AwardsWatch - tiff review

TIFF Review: Despite a fearless performance from Maisa Abd Elhadi, Hany Abu Assad’s ‘Huda’s Salon’ is mostly a misfire [Grade: C]

Mina Takla September 10, 2021

Hany Abu Assad’s return to Palestinian dramas is a mixed bag of didactic storytelling and expertly delivered thrills. A feminist thriller that is both well-meaning... Read More

TIFF Review: Asghar Farhadi hits a humanistic high with ‘A Hero’ [Grade: A]

Mina Takla September 10, 2021

Asghar Farhadi’s latest is one of his best, blending moral complications and social commentary to deliver an intellectual and emotional experience with a screenplay that... Read More

TIFF Review: ‘Beginning’ knows where to start but no idea how to end

Mina Takla September 22, 2020

Plot: When a mysterious attack takes place on a church in one of Georgia’s remote villages, a game of power ensues between a woman and... Read More

TIFF Review: Naomi Kawase gets maternal with ‘True Mothers,’ her best film in years

Mina Takla September 21, 2020

Plot: In Japan, a couple who are unable to give birth to a child of their own decide to adopt. Years later, their child’s true... Read More

TIFF Review: ‘Summer of 85’ leaves the viewer out in the cold

Mina Takla September 21, 2020

Plot: In 1985, a young man falls in love with an adventurous, free-spirited man. Over a brief yet intense period of time, they experience love... Read More

TIFF Review: What ’76 Days’ lacks in scope it makes up for as a timely look at the small beginnings of a worldwide pandemic

Diego Andaluz September 20, 2020

Before it became a global issue, and long before it began to affect each and every one of us, on January 23, 2020, the city... Read More

TIFF Review: ‘Gaza Mon Amour’ is one of the best Middle Eastern films of the year

Mina Takla September 20, 2020

Plot: A 40-something fisherman in Gaza who has never been married catches an Apollo statue by pure chance. The statue, of this Greek God who... Read More

TIFF Review: Using myth and metaphor, ‘Wolfwalkers’ astounds with arresting visuals and masterful storytelling

Mina Takla September 20, 2020

Plot: Blending elements of Irish folklore, this new installment in Cartoon Saloon’s folklore inspired trilogy (Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) transports viewers into... Read More