Toronto, Canada – Toronto rolled out the red carpet for movie stars on Thursday as North America’s biggest annual film festival opened with a program of nearly 300 films on topics ranging from political activism to sports.
The Toronto International Film Festival began with the premiere of Apple TV drama Being Heumann, starring Ruth Madeley as American activist Judy Heumann, who fought for disability rights in the 1970s.
The film deals with “what happens when people refuse to be invisible,” said Oscar-winning director Sian Heder at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
“I think that we are living in a time when a lot of groups of people are being left behind,” the filmmaker said.
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“There are so many battles on so many fronts, and it’s hard to know how and where to fight, but collective action matters.”
On the red carpet, Heder told AFP that the current situation in the US was part of her motivation for making the film.
“It’s like we’re rolling back the rights that we fought for in the 1970s at a speed that is just mind-blowing. So it is exactly the time for this movie,” she said.
Festival CEO Cameron Bailey kicked off the 51st edition with a nod to political tensions between Canada and the US.
Bailey drew applause when he referred to Lake Ontario, which President Donald Trump had decreed to be renamed “Lake America.”
He also emphasized the strength of the Canadian film industry at a time when Trump is championing movies made in the US.
Highlights in the 293-film program included the historical drama The Housewife, with stars Naomi Watts and Luke Evans attending the premiere on Thursday.
Stars such as John Malkovich, Penélope Cruz, Tom Hiddleston and K-pop phenomenon Lisa are expected to join the festival in the coming days.
The Toronto International Film Festival wraps up on September 20.
