TIFF’s Vanguard

It seems like an exciting new tidbit concerning this year’s Toronto International Film Festival comes down the pipe every other day. Not that I’m complaining mind you. The festival line-up continues to get stronger and stronger, and this latest announcement only adds to that.

The festival has announced a new program called “Vanguard” that, according to the festival, will be hitting audiences with a raw, pulsating aesthetic that speaks to sexual, cultural and cinematic freedoms. I don’t know exactly what that means, but I suppose it’s as good a way as any to explain cramming French sci-fi, Finnish kung-fu, Hong Kong gangsters, and lots of sex into the same ticket.

The full announcement can be found here. Personally, I’m most excited about:

  • Jade Warrior — A kung-fu film from Finland just seems like a punchline waiting to happen. Or an absolute stroke of brilliance. The only way to know is to watch it. Visit the website (where you can see a short teaser).
  • Renaissance — Visually, this French sci-fi animation looks something like a combination of Sin City, Blade Runner, and A Scanner Darkly. Watch the trailer.
  • Election 1+2 — I keep saying that I’m going to write off Johnnie To’s films, as I’ve been underwhelmed by almost everything I’ve seen from the man. But I keep watching his films for some reason. But the Election films have been garnerning praise and controversy left and right, enough to intrigue me yet again, and so I suppose I’ll be in the seats for these as well.
Enjoy reading Opus? Want to support my writing? Become a subscriber for just $5/month or $50/year.
Subscribe Today
Return to the Opus homepage