Festivals

TIFF 2023: Day Two

We have arrived.

Jared Mobarak

09 Sep 2023 — 3 min read

Obligatory TIFF sign selfie with a masked me from the nose up creeping into frame.

My first day of TIFF 2023 (the festival’s second) is now in the books. It was nothing if not eventful.

Three films were seen with varying degrees of enjoyment—one of which I had to literally be smuggled into because Ticketmaster was making the publicist’s life a living hell trying to get me a QR-code. Had some shawarma for lunch from my new usual haunt on King Street and a couple BBQ steak roti tacos from Menu Food Truck for dinner. I even briefly helped a producer on RUSTIN find the P&I schedule via his phone (he said they couldn’t have written the reviews better themselves out of Telluride, a statement that has me even more excited to watch it on Monday).

It will prove my most compact day of the festival considering we had just drove in, but I was still able to finish two reviews while starting the third before bed. So, all in all, an efficient day as well.

A painted mural inspired by THE BOY AND THE HERON; a view from my obstructed seat after getting smuggled into my first screening once 3/4s of the line already passed me by; the unfortunate alternate verbiage TIFF uses for P&I screenings wherein they ask audience members to "minimize phone usage" rather than shut phones off completely; the BBQ steak roti tacos from Menu Food Truck.

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REVIEWS:

A scene from LOST LADIES; courtesy of TIFF.

LOST LADIES [Laapataa Ladies]

(world premiere)

“It's a progressive story without being preachy. A rom-com/mystery hybrid weaving its themes into the fabric of its plot to avoid talking down to an audience that understands its motives all too well.”

Full thoughts at The Film Stage.

NORTH STAR

(world premiere)

“Sometimes personal stories like this just don't quite translate to formulaic mainstream-appeal storytelling. Craft and intent simply couldn't quite push it across the finish line.”

– Full thoughts at The Film Stage.

THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS

(world premiere)

“The joys and pain of nature vs. nurture arrive in full force as love is defeated by petty grievances born from indoctrination that blinds too many from seeing what truly matters: happiness.”

Full thoughts at The Film Stage.