TIFF 2024 EDITOR’S JOURNAL: Entry #4 —Protests, Premieres, and Final Flicks
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).
Saturday, September 14
5:30 p.m. – Little Jaffna North American Premiere at the Royal Alexandra Theatre
As I made my way to the Royal Alexandra Theatre, I once again encountered a sizable group of Ukrainian Canadians gathered outside TIFF headquarters. They held signs with slogans like “Russia is a terrorist state” and “TIFF sucks,” protesting a controversial Russian documentary, Russians at War, that was initially set to screen over the weekend but ended up being canceled. Their presence highlighted the ongoing tension and debates over the representation of Russian narratives, even within an international film festival known for its diverse and inclusive programming.
Their protest was a stark reminder of how political conflicts can reverberate through artistic spaces, making me wonder how films from other diasporic communities tackle such themes. This thought lingered as I took my seat for Little Jaffna (2024), directed by and starring Lawrence Valin, which dives deep into the turbulent world of Tamil gang culture in Paris—a socio-political crime drama that feels both urgent and nuanced.
Valin makes an impressive debut as both director and actor in Little Jaffna, a gritty socio-political crime drama that explores Tamil gang culture in Paris. The plot follows a police officer who infiltrates a Tamil gang against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war.
Despite some familiar crime drama elements (Valin’s apparent love for auteurs like Scorsese and Tarantino drips from every scene), the film manages to feel fresh thanks to the location and cultural focus. Before the screening, I found myself diving into some reading on Tamil culture. Sometimes I like to come into a film completely cold so that I have Optimum Immersion. Other times, I find that a little informed context can enrich my viewing experience. In the case of Little Jaffna, knowing the basic cultural backdrop of Tamil history and the Sri Lankan civil war definitely added depth to the narrative, allowing me to appreciate more of the story’s nuances and complexities.
Set in the Parisian district known as Little Jaffna (after the capital of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province), the editing is fast-paced, featuring well-structured chase and fight sequences. Music plays a crucial role here, too; Valin reminded us to hold our applause until after the credits because the two English-language songs provide a final narrative punch. I haven’t been able to figure out what they were, but I liked both songs and I love that Valin is thinking so intimately about the music he puts in his films. I can’t wait to see his next one.
Sunday, September 15
9:15 a.m. – Hold Your Breath world premiere at ScotiaBank Cineplex Theatre
I couldn’t resist squeezing in one more film on the festival’s last day, even with our own journey starting at the Toronto Greyhound station in a few hours. The theater was only a third full, not surprising as many global attendees began their treks home yesterday.
Hold Your Breath is another solid psychological horror-thriller, this one set in Dust Bowl-era Oklahoma. Sarah Paulson shines as a mother nearing her breaking point while isolated with her two daughters amidst the deadly windstorms of the 1930s. The film had me gripped from the start, with “The Babadook vibes” lingering throughout its tense and mysterious runtime.
The story revolves around the myth of “The Grey Man,” a spirit carried by the wind, impossible to shake off once it slips under the skin. The film perches delicately between supernatural and psychological horror, with Paulson’s layered performance pulling us deep into her character’s unraveling. Co-directors Karrie Crouse and Will Joines create a deliciously disorienting atmosphere, transplanting gothic horror into the parched Midwest landscape, where reality and dream blur in unsettling ways.
As I walked out of the theater, I overheard chatter about the just-announced People’s Choice Awards. Mike Flanagan’s Life of Chuck took the top prize, and guess what? My travel partner Tim caught that one earlier in the week and he has kind of a hot take. He’s got a full review up, so be sure to check it out for all the details. What a way to wrap up this unforgettable week in Toronto!
I think we will have to come back next year for “TIFFTY.” They have to call the 50th anniversary that, right?