Toronto’s European Union Film Festival has a total of 34 films screening throughout this year’s Festival that runs November 10 to 24, 2016. Twenty-eight films from each of the EU’s member countries and six shorts from film students across the continent, will be part of EUFF’s 12th edition. There are a lot of new exciting things happening this year, with the first ever round table, short film screenings, and two co-presented film exhibitions. 

Opening the Festival is the Canadian premiere of the Netherlands “A Noble Intention”, directed by Joram LÃrsen. Set in late 19th century Amsterdam, this harrowing period drama follows Vedder, a violinist refusing to give up his home amidst unstoppable gentrification. Desperate, he devises a scheme that might be his only way out. Director LÃrsen will be in attendance.

A record for the Festival, four features will be seen for the first time in North America at EUFF: Italy’s touching Cannes selection, Like Crazy, director Paolo VirzÃ’s charming study of two very different women brought together while at a psychiatric institution; Portugal’s sci-fi mystery, Ice (Gelo), directors Luís Galvão Teles and Gonvalo Galvão Teles fantasy where a young woman is born out of the DNA of a frozen Ice-Age corpse; Latvia’s WWI drama Exiled, directed by Dāvis SÄmanis; and Austria’s drama on the power of self-reinvention, Hanna’s Sleeping Dogs, directed by Andreas Gruber.

Among the ten features that will be making their Canadian Premieres at the Festival are: the United Kingdom’s Berlinale selection Remainder, first-time director and video artist Omer Fast’s take on author Tom McCarthy’s experimental novel by the same title; Cyprus touching comedy Family Member, directed by Marinos Kartikkis and the story of a struggling family ready to take desperate measures to make ends meet; Poland’s These Daughters of Mine, director Kinga Debska’s light-hearted look at sisterhood; Belgium’s buddy comedy The First, the Last, directed by beloved actor/director Bouli Lanners, follows two bounty-hunters searching for a phone filled with embarrassing files; and France’s Irreplaceable, doctor-turned-director Thomas Lilti’s portrait of a devoted doctor coming to terms with having to train a replacement.

Nine features will be seen in Toronto for the first time at the 2016 EUFF, among them: Denmark’s San Sebastian selection, Silent Heart, director Bille August’s inter-generational family drama on coming to terms with a loved one’s passing; Estonia’s dark comedy Mother, directed by Kadri Kõusaar; Romania’s drama on the unintended consequences of journalistic integrity, Live, directed by Vlad Păunescu; and Ireland’s Stay, director Wiebke Von Carosfeld’s study on the agelessness of immaturity. Director Von Carosfeld will be in attendance.

Closing the Festival is Slovakia’s TIFF 2015 selection and FIPRESCI Prize winner Eva Nova, director Marko Skop’s portrait of an aging actress aching to regain the love of her estranged son. 

Rounding out the selection, and new at EUFF, six student short films from the EU will be screening in front of select features, including Ida-Maria Olva’s Afloat (Finland), Eva Riley’s Patriot (United Kingdom), Judita Gamulin’s Flowers (Croatia), Anouk Fortunier’s Strange Bird (Belgium), Hajni Kis’ Beautiful Figure (Hungary), and Edouard Partoes’ Star Dust (France).

Visit EUFF for the full 2016 line up.

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment, and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors, and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats. Reach out - bryen@thebuzzmag.ca