Cologne-based Pandora Film with „Sky“ in Toronto’s new competition
- Platform Competition: world premiere of Fabienne Berthaud’s „Sky“ with Diane Kruger
- Masters of Cinema: Alexander Sokurov’s „Francofonia“
- TIFF Docs: world premiere of Mika Taanila’s „Return of the Atom“
- 40th Toronto International Film Festival from 10 – 20 September, 2015
The Toronto International Film Festival (10. – 20.09.) has announced the first titles from its programme. Three films funded by the Filmstiftung have been invited so far: the international co-production „Sky“ by Fabienne Berthaud will screen as a world premiere in the new Platform competion section. Alexander Sokurov's documentary essay „Francofonia“, which will be competing at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival for the Golden Lion, will be showing in the Masters of Cinema sidebar. Another NRW-supported production, the documentary „Return of the Atom“ by Mika Taanila, will have its world premiere in Toronto in the programme of TIFF Docs.
The Toronto International Film Festival is the largest film festival in North America and is celebrating its 40th edition this year. On the occasion of this anniversary, the festival launched the new Platform competition section in which 12 films will be competing for the main prize. The jury members are: Jia Zhang-Ke, Claire Denis and Agnieszka Holland. Other invited productions will be announced by the end of August.
„Sky“
The film „Sky“ by Fabienne Berthaud will have its world premiere in Toronto in the inaugural edition of the new 'Platform' competition. Romy (Diane Kruger) splits with her husband (Gilles Lellouche) after a big argument during a trip through California and breaks free in the truest sense of the word. She sets off on an adventure into a new life in this alien land and, in doing so, crosses paths with the solitary Diego (Norman Reedus) with whom she shares a supposedly inconceivable love. The lead roles are taken by, among others, Diane Kruger, Norman Reedus, Gilles Lellouche, Q’orianka Kilcher and Lena Dunham. „Sky“ is a production of Le Bureau Films (F) in co-production with Cologne-based Pandora Film Produktion. The Filmstiftung supported the project with 160,000 Euros. Alamode will release the film in German cinemas, with international sales being handled by The Bureau Sales (F).
„Francofonia“
The documentary essay „Francofonia“ by Alexander Sokurov focuses on the lives of Count Franz Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht, the director of the German Kunstschutz organisation to protect works of art, and the Louvre’s director at that time, Jacques Jaujard. The two remarkable men were initially enemies, but then became collaborators. Their „collaboration“ became the driving force for the preservation of the museum’s treasures. The film explores the relations between art and power and the Louvre as a living record of civilisation. Moreover, it shows what art tells us about ourselves even in the midst of one of the bloodiest conflicts the world has ever seen. Alexander Sokurov uses his film to ask about morality and honour and stages a visually engaging mirror of history in the Louvre. The French-German-Dutch co-production about the Louvre and its unknown history under German occupation was supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW with 85,000 Euros. Large parts of the archival research and preparation as well as all of the complex postproduction and completion were undertaken in NRW. Idéale Audience (FR) and N279 Entertainment (NL) produced the film with zero one film and participation from ARTE Cinema. . Other backers were the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Eurimages, DFFF and the German-French Funding Committee. Piffl Medien will release the film in German cinemas, with Films Boutique handling internatonal sales. „Francofonia“ will be screening in the Masters of Cinema sidebar in Toronto.
„Return of the Atom“
Superlatives became the order of the day in a Finnish village in 2004: Europe’s biggest building site, the construction of a prototype for the world’s most efficient nuclear power plant, the first one in Western Europe after Chernobyl. The reactor was supposed to supply electricity within five years and herald the nuclear industry’s renaissance. However, the project has now been delayed by nine years and there isn’t any sign of completion – too many problems in the planning, construction and safety automation. The film „Return of the Atom” portrays the life in the community of Eurajoki where there is hardly any anti-nuclear resistance and a tense consensus among the local inhabitants leaves room for paranoid scenarios. The documentary by Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola is a co-production between Kinotar Oy, Blinker Filmproduktion (Cologne), YLE (SF) and ZDF in association with ARTE and WDR. The Filmstiftung NRW, various Scandinavian funders and the MEDIA Programme backed the production. International sales are being handled by Deckert Distribution, with Real Fiction releasing the film theatrically in Germany. The Toronto Film Festival will be showing the film in the TIFF Docs programme.
Founded in 1976, the Toronto International Film Festival is one of the world’s film festivals with the greatest public appeal and regarded as a barometer for the forthcoming Oscar awards and a springboard for directors, actors and producers. Annually, there are screenings of more than 300 films from over 60 countries.
More information about the festival: www.tiff.net