The soccer documentary, “Copa 71,” produced by Serena Williams’ production banner Nine Two Six Productions, is set to open the Toronto Film Festival’s Docs sidebar as it recounts the 1971 Women’s World Cup tournament in Mexico City. Williams and Caroline Currier are executive producing the documentary from directors Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine. The film will have its world premiere at TIFF.
In addition to “Copa 71,” TIFF has also booked world premieres for several other highly anticipated documentaries. One of them is “Silver Dollar Road” by Raoul Peck, which tells the story of a Black family fighting to save their North Carolina property from land-grabbing developers. Another is “The World is Family” by Anand Patwardhan, which recounts the director’s parents’ role in leading India’s independence movement.
TIFF will also feature the world premiere of “Defiant” by Karim Amer, a documentary about Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba and his battle against disinformation. “Sorry/Not Sorry” by Caroline Suh and Cara Mones will profile the women who accused comedy giant Louis C.K. of sexual harassment and the consequences they faced in their careers. Other world premieres include “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa” by Lucy Walker, which follows a single mother working as a dishwasher while breaking records as a mountain climber, and “Stamped From the Beginning” by Roger Ross Williams, a film about anti-Black racism in the U.S.
TIFF has unveiled a total of 22 documentaries from 12 countries, with additional world premieres and first looks. Some of the newly announced world premieres include “The Contestant” by Clair Titley, a film about a Japanese reality TV show participant, “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe” by Robert McCallum, which explores the life of an iconic Canadian kids entertainer, and “Flipside” by Chris Wilcha, a documentary about attempting to save a New Jersey record store while facing a mid-life crisis.
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There are also world premieres for “Boil Alert” by Stevie Salas and James Burns, which portrays Layla Staats exploring the Indigenous relationship to water and her own identity as a Mohawk woman, “Homecoming” by Suvi West and Anssi Kömi, which follows the Indigenous Sámi people fighting for their stolen ancestral heritage, and “Summer Qamp” by Jen Markowitz, a documentary about an LGBTQ+ summer camp in the Canadian Rockies. Kasia Smutniak’s “Walls” will also have its world premiere at TIFF, following refugees navigating the “red zone” along the Belarusian-Polish border while evading arrest.
Additionally, TIFF will feature the international premiere of Errol Morris’ “The Pigeon Tunnel,” a portrait of the spy novelist David Cornwell, a.k.a. John Le Carré. The festival is set to run from Sept. 7 to 17, and more lineup announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
Here is a complete list of the TIFF Docs section:
– “Boil Alert,” Stevie Salas and James Burns (Canada/USA)
– “Bye Bye Tiberias,” Lina Soualem (France/Belgium/Qatar/Palestine)
– “Copa 71,” Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine (United Kingdom)
– “Defiant,” Karim Amer (Ukraine/United Kingdom/USA)
– “Flipside,” Chris Wilcha (USA)
– “God Is a Woman,” Andrés Peyrot (France/Switzerland/Panama)
– “Homecoming,” Suvi West and Anssi Kömi (Finland/Norway)
– “In the Rearview,” Maciek Hamela (Poland/France/Ukraine)
– “Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros,” Frederick Wiseman (France/USA)
– “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” Lucy Walker (USA)
– “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe,” Robert McCallum (Canada)
– “Silver Dollar Road,” Raoul Peck (USA)
– “Songs of Earth,” Margreth Olin (Norway)
– “Sorry/Not Sorry,” Caroline Suh and Cara Mones (USA)
– “Stamped From the Beginning,” Roger Ross Williams (USA)
– “Summer Qamp,” Jen Markowitz (Canada)
– “The Contestant,” Clair Titley (United Kingdom)
– “The Mother of All Lies,” Asmae El Moudir (Morocco/Egypt/Saudi Arabia/Qatar)
– “The Pigeon Tunnel,” Errol Morris (United Kingdom/USA/Hungary)
– “The World Is Family,” Anand Patwardhan (India)
– “Viva Varda!” Pierre-Henri Gibert (France)
– “Walls,” Kasia Smutniak (Italy)
The Toronto Film Festival promises to be an exciting platform for showcasing thought-provoking and impactful documentaries from around the world. Audiences can expect a diverse range of topics, from sports and social justice to personal stories and cultural explorations.
