#TIFF16 Platform Selection

The directors-focused section is only in its second year, but has already lined up outstanding filmmakers with twelve (12) films from Canada, Australia, France, Bhutan, Belgium, USA, United Kingdom, and Netherlands.

“In its inaugural year in 2015, Platform successfully established itself as fundamental to the Festival, and we’re proud to present a dramatically thrilling and daring program for its second year,” said TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. This year, Platform takes on complex and bold narratives that range from a dark, twisted fantasy, a dramatic crime thriller, an existential illusion to the reinterpretation of a satirical tragedy, a raw coming-of-age story, and tales of revolutions, radicals, and revenge. The program will open with the international premiere of the powerful and topical drama Nocturama from critically acclaimed director-writer Bertrand Bonello.

Platform films will screen from Thursday, September 8 to Thursday, September 15. Each film will have its first screening for public, press and industry at the Winter Garden Theatre. Platform titles are eligible for the Toronto Platform Prize ($25,000 CAD), which goes to the best film in the program as selected by a three-person international jury, and will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on September 18, 2016.

Yes it is an interesting selection with some films that haven't been in the festival circuit, well at least among the top festivals; believe that will pay more attention to this section from now on.  Most intrigued by the two French films with Tahar Rahim, know will watch them both.

Opening Film: Nocturama, Bertrand Bonello, France
ダゲレオタイプの女 Le Secret de la Chambre Noire (Daguerrotype), Kiyoshi Kurosawa, France, Belgium and Japan
Goldstone, Ivan Sen, Australia
Réparer les vivants (Heal the Living), Katell Quillévéré, France and Belgium
he-mà he-mà (Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait), Khyentse Norbu, Buthan and Hong Kong
Home, Fien Troch, Belgium
Jackie, Pablo Larraín, USA and Chile
Lady Macbeth, William Oldroyd, UK
Layla M., Mijke de Jong, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Jordan
Maliglutit (Searcheres), Zacharias Kunuk, Canada
Moonlight, Barry Jenkins, USA
Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n'ont fait que se creuser un tombeau (Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Graves), Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie, Canada

For the program’s second year, its three-person international jury will be composed of legendary directors Brian De Palma and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun and acclaimed actor Zhang Ziyi. Together, they will award a prize of $25,000 to the best Platform selection, to be announced at the Festival Awards Ceremony on September 18.

Jury
Brian De Palma, director USA
Mahamet-Saleh Haroun, director, Chad
Zhang Ziyi, actress, China



Let me share some reasons why behind this Competitive section in the NON-Competitive festival. Platform name comes from, yes!, Jia Zhang-ke outstanding movie. Section has 12 films from filmmakers with strong voices and distinct styles and is the festival giving people a chance to focus on international cinema as an evolving, daring art form (sic).