News

Exclusive: Veteran manager Trent Hubbard will join Linden Entertainment.

Hubbard moves to Linden after four years at Echo Lake Entertainment and previous to that he was in the Motion Picture Talent Department at UTA. He is currently executive producing Adam Rehmeier’s feature film Carolina Caroline starring Samara Weaving; executive producing Alok Vaid-Menon’s comedy special Biology!, who Hubbard represents and just secured a first look deal in Sony TV for them and executive producing Meredith Alloway’s directorial debut Forbidden Fruits with Mason Novick and Diablo Cody which is written by Alloway and Lily Houghton, both of whom Hubbard will continue to represent at Linden. Hubbard is also on the advisory board of the non-profit Rainbow Labs.

Other clients that will follow Hubbard includes Sarah Ramos (The Bear); Shirley Chen (Didi); Sarah Kameela Impey (We Are Lady Parts); Nadia Tereszkiewicz (Forever Young); Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl); Charly Clive (The...

Paris-based Loco Films has boarded “Paying For It,” Canadian helmer Sook-Yin Lee (“Octavio is Dead!”)’s adaptation of Chester Brown’s best-selling graphic novel. The movie is world premiering at Toronto Film Festival in the competitive Platform section.

Co-written by Lee and Joanne Sarazen, the live action movie stars Dan Beirne, emerging actor Emily Lê (“Riceboy Sleeps”), and acclaimed activist, author and performer Andrea Werhun.

The film explores the themes of love, sex and non-monogamy for adults. It’s set in the late 90s and revolves around Chester, an introverted cartoonist who starts sleeping with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy after his girlfriend, Sonny, decides to redefine their committed relationship.

“Paying For It” is produced by Matt Code of Wildling Pictures, whose credits include “See for Me,” “Mary Goes Round” and the upcoming “Young Werther;” as well as Sonya Di Rienzo and Aeschylus Poulos of Hawkeye Pictures...

Exclusive: XYZ Films has closed a raft of international deals on SXSW Midnighter thriller Kryptic, starring Chloe Pirrie (The Queen’s Gambit).

The feature has sold to Wild Bunch for Germany, Tfg for Greece, Plaion for Italy, NonStop for Scandinavia, Inopia for Spain, Capella for Cis/Baltics, Falcon for the Middle East, Antenna for Malaysia, Pioneer for the Philippines, Sahamongkol for Thailand, Shaw for Singapore, Moviecloud for Taiwan and Jnc for Vietnam.

The film, which premiered at SXSW in the Midnight strand, is a psycho-thriller about a woman’s (Pirrie) search for a missing monster hunter and her growing realization that she is inescapably linked to the creature being pursued.

Pic was directed by Kortney Roy (Slice of Heaven), written by Paul Bromley (Ouija), and also stars Jeff Gladstone (Resident Alien) and Jason Deline (The Night Agent). Producers are Amber Ripley, Sophie Venner and Josh Huculiak with XYZ Films executive-producing and...

D.W. Waterson’s cheer drama Backspot, also produced by Elliot Page under Page Boy Productions, aims to tell a more well-rounded and ambitious story about the seemingly glamorous but occupationally hazardous world of competitive cheerleading. The film follows Riley (Devery Jacobs), an ambitious cheerleader hell-bent on perfection, as she, alongside her girlfriend (Kudakwashe Rutendo) and their best friend (Noa Dibertro), land highly competitive spots on a prestigious all-star cheerleading squad led by an overbearing head coach (Evan Rachel Wood) and her presiding assistant coach Thomas Antony Olajide). The film acts as a multi-hyphenate social commentary on queerness, mental health and coming-of-age tale for young women in sports.

Here, Deadline talks to Waterson about executing the perfect shot, casting their star leads and cinematic inspirations.

Deadline: What were some of the films that inspired Backspot?

D. W. Waterson: Bend It Like Beckham had a huge influence on me growing up.

The number of movies about gifted youngsters sacrificing the traditional teen experience in favor of artistic perfection or academic excellence is immeasurable. "Stick It" peered into the world of Olympic hopeful gymnastics, "Whiplash" pulled back the curtain of elite musicianship, and "Bring It On" turned the world of competitive cheerleading into one of the greatest teen films ever made. This is all to say, coming-of-age stories in this territory are well-tread, so finding a way to stand out among so many all-time greats is a massive undertaking. Fortunately, for D.W. Waterson's directorial feature film debut, "Backspot," this stylish, unapologetically queer look at the world of All-Star Cheerleading (not to be confused with high school cheerleading) is a soaring breath of fresh air.

Written by Joanne Sarazen, "Reservation Dogs" star Devery Jacobs commands the tale as star cheerleader Riley, who is given the opportunity to audition for the elite competitive squad,...

On Wednesday May 29, Drew Barrymore and Ross Mathews cover the latest headlines, including the unusual item Calvin Harris brings on flights to avoid jet lag. Barrymore and Mathews are then joined by actor Elliot Page and actress Devery Jacobs, who discuss their new film about competitive cheerleading, “Backspot”. Elliot Page is a Canadian actor […]

The Drew Barrymore Show: Elliot Page, Devery Jacobs...

The 21st century cheerleader is an athlete unlike any other. With a wide-eyed grin, flashy makeup and a glittering bow to match, she is required to be sturdy yet feminine; pliant yet steely. In “Backspot,” D.W. Waterson’s feature directorial debut, the Canadian filmmaker has crafted a thrilling character portrait that puts those seemingly incongruent demands to the test. And, in the process, they have created a bold showcase for Devery Jacobs (“Reservation Dogs”), an actress who deftly captures the vexing tightrope walk required of young women in such a demanding, performance-driven, sport.

What’s immediately noticeable when you first meet Riley (Jacobs) are her eyebrows. Waterson doesn’t have us fixate on them but as you witness Riley going about her cheerleading practice with, among others, her girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo), you can’t help but wonder why they’re so thinned out. She’s a capable athlete whose...

XYZ Films has acquired U.S. rights to the classic Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title “The World is Yours” directed by Romain Gavras from StudioCanal and to the TIFF hit film “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” directed by Simon Hawkins and Zeke Hawkins. The hyper-stylized films are the first titles in a new XYZ initiative to introduce audiences to classic festival hits that cater to cinema fans.

“The World is Yours” premiered at Cannes in 2018 and stars Karim Leklou, Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Cassel and Oulaya Amamra and was co-written by Gavras, Karim Boukercha and Noe Debre. In the film, a mid-level drug dealer (Leklou) dreams of having a new life, but his mother (Adjani) has gambled away his savings. He must take one last job in Spain, but his entourage gets involved: his mother, his ex-con friend, his crush, and possibly The Illuminati.

Meanwhile, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place...

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens have teamed up for exorcism horror film “The Ritual” from director David Midell.

XYZ Films has acquired worldwide rights to the feature, with plans to release it theatrically in 2025 and arrange international distribution at the upcoming Cannes market.

“The Ritual” was written by Midell and Enrico Natale and produced by Andrew Stevens, Mitchell Welch and Natale. Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen round out the cast.

Based on a true story, “The Ritual” follows two priests — one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history.

BondIt Media Capital provided financing for the project,...

The Darkness Outside Us is looking to move from the page to the screen.

Pageboy Productions, the shingle run by Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page, Matt Jordan Smith and Tuck Dowrey, has optioned the rights to the 2021 YA sci-fi novel.

Author Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us is a love story about two young men from enemy countries put aboard a space craft on a rescue mission. Along the way, they learn they must work together, and that love may be the key to survival.

“We are proud to stand behind Eliot’s remarkable work. The Darkness Outside Us is exactly the type of story we want to champion at Pageboy – it’s subversive and deeply human at its core,” said Page, Jordan Smith and Dowrey in a statement. “It’s a complex love story, inventive thriller, and a space epic with twists at every turn. We cannot wait to...

"This world is not kind to weak people." XYZ Films has revealed the trailer for a Canadian cheerleading film called Backspot, which plays more a serious drama or intense thriller than a sports comedy or satire. This is similar to that rowing film The Novice a few years ago. This premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival last year and hits US theaters in May. Devery Jacobs (from "Reservation Dogs") stars as Riley, who is given the chance to cheer with the all-star squad, Thunderhawks. With a competition looming, Riley must navigate her crippling anxiety, her relationship with her girlfriend, and also her desperate need for approval from her new coach. One positive review states: “You may think you know your sports movie tropes, but you’ve never seen them used quite this way — that is, within a queer cheerleading drama firmly focused on complex female characters — and Waterson’s Backspot delights in skewing such expectations.

“Shazam” star Zachary Levi is set to headline rock-climbing action thriller “Free Fall” for XYZ Films, with acclaimed New Zealand stuntwoman and stunt coordinator Zoë Bell tapped to direct.

The film — written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker — tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Production is set to start later this year in New Zealand. Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing, with Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker and Levi.

Bell began her career as a stunt performer on “Xena: Warrior Princess” and then alongside Quentin Tarantino as a stunt woman and coordinator over a decades-long relationship. She has worked on films such as “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Kill Bill,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,...

Reservation Dogs star Devery Jacobs and The Last of Us‘ Lamar Johnson are set to receive special awards at the Canadian Screen Awards.

On Thursday, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television said Jacobs would receive the Radius Award as the actress, writer, director and producer from the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory uses her growing career platform to campaign for indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ rights. In addition to Reservation Dogs, Jacobs stars alongside Alaqua Cox in Marvel’s Echo. She also starred in and produced Backspot, a feature film set in the world of competitive cheerleading.

A Radius Award will also go to Johnson, an actor, director, dancer and artist who received an Emmy nomination for playing Henry Burrell on HBO’s The Last of Us series. Johnson earned a 2023 Canadian Screen Award for his co-starring role in Clement Virgo’s Brother and will also appear in Netflix’s upcoming Western drama The Abandons.

Atx TV Festival announced new updates to its line-up Wednesday, including screenings of Fargo, Pretty Little Liars and the Season 3 premiere of HBO’s critically acclaimed Industry. All of these are in addition to the previously announced Suits reunion panel that’s set to take place at the annual Austin, Texas event later this spring.

Fargo creator, writer and director Noah Hawley will join for a screening of Season 5, Episode 1 (“The Tragedy of the Commons”), followed by a conversation about the overall season, which stars Juno Temple, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

More from TVLineI Apparently Inspired a Scene...

Elliot Page stepped out for the 2024 BFI Flare film festival premiere of his new movie Close to You held at BFI Southbank on Thursday (March 14) in London.

The 37-year-old actor co-wrote, produced and stars in the film, which is his first movie since 2017!

He was joined at the European premiere of the movie by co-writer and director Dominic Savage, as well as co-star Hillary Baack. The next day, Elliot went solo at a conversation for the film.

During a recent interview ahead of the film fest, Elliot opened up about making the new movie, and shared why he wouldn’t have been able to make it before transitioning.

Keep reading to find out more…

“It was [cathartic] for me, absolutely. There was a very specific certain love that I felt for acting a long time ago I felt so deeply doing this, and that itself was so healing and beautiful. To...

Echo and Reservation Dogs standout Devery Jacobs will be honored at this year’s Atx TV Festival with the 2024 Breakthrough Award. The award is given to a creative “whose voice has made a distinct impact on the current moment in TV and whose work exemplifies the emotional, entertaining, and artistic possibilities of the medium”, the festival announced Wednesday.

Jacobs will discuss her career in a one-on-one conversation, including her multi-hyphenate role as actor, writer and director on FX’s critically acclaimed series Reservation Dogs, her recent role in Marvel Studios’ Echo, and her producorial debut feature film, Backspot, in which she also stars.

Previous recipients of the award include Angelica Ross (Pose) and Sydney Sweeney.

The fest also will announce live TV-themed episode taping of The Ringer’s original podcast Trial By Content with hosts Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales and Neil Miller, as well as additional...

“Reservation Dogs” star Devery Jacobs will be honored at the 2024 Atx TV Festival. Jacobs will discuss her career as an actor, writer and director on the FX hit, as well as her role in “Echo” and her producorial debut feature film “Backspot,” as she’s awarded the “Breakthrough Award.”

Previous recipients include Angelica Ross and Sydney Sweeney.

On Wednesday, the festival also announced panels with Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel, a casting panel featuring directors and actors from “The Bear” and “Reservation Dogs” and a live podcast.

“Talk Scary (TV) to Me: A Conversation with Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel” will feature Flanagan, the creator of “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “Midnight Mass” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” and his wife, actor Kate Siegel, as they break down their collaborations and the current state of horror on television.

During “The Monologue Case Study with Mike Flanagan,” the...

“Tatami,” the Iranian drama from co-directors Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir, has been picked up by XYZ Films for North America, where both lip-synched English and original language versions will be released later this year.

The feature, which bowed in Venice 2023 where it won the Brian Award, made history by becoming the first film to be jointly directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker.

Starring Arienne Mandi, Amir, Jaime Ray Newman and Ash Goldeh, and written by Nattiv — an Oscar winner for his short film “Skin” — and Elham Erfani, “Tatami” is set during the Judo World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Midway through the competition, Iranian female judo fighter Leila (Mandi) and her coach Maryam (Amir ) receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and lose, lest she be branded a traitor of the state. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake,...

XYZ Films has just scooped up the US distribution rights for ‘Skyline: Warpath.’ This sci-fi action film, packed with martial arts, is a fresh creation from Liam O’Donnell, known for his work on ‘Beyond Skyline.’ The film shines with stars like Iko Uwais from ‘The Raid’ and Scott Adkins of ‘Undisputed’ fame. Joining them are Louis Mandylor, Randall J. Bacon, and Yayan Ruhain.

‘Skyline: Warpath’ is set in the same universe as O’Donnell’s previous work and takes place five years after ‘Beyond Skyline.’ The story revolves around Sua, played by Iko Uwais, leading a resistance against alien invaders. Things heat up with the discovery of the Radial Gauntlet, an alien artifact. Sua faces challenges from the corrupt Eric, portrayed by Scott Adkins, and a relentless alien army.

This film marks another collaboration between Uwais and XYZ Films. Their past projects include the global hit ‘The Raid’ and the sci-fi action film ‘Ash,...

With the strikes, I didn’t have the chance to express my feelings around Reservation Dogs’ ending. What’s that expression, if a tree falls in a forest and no one’s around to hear it, does it even make a noise? How do you reckon with the show that’s really changed all our lives coming to a close? I think I’m inching closer toward processing it.

Nobody really knew that it was going to be the end until halfway through the [third season]. That’s when we started hearing whispers. But Sterlin [Harjo] has been our leader. If he felt like this is where we close the story, then we have to respect him. For me, I knew that my character Elora Danan’s journey had to come to an end either way. If the show had continued, we wouldn’t have been following her as closely. Even if the character is fictitious,...

Exclusive: XYZ Films has acquired U.S. and Australia/Nz rights to distribute the TIFF sports drama Backspot, directed by first-time feature filmmaker D.W. Waterson and starring Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs) and Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld).

XYZ Films will release the film domestically and has set a theatrical release for spring of 2024.

The rights deal was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group with James Emanuel Shapiro from XYZ Films.

In the film, an ambitious cheerleader (Jacobs) faces both new adversity and the increased drive for perfection and triumph when she and her girlfriend are selected for an all-star cheer squad with an overbearing head coach (Evan Rachel Wood).

The film was written by Joanne Sarazen with a story by D.W. Waterson, and is produced by Alona Metzer, D.W. Waterson, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs and Martin Katz, and is executive-produced by Elliot Page, Matthew Jordan Smith, J.C. Davidson and Katisha Shaw,...

The 48th Toronto International Film Festival, from which I just returned, technically runs through Sunday, but by this point, virtually every film in the lineup has screened at least once. So, I thought I’d seize this opportunity to share some impressions of this year’s fest and the awards hopefuls that played there and also offer some informed speculation about which film could pick up some wind behind its award season sails on Sunday when the fest announces the winner of its TIFF Audience Award.

What was the vibe at this year’s fest?

Given the ongoing strikes of actors and writers, red carpets and pre-screening introductions were far less star-studded than in other years. My concern was that this — and the fact that very few of the award season’s most highly anticipated films had elected to premiere at TIFF — could really depress attendance. That, in turn, might...

Pedro Almodóvar, Spike Lee and Patricia Arquette were among those accepting honors at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute awards Sunday night: George Pimentel photographed the red carpet and inside the show for TheWrap.

Thanks to SAG-AFTRA strike waivers, several actors including Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke, were also on hand. “Sing Sing” and “Rustin” actor Colman Domingo was also able to collect his Tribute Performer Award in person, as was “The Dead Don’t Die” star Vicky Krieps.

Enjoy these shots of Lee, who was there to receive the Ebert Director Award, and more awards recipients and presenters.

Photo by George Pimentel

Willem Dafoe plays a Hunter S. Thompson-esque writer in “Gonzo Girl” from director Patricia Arquette.

Photo by George Pimentel

“Daisy Jones & the Six” actress Camila Morrone co-stars with Willem Dafoe in “Gonzo Girl,” the directorial debut of Patricia Arquette.

Photo by George Pimentel

Patricia Arquette went...

High school is challenging, competitive, and traumatic enough as it is. But in “Backspot,” the new feature-length directorial effort and cheerleading drama from filmmaker D.W. Waterson (web series “That’s My DJ”), the melodramas and complications of adolescence for young girls and the sometimes-unforgiving cliques they travel among, are nothing compared to the rigors and stresses of what young girls endure in the aggressively driven world of cheerleading.

Continue reading ‘Backspot’ Review: ‘Reservation Dogs’ Breakout Star Devery Jacobs Can’t Save A Visually Overwrought Cheerleader Drama [TIFF] at The Playlist.

If you’re looking for recent movies about the uniquely harrowing experience of female perfectionism, there’s the Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana, Lauren Hadaway’s gut-punching feature debut The Novice, and now Backspot, the debut feature from Canadian DJ and director D. W. Waterson. Backspot has all the trappings of an impactful story, putting capable actors like Devery Jacobs and Evan Rachel Wood in the pressure cooker of competitive cheerleading. Unfortunately, this movie is far more concerned with bassy beats and showy camerawork than it is with making a point.

Our protagonist is Riley (Jacobs), a neurotic backspot who gets recruited into an elite squad, the Thunderhawks, just before a big competition. Together with her girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo) and friend Rachel (Noa Diberto), Riley tries to withstand the brutal new standards set forth by their exacting coach, Eileen (Evan Rachel Wood). Riley, who shares her home with an aggressive,...

What would a teen sports movie be without (deep breath): family troubles, physical trauma, classifiable disorders, emotional upheavals, demanding coaches, all-important final competitions, fraying romantic relationships, major intra-team drama, secrets, lies, drugs, drinking, partying, out of control ambition, and unchecked competitive spirit? But while all those elements might feel, sound, and look familiar, reoriented within D.W. Waterson’s feature filmmaking debut, they take on fresh power. You may think you know your sports movie tropes, but you’ve never seen them used quite this way — that is, within a queer cheerleading drama firmly focused on complex female characters — and Waterson’s “Backspot” delights in skewing such expectations for often (but not always) new ends.

Featuring “Reservation Dogs” star Devery Jacobs (who also produces the project) in yet another breakout role in a seeming string of them, “Backspot” won’t necessarily surprise its audience, but it will give them a...

Deadline launched its photo studio, hosting talent from Sept 8-11 at the Toronto Film Festival, as cast members of TIFF-premiering films stopped by including Harmony Korine for Aggro Dr1ft; Billy Bryk, Finn Wolfhard, Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn from Hell of a Summer; Viggo Mortensen, Vicky Krieps from The Dead Don’t Hurt; Kristoffer Borgli & Nicolas Cage for Dream Scenario; Neve Campbell, from Swan Song; Bowen Yang, Arron Jackson, Josh Sharp for Dicks The Musical; Camila Morrone, Patrica Arquette, Willem Dafoe for Gonzo Girl; Elliot Page for Backspot; Wim Wenders and Koji Yakusho from Perfect Days and many more.

Related: 2023 Toronto Film Festival Photos: Premieres, Red Carpet And Parties

Stay tuned for more photo galleries from the Deadline studio at TIFF 2023.

For years, D.W. Waterson’s go-to performance look for their DJ sets was a purple cheerleading uniform.

“For some reason, it just really gets the audience going,” Waterson tells Variety. “Cheerleaders are hype men — they’re the best people to get people excited.”

Waterson didn’t know too much about cheer itself, but they found that wearing the outfit — combined with growing up in a sports-heavy household — made them want to dive deeper into the world of cheer. “There’s a sense of cheerleaders being misrepresented that made me really curious,” Waterson says.

After creating and directing the award-winning web series “That’s My DJ,” Waterson had been searching for the right story for their feature-length debut — and found that there was a rather large gap in the oeuvre of films about cheerleading.

“Seeing what’s expected from these young girls when you’re throwing bodies super high in the...

What does it mean to be one of the “hottest” or “buzziest” titles in a film festival sales market if there’s no stars drum up that excitement? Or if there’s little likelihood of an all-night bidding war by a streamer spending in the 7-figures to land their next Oscar contender?

As we reported earlier today, those are all ways in which the strike threatens to weigh on the film markets at Venice, Telluride, and Toronto. A handful of those films are directorial debuts by famous actors-turned-filmmakers, and some even have interim agreements from SAG-AFTRA that will let them promote. But all these films should stand on their own merits and could catch the eyes of the many non-amptp distributors that need creative ways to fill out their slates.

In part because of the strikes, the Venice and TIFF slates are loaded with independent movies without U.S. distribution,...

“This was the year we were supposed to be going back to movie theaters.” So said producer Marty Katz during a recent interview with IndieWire in advance of the start of the fall festival season. And yet, for the third year in a row, there’s something else keeping things from being business as usual.

That, of course, is the dual strike, which means that dozens of movies premiering at the upcoming fall festivals — including Toronto, Venice, or Telluride — will be without stars on the red carpet or doing the usual promotional push. And while that strike rule is designed to hurt the studios looking to launch their awards titles for the year — and remind them of the necessity of stars to promote their films — smaller projects on the market without a home will inevitably take a hit too.

It’s a sacrifice indie producers like Katz are willing to make,...

Canadian distributor LevelFilm has hired two executives from Sphere Films in leadership roles.

Olivier Gauthier-Mercier joins as VP, distribution and Lainie Elton as VP, sales and acquisitions. Gauthier-Mercier was previously VP, distribution at Sphere Films where he oversaw the releases of Ari Aster’s “Beau is Afraid,” Kelly Reichardt’s “Showing Up” and Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun.”

Lainie Elton returns to LevelFilm after heading up licensing and digital strategy at Sphere Films as a vice president. Elton was previously VP, sales at LevelFilm for five years shepherding “Firecrackers,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and “The Assistant.” The executive was also instrumental in establishing LevelFilm’s relationships with Netflix and Rogers.

Upcoming LevelFilm releases include musical biopic “Dreamin’ Wild,” starring Casey Affleck, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Messina and Walton Goggins and Ben Kingsley-led drama “Jules.’ At the Toronto International Film Festival 2023, LevelFilm has Elliot Page-produced queer cheer drama “Backspot,...

Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi, 2023).The lineup is being unveiled for the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, starting with 60 selections from the Gala and Special Presentations programs. The festival takes place from September 7–17, 2023.Gala PRESENTATIONSConcrete Utopia (Um Tae-Hwa)Dumb Money (Craig Gillespie)Fair Play (Chloe Domont)Flora and Son (John Carney)Hate to Love: Nickelback (Leigh Brooks)Lee (Ellen Kuras)Next Goal Wins (Taika Waititi)Nyad (Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin)Punjab ’95 (Honey Trehan)Solo (Sophie Dupuis)The End We Start From (Mahalia Belo)The Movie Emperor (Ning Hao)The New Boy (Warwick Thornton) The Royal Hotel (Kitty Green)The Holdovers.Special Presentationsa Difficult Year (Éric Toledano, Olivier Nakache)A Normal Family (Hur Jin-ho)American Fiction (Cord Jefferson)Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)Close to You (Dominic Savage)Days of Happiness (Chloé Robichaud)The Rescue (Daniela Goggi)Ezra (Tony Goldwyn)Fingernails (Christos Nikou)Four Daughters (Kaouther Ben Hania...

Toronto — The Toronto International Film Festival® is thrilled to announce the 2023 selections for the Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes. The infamous Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, 7 of which are World Premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily boasts World and International Premieres, includes 26 titles. Notably, 13 female filmmakers representing 50% of the total programme are featured in this year’s Discovery programme.

Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favourite, iconoclastic programme highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery programme offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.

“We’re excited to be showcasing new voices, audacious vision, and genre-bending cinema,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “TIFF’s Discovery and Midnight Madness programmes for 2023 will once again prove to be the ultimate destination for tastemakers and experience seekers.

New films from Patricia Arquette, Larry Charles, Harmony Korine and Finn Wolfhard will screen in the Midnight Madness and Discovery sections of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Thursday.

Korine’s “Aggro DR1FT” and Charles’ “Dicks: The Musical” will screen in the Midnight Madness section, along with eight other films that also include Jason Yu’s “Sleep” and Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s “Hell of a Summer.”

“Dicks: The Musical,” which TIFF Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky called “bonkers and bawdy” in the press release announcing the lineups, will open the Midnight Madness section, while Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire” will be the closing-night attraction.

The Discovery section will showcase 26 films from up-and-coming directors around the world. It will open with Arquette’s “Gonzo Girl,” which stars Willem Dafoe and Camilla Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six”) and is one of many TIFF titles from actors who have turned to directing.

The Toronto International Film Festival has today announced the lineup for two of its more unpredictable and interesting sections: Discovery and Midnight Madness. Billed as “the infamous,” this year’s Midnight Madness lineup features 10 titles, seven of which are world premieres. The Discovery lineup, which primarily includes world and international premieres, includes 26 titles.

Per TIFF, both “Midnight Madness and Discovery provide a cornucopia of original and unexpected work. Midnight Madness is a fan favorite, iconoclastic program highlighting the weird and the wicked, while the Discovery program offers a window to contemporary international cinema and introduces the public to first and second feature films from gifted new filmmakers.” The festival’s announcement also notes that 13 female filmmakers, representing 50 percent of the total program, are featured in this year’s Discovery lineup.

Those films include new offerings from Harmony Korine and Larry Charles, plus — as Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International Programmer, Midnight Madness,...

The Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar will open with Borat director Larry Charles’ latest movie Dicks: The Musical getting a world premiere.

Charles’ latest film, from A24 and in theaters from Sept. 29, stars Megan Mullally, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang as God and Nathan Lane, as the comedy duo of Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp (who also wrote the film’s script) play self-obsessed businessmen who discover they’re long-lost identical twins and come together to plot the reunion of their eccentric and divorced parents.

“This year’s madness infectiously ignites with 11 o’clock numbers that go all the way to midnight courtesy of Larry Charles’ bonkers and bawdy Dicks: The Musical. A menagerie of tastes will be sated, so bottoms up!” Peter Kuplowsky, TIFF International programmer of Midnight Madness, said in a statement on Thursday.

The latest additions to the Toronto Film Festival also include the lineup...

Production wrapped recently in Canada.

Elliot Page and Hillary Baack have been unveiled as the stars of Close To You from Bafta-winning writer and director Dominic Savage.

Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee developed the project under their Me + You Productions label in the UK and produce alongside Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada, and Savage and Page, who conceived and co-wrote the story.

Kindred Spirit is co-financing the feature and Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw The TV Glow) serve as executive producers alongside Rolling Dice’s Nia Vazirani (The Trial Of The Chicago 7...

Elliot Page (Oscar-nominee for “Juno” and star of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy”) and Hillary Baack (“Sound of Metal) will star in “Close to You.” The new film from the BAFTA-winning writer/director Dominic Savage (“The Escape” and “I am Ruth”) will be co-financed by Kindred Spirit, with Anita Gou and Sam Intili executive producing alongside Rolling Dice’s Nai Vazirani.

Executive producers include Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions. Producers are Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee who developed the project under their Me + You Productions banner in the UK and Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada. Savage and Page are also producing after conceiving and co-authoring the story together.

Principal photography was recently completed in Canada. The picture stars Page as Sam, who has a fluke encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a family reunion which...

Academy Award nominee Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy) is set to star opposite Hillary Baack (Sound of Metal) in Close to You, a new film from BAFTA-winning writer-director Dominic Savage (I Am…), which has wrapped production in Canada.

Pic follows Sam (Page), who has a chance encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a dreaded family reunion that forces him to confront long-buried memories.

Producers include Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee, who developed the project under their UK banner, Me + You Productions; Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada; and Savage and Page, who together conceived and co-authored the story. Kindred Spirit is co-financing with Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw the TV Glow) exec producing alongside Rolling Dices Nia Vazirani (The Trial of Chicago 7), as well as Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions.

Devery Jacobs is stepping behind the camera for season three of Reservation Dogs.

Jacobs, who’s also a writer on the critically hailed, FX-produced Hulu series, directed the seventh episode of season three. The season is set to premiere Aug. 2.

The episode will mark Jacobs’ first time as a director for TV; she has also helmed several short films.

Jacobs called her move from actress to writer to director on Reservation Dogs “a progression” in The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Comedy Actress Roundtable, joking that “I guess I’m one of the annoying actors who comes in with notes.”

She continued, “Season one, I’d made it apparent to the network that I wanted to shadow, and they were like, ‘That’s great, we’d love to have you, but you’re in every episode.’ Basically, ‘Do the job that we paid you to do.’ And I was like,...

Evan Rachel Wood has been cast in 'Backspot'.The 35-year-old star will play the role of professional cheer coach Eileen McNamara in the film from D.W. Waterson.The movie will star Devery Jacobs and Kudakwashe Rutendo in the lead roles as queer young athletes as mid-level cheerleaders Riley and Amanda – who are pulled from their team to join McNamara's high-performance Thunderhawks squad.The film has wrapped principal production after weeks of shooting in Toronto and has Elliot Page on board as an executive producer.Matthew Jordan Smith, J.C. Davidson and Katisha Shaw will serve as executive producers alongside Page.Waterson said: "'Backspot' has been five years in the making and now that we've completed production, we can say with all confidence that we have created something very special."Having Evan join the cast was a fantasy fulfilled as she was who we wanted for the role of Eileen from inception.

Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe nominee Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”) has joined the cast of D.W. Waterson’s feature directorial debut “Backspot.”

Executive produced by Elliot Page and starring Devery Jacobs and Kudakwashe Rutendo in lead roles as queer young athletes, the film has wrapped principal production after weeks of filming in the Toronto area. Wood stars as professional cheer coach Eileen McNamara, head coach of the high-performance Thunderhawks squad who pulls Riley (Jacobs) and Amanda (Rutendo) from their mid-level cheer team to be a part of her group of intensely competitive athletes.

Matthew Jordan Smith, J.C.Davidson and Katisha Shaw serve as executive producers alongside page. The film is produced by Alona Metzer, Waterson, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs and Martin Katz.

“Backspot” will be distributed by levelFILM in Canada and will subsequently stream on Crave, followed by CBC and CBC Gem. The film is produced in association with Telefilm Canada,...