The 2024 TIFF Discovery program has been announced, with the buzzy “Bonjour Tristesse” opening the lineup.
Presented by Air France, the Discovery program debuts first-time features and sophomore films from emerging international filmmakers. This year, the festival has 24 titles with 20 world premieres representing 25 countries ranging from Bangladesh to Nigeria.
Durga Chew-Bose’s adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s novel “Bonjour Tristesse” will open the program. The film centers on 18-year-old Cécile (Lily McInerny) who is enjoying the French seaside with her father, Raymond (Claes Bang) and his lover Elsa (Naïlia Harzoune). Yet the arrival of her late mother’s friend Anne (Chloë Sevigny) changes everything. Per the official synopsis, “amid the sun-drenched splendour of their surroundings, Cécile’s world is threatened and, desperate to regain control, she sets in motion a plan to drive Anne away with tragic consequences.”
Chew-Bose writes and directs the film, which is represented by UTA for distribution sales.
Other anticipated Discovery program titles include Afolabi Olalekan’s “Freedom Way,” Egil Pedersen’s “My Fathers’ Daughter,” Laura Carreira’s “On Falling,” and Pavlo Ostrikov’s “U Are The Universe.”
Discovery alumni include award-winning filmmakers such as Alfonso Cuarón, Christopher Nolan, Yorgos Lanthimos, Barry Jenkins, Ildikó Enyedi, Maren Ade, and Emma Seligman. The 2024 Discovery selection has been programmed by Dorota Lech, Jason Anderson, Kelly Boutsalis, Diana Cadavid, Robyn Citizen, Nataleah Hunter-Young, June Kim, Jason Ryle, and Norm Wilner.
The festival will take place from September 5 through 15.
Check out the full lineup below.
Aberdeen Ryan Cooper, Eva Thomas | Canada World Premiere
Bonjour Tristesse Durga Chew-Bose | Canada/Germany (opening night) World Premiere
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Boong Lakshmipriya Devi | India World Premiere
Diciannove Giovanni Tortorici | Italy International Premiere
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Do I Know You From Somewhere? Arianna Martinez | Canada World Premiere
Freedom Way Afolabi Olalekan | Nigeria World Premiere
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Gülizar Belkıs Bayrak | Turkey/Kosovo World Premiere
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Horizonte César Augusto Acevedo | Colombia/France/Luxembourg/Chile/Germany World Premiere
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Ink Wash Sarra Tsorakidis | Romania/Greece/Denmark World Premiere
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Linda Mariana Wainstein | Argentina/Spain World Premiere
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Meat Dimitris Nakos | Greece World Premiere
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Mother Mother K’naan Warsame | Kenya/Somalia World Premiere
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My Fathers’ Daughter Egil Pedersen | Sápmi (Norway/Sweden/Finland) World Premiere
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On Falling Laura Carreira | United Kingdom/Portugal World Premiere
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Really Happy Someday J Stevens | Canada World Premiere
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Saba Maksud Hossain | Bangladesh World Premiere
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Sad Jokes Fabian Stumm | Germany International Premiere
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Seeds Kaniehtiio Horn | Canada World Premiere
Shook Amar Wala | Canada World Premiere
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The Courageous Jasmin Gordon | Switzerland World Premiere
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The Paradise of Thorns Boss Kuno | Thailand International Premiere
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The Party’s Over Elena Manrique | Spain
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The Quiet Ones Frederik Louis Hviid | Denmark World Premiere
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U Are the Universe Pavlo Ostrikov | Ukraine/Belgium World Premiere
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