In the past week, the Toronto Arthouse Film Festival marked its return with the eagerly awaited 2023 edition. This year's event featured four screening evenings at the historic FOX Theater, complemented by an engaging online streaming selection. A vibrant assortment of 30 films, curated from both local and international talent, encompassing narrative films, documentaries, experimental gems, and music videos, contributed to the festival's resounding success, drawing a diverse community of indie film enthusiasts.
Festival host and manager, Maarten Cornelis, expressed his delight, stating, "TAFF 2023 was a major triumph! Witnessing the growth of the modest festival we inaugurated in 2015 into a global cultural hub for filmmakers is immensely gratifying. Out of the 2,000 submissions, 30 remarkable films secured a spot in the final selection, screened to a captivated audience at the esteemed FOX Theater. Heartfelt congratulations to all the filmmakers, and our sincere appreciation for sharing your narratives with us. We eagerly await your participation in the 9th edition of TAFF next year!"
Kris De Meester, the festival's curator, echoed the sentiment, noting, "The Toronto Arthouse Film Festival is a visual and intellectual delight, continually pushing the boundaries of cinematic art. The privilege of evaluating the multitude of exceptional films from around the globe is truly inspiring. I am eagerly looking forward to commencing work on the next edition."
Today, TAFF takes great pleasure in unveiling the distinguished recipients of the 2023 awards, as determined by our jury panel:
- Best Narrative Feature Film: "In Her Name" (United States) by Sarah Carter - Best Documentary Feature Film: "Natalia" (United States) by Elizabeth Mirzaei - Best Narrative Short Film: "Our Males and Females" (Jordan) by Ahmad Alyaseer - Best Documentary Short Film: "Death is Dangerous, It Could Hurt" (Canada) by Mariane Béliveau - Best Animated Short Film: "Slower Animals" (United States) by John Christopher Kelley - Best Experimental Film: "Kiss/Crash" (United Kingdom) by Adam Cole - Best Music Video: "Chemical Somnia" (Canada) by Scott Portingale - Best LGBTQ+ Film: "Our Males and Females" (Jordan) by Ahmad Alyaseer - Best Acting: Annabelle Ulloa Garay in "Love is the Monster" (Costa Rica) by Neto Villalobos Brenes - Best Canadian Film: "Time Traveling Through Time" (Canada) by Ryan Ward
Congratulations to all the talented winners!
Today also marks the launch of a new Call for Entries on FilmFreeway for the upcoming edition, scheduled to run from October 16 to 19, 2024. Filmmakers are invited to submit their work here: https://www.torontofilmfestival.org
ABOUT TAFF:
Do you possess a distinctive vision? Are you a dedicated independent filmmaker unwilling to compromise on your artistic ideals? The Toronto Arthouse Film Festival extends a warm welcome to filmmakers who explore and innovate within the constraints of limited budgets to realize their creative visions. Our festival is dedicated to showcasing the pioneering and daring works of risk-taking filmmakers from around the world. These films, distinguished by their aesthetic and thematic diversity, herald the arrival of exciting new directing talents in the world of cinema.