Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 6 sepTember 2018

At the Toronto Film Festival, searing portraits of today

By JAKE COYLE es, including Viola Davis
NEW YORK (AP) — The To- ("Widows"), Nicole Kidman
ronto International Film ("Destroyer"), Julia Roberts
Festival is an overwhelm- ("Homecoming") and Nat-
ing omnibus of moviegoing alie Portman ("Vox Lux"). "It
that every year, through an does feel like there's a lot
onslaught of Oscar con- of female-driven content
tenders and cinematic up there. And that's great.
feasts, reflects the world I'm happy to stop and cel-
around us. But more than ebrate for a moment. But
usual, this year's festival ra- as my dad says in the mov-
diates with urgent topical- ie, we have so much work
ity, both on screen and off. to do," says Jones, whose
Take Steve McQueen's documentary is about her
"Widows," which will make music legend father Quin-
its world premiere at To- cy Jones. "So let's celebrate
ronto. McQueen's follow- for a second and then
up to his Oscar-winning "12 let's get back to work and
Years a Slave" has the trap- make sure that we don't
pings of a genre movie: It's get too pleased with our-
about a group of recently selves about having fixed
widowed women who seek everything. Because there's
to pull off a heist their hus- a lot to undo."
bands had planned before Much of the attention at
dying in a police raid. But This image released by Twentieth Century Fox shows Viola Davis, left, and Cynthia Erivo in a scene TIFF will surround the films
it electrically, expansively from "Widows." that drew raves last week
surveys fault lines of racial Associated Press at the Venice Film Festi-
and gender biases across val, like Alfonso Cuaron's
the vicious landscape of within the genre of a heist navigate our way through the festival, itself. Toronto "Roma," Damien Chazelle's
Chicago politics. For Mc- film, but within that, I want- this cesspool of politics and will host a women's rally in "First Man" and Bradley
Queen, it's a movie about ed to raise very important corruption? How can we the ongoing push to im- Cooper's "A Star Is Born."
today. political questions, and be valiant? Small victories prove gender equality in How potential Academy
"To me, this film was im- that's what it was all about. sometimes lead to bigger the movie industry. It's also Awards contenders rever-
portant because it's about Elections, voting. No one is victories, but all we have diversifying the TIFF press berate among the larger
questions which are raised to be trusted," McQueen right now is small victories." corps, inviting and paying audiences and massive
now. These are scenes that says. "But at the same time, The 43rd Toronto Interna- the way for approximately media contingent of Toron-
are going on now. Yes, it's how do we as individuals tional Film Festival begins 180 journalists from under- to's launching pad usually
Thursday with the premiere represented groups: wom- says a lot about their Oscar
of David Mackenzie's Rob- en, minority and LGBTQ chances. Added to the mix
ert the Bruce epic "Outlaw critics. will be Felix Van Groenin-
King," one of eight Netflix Toronto, where for years gen's father-son addiction
original films at the festival. Harvey Weinstein was a drama "Beautiful Boy," with
In the 343 films to unspool red-carpet regular and Steve Carell and Timothee
over the next 10 days, there where Louis C.K. last year Chalamet, and Moore's
will be films that investigate debuted his now much de- anticipated Trump docu-
democracy in the face of rided (and since buried) "I mentary.
white supremacist terror- Love You, Daddy," is also Moore believes his film,
ism (Paul Greengrass' "22 making its code of conduct which examines the roads
July"), that pry into the in- more visible. Films directed leading to what he consid-
timate tragedies of police by women make up 36 per- ers a frightfully perilous mo-
brutality (Barry Jenkins' "If cent of this year's lineup, ment for America, will con-
Beale Street Could Talk," TIFF's highest percentage. nect with audiences unlike
George Tillman Jr.'s "The "The film business changes any of his previous docu-
Hate U Give") and that di- when we make changes. mentaries.
rectly confront the Trump I think a lot of us have the "The fact that it's ready
era (Michael Moore's "Fahr- ability and the power to before the midterms is
enheit 11/9," Errol Morris' make change and we just our good luck, I guess. But
Steve Bannon documen- have to use it," says Bai- I've never believed you
tary "American Dharma"). ley. "We're looking harder. should put a film out until
"If you look at the slate, I We're making more of an it's ready," says Moore. "I
would say that cinema is effort to find great films by think this movie, I've seen
alive and well and more women. But they're out it sear into people's brains,
engaged than ever with there." Among the many into their hearts. I believe
the world around it," says findings are new films from with this film people are not
Cameron Bailey, the co- Claire Denis ("High Life," with even going to go to bed
head of TIFF. "You're finding Robert Pattinson), Marielle that night."
filmmakers who are really Heller ("Can You Ever For- As the swift sale and release
digging into contemporary give Me?" with Melissa Mc- last year of eventual Oscar-
life, the politics, the social Carthy) and Rashida Jones winner "I, Tonya" showed,
conflicts that are happen- ("Quincy"). Some of the the films on the market in
ing all around us." most high-profile premieres Toronto can quickly enter
That engagement includes are headlined by actress- the awards fray, too.q