Columbia Filmmakers Make a Splash at TIFF; 'Same Old' Wins Honorable Mention

Update: 

The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival has officially come to a close. Same Old, directed by Lloyd Lee Choi and produced by alumnus Tony Yang '20, was awarded an Honorable Mention for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film in recognition of “its intensely taut and pulsating tale following an aging delivery driver’s movement through a gritty, desperate night in the city.” 

The short film previously screened in the Short Films Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected from over 3,500 submissions. At TIFF, the film screened as part of the Short Cuts Programme, which showcases stories of challenge and resilience. 

Same Old follows one New York City delivery driver on a particularly bad night. Current Film Program student Ricardo Varona served as the grip on the short as well.

Find the complete list of 2022 award winners here.

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Original: September 14, 2022

The 2022 Toronto International Film Festival is underway and several projects from Columbia filmmakers are among this year’s selection of films. 

Canada’s premiere annual film festival, TIFF is dedicated to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema and creating transformational experiences for film lovers and creators of all ages and backgrounds. Each year, TIFF offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, events, professional development, and opportunities to meet, hear, and learn from filmmakers from around the world.

This year marks the 47th iteration of the festival, which kicked off September 8, 2022 and will conclude September 18, 2022. Several films from Columbia filmmakers, both students and alumni, were selected to screen at the festival:

Joyland

Directed by Saim Sadiq '19
Produced by Apoorva Charan ’18
Co-written by Maggie Briggs ’19 and Sadiq
Edited by Jasmin Tenucci ’20

Joyland follows a patriarchal family as they hope for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Film alumna and Dean's Council member Katharina Otto-Bernstein '92 ('86 CC)—whose mentorship program has set up many Film alumni for success—also serves as a producer on the film, after Sadiq's previous short film Darling was a recipient of the Katharina Otto-Bernstein grant. Associate Professor Ramin Bahrani (CC ’96) serves as Executive Producer and Mona Maahn '22 as Associate Producer. The film’s creative team also includes Rob Bellon '19, Esteban Garcia Vernaza '20, Bane Fakih '19, Mark Sean Haynes '17, and Kaiser Wahab '99 (Law).

Its screening at TIFF marks the film’s North American premiere after taking home both the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Joyland is adapted from Sadiq’s original short film, Darling, which premiered to great critical acclaim.

Same Old

Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi
Produced by Tony Yang '20

Same Old follows one New York City delivery driver on a particularly bad night. Current Film Program student Ricardo Varona served as the grip on the short as well. Same Old previously screened in the Short Films Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected from over 3,500 submissions. At TIFF, the film will screen as part of the Short Cuts Programme, which showcases stories of challenge and resilience.

She Always Wins

Directed by student Hazel McKibbin
Produced by Lauren Goetzman '22

Also screening as part of the Short Cuts Programme, She Always Wins captures all the complicated moves in the dance of dominance, deference, and self-diminishment that takes place when a young woman brings her new boyfriend to his first family visit. Honor Swinton Byrne stars in this short film, which was worked on by many Columbia filmmakers: Stephanie Fine '22 (Post Production Supervisor); Olivia Peralta '22 (PA); Dhruv Sud (Script Supervisor); Emma Hall-Martin (Production Design); Rider Laskin (Sound Recordist); and Ryan Levitt (PA). 

Devotion

Directed by JD Dillard
Written by Jake Crane ‘12 and Jonathan Stewart ‘12

Set during the Korean War, this visceral film tells the story of the US Navy’s first Black aviator and his dedicated wingman, pilots who both confront geopolitical uncertainty and racist hostility with uncommon valor. Crane and Stewart adapted the script from Adam Makos’ bestselling 2014 biography of the same name. An inspiring tale of friendship, courage, and sacrifice, this visceral war film had its world premiere exclusively in IMAX at the Festival. The film stars Jonathan Majors (Da 5 Bloods, Lovecraft Country) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick). Devotion will have its wide release this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.