TIFF Long Take
TIFF Long Take is the show that talks to the smartest people in the industry to answer the big questions about what, why, and how we watch. Each week, hosts Rob Kraszewski and Geoff Macnaughton are joined by insiders, journalists, and creators who provide mind-changing insights into the world of the moving image.
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Ep. 103: Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson on the Life and Legacy of ‘Broad City’
02/05/2019
Ep. 103: Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson on the Life and Legacy of ‘Broad City’
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, stars and creators of the hit television series 'Broad City'. The show, which launched as a web series in 2009, will end it astonishing run this year after five critically adored seasons on Comedy Central. Glazer and Jacobson talk about the early days of 'Broad City', how they have grown as artists over the last decade, and how they formed a relationship with the show’s Executive Producer, Amy Poehler. They also discuss the state of comedy in 2019, the guest stars they tried, and failed, to get on the show, and their favourite episodes from the shows run.
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Ep. 102: How is France Keeping its Arthouse Cinemas Packed?
01/29/2019
Ep. 102: How is France Keeping its Arthouse Cinemas Packed?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Nathanaël Karmitz, Managing Director of the mk2 audio visual group, about France's unwavering appetite for the theatrical experience. With many arthouse and independent theatres struggling worldwide to attract patrons, France's culture of movie going seems stronger than ever. Last year – despite the massive growth of SVOD audiences worldwide – French arthouse theatres saw record attendance, selling over 45 million admissions, or about 25% of countries' overall cinema entries that year. Karmitz talks about how the French are taught to think about film as art rather than entertainment, why their interest in foreign cinema has stayed so strong, and why, despite the rise of Netflix, French audiences remain committed to the theatrical experience. He also discusses France's innovative laws around media windows, who these regulations help and hurt the most, and his predictions for the future of the French film industry.
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Ep. 101: Bing Liu on the Making of ‘Minding the Gap’
01/22/2019
Ep. 101: Bing Liu on the Making of ‘Minding the Gap’
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with documentarian Bing Liu. Liu’s debut feature film, Minding the Gap, tells the story of three young men (including Liu) in Rockford Illinois, who use skateboarding as a way to cope with their traumatic home lives. The film, which topped several , will be playing as part of . Liu discusses how he used skateboarding as a gateway to making his own films, the different iterations of Minding the Gap, and why he decided to insert his own backstory into the film’s narrative. He also talks about how a documentarian knows when their film is done, how he ethically approached making a film about domestic abuse, and his relationship with legendary documentarian Steve James.
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Ep. 100: Can a Film Preserve an Endangered Language?
01/15/2019
Ep. 100: Can a Film Preserve an Endangered Language?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with Jonathan Frantz, a filmmaker, producer, and member of Isuma, an Inuit-led media-arts collective founded by Zacharias Kunuk. Frantz recently produced 'Edge of the Knife', a drama set in the 19th century and directed by Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown. The film is particularly notable as the first feature made entirely in Haida, an endangered language spoken fluently by fewer than 20 people. 'Edge of the Knife', which features a Haida cast and was made in collaboration with the Council of the Haida Nation, premiered at TIFF in 2018 and will screen as part of our Canada’s Top 10 series in 2019. Frantz talks about the history and mission of Isuma, the long but rewarding process of making 'Edge of the Knife', and what he hopes the film will do for the Haida language and nation. He also discusses working with Edenshaw, Haig-Brown, and Kunuk, how he approaches projects such as this one as a non-Indigenous person, and the best resources for movie lovers looking to see more Indigenous films.
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Ep. 99: How the Oscars Addressed its Diversity Problem
01/08/2019
Ep. 99: How the Oscars Addressed its Diversity Problem
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with Shawn Finnie, Associate Director of Member Relations at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to talk about how the Academy has worked to address concerns over the lack of diversity in its membership, nominees, and award winners. In 2012, the Academy was 77% male and 94% white. In 2018 those numbers shifted to 69% male and 84% white — a sign that, while change is definitely slow going, things are trending in the right direction. Finnie talks about his vision for the future of the Academy, how he helped create the Academy's most diverse class ever, and why a Moonlight Best Picture win 10 years ago likely would have been impossible. He also talks about why invitations to join the Academy should be based on more than your resume, and why he saw #OscarsSoWhite as an opportunity.
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Ep. 98: What We’re Looking Forward to in 2019
01/01/2019
Ep. 98: What We’re Looking Forward to in 2019
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff chat with some of the smartest people in the business to find out what film and television projects we should be looking forward to in the coming year. First, Vanity Fair’s K. Austin Collins calls in to talk about some of this year’s Hollywood films, including James Gray’s 'Ad Astra', Steven Soderbergh's 'High Flying Birds', and Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'. Then TIFF International Programmer Jane Schoettle drops by to discuss upcoming international films such as Robert Connolly’s 'The Dry', Sebastian Schipper’s 'Roads', and the anthology film 'Vai' from producers Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton (Waru). TIFF and Hot Docs programmer Dorota Lech also calls in to talk about documentary film in 2019, touching on Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang’s 'One Child Nation', Tim Travers Hawkins’ Chelsea Manning doc, and Brett Story’s 'The Hottest August'. And finally, Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic, Alan Sepinwall, joins us to talk about the return of 'Deadwood', as well as other new series like HBO’s 'Watchmen', FX’s 'What We Do in the Shadows', and Netflix’s 'Russian Doll'.
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Ep. 97: Year in Review (Part 2)
12/25/2018
Ep. 97: Year in Review (Part 2)
This week on TIFF Long Take, in the second of two parts, Rob and Geoff look back on stories and themes that shaped the year in film and television by revisiting some of their favourite conversations from 2018. Excerpts include: - FiveThirtyEight’s Walt Hickey, Ella Koeze, and Rachel Dottle on whether it’s time for a new Bechdel test - #OscarsSoWhite’s founder April Reign on her plan to make to make the industry more diverse - Actor Steven Yeun on representing Asian Americans onscreen - Activist Isabel Amor on how the film A Fantastic Woman has advanced transgender rights in Chile - Actor Ben Foster on how he builds his character - Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley on how he gets great performances - Annihilation director Alex Garland on his approach to adaptation - Mudbound director Dee Rees on how she puts together her film crews - Chef’s Table creator David Gelb on revolutionizing the food documentary
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Ep. 96: Year in Review (Part 1)
12/18/2018
Ep. 96: Year in Review (Part 1)
This week on TIFF Long Take, in the first of two parts, Rob and Geoff look back on stories and themes that shaped the year in film and television by revisiting some of their favourite conversations from 2018.Excerpts include: - Filmmaker and producer Mark Duplass on preserving artistry in the “tent-pole era” - Filmmaker Debra Granik on the challenges of making “difficult” films - TIFF’s Thom Powers on why we are living in a “golden age of documentary” - Faculty of Horror’s Alex West on the changing perception of the horror genre - Stacy Spikes, the founder of MoviePass, on the history of his controversial company - IndieWire’s Anne Thompson on Netflix’s move into cinemas - Kayleigh Donaldson on what the Disney–Fox merger means for the film industry and audiences - Writer and showrunner Kit Steinkellner on choosing to launch her first show, Sorry for Your Loss, on Facebook Live.
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Ep. 95: How Will Blockchain Transform the Film Industry?
12/11/2018
Ep. 95: How Will Blockchain Transform the Film Industry?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff look into how blockchain technology and crypto currency could revolutionize the way that we finance and consume films. To guide them, the two welcome Luke Bradley, Director of Communications at the Blockchain Research Institute, as well as Christopher Woodrow, Chairman and CEO of . Bradley discusses how blockchain and cryptocurrency our already impacting our day to day lives, how the technologies could theoretically upend the entertainment industry, and why Hollywood has, for the most part, been reluctant to get on board? Woodrow then joins the conversation to talk about the inspiration behind MovieCoin, the types of films that MovieCoin will be funding, and what he thinks the film financing landscape could look like in ten years.
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Ep. 94: Why Netflix Set Its Sights on Cinemas
12/04/2018
Ep. 94: Why Netflix Set Its Sights on Cinemas
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob chats with IndieWire’s Anne Thompson about Netflix’s recent foray into the world of theatrical releases. Last month the company announced that three of its upcoming films would open exclusively in select theaters in the US and abroad for one to three weeks before they debuted online. The films include director Alfonso Cuarón’s 'Roma', The Coen Brothers’ 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'; and Susanne Bier’s 'Bird Box'. Thompson talks about why Netflix strayed from its core business model, what message this sends to high profile filmmakers, and why Oscar aspirations may be influencing the decision. She also discusses if large exhibitors would be willing to cooperate with Netflix, how the company is bracing for upcoming platforms from Disney and Apple, and what Netflix could learn from MoviePass.
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Ep. 93: What is the State of Independent Film in 2018?
11/27/2018
Ep. 93: What is the State of Independent Film in 2018?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff welcome the VP of Creative Affairs at ‘See Saw Films’, Negin Salmasi. Founded in 2008, the relatively small ‘See Saw’ have punched far above their weight in the increasingly competitive indie film landscape, producing critically and commercially successful films like 'The King’s Speech', and 'Lion', as well as the acclaimed television series 'Top Of The Lake'. Their latest film, 'Widows', directed by Steve McQueen, is playing in theaters now. Salmasi talks about why making independent films is harder than ever, how she develops projects in the current landscape, and how she’s helped foster long term working relationships with filmmakers like Steve McQueen and Garth Davis She also discusses why 'See Saw' wanted to get involved in television, why they still believe in the mid-budget film, and how they’ve adapted in the age of Netflix.
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Ep. 92: Zoe Kazan on Writing, Westerns, and Working With The Coen Brothers
11/20/2018
Ep. 92: Zoe Kazan on Writing, Westerns, and Working With The Coen Brothers
This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff chats with actor and screenwriter Zoe Kazan. It’s been a busy few months for Kazan. In October, the feature film 'Wildlife' — which she co-wrote with her partner, Paul Dano, and which had its Canadian premiere at TIFF in September — opened to great critical acclaim. Most recently, she starred in “The Gal Who Got Rattled,” one of six vignettes that make up the Coen Brothers’ anthology film 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', now playing at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Kazan talks about the films that made her want to pursue a career in show business, how her work as an actor has influenced her screenplays, and the best piece of advice she ever received about writing. She also talks about her all-time favourite film scripts, how her role in 'Meek’s Cutoff '(2010) prepared her for 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', and what she learned working with the Coen Brothers.
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Ep. 91: How ‘Bodied’ Director Joseph Kahn Made This Year’s Most Subversive Film
11/13/2018
Ep. 91: How ‘Bodied’ Director Joseph Kahn Made This Year’s Most Subversive Film
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with director Joseph Kahn. Long considered one of the most prolific and commercially successful music video directors, Kahn has recently made his return to feature films with ‘Bodied’, the story of ambitious graduate student who becomes immersed in the world of battle-rap. Written by Canadian battle-rapper Alex Larsen, and produced by Eminem, ‘Bodied’ won the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness at TIFF 2017, and is currently playing at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Kahn talks about why he thinks ‘Bodied’ has struck a chord with “repressed” audiences, how Eminem got involved with the film, and the difference between art and entertainment. He also discusses the art of battle-rap, how he honed his craft working on commercials and music videos, and why good art needs to offend.
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Ep. 90: How Sam Esmail Took ‘Homecoming’ From a Hit Podcast to a Hit TV Show
11/06/2018
Ep. 90: How Sam Esmail Took ‘Homecoming’ From a Hit Podcast to a Hit TV Show
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with television writer, director, and producer Sam Esmail. Best known as the creator of the hit television series ‘Mr. Robot, Esmail recently directed all ten episodes of the new series ‘Homecoming’; an adaptation of the extremely popular podcast created by Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg. The series which premiered last weekend on Amazon Video, stars Julia Roberts, Stephan James, and Bobby Cannavale. Esmail talks about why he was initially reluctant to adapt ‘Homecoming’, the classic thrillers that inspired his vision for the show, and why he thought the series would work better broken into half hour episodes. He also talks about the TV shows that are currently inspiring him, whether the amount of TV currently being produced is sustainable, and what he thinks has elevated television to a higher art form in recent years.
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Ep. 89: Why It’s Finally Time to Take Horror Seriously
10/30/2018
Ep. 89: Why It’s Finally Time to Take Horror Seriously
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with ‘Faculty of Horror’ podcast co-host Alexandra West, to discuss the ever increasing legitimacy of the horror films. Thanks in part to the overwhelming critical praise of films like Jennifer Kent’s 'The Babadook', Robert Egger’s 'The Witch', David Robert Mitchell’s 'It Follows', and Jordan Peele’s 'Get Out', the perception of horror has changed over the last decade, from a beloved, but relatively niche genre, to one that cinephiles feel they should be paying attention to. West talks about the films and filmmakers that taught her to love horror, the factors that have lead to the genre becoming more prestigious, and how film critics are covering horror now, as opposed to 10 years ago. She also discusses horror’s unique ability to critique social issues, Jason Blum’s recent comments about the lack of women working in horror, and which gateway films she would recommend to someone who is still on the fence about the genre.
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Ep. 88: How Dee Rees Went From Film School to Oscar Nominee in a Decade
10/23/2018
Ep. 88: How Dee Rees Went From Film School to Oscar Nominee in a Decade
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with director and screenwriter, Dee Rees. Beginning with her excellent semi-autobiographical debut 'Pariah' (2011), Rees has earned the reputation as one of her generation’s most exciting filmmakers. Her most recent feature film, 'Mudbound' (2017), earned 4 Academy Award nominations, including a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Rees; making her the first black woman to be nominated for any Academy Award in a writing category. Rees talks about the series of events that led her to NYU film school, working with mentors like Spike Lee and Lee Daniels, and long road to her first feature film, 'Pariah'. She also discusses why Netflix was the only studio to take a chance on 'Mudbound', how she approaches adaptation as an auteur, and what genre she would like to work in next.
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Ep. 87: How David Gelb Revolutionized Food Documentary
10/16/2018
Ep. 87: How David Gelb Revolutionized Food Documentary
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with renowned documentarian and director, David Gelb. Starting with his critically acclaimed debut film, 'Jiro Dream’s of Sushi', Gelb’s aesthetically beautiful and emotionally rich profiles of great chefs have had a significant impact on the genre of food documentary. He has since gone on to create the highly influential Netflix docu-series ‘Chef’s Table’, which recently debuted its fifth season. Gelb talks about how he fell into documentary filmmaking, the chain of events that lead to the making of 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi', and how he went about pitching ‘Chef’s Table’ to Netflix. He also talks about how he’s managed to create a consistent aesthetic across his work, how he picks and chooses which stories he wants to tell, and why the most recent season of ‘Chef’s Table’ is its most political yet.
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Ep. 86: How to Build a Career in an Emerging Film Market
10/09/2018
Ep. 86: How to Build a Career in an Emerging Film Market
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Romanian super producer, Ada Solomon. Over the last 10 years, Ada has played a large role in the Eastern European film industry, producing some of the region’s most exciting films including: Maren Ade’s 'Toni Erdmann', Cãlin Peter Netzer’s 'Child’s Pose', and most recently Radu Jude’s 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians', which played at this year’s TIFF. When not producing, Solomon serves as the President of the Board for the ‘European Women’s Audiovisual Network’ (EWA), an organization founded to create greater gender equality for women audiovisual professionals throughout Europe. Solomon talks about the early days of Romanian New Wave cinema, the challenges of distributing Romanian films internationally, and why, despite festival success, Romanian films have struggled to find a significant audience in their home country. She also highlights the most exciting filmmakers currently working in Romania, her experience executive producing 'Toni Erdmann', and her role in promoting gender parity in European film.
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Ep. 85: What are the Biggest Challenges Facing African Cinema?
10/02/2018
Ep. 85: What are the Biggest Challenges Facing African Cinema?
This week on of TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with South African film producer, and founder of the production company ‘Big World Cinema’, Steven Markovitz. Over his thirty years in the film business, Markovitz has produced over 40 films in on the continent of Africa, and has seen his fair share of challenges trying to get these projects financed, and distributed around the world. One of his most recent productions, the Wanuri Kahiu directed 'Rafiki', was embroiled in controversy after . The ban sparked international outrage among supporters of LGBTQ rights, . Markovitz talks about the events that inspired the founding of his film company, how his films strive to challenge the “dominant African narrative”, and how he’s managed to identify talent across the continent. He also talks the most exciting young filmmakers working in Africa, the difficulties he’s experienced trying to market African films to an international audience, and the saga behind making and distributing 'Rafiki'.
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Ep. 84: Facebook Enters the World of Prestige TV With ‘Sorry For Your Loss’
09/25/2018
Ep. 84: Facebook Enters the World of Prestige TV With ‘Sorry For Your Loss’
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Kit Steinkellner, creator of the acclaimed new television series Sorry For Your Loss. Since writing the pilot script on spec, Steinkellner has overseen every step of the series’ production, culminating with its recent premier on the new streaming platform Facebook Watch. The series which stars Elizabeth Olsen and Kelly Marie Tran is available now. Steinkellner talks about the experience that inspired ‘Sorry For Your Loss’, television’s role in furthering social conversations, and why she didn’t shy away from writing the show on spec. She also talks about the excitement, and anxiety, she feels about being the flagship series on a new streaming platform, what makes Facebook Watch unique, and why we don’t see more half hour dramas.
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Ep. 83: Looking Back on TIFF’18
09/18/2018
Ep. 83: Looking Back on TIFF’18
With another Toronto International Film Festival in the books, Rob and Geoff sit down with the founder of 'The Black List', Franklin Leonard, to talk about the films, performances, trends, and stories that had the industry talking at this year's TIFF. Franklin talks about the most buzzed about films of the slate, how the various studios and distributors faired, and which festival film he thinks has the potential to be a sleeper hit following its release. He also discusses the changes he's seen in the types of films getting funded, how the role of film festivals is evolving, and his favourite memory from his many years coming to TIFF.
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Ep. 82: How Steven Yeun Went From ‘The Walking Dead’ to ‘Burning’
09/11/2018
Ep. 82: How Steven Yeun Went From ‘The Walking Dead’ to ‘Burning’
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the film’s most exciting young actors, Steven Yeun. Steven is probably best known for his role as Glenn Rhee on 'The Walking Dead', but since leaving the show has leaned more towards independent and international cinema with roles in Bong Joon-ho’s 'Okja', Boots Riley’s 'Sorry To Bother You', and, most recently, Lee Chang Dong’s 'Burning'. The Korean thriller premiered at Cannes to rave reviews and is the first film to feature Yeun in a starring role. Yeun talks about the films and filmmakers that influenced him growing up, why he was initially hesitant to make a film in Korea, and what makes Lee Chang Dong so special. He also talks about how he prepares for his roles, the under-representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood films, and why thinks he wouldn’t have been offered a role as substantial as ‘Burning’ in the United States.
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Ep. 81: 'Icebox' Takes us Inside the World of Child Migrants
09/04/2018
Ep. 81: 'Icebox' Takes us Inside the World of Child Migrants
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Daniel Sawka, director of the timely social drama Icebox. The film, which premieres at TIFF 2018, tells the story of a 12 year old Honduran boy, interned at a US immigration detention centre, and has gained added resonance in the wake the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy. The group also welcome Karine Jean-Pierre, advisor and national spokesperson for ‘MoveOn’. The progressive policy advocacy group recently helped to organize #FamiliesBelongTogether, a day of coordinated protest against family separation and family detention. The four discuss the making of Icebox, how film can be used to increase awareness of a social issues, and why Sawka chose to highlight this issue through a narrative film, rather than a documentary. They also talk about the casting of the film’s remarkable young lead, Anthony Gonzalez, how issues of immigration of migration in the United States have become exacerbated under Trump’s policies, and the influence of the film’s producer, the legendary James L. Brooks.
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Ep. 80: Piers Handling on TIFF’s Past and Future
08/28/2018
Ep. 80: Piers Handling on TIFF’s Past and Future
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff welcome TIFF’s Director and CEO, Pier’s Handling. This will be Handling’s final festival in charge of TIFF, having assumed his current position in 1994. He originally joined the festival in 1982. Handling looks back on the films that made him a cinephile, his first exposure to the Toronto International Film Festival, and biggest challenges facing film festivals now vs. 40 years ago. He also discusses how TIFF’s philosophy has evolved since it was founded in 1976, the long road to opening the TIFF Bell Lightbox in 2010, and what audiences are looking for from a film festival in 2018.
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Ep. 79: Are we in a Golden Age of Documentary Film?
08/21/2018
Ep. 79: Are we in a Golden Age of Documentary Film?
In 2018 alone, three documentaries: Won’t You Be My Neighbor, RBG, and Three Identical Strangers have exceeded $10 million at the domestic box office, a remarkable trend considering only 25 other documentaries has reached this milestone in the past 35 years. To find out what is leading to this sudden increase in the genre’s popularity, Rob and Geoff are joined by TIFF programmer, and host of the documentary themed podcast ‘Pure Nonfiction’, Thom Powers. Powers discusses how “documentary” went from a dirty word to a financially viable genre, how Netflix helped expand the artform, and the technological innovations that have changed the genre for the better. He then goes through some of the more anticipated documentary titles coming to TIFF next month including: Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9, Werner Herzog’s Meeting Gorbachev, Alexis Bloom’s Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes, John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm, E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Free Solo, and Errol Morris’ American Dharma.
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Ep. 78: What Does a Festival Award Mean to a Young Filmmaker?
08/14/2018
Ep. 78: What Does a Festival Award Mean to a Young Filmmaker?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with independent filmmaker Desiree Akhavan. Following her acclaimed 2014 debut, Appropriate Behavior, Akhavan’s latest is an adaptation of Emily. M Danforth’s novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post. The film, which stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane, won the Grand Jury Prize for US Drama at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Akhavan is also an actress, appearing in projects like Girl’s and Creep 2. Akhavan talks about how she approached the adaptation process, why having a hit film at Sundance didn’t make the financing of her future projects any easier, and how she adapted her original vision of The Miseducation of Cameron Post script to make it work with a smaller budget. She also talks about why Chloë Grace Moretz’s interest in joining the cast surprised her, why, despite glowing reviews and festival awards, it took so long to sell the film, and why she finds making TV more difficult than making movies.
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Ep. 77: What the Disney-Fox Merger Means for Audiences and the Industry
08/07/2018
Ep. 77: What the Disney-Fox Merger Means for Audiences and the Industry
Last week, Disney and Fox shareholders approved a deal that would see Disney acquire 21st Century Fox for a whopping $71.3 billion. The deal - which includes properties like Fox Searchlight, X-Men, Avatar, The Simpsons, and many more - gives Disney an unprecedented market share in the film and television industry. To find out how this acquisition will impact audience members, as well as the industry at large, Rob and Geoff speak with Kayleigh Donaldson, staff writer and editor for Pajiba. Donaldson explains why the deal will likely lead to fewer theatrical films, the uncertain fate of Fox Searchlight, and how other Hollywood studios might react to this merger. She also talks about how the deal has disrupted the streaming landscape, possible crossover opportunities, and why the merger could be a threat to independent cinemas.
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Ep. 76: Is Artificial Intelligence Good for the Future of Film?
07/31/2018
Ep. 76: Is Artificial Intelligence Good for the Future of Film?
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Nadira Azermai, founder of the script analysis company, ScriptBook. Founded in 2015, ScriptBook claims they will be able to save film studios a fortune using artificial intelligence to more accurately identify which scripts will lead to financially successful films. Azermai discusses how ScriptBook functions, the product’s track record of accurately (and sometimes inaccurately) predicting which films will hit or flop, and the most glaring blind spots that studios and producers fail to recognize when analyzing scripts. She also talks about whether applying a scientific method to a creative artform will lead to more homogenized films, how the #MeToo movement has influenced ScriptBook, and whether computers will eventually replace writers altogether.
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Ep. 75: A Guide to Festival 2018
07/24/2018
Ep. 75: A Guide to Festival 2018
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff are joined by TIFF’s Director of Programming, Kerri Craddock, to discuss some of the most exciting and anticipated titles on this year’s Toronto International Film Festival slate. Craddock gives her thoughts on some of the titles that TIFF just announced, including Elizabeth Chomko’s directorial debut, 'What They Had'; Paul Dano’s family drama, 'Wildlife'; Bradley Cooper’s musical drama, 'A Star is Born'; Claire Denis’ sci-fi adventure, 'High Life'; Damien Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong biopic, 'First Man'; Steve McQueen’s heist film, 'Widows'; Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Palme d’Or winner, 'Shoplifters'; Asghar Farhadi’s psychological thriller, 'Everybody Knows'; and Jacques Audiard’s western, 'The Sisters Brothers'.
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Ep. 74: Boots Riley on the Long Road to Making 'Sorry to Bother You'
07/17/2018
Ep. 74: Boots Riley on the Long Road to Making 'Sorry to Bother You'
This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with filmmaker Boots Riley. Although he is perhaps better known as an activist and the front man for the popular political hip-hop group The Coup, Riley has recently focused his talents on filmmaking, writing, and directing the critically adored 'Sorry to Bother You', starring Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, and Armie Hammer. Riley talks about the six-year battle to get Sorry to Bother You made, why he wanted the screenplay to read more like a novel than a film script, and how a previous job working at a call centre helped to inspire the film’s plot. He also discusses how he reconciles his socialist beliefs with working in the inherently capitalist film business, how he assembled such a phenomenal cast for his debut film, and his talent for directing grounded performances within absurdist plot-lines.
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