The Toronto International Film Festival 2024 edition lets music fans indulge two passions at once. With an interesting selection of documentaries, musicals, and others, there are multiple ways to delve into music via film.
LvT will be taking a closer look at several films and filmmakers at this year’s Festival, including a documentary about Andrea Bocelli, and a fictional story that delves into a forgotten figure in Canadian classical music history.
Here’s a brief look at some of the variety that’s on offer at TIFF, taking place between September 5 and 15, 2024.
TIFF Documentaries
The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal (Mike Downie) World Premiere
Producer-director Mike Downie is brother to the late Gordon Downie, leader of the band from Kingston, Ontario that came to reach iconic status in this country. His four-part documentary follows Good, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair as they begin their journey in bars and small venues, taking viewers along for the ride as they struggle to reach the top in Canada, and then try for success in the US. The film includes archival footage that’s never been publicly viewed before, along with interviews with people like Dan Akroyd, Geddy Lee, and Jay Baruchel.
Elton John: Never Too Late (R.J. Cutler, David Furnish) World Premiere
This documentary by Sir Elton’s husband (and Toronto native) David Furnish and co-director R.J. Cutler, uses newly discovered archival footage, along with candid interviews, for an intimate and insider’s view of the pop music icon. The film was made in the wake of Elton’s farewell show at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, and looks back over his storied career, beginning at the same stadium back in 1975, when his fame was first starting to rise in earnest. While there have been other bio pics of the artist, none has incorporated this level of candour and closeness to the star.
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (Thom Zimny) World Premiere
The Boss himself narrates this look back at his band over the years, after 20 Grammy Awards, the concert records set, and an album that charted in the Top 5 in each of the last six decades. And, along with a look back at a storied band and career, he looks forward to the future, and a renewed passion as the venerable ensemble looks to tour again for the first time in six years.
Better Man (Michael Gracey) Canadian Premiere
Australian director Michael Gracey has created an unusually creative profile of British pop singer Robbie Williams using his background in visual effects to good use. The film follows Williams from his early days in boy band Take That to full-fledged solo pop superstar and back again. Along the way, his story has hit some notorious highs and lows, the latter often due to battles with drugs that began during his teens in Take That. Williams appears in the biopic, but is played as a teen and in other phases of his life by actors, adding to the theatrical flair of the piece.
TIFF Musicals
The Deb (Rebel Wilson) World Premiere
Australian star Rebel Wilson takes her first turn behind the camera in this bold musical. The story revolves around two teenage cousins who could hardly be more different from each other, their rivalry and initial clash before getting together for the annual debutante ball. The humour is sly, and the blend of sweet, romantic, and raw outrageousness will be familiar to fans of the Pitch Perfect series. The songs were written by Meg Washington, with lyrics by Washington and Hannah Reilly.
Awāra (Raj Kapoor) World Premiere of 4K Restoration
This Bollywood classic, originally released in 1951, has been lovingly restored to screen on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Raj Kapoor’s birthday. Along with the expected musical numbers, you’ll find homages to Charlie Chaplin, and an underlying message about socialist reform. Often called “The Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema,” Kapoor both starred in and directed this crime drama.
TIFF Oddities
The Gesuidouzザ・ゲスイドウズ (Kenichi Ugana) World Premiere
Cult filmmaker Kenichi Ugana crafted this story about a horror-themed punk band. Leader Hanako dreams of performing at the Glastonbury Festival, and then dying a romantic rock star death at age 27 like her heroes Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain. She and her band get the chance to take over a farm in the Japanese countryside to come up with a hit that will be their ticket to the top. Deadpan humour lights up this story about the often torturous creative process.
- Find out more about all of the TIFF24 lineup [HERE].
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