Last year, the Toronto Film Festival was quieter than usual. Strikes impacted both the films being shown and the stars, many of whom could not attend. However, the Toronto International Film Festival 2024 is returning to its former glory.
Big names like Amy Adams, Florence Pugh, and Hugh Grant are set to attend the festival. Directors Mike Leigh and actress Pamela Anderson are also making a return.
With a packed schedule, here are some films to keep an eye on this year.
Hard Truths
The poster for Mike Leigh’s ‘HARD TRUTHS’ has been released.
Starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin. pic.twitter.com/2Klaznkxdh
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 4, 2024
Mike Leigh’s return to filmmaking is one of the main reasons to pay attention to this year’s Toronto Film Festival. His new movie, Hard Truths, is his first since 2018’s Peterloo and his first modern-day story since 2010’s Another Year. The film will debut in Toronto after being expected at festivals in Cannes and Venice.
Leigh teams up again with Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who plays a woman struggling with deep anger at everyday frustrations. Her family also faces challenges in coping with her inner turmoil. The film, described as both tragic and comedic, seems to lean more towards the tragic side.
Nightbitch
Would be pretty amazing for Amy Adams to finally win her elusive Oscar for a movie called Nightbitch pic.twitter.com/0zseT0rdSd
— Brian Rowe
TIFF (@mrbrianrowe) May 13, 2024
Amy Adams, a six-time Oscar nominee, has faced a string of underwhelming films in recent years. Her last standout performance was in 2016’s Arrival, a movie for which she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination despite critical praise. Films like Hillbilly Elegy, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Woman in the Window were disappointing, but her latest project, Nightbitch, could turn things around.
Nightbitch is a dark comedy about a stay-at-home mother, played by Adams, who becomes overwhelmed by her frustrations and begins transforming into a dog. The movie is based on Rachel Yoder’s acclaimed novel and is directed by Marielle Heller, known for her work on films that explore complex female characters like The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Can You Ever Forgive Me?
We Live in Time
The first poster for ‘WE LIVE IN TIME’ has been released.
Starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. pic.twitter.com/1d8E7sELpI
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 9, 2024
Irish director John Crowley returns to the Toronto Film Festival after a rough experience in 2019, when his film The Goldfinch faced heavy criticism. Now, five years later, he’s back with We Live in Time, a romantic drama that carries less pressure since it’s based on an original script rather than an adaptation.
The film stars Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, two well-loved actors, playing a couple facing the challenge of a serious medical diagnosis. Together, they must figure out how to make the most of the time they have left. The trailer hints at a deeply emotional and dramatic story.
The Last Showgirl
Gia Coppola’s ‘THE LAST SHOWGIRL’ to premiere at #TIFF24.
Starring Pamela Anderson, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Billie Lourd and Dave Bautista, it follows a seasoned showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run. pic.twitter.com/AU9e9NJPVY
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 22, 2024
Pamela Anderson is making a bold return to the big screen with The Last Showgirl, a character-driven drama directed by Gia Coppola. Anderson plays a Las Vegas showgirl nearing the end of her career in what is seen as her chance for a major comeback, similar to The Wrestler. The film is looking for a buyer at the Toronto Film Festival.
This marks Anderson’s first leading role in years and follows her efforts to reclaim her story after the Pam & Tommy series, which aired without her involvement. Anderson has since been featured in a Netflix documentary, and The Last Showgirl represents a significant next step.
Eden
Our first look at Ron Howard's #Eden.
Starring Vanessa Kirby, Ana De Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law and Daniel Brühl, the film is set to premiere later this week at #TIFF.
via Vanity Fair pic.twitter.com/A9GgsmtlX4— Fandango (@Fandango) September 4, 2024
Director Ron Howard returns with Eden, a survival thriller set in the late 1920s, following the mixed reception of his previous film, Thirteen Lives. Despite strong reviews, Thirteen Lives suffered from a poor streaming release on Amazon, a move that lead actor Viggo Mortensen publicly criticized. With Eden, Howard aims to generate more attention.
The film is based on real events and follows a group of settlers, played by stars like Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas, and Vanessa Kirby, as they try to create a new life on an uninhabited island in the Galápagos. However, their overconfidence leads them into a dangerous and overwhelming predicament.
