The Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform program has arrived, and it’s something to celebrate. Hailing from eight countries on five continents, the lineup features 12 films, six of which are directed by women. That’s right — 50 percent of the slate is women-helmed. These numbers are made even sweeter by the fact that this particular section, now in its third year, is dedicated to highlighting innovative, envelope-pushing directors. So Platform films aren’t just selected for their overall merit. What unites the films in the program is ambitious directing, so it’s especially great to see that women filmmakers, who are rarely treated as visionaries, feature so prominently in this year’s lineup.
Many of the films are making their World Premiere at the fest, including Clio Barnard’s Ruth Wilson-starrer “Dark River,” which follows a long-brewing rivalry between a sister and brother. Lisa Langseth’s English-language debut “Euphoria” tells the story of two sisters who reunite after spending years apart. Alicia Vikander, Eva Green, and Charlotte Rampling star. Another film with siblings at the forefront is Kamila Andin’s “The Seen and the Unseen,” a portrait of a 10-year-old girl coping with the fact that her ailing twin brother doesn’t have much time left to live.
Titles screening in this program are competing for the Platform Prize. Malgorzata Szumowska (“Body”) is one of the jurors.
“Platform is the place to look for the distinct stamp of today’s most interesting directors as they establish their reputations,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF’s Artistic Director.
Last year’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars, “Moonlight,” screened in the Platform section at TIFF.
TIFF runs from September 7-17.
Check out all of the women-directed films in the 2017 Platform program below. List adapted from TIFF.
Dark River Clio Barnard, United Kingdom
World Premiere
Euphoria Lisa Langseth, Sweden/Germany
World Premiere
If You Saw His Heart Joan Chemla, France
World Premiere
Mademoiselle Paradis Barbara Albert, Austria/Germany
World Premiere
The Seen and Unseen Kamila Andini, Indonesia
World Premiere
What Will People Say (Hva vil folk si) Iram Haq, Norway/Germany/Sweden
World Premiere
