Apple today unveiled a lineup of five highly anticipated films set to premiere, as well as a conversation about the docuseries “Gutsy,” at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) taking place in Toronto, Canada from September 8-18.
Apple Original Films that will make their debut at TIFF include the recently announced “Causeway,” a new drama starring and produced by Jennifer Lawrence, co-starring Brian Tyree Henry and directed by Lila Neugebauer; director Peter Farrelly’s dramedy “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” starring Zac Efron and Russell Crowe; the documentary “Sidney” about the late, great Sidney Poitier, directed by Reginald Hudlin and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Derik Murray; “Raymond & Ray,” from director Rodrigo Garcia, starring Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke; and “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues,” a documentary about the prolific musician and activist from director Sacha Jenkins and Imagine Documentaries. TIFF will spotlight the Apple TV+ docuseries “Gutsy” during the festival’s Industry Conference Visionaries program, featuring the show’s executive producers Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton as guest speakers.
“We’re thrilled to be debuting such a diverse spectrum of Apple Originals at this year’s festival,” said Apple’s head of features Matt Dentler. “From documentaries about icons to dramas from Academy Award-winning filmmakers and actors, TIFF audiences are in for a treat. We look forward to giving movie lovers from around the globe a first sneak peek in Toronto.”
The lineup of Apple Original films and series selected for TIFF are:
“Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues”
“Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” offers an intimate and revealing look at the world-changing musician, presented through a lens of archival footage and never-before-heard home recordings and personal conversations. This definitive documentary, directed by Sacha Jenkins, honors Armstrong’s legacy as a founding father of jazz, one of the first internationally known and beloved stars, and a cultural ambassador of the United States. The film shows how Armstrong’s own life spans the shift from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, and how he became a lightning rod figure in that turbulent era.
A Sacha Jenkins Jammie produced by Imagine Documentaries, “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on October 28. The film will open TIFF’s Documentary Section at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Thursday, September 8.
“Gutsy”
A highly anticipated eight-part documentary event following Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton as they celebrate the gutsy women who inspire them. Based on the Clintons’ acclaimed New York Times bestselling book, “The Book of Gutsy Women,” the docuseries features Hillary and Chelsea as they embark on a thought-provoking journey to speak with pioneering women artists, activists, community leaders and everyday heroes who show us what it truly means to be gutsy. The series shows Hillary and Chelsea as you’ve never seen them before, revealing their special mother-daughter bond and the unique, multi-generational way they approach the important and timely issues highlighted in each episode.
Joining the Clintons are some of their personal heroes, extraordinary, courageous and resilient women who have made an impact in their community and on the world, including Kim Kardashian, Megan Thee Stallion, Dr. Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and many more.
All eight parts of “Gutsy” will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on September 9. Hillary and Chelsea Clinton will be guest speakers at the festival’s Industry Conference Visionaries program at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Saturday, September 10.
“Causeway”
“Causeway” is an intimate portrait of a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans. Starring and produced by Jennifer Lawrence and directed by Lila Neugebauer, the film also stars Brian Tyree Henry and is produced by A24.
Prior to its global premiere on Apple TV+ on November 4, “Causeway” will debut at TIFF as a Special Presentation at Royal Alexandra Theatre on Saturday, September 10.
“Sidney”
From producer Oprah Winfrey and directed by Reginald Hudlin, this revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the center of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring candid interviews with Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Robert Redford, Lenny Kravitz, Barbra Streisand, Spike Lee and many more, the film is also produced by Derik Murray, in close collaboration with the Poitier family.
Prior to its global premiere on Apple TV+ on September 23, “Sidney” will debut as a Gala Presentation at TIFF at Roy Thomson Hall on Saturday, September 10.
“Raymond & Ray”
“Raymond & Ray” follows half-brothers Raymond and Ray who have lived in the shadow of a terrible father. Somehow, they still each have a sense of humor, and his funeral is a chance for them to reinvent themselves. There’s anger, there’s pain, there’s folly, there might be love, and there’s definitely gravedigging. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Ethan Hawke, Maribel Verdú and Sophie Okonedo, and is directed by Rodrigo Garcia.
“Raymond & Ray” will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on October 21. The film will debut as a Gala Presentation at TIFF at Roy Thomson Hall on Monday, September 12
“The Greatest Beer Run Ever”
To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood. Based on an incredible true story, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is directed by Peter Farrelly and also stars Russel Crowe.
“The Greatest Beer Run Ever” will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on September 30. The film will debut as a Gala Presentation at Roy Thomson Hall at TIFF on Tuesday, September 13.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 264 wins and 1,149 awards nominations.
