’t have a child. Director Zippi Brand Frank follows an entrepreneur who proposes a new service – baby production for western customers.
How to Fold a Flag Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein, USA
World Premiere
The makers of Gunner Palace follow U.S. soldiers as they create new lives post-Iraq—from a Congressional candidate in Buffalo to a cage fighter in Louisiana—set against the backdrop of the 2008 election.
L’Enfer de Henri-Georges Clouzot Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea, France
North American Premiere
Film archivist Serge Bromberg uncovers a treasure trove of imagery from an unfinished film called L’Enfer starring Romy Schneider and directed by the French master Henri-Georges Clouzot, known for Wages of Fear and Diabolique.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith, USA
World Premiere
Daniel Ellsberg was a valued strategist inside the American government until he leaked the Pentagon Papers and exposed the lies of the Vietnam War. This thrilling documentary chronicles this momentous chapter in history and how Richard Nixon’s obsession over the case brought down his own government.
Once Upon a Time Proletarian: 12 Tales of a Country
Guo Xiaolu, China
North America Premiere
A subjective anatomy of contemporary China in the post-Marxist era, this is a dark, poetic depiction of people from different backgrounds, living in modern China. Twelve chapters explore the country’s current social and political landscape, from which emerge stories of loss and yearning. This is the latest documentary from director Guo Xiaolu, who recently was awarded the Golden Leopard Grand Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival for She, A Chinese.
Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands Peter Mettler, ON
North American Premiere
Filmmaker and visual artist Peter Mettler takes audiences on an eye-opening aerial tour of Alberta’s tar sands in this beautiful, haunting and vital documentary. This film is co-presented by Short Cuts Canada.
Presumed Guilty Roberto Hernández and Geoffrey Smith, Mexico
World Premiere
Two young Mexican attorneys attempt to exonerate a wrongly convicted man by making a documentary. In the process, they expose the contradictions of a judicial system that presumes suspects guilty until proven innocent.
Reel Injun Neil Diamond, QC
World Premiere
Neil Diamond’s documentary Reel Injun is a long-needed corrective to the wildly inaccurate portrayals of native peoples in Hollywood films and filled with revealing and often poignant interviews with key players like actors Wes Studi, Adam Beach and Sacheen Littlefeather.
Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags Marc Levin, USA
World Premiere
Veteran filmmaker Mark Levin (Slam) looks at the past and present of New York’s garment district, from its heyday as a base for immigrant labour and unions to its recent decline.
Snowblind Vikram Jayanti, USA/United Kingdom
International Premiere
Rachael Scdoris, a blind 23-year-old, doesn’t let her disability stop her from competing in one of the most gruelling endurance contests in the world: the Iditarod dogsled race traversing 1,100 miles of Alaska’s most rugged terrain. But being blind is only the start of her challenges.
Stolen Violeta Ayala and Dan Fallshaw, Australia
International Premiere
Filmmakers Ayala and Fallshaw set out to learn more about the Saharawi refugees who have been living in Algerian camps for more than 30 years. While focusing on a family reunion, the filmmakers uncovered allegations of modern slavery that set them on a journey they could never have imagined. The moral quandaries within the film have stirred significant controversy since its debut at the Sydney Film Festival.
The Sunshine Boy Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Iceland
World Premiere
This is a moving, compassionate portrayal of a mother’s desperate quest to understand autism, the perplexing condition that controls her son. By taking a journey through different countries and cultures, the film deals with autism in a deeply comprehensive way and considers it on a global scope.
The Topp Twins Leanne Pooley, New Zealand
North American Premiere
Fun, disarming and musically provocative, the Topp Twins are New Zealand’s finest lesbian country-and-western singers and the country’s greatest export since rack of lamb and the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Videocracy Erik Gandini, Sweden
North American Premiere
This penetrating look at the media empire of Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi reveals how his reality TV shows full of bikini-clad women enriched his friends and beguiled a nation.
Waking Sleeping Beauty Don Hahn, USA
World Premiere
This isn’t a fairy tale, but rather the true story of how the Disney animation team went from stagnation in the mid-1980s to a startling rebirth with a staggering output of hits – Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and more – over a ten year period. Director Don Hahn, who was a key contributor on many of these works, brings an insider’s perspective to the film.
Short Cuts Canada
Deadman [Chelsea McMullan, ON, 30']
Two disparate visions of the "west" are portrayed in this elegant and keenly observed documentary.
Found [Paramita Nath, ON, 6']
Found is a compelling meditation on connecting with one's past, based on Souvankham Thammavongsa's poetry and life.
Interview with the Earth [Nicolas Pereda, ON/Mexico, 18']
In a small rural Mexican town, two young brothers deal with loss and grief when their friend tragically and suddenly dies.
My Toxic Baby [Min Sook Lee, ON, 45']
Filmmaker Min Sook Lee struggles to protect her daughter from our chemical world in this intimate and alarming documentary.
Volta [Ryan Mullins, QC, 12']
A decaying cinema in rural Ghana that's been converted into a school is seen through the eyes of its former projectionist.
Special Presentations
Capitalism: A Love Story Michael Moore, USA
North American Premiere
On the 20-year anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece Roger & Me, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story comes home to the issue he’s been examining throughout his career: the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world). But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan. From Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan, Michael Moore will once again take film-goers into uncharted territory.
Good Hair Jeff Stilson, USA
Canadian Premiere
Rendered speechless by his daughter’s question—“Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?”—comedian Chris Rock embarks on a quest to understand African American hair culture.
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel Brigitte Berman, Canada
World Premiere
An intimate look at the outspoken, flamboyant founder of the Playboy empire. With humour and insight, the film captures Hefner's fierce battles with the government, the religious right and militant feminists. Rare footage and compelling interviews with a remarkable who's who of 20th Century American pop culture, present a brilliant and entertaining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the controversies that surrounded him.
Sprockets Family Zone
Turtle: The Incredible Journey Nick Stringer, United Kingdom/Austria/Germany
Canadian Premiere
Join a logger heard turtle on an extraordinary journey through the fascinating underwater world and witness how changes in the oceans are affecting marine life in this beautiful and spectacular ocean adventure
Vanguard
The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights Emmett Malloy, USA
World Premiere
An intimate look inside The White Stripes’ cross-Canada tour, as Jack and Meg White touch down in remote northern communities and surprising city venues.
Wavelengths
Cordão Verde Hiroatsu Suzuki, Rossana Torres (Portugal)
Cordão Verde (Portugal) by first-time filmmakers Hiroatsu Suzuki and Rossana Torres is part poem and part documentary that observes farmers in the greenbelt of Portugal as they work and rejoice off the land’s riches.
Two Projects Frederick Kiesler (Films & Schedules) Heinz Emigholz (Austria/Germany)
Heinz Emigholz’s Two Projects by Frederick Kiesler (Austria/Germany) is the latest instalment of his internationally lauded Photography and Beyond series. The film renders homage to this visionary Viennese architect whose wild and wonderful genius was little understood during his lifetime.
In Comparison Lisandro Alonso (Liverpool, Los Muertos)
Creates a face-to-face encounter with the wild in the beguiling and enigmatic S/T (Argentina), a moment observed in a seemingly floating abyss. Observation is also the main modus of Harun Farocki’s latest film, In Comparison (Austria/Germany), which revisits issues explored in the director’s 2007 two-channel installation Comparison Via a Third. This handsome 16mm colour film, which will have its North American premiere in Toronto, is a deceptively contemplative documentary about contemporary brick production. Spanning continents and cultures, the film focuses on the brick in its many contexts, from the collective efforts of a community building a clinic in Burkina Faso, through semi-industrialized mouldings in India, to industrial production lines in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland. Through its notable structure and its captivating rhythms, In Comparison presents various methods of labour production, allowing for an assessment that changes with every layer and goes well beyond a simple binary divide.
Visions
Irène Alain Cavalier (France)
North American Premiere
Irène is a film made literally by one person – a video diary shot and recorded by the filmmaker – using little more than his imagination and the happenstance and flow of the everyday, finally layering in a lifetime of memories. In this case, the filmmaker is Alain Cavalier, best known for the exquisite Thérèse (86). Here, as in his last film, Le Filmeur (05), he distils cinema to one man shooting...
Yonge Dundas Square Performance Series
The Neil Young Trunk Show
Director Jonathan Demme hosts the North American premiere of The Neil Young Trunk Show, featuring an appearance by Neil Young himself.
Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m.
American Masters – Joan Baez
The world premiere of American Masters – Joan Baez, featuring a short concert by Joan Baez.
Friday, September 18 at 6 p.m.
Copyright Criminals
The world premiere of Copyright Criminals followed by the Festival Wrap Party. The Festival Wrap Party, presented as part of Future Projections, will feature the infectious live, improvised audio visual mash-ups of Eclectic Method. The renowned trio will thrill film and music lovers with a live video remix set incorporating clips from the films included in The Essential 100, the opening
show of TIFF Bell Lightbox. Special guests include Clyde Stubblefield and others.
Saturday, September 19 starting at 7 p.m.
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