TIFF Welcomes International Leaders to Discuss Compelling Political and Personal Stories

By: Aug. 22, 2017
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The Toronto International Film Festival® invites Festival-goers to join the conversation! Returning for its sixth year, the TIFF Speaker Series will focus on compelling political and personal stories from around the world. Partnering with the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, the programme offers audiences the opportunity to interact with filmmakers and scholars in extended discussions following each film's second public screening. This year's speakers include Aisha Ahmad, Robert Austin, Teresa Kramarz, Janice Gross Stein and Joseph Wong. The TIFF Speaker Series is programmed in conjunction with TIFF's Adult Learning department.

The TIFF Speaker Series lineup:

The Journey: Aisha Ahmad, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Co-Director of the Islam and Global Affairs Initiative, will join Iraqi-Dutch filmmaker Mohamed Jabarah Al-daradji in a Q&A following the screening of his film, The Journey. Al-daradji returns to the Festival with this tense and provocative political meditation about a would-be suicide bomber and the fast- talking train station attendant she takes hostage.

The Legend of the Ugly King: Robert Austin, Associate Professor; Centre For European, Russian and Eurasian Studies will join director Hüseyin Tabak in discussing the German film The Legend of the Ugly King. Tabak explores the legacy of Yilmaz Güney - political dissident, convicted murderer and visionary Kurdish filmmaker - who directed the 1982 Palme d'Or-winning Yol from inside prison and died in exile just two years later.

Catch the Wind (Prendre le large): Joseph Wong, will join French actor-director Gaël Morel for a Q&A after his film, Catch the Wind. A middle-aged factory worker's life is upended when she follows her employer to Morocco, in the latest film from More.

Silas: Director of Munk One, Teresa Kramarz will take the stage with filmmakers Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman to discuss Silas, their latest documentary. Nayar and Essuman profile the life and journey of Liberian activist Silas Siakor, a tireless crusader against illegal logging and a symbol of resistance for a new generation.

Scaffolding: Munk School's founding director Janice Gross Stein will join director Matan Yair in discussing his documentary Scaffolding. Torn between the teachings of his charismatic literature teacher and the expectations of his brash workman father, 17-year-old Asher must decide what sort of man he will become in Yair's feature debut.

For film synopses, cast lists, images and more information see tiff.net/discovery.

The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.

Festival tickets go on sale September 4 at 10am (with TIFF Member pre-sale on September 2 from 10am to 4pm). Buy tickets online at tiff.net, by phone at 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433, or in person at a box office. See box office locations and hours at tiff.net/tickets.

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Social Media:

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About TIFF: TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world, through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution programme Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

The Toronto International Film Festival is generously supported by Lead Sponsor Bell, Major Sponsors RBC, L'Oréal Paris and Visa, and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada and the City of Toronto.



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