Black films at TIFF 2022: The programmers share their favourites from this year's festival

Black Light is a column by Governor General Award-winning writer Amanda Parris that spotlights, champions and challenges art and popular culture that is created by Black people and/or centres Black people.

Forget Christmas. In the city of Toronto, the most wonderful time of year happens during two weeks in September, when red carpets are rolled out, movie theaters are filled and fans are lined up hoping to catch a glimpse of a famous face.

You guessed it: the Toronto International Film Festival is almost here. And after two years of virtual panels, drive-in screenings and scaled-down programs, it is so exciting to be back in person with all the glitz and glam. (Note that for those unable to attend, TIFF will still provide access to select virtual screenings this year.)

In celebration of my favourite time of year, this edition of Black Light is all about the Black films featured at this year's festival. Earlier this week, I spoke on the phone with three TIFF programmers: CEO Cameron Bailey, director of festival programming and cinematheque Robyn Citizen, and international programmer; Africa, Arab West Asia Nataleah Hunter-Young to get their thoughts on several Black films they've selected for this year.

(For the purpose of this article, a Black film is defined as a film either made by a Black filmmaker or featuring a cast or story that heavily centres Black people and perspectives.)

The most surprising film

Cameron's choice: A Jazzman's Blues by Tyler Perry

"A lot of people think they know what to expect from a Tyler Perry movie — you know, the comedy, the tone. That's not what A Jazzman's Blues is at all. It's a story with greater emotional depth than you might be expecting, a grasp of history, a grasp of the great migration from the south to the north of the U.S. and this beautiful feel for the music that was created because of that migration. It's got a scope that was a surprise for me."

"The fact that he was sending it to a festival as opposed to just going out commercially, and raking in the millions of box office dollars that come his way most times, made me feel like this must be something new for Tyler Perry. And it definitely is."

Robyn's choice: La Gravité (The Gravity) by Cédric Ido

"Cédric Ido is a filmmaker from Burkina Faso and he's French. I've actually been following his work for years. He did a short film in 2011 called Hasaki Ya Suda where he combined Burkina Faso mythos with Japanese samurai conventions. [The Gravity] is a really creative look at this French suburb. There's a gang of youth that control the drug trafficking in the area. We follow this man and a couple of his relatives that try to get in on the territory, and some unexpected cosmic things occur."

"Visually, it's really interesting. There's all these genre elements that come in, but it's also very faithful to the emotional drama at the cent eof the movie. It's like nothing I've ever seen before, and I'm really excited that it's in Platform."

The film that will spark a conversation you can't wait to be a part of

Nataleah's choice: The Umbrella Men by John Barker

"The story is a focus on the Cape Malay community and their own history of survival dating back to pre-emancipation, where one day a year the enslaved people would get off [and] they would stage a carnival in Cape Town, which continues to this day. And the carnival, interestingly, takes some aesthetic elements from American minstrels because of the traffic between the U.S. and South Africa to entertain the colonial class."

"This story is about Jerome, who comes back to Cape Town to bury his father and reluctantly inherits his father's club and his band in this carnival. And he also inherits a huge bank debt. So what he decides is to stage a bank heist underneath the cover of the carnival. I'm really excited about what's going to come up in that Q&A and the kind of conversations that'll emerge because it's a community we never see onscreen in the West."

The film with fan merch you would wear

Cameron's choice: Nope by Jordan Peele

"I mean, look, I could choose anything on that program, but I'll go with Nope. I think there would be amazing fan merch for that."

The film that took you on an immersive journey

Robyn's choice: Nanny by Nikyatu Jusu

"The soundscapes and the imagery are just so confident, especially for a feature debut. [Nikyatu Jusu] knew exactly the story she wanted to tell. There's these aquatic waking dreams that are both beautiful and haunting and there's genre elements. She really incorporates hope and a great deal of knowledge about the immigrant experience — people that are searching for the American dream and the ultimate price that they have to pay. I came out of it feeling like I had been immersed in a different reality."

The movie that makes you excited to see what the filmmaker does next

Nataleah's choice: Shimoni by Angela Wanjiku Wamai

"I loved the stylistic rhythm that [Angela Wanjiku Wamai] brings to this film. In her director's note, she wrote that she is preoccupied with stories about broken men, and that is at the centre of this story. The central character in this story is struggling with internal demons and his own ability to control his body. I found that preoccupation really interesting. And I find her directorial voice really compelling. She's someone I'm looking forward to seeing more from."

The film you look forward to rewatching

Cameron's choice: Sidney by Reginald Hudlin

"I love Sidney Poitier. The documentary really takes you on that entire journey from, you know, the poor tomato farming family in the Bahamas to being one of the icons of cinema. And it's got everybody in it. The arc of that life is magnificent. And I would watch that anytime."

The film that made you see the world we're living in differently

Robyn's choice: Bruiser by Miles Warren

"I'm really interested in stories about masculinity and different manifestations of masculinity. And I think particularly in the Black community, it's incredibly complex and nuanced. [Bruiser] goes into what are these gender roles within the Black family and how are they changing? And it doesn't just stick to the social realism of it. There's impressionistic and very symbolic and surreal aspects to the story visually. Shamier [Anderson's] performance is so understated and really incredible. That's the one that kind of made me see the world in a different way."

The film you wish you made

Nataleah's choice: Free Money by Sam Soko and Lauren DeFilippo

"It takes a look at a community that is the subject of [an] experiment for a universal income program. I wish I had made it because I have so many questions and I had so many more questions when the film was done. It gave me a lot, but there's so much more I want to know. This experiment is going to run for like 20 years and I want to know what happens later on in this process. Maybe I just need a sequel."

Final shoutouts

Cameron's choice: The Woman King by Gina Prince-Bythewood

"Viola Davis is just stunning as the warrior leader of the country's military. John Boyega is just such a pleasure to watch. He looks like he's having an absolute blast playing the king of the Dahomey kingdom. There's been a lot of speculation online about this movie — about what it has to say about the participation of African communities in the slave trade. It goes there. It addresses that. It's going to spark a lot of conversation and it's just this incredible ride."

Robyn's choice: When Morning Comes by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall

"I think Kelly's come out as such a huge talent in Canadian cinema. [When Morning Comes] lives up to everything I was expecting. It's warm. She's a brilliant storyteller. I think to have her debut feature the same year we have Stephen Williams and Clement Virgo with their films, and they helped to create that Black Canadian cinema canon, it feels very full circle."

Nataleah's choice: The King's Horseman by Biyi Bandele

"When we programmed [The King's Horseman] it was not something we ever anticipated — that it would be [Biyi Bandele's] last film. So it certainly adds a layer. It's an unforgettable opportunity to see a classic play told in its indigenous language. It was written originally in English and this is an opportunity to experience the work anew as a film and as a Yoruba language translation done by Biyi himself. This is how he wanted that story to be told. So it's it's going to be incredible to be there for that."

Here are some additional Black films by Canadian filmmakers that I'm excited to see at TIFF 2022:

Black Ice by Hubert Davis

A timely look at the long history of anti-Black racism in hockey, this documentary has a ton of big names attached, including producers LeBron James and Drake and, of course, Academy Award-winning director Hubert Davis.

Brother by Clement Virgo

This highly anticipated adaptation of David Chariandy's award-winning novel brings audiences to a place rarely seen on screen: Scarborough in the '90's through the eyes of two Caribbean Canadian brothers. This is one I am super excited about.

Chevalier by Stephen Williams

Move over, Bridgerton — we have a new epic historical drama to swoon over, and based on the credits alone, I'm ready to start fangirling. A screenplay by Stefani Robinson (Atlanta)? A starring turn by Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves)? And directed by Black Canadian film giant Stephen Williams (Watchmen)? I'm sold. 

Soft by Joseph Amenta

I'm a sucker for a coming-of-age story, and this one happens to take place in Toronto and put at its centre three queer kids. I'm very excited to see this feature debut from Joseph Amenta.

This year's Toronto International Film Festival runs September 8–18. To buy tickets, click here.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.