TIFF reveals plans for a much different 2020 festival

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Despite there being numerous festival cancellations this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, TIFF announced today that the 45th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is a thing that is definitely happening, and it will take place September 10-19. This being the case, representatives of the annual celebration have stressed that this year's show will be quite different, and that the gathering will be tailored to fit the moment. While the show will undergo a number of changes, those looking to participate can still look forward to there being physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks. Furthermore, this year’s selection will boast a lineup of 50 new feature films, five programs of short films, as well as interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.

Due to the global pandemic, TIFF has been hit hard, and will be forced to make some adjustments to the event while still fostering an environment that engages audiences, and instills hope in the future of filmmaking as Hollywood continues to rebuild. Understand this, TIFF is the anchor for a $2-billion-a-year film industry in Toronto, and generates more than $200 million in annual economic activity for the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario, and is the chief market to launch Canadian film content into the global marketplace. In other words, much depends on the annual gathering being a success, and no pandemic is going tell Toronto what to do, eh?

As the 2020 Festival lineup comes together, you'll find a tantalizing roster of content that aims to reflect first-rate international cinema, documentaries, and Canadian creativity. The show is also making strides to promote and normalize gender parity and equality within its programmers, a practice that the fest is committed to maintaining for generations to come.

The following announcements hail from TIFF's official press release regarding this year's show:

TIFF is thrilled to announce that to date, Ammonite, directed by Francis Lee (United Kingdom); Another Round, from director Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark); Bruised, the debut film from director Halle Berry (USA); Concrete Cowboy by filmmaker Ricky Staub (USA); Fauna, from director Nicolás Pereda (Mexico/Canada); Good Joe Bell by director Reinaldo Marcus Green (USA); Spring Blossom, the debut film by director Suzanne Lindon (France); and True Mothers by director Naomi Kawase (Japan), will all screen at this year’s Festival. More titles will be announced over the summer.

Over the first five days, TIFF’s full slate of films will premiere as physical, socially-distanced screenings. Festival-goers can also enjoy drive-ins and outdoor experiences that take them beyond the movie theatre. TIFF is working closely with the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and public health officials on the safe execution of the Festival, with its number one priority being the health and well-being of both Festival filmgoers and the residents of the entire community. This presentation of TIFF’s traditional in-person ï¬lm festival will be contingent on the province’s reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplaces practice, meet and exceed public health guidelines.

In addition to physical screenings and other activations, TIFF will launch a digital platform for the event, a first in the festival's history. For this portion of the show, TIFF has partnered with Shift72 to develop this industry-leading online platform. Over the 10 days, the platform will host digital screenings, as well as numerous talks and special events.

"The pandemic has hit TIFF hard, but we’ve responded by going back to our original inspiration — to bring the very best in film to the broadest possible audience,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head, TIFF. “Our teams have had to rethink everything, and open our minds to new ideas. In countless video calls over the past three months we have rebuilt our Festival for 2020 drawing on our five decades of commitment to strong curation, support for filmmakers and engagement with audiences. We have listened to this year’s urgent calls for greater representation of underrepresented voices. You’ll see that this year at the Festival. And we have watched as audiences have embraced cinema’s ability to transport them through screens of all sizes. You’ll see that too. We’re excited to present thoughtful, high-impact programming this September that reflects our belief that there’s no stopping great storytelling."

“TIFF has a proud history of programming award-winning films, expanding the conversation to include a multitude of voices, and in creating boundary-pushing initiatives for the industry. And this year we’ve added new innovations and ways to give back to the community. In doing so, we’re aiming to advance what a film festival is capable of delivering — for audiences and the film industry,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head, TIFF. “We could never have anticipated the global seismic changes we would be facing in 2020. We tapped into the original spirit of the Festival from when it began in 1976 as our guiding light. The distilled edition of TIFF 2020 reflects a deep love of film, passion for our loyal audiences, commitment to the industry and a whole lot of heart.”

Filmmakers that are expected to arrive as a part of this year's show include Ava DuVernay, Taika Waititi, Anurag Kashyap, Nicole Kidman, Martin Scorsese, Nadine Labaki, Alfonso Cuarón, Tantoo Cardinal, Riz Ahmed, Rian Johnson, Jason Reitman, Isabelle Huppert, Claire Denis, Atom Egoyan, Priyanka Chopra, Viggo Mortensen, Zhang Ziyi, David Oyelowo, Lulu Wang, Rosamund Pike, Sarah Gadon, and Denis Villeneuve, in addition to many others.