Editor's note: I'm thrilled to welcome Melanie Little to her new role as Assistant Editor this week! In addition to her continuing author contributions to LVAC News, Melanie will assist with the production of the weekly newsletter, which you can submit content to here. Over to you, Melanie!
I personally didn't make it out to TIFF this year (though if I'd had a couple hundred dollars to spare, the premiere of Mike Leigh's Hard Truths would've been my pick), but LVAC was very well represented—and on opening weekend, no less!
Pandora, written and directed by our own Renée Cox, was one of a select number of student films chosen to screen at the Festival Street Art Market, held from September 5-8. The Toronto Film School, which formed a partnership with TIFF in 2023, hosted the cinema installation—a 10×20-foot mini outdoor theatre—at which Pandora screened eleven times. Over 450,000 people were expected on Festival Street for the opening weekend.
Renée made the film as her thesis for the Toronto Film School, and it's garnered several awards, nominations, and wins on the festival circuit. She is now set to film the sequel, Pandora's Return, and has founded a new company called Wanna Make Movies Inc., dedicated to emerging screenwriters and directors. For more information, you can reach Renée at reneedirector@gmail.com or wannamakemoviesceo@gmail.com.
Congratulations, Renée!
