TIFF ’24
TIFF 2024 marked my third year at the festival, and this time, I pushed my limits with 47 films—up from 29 in my first year and 40 the next. It was definitely too much, and I often found myself thinking about a previous movie while watching the next one. As someone who wakes up before 6 a.m., the Midnight Madness screenings were especially tough. Never getting that pass again! By day six, I had already survived five days of watching five films daily, from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. the next day. Still, there’s no audience quite like TIFF’s, and seeing the celebrities up close is always a thrill. Most importantly, a lot of films watched will all stay with me for a long time.
Below are the highlights of this year’s festival, from standout performances to the best technical achievements, along with my film rankings and reviews.
Top 10 Films Watched
7. Emilia Pérez
10. The Assessment
Nothing touched me as deeply as Conclave, which blends elements of Succession and Agatha Christie with a profound exploration of religion and God, making it my favorite film of the festival. While Better Man may not be a typical festival movie, I wish it had received the same audience acclaim as The Life of Chuck, as it is incredibly creative and the most inventive, immersive musical since Moulin Rouge. Though I enjoyed The Room Next Door more than most and was captivated by Queer, even in its strangest moments, I found some issues with The Substance, The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, and The Seed of the Sacred Fig. These are all very good films, that fall just short of greatness for me. To a Land Unknown and The Assessment round out my top 10, both films excelling in accomplishing exactly what they set out to do.. My runner-ups include the Brazilian film I’m Still Here, which has a fantastic first act but meanders in the second and third, and Anora, whose lengthy runtime dilutes its message.
Best Lead Actor Performance
1. Ralph Fiennes
Conclave
2. Adrien Brody
The Brutalist
3. Daniel Craig
Queer
5. Jharrel Jerome
Unstoppable
Ralph Fiennes brings remarkable depth to his role in Conclave. While his performance might be easy to overlook as too subtle, he conveys a lot through small, nuanced expressions, often showing doubt in his character’s actions even when speaking confidently. He adopts distinct postures when interacting with each supporting character, adding layers to his portrayal. Adrien Brody has a flashier role and handles it well, showcasing a wide range of emotions, though I still prefer his work in The Pianist. That said, he carries the film capably. Daniel Craig, even more restrained than Fiennes, is excellent at conveying deep sadness in the first act, followed by a sense of hope when his character meets Drew Starkey’s. Both Bakri and Jerome also impress, with Bakri’s naturalistic portrayal and Jerome’s physically demanding role convincingly expressing their characters’ determination. As for standout runner-ups, Robbie Williams brings great energy to his voice work in Better Man, while Jonno Davies does the mo-cap performance full of personality. Jude Law, meanwhile, gives his best performance in years in The Order.
Best Lead Actress Performance
1. Mikey Madison
Anora
2. Karla Sofía Gascón
Emilia Pérez
3. Tilda Swinton
The Room Next Door
4. Amy Adams
Nightbitch
5. Fernanda Torres
I’m Still Here
There were six standout lead actress performances at TIFF this year, and narrowing them down to five was tough. Choosing my favorite, however, was easy—it’s hard to argue against Madison’s powerhouse performance in Anora. Despite my issues with the film, she fully commits to the role and is extremely funny while breaking your heart. Gascón deliveres perhaps the best-acted moment I saw at TIFF. Tilda Swinton is the reason The Room Next Door works; her smart choices, like making it seem as though her character is often performing, are spot on, and she navigates Almodóvar’s melodrama beautifully. Amy Adams brings charm to her role in Nightbitch, even when the script bordered on cringe-worthy. Fernanda Torres displayed the strength of a woman who must hide her emotions from her family. Nicole Kidman was also spectacular in Babygirl, but her performance felt too similar to the ones she gave in A Family Affair and Big Little Lies.
Best Supporting Actress Performance
1. Zoe Sandaña
Emilia Pérez
2. Alicia Vikander
The Assessment
3. Selena Gomez
Emilia Pérez
4. Felicity Jones
The Brutalist
5. Setareh Maleki
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Zoe Saldana commands every scene she’s in throughout Emilia Pérez. Not only is she the best singer and dancer in the film, but she also convincingly portrays her character’s deep frustrations with the world, making it clear why she feels compelled to help Emilia. Her role is a perfect example of how screentime doesn’t define a leading or supporting performance—despite her substantial presence, she consistently supports Gácon’s performance. Alicia Vikander delivers her best work since Ex Machina in The Assessment, with a tone reminiscent of that film but far more playful. Selena Gomez, though she struggles with the Spanish at times, shines in the film’s most emotional moments. Felicity Jones is crucial to the second half of The Brutalist, especially in a standout scene with Guy Pearce, while Setareh Maleki’s penetrating gaze in The Seed of the Sacred Fig helps convey the complex family dynamics. My runner-up is Jamie Lee Curtis, whose touching performance in The Last Showgirl is far more effective and subtle than Pamela Anderson’s. Isabella Rossellini also stands out in her two brief but memorable scenes in Conclave.
Best Supporting Actor Performance
1. Hugh Grant
Heretic
2. Carlos Diehz
Conclave
3. Drew Starkey
Queer
4. John Turturro
The Cut
5. Mark Eydelshteyn
Anora
Hugh Grant’s performance in Heretic feels like the culmination of his career, blending the suave persona from his Guy Ritchie films, the charm of his ’90s rom-coms, and his real-life unlikability to create a truly menacing villain. Diehz shines in Conclave’s most touching scenes. Starkey effectively captures his character’s distant nature, leaving the audience as frustrated as Craig’s character with his enigmatic presence. Turturro’s role, while reminiscent of J.K. Simmons’ Whiplash character, remains thoroughly entertaining. Lastly, Mark Eydelshteyn’s comedic timing was key to Anora’s successful first act. Honorable mentions go to Dennis Quaid’s fun caricature in The Substance and Stanley Tucci’s restrained performance in Conclave.
All Movies
In Nutcrackers, Ben Stiller plays a city slicker who, unexpectedly tasked with caring for his late sister’s unruly rural orphans, discovers the hidden talents and emotional depth within himself and the boys, leading to a heartwarming and unexpectedly poignant comedy.
Sep 5th
Starring Orlando Bloom, John Turturro, and Caitríona Balfe, this visceral drama from director Sean Ellis follows a retired fighter obsessed with getting back in the ring — even if it costs him his life.
Sep 5th
Demi Moore portrays a fading Hollywood star feuding with the manifestation of her younger self (Margaret Qualley) in this award-winning body-horror satire from writer-director Coralie Fargeat.
Sep 5th
A seasoned performer must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run. Starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dave Bautista
Sep 6th
IIn the latest from Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal), Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) soulfully portrays a bereaved man who enrolls in a clinical trial for a drug that allows him to reunite with his lost lover (Beatrice Grannò) through lucid dreams.
Sep 6th
Featuring gorgeously detailed performances from Oscar nominees Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, this inventively structured romance explores the question of how to make the most of our time in this world, weaving together multiple timelines to deepen the emotional resonance of their fated relationship.
Sep 6th
In Dead Talents Society, a timid recently deceased teen (Gingle Wang) teams up with an undead diva (Sandrine Pinna) to master the art of haunting and avoid oblivion, in this uproarious and gory supernatural comedy from writer-director John Hsu, blending Tim Burton-esque whimsy with East Asian ghostly traditions.
Sep 6th
Mike Flanagan shifts gears from his signature horror with The Life of Chuck, adapting Stephen King’s uniquely structured novella to explore the life of a seemingly ordinary accountant (Tom Hiddleston).
Sep 7th
Crispin Glover brings his best to Tallulah H Schwab’s delightfully Kafkaesque tale of a travelling magician who finds himself in a hotel full of unusual guests — with no way out.
Sep 7th
In All of You, Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots star as best friends who grapple with their unspoken feelings for each other in a near-futuristic world where a test matches people with their soulmates, exploring a love that endures despite the constraints of destiny.
Sep 7th
In Nightbitch, a woman (Amy Adams) grapples with her own sanity and a mysterious transformation into a dog while trying to manage her domestic life and family responsibilities.
Sep 7th
In Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language film, The Room Next Door, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore are two former journalists rekindling their friendship while grappling with illness, death, and life’s profound choices, all set against Almodóvar’s trademark vibrant visuals and intimate storytelling.
Sep 7th
In Joseph Kahn’s high-octane sci-fi/horror satire Ick, a high school science teacher (Brandon Routh) faces off against a parasitic alien entity and the pervasive apathy of a small town slowly being consumed by it, blending grotesque horror with sharp cultural commentary on societal indifference.
Sep 7th
In Pedro Páramo, the feature directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, a young man’s quest to find his estranged father in a ghostly Mexican town reveals a haunting interplay of past and present, desire, and corruption, masterfully adapted from Juan Rulfo’s seminal novel.
Sep 8th
Lily James and Oscar winner Riz Ahmed star in this dazzlingly clever high-concept thriller directed by David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) about a reclusive middleman for would-be whistleblowers seeking to settle with corporate malefactors.
Sep 8th
Odysseus washes up on the shores of his kingdom to find it much changed since he left to fight in the Trojan War, in this classical drama starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.
Sep 8th
In Anora, a Palme d’Or winner by Sean Baker, Mikey Madison plays a New York exotic dancer who falls for Vanya, the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch, leading to a whirlwind romance threatened by his powerful family.
Sep 8th
Channelling the cringe comedy of his hit sketch series I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson portrays a suburban dad obsessively pursuing camaraderie with his charming neighbour (Paul Rudd).
Sep 8th
In The Assessment, set in a future ravaged by climate change, a couple must endure a grueling and invasive evaluation process overseen by Alicia Vikander’s character before they can be permitted to have a child, leading to escalating psychological and emotional strain.
Sep 9th
Oscar nominees Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci lead a brilliant ensemble cast in All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger’s stunning adaption of Robert Harris’ high-stakes drama, in which Cardinals gather at the Vatican to elect a new Pope.
Sep 9th
Featuring fearless performances from Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and the amazing Karla Sofía Gascón, the latest from director Jacques Audiard audaciously merges pop opera, narco thriller, and gender affirmation in a drama about a defense attorney helping a crime boss transition to a new identity amidst crime and redemption.
Sep 9th
Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East, this fiendishly irreverent chamber horror from writer-director duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the celebrated scenarists behind A Quiet Place) considers how an innocent chat about theology can go terribly awry.
Sep 9th
Else (no review available)
Thibault Emin’s mesmerizing debut feature intimately depicts a body-horror romance in the wake of a strange epidemic that causes the infected to melt into their surroundings.
Sep 9th
I’m Still Here, directed by Walter Salles, tells the real-life story of Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), whose harrowing experience during Brazil’s military dictatorship turned her into a courageous activist and lawyer.
Sep 10th
Rumours (no review available)
In Rumours, Cate Blanchett stars as the German chancellor in this absurd satire directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson, where G7 world leaders face chaotic mishaps and surreal absurdities during a dysfunctional summit.
Sep 10th
In The Brutalist, Brady Corbet directs Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, and Joe Alwyn in an epic about a Hungarian architect who, after fleeing Europe post-WWII, sacrifices more of himself while trying to rebuild his life and career in America.
Sep 10th
Harvest, directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari, is a visionary period piece set in a remote English village where traditional life is disrupted by an Enclosure bill, exploring themes of xenophobia and unchecked capitalism through the story of widower Walter Thirsk and the ensuing chaos and paranoia.
Sep 11th
In Babygirl, Nicole Kidman stars as a high-powered executive whose affair with an intern (Harris Dickinson) disrupts her life, in this thrilling drama from writer-director Halina Reijn.
Sep 11th
The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, is a gripping social drama-turned-thriller about a lawyer’s moral conflict amidst Iran’s political unrest, starring Misagh Zare and Soheila Golestani.
Sep 11th
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light is a visually stunning and heartfelt debut that follows two nurses, Prabha and Anu, as they navigate personal turning points and budding romance while transitioning from Mumbai’s bustle to a serene seaside retreat.
Sep 12th
Bring Them Down (no review available)
Christopher Andrews’ Bring Them Down is a gripping feature debut that follows the escalating feud between two neighboring families in rural Ireland, with standout performances by Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan, as the film explores themes of guilt, secrecy, and violence against a backdrop of stunning, desolate landscapes.
Sep 12th
A small town in France preparing to welcome a Ukrainian refugee family is surprised when a Syrian family shows up instead, in Julie Delpy’s touching comedy of integration.
Sep 12th
Joshua Oppenheimer’s The End, his fiction debut, is a sombre musical set in a bunker where a family lives in denial of the world’s end, featuring Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, George MacKay, and Moses Ingram.
Sep 12th
Dead Mail, from Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, is a synth-laden retro-thriller where a blood-stained letter sparks an investigation into a sordid tale involving a synthesizer engineer and his possessive benefactor, blending psychodrama with quirky Americana.
Sep 12th
In Queer, Luca Guadagnino adapts William S. Burroughs’ autobiographical novel into a hallucinogenic odyssey, starring Daniel Craig as a lonely, middle-aged addict seeking enlightenment in postwar Mexico and the Amazon, with supporting roles by Jason Schwartzman and Lesley Manville.
Sep 13th
The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison, follows boxer Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) and her supportive coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) as they navigate the pressures and realities of her rise to Olympic fame.
Sep 13th
Saturday Night by Jason Reitman captures the chaotic lead-up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live, focusing on the transformative moments of young comedians like John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Gilda Radner as they prepare to revolutionize late-night TV.
Sep 13th
In this dark comedy and body horror about society’s obsession with youth and good looks, an actress (Elisabeth Moss) challenges a beauty firm CEO (Kate Hudson) over her company’s questionable science.
Sep 13th
In Justin Kurzel’s The Order, based on Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s The Silent Brotherhood, FBI Agent Husk (Jude Law) investigates a series of violent crimes linked to a white supremacist cult led by Robert Jay Mathews (Nicholas Hoult), leading to a high-stakes clash between law enforcement and extremist ideology in 1983.
Sep 13th
Moonlight’s Jharrel Jerome gives another outstanding performance amid a star-studded cast (including Don Cheadle and Jennifer Lopez) in this heartfelt sports drama about a college wrestler who dreams of going pro.
Sep 14th
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard’s scintillating historical thriller stars Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby as high-minded Europeans who seek a new life on a previously uninhabited island in the Galápagos, only to discover that hell is other people.
Sep 14th
Director Michael Gracey leverages his extensive visual effects background to produce a dazzling and singular profile of British pop superstar Robbie Williams.
Sep 14th
Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh shakes the horror genre to life by adopting the point of view of a housebound spirit, granting us singular access to a family passing through troubled times — and casting an unforgettably eerie atmosphere.
Sep 14th
From action auteur Timo Tjahjanto, a young assassin breaks rank from her clandestine organization to rescue a young boy from gangsters with ultra-violent repercussions.
Sep 14th
Malcolm Washington makes his feature directorial debut with this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning August Wilson play, featuring an incredible cast that includes Danielle Deadwyler, John David Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson in a story about a family haunted by the legacy of an heirloom.
Sep 15th
Set in the 1950s, this gorgeous adaptation of Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 novel follows a seemingly sensible newlywed (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her wayward brother-in-law (Priscilla’s Jacob Elordi) as they undertake parallel journeys of risk, romance, and self-discovery.
Sep 15th
In Seth Worley’s feature debut Sketch, a grieving family must unite to fend off chaotic monsters brought to life by a young girl’s drawings, blending heartwarming family dynamics with fantastical mayhem.
Sep 15th
Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut is a bold, outrageous, and funny Australian musical about two very different teenage cousins who initially clash but eventually join forces to make their mark on their town’s annual debutante ball.
Sep 6th
After a car crashes into his front yard, a family man develops an unhealthy obsession with being ready for the next accident. And the next.
Sep 17th
Stranded in a bleak, overcrowded neighborhood in Athens after fleeing a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, cousins Chatila and Reda relentlessly plot their escape in search of a life beyond displacement.
Sep 17th