tiff movies 2019

10 movies at TIFF 2019 getting the most awards-buzz right now

It's opening day of TIFF 2019 and while there's been buzz about certain films all summer, additional movies are suddenly getting lots of chatter in the wake of the Venice and Telluride film festivals.

Here's the buzziest movies at TIFF 2019 right now.

Parasite

The film won Cannes, which doesn’t often translate into Academy attention. Yet Bong Joon-ho’s magnificent film wowed the audiences at Telluride, and it’s one of the hottest tickets here in Toronto as well.

Marriage Story

Noah Baumbach’s Netflix Original is playing the trio of fests, and this Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver divorce drama has people swooning. Toronto may be the perfect place for this film to truly shine. Positive comparisons to Oscar Winner Kramer vs. Kramer can’t hurt the buzz building, either.

Joker

The film slammed into the Venice conversation, eliciting an 8-minute standing ovation and a diverse mix of reviews, with even more from thousands of social media denizens yet to see the film. That wave will crest again when TIFF patrons see this Scorsesean slice of sociopathy.

Uncut Gems

It’s been a while since Adam Sandler’s got his due, and teaming up with Josh and Benny Safdie seems smart. The film’s frenetic pace seems to be its biggest selling point, along with a strong lead performance, but given that these directors are some of the smartest working today, this gem just got a lot more shiny for TIFF after its Telluride screening.

Ford v. Ferrari

Another big studio project led by Christian Bale and Matt Damon, James Mangold’s racing drama looks to have been given a nitro boost by its Telluride preview. I’m totally revved up for a bit of auto racing magic.

Judy

Rupert Goold’s biopic about Judy Garland has one major trick up its sleeve: the triumphant return after six years out of the spotlight for Renée Zellweger. This is a meaty, Awards-bait-esque role is sure to gain plenty of attention and admiration from the TIFF crowds.

Citizen K

The always-prolific Alex Gibney is back with another film, and his latest doc on post-Soviet oligarchs got a big push from its out-of-comp slot at Venice. Given the increased interest in this shifts taking place in Putin’s Russia, there will be plenty for Toronto fans to consider when it plays here.

The Truth

Former Palm d’Or winner Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film stars Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche, and all those elements alone are enough to make many TIFF patrons super excited. With plenty of praise after its Venice bow, anticipation for the film is even higher than it already was.

The Painted Bird

Václav Marhoul’s Holocaust drama about a young boy trying to outrun the horrors of the Holocaust received mixed reception at Venice including many walkouts, and perhaps in Toronto will find even more fans for what looks to be an artistically ambitious, hauntingly effective film.

The Aeronauts

Tom Harper’s films have often received a warm reception here in Toronto, and his latest pairing of Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones about a balloonist and a scientist struggling to achieve altitude looks to be another high-flying addition to TIFF’s slate after its Telluride success.

Lead photo by

TIFF/Judy


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