“Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story” will make its world premiere at TIFF, leading the Midnight Madness program’s 10-film lineup.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al”The film, directed by Eric Appel, chronicles Yankovic’s career as a comedy and music icon. Eric Appel directed the film, which he co-wrote along Yankovic. Rainn Wilson, Quinta Brunson, and Evan Rachel Wood are also part of the Roku biopic.
As Midnight Madness’ opening night film, “Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story”Premiere will be held on September 8th at 11:59 EST.
“For TIFF audiences in the know, the Discovery, Midnight Madness and Wavelengths programmes are where you’re rewarded for taking risks and being adventurous,”Anita Lee, Chief Programing Officer, TIFF. “Whether it’s the discovery of an audacious new auteur, a brilliant visionary work that reimagines storytelling or the most wicked cinematic experience you will ever have, this is where you will find it.”
Peter Kuplowsky is the curator of the Added Section. “I also couldn’t have hoped for a more appropriate Opening Night film than Weird: The Al Yankovic Story — a beautifully deranged “biopic” made in the great Midnight movie tradition of challenging conventions and forging one’s own path, no matter how weird.”
Midnight Madness also will screen the North American premiere “Pearl,” the prequel to A24 and Ti West’s slasher-horror pic “X.”The Canadian premiere for meta genre comedy in Canada will conclude the lineup “Leonor Will Never Die,”Originating from the Philippines
Wavelengths, TIFF’s showcase for non-commercial and non-conforming works, will play eight features, 12 short programs and an exhibition. The lineup includes many world- and North American premieres.
The Discovery category includes 23 works by visionary filmmakers of first and second generation from around the globe. The program will kick off with the world premiere of Elegance Bratton’s “The Inspection.”
For the complete list of films showing at Midnight Madness Wavelengths Discovery, Discovery and Discovery, please see below.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – Eric Appel | USA
World Premiere
The Blackening – Tim Story | USA
World Premiere
Pearl – Ti West | USA
North American Premiere
The People’s Joker – Vera Drew | USA
World Premiere
Project Wolf Hunting – Kim Hongsun | South Korea
World Premiere
Sick – John Hyams | USA
World Premiere
Sisu – Jalmari Helander | Finland
World Premiere
Venus – Jaume Balagueró | Spain
World Premiere
V/H/S 99 – Flying Lotus, Johannes Roberts, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Vanessa & Joseph Winter | USA
World Premiere
Leonor Will Never Die – Martika Ramirez Escobar | Philippines
Canadian Premiere
WAVELENGTHS
Features
Concrete Valley – Antoine Bourges | Canada
World Premiere
De Humani Corporis Fabrica – Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor | France, Switzerland
North American Premiere
Dry Ground Burning (Mato Seco em Chamas) – Joana Pimenta, Adirley Queirós | Portugal, Brazil
North American Premiere
Horse Opera – Moyra Davey | USA
Festival Premiere
Pacifiction – Albert Serra | France, Spain, Germany, Portugal
North American Premiere
Queens of Qing Dynasty – Ashley McKenzie | Canada
North American Premiere
Unrest (Unrueh). – Cyril Schäublin | Switzerland
North American Premiere
Will-o’-the-Wisp (Fogo-Fátuo) – João Pedro Rodrigues | Portugal, France
North American Premiere
Shorts
After Work – Céline Condorelli, Ben Rivers | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
More from the Inside – Angelo Madsen Minax | USA
World Premiere
EVENTIDE – Sharon Lockhart | USA
World Premiere
F1ghting Looks Different 2 Me Now – Fox Maxy | Mesa Grande Reservation/USA
Festival Premiere
Fata Morgana – Tacita Dean | United Kingdom, USA
Festival Premiere
Hors-titre – Wiame Haddad | France
North American Premiere
I Thought of the World of You – Kurt Walker | Canada
North American Premiere
Moonrise – Vincent Grenier | USA, Canada
World Premiere
The Latest Olds – Pablo Mazzolo | Argentina, Canada
World Premiere
Puerta a Puerta – Jessica Sarah Rinland, Luis Arnías | Mexico, USA, Venezuela
International Premiere
The Time that Separates Us – Parastoo Anoushahpour | Canada, Jordan, Palestine
World Premiere
What Rules the Invisible – Tiffany Sia | USA
North American Premiere
Exhibition
Meriem Bennani: Life at the CAPS (2022), and 2 Lizards (22020)
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, September 9–18
DISCOVERY
The Inspection – Elegance Bratton | USA
World Premiere
Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Aitch Alberto | USA
World Premiere
Baby Ruby – Bess Wohl | USA
World Premiere
Carmen – Benjamin Millepied | Australia, France
World Premiere
Daughter of Rage (La Hija de todas las Rabias) – Laura Baumeister | Nicaragua
World Premiere
A Gaza Weekend – Basil Khalil | United Kingdom, Palestine
World Premiere
I Like Movies – Chandler Levack | Canada
World Premiere
A Long Vacation – Davit Pirtskhalava | Georgia
World Premiere
Pussy – Joseph Amenta | Canada
World Premiere
Return to Seoul – Davy Chou | South Korea, France, Germany, Belgium
International Premiere
ROSIE – Gail Maurice | Canada
World Premiere
Runner – Marian Mathias | USA, France, Germany
World Premiere
SHIMONI – Angela Wanjiku Wamai | Kenya
World Premiere
Snow and the Bear – Selcen Ergun | Turkey, Germany, Serbia
World Premiere
What You Said Last Night – Luis De Filippis | Canada, Switzerland
World Premiere
Susie Searches – Sophie Kargman | USA
World Premiere
Sweet As – Jub Clerc | Australia
International Premiere
Red is the Taste of Apples – Ehab Tarabieh | Israel, Germany
World Premiere
This Place – V.T. Nayani | Canada
World Premiere
Unruly (Ustyrlig). – Malou Reymann | Denmark
World Premiere
Until Branches Bend – Sophie Jarvis | Canada
World Premiere
When Morning Comes – Kelly Fyffe-Marshall | Canada
World Premiere
The Young Arsonists – Sheila Pye | Canada
World Premiere