Acquired Vanguard Films, High Five!

So TIFF is officially over. Womp, womp, womp. Yesterday was spent in denial--either sleeping or cleaning apartments or tying up any festival loose ends. But today, Tuesday, we all have to face the harsh reality that it's really over. Colin even cleaned his fridge; what is the world coming too?!

It's always bitter sweet when the Festival comes to an end, but we're quick to get excited again at the prospect of seeing some of our favourite Festival films out there in the world. So far, four of our Vanguard films were acquired either before or during the festival. Fingers crossed we won't have to wait too long before these ones hit the big (or small, depending on their distribution deal) screen.

Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin was acquired by Radius - TWC for North American distribution after its premiere at Cannes and we couldn't be more excited for the rest of everyone see this deft, tense revenge story.

Alex van Warmerdam's Borgman was also picked up after Cannes by the always awesome Drafthouse Films for U.S. distribution--a perfect fit for the disturbingly dark and hilarious film, if we do say so ourselves.

Magnolia Pictures was wise to snatch up U.S. rights to Ti West's The Sacrament--news that we're sure had Ti West fans around the world rejoicing.

And if a terrifying docu-style movie about a cult isn't enough for you, IFC Midnight acquired the North American rights to Zack Parker's Proxy--a chilling, powerful thriller centred on a pregnant woman. (Best idea ever, but maybe also the scariest: screening a double feature of The Sacrament and Proxy.)

Lastly, even though it was technically in the Wavelengths Programme, we'll always love Ben Wheatley and we were pleased as punch to hear the psychedelic mind-trip A Field In England was also picked up for US distribution by Drafthouse Films last spring.

Congratulations to all of these Vanguard films and the rest of the films that were purchased during the Festival. There are still many films we're hoping gain distribution and we're sure you feel the same. We'll keep our fingers crossed if you do too.

Vanguard and Midnight Madness Directors at the CN Tower!

Directors Joe Begos (Almost Human) and Juno Mak (Rigor Mortis) 

go through security at the CN Tower.

Where they have a lunch in the sky with many other directors: 

Joseph Begos, Zack Parker (Proxy), Simon Hawkins (We Gotta Get Out Of This Place), Juno Mak, Zeke Hawkins (also, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place), Vanguard and MM Programmer Colin Geddes,
Eli Roth (The Green Inferno), and Marvin Kren (The Station)

Mike Flanagan (Oculus), Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin) and Colin's assistant Peter Kuplowsky 

are sad because they were late for lunch in the sky.

PROXY Screening Times:

Thursday, Sept 12th, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK 1

Saturday, Sept 14th, 8:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

RIGOR MORTIS Screening Times:

Friday, Sept 13th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

THE STATION Final Screening:

Friday, Sept 13th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9

ALMOST HUMAN Final Screening:

Friday, Sept 13th, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK 9

OCULUS Final Screening:

Sunday, Sept 15th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 11

WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE Final Screening:

Sunday, Sept 15th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 10

BLUE RUIN Twitter Round Up!

 

If you missed Monday's premiere of Blue Ruin at the Festival, we are going to make you wish you hadn't. But good news! There is another screening of the film on Wednesday. In the meantime, check out what people on Twitter are saying about Blue Ruin. (Hint: it's really good stuff.)

I agree with all of these comments. Find out what all the fuss is about and check out Blue Ruin on Wednesday.

BLUE RUIN Screening Times:

Wednesday, Sept 11th, 12:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1

BLUE RUIN Premieres Tonight!

Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin premieres tonight at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema at 8:00 PM. Head over to our previous post to see a clip from the film.

Tickets can be purchased:

• ONLINE: TIFF.net/thefestival
• BY PHONE: 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433 (Toll-free) 
• IN PERSON
• Festival Box Office; 225 King St. West
• Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Box Office; 506 Bloor Street West

Further information about Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the Blue Ruin website, Twitter account, Facebook page, and IMDB page.

BLUE RUIN screening times:

• Mon., Sept. 9, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 8:00 PM
• Wednes., Sept. 11, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1 12:00 PM

BLUE RUIN Director Profile: Jeremy Saulnier

Jeremy Saulnier's second feature BLUE RUIN has been picking up lots of positive buzz since it first screened at Cannes, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize. His first, the hilariously violent (or maybe violently hilarious?) MURDER PARTY (2007) was picked up by Magnolia Pictures at SXSW and earned honours at the Slamdance (Audience Award, Best Feature), Vail (Grand Jury Prize), and Sidewalk (Special Jury Prize) film festivals.


In between, he's been busy working as a cinematographer for other independent filmmakers. He has shot all of Matthew Porterfield's films (HAMILTON, PUTTY HILL, and most recently, I USED TO BE DARKER), as well as Michael Tully's SEPTIEN.

While sticking with the theme of murderous violence, BLUE RUIN marks a huge leap forward for Saulnier as a writer/director. Jettisoning the laughs for straight up tension, BLUE RUIN will certainly be one of the most buzzed-about films in the Vanguard programme this year.
BLUE RUIN screening times:

• Mon., Sept. 9, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 8:00 PM
• Wed., Sept. 11, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1 12:00 PM

BLUE RUIN: Cannes Press Round Up

Jeremy Saulnier's second directorial effort, the genre-straddling revenge film Blue Ruin, made a big impression at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. After you read these review highlights, you'll definitely want to catch a screening of the film at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, where it's being presented as part of the Vanguard Programme.

Screen Daily finds that Blue Ruin is "distinguished by the way it allies solid storytelling to fine craftsmanship," and praises Saulnier for taking "familiar ingredients" and "elevat[ing[ them into something more accomplished and appealing." Reviewer Allan Hunter adds that the film "confirms [Saulnier] as one of the more intriguing figures currently making their mark on American independent features

In Indiewire, Eric Kohn has a similar reaction, noting that Blue Ruin shows a degree of sophistication that unquestionably deepens [Jeremy Saulnier's] filmmaking cred" and mentions how it "displays an ongoing commitment to a mature visual style and an extreme emotional range."

Variety's Justin Change compares Blue Ruin favorably to Saulnier's 2007 debut Murder Party, remarking on Saulnier's "impressive progress" with "clean and efficient" filmmaking when "[c]arefully exploiting the audience’s fear of what it can’t (or can only partially) see."

At the International Cinephile Society, Marc van de Klashorst goes further, describing the way "Saulnier paces the film expertly to a boiling point, keeping the story lean and concise, and also demonstrating a good cinematographic eye" and stating that the film "shows a lot of promise for the still-young director."

Fred Topel at Crave Online has a visceral reaction to Blue Ruin, declaring that it's "the kind of movie I go to film festivals for. It’s totally unknown, a raw and powerful voice, and it just blew me away." Furthermore, he feels that it "addresses expository exchanges in a fresh way, and those revelations are both true to life and true about conventions of cinema."

Meanwhile, at The Hit List, William Goss is also impressed, determining that Blue Ruin "easily ranks among the best films playing at Cannes so far this year."

Twitchfilm's Brian Clark makes an even bolder claim: "I doubt we'll see a more deft, thrilling genre film this year [than Blue Ruin]."

With reviews like this, how could you not want to put Blue Ruin at the top of your list for this year's Festival?

BLUE RUIN Screening Times:

Monday, Sept 9th, 8:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

Wednesday, Sept 11th, 12:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1

BLUE RUIN Clip

Festival alum (2012's Hellbenders) Macon Blair gives a tense, harrowing performance as Blue Ruin's lead, as his character, the drifter Dwight, carries out an act of vengeance that will also protect his estranged family. Writer-director Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin is "a lean and suspenseful genre piece," says Variety, that won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes.

Below is a clip from Blue Ruin, which plays this year's Toronto International Film Festival within the Vanguard programme.

Further information about Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin can be found on the Festival website, as well as on the Blue Ruin website, Twitter account, Facebook page, and IMDB page.

BLUE RUIN screening times:

• Mon., Sept. 9, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 8:00 PM
• Wednes., Sept. 11, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1 12:00 PM