TIFF buyers are making time in their busy schedules to cover the entire 12-strong lineup of the expanded global auteur showcase Platform in its first year as an Oscar-qualifying section.
Under a recent Academy rule change, a non-English-language winner of the C$20,000 (USD $14,200) juried prize will be eligible for consideration in the international feature film category alongside top prize winners from Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, and Busan.
Producers of an eligible winner announced on September 20 can submit to the Academy, offering an alternative pathway to traditional national selection committees. The section opens on Thursday (September 10) with Miwa Nishikawa’s Japanese postwar drama Children Untold and the roster includes Irene Dionisio’s Italian coming-of-age tale Idda; and Jan Holoubek’s Polish wartime thriller Wild Wild East, which Global Constellation has been selling.
Dylan Leiner of Sony Pictures Classics said the Academy has given a new visibility to Platform. “TIFF is making a statement about the importance of international cinema. It’s necessary and warranted because for so many years TIFF had been the discovery platform for international cinema, but more recently the media has tended to focus on the red carpets and bigger awards titles.”
Lisa Schwartz, Kino Lorber chief distribution and revenue officer welcomed the rule change and said Platform has been “the wheelhouse of Kino Lorber for many years”. She added, “It’s is great for distributors who may have acquired films that were not selected [by national committees] who can now go into the awards corridor and get a second chance to be considered.”
Scott Shooman, head of IFC Entertainment Group, said: “Hopefully TIFF Platform will give slightly better footing to a few more films in that [awards] discussion, because they’re some of the most interesting films out there.”
TIFF chief programming officer Anita Lee said the idea to expand the programme from 10 to 12 films had already been in the works before the Academy announced its rule change. “We’ve traditionally showcased international films and we’re taking it back,” Lee said. “We want to position these as emerging international films and filmmakers you should have on your radar.”
RJ Millard of Obscured Releasing said a film’s awards prospects could receive a boost simply by screening in Platform. “If your film isn’t ready for Berlin or Cannes and you think it has a shot at becoming your country’s official submission, getting into TIFF Platform would be a very smart way to kick-start the awards campaign,” Millard said. “Most of the countries’ national selection committees announce around that time and having voters see it in Toronto is ideal timing.”
Platform has also expanded the jury from three to five, headed by Argentinian superstar director Pablo Trapero. TIFF Lightbox will screen all the Platform films and most will get one P&A slot, with more available as required. However the festival’s preference is that buyers and press attend with public audiences. “We’re quite sure that there will be room for everyone,” Lee said.
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