As a film enthusiast with over three decades of cinematic exploration under my belt, I must say that the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has always been a highlight of my annual movie-watching calendar. This year’s event, however, has certainly provided an interesting twist – one that seems to have become an unwelcome tradition: protests.
Protests have hit the Toronto International Film Festival for a second year running, although this year’s disruption has been markedly different. The prestigious film festival officially opened on Thursday night, kicking things off with the premiere of Ben Stiller’s big-screen return, Nutcrackers. The new movie marks Stiller’s first acting role in seven years, as he has spent the last few years focusing on directing.
Despite the film “Nutcracker” receiving positive reviews, the associated event encountered some issues. A group of protesters temporarily halted the screening at an event hosted by TIFF, as seen in a video posted by Kyle Buchanan of The New York Times. These protesters were rallying against one of the event’s main sponsors, RBC (Royal Bank of Canada). They chanted that RBC was funding genocide and waved signs with messages like “RBC Is Killing Our Future” and “RBC Off Screen.” The protests stemmed from allegations that RBC has investments in weapon manufacturers profiting from the ongoing conflict in Gaza. After approximately seven minutes, the protesters were removed by security, allowing the rest of the screening to continue smoothly.
2023’s protest at the Toronto International Film Festival was significantly larger than this year’s. Typically held in early September, the festival faced challenges due to ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes in that particular year. Many productions rely on film festivals as a platform for generating interest in their new movies. Unfortunately, with all A-list celebrities participating in the strike, the 2023 TIFF had to find alternative methods of promoting its lineup of films without its major stars present.
Nutcrackers Is a Triumphant Return for Ben Stiller
Following the subsiding of the disturbance, the debut showing of the movie “Nutcrackers,” directed by David Gordon Green, turned out to be an exceptional triumph. This fresh production has been characterized as a humorous fish-out-of-water tale, complete with bathroom humor and unexpected ballet performances. Stiller plays Uncle Mike, who finds himself caring for his four nieces and nephews after the sudden demise of his sister and her spouse. Initially seeming like a rather somber storyline, this film turns out to be an uplifting, seasonal comedy – a surprising pick to launch a renowned global film festival.
For the past seven years, Ben Stiller has been honing his skills as a filmmaker, focusing on projects like the critically-acclaimed Apple TV+ series “Severance” and the 2018 miniseries “Escape at Dannemora”. Despite being an accomplished director, having directed hits such as “Tropic Thunder” and “Zoolander”, Stiller takes on a new challenge with “Nutcrackers”. Interestingly, unlike Stiller, his co-stars are not professional actors. Instead, they are four children from a family that director David Gordon Green encountered during a visit to a friend in Ohio.
No trailer or release date has yet been revealed for
Nutcrackers
.
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2024-09-06 19:03