TIFF 2023 Films by Female Directors: Shannon’s Picks
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023 has come to a close. This year, I had attended the Industry Conference, as I do every year, and between events and parties, managed to screen a few films directed by women – and loved them. Here are the highlights:
Me, attending the Women in Film and TV TIFF party
- La Chimera:
A romantic drama set in the 1980s in Tuscany, Italy. Directed and written by Alice Rohrwatcher and starring Isabella Rossellini and Josh O’Connor. La Chimera is a story is about a young English archaeologist who gets involved in the underground world of the ‘tombaroli,’ the nocturnal raiders of tombs and thieves of stolen Etruscan artifacts, and “lost love.” The film also has a female cinematographer, Hélène Louvart, and editor, Nelly Quettier – a powerhouse of female talent.
- Origin:
At the heart of the story is “connecting” the roots of discrimination of India’s caste system, racism in the United States, and the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. Origin is a biographical drama written and directed by Ava DuVernay (U.S.), based on the award-winning book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Pulizer-Prize writer, Isabel Wilkerson. The film delves into the life of Wilkerson as she journeys into writing the book while grieving. Starring Connie Nielsen as Wilkerson, and includes Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
- The Peasants:
From the makers of the Oscar-nominated film, Loving Vincent, The Peasants is a Polish film about a 20th century, teenaged girl, Jagna, known for her beauty who is forced to marry a rich older farmer, despite her love for his son. This causes the village to gossip and ultimately shun her. But all along she longs for independence and freedom, to be herself and love who she desires. The story was adapted from a 20th century Nobel Prize-winning novel written by Polish author Władysław Reymont.
The film was shot using live-action and then all the individual film frames were hand-painted by dozens of artists, with the end result looking like a moving painting from the 20th century.
Directed by Dorota (DK) Kobiela along with Hugh Welchman (wife and husband team), who are based in Poland. Starring Kamila Urzedowska as Jagna, Mirosław Baka as Boryna the wealthy farmer, and Robert Gulaczyk (Loving Vincent) as his son and Jagna’s love interest, Antek.
Me, attending the India Film Industry TIFF party (photo credit: Bill Newcott)
There were other films by women screening at the festival, but unfortunately these are the only one’s I was able to screen.
Please support women in the film and television industry.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning inspirational television host/producer of ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com, speaker and writer covering travel, wellness and wine.
