The 38th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) takes place from September 5–15, taking over the city with swaths of movie stars, swanky parties, and an incredible batch of films. In between attempts to bump into your favourite celebrity, be sure to check out the wide variety of films on hand — anyone under 25 can secure a single ticket for $17, purchased in advance or in the Rush line right before the screening. Since it can be hard to know which of the 288 films are worth your time, The Varsity presents a round-up of TIFF presentations for fans of science and technology.
For the technophobe or tech-obsessed
According to the TIFF website Beeban Kidron’s documentary InRealLife “encourages us to think critically about our adoption of technology.” Interviewing teenagers alongside experts from Wikipedia, Microsoft, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kidron sheds light on the effect of the internet on relationships, sexual attitudes, and the documentation of personal histories. Following the film is a talk with the director to further explore the ideas presented and reflect on the social rules created by a constantly connected society. You will probably think twice before sending that next tweet.
For the space enthusiast
George Clooney and Sandra Bullock play a pair of wise-cracking astronauts in Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. Taking place 600 kilometres above Earth, the film treats viewers to breathtaking visuals of our planet and the surrounding solar system. Space proves to be as terrifying as it is beautiful when things start to go terribly wrong, turning life into a thrilling fight for survival.
For the budding psychologist
In Lisa Langseth’s Hotell, Erika (Alicia Vikander) finds herself in group therapy after a bout of catatonic depression following the chaotic arrival of her firstborn child. A spark of inspiration comes after hearing about a woman who thinks of herself as a hotel, able to change “rooms,” or perspectives, at will. Erika and her fellow patients — obsessed with Mayan culture, fear, and sex, respectively — try to start a new, healthier life by entering into a more positive room.
For the strong-stomached sci-fi fan
Seth (Graham Skipper) is traumatized when his best friend Mark (Josh Ethier) disappears in a pop of blue light, but the real horrors happen two years later in Joe Begos’ grisly Almost Human. Mark returns to town alongside a gruesome set of murders, and it becomes apparent that Mark really isn’t Mark anymore; a forceful alien abduction has turned him into something else entirely. Seth’s terrifying journey to stop the string of violence is bound to keep you looking over your shoulder for at least a week.
For the health nut
Mariana Chenillo’s Paradise follows a couple who make a pact to lose weight together, fueled by negative comments and body shame from their new big-city acquaintances. When increased focus on diet and exercise proves more effective for one lover than the other, the couple’s once-stable relationship is threatened. This romantic comedy highlights our society’s fascination with being thin.
For the environmentalist
A trio of environmental activists-turned-eco-terrorists plan to blow up a dam in Kelly Reichardt’s Night Moves. Both thrilling and morally poignant, this film is bound to make you question what you would be willing to do to protect the beliefs around which you build your identity.
For the science fiction historian
Jordorowsky’s Dune is a documentary directed by Frank Pavich that profiles the development of the never-made 1975 film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel of the same name. A celebration of the creativity and vision put into pre-production planning rather than a lamentation about what never was, this documentary shows how Jordorowsky’s ideas cleared a path for the large-scale epics created in following years.
