TIFF 50: Our 15 Picks
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. To celebrate, TIFF has announced what they are calling The TIFF Story in 50 Films: a curated series of fifty films from the festival’s history that are important to shaping TIFF as we know it. This series will run between the months of June, July, and August, preceding the festival (and giving us many weeks of fantastic cinema, if you live in Toronto, anyway). All of the films will be shown at the central hub of the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto (outside of a separate selection of films playing at David Pecaut Square, and a special screening of The Shape of Water at the Harbourfront Centre). Now, fifty films are a lot to go through, but believe me when I say that the entire series, sans one film (I am not one who feels like Jane Campion’s In the Cut is a good film, and she has far stronger works in my opinion), is killer. There’s a little bit of everything genre wise, and this series spans numerous decades and continents. I actually encourage you to check out the full list and the announcement, which can be found here. Tickets will be available for TIFF Members — who will have access to most of these screenings for free, I might add — May 14th at 10 AM, and the public will be able to purchase tickets beginning May 16th (also at 10 AM). TIFF’s cinematheque programming is known for selling out very quickly, so if any of these picks appeal to you, I say be prepared and act quickly. I can foresee many sold out screenings.
Again, I think TIFF has done a great job at curating these fifty films. There aren’t too many recent picks (outside of the Oscar winning film that opened TIFF 2023, Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron [which I’d also recommend, but I also feel like that film is likely fresh in many of our consciousnesses]), so I feel like a majority of these titles will be films that you’re itching to see either for the first time, or finally on the big screen. Some of these screenings have extra treats attached to them which I will be sure to bring up. If you want to celebrate TIFF 50 and aren’t sure where to start (fifty films can be overwhelming to sift through, especially when tickets are selling out left right and centre), I’ve picked the fifteen films that may be the most worth your while (I would have gone with ten, but cutting down fifty films to fifteen has the alteration going for it). Let’s dive right in.
Away From Her (July 10th)
One of the greatest Canadian films of all time, Sarah Polley’s Away From Her is a heartbreaking look at Alzheimer’s disease, with a breathtaking performance by Julie Christie at the forefront. You’ll be introduced to many iconic Canadian films via this program, and Polley’s magnum opus is a must-watch event. In fact, to sweeten the deal, Polley herself will be at this screening to discuss the film. It can’t get any better than this.
Boogie Nights (July 11th-13th)
TIFF is, of course, going to want to pull out the big guns for these sorts of festivities, and so picking a film by Paul Thomas Anderson makes sense. Curiously, not many of his films have even played TIFF, but, thankfully, Boogie Nights certainly did. The multi-faceted drama will be getting more showtimes than most of the other curated films. I suppose that’s because Boogie Nights is — get ready — being shown on 70mm (!). When else will you get an opportunity like this? These screenings are likely going to be the top pick for many TIFF regulars.
A Brighter Summer Day (July 19th)
The greatest Edward Yang film — a nearly four-hour epic about the complicated nature of crime — is returning to TIFF, and this is a film that begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible (don’t let the runtime deter you; this is a film that warrants its duration). Actor Chang Chen will be providing a recorded intro to discuss A Brighter Summer Day’s legacy (one which is undeniable at this point). If you have never seen this masterpiece, I consider it a Taiwanese answer to a Shakespearean tragedy involving juvenile gangs. Oh, and it is based on real events. If that doesn’t sell the film, I’m not sure what will.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (June 28th)
You only need two words to head to a theatre: Werner Herzog. I don’t know the full extent as to how many of the German master’s films have played TIFF, but the selection of Cave of Forgotten Dreams — a documentary about the discovered art within the Chauvet caves of France — is a strong one. What makes this an even better film is that TIFF will be screening this title as intended: in 3D. Now, I don’t believe that many films over the years (especially during the early 2010s) have warranted being shown in 3D, but Herzog knew what he was doing here. You’ll have to see what I mean.
Dead Ringers (July 20th)
There was always going to be a David Cronenberg selection for such a program: the man is a Toronto icon. Now, which Cronenberg film was the bigger question. I’m not shocked that TIFF went with Dead Ringers when the festival previously crowned the twin-gynecologist-body-horror film the eighth greatest Canadian film of all time. While not for the faint of heart, Dead Ringers truly is an example of what Canadian cinema can be like; allegorically profound; artistically daring; quite bizarre.
Drugstore Cowboy (July 25th)
Film festivals are great vehicles for promoting independent films, and a big name that comes to mind is the New Queer Cinema titan Gus Van Sant. His best film, Drugstore Cowboy, is making a return to a Toronto cinema for just one night only. I highly recommend this substance-infused fever dream for its central performance by a young Matt Dillon, and the highs and lows of chasing that rush (be it driven by drugs, crime, or love) in the Beat Generation style.
Harlan County, USA (August 26th)
Barbara Kopple’s powerful documentary, Harlan County, USA, plants us with a group of miners and their fight for various rights. This award-winning look at perseverance and justice is an emotional affair, and the kind of documentary that would only be elevated when watched in the same room as hundreds of other wide-eyed cinephiles. Be prepared to be moved to tears with this candid, raw look at class-based struggles.
Memories of Murder (June 14th)
Bong Joon-ho’s big breakthrough film, the crime thriller Memories of Murder, has only grown in reputation over the years. That’s all the reason to catch it on the big screen again. For those of you who somehow haven’t seen this riveting film, I promise you that it’s best if you know as little as possible about this twisty descent into madness and obsession. After all, it’s also a Bong Joon-ho film, and the South Korean auteur has become one of the most revered minds in contemporary cinema.
My Winnipeg (July 4th)
Another title that once made TIFF’s top ten Canadian films list (seventh on that list), Guy Maddin’s (somewhat) documentary, My Winnipeg, is unlike film you have ever seen before. It combines reality with dreamlike fiction, blending one’s flawed memories and biases with objectivity. This fascinating experiment has remained an adored film by many, including the late Roger Ebert who deemed it one of the best films of the naughts decade. The TIFF 50 screening of My Winnipeg is made even better by something I’m not used to hearing about: live narration of the film by Maggin himself. Now that is equal parts unusual and fascinating.
Near Dark (August 17th)
I know that Kathryn Bigelow is now a huge name, but I am so glad that her earlier film, Near Dark, has received a resurgence in popularity and acclaim (it is one of her best films, after all). This part-western-part-vampire-flick is not like her intense, hyper-political films as of late and is easily the director at her most inventive. If you’re looking for something stylish, different, and all-around badass, Near Dark is the film you’re going to want to attend (especially to experience it in a large, dark room, which will only enhance the nighttime cinematography of the film).
Phoenix (July 15th)
TIFF just had a massive Christian Petzold retrospective last year, and for good reason: Phoenix is a magnificent film of Hitchcockian proportions that only ages better as the years go by. This psychological thriller is not only returning to the Lightbox for one night (when, I’d argue, it was underwatched when it first dropped in 2014), it will have a recorded intro by Petzold himself who will go into the growing love for this brilliant German motion picture.
The Princess Bride (June 13th, July 9th)
It makes sense to include past winners of TIFF’s People’s Choice Award (an accolade voted upon by the Toronto public and festival goers), and I couldn’t include all of the featured winners here (The Big Chill is also being shown and narrowly missed out on making this list, for instance). I will mention the generally cherished comedy, The Princess Bride, since I don’t believe anyone genuinely hates this film. This film will have two screenings: one general one, and another (the July 9th) introduced by TIFF’s CEO Cameron Bailey (this screening will take place at David Pecaut Square). That sounds like a great time if you ask me.
The Shawshank Redemption (June 22nd)
There is a small amount of films that are crowd pleasers that I think have warranted their adoring fans (these kinds of films are usually safe and, as a result, unimpressionable). The Shawshank Redemption deserves all of its love: it is as effective as it is likeable. Of course, you may have watched Frank Darabont’s film a plethora of times already. I’ll raise you this question: have you ever watched it with a Q&A involving legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife James Ellis Deakins? I didn’t think so.
Slumdog Millionaire (August 9th)
I know this film has its haters, but Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire is brilliant. I said it. Even if you don’t feel that way, you cannot deny its importance at TIFF; this sleeper-hit won the People’s Choice Award and set a precedent by winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards right afterward (which, in turn, has created a phenomenon where most People’s Choice Award winners are now high contenders for that very award at the Oscars). It was destiny, after all.
Water (August 10th)
Finally, we have Deepa Mehta’s greatest film, Water (an appropriate selection, considering that the TIFF Lightbox just concluded a career retrospective program last month). Not only is this film important and influential for both Canadian and Indian cinema, it is a major statement on tough political issues like child marriage and systemic misogyny. Mehta will be there to discuss her film in person which is an extra incentive for you to get a ticket to this screening.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.