TIFF Long Take

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, stars and creators of the hit television series 'Broad City'. The show, which launched as a web series in 2009, will end it astonishing run this year after five critically adored seasons on Comedy Central. Glazer and Jacobson talk about the early days of 'Broad City', how they have grown as artists over the last decade, and how they formed a relationship with the show’s Executive Producer, Amy Poehler. They also discuss the state of comedy in 2019, the guest stars they tried, and failed, to get on the show, and their favourite episodes from the shows run.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Nathanaël Karmitz, Managing Director of the mk2 audio visual group, about France's unwavering appetite for the theatrical experience. With many arthouse and independent theatres struggling worldwide to attract patrons, France's culture of movie going seems stronger than ever. Last year – despite the massive growth of SVOD audiences worldwide – French arthouse theatres saw record attendance, selling over 45 million admissions, or about 25% of countries' overall cinema entries that year.   Karmitz talks about how the French are taught to think about film as art rather than entertainment, why their interest in foreign cinema has stayed so strong, and why, despite the rise of Netflix, French audiences remain committed to the theatrical experience.   He also discusses France's innovative laws around media windows, who these regulations help and hurt the most, and his predictions for the future of the French film industry. 

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with documentarian Bing Liu. Liu’s debut feature film, Minding the Gap, tells the story of three young men (including Liu) in Rockford Illinois, who use skateboarding as a way to cope with their traumatic home lives. The film, which topped several best of 2018 lists, will be playing as part of TIFF Next Wave. Liu discusses how he used skateboarding as a gateway to making his own films, the different iterations of Minding the Gap, and why he decided to insert his own backstory into the film’s narrative. He also talks about how a documentarian knows when their film is done, how he ethically approached making a film about domestic abuse, and his relationship with legendary documentarian Steve James.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with Jonathan Frantz, a filmmaker, producer, and member of Isuma, an Inuit-led media-arts collective founded by Zacharias Kunuk. Frantz recently produced 'Edge of the Knife', a drama set in the 19th century and directed by Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown. The film is particularly notable as the first feature made entirely in Haida, an endangered language spoken fluently by fewer than 20 people. 'Edge of the Knife', which features a Haida cast and was made in collaboration with the Council of the Haida Nation, premiered at TIFF in 2018 and will screen as part of our Canada’s Top 10 series in 2019. Frantz talks about the history and mission of Isuma, the long but rewarding process of making 'Edge of the Knife', and what he hopes the film will do for the Haida language and nation. He also discusses working with Edenshaw, Haig-Brown, and Kunuk, how he approaches projects such as this one as a non-Indigenous person, and the best resources for movie lovers looking to see more Indigenous films.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with Shawn Finnie, Associate Director of Member Relations at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to talk about how the Academy has worked to address concerns over the lack of diversity in its membership, nominees, and award winners. In 2012, the Academy was 77% male and 94% white. In 2018 those numbers shifted to 69% male and 84% white — a sign that, while change is definitely slow going, things are trending in the right direction. Finnie talks about his vision for the future of the Academy, how he helped create the Academy's most diverse class ever, and why a Moonlight Best Picture win 10 years ago likely would have been impossible. He also talks about why invitations to join the Academy should be based on more than your resume, and why he saw #OscarsSoWhite as an opportunity.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff chat with some of the smartest people in the business to find out what film and television projects we should be looking forward to in the coming year. First, Vanity Fair’s K. Austin Collins calls in to talk about some of this year’s Hollywood films, including James Gray’s 'Ad Astra', Steven Soderbergh's 'High Flying Birds', and Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'. Then TIFF International Programmer Jane Schoettle drops by to discuss upcoming international films such as Robert Connolly’s 'The Dry', Sebastian Schipper’s 'Roads', and the anthology film 'Vai' from producers Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton (Waru). TIFF and Hot Docs programmer Dorota Lech also calls in to talk about documentary film in 2019, touching on Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang’s 'One Child Nation', Tim Travers Hawkins’ Chelsea Manning doc, and Brett Story’s 'The Hottest August'. And finally, Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic, Alan Sepinwall, joins us to talk about the return of 'Deadwood', as well as other new series like HBO’s 'Watchmen', FX’s 'What We Do in the Shadows', and Netflix’s 'Russian Doll'.

This week on TIFF Long Take, in the second of two parts, Rob and Geoff look back on stories and themes that shaped the year in film and television by revisiting some of their favourite conversations from 2018. Excerpts include: - FiveThirtyEight’s Walt Hickey, Ella Koeze, and Rachel Dottle on whether it’s time for a new Bechdel test - #OscarsSoWhite’s founder April Reign on her plan to make to make the industry more diverse - Actor Steven Yeun on representing Asian Americans onscreen - Activist Isabel Amor on how the film A Fantastic Woman has advanced transgender rights in Chile - Actor Ben Foster on how he builds his character - Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley on how he gets great performances - Annihilation director Alex Garland on his approach to adaptation - Mudbound director Dee Rees on how she puts together her film crews - Chef’s Table creator David Gelb on revolutionizing the food documentary

This week on TIFF Long Take, in the first of two parts, Rob and Geoff look back on stories and themes that shaped the year in film and television by revisiting some of their favourite conversations from 2018.Excerpts include: -  Filmmaker and producer Mark Duplass on preserving artistry in the “tent-pole era” -  Filmmaker Debra Granik on the challenges of making “difficult” films  - TIFF’s Thom Powers on why we are living in a “golden age of documentary” - Faculty of Horror’s Alex West on the changing perception of the horror genre - Stacy Spikes, the founder of MoviePass, on the history of his controversial company - IndieWire’s Anne Thompson on Netflix’s move into cinemas - Kayleigh Donaldson on what the Disney–Fox merger means for the film industry and audiences - Writer and showrunner Kit Steinkellner on choosing to launch her first show, Sorry for Your Loss, on Facebook Live.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff look into how blockchain technology and crypto currency could revolutionize the way that we finance and consume films. To guide them, the two welcome Luke Bradley, Director of Communications at the Blockchain Research Institute, as well as Christopher Woodrow, Chairman and CEO of MovieCoin. Bradley discusses how blockchain and cryptocurrency our already impacting our day to day lives, how the technologies could theoretically upend the entertainment industry, and why Hollywood has, for the most part, been reluctant to get on board? Woodrow then joins the conversation to talk about the inspiration behind MovieCoin, the types of films that MovieCoin will be funding, and what he thinks the film financing landscape could look like in ten years.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob chats with IndieWire’s Anne Thompson about Netflix’s recent foray into the world of  theatrical releases. Last month the company announced that three of its upcoming films would open exclusively in select theaters in the US and abroad for one to three weeks before they debuted online. The films include director Alfonso Cuarón’s 'Roma', The Coen Brothers’ 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'; and Susanne Bier’s 'Bird Box'. Thompson talks about why Netflix strayed from its core business model, what message this sends to high profile filmmakers, and why Oscar aspirations may be influencing the decision. She also discusses if large exhibitors would be willing to cooperate with Netflix, how the company is bracing for upcoming platforms from Disney and Apple, and what Netflix could learn from MoviePass.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff welcome the VP of Creative Affairs at ‘See Saw Films’, Negin Salmasi. Founded in 2008, the relatively small ‘See Saw’ have punched far above their weight in the increasingly competitive indie film landscape, producing critically and commercially successful films like 'The King’s Speech', and 'Lion', as well as the acclaimed television series 'Top Of The Lake'. Their latest film, 'Widows', directed by Steve McQueen, is playing in theaters now. Salmasi talks about why making independent films is harder than ever, how she develops projects in the current landscape, and how she’s helped foster long term working relationships with filmmakers like Steve McQueen and Garth Davis She also discusses why 'See Saw' wanted to get involved in television, why they still believe in the mid-budget film, and how they’ve adapted in the age of Netflix.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff chats with actor and screenwriter Zoe Kazan. It’s been a busy few months for Kazan. In October, the feature film 'Wildlife' — which she co-wrote with her partner, Paul Dano, and which had its Canadian premiere at TIFF in September — opened to great critical acclaim. Most recently, she starred in “The Gal Who Got Rattled,” one of six vignettes that make up the Coen Brothers’ anthology film 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', now playing at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Kazan talks about the films that made her want to pursue a career in show business, how her work as an actor has influenced her screenplays, and the best piece of advice she ever received about writing. She also talks about her all-time favourite film scripts, how her role in 'Meek’s Cutoff '(2010) prepared her for 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs', and what she learned working with the Coen Brothers.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with director Joseph Kahn. Long considered one of the most prolific and commercially successful music video directors, Kahn has recently made his return to feature films with ‘Bodied’, the story of ambitious graduate student who becomes immersed in the world of battle-rap. Written by Canadian battle-rapper Alex Larsen, and produced by Eminem, ‘Bodied’ won the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness at TIFF 2017, and is currently playing at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Kahn talks about why he thinks ‘Bodied’ has struck a chord with “repressed” audiences, how Eminem got involved with the film, and the difference between art and entertainment. He also discusses the art of battle-rap, how he honed his craft working on commercials and music videos, and why good art needs to offend.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with television writer, director, and producer Sam Esmail. Best known as the creator of the hit television series ‘Mr. Robot, Esmail recently directed all ten episodes of the new series ‘Homecoming’; an adaptation of the extremely popular podcast created by Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg. The series which premiered last weekend on Amazon Video, stars Julia Roberts, Stephan James, and Bobby Cannavale. Esmail talks about why he was initially reluctant to adapt ‘Homecoming’, the classic thrillers that inspired his vision for the show, and why he thought the series would work better broken into half hour episodes. He also talks about the TV shows that are currently inspiring him, whether the amount of TV currently being produced is sustainable, and what he thinks has elevated television to a higher art form in recent years.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with ‘Faculty of Horror’ podcast co-host Alexandra West, to discuss the ever increasing legitimacy of the horror films. Thanks in part to the overwhelming critical praise of films like Jennifer Kent’s 'The Babadook', Robert Egger’s 'The Witch', David Robert Mitchell’s 'It Follows', and Jordan Peele’s 'Get Out', the perception of horror has changed over the last decade, from a beloved, but relatively niche genre, to one that cinephiles feel they should be paying attention to. West talks about the films and filmmakers that taught her to love horror, the factors that have lead to the genre becoming more prestigious, and how film critics are covering horror now, as opposed to 10 years ago. She also discusses horror’s unique ability to critique social issues, Jason Blum’s recent comments about the lack of women working in horror, and which gateway films she would recommend to someone who is still on the fence about the genre.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with director and screenwriter, Dee Rees. Beginning with her excellent semi-autobiographical debut 'Pariah' (2011), Rees has earned the reputation as one of her generation’s most exciting filmmakers. Her most recent feature film, 'Mudbound' (2017), earned 4 Academy Award nominations, including a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Rees; making her the first black woman to be nominated for any Academy Award in a writing category. Rees talks about the series of events that led her to NYU film school, working with mentors like Spike Lee and Lee Daniels, and long road to her first feature film, 'Pariah'. She also discusses why Netflix was the only studio to take a chance on 'Mudbound', how she approaches adaptation as an auteur, and what genre she would like to work in next.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with renowned documentarian and director, David Gelb. Starting with his critically acclaimed debut film, 'Jiro Dream’s of Sushi', Gelb’s aesthetically beautiful and emotionally rich profiles of great chefs have had a  significant impact on the genre of food documentary. He has since gone on to create the highly influential Netflix docu-series ‘Chef’s Table’, which recently debuted its fifth season. Gelb talks about how he fell into documentary filmmaking, the chain of events that lead to the making of 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi', and how he went about pitching ‘Chef’s Table’ to Netflix. He also talks about how he’s managed to create a consistent aesthetic across his work, how he picks and chooses which stories he wants to tell, and why the most recent season of ‘Chef’s Table’ is its most political yet.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Romanian super producer, Ada Solomon. Over the last 10 years, Ada has played a large role in the Eastern European film industry, producing some of the region’s most exciting films including: Maren Ade’s 'Toni Erdmann', Cãlin Peter Netzer’s 'Child’s Pose', and most recently Radu Jude’s 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians', which played at this year’s TIFF. When not producing, Solomon serves as the President of the Board for the ‘European Women’s Audiovisual Network’ (EWA), an organization founded to create greater gender equality for women audiovisual professionals throughout Europe. Solomon talks about the early days of Romanian New Wave cinema, the challenges of distributing Romanian films internationally, and why, despite festival success, Romanian films have struggled to find a significant audience in their home country. She also highlights the most exciting filmmakers currently working in Romania, her experience executive producing 'Toni Erdmann', and her role in promoting gender parity in European film.

This week on of TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with South African film producer, and founder of the production company ‘Big World Cinema’, Steven Markovitz. Over his thirty years in the film business, Markovitz has produced over 40 films in on the continent of Africa, and has seen his fair share of challenges trying to get these projects financed, and distributed around the world. One of his most recent productions, the Wanuri Kahiu directed 'Rafiki', was embroiled in controversy after it was was banned in its home country of Kenya. The ban sparked international outrage among supporters of LGBTQ rights, and has since been lifted. Markovitz talks about the events that inspired the founding of his film company, how his films strive to challenge the “dominant African narrative”, and how he’s managed to identify talent across the continent. He also talks the most exciting young filmmakers working in Africa, the difficulties he’s experienced trying to market African films to an international audience, and the saga behind making and distributing 'Rafiki'.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Kit Steinkellner, creator of the acclaimed new television series Sorry For Your Loss. Since writing the pilot script on spec, Steinkellner has overseen every step of the series’ production, culminating with its recent premier on the new streaming platform Facebook Watch. The series which stars Elizabeth Olsen and Kelly Marie Tran is available now. Steinkellner talks about the experience that inspired ‘Sorry For Your Loss’, television’s role in furthering social conversations, and why she didn’t shy away from writing the show on spec. She also talks about the excitement, and anxiety, she feels about being the flagship series on a new streaming platform, what makes Facebook Watch unique, and why we don’t see more half hour dramas.

With another Toronto International Film Festival in the books, Rob and Geoff sit down with the founder of 'The Black List', Franklin Leonard, to talk about the films, performances, trends, and stories that had the industry talking at this year's TIFF. Franklin talks about the most buzzed about films of the slate, how the various studios and distributors faired, and which festival film he thinks has the potential to be a sleeper hit following its release. He also discusses the changes he's seen in the types of films getting funded, how the role of film festivals is evolving, and his favourite memory from his many years coming to TIFF.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the film’s most exciting young actors, Steven Yeun. Steven is probably best known for his role as Glenn Rhee on 'The Walking Dead', but since leaving the show has leaned more towards independent and international cinema with roles in Bong Joon-ho’s 'Okja', Boots Riley’s 'Sorry To Bother You', and, most recently, Lee Chang Dong’s 'Burning'. The Korean thriller premiered at Cannes to rave reviews and is the first film to feature Yeun in a starring role. Yeun talks about the films and filmmakers that influenced him growing up, why he was initially hesitant to make a film in Korea, and what makes Lee Chang Dong so special. He also talks about how he prepares for his roles, the under-representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood films, and why thinks he wouldn’t have been offered a role as substantial as ‘Burning’ in the United States.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Daniel Sawka, director of the timely social drama Icebox. The film, which premieres at TIFF 2018, tells the story of a 12 year old Honduran boy, interned at a US immigration detention centre, and has gained added resonance in the wake the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy. The group also welcome Karine Jean-Pierre, advisor and national spokesperson for ‘MoveOn’. The progressive policy advocacy group recently helped to organize #FamiliesBelongTogether, a day of coordinated protest against family separation and family detention.   The four discuss the making of Icebox, how film can be used to increase awareness of a social issues, and why Sawka chose to highlight this issue through a narrative film, rather than a documentary.   They also talk about the casting of the film’s remarkable young lead, Anthony Gonzalez, how issues of immigration of migration in the United States have become exacerbated under Trump’s policies, and the influence of the film’s producer, the legendary James L. Brooks.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff welcome TIFF’s Director and CEO, Pier’s Handling. This will be Handling’s final festival in charge of TIFF, having assumed his current position in 1994. He originally joined the festival in 1982.   Handling looks back on the films that made him a cinephile, his first exposure to the Toronto International Film Festival, and biggest challenges facing film festivals now vs. 40 years ago.   He also discusses how TIFF’s philosophy has evolved since it was founded in 1976, the long road to opening the TIFF Bell Lightbox in 2010, and what audiences are looking for from a film festival in 2018.

In 2018 alone, three documentaries: Won’t You Be My Neighbor, RBG, and Three Identical Strangers have exceeded $10 million at the domestic box office, a remarkable trend considering only 25 other documentaries has reached this milestone in the past 35 years. To find out what is leading to this sudden increase in the genre’s popularity, Rob and Geoff are joined by TIFF programmer, and host of the documentary themed podcast ‘Pure Nonfiction’, Thom Powers.   Powers discusses how “documentary” went from a dirty word to a financially viable genre,  how Netflix helped expand the artform, and the technological innovations that have changed the genre for the better. He then goes through some of the more anticipated documentary titles coming to TIFF next month including: Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9, Werner Herzog’s Meeting Gorbachev, Alexis Bloom’s Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes, John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm, E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Free Solo, and Errol Morris’ American Dharma.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with independent filmmaker Desiree Akhavan. Following her acclaimed 2014 debut, Appropriate Behavior, Akhavan’s latest is an adaptation of Emily. M Danforth’s novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post. The film, which stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane, won the Grand Jury Prize for US Drama at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Akhavan is also an actress, appearing in projects like Girl’s and Creep 2.   Akhavan talks about how she approached the adaptation process, why having a hit film at Sundance didn’t make the financing of her future projects any easier, and how she adapted her original vision of The Miseducation of Cameron Post script to make it work with a smaller budget.   She also talks about why Chloë Grace Moretz’s interest in joining the cast surprised her, why, despite glowing reviews and festival awards, it took so long to sell the film, and why she finds making TV more difficult than making movies.

Last week, Disney and Fox shareholders approved a deal that would see Disney acquire 21st Century Fox for a whopping $71.3 billion. The deal  - which includes properties like Fox Searchlight, X-Men, Avatar, The Simpsons, and many more - gives Disney an unprecedented market share in the film and television industry. To find out how this acquisition will impact audience members, as well as the industry at large, Rob and Geoff speak with Kayleigh Donaldson, staff writer and editor for Pajiba. Donaldson explains why the deal will likely lead to fewer theatrical films, the uncertain fate of Fox Searchlight, and how other Hollywood studios might react to this merger. She also talks about how the deal has disrupted the streaming landscape, possible crossover opportunities, and why the merger could be a threat to independent cinemas.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff speak with Nadira Azermai, founder of the script analysis company, ScriptBook. Founded in 2015, ScriptBook claims they will be able to save film studios a fortune using artificial intelligence to more accurately identify which scripts will lead to financially successful films. Azermai discusses how ScriptBook functions, the product’s track record of accurately (and sometimes inaccurately) predicting which films will hit or flop, and the most glaring blind spots that studios and producers fail to recognize when analyzing scripts. She also talks about whether applying a scientific method to a creative artform will lead to more homogenized films, how the #MeToo movement has influenced ScriptBook, and whether computers will eventually replace writers altogether.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff are joined by TIFF’s Director of Programming, Kerri Craddock, to discuss some of the most exciting and anticipated titles on this year’s Toronto International Film Festival slate. Craddock gives her thoughts on some of the Gala and Special Presentation titles that TIFF just announced, including Elizabeth Chomko’s directorial debut, 'What They Had'; Paul Dano’s family drama, 'Wildlife'; Bradley Cooper’s musical drama, 'A Star is Born'; Claire Denis’ sci-fi adventure, 'High Life'; Damien Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong biopic, 'First Man'; Steve McQueen’s heist film, 'Widows'; Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Palme d’Or winner, 'Shoplifters'; Asghar Farhadi’s psychological thriller, 'Everybody Knows'; and Jacques Audiard’s western, 'The Sisters Brothers'.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with filmmaker Boots Riley. Although he is perhaps better known as an activist and the front man for the popular political hip-hop group The Coup, Riley has recently focused his talents on filmmaking, writing, and directing the critically adored 'Sorry to Bother You', starring Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, and Armie Hammer. Riley talks about the six-year battle to get Sorry to Bother You made, why he wanted the screenplay to read more like a novel than a film script, and how a previous job working at a call centre helped to inspire the film’s plot. He also discusses how he reconciles his socialist beliefs with working in the inherently capitalist film business, how he assembled such a phenomenal cast for his debut film, and his talent for directing grounded performances within absurdist plot-lines.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with award winning independent film director and writer, Debra Granik. Granik, whose films include Down to the Bone and Winter’s Bone, is recognized as one of film’s great talent spotters, casting actors Jennifer Lawrence and Vera Farmiga in their star-making roles. Her latest film, Leave No Trace, starring Ben Foster and rising star Thomasin McKenzie, is playing now at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Granik discusses what she looks for most in her leading actors, how she’s able to spot talent in relatively unproven actors, and how she prepares her cast for such physically and emotionally demanding roles. She also talks about about why she chooses to set her films in less conventional locations like the Ozarks or the Oregon wilderness, the challenges of making films about the disenfranchised, and where in America she hopes her next film will take her.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the industry’s most versatile and compelling actors, Ben Foster. Whether he’s playing a Texas bank robber in 'Hell or High Water', Lance Armstrong in 'The Program', or William S. Burroughs in 'Kill Your Darlings', Foster’s legendary range has earned him a wide variety of eclectic roles over the last decade. He most recently collaborated with filmmaker Debra Granik on 'Leave No Trace', which opens at TIFF Bell Lightbox on July 6. In this episode, Foster discusses how he prepares for physically and emotionally demanding roles, the challenges of leaving a character behind, and what advice he wishes he’d been given when he was starting out in the business. He also talks about what he values most in directors, how he’s avoided being typecast, and the secret to playing historical figures well.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff sits down with Vanessa Matsui, the creator and star of the web series 'Ghost BFF'. A dark comedy about depression, 'Ghost BFF' is yet another example of creators using the web series medium as an alternative to network or cable television. The show, which was recently greenlit for a second season, is distributed by WhoHaHa, a creative studio co-founded by Elizabeth Banks that celebrates and elevates women in comedy.   Matsui talks about how she came up with the concept for 'Ghost BFF', the advantages and disadvantages of the DIY model, and why she hopes her show will follow in the footsteps of other web series–turned–cable shows like 'High Maintenance', 'Insecure', and 'Broad City'.   She also discusses the economics of making a web series, how difficult it is to sell a show about mental health, and her creative collaboration with Elizabeth Banks and WhoHaHa.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with Indonesian filmmaker Mouly Surya whose latest film, ‘Marlina: The Murderer in Four Acts’, was released earlier this year to great acclaim. The movie, which follows a Sumba woman taking revenge against the the men who have wronged her, is the director’s Indonesian spin on the Spaghetti Western genre. Surya discusses why Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world, has such a small national cinema, her earliest inspirations as a filmmaker, and why her apathy towards the Western genre actually worked in her favour when making her latest film. She also discusses the film’s imaginative score, how getting international financing has changed her approach to filmmaking, and how growing up in an especially patriarchal society has impacted her career.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with Pixar animation artist, Domee Shi. Shi made history this month, when her animated short film ‘Bao’ became the first Pixar short to be directed by a woman. The film, which is based loosely her experiences as a child of Chinese immigrants in Toronto, is currently being shown prior to screenings of ‘Incredibles 2’. Shi talks about how she went from Sheridan College’s animation program to landing one of the most coveted jobs in the business, the creative culture at Pixar, and why pitching her short film was strangely similar to ‘American Idol’. She also discusses where the inspiration for ‘Bao’ came from, hiring her mother as a cultural consultant, the relevance of short films in 2018, and where she hopes her career will take her next.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with documentary filmmaker Sarah Burns, best known for her acclaimed film The Central Park Five, which she co-directed with her father, legendary documentarian Ken Burns, and her husband, David McMahon. Her second film, a documentary about Jackie Robinson, was released on PBS in 2016. Burns talks about what she learned growing up in a house full of filmmakers, why she initially resisted her parent’s career path, and how her connection to the Central Park jogger case came long before she began filmmaking. She also talks about the benefits and challenges of collaborating with your family, what the story of the Central Park Five represents in “Trump’s America,” and what her hopes are for Ava DuVernay’s upcoming dramatization of the story.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob chats with producer and YouTube personality Adi Shankar. Last month, Shankar (whose films include Dredd and The Grey) launched The Apu Screenwriting Contest, an online competition to which writers are encouraged to submit a spec script for The Simpsons that subverts, pivots, or writes off the character of Apu. A mainstay in The Simpsons’ universe, Apu has long been a controversial figure for what many see as a stereotypical and hurtful portrayal of Indian Americans. Shankar has promised that the winning script will be made, either as an official Simpsons episode or as a self-financed episode in Bootleg Universe, Shankar’s YouTube series. Shankar talks about the massive cultural influence of The Simpsons, why he finds the character of Apu so damaging, and his frustration with the show’s reluctance to acknowledge or address the problem. He also discusses where the inspiration for his spec-writing contest came from, his track record of circumventing traditional Hollywood practices, and why he thinks crowdsourcing is such a powerful tool for driving progressive change.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with acclaimed writer and director Ramin Bahrani. Bahrani, who is best known for his independent dramas 'Man Push Cart', 'Chop Shop' and '99 Homes', has recently released the new film through HBO; an adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian classic ‘Fahrenheit 451’, starring Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon. The novel was previously made into a film by François Truffaut in 1966. Bahrani talks about why he wanted to engage with Bradbury in 2018, how he was able to update a 65 year old story for the digital age, and why the genre of science fiction lends itself so well to political commentary. He also talks about his fear of technology, his fascination with directors Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, and why, despite his love of cinema, he elected to take this project straight to television.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with the founder of MoviePass, Stacy Spikes. MoviePass has been making waves in the industry for the last few months after unveiling a plan that allows its users to see one movie a day in theatres for $9.95 a month. While many cinephiles are applauding the company for championing the in-cinema experience, other industry insiders are wondering if the MoviePass vision is too good to be true. Spikes discusses how MoviePass’ business plan has evolved since he founded the company in 2011, why it has more in common with Google than with Netflix, and why so many large theatre chains were initially hesitant to partner with MoviePass. He also talks about what the company means for independent film and addresses the perception that MoviePass’ current business model is unsustainable.  

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob sits down with actor and filmmaker Mark Duplass. Along with his brother, Jay, the Duplass brothers have become two of the most influential figures in independent film, writing and directing films like 'The Puffy Chair', 'Cyrus', and 'Jeff, Who Lives at Home', as well producing films like 'Safety Not Guaranteed', 'The Skeleton Twins', and the recent Netflix documentary series 'Wild, Wild Country'. Their recently published memoir, 'Like Brothers', is in stores this week. Duplass talks about the challenges of being inextricably linked to a creative partner, how to create a financial model that prioritizes artistry, and why he’d rather be prolific than be a perfectionist. He also discusses why he and his brother aren’t interested in making “bigger” movies, the importance of “failing cheaply,” and his track record of giving young filmmakers a platform.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with director and screenwriter Jason Reitman. Although only 40 years old, Reitman already seems like a seasoned veteran in Hollywood, with four Oscar nominations to his name as well an impressive filmography of critical and commercial successes like 'Juno', 'Up in the Air', and 'Young Adult'. His latest film, 'Tully', starring Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis is in theaters now. Reitman talks about his unglamorous beginnings in filmmaking, the unlikely benefactors of his first movie, 'Thank You For Smoking', and his frequent collaborations with screenwriter Diablo Cody. He also talks about his success casting relatively unknown actors like Ellen Page and Anna Kendrick, why he continues to pursue theatrical distribution rather than going the Netflix route, and who he would cast in hypothetical remakes of 'Jaws', 'Thelma and Louise', and 'Harold and Maude'.  

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with celebrated director Andrew Haigh. Over the last decade Haigh has established himself as one of the most daring new filmmakers in the industry, writing and directing films 'Weekend', and '45 Years', as well as creating the HBO series 'Looking'. His latest film, 'Lean on Pete', was released earlier this month to critical acclaim. Haigh discusses his early struggles as a filmmaker, why he prioritizes creative control over a higher budget, and what the decline of the “mid-budget film” means for filmmakers at his level. He also talks about why, to this point, he’s only directed his own scripts, what attracted him to ‘Lean on Pete’, and how he approaches working with a great young actor like Charlie Plummer.

Last month, the Chilean film 'A Fantastic Woman' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and made history as the first Oscar-winning film with a transgender performer in the lead. Now transgender activists in Chile are hoping to use the film’s success to push forward a 2013 bill that would allow transgender people to legally change their names and gender marker on official documents. To get the full story, Rob and Geoff speak with Isabel Amor, Director of Education at Iguales Chile. Amor discusses the history of transgender rights in Chile, the importance of the gender identity bill, and how the international success of A Fantastic Woman has helped accelerate her institution’s mission. She also talks about the significance of A Fantastic Woman being broadcast on public television in Chile, why the film’s Oscar win gives a new significance to award shows, and why a documentary on the same subject likely wouldn’t have had the same impact.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sit down with celebrated character actor and filmmaker Steve Buscemi. Although his name rarely appears at the top of the credits, Buscemi has gained a level of recognition comparable to most A-List actors, with iconic roles in films like Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and Ghost World. He can also be seen in Lean on Pete and The Death of Stalin, two of this year’s most acclaimed new films. Buscemi talks about his early days in New York City's East Village theatre scene, why it’s important for him to balance independent work with more commercial films, and how he managed to form partnerships with filmmakers like the Coen Brothers. He also talks about his approach in working with young actors, what his work as a director has taught him about acting, and what he thinks is the best show currently on television.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Geoff chats with social activist and founder of the famous #OscarsSoWhite movement, April Reign. Reign has recently started a new project, Akuarel;  a digital database for minorities seeking work in Hollywood and other creative industries. Reign talks about how she started an online movement completely by accident, how the mission of #OscarsSoWhite has evolved over the last three years, how she and her campaign have navigated the darker side of Twitter. She also discusses the problem with thinking #OscarsSoWhite accomplished its mission with Moonlight’s Best Picture win, why the hashtag has become such a powerful tool for social movements, and why she saw the need for a tool like ‘Akuarel’.

This week on TIFF Long Take, Rob and Geoff sat down with veteran Canadian film producer J. Miles Dale, who recently brought a Best Picture Oscar home to Toronto for his work on The Shape of Water. Even though the movie is not typically viewed as a “Canadian film,” Dale argues that its success has been a watershed moment for our national cinema, given that it was filmed in Toronto and was made by a largely Canadian crew. Dale discusses the unique challenges of making Hollywood films in Canada, why he thinks The Shape of Water’s success has been so significant for the Canadian film industry, and why some Canadians feel the need to draw a line in sand when it comes to what is, and what is not, Canadian. He also talks about his relationship with Guillermo del Toro, the incredible homegrown talent working in the industry, and how his professional life has changed after winning an Oscar.

Editing is one of the most integral parts of any film, yet a good editor often doesn’t receive the level of recognition that a director, cinematographer, or composer would. To take a closer look at the often unappreciated craft Rob and Geoff sit down with one of the best film editors working today, Tatiana S. Riegel. Over her 30 year career Riegel has worked on a number of beloved films including Pulp Fiction, There Will Be Blood, and Lars and The Real Girl, and recently won an Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for an Oscar for editing I, Tonya. Riegel talks about how she fell into the business of editing, her collaborations with filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Craig Gillespie, and why being a successful editor comes down to being able to navigate a lot of very different personalities. She also discusses why audience screenings are so crucial to her job, and why, despite a large disparity, women have historically had more opportunities in the field editing than they have in other disciplines like cinematography or directing.