The Toronto International Film Festival Primetime program revealed its lineup of five bold series with representation from six countries across the globe: France, the United States, Israel, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. In its fourth year, the program continues its momentum with leading-edge work by Kit Steinkellner, Daniel Syrkin, Eric Khoo, and Eli Horowitz, Micah Bloomberg and Sam Esmail.
“Cinematic television has provided a new lane for the consumer’s experience of cinematic art,” said Michael Lerman, primetime programmer at TIFF. “These series not only push the boundaries of what can be presented, but also demonstrate how it can transcend culture, visual arts, and communications.”
This year’s lineup features Amazon Studios’ world premiere of Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts. Based on the podcast by creators and showrunners Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg, the series is a gripping psychological thriller that uncovers the truth behind a military reintegration facility’s questionable motives.
Also featured is Thomas Cailley’s sci-fi series Ad Vitam, about a collective suicide masterminded by seven teenagers that occurs after the world’s longest-living human being turns 169 years old. Threatened by humanity’s efforts to extinguish death and aging, a rebellion rises against regeneration technology, leaving many to question the meaning of life and immortality.
Despair and deceit are also examined in 2018’s Primetime selections with Facebook Watch’s newest series, Sorry For Your Loss. From creator Kit Steinkellner and director James Ponsoldt, the show explores the life of a young widow as she grieves the loss of her husband while being forced to deal with the truth of her past.
Adding global appeal to this lineup, Eric Khoo’s Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Pob is a six-part, modernized horror anthology series directed by six Asian directors, including Joko Anwar and Pen-ek Ratanaruang. The series will be rooted in superstitions and mythologies from each director’s respective country and will be presented in the local language of the country the episode is based in. Daniel Syrkin’s comedy Stockholm brings four friends together as they cover up the death of their friend, who was nominated for a Nobel Prize.
The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6-16, 2018.
Series screening as part of the Primetime program include:
Ad Vitam France, 2 episodes
Director: Thomas Cailley
International Premiere
Folklore: A Mother’s Love & Pob Indonesia/Thailand/Singapore, 2 episodes
Showrunner: Eric Khoo
Directors: Joko Anwar, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
World Premiere
Homecoming USA, 4 episodes
Creators: Eli Horowitz, Micah Bloomberg
Director: Sam Esmail
World Premiere
Sorry For Your Loss USA, 4 episodes
Showrunner: Lizzy Weiss
Creator: Kit Steinkellner
Directors: James Ponsoldt, Jessica Yu, Allison Anders
World Premiere
Stockholm Israel, 4 episodes
Writer: Noa Yedlin
Director: Daniel Syrkin
International Premiere