Toronto Film Festival Takeaways: Steven Spielberg’s Big Moment, Netflix’s Comeback and a Moribund Market
variety.comToronto Film Festival returned in spectacular fashion after two years of virtual premieres or limited capacity screenings. The parties were packed (which may lead to COVID outbreaks down the road, but… that’s showbiz?), the red carpets were glittering and the atmosphere was electric, bordering on euphoric, as director Rian Johnson’s acclaimed sequel “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story,” Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical “The Fabelmans” and the Harry Styles-led romantic drama “My Policeman” debuted to blockbuster-starved audiences in Canada.
Hollywood seemed eager to make up for lost time. So, as the curtain comes down on TIFF, here’s a look back at the major trends and takeaways from the 10-day festival. Venice Casts a Long Shadow Toronto has spent years cultivating a reputation as the perfect catapult into awards season.
In 2022, however, the Venice International Film Festival packed unbeatable heat by hosting highly anticipated films like “Blonde,” “Don’t Worry Darling,” and “The Whale,” as well as offering up significant star power in the form of Timothee Chalamet, Brad Pitt, Ana de Armas, Florence Pugh, and Rege-Jean Page.
The shadow cast by Venice was very long, leading many at TIFF to groan about second-run screenings, like “The Whale,” Hugh Jackman’s “The Son” and director Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Toronto certainly had some bragging rights, namely the buzzy premiere of “The Fabelmans” and the presences of A-listers including Jennifer Lawrence and Harry Styles, who lit up the streets with the debuts of “Causeway” and “My Policeman.” Still, the Canadian celebration of cinema struggled to compete for the same attention (and headlines) as its Italian counterpart. Great Movies…But
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