TIFF17: TIFF Docs Thoughts
There is a eclectic line-up of films making up the TIFF Docs programme this year. Probably the biggest surprise of the bunch would be the World Premiere of Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, the follow-up to the documentary that introduced us all to Morgan Spurlock. The opening documentary film this year will be Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami about the Jamaican-born model and singer. The documentary programme will close with the North American premiere of Emmanuel Gras’ Makala.
It almost isn’t a festival without a new Frederick Wiseman documentary and indeed this year will feature the North American premiere of Wiseman’s Ex Libris – The New York Public Library. Some other standouts of the documentary line-up include Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, and JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton, the latter I’m interested in based on title alone.
Here is the full list of announced documentaries, with additional Canadian documentaries to be announced on August 9:
Azmaish: A Journey through the Subcontinent Sabiha Sumar, Pakistan
North American Premiere
BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat Sara Driver, USA
World Premiere
The China Hustle Jed Rothstein, USA
World Premiere
Cocaine Prison Violeta Ayala, Australia/Bolivia/France/USA
World Premiere
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars Lili Fini Zanuck, United Kingdom
World Premiere
Ex Libris – The New York Public Library Frederick Wiseman, USA
North American Premiere
The Final Year Greg Barker, USA
World Premiere
The Gospel According to André Kate Novack, USA
World Premiere
Documentary Programme Opening Film
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami Sophie Fiennes, United Kingdom/Ireland
World Premiere
JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated
mention of Tony Clifton Chris Smith, USA/Canada
North American Premiere
Jane Brett Morgen, USA
World Premiere
The Judge Erika Cohn, Palestine/USA
World Premiere
The Legend of the Ugly King Hüseyin Tabak, Germany/Austria
World Premiere
Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle Gustavo Salmerón, Spain
North American Premiere
Love Means Zero Jason Kohn, USA
World Premiere
Documentary Programme Closing Film
Makala Emmanuel Gras, France
North American Premiere
OF SHEEP AND MEN Karim Sayad, Switzerland/Qatar
World Premiere
One of Us Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, USA
World Premiere
The Other Side of Everything Mila Turajlić, Serbia/France/Qatar
World Premiere
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me Sam Pollard, USA
World Premiere
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Matt Tyrnauer, USA
World Premiere
Silas Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman, Canada/South Africa/Kenya
World Premiere
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Morgan Spurlock, USA
World Premiere
