TIFF 2021 unveils TIFF Docs, Midnight Madness and Wavelengths lineup

The 46th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 9–18, 2021

Toronto International Film Festival announced today films included in the TIFF Docs presented by A&E IndieFilms, Wavelengths and Midnight Madness programmes and exciting, recently confirmed additions to the Special Presentation and Contemporary World Cinema programmes. 

“We’re so proud to present the films selected for the popular programmes TIFF Docs, Wavelengths and Midnight Madness,” stated Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head. “Always provocative, exhilarating and engaging, this year’s offerings are guaranteed to thrill Festival audiences.”

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“​A​s an audience-first ​film ​festival​, mesmerizing​ film lovers with boundary-pushing stories is pivotal,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head. “​​​It’s exciting that even in this exceptional time in our industry, we’re able to bring such​ ​thought-provoking selections​​ to these coveted TIFF programmes.”

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The TIFF Docs will include the new film from Oscar-winning directors E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, THE RESCUE, which details the headline-making rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped in a cave for 16 days as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Sundance-winner FLEE, animated documentary about a gay man’s journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan; as well as the the International Premiere of BECOMING COUSTEAU from Liz Garbus, which dives into the archives of the undersea explorer who tried decades ago to warn the world about the climate crisis.

Midnight Madness will open with the North American Premiere of Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or-winning spectacle TITANE and see a caustic online streamer’s anarchic behaviour triggers a non-stop nightmare in the World Premiere of Rob Savage’s latest screenlife frightfest, DASHCAM

Among the Contemporary World Cinema lineup includes North American premieres of Alexandre Moratto’s 7 PRISONERS, which follows a young man who compromises his own sense of friendship and community to survive in an extreme situation. Starring Christian Malheiros, Rodrigo Santoro, and Bruno Rocha; Juho Kuosmanen’s Cannes-winning new film COMPARTMENT NO. 6 follows two strangers who form an unexpected bond on a train ride across Russia.; and THE GRAVEDIGGER’S WIFE, from director Khadar Ahmed, a poetic romance that centers on a family facing impossible loss and the lengths a man will go for his beloved. The North American Premiere stars Yasmin Warsame and Omar Abdi.

The Government of Canada intends to open its borders for non-essential travel from American citizens and permanent residents on August 9, 2021 and citizens of any country on September 7, 2021 provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, and that visitors have been fully vaccinated with Government of Canada-approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen – Johnson & Johnson – AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD) at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. In addition to this, travellers must also: meet the pre-entry test requirements; provide a digital copy of vaccination documentation; provide COVID-19-related information electronically through the ArriveCAN app prior to arrival in Canada; provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine in case border agents determine they do not meet the necessary requirements; be asymptomatic upon arrival; and participate in random COVID-19 testing. Those meeting these requirements can travel to Canada without having to quarantine, including the elimination of the three-night hotel quarantine policy. This allows TIFF to welcome a portion of its traditional volume of international press, industry, and talent back to the Festival as permitted by the Canadian government.

Here is the complete lineup of TIFF Docs, Midnight Madness & Wavelengths.

TIFF DOCS
Presented by A&E IndieFilms

 TIFF Docs Opening Film 
Attica Stanley Nelson | USA
World Premiere

Beba Rebeca Huntt | USA/Mexico
World Premiere

Becoming Cousteau Liz Garbus | USA
International Premiere

Burning Eva Orner | Australia
World Premiere

Comala Gian Cassini | Mexico
World Premiere

The Devil’s Drivers Mohammed Abugeth, Daniel Carsenty | Qatar/France/Lebanon/Germany
World Premiere

Flee Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway
Canadian Premiere

Hold Your Fire Stefan Forbes | USA
World Premiere

Listening to Kenny G Penny Lane | USA
World Premiere

Oscar Peterson: Black + White Barry Avrich | Canada
World Premiere

The Rescue E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA/United Kingdom
International Premiere

Three Minutes – A Lengthening Bianca Stigter | Netherlands/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace Heather Hatch | Canada
World Premiere

WAVELENGTHS FEATURES

Futura Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher | Italy
North American Premiere

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher | Switzerland 
North American Premiere

 Wavelengths Opening Film 
Neptune Frost Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman | Rwanda/USA
North American Premiere

A Night of Knowing Nothing Payal Kapadia | India/France
International Premiere

Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette | Canada
North American Premiere

The Tsugua Diaries (Diários de Otsoga) Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes | Portugal 
North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS SHORTS

The Capacity for Adequate Anger Vika Kirchenbauer | Germany 
World Premiere

Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) Nicolás Pereda | Mexico/Spain
International Premiere

earthearthearth Daïchi Saïto | Canada
North American Premiere

Inner Outer Space Laida Lertxundi | Spain
North American Premiere

Polycephaly in D Michael Robinson | USA 
World Premiere

“The red filter is withdrawn.” (“Le-deu-pil-teo-ga Cheol-hoe-doeb-ni-da.”)Minjung Kim | South Korea
North American Premiere

Train Again Peter Tscherkassky | Austria
North American Premiere

MIDNIGHT MADNESS 

After Blue (Dirty Paradise) Bertrand Mandico | France
North American Premiere

DASHCAM Rob Savage | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere

Saloum Jean Luc Herbulot | Senegal
World Premiere

 Midnight Madness Opening Film 
Titane Julia Ducournau | France
North American Premiere

You Are Not My Mother Kate Dolan | Ireland
World Premiere

Zalava Arsalan Amiri | Iran
North American Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Presented by Visa
(New additions to previously announced programme)

Ahed’s Knee (Ha’berech) Nadav Lapid | Israel/France/Germany
North American Premiere

The Box (La Caja) Lorenzo Vigas | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere (previously announced in Contemporary World Cinema) 

France Bruno Dumont | France/Germany/Italy/Belgium 
North American Premiere

Where Is Anne Frank? Ari Folman | Belgium/France/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Israel
North American Premiere

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA 
Presented by Sun Life
(New additions to previously announced programme)

7 Prisoners (7 Prisioneiros) Alexandre Moratto | Brazil
North American Premiere

Compartment No. 6 Juho Kuosmanen | Finland/Germany/Estonia/Russia
North American Premiere

The Gravedigger’s Wife Khadar Ayderus Ahmed | France/Somalia/Germany/Finland
North American Premiere

Jockey Clint Bentley | USA
International Premiere

Small Body Laura Samani | Italy/France/Slovenia
North American Premiere

True Things Harry Wootliff | United Kingdom
North American Premiere