Despite challenges arising from the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is pressing ahead. The festival’s organizers have recently announced the first batch of 60 films to be featured, with the total lineup expected to exceed 200 movies. Highlights from this year’s selection include the highly-anticipated Next Goal Wins by Taika Waititi, Dumb Money by Craig Gillespie, and notable biographical films such as One Life directed by James Hawes and George C. Wolfe’s Rustin. TIFF 2023 is set to run from Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 17.
Next Goal Wins, after facing multiple postponements, is finally getting its moment in the spotlight, making its world premiere at TIFF. Based on the 2014 documentary of the same name, the film chronicles the story of the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their 31-0 loss in a 2001 FIFA match. The star-studded cast includes Michael Fassbender, Uli Latukefu, Rhys Darby, Elisabeth Moss, and others. Another noteworthy feature making its debut at TIFF is Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, due for a wider release on September 22. With a cast featuring Paul Dano, America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Ramos, and more, Dumb Money offers a retrospective look at the 2021 GameStop short squeeze.
The festival will also host the world premiere of One Life, featuring Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham-Carter. Set during World War II, the film tells the true story of stockbroker Nicholas Winton (Hopkins) who risked his life to save nearly 700 children from the Nazis. Adapted from the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Winton’s daughter Barbara, the screenplay for One Life was penned by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, under the direction of James Hawes. The cast is rounded out by Johnny Flynn as young Winton, Lena Olin, Ramola Garai, Jonathan Pryce, and Alex Sharp.
Image via Netflix
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Further expanding the festival’s biopic offering, Netflix’s upcoming feature Rustin, directed by George C. Wolfe, will also make its TIFF debut. Colman Domingo portrays Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights activist who helped organize the March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King Jr., a significant focus of the film. Rustin was instrumental in promoting nonviolence in the Civil Rights Movement but largely remained out of the limelight due to the added discrimination he faced as a gay Black man.
TIFF 2023 Full Lineup (So Far)
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A Difficult Year
Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache | France
International Premiere
A Normal Family
Hur Jin-ho | South Korea
World Premiere
Cord Jefferson | USA
World Premiere
Anatomy of a Fall
Justine Triet | France
Canadian Premiere
Close to You
Dominic Savage | Canada/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Days of Happiness
Chloé Robichaud | Canada
World Premiere
El Rapto
Daniela Goggi | Argentina
North American Premiere
Ezra
Tony Goldwyn | USA
World Premiere
Fingernails
Christos Nikou | USA
International Premiere
Four Daughters
Kaouther Ben Hania | France/Tunisia/Germany/Saudi Arabia
North American Premiere
His Three Daughters
Azazel Jacobs | USA
World Premiere
Hitman
Richard Linklater | USA
North American Premiere
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon
Alex Gibney | USA
World Premiere
Kidnapped
Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France/Germany
North American Premiere
Knox Goes Away
Michael Keaton | USA
World Premiere
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher | Italy/France/Switzerland
North American Premiere
Last Summer
Catherine Breillat | France
North American Premiere
*Les Indésirables
Ladj Ly | France
World Premiere
Memory
Michel Franco | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere
Monster
Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan
North American Premiere
Mother Couch
Niclas Larsson | USA
World Premiere
North Star
Kristin Scott Thomas | United Kingdom
World Premiere
One Life
James Hawes | United Kingdom
World Premiere
David Yates | USA
World Premiere
Poolman
Chris Pine | USA
World Premiere
Reptile
Grant Singer | USA
World Premiere
Rustin
George C. Wolfe | USA
International Premiere
Seven Veils
Atom Egoyan | Canada
World Premiere
Shoshana
Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom/Italy
World Premiere
Sing Sing
Greg Kwedar | USA
World Premiere
Smugglers
Ryoo Seung-wan | South Korea
North American Premiere
Swan Song
Chelsea McMullan | Canada
World Premiere
The Beast
Bertrand Bonello | France/Canada
North American Premiere
The Burial
Maggie Betts | USA
World Premiere
The Convert
Lee Tamahori | Australia/New Zealand
World Premiere
The Critic
Anand Tucker | United Kingdom
World Premiere
The Dead Don’t Hurt
Viggo Mortensen | Mexico/Canada/Denmark
World Premiere
The Holdovers
Alexander Payne | USA
International Premiere
The Peasants
DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman | Poland/Serbia/Lithuania
World Premiere
The Zone of Interest
Jonathan Glazer | United Kingdom/Poland/USA
Canadian Premiere
Together 99
Lukas Moodysson | Sweden/Denmark
World Premiere
Unicorns
Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd | United Kingdom/USA/Sweden
World Premiere
Uproar
Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett | New Zealand
World Premiere
Wicked Little Letters
Thea Sharrock | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Wildcat
Ethan Hawke | USA
International Premiere
Woman of the Hour
Anna Kendrick | USA
World Premiere
GALA PRESENTATIONS 2023
Concrete Utopia
Um Tae-Hwa | South Korea
North American Premiere
Dumb Money
Craig Gillespie | USA
World Premiere
Fair Play
Chloe Domont | USA
International Premiere
Flora and Son
John Carney | Ireland/USA
Canadian Premiere
Hate to Love: Nickelback
Leigh Brooks | Canada
World Premiere
Lee
Ellen Kuras | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Next Goal Wins
Taika Waititi | USA
World Premiere
NYAD
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA
International Premiere
Punjab ’95
Honey Trehan | India
World Premiere
Solo
Sophie Dupuis | Canada
World Premiere
The End We Start From
Mahalia Belo | United Kingdom
World Premiere
The Movie Emperor
Ning Hao | China
World Premiere
The New Boy
Warwick Thornton
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Toronto International Film Festival 2023
When will the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023 take place?
The Toronto International Film Festival 2023 is scheduled to take place from Thursday, September 7, through Sunday, September 17.
Which films are included in the first wave lineup of TIFF 2023?
The first wave lineup for TIFF 2023 includes films like ‘Next Goal Wins’ directed by Taika Waititi, ‘Dumb Money’ by Craig Gillespie, ‘One Life’ by James Hawes, and ‘Rustin’ by George C. Wolfe, among others.
What is the film ‘Next Goal Wins’ about?
‘Next Goal Wins’ is a film based on the 2014 documentary about the American Samoa soccer team that lost a match 31-0 in the 2001 FIFA match. The film stars Michael Fassbender, Uli Latukefu, Rhys Darby, Elisabeth Moss, and others.
What is the film ‘One Life’ about?
‘One Life’ is a biopic starring Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham-Carter, set during World War II. It tells the true story of stockbroker Nicholas Winton, who saved nearly 700 children from the Nazis. The film is adapted from the book ‘If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton’ by Winton’s daughter, Barbara Winton.
Who stars in the film ‘Rustin’ and what is it about?
‘Rustin’ stars Colman Domingo in the title role and focuses on Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights activist who played an integral part in organizing the March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Despite his significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, Rustin faced additional discrimination for being a gay Black man and mostly stayed out of the public eye.
More about Toronto International Film Festival 2023
- Toronto International Film Festival Official Website
- Next Goal Wins – IMDB
- Dumb Money – IMDB
- One Life – IMDB
- Rustin – IMDB
6 comments
Anthony Hopkins in One Life sounds like Oscar bait to me…But in a good way! The man is a legend.
Rustin looks promising. More films need to explore stories of lesser-known activists. Can’t wait to see Domingo’s performance.
omg Next Goal Wins is finally premiering? Been waiting for this for years!! Michael Fassbender is my fav.
TIFF lineup is looking pretty awesome. Hope the event is as good as it’s shaping up to be. anyone know if the full list is out yet?
Can’t wait for Dumb Money – Gillespie’s films never disappoint!
Wow, cant believe TIFF is still going on despite the strikes! Gonna be great to finally see Next Goal Wins after all the delays.