TIFF Next Wave

Here are 5 reasons why YOU should go check out The Idol at our Next Wave Film Festival! 1. It takes place in Palestine- Canadian audiences don't often get to hear about the state of Palestine outside of what's featured on the news; this movie sheds a new light on the people living there. It showcases their culture and how despite the circumstances currently happening there, the citizens are still human. 2. The director of the film- Hany Abu-Assad was nominated for an Oscar TWICE for his previous films Paradise Now and Omar. The fact that the director of The Idol has received so much praise proves that he- and this film- are legit! 3. It is based on a true story- The film is based on the life of Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf, and the struggles he went through before winning Arab Idol in 2013! While some things are dramatized for the sake of entertainment, the true nature of the story means that you can go and watch videos of the real Mohammed Assaf on Arab Idol online after watching the movie! 4. The music- The film features real songs and performances from Mohammed Assaf, which will make you want to get up out of your seat to dance and sing along! 5. It has universal themes of sadness, laughter, and hope- This movie will show you that no matter where we are in the world, we as humans have the same feelings, and have similar hopes and dreams. Check out THE IDOL playing at the TIFF Next Wave Festival on February 14th!

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You should see it to experience a work of haunting cinema that will stick with you for a long time. You should see it because the performances are very grounded in its bleak reality. But most of all you should see it because a reflection on the problems it speaks about is very important.  The film is truly effective, and it would be easy to chalk that up to its dark narrative, but this film truly stands above many others in its excellent grasp of the craft ­ this is storytelling at its most effective. The plot follows a young woman who has accused a young man in her class of sexually assaulting her, specifically focusing on the pushback from the community surrounding these accusations. And though Gardeler spares confirming or denying the accusations till the very end of the film, Fatime Azemi’s performance removed any thought in my mind that she could have made it up.  Gardeler does very well in creating the most vivid image of the community. The actions of this community so effectively antagonize them, it makes certain scenes and reveals much more plausible. But the world of the film is captured so specifically that it took only the camera to realize how bleak this reality really was. Some sequences, specifically in the beginning of the film, will dazzle you with their beauty, but it is when Gardeler starts to present this bleak world that the visuals become synonymous with the story. The film takes an issue that is very important and puts you right beside a victim of that issue, it puts you right beside her as she is ostracized by her community, and right beside her when she has to face the bureaucratic response that offers little help. It makes you reflect on how our system treats victims of sexual assault, and how our society treats those victims.

TIFF Next Waver ISABEL says: Only moments into Ayanda’s opening montage, your spirits have already been lifted. The shots are colourful, the music is upbeat, and you’re flying through the streets of Yeoville, South Africa as the film follows its several prominent characters in their respective journeys of self-discovery. A coming-of-age tale that explores ambition, family, friendship and identity, Ayanda has its own funky, magnetic style that will keep you invested and excited throughout. Directed by Sara Blecher, the film follows its young protagonist through the fight of following your dreams with determination and grit, while still balancing family and relationships. The film looks a lot at culture and the impact it has on our lives, and the ups and downs of the pace and plot quite brilliantly match the ups and downs one experiences each day. A truthful and engaging exploration of self, Ayanda is sure to be an interesting watch. Come down to the TIFF Bell Lightbox on February 14th at 1:00 to experience the magic on the big screen!

TIFF Next Waver STEVEN says: Watch a community struggle for dignity against the circumstances of their lives and characters fight for a sense of identity in a society which overlooks them. The greatness of ‘Songs my Brothers Taught Me’ lies in its brevity, imparting the nuanced beauty of The Pine Ridge Reservation, its characters and landscapes with the singular vision of its director, Chloe Zhao. ‘Songs my brothers taught me’ has a degree of universal importance that only the greatest films can offer: their world is so close to us that we can touch it, we can feel their pain as our pain and their joy as our collective joy and, we understand them, for a brief moment we truly empathize with these characters because, we are like them. With a film so poignant in its understanding and portrayal of characters, plot and cinematography, ‘ Songs my brothers taught me’ is a highly recommended film to watch at the Tiff Next Wave film festival. It is poetry on the screen.

TIFF Next Wave

3) To see all the joy of these adolescents during the festival!