“Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy”
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Diane Kruger, Laura Dern, Jim Sturgess, Courtney Love
Synopsis: A young woman named Savannah Knoop spends six years pretending to be the celebrated author JT LeRoy, the made-up literary persona of her sister-in-law.
What You Need To Know: “Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy” is the newest film from director Justin Kelly who was also the creative force behind the very controversial “I Am Michael” as well as “King Cobra.” This film covers the true story of successful author Laura Albert and her faux literary persona JT Leroy. Albert enlisted her sister-in-law, Savannah Knoop, to start masquerading as the writer who was taking Hollywood and the literary world by storm. The film makes for a spellbinding retelling of the impact of gender, identity and defining what is or is not ‘real.’ What began as a pen name evolved into so much more, particularly when the truth inevitably comes out.
Release Date: Awaiting Distribution — MO
“In Fabric”
Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, Julian Barrett, Steve Oram, Gwendoline Christie, Fatma Mohamed
Synopsis: A surge of misfortunes afflicts customers who come into contact with a bewitched dress at an eerie department store.
What You Need To Know: Director Peter Strickland, known for outré, cinematically fetishistic films like “Berberian Sound System” and “The Duke Of Burgundy,” is, as the kids say, back on his shit with something that sounds haunting, beguiling and as usual, bizarre and weird ass. Strickland’s out-there, psychedelic scores are always a treat too (in the past using Broadcast and Cat’s Eyes) and this time taps experimental, electronic outfit Cavern of Anti-Matter— founded by Stereolab’s Tim Gane— for the musical chores. If it’s anything like is anything like Strickland’s previous films it’s going to be wonderfully strange and extravagant.
Release Date: Awaiting Distribution – Rodrigo Perez
Honorable Mentions
Trust us, there’s plenty more. The just-announced “A Private War” by acclaimed documentarian Matthew Heineman starring Rosamund Pike in his first narrative feature; Peter Farrelly‘s “Green Book” with Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen; Dan Fogelman‘s “Life Itself” which features a large ensemble cast including Olivia Wilde and Oscar Isaac; Zhang Yimou‘s “Shadow“; George Tillman Jr.’s “The Hate You Give“; Jafar Panahi‘s “3 Faces“; Paolo Sorrentino‘s “Lorro“; Michael Moore‘s “Fahrenheit 11/9“; Kim Nguyen’s ” The Hummingbird Project.”
More: Paul Greengrass‘ “22 July“; Sam Taylor-Johnson‘s “A Million Little Pieces” starring husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Peter Hedges’ “Ben Is Back” with Julia Roberts and his son Lucas Hedges; Neil Jordan‘s “Greta” with Chloe Moretz-Grace; Anthony Maras’ “Hotel Mumbai“; Thomas Vinterberg’s “Kursk” starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Léa Seydoux, and Colin Firth; Max Minghella‘s directorial debut “Teen Spirit” with Elle Fanning; “Tell It To The Bees” featuring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger; Amma Asante‘s already-generating-controversy “Where Hands Touch” with rising star Amandla Stenberg and dozens and dozens more.
As mentioned, this is not really including all the major films that already premiered at the Venice Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival (click on those links for all our coverage); films like Natalie Portman’s “Vox Lux,” “The Old Man & The Gun” with Robert Redford‘s last performance, Jacques Audiard‘s “The Sisters Brothers” with the stacked cast of Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Riz Ahmed and many more. Happy TIFF-ing out there and stay safe, fed, and hydrated as you run from film to film to catch all these riches. The Toronto International Film Festival runs September 6-16. Stay tuned for a mountain of coverage.
Check out all our coverage from the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival here.