The Toronto International Film Festival is, as always, bringing a healthy mix of films to Canada this fall, but there are two biopics worth keeping an eye on.
First up is “I, Tonya” which finds Margot Robbie playing disgraced Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. Craig Gillespie (“Lars and The Real Girl,” “Fright Night,” “Their Finest Hours”) directs a cast that includes Sebastian Stan as Jeff Gilloly and Caitlin Carver as Nancy Kerrigan. Even more intriguing, Harding and Gilloly apparently had some input on the script.
Next up is Elle Fanning as “Frankenstein” author “Mary Shelley.” “Wadjda” director Haifaa al-Mansour helms the picture which co-stars Douglas Booth, Bel Powley, Tom Sturridge, and Maisie Williams and explores the young life of the writer. Here’s the official synopsis:
Passionate and rebellious teenager Mary Wollstonecroft finds a kindred spirit in poet Percy Shelley. Their whirlwind love affair scandalizes polite society, as the young couple gorge on literature and a bohemian life. When tragedy strikes and the couple lose their baby daughter, Mary strikes back, finding the courage and bravery to transform her pain into the world’s first science fiction novel, Frankenstein – all by the age of 18.
“I, Tonya” and “Mary Shelley” are making their World Premieres at TIFF which runs from September 7-17.