A guide to some of the best films shown at TIFF 2023

"Marking what should have been 15 years of attending the Toronto International Film Festival — I sadly missed a couple of years due to COVID — the 2023 edition arrives under similarly fraught circumstances, thanks to the dual strikes of the WGA and SAG/AFTRA. TIFF, as one of the premier festivals in the world, typically enjoys a catbird seat when it comes to screening award-caliber films, creating buzz for those films from the legion of international members of the press covering the event, and attracting audiences eager to experience the best the world has to offer.

But what is it like when a festival like TIFF has to let its film slate speak for itself? What happens when the stars are unable to grace the stages and red carpets in support of their work created over the last year or so? Is the festival selling stars or the films?

I had a brief conversation with an actor who was on hand to promote one of the two films they had in this year's slate — the one, of course, that was not under the aegis of the studio/streaming industry system — and while this performer will likely be up for awards consideration, their take on the situation focused on turning attention to the host of folks in positions behind the scenes that are key in the production and presentation. A certainly worthy angle, but what about performers finding themselves in these discussions for the first time, who have waited years (or more) for their chance to grab the spotlight?"