TIFF Quick Thoughts – Part One – Fjord, Low Lies the Land, In the Heart of the South, River, In Alaska, Bucking Fastard, Turtle Island Rap, and The Stunt Driver

I had a great time at the Toronto International Film Festival, and I plan to write longer reviews, but I wanted to quickly review the 17 films I watched during the four days I was there. Overall, TIFF was a big success. It was organized, easy to navigate, and the volunteers were wonderful. I caught all the films on my watchlist, met a bunch of cool people, and watched Canadian films that might’ve gone under my radar if I hadn’t attended the festival. I’d love to go back next year.

​Here are my quick thoughts about the films I watched on 09/10 and 09/11.

Fjord (2026)

• Directed by – Cristian Mungiu – R.M.N., (2022), 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007), Graduation (2016)
• Starring – Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Lisa Carlehed
• Why I watched it – It won the Palme d’Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Also, I had to see Stan and Reinsve in a film directed by Mungiu

Quick thoughts:

• Fjord is a wildly divisive film that I really enjoyed. It will annoy many people, but I appreciate the lack of easy answers and lingering questions
• It will be interesting to see how well it works for American audiences not familiar with Norwegian and Romanian politics. Fjord is a super European film.
• Between A Different Man and Fjord, I love the Reinsve/Stan duo.
• Once again, DP Tudor Vladimir Panduru does fine work. The Norwegian landscapes look gorgeous and deadly.
• Mingiu’s “balanced” approach works well as progressive and conservative views are shared. Both sides can be infuriating.
• Communication is important.

Random Awards

• Best “Being There” Moment Award
• Most Frustrating Court Case Award
• Best Interruption of Someone Playing Amazing Grace on a Piano Award

Low Lies the Land

• Director – Emanuele Gerosa
• Starring – The Chiappone, Adamo, Agatiello, and Bertolino families
• Why I watched it – A documentary about Italian wine country sounded too good to pass up. I love Truffle Hunters, so I gave it a shot.

Quick Thoughts

• The doc works best when the camera lingers on the work required to keep a vineyard running.
• There’s a moment in which a young man takes off his shoes and places them under the bench he’s sitting on. Then, he grabs another pair of shoes and puts them on. In theory, the moment is meant to create a relaxed realism, but it feels staged and takes me out of the moment.
• Alvise Tedesco’s cinematography is wonderful because it makes the Northern Italian vineyards look gorgeous, daunting, and a bit arid. He captures the beauty and fragility of the vineyards.
• I’ve never wished for rain more while watching a documentary.
• Excellent vine pruning.

Random Awards

• Best “I Won’t Sell my Winery” Moment of 2026 Award
• Best Flower Purchasing Award
• Best Grandma Lecture About Dating Women Award

In the Heart of the South

• Director – Nyla Innuksuk
• Starring – Anna Lambe and Zorga Qaunaq
• Why I watched it – The synopsis sold me – “In the Heart of the South is what Single White Female would be if it were set in Toronto, with an Inuk protagonist and a dash of supernatural elements, starring North of North’s Anna Lambe.”

Quick Thoughts

• Anna Lambe and Zorga Qaunaq are wonderful. I need to watch North of North.
• I need to watch Slash/Back.
• I like how it approaches ownership and perspective. Who owns the story? Who makes money from it? Why do people need to add genre elements to sell a movie?
• Best 2026 avocado toast.
• There’s a horrifying/funny pitch meeting.
• I know it’s satirized, but the Toronto art scene seems like a nightmare.

Random Awards

• Best Avocado Toast Award
• Best 2026 “Punch-Up” Writer Award
• Best Worst Meeting That Ends With a Successful Pitch That Will Prove to be a Nightmare to Write Award

River

• Director – Joshua Giuliano
• Starring – Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe, Max Mattern and Dane DiLiegro
• Why I watched it – Jane Levy + Jessica Rothe + Aquatic Mayhem = Something I needed to see

Quick Thoughts

• Between Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe, and River, Jane Levy has taken a lot of damage in horror movies.
• The on-location shoot in West Virginia adds a nice layer of authenticity.
• Rothe, Levy and Mattern are wonderful.
• River blends horror, humor, and gore really well. You’ll laugh. You’ll jump. You’ll cringe.
• I love cabinet whiskey.

Random Awards

• Best 2026 Beer Can Catch Award
• Best Foot Chase Award
• Best Bicycle Accident Award
• Best Scene Involving Siblings Bonding While One of Them Pees Award

In Alaska

• Directors – Jaap van Heusden and Vinnie Karetak
• Starring – Leo Matthew Temela, Noomi Rapace, Yin Wang, Zorga Qaunaq.
• Why I Watched It – The TIFF synopsis sold me – “When a suicidal Inuk teen accidentally pierces an oil pipeline with a bullet, the FBI launches a full-scale manhunt across the northern wilderness in this drama starring Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and newcomer Leo Matthew Temela.”

Quick Thoughts:

• The film builds to a powerful ending that really connected with me.
• The on-location shoot in British Columbia.
• Noomi Rapace makes some interesting choices for her character, and they work. Her section of the film isn’t necessary, but it’s safe to assume her presence helped the directors find funding.
• Leo Matthew Temela is an actor to watch.
• It’s an interesting watch because the pacing is languid (in a good and bad way), but it builds to something beautiful.
• It features my favorite line of 2026.

Random Awards

1. Best 2026 Snowmobiling Award
2. Best Usage of Rugged Canadian Locations Award
3. Best Raw Fish Eating Award
4. Best Worst Attempt to Plug a Hole in an Oil Pipeline Award

Bucking Fastard

• Director – Werner Herzog
• Starring – Kate Mara, Rooney Mara, Orlando Bloom, Domhnall Gleeson
• Why I Watched It – Werner Herzog wrote and directed it. I needed to see it.

​Quick Thoughts:

1. Werner Herzog loves caves.
2. It won’t happen, but Kate and Rooney Mara should get Oscar nominations.
3. I’m a big fan of Orlando Bloom becoming a character actor.
4. A vacuuming scene made me very happy.
5. Bucking Fastard is my favorite TIFF film that I watched. Pure joy.

Random Awards

• Best Gas Station Scene Award
• Best Fox Award
• Best Cave Award
• Best Tunneling Award
• Best Slippery Soap Award
• Best Courtroom Scene Award

Turtle Island Rap

• Director – Alexandra Lazarowich
• Starring – A$h Da Hunter, Wiidaaseh, and Travis Thompson
• Why I Watched It – I had a good feeling about it. The feeling paid off because the doc is excellent

Quick Thoughts

• I’d love to talk to director Alexandra Lazarowich because her direction is perfect.
• A$h, Wiidaaseh, and Travis are super likable. I like how comfortable and open they are.
• A$H should’ve won the rap battle.
• The cinéma vérité style is successfully employed.
• I want a Spam burrito.
• Watch it.

Random Awards

• Most Likable Doc Subjects Award
• Best 2026 Live Show Award
• Best Worst Vinyl Record Deal Award
• Best Doc I Watched a TIFF Award

The Stunt Driver

• Director – Michael Dowse
• Starring – Jay Baruchel, Laurence Leboeuf, Ed Helms, Ben Foster, Marc Beaupré,
• Why I Watched It – The Michael Dowse-directed Goon is one of my favorite films, so I had to see Jay Baruchel and Dowse reunite for another sports comedy.

Quick Thoughts

• Jay Baruchel is excellent.
• I like the distinction between “Stunt Driver” and “Daredevil.”
• It starts hot and eventually loses momentum. However, the experience is still enjoyable.
• The Goon reunion made me happy.
• Ben Foster makes everything better.
• It made me want to rewatch Shoresy again. I like knowing Laurence Leboeuf is in it.

Random Awards

• Best Headshot Photo Award
• Best Worst Concrete Award
• Best “Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader” Joke Award
• Best Reaction to Driving At Speeds Surpassing 200 MPH Award.
• Best Bank Run Award