One of the standout acting performances at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival came from 21-year-old Reid Miller who portrays gay teenager Jadin Bell opposite Mark Wahlberg in Joe Bell. Based on true events, with a screenplay by the Oscar-winning duo being Brokeback Mountain, Diana Ossana and the late Larry McMurtry, the film follows the... Continue Reading →
Go Where You Wanna Go – Film Review: Nomadland ★★★★★
The late great film critic Roger Ebert famously said, “The movies are like a machine that generates empathy.” No other film I’ve seen this year has evoked such empathetic feelings in me than Nomadland. I knew within the first ten minutes of watching Chloé Zhao’s followup to her fantastic feature, The Rider, that I would... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: No Ordinary Man filmmakers Chase Joynt & Amos Mac on reclaiming & reframing the narrative of jazz musician & trans icon Billy Tipton
One of the highlights of last month's Toronto International Film Festival was the extraordinary No Ordinary Man, which world premiered at TIFF's semi-virtual 45th edition. The thought-provoking and emotionally potent feature documentary takes an innovative approach to reclaim and reframe the life story and legacy of popular 1940s and 50s jazz musician—and transmasculine icon—Billy Tipton,... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 Film Review: One Night In Miami… ★★★★
Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress Regina King (who added a fourth Emmy win to her name last night), makes an impressive directorial feature debut with One Night in Miami..., which screened at this year's Venice International Film Festival on September 7th, making headlines as it marked the first film directed by a Black woman to... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 award winners announced
The 45th Toronto International Film Festival closed last night with a drive-screening of Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy. “TIFF 2020 was a year we won’t soon forget,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head. “Overthe last 10 days, we have experienced community in the truest sense. The pandemic hit TIFF hard and we responded... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 Film Review: Falling ★★★1/2
Thrice Oscar-nominated actor and Renaissance man Viggo Mortensen makes his writing and directing feature film debut with the poignant family drama Falling, also composing the film's beautiful piano led score. Currently in the running for Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF, Falling had its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance. Mortensen plays John Peterson,... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 Film Review: No Ordinary Man ★★★★
UPDATE: No Ordinary Man opens in US theaters July 16th 2021. Directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt take us on a thought-provoking and emotionally potent journey as they track the life and legacy of trans masculine icon American jazz musician Billy Tipton, who enjoyed a successful career in the 1940s and 50s. When he died... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020 Film Review: Shiva Baby ★★★★★
The 45th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) got underway today in true 2020 style with a mix of virtual and socially distanced in-person screenings, remote video Q&As, press conferences and in-depth actor and filmmaker conversations. The first film I screened, from the comfort of my own sofa in New York, saw my TIFF-at-home get off... Continue Reading →
TIFF 2020: LGBTQ+ highlights at 45th Toronto International Film Festival
The 45th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) gets underway this Thursday September 10th and will run both virtually and with limited socially distanced in-person screenings until Saturday September 19th. The Queer Review is looking forward to bringing you news, reviews and interviews from this year's TIFF, which features a number of LGBTQ+ related shorts, documentaries... Continue Reading →