AWARDS BEAT

Toronto International Film Festival
If after its first weekend the Toronto International Film Festival is so far inconclusive, one thing is truly clear: This year’s TIFF belongs to the women.
One-third of the films in the official selection were directed by women, a new high, including such notable works as Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” Lynn Shelton’s “Outside In,” Valerie Faris (with Jonathan Dayton)’s “Battle of the Sexes,” Susanna White’s “Woman Walks Ahead,” Haifaa al-Mansour’s “Mary Shelley,” Chloe Zhao’s “The Rider,” Clio Barnard’s “Dark River” and Nora Twomey’s “The Breadwinner.”
But more than that, the great performances so far at this festival have predominantly come from women, suggesting that this year’s Best Actress race at the Oscars could be more competitive than Best Actor.
For starters, there was Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird,” bringing vibrant life to a sharp, disaffected teen.
There was Jessica Chastain in Aaron Sorkin’s talky, supercharged “Molly’s Game,” and also in “Woman Walks Ahead,” the period drama whose title might as well be the theme for this year’s festival.
There was Jennifer Lawrence, almost never off screen and almost always in extremis in Darren Aronofsky’s horror-film fever dream “mother!”
There was Dame Judi Dench, who won three standing ovations from the Princess of Wales crowd at the premiere of Stephen Frears “Victoria & Abdul,” in which she plays an aging, lonely Queen Victoria. Emma Thompson, matchless as a tightly-wound judge in Richard Eyre’s “The Children Act.” And Helen Mirren, heartbreaking alongside Donald Sutherland in Paolo Virzi’s “The Leisure Seeker.”
Also Read: 'The Leisure Seeker' Toronto Review: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland Highlight Touching Road Movie
Margot Robbie, meanwhile, was by all accounts a delight as Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya,” which also boasts a sparking supporting turn by Allison Janney. And reigning Oscar champ Emma Stone played a more virtuous athlete, Billie Jean King, in “Battle of the Sexes.”
Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz won raves in Sebastian Lelio’s “Disobedience,” while transgender Chilean actress Daniela Vega did the same in Lelio’s other TIFF entry, “A Fantastic Woman.”
Then there was Edie Falco in “Outside In,” Julianne Nicholson in “Who We Are Now” and Ruth Wilson in “Dark River.”
And seven-year-old Brooklynn Prince, a remarkable discovery in Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project.”
Also Read: 'The Florida Project' Cannes Review: Unruly Kids Steal the Show in Heartbreaking Drama
That’s a small sampling, and there are more wa
Monday’s other premieres include Angelina Jolie’s Cambodian film, “First They Killed My Father,” Scott Cooper’s period western “Hostiles,” which went over well in Telluride, and Joe Wright’s “Darkest Hour,”
And that plethora of Monday debuts is one of the reasons why TIFF has been inconclusive so far. The rule that says films that premiered at other festivals can’t get a prime booking during Toronto’s opening weekend has produced a Monday night glut, and
Also Read: 'Chappaquiddick' Toronto Review: A Morality Tale About Ted Kennedy
Still, it’s safe to say that George Clooney’s dark comedy “Suburbicon” didn’t rally much from its lackluster Venice debut, and Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing” was appreciated but not universally embraced, while Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” thrilled some and offended others.
And it’s even safer to say that on the first weekend of TIFF 2017, men had to take a back seat to a whole lot of wonder women.
117 Amazing Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Studio, From Angelina Jolie to Jim Carrey (Photos)
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Actors Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney and director Craig Gillespie, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress-producer Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Sebastian Stan, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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"Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" Jim Carrey
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Jim Carrey, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Chris Smith, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Current War"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Michael Shannon, "The Current War"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon with actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult, "The Current War"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Angelina Jolie, "First They Killed My Father"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Angelina Jolie with producer Rithy Panh, stars Kimhak Mun, Sareum Srey Moch and co-writer Luong Ung, "First They Killed My Father"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-director Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Tracy Letts, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Brie Larson, "Unicorn Store"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Sam Rockwell, "Woman Walks Ahead"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer Ian McEwan, actor Stanley Tucci, director Richard Eyre and actors Emma Thompson and Duncan Kenworthy, "The Children Act"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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"Outside In" director Lynn Shelton with her cast Jay Duplass, Kaitlyn Dever and Edie Falco
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Jay Duplass, "Outside In"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Edie Falco, "Outside In"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Kaitlyn Dever, "Outside In"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Lynn Shelton, "Outside In"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Jake Gyllenhaal, "Stronger"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Tatiana Maslany, "Stronger"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Miranda Richardson, "Stronger"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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"Stronger" star Jake Gyllenhaal with Jeff Bauman, the Boston Marathon bombing survivor he plays in the fiilm
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer Jeff Bauman, "Stronger"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Cedric the Entertainer and director Paul Schrader "First Reformed"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Paul Schrader, "First Reformed"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actors Aaron Pederson, Abbey Lee, Matt Nable, Simone Kessell, Josh McConville and Ryan Corr, "1%"
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Abbey Lee, "1%"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Simone Kessel, "1%"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Ed Harris, "Kodachrome"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Ed Harris and director Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, writer-director-producer Morgan Spurlock and producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-director-producer-star Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Joseph Kahn, "Bodied"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Rory Uphold, "Bodied"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Calum Worthy, "Bodied"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Armando Iannucci, "The Death of Stalin"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince and Sean Baker, "The Florida Project"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Ari Graynor, "The Disaster Artist"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Jessica Chastain, "Molly's Game" and "Woman Walks Ahead"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Jessica Chastain, director Susanna White and Michael Greyeyes, "Woman Walks Ahead"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Julianne Nicholson, "Who We Are Now"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Zachary Quinto, "Who We Are Now"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Josh Lucas, "Mark Felt"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Selma Blair, "Mom and Dad"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage, "Mom and Dad"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Co-directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, "One of Us"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Kyle Rideout, "Public Schooled"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Judy Greer "Public Schooled"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Eddie Izzard, "Victoria & Abdul"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Ali Fazal, "Victoria & Abdul"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Elisabeth Moss, "The Square"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Terry Notary, "The Square"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Ruben Ostland, "The Square"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Claes Bang, "The Square"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Screenwriter Anthony McCarten, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer Anthony McCarten, stars Ben Mendelsohn, Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas with director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Ben Mendelsohn, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Kristin Scott Thomas, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Nahuel Peres Biscayar, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Arnaud Valois, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director John Curran with actors Jim Gaffigan, Ed Helms and Kate Mara, writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen, "Chappaquiddick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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"Chappaquiddick" director John Curran
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Jim Gaffigan, "Chappaquiddick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Ed Helms, "Chappaquiddick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Dan Gilroy, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actors Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau and director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Christoph Waltz, "Downsizing"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actress Hong Chau, "Downsizing"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actors Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike, direcor Scott Cooper, Christian Bale and Jonathan Majors, "Hostiles"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Simon Baker, "Breath"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Simon Baker, "Breath"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director Neil Burger, "The Upside"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-director Martin McDonagh, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Director and co-writer Dee Rees, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actor Jason Mitchell, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Jason Mitchell and Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Actors Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, director Dee Rees, actors Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Garrett Hedlund, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Writer-director Robin Campillo, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, "Battle of the Sexes"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, "Battle of the Sexes"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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Brady Jandreau, "The Rider"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
TIFF 2017: Jake Gyllenhaal, Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch and more sit down to talk about their latest projects
Actors Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney and director Craig Gillespie, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Thompson Toronto
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