TIFF 2024 EDITOR’S JOURNAL: Entry #2 — That “World Premiere” Energy
Toronto International Film Festival
September 5-15, 2024
NadaMucho.com Editor/Publisher Matt Ashworth is on site in Toronto journaling for our first trip to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Tuesday, Sept. 9
3 p.m. – Piece By Piece International Premiere @ The Princess of Wales Theatre
There’s no mistaking the premiere energy for Piece By Piece. As I walk up to the Princess of Wales Theatre, I catch a glimpse of the red carpet frenzy happening across the street. Meanwhile, I’m winding through a labyrinth of ropes outside, snaking my way to the theater’s front door. The ornate structure, opened in 1993, was designed for large-scale musical productions, boasting state-of-the-art technology and acoustics. It feels like the perfect setting for the cultural confluence that is Piece By Piece, a biopic about producer Pharrell Williams framed through the lens of LEGO artistry.
Inside, the stage is set with purple TIFF gobos and a small purple podium. The TIFF CEO gives us a warm welcome, followed by a big thank you from Pharrell and the film’s director, Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor). And then, the film begins—and it’s perfect.
Piece By Piece is engaging from start to finish, offering fascinating insight into Pharrell’s life and his relentless drive for success. It’s hard not to be in awe of the string of iconic songs Pharrell has produced or created. The story unfolds in a straightforward yet heartfelt manner, built around an interview between Pharrell and the director, with comments from heavy hitters like Terry Riley, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, and Gwen Stefani. Each moment is a reminder of how deeply Pharrell has shaped the modern musical landscape.
Whether or not you pay close attention to pop music, I guarantee you’ll find joy in revisiting these songs in the context of Pharrell’s story. Highly recommended.
After the screening, Pharrell took the stage with warmth and grace, discussing the decision to use LEGO as the storytelling device and addressing the pressure he put on the company to expand its representation of skin tones and gender archetypes. During the Q&A, a PETA protester interrupted, criticizing Pharrell for his work with Louis Vuitton, which uses animal-derived materials. Pharrell responded calmly, acknowledging the concerns, but mentioned his team is working to address animal cruelty in fashion, though he didn’t go into details.
This protest was one of many this year. Supporters of Ukraine protested the controversial documentary Russians at War, accusing it of glorifying Russian soldiers. Additionally, pro-Palestine activists disrupted the festival’s opening night gala, demanding that sponsor Royal Bank of Canada cease its financial support for Israel amidst the ongoing Gaza conflict.
9:15 p.m. — Santosh Canadian Premiere @ Scotiabank Theatre
If there’s one thing TIFF has in abundance, it’s lines (queues). There are rush lines, ticket holder lines, press lines—it’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle that the TIFF staff constantly reshuffle. Luckily, my ticket for Santosh is already secured through the TIFF Festival Manager App, though it only appears there and not in the Ticketmaster app. It’s one of those modern technical marvels where nothing quite syncs, but somehow it works. After navigating the digital labyrinth, I’m in and seated for Santosh, a UK film set in rural northern India making its Canadian premiere.
The energy in the theater is notably different from the Pharrell party earlier in the day. This screening feels less celebratory and more important, which is fitting. Santosh dives deep into the country’s systemic police violence, using narrative to foster empathy in a way only film can.
The plot follows a widow who takes her slain police officer husband’s place on a force plagued by corruption. Her journey is shaped by the arrival of a charismatic female inspector who takes her under her wing, challenging the patriarchal structures that run deeper than either of them could have imagined.
It’s a dense, thought-provoking film, sponsored by the BBC, and it carries the weight of both a police thriller and a documentary. The characters are wonderfully crafted, and the story is captivating from start to finish. In a recorded message played before the film, director Sandhya Suri prepared us for the film’s intensity—and she wasn’t wrong. Santosh lingered with me long after the credits rolled. Highly recommended.
Wednesday, September 11
2 p.m. – Disclaimer Canadian Premiere @ Scotiabank Theatre
The room is packed with a sea of gray hair at the Canadian premiere of Disclaimer, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The Scotiabank Theatre is full of international voices, from French to Portuguese—a reminder of TIFF’s global nature. With a cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, and Sacha Baron Cohen, I’m already sold on the project, especially with the intriguing plot: a celebrated journalist who discovers a mysterious book that exposes her deepest secret.
However, it turns out Disclaimer isn’t a film at all—it’s a seven-part episodic series, and today we’re only seeing the first three episodes. My anxiety spikes, as I didn’t realize I’d need a ticket for Friday’s screening of episodes 4-7. This feels less inclusive for people who, like me, don’t do well with incomplete serial viewing. Just as I consider walking out, the host mentions the entire series will drop on Apple TV next month—crisis averted.
The three episodes we watched were stunning. Cuarón’s craftsmanship is as sharp as ever, and while I was frustrated by the serial format, I’m eager to see how the rest unfolds in October. Still, those planning to catch only the latter half of the series on Friday? I don’t envy them.
9:30 p.m. – The End Canadian Premiere @ Princess of Wales Theatre
Tim (Basaraba, our lead film critic, pictured above snapping a photo for two young women outside the Princess of Wales Theatre) has arrived, and it’s time to get serious. No more leisurely strolls around Toronto or baseball games—now it’s all about packing in as many films as possible. We head down festival row, soaking in the electric Wednesday night energy before heading to the Princess of Wales Theatre for the Canadian premiere of The End, a post-apocalyptic musical starring Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, and Michael Shannon.
Despite its intriguing premise, The End stumbles badly, failing to deliver on either its narrative or emotional potential. The director, known for his documentary work, struggles to breathe life into the story, which feels bogged down by clunky pacing and overwrought symbolism. Heavy-handed and painfully droll, the film never hits the emotional or musical highs it seems to aim for. Instead of memorable musical numbers, we get church-like incantations of dialogue that left much of the audience shifting uncomfortably in their seats.
By the third act, any hope of a deep connection to the characters was long gone, and a few attendees had already nodded off. I’m giving The End two stars—one for the solid performances from the ensemble cast and another for the ambitious (if unsuccessful) vision of the film.
It’s worth noting that The End shares a thematic thread with The Assessment, which I saw earlier this week, as both films explore a post-climate change world. However, while The Assessment navigates this terrain with compassion and intrigue, The End feels like it lost its way in the rubble of its own ambition—an audacious concept that crumbles under its own weight. No matter, it was an interesting and enjoyable experience and Tim and I got a lot of laughs and looks from passersby as we walked out of the theater sing-talking our mundane conversation on our way back toward the AirBnB.
