‘Elton John: Never Too Late’, ‘Nightbitch’ & ‘The Wild Robot’ Among First TIFF 2024 Selections As Festival Names Tribute Award Recipients
'Elton John: Never Too Late', 'Nightbitch' and 'The Wild Robot' Searchlight Pictures/DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures/Getty
The Toronto Film Festival on Tuesday announced the first six titles set to make their world premieres at the 49th edition, in the Gala and Special Presentation program, also naming this year’s TIFF Tribute Award recipients.
Films selected thus far include R.J. Cutler and David Furnish’s Disney+ doc Elton John: Never Too Late, Woo Min-ho’s Harbin, Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck, Marielle Heller’s Amy Adams-led dark comedy Nightbitch, Netflix’s Indigenous coming-of-age basketball film Rez Ball from Sydney Freeland, and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot.
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“We know the TIFF audience has been eagerly anticipating what films will be coming to Toronto this September, and today’s announcement is a snapshot of what’s to come this year: a wonderfully wide range of titles that span genres and generations, with discoveries for everyone,” said the festival’s Chief Programming Officer, Anita Lee. “TIFF is renowned for finding and showcasing works from both emerging and established filmmakers from all around the world, and for creating an unmatched groundswell of excitement, often paving the way for awards season, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of industry delegates and public filmgoers that attend each year. As we approach our 50th Festival, we are proud to evolve and expand our offerings to meet the needs of the industry and our audiences while always remaining true to what TIFF stands for — transforming the way people see the world through film.”
At this years TIFF Tribute Awards Gala, taking place on September 8 at Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Amy Adams will receive the TIFF Tribute Performer Award, with The Shrouds filmmaker David Cronenberg accepting the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award. Sandra Oh will serve as the inaugural Tribute Awards Honorary Chair.
Said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey of the Gala, serving as TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser, “In the five years that TIFF has been honouring such standout talent as Joaquin Phoenix, Michelle Yeoh, Jessica Chastain, Chloe Zhao, Taika Waititi, and Ari Wegner on their road to further awards success, we’ve been inspired to watch our Tribute Awards gala grow into a must-attend event. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome the incomparable Sandra Oh as the inaugural honorary Chair of the 2024 Tribute Awards. She joins our first-announced honourees, Amy Adams and David Cronenberg, in what promises to be another singular, sparkling night during the Festival. We’re grateful that artists of this stature will gather in Toronto to help TIFF turn the spotlight on increasing inclusion throughout our industry.”
Stated Oh, “Returning to TIFF feels like coming home and I’m excited to serve as Honorary Chair for this year’s Tribute Awards. Raising funds and awareness for representation and great storytelling is a passion of mine and why I’m so proud that the proceeds will go directly to Every Story Fund. Their mission to empower diverse voices aligns perfectly with my own, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this.”
Taking place from September 5–15, the 2024 Toronto Film Festival will feature not only screenings, but other unique in-person opportunities as well, including live post-screening Q&As, the In Conversation With… series, a five-day industry conference, and Festival Street, which returns for opening weekend along King Street West, from Peter Street to University Avenue, celebrating all things film. The free, family-friendly street festival will take place September 5–8, and will feature live performances, partner activations, and outdoor screenings.
More details with regard to this year’s festival will be announced in the coming weeks, with the full schedule being released on August 13.