Festivals, Films, News, Women Directors

TIFF Galas and Special Presentations: Greta Gerwig, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, & More

Deniz Gamze Ergüven: Sarajevo Film Festival/YouTube

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced the first batch of films heading up north, and as always, the fest is highlighting both A-List stars and emerging talent. Many of the films screening in the Galas and Special Presentations programs — the fest’s most high-profile slots — have been revealed. Among the most anticipated projects making their World Premiere as Galas at the fest are “Kings,” Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s English-language debut and follow-up to her Oscar-nominated drama “Mustang,” and Haifaa Al Mansour’s Elle Fanning-starrer “Mary Shelley.”

Of 14 films in the Gala slate, five are directed or co-directed by women, amounting to about 36 percent of the lineup. Thirty-three Special Presentation films have been announced and nine are helmed or co-helmed by women, which is about 27 percent. Bear in mind that more films will be added. In last year’s initial announcement, 37 percent of Galas and 16 percent of Special Presentations were directed or co-directed by women. So, the respectable Gala numbers have remained the same and, thankfully, the percentage for the Special Presentations has improved.

Besides “Kings” and “Mary Shelley,” other women-helmed Gala films include Susanna White’s Jessica Chastain-led Native American period drama “Woman Walks Ahead” and Dee Rees’ “Mudbound,” a post-World War II-set family drama that scored the biggest deal out of Sundance earlier this year.

Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, “Lady Bird,” will open the Special Presentations slate. Gerwig penned the script for the comedy, which sees “Brooklyn” star and Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan playing a Sacramento-based teenager who dreams of attending college in New York City. Other films screening in this section include Angela Robinson’s look into the herstory behind Wonder Woman, “Professor Marston & the Wonder Women,” and “Battle of the Sexes,” a comedy about the feud between tennis players Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) co-directed by Valerie Faris.

“Every year we set the stage for film lovers of all ages and cultural backgrounds to come together and embrace the universal power of cinema,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “As the Festival enters its fifth decade, we’ve challenged ourselves to adapt and build on our strengths, and we look forward to championing a new selection of films that will captivate and inspire global film audiences.”

TIFF runs from September 7-17. Check out the women-directed and co-directed films announced as Galas and Special Presentations below. List adapted from TIFF.

GALAS

Kings: Directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, France/Belgium

World Premiere

Long Time Running: Directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Canada

World Premiere

Mary Shelley: Directed by Haifaa Al Mansour, Ireland/United Kingdom/Luxembourg/USA

World Premiere

Mudbound: Directed by Dee Rees, USA

International Premiere

Woman Walks Ahead: Directed by Susanna White, USA

World Premiere

Special Presentations

Battle of the Sexes: Directed by Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton, USA

International Premiere

The Breadwinner: Directed by Nora Twomey, Canada/Ireland/Luxembourg

World Premiere

First They Killed My Father: Directed by Angelina Jolie, Cambodia

Canadian Premiere

The Hungry: Directed by Bornila Chatterjee, India

World Premiere

Lady Bird: Directed by Greta Gerwig, USA

*Special Presentations Opening Film* International Premiere

Novitiate: Directed by Maggie Betts, USA

International Premiere

Plonger: Directed by Mélanie Laurent, France

World Premiere

Professor Marston & the Wonder Women: Directed by Angela Robinson, USA

World Premiere

The Rider: Directed by Chloé Zhao, USA

Canadian Premiere


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