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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Richard Linklater, Sean Baker and more filmmakers lead TIFF's 2025 Centerpiece program
On Tuesday, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced the highly anticipated lineup for its 2025 Centerpiece program. This year's festival features a total of 55 titles from filmmakers representing nearly 50 countries, including works from Bolivia, France, Iraq, and Kenya. This wide-ranging selection shines a spotlight on TIFF's enduring commitment to presenting interesting stories from every corner of the globe. The Centerpiece program serves as a platform for internationally recognized films, acclaimed selections from other prestigious festivals, and premieres from both Canadian and international talents. More from Gold Derby 'I share this nomination with Emile': 'Severance' star Gwendoline Christie on her favorite furry screen partner, 'spitting blood across the wall,' and her good-luck prop 'Severance,' 'The Studio,' and 'Adolescence' are poised for a big night: See Emmy predictions in all 25 Primetime categories This year, cinephiles can look forward to the latest projects from a host of influential directors, including Mathieu Denis' Cost of Heaven, Hasan Hadi's The President's Cake, Jan Komasa's Good Boy, Anders Thomas Jensen's The Last Viking, Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, Pietro Marcello's Duse, Christian Petzold's Miroirs No. 3, and Álvaro Olmos Torrico's The Condor Daughter. Another notable name at TIFF will be Sean Baker, who's coming off four Oscar wins for Anora (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing). He's the co-writer of the new movie Left-Handed Girl, from director-writer-producer Shih-Ching Tsou. The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 4 to Sept. 14. Here is the complete lineup for TIFF's 2025 Centerpiece program, which includes 19 world premieres: World Premieres Blood Lines, Gail Maurice's sophomore feature, a pastoral drama of family and reconnection Carolina Caroline, directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier, an outlaw romance starring Samara Weaving and Kyle Gallner The Condor Daughter, from Álvaro Olmos Torrico, about a young woman who inherits the sacred art of midwifery but dreams of conquering the city with her voice The Cost of Heaven, a film from Quebec's Mathieu Denis (whose TIFF '16 film Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Dig Their Own Graves was awarded that year's Best Canadian Feature), starring French actor Samir Guesmi Erupcja, directed by Pete Ohs, features a combustible chemistry between a Polish florist (Lena Góra) and a British tourist (Charli xcx) The Fox King, from Woo Ming Jin — Malaysia/Indonesia Good Boy, by Jan Komasa, a twisted thriller about freedom and identity, starring Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, and Anson Boon In Search of The Sky, from India's Jitank Singh Gurjar I Swear, from Kirk Jones, the inspirational true story of John Davidson, a trailblazer whose honesty and humour helped the world better understand what it means to live with Tourette Syndrome New Year's Rev, from the United States' Lee Kirk Nomad Shadow, Eimi Imanishi's poignant debut feature about a refugee to Spain who's forced to return to Western Sahara Palimpsest: The Story of a Name, from Mary Stephen (Shades of Silk), a deeply personal story about her family's complicated history and their Western surname The President's Cake, from a multiple award winner at Cannes, Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi, a heartbreaking and unforgettable look at a country crushed by poverty and international sanctions — and ruled by a sadistic, greedy and vain tyrant Saipan, from filmmakers Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa, about a rift between star player Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy on the eve of the 2002 World Cup, starring Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan Under The Same Sun, from Ulises Porra — Dominican Republic/Spain Unidentified, the latest from Saudi Arabian director Haifaa Al Mansour (Wadjda), an iconoclastic crime thriller that questions our collective fascination with tales of femicide Wasteman, Cal McMau's debut feature, which peels back the conventions of the prison drama, featuring rising star David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) Whitetail, from Dutch filmmaker Nanouk Leopold, a slow-burn thriller with a haunting performance from Natasha O'Keeffe (Peaky Blinders) Youngblood, directed by Hubert Davis, starring Blair Underwood and Shawn Doyle, and co-written by the late Charles Officer, is a powerful tribute to the Toronto filmmaker, and a reimagining of the original 1986 film North American Premieres Arco, from French animation director Ugo Bienvenu A Useful Ghost, from Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Barrio Triste, from music video director STILLZ Blue Heron, from Sophy Romvari — Canada/Hungary North American Premiere Blue Moon, from American director Richard Linklater The Blue Trail, from Gabriel Mascaro — Brazil/Mexico/Chile/Netherlands Dandelion's Odyssey, a France/Belgium movie from Momoko Seto Diya, Chadian director Achille Ronaimou's surprising debut feature Eagles of the Republic, from Tarik Saleh — Sweden/France/Denmark/Finland/Germany Exit 8, from director Genki Kawamura Follies, from Quebec screenwriter, actor and director Eric K. Boulianne Girl, from Taiwanese actor and director Shu Qi Honey Bunch, from Canada's Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream, from Iraqi filmmaker Mohamed Jabarah The Last One for The Road, from Italian filmmaker Francesco Sossai The Last Viking, from Danish filmmaker Anders Thomas Jensen Left-Handed Girl, from Shih-Ching Tsou and co-written by Sean Baker Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, fro France's Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han The Little Sister, from Hafsia Herzi The Love That Remains, from Hlynur Pálmason — Iceland/Denmark/Sweden/France Lucky Lu, by Korean-Canadian writer-director and 2025 TIFF–CBC Films Screenwriter Award recipient Lloyd Lee Choi Mama, from Or Sinai — Israel/Poland/Italy Memory of Princess Mumbi, from Damien Hauser — Kenya/Switzerland/Saudi Arabia Milk Teeth, from Mihai Mincan — Romania/France/Denmark/Greece/Bulgaria Miroirs No. 3, from German auteur Christian Petzold Motor City, from the United States' Potsy Ponciroli My Father's Shadow, from Akinola Davies Jr. — UK/Nigeria The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, from Diego Céspedes Olmo, from Fernando Eimbcke — USA/Mexico Orphan, from László Nemes — Hungary/France/Germany/UK Renoir, from Chie Hayakawa — Japan/France/Singapore/Philippines/Indonesia/Qatar Space Cadet, from Canada's Kid Koala The Sun Rises On Us All, from China's Cai Shangjun Two Prosecutors, from Sergei Loznitsa — France/Germany/Netherlands/Latvia/Romania/Lithuania More Standout Selections Duse, an International Premiere from visionary Italian auteur Pietro Marcello (whose Martin Eden won TIFF's 2019 Platform prize) Hamlet, a Canadian Premiere from director Aneil Karia Best of Gold Derby Everything to know about 'The Batman 2': Returning cast, script finalized Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') Click here to read the full article. 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Broadcast Pro
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Sony Pictures Classics acquires rights to Iraqi film ‘The President's Cake'
The film is made in association with Missing Piece Films, Working Barn Productions, Maiden Voyage Pictures and Spark Features. Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and India for Cannes Caméra d'Or winner The President's Cake by Iraqi director Hasan Hadi. Iraqi director Hasan Hadi has won the People's Choice audience award at the second edition of the Cannes Directors' Fortnight for his debut feature The President's Cake. The award, the only audience-voted prize among the Cannes Official Selection and its parallel sections, marks a major international recognition for Hadi and a powerful moment for Iraqi cinema. Based in New York, Hadi drew from his own childhood experiences growing up in southern Iraq during the 1990s, under the regime of Saddam Hussein and the harsh conditions imposed by international sanctions. His film tells the story of Lamia, a nine-year-old girl tasked with bringing a birthday cake to school to celebrate the president's birthday—a seemingly simple mission that becomes a daunting struggle for survival in a time of extreme scarcity. The consequences of failure could be devastating for her and her family. Produced by Leah Chen Baker under the New York-based banner TPC Film LLC, The President's Cake is being sold internationally by Films Boutique, while UTA is handling distribution in North America. The Directors' Fortnight, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival known for its focus on bold and independent filmmaking, does not use a traditional jury system. Instead, the People's Choice award, which includes a €7,500 ($8,400) cash prize, is determined entirely by audience votes. The award was established last year in partnership with the Chantal Akerman Foundation to honor the legacy of the late Belgian filmmaker, whose groundbreaking works such as Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles were closely tied to the spirit of the Fortnight.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sony Pictures Classics Takes North America & Multiple Territories For Cannes Caméra D'Or Winner ‘The President's Cake'
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and India for Cannes Caméra d'Or winner The President's Cake by Iraqi director Hasan Hadi. The film, which debuted in Directors' Fortnight, also proved a crowdpleaser in the Cannes parallel section, winning its People's Choice audience award. More from Deadline Janus Films Acquires Bi Gan's Cannes Prize-winner 'Resurrection' For North America Sergei Loznitsa's 'Two Prosecutors' Scores Fresh Deals For Coproduction Office - Cannes Netflix Buys Richard Linklater's 'Breathless' Homage & Love Letter To Cinema 'Nouvelle Vague' In Record Domestic Deal For A French-Language Movie Deadline critic Pete Hammond also fell for the film describing it as a 'a true gem and a real discovery'. Check out his review here. New York-based Hadi has tapped into his own childhood in southern Iraq in the 1990s, growing up under the regime of President Saddam Hussein and the socio-economic crisis provoked by international sanctions, for the film. The drama follows nine-year-old Lamia who gets the short straw of having to provide a birthday cake for her classmates to celebrate the president's birthday. Gathering the ingredients for the mandatory cake at a time of shortages is a monumental task but failure to deliver could lead to prison or death for her family. The movie is produced by Leah Chen Baker with executive producers including award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) and director Marielle Heller (Nightbitch, Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood). The film is made in association with Missing Piece Films, Working Barn Productions, Maiden Voyage Pictures and Spark Features. 'Winning the Caméra d'Or in a year with so many formidable directorial debuts and winning the Audience Award in the Directors' Fortnight, Hasan Hadi's The President's Cake is the surprise hit of this year's festival. In the tradition of major Cannes discoveries, these ovations and critical acclaim mark the beginning of a fresh voice destined to thrill audiences everywhere,' said Sony Pictures Classics. 'Since childhood, Sony Pictures Classics has been the go-to name for quality cinema and original storytelling. It's a dream come true—and a true honor—to now be part of that legacy. Their incredible history of championing international films and commitment to theatrical releases makes them the perfect home for The President's Cake,' added Hadi. The film was negotiated between UTA Independent Film Group, WME Independent and Sony Pictures Classics. Films Boutique represents international sales. Hadi is repped by UTA and Jonathan Gardner. The Sundance Film Institute and Doha Film Institute are among the many supporters of the film. Best of Deadline 'Hacks' Season 4 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About 'Hacks' Season 4 So Far 'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2
CairoScene
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Review: The President's Cake Is Cannes' Hidden Gem
Review: The President's Cake Is Cannes' Hidden Gem The film everyone should be talking about, but no one is for some reason, is Hasan Hadi's The President's Cake. A crowd-pleaser that brings to mind such classics as Majid Majidi's Children of Heaven, Abbas Kiarostami's Where is the Friend's House, and Theo Angelopoulos' Landscape in the Mist. It's 'draw day' across Iraq. In classrooms across the country, students are randomly selected to contribute to their school's mandatory celebration of Saddam Hussein's birthday. It's framed as an honour, but everyone knows the truth. Refusing could mean imprisonment or even death. Each school must bake one cake. Nine-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) does everything she can to avoid being picked. But when the teacher pulls her name from the tin, she has no choice. She must bake that cake or face the repercussions. There's just one problem. The country is starving and sanctions have wiped markets clean. Flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder are nearly impossible to find. Across chaotic markets and guarded checkpoints, Lamia hunts for what little remains. The ingredients now are worth more than gold. Two days before the national celebration, Lamia is joined by her neighbour, Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem). Together, they hitch a ride to a nearby city in search for the supplies. Their first lift comes from a seemingly kind mailman (Rahim Al Haj). They manage to find some eggs. However, it's not all smooth sailing. At a bakery, Lamia nearly gets caught trying to steal flour. Along the way, they meet a string of adults who take advantage of their innocence. In one of the film's most heart-breaking moments, Lamia sells her family's watch only to realise that the money is fake. While The President's Cake unfolds with the charm and simplicity of a modern-day fairy tale, it never loses sight of the quiet horrors that lie beneath. This is a story about a generation stripped of its childhood. Play is replaced by fear, and joy is rationed like food. It's set in a country scarred by war, crippled by sanctions, and held together by the fragile thread of blind obedience. What holds the people together is a quiet, enduring love. It's a love that flows between neighbours and clings to people who have nothing left but one another. By the end, Lamia sacrifices far more than time or effort. She loses the comforting illusions of childhood. What she gains is a painful awareness. That survival often comes at the cost of innocence. That even a child can be made to carry the weight of a corrupt system. This is the story of a young girl who, upon learning how the world truly works, is forced to grow up far too soon. Like the cake at the heart of the story, the film builds itself layer by layer. When the final layer is set, what's left is not just a coming-of-age tale. It's a haunting elegy for all the children who are forced to trade wonder for wisdom far too soon. The President's Cake is the hidden gem of the festival. It just might be the strongest film from the region to premiere this year at Cannes.
LBCI
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- LBCI
Iraq's first-ever director at Cannes Festival wins best feature debut
Hasan Hadi, the first filmmaker from Iraq to be selected for the prestigious Cannes Festival, on Saturday won a top prize for his childhood adventure under economic sanctions in "The President's Cake." His first feature-length film follows nine-year-old Lamia after her school teacher picks her to bake the class a cake for President Saddam Hussein's birthday or risk being denounced for disloyalty. It is the early 1990s, the country is under crippling U.N. sanctions, and she and her grandmother can barely afford to eat. The pair set off from their home in the marshlands into town to try to track down the unaffordable ingredients. Hadi dedicated his Camera d'Or award, which honors first-time directors, to "every kid or child around the world who somehow finds love, friendship, and joy amid war, sanctions, and dictatorship. "You are the real heroes," he said. He later shared the stage with dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who won the festival's Palme D'Or top prize for his "It Was Just an Accident," the tale of five ordinary Iranians confronting a man they believed tortured them in jail. "The President's Cake" has received excellent reviews since premiering last week in the Directors' Fortnight section. Cinema bible Variety called it a "tragicomic gem." Deadline said it was "head and shoulders above" some of the films in the running for the festival's Palme d'Or top prize, and "could turn out to be Iraq's first nominee for an Oscar." Also from the Middle East, Palestinian director Tawfeek Barhom received his award for his short film "I'm Glad You're Dead Now." After giving thanks, he took the opportunity to mention the war in Gaza. "In 20 years from now when we are visiting the Gaza Strip, try not to think about the dead and have a nice trip," he said. Outside the main competition, Gazan twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser on Friday received a directing award in the Certain Regard parallel section for "Once Upon A Time In Gaza." One of them dedicated the award to Palestinians, especially those living in their homeland of Gaza, which they left in 2012. He said that, when they hesitated to return to Cannes to receive the prize, his mother had encouraged him to go and tell the world about the suffering of people in Gaza. "She said, 'No, no, no, you have to go. Tell them to stop the genocide," he said. AFP
