TIFF 23 Announces First Wave of Galas and Special Presentations

Keith NoakesJuly 24, 2023n/a15 min

TIFF is thrilled to announce 60 official selections in the Gala and Special Presentations programmes for this year’s Festival, with films representing 70 countries from around the world, shining the spotlight on imaginative storytelling, exceptional performances, and out-of-the-box filmmaking. The first wave of the 2023 Official Selection features 37 World Premieres, 7 International Premieres, 12 North American Premieres, and 4 Canadian Premieres.

“This year’s Galas & Special Presentations showcase a rich tapestry of talent, vision, and storytelling,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “From thought-provoking narratives to breathtaking visuals and stories so unreal they have to be real, each work embodies the power of cinema to inspire, challenge, and move audiences. Get ready to experience an unforgettable celebration of film and a memorable and star-studded festival, showcasing the best of global cinema for film lovers in September.”

GALA PRESENTATIONS 2023
*Previously announced

Concrete Utopia Um Tae-Hwa | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North America Rights Available

Dumb Money Craig Gillespie | USA
World Premiere

Fair Play Chloe Domont | USA
International Premiere

Flora and Son John Carney | Ireland/USA
Canadian Premiere

Hate to Love: Nickelback Leigh Brooks | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Lee Ellen Kuras | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

*Next Goal Wins Taika Waititi | USA
World Premiere

NYAD Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA
International Premiere

Punjab ’95 Honey Trehan | India
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Solo Sophie Dupuis | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

The End We Start From Mahalia Belo | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Movie Emperor Ning Hao | China
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The New Boy Warwick Thornton | Australia
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Royal Hotel Kitty Green | Australia/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2023
*Previously announced

A Difficult Year Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache | France
International Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

A Normal Family Hur Jin-ho | South Korea
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

American Fiction Cord Jefferson | USA
World Premiere

Anatomy of a Fall Justine Triet | France
Canadian Premiere

Close to You Dominic Savage | Canada/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – Worldwide Rights Available

Days of Happiness Chloé Robichaud | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

El Rapto Daniela Goggi | Argentina
North American Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Ezra Tony Goldwyn | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Fingernails Christos Nikou | USA
International Premiere

Four Daughters Kaouther Ben Hania | France/Tunisia/Germany/Saudi Arabia
North American Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

His Three Daughters Azazel Jacobs | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Hit Man Richard Linklater | USA
North American Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon Alex Gibney | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Kidnapped Marco Bellocchio | Italy/France/Germany
North American Premiere

Knox Goes Away Michael Keaton | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

La Chimera Alice Rohrwacher | Italy/France/Switzerland
North American Premiere

Last Summer Catherine Breillat | France
North American Premiere

*Les Indésirables Ladj Ly | France
World Premiere
Sales Title – North America Rights Available

Memory Michel Franco | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Monster Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan
North American Premiere

Mother Couch Niclas Larsson | USA
World Premiere

North Star Kristin Scott Thomas | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

One Life James Hawes | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Pain Hustlers David Yates | USA
World Premiere

Poolman Chris Pine | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

Reptile Grant Singer | USA
World Premiere

Rustin George C. Wolfe | USA
International Premiere

*Seven Veils Atom Egoyan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Shoshana Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom/Italy
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Sing Sing Greg Kwedar | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

Smugglers Ryoo Seung-wan | South Korea
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Swan Song Chelsea McMullan | Canada
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Beast Bertrand Bonello | France/Canada
North American Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The Burial Maggie Betts | USA
World Premiere

The Convert Lee Tamahori | Australia/New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

The Critic Anand Tucker | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Dead Don’t Hurt Viggo Mortensen | Mexico/Canada/Denmark
World Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

The Holdovers Alexander Payne | USA
International Premiere

The Peasants DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman | Poland/Serbia/Lithuania
World Premiere
Sales Title – Some Rights Available

The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer | United Kingdom/Poland/USA
Canadian Premiere

Together 99 Lukas Moodysson | Sweden/Denmark
World Premiere

Unicorns Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd | United Kingdom/USA/Sweden
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Uproar Paul Middleditch, Hamish Bennett | New Zealand
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Wicked Little Letters Thea Sharrock | United Kingdom
World Premiere
Sales Title – International Rights Available

Wildcat Ethan Hawke | USA
International Premiere
Sales Title – North American Rights Available

Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick | USA
World Premiere
Sales Title – US Rights Available

All rights availability details are subject to change. Accredited industry professionals, including buyers, can download the full TIFF 2023 Rights List on the Delegate Resources section of tiff.net/industry. The complete list will be posted by late August.

Social Media:
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Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd: @tiff_net
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Facebook.com/TIFF
#TIFF23

TIFF prefers Visa.

The Toronto International Film Festival takes place September 7–17, 2023.

TIFF will respect SAG-AFTRA protocols regarding the participation of its members at the festival.

About TIFF:
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $200 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, Visa, and BVLGARI®, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.

The Gala Programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Dyson.

LA CHIMERA is generously supported by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Toronto.

Artscape Sandbox is the Official home of the 2023 Press Office & The Media Inclusion Initiative.

Source: TIFF


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