Rob Connolly’s Paper Planes and Josh Lawson’s The Little Death have been added to the Australian line-up at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.
That brings the number of Australian films screening at TIFF to seven. In addition, Australian artist Shaun Gladwell has been invited to present his projects BMX Channel and Midnight Traceur in the festival’s Future Projections program, a crossover between cinema and art.
Connolly’s Paper Planes will have its international premiere in TIFF Kids. The film, which centres on a young Australian boy’s passion for flight and his challenge to compete in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan, stars Sam Worthington, Ed Oxenbould, Deborah Mailman and David Wenham. Roadshow will launch the film co-written by Connolly and Steve Worland and produced by Connolly, Maggie Miles and Liz Kearney in Australia next January.
The Little Death, Lawson’s feature writing and directing debut, will have its international premiere in the Discovery section. Bojana Novakovic, Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvany, Patrick Brammall, Lachy Hulme and Lisa McCune star in the edgy sex comedy about the secret lives of five suburban couples in Sydney.
Maeve has a dangerous sexual fantasy that her boyfriend Paul struggles to fulfil; Evie and Dan reignite their spark with role-play; Rowena discovers she finds pleasure in her husband Richard’s pain; Phil finds a newfound love for his wife Maureen in her quieter moments; and Monica and Sam become caught up in a dirty and chaotic phone call.
Produced by Jamie Hilton, Matt Reeder and Michael Petroni, It opens here on September 25 via eOne. "When I heard that The Little Death had been accepted I honestly punched the air like Judd Nelson at the end of The Breakfast Club, but less cool," said Lawson. "I'm thrilled and proud to have our film in one of the world's most illustrious film festivals. I think we've done something really original and funny and bold and I can't wait for people to finally see it."
Tine Klint's LevelK is handling international distribution and will introduce the film to buyers in Toronto.
As previously announced, Kriv Stenders’ dark comedy Kill Me Three Times will have its world premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema section alongside Tony Ayres’ thriller Cut Snake. Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country will have its North American premiere in the same section.
Mark Hartley’s documentary Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films will have its international premiere in Midnight Madness.
Sotiris Dounoukos’ A Single Body will screen in the inaugural Short Cuts International showcase. The drama revolves around David and Wani, best friends and skilled abattoir, who are saving to open their own butchery and whose bond is tested by the arrival of a new worker.
“It’s a stand-out year for Australia at Toronto,” said Screen Australia head of marketing Kathleen Drumm. “These two latest selections offer wildly different, but equally entertaining additions to the Australian line-up.”
The Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4-14.