Toronto Film Festival 2022: Five Women Led Films Creating Buzz

Toronto Film Festival 2022 commenced with a great lineup of films featuring versatile genres and multiple actors making appearances for the premiere of their respective films. The TIFF, which began on September 8, will go on till September 28 this year. 

The 47th Toronto International Film Festival is featuring some great women-led films this time around exploring themes around mental health, relationships, abuse and power to name a few. Interestingly, some of the films are by first-time directors, who with their storytelling, have taken the movie-watching experience up a notch.

Suggested reading: Radhika Madan’s Kacchey Limbu To Premiere At Toronto Film Festival, Teaser Out

Five women-led films creating a buzz at the TIFF

1. The son 

The son features actors Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Hugh Jackman, Anthony Hopkins and Zen McGrath. All set to premiere at TIFF on September 12, the film is directed by Florian Zeller known for his Oscar-winning film The Father. The Son explores the theme of mental health, family bonding, broken families, and the layers of relationships that couples experience in their journey together. Laura Dern plays the role of mother to actor McGrath, and as the trailer shows, the film digs deep into how this mother experiences love, guilt and overwhelming emotions through the course of raising a son who is experiencing mental health issues. The film is set to release in the theatres on November 11.

2. Women Talking

Actor-writer-director Sarah Polley is bringing the subject of violence against women in the multi-starter film that features actors Frances McDormand, Claire Foy, Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, and Ben Whishaw. The film is based on the 2008 novel by Miriam Toews of the same name and follows a group of Mennonite women who together seek an end to violence from the men in their colony. The premiere at TIFF took place on September 8. The film will release in the theatres on December 2 later this year.

3. Moving On

The film, Moving On, has already created a massive uproar as it brings together actors Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin on board.  The film is helmed by Oscar-nominated writer-director Paul Weitz. The two actors have worked together on the popular show Grace And Frankie and generated great praise throughout the course of the show. With Moving On, the audiences will surely be elated to see them together on screen once again. The film explores the theme of friendship in a dark comedy, in which the two estranged friends resolve to take revenge on their deceased friend's husband. The premiere date for TIFF is September 13th. The theatrical release date for Moving On is yet to be decided.

4. The Woman King

The Women King starring actor Viola Davis surfaces a story set amidst the backdrop of West Africa. The academy award winner, Davis, plays the role of a general in an all-female warrior army film, where the warriors are fighting for their land and kingdom. In the trailer that was released earlier, Davis is seen commanding the army asking them to "train hard and fight harder". The premiere at TIFF was held on September 9 and has generated additional press attention as it aims for an Oscar nomination in 2023. Gina Prince Bythewood makes her directorial debut with the film that revolves around the Agojie warriors of 19th century West Africa. The film will release in theatres worldwide on September 16.

5. Causeway

Actor Jennifer Lawrence has yet again delivered a heart-wrenching performance with Causeway. In her directorial debut, Lila Neugebauer explores the traumas that soldiers carry with them during and before armed conflicts. Lawrence plays a soldier who gets injured while working for the US Army Corps of Engineers in Afghanistan. The film follows the trauma she carries with herself post her accident, and how she deals with mental health. Causeway is written by noted novelists Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Elizabeth Sanders. The storyline also dives deep into showcasing pain and dealings with pain through its central character. The film premiered at TIFF on September 10th.