By Travis Johnson
Joe Cinque’s Consolation and Boys in the Trees have joined the already impressive slate of Australian films being showcased at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, both having been selected to screen in the Discovery Section of the program.
Directed and written by Nicholas Verso, Boys in the Trees follows two teenage boys on their last night of high school, as they undertake a surreal journey through their memories, dreams and fears. Joe Cinque’s Consolation, from debut feature director Sotiris Dounoukos is based the Helen Garner book of the same name. It tells the true story of the murder of the eponymous Joe Cinque at an elaborate dinner party by his girlfriend, Anu Singh. Both films are also in competition at this year’s AACTAs.
They join Ivan Sen’s outback noir, Goldstone, which is making its international debut, and Garth Davis’ Lion, which is making its world premiere at the festival.
In other areas of the festival, Mirrah Foulkes’ short film Trespass is screening in Short Cuts, while Australian director Bryn Chainey has been selected for TIFF’s Talent Lab and producers Tania Chambers and Alex White, ecipents of Screen Australia’s recent Gender Matters: Brilliant Stories, have been selected for the Producers Lab. Screen Australia’s Head of Production Sally Caplan has been invited to speak at TIFF’s Women and the Helm forum, on her work on the Gender Matters initiative.
“TIFF have again shown incredible confidence in Australian content, attracting the world premiere of Lion and the international premiere of Goldstone,” said Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason. “I’m particularly pleased that emerging Australian directors Nicholas Verso and Sotiris Dounoukos have had their features selected for Discovery. Make no mistake, TIFF is about more than red carpets – the Festival can kick-start international careers for these Australians.”
The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 4-14.
