“Sly,” director Thom Zimny’s documentary about Sylvester Stallone,” will be the closing-night presentation at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Tuesday.
The film, which will be released by Netflix, will have its world premiere on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Roy Thomson Hall, at the conclusion of the festival that will begin with Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron.”
Zimny previously came to Cannes with two Bruce Springsteen movies, “The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town” in 2010 and “Western Stars” in 2019. His other films include “Willie Nelson & Family,” “Elvis Presley: The Searcher” and “The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash.”
“Sly” covers both Stallone’s career, including the huge hits “Rocky” and “Rambo” and the recent TV series “Tulsa King,” and his personal life from his rough childhood in New York City to now.
“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we couldn’t be more honored to share it with our audiences as our Closing Night film,” said TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey in a statement. “Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, ‘Sly’ takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. ‘Sly’ offers an unexpected and heartfelt exploration of the man behind the action megastar.”
The 2023 Toronto International Film Festival will run from Sept. 6 through Sept. 17. Additional programming will be announced in the coming weeks.