Original-Cin TIFF 2020 Picks: Thursday September 10
By Jim Slotek, Liam Lacey, Kim Hughes, Karen Gordon, Linda Barnard, Bonnie Laufer and Thom Ernst
And they’re off! Let the semi-virtual Toronto International Film Festival begin.
DAVID BYRNE’S AMERICAN UTOPIA (Gala)
Thurs. Sept. 10., 8 p.m. Visa Skyline Drive-In at CityView. 9 p.m. West Island Open Air Cinema at Ontario Place. 9:15 p.m. RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place. Available online at Bell Digital Cinema, Wed. Sept. 16, from 6 p.m. onward.
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Here’s proof that a performance can be both arty and fun. The minimalist theatricality of David Byrne’s Broadway show/concert is handled seamlessly by director Spike Lee, who wraps Byrne and his band’s exuberant, percussion-heavy performance in light and an imaginative array of shots. Byrne, for his part, segues from the hits to monologues on the connections within the brain, Brian Eno’s insistence that he use the nonsense lyrics of dada artist Hugo Ball in the Talking Heads’ I Zimbra, voting, social justice and television. All the while, dancers Tendayi Kuumba and Chris Giarmo playfully interpret his themes. You’ll wish you’d been there, but this is the next best thing – J.S.
Thurs. Sept. 10, 8 p.m., TIFF Bell Lightbox. Mon. Sept. 14, West Island Open Air Cinema at Ontario Place. Available online at Bell Digital Cinema, Fri. Sept. 11.
When respected jazz musician Billy Tipton died in 1989, it was revealed that the father and husband had been born a woman but living life as a man. As per the time, it was fodder for lurid daytime TV for the likes of Oprah and Sally Jessy Raphael. This documentary by Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt picks up the story 30 years later, after Tipton has become a role model and inspiration for the trans community. Wrapped around the conceit of several trans actors auditioning for the role of Billy, it considers the sexual politics and the question of whether Tipton was simply seeking professional opportunities not available to women, or whether he self-identified as a man. It’s not a deep dive into Tipton’s life, but a lively investigation into what he means today. - J.S.
FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS (TIFF Docs)
Thurs. Sept. 10. Available online at Bell Digital Cinema, streaming from 6 p.m.
A fascinating and informative documentary that reunites filmmaker Werner Herzog with University of Cambridge professor Clive Oppenheimer, with whom he explored volcanoes in Into the Inferno. The two travel the world and get unprecedented access chasing meteors and getting to the bottom of connections between science, history, and mythology. Oppenheimer conducts on-camera interviews with specialists with the enthusiasm of a kid in the candy store. And Herzog is delightful as he narrates with dry wit in his distinct Bavarian accent. There are truly many exciting revelations, but their voyage to Antarctica for extraterrestrial debris brought tears to my eyes. This is not just for science nerds - trust me. B.L.
NIGHT OF THE KINGS (Contemporary World Cinema)
Thurs. Sept. 10, 3 p.m, TiFF Bell Lightbox. Thurs. Sep. 10, Available online at Bell Digital Cinema from 6 p.m., Sun. Sept. 13, 9 p.m. TIFF Bell Lightbox.
What holds back chaos? “Stories” is the answer in Cote D’Ivoire director Philippe Lacote’s film that explores the country’s social woes through a prisoner’s tale. A young prisoner is thrown into the hellishly crowded La Maca prison, where the ailing inmate boss, Blackbeard, has him tell a Scheherazade-like story that lasts until sunrise. He tells of a teen-aged gangster, Zama King, who became a rebel soldier and died young. Inside the prison, convicts chant, sing and act out parts. Outside, in staged sequences, the story of Zama expands to include a blind prophet, an ancient queen and her rival brother. A densely atmospheric soundtrack, and fluid cinematography from Quebec director Tobie Marier Robitaille, contrasts lamp-lit theatrical interiors and fantastical outdoor scenes that are like a low-budget Black Panther. - L.L.