The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has come to an end!
It was the most exciting time of year as TIFF (alongside its Italian counterpart, the Venice Film Festival), signified the start of the fall film festival season and the incredibly tedious awards season. At TIFF, there were hundreds of films vying for attention from critics and general audiences alike. They were meant to be the best of the best, worthy of a grand presentation and much like every TIFF before this one, the quality of the films was immaculate.
With that being said, we are going to highlight 15 films from Black creatives that deserve the same hype and attention as the usual award-worthy films and where to find them after their premieres at the festival.
1. The King’s Horseman
In a sad turn of event the premiere of The King’s Horseman, is now a celebration of the life and work of the late, great writer-director Biyi Bandele. The film is an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s anti-colonial stage play, Death and the King’s Horseman.
The King’s Horseman will premiere on Netflix on September 10.
2. The Woman King
In 2015, Maria Bello pitched the idea of a film inspired by the Agojie, the West African all-female military, to Viola Davis which kickstarted a near-decade battle to produce The Woman King. Gina Prince-Bythewood stepped up to direct the film which features powerful performances from Academy Award-winner Viola Davis and an ensemble of talented Black women including Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Adrienne Warren and Jayme Lawson.
The Woman King premieres in theatres on September 16.
3. Wendell & Wild
Wendell & Wild opens in select theatres on October 21 and begins streaming on Netflix on October 28.
4. Brother 🇨🇦
There is no release information yet. Elevation Pictures is handling distribution for Canada.
5. Black Ice 🇨🇦
Hubert Davis brings to TIFF a documentary about anti-Black racism in Canada’s defining sport, hockey. The film is a sobering reminder that segregation and systematic marginalization in hockey which makes it a must-watch.
There is no release information yet. Elevation Pictures is handling distribution for Canada.
6. When Morning Comes 🇨🇦
Kelly Fyffe-Marshall makes her feature debut with the complex and emotional tale When Morning Comes. The film follows a young Jamaican boy who embarks on a journey spurred by his mother misunderstanding him.
There is no release information yet.
7. The Inspection
Elegance Bratton’s feature debut was inspired by his own experiences and follows a young man who joins the Marine Corps after being disavowed by his mother for being gay. With the intolerable nature of the marines, Ellis French’s journey will be of survival and discovering self-love in the face of adversity.
The Inspection opens in theatres on November 18.
8. Devotion
Rising director J.D. Dillard brings to TIFF the adaptation of Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice which tells the story of the friendship between elite fighter pilots Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner.
Devotion opens in theatres on November 23, 2022.
9. Chevalier
Screenwriter Stefani Robinson pitched a biopic about the musician Chevalier de Saint-Georges which Searchlight Pictures happily picked up. Now we have Stephen Williams at the helm with Kelvin Harrison Jr. taking centre stage with a performance that will surely snag him the awards consideration he rightly deserves.
There is no release information yet. Searchlight Pictures is handling distribution.
10. Bruiser
Miles Warren brings the feature adaptation of his short film, Bruiser, a tale that tackles the themes of male role models and toxic masculinity. Trevante Rhodes carries on his indie cred by playing a charismatic loner opposite the talented Jalyn Hall who plays our lead, a young boy in search of love and acceptance from his strict father.
There is no release information yet.
11. La Gravité (The Gravity)
Cédric Ido’s sophomore film La Gravité is a dynamic original sci-fi that follows a mysterious planetary event that messes with the gravity and fragile equilibrium of a Parisian suburb. It promises to a visually-arresting and exciting adventure.
There is no release information yet. Kinology is handling sales and Alba Films is handling distribution in France.
12. The Blackening
If you are familiar with the documentary Horror Noire, then The Blackening will be a very interesting double feature. It poses a compelling question, if the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first? Tim Story’s adaptation of the acclaimed sketch of the same name is meant to be thought-provoking and fun.
There is no release information yet. There is currently bidding over the film for both theatrical and streaming distribution.
13. On the Come Up
Sanaa Lathan, after nearly 30 years of acting, is making her feature directorial debut with the adaptation of Angie Thomas’ On The Come Up. The novel was critically acclaimed in 2020 and is set to make a splash at the festival.
On the Come Up premieres on Paramount+ on September 23.
14. Nanny
Nikyat Jusu’s directorial debut has already made a splash earlier this year with its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. Blumhouse and Amazon Studios have picked up the film for distribution and Jusu has already made inroads at Jordan Peele’s production company Monkeypaw to set up her second feature. Anna Diop delivers a stirring performance as the titular lead and solidifies her place in the scream queen pantheon, perhaps the two will find each other again and make a powerful duo in the horror/supernatural space a la Daniel Kalyuua and Jordan Peele.
Nanny will have a limited theatrical release on November 23 and will be released on Prime Video on December 16.
15. Sidney
Hollywood history has been a subject of of great interest in cinema as evident by the number of biopics and fictionalized retellings we have been getting lately. Unfortunately, more often than not Black Hollywood is overlooked. Joining the conversation of best documentary of the year is Sidney, the revealing documentary that honours the later great Sidney Poitier. Produced by Oprah herself, Reginald Hudlin directs a compelling doc that opens our eyes to the power and legacy of Sidney, inviting a range of Black celebrities who have been influenced by the Black legend.
Sidney premieres on Apple TV+ on September 23.
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