Tuesday, October 2, 2018

HALLOWEEN: Premiere Interviews Jamie Lee Curtis, David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Jason Blum, Andi Matichak

               David Gordon Green & Danny McBride speak with Robert Aaron Mitchell

When the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival began who knew that it would be the 11th film in the long running Halloween franchise that would be one of the hottest tickets in town. The new film written by David Gordon Green and Danny McBride has Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her iconic character Laurie Strode. The film was approved by John Carpenter and sees him returning to score this new film with his son Cody Carpenter. I was on the world premiere red carpet here are my interviews from the Midnight Madness at TIFF premiere. There was a special guest prior to the film beginning. Seen the film? Watch the complete Midnight Madness post-screening Q&A to learn more about how the movie was made.

Friday, September 21, 2018

ASSASSINATION NATION Premiere Interviews: Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Abra, Hari Nef, Coleman Domingo


Abra speaks with Robert Aaron Mitchell at the Assassination Nation Midnight Madness Premiere

Assassination Nation had a Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere. Robert was on the red carpet and spoke with the great cast of the film, Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Abra, Hari Nef and Coleman Domingo.

In this Salem-set thriller from Sam Levinson (Another Happy Day), four young women are accused of hacking and publishing their community’s private information, launching a proverbial witch hunt with very real consequences. A film that is very much rooted in our divisive times and our driving obession of our constant scrolling on social media. Here are the interviews:




Seen the movie? Learn more about how it was made with this Midnight Madness post-screening Q&A!

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Midnight Madness 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Complete Play List: Jamie Lee Curtis, Peter Strickland, Vasan Bala and much more!

David Gordon Green & Danny McBride speak with Robert Mitchell at the Halloween premiere.

The 2018 Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival is a wrap! Here is the complete video playlist. Over four hours of every introduction, post-screening Q&A, the red carpet interviews as well as the surprises that happen at midnight! Is that Michael Myers or just a shape? A marching band?!?!

Monday, September 17, 2018

THE PREDATOR World Premiere Interviews Keegan-Michael Key, Boyd Holbrook, Augusto Aguilera, Thomas Jane, Larry Fong,

              Augusto Aguilera speaks with Robert Mitchell at the premiere of The Predator.

The 2018 Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival opening night film was The Predator. Directed by Shane Black and co-written by Shane and Fred Dekkar who also co-wrote the much beloved film The Monster Squad. Robert Mitchell was on the red carpet and spoke with actors Keegan-Michael Key, Boyd Holbrook, Augusto Aguilera, Thomas Jane and cinematographer Larry Fong.

Here is the complete world premiere introduction and post-screening Q&A

Sunday, September 2, 2018

LET THE CORPSES TAN Premiere Interviews with Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Hervé Sogne

                           Bruno Forzani & Hélène Cattet speak with Robert Mitchell

Let The Corpses Tan is the latest film from Amer, The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears duo of Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. Let The Corpses Tan is a fever dream piece of cinema. The film moves away from the giallo genre of their previous efforts and is a post "spaghetti western, euro crime" film conceived and executed as only Cattet and Forzani can, with spectacular visuals. Robert Mitchell was at the midnight madness premiere and spoke with Hélène and Bruno as well as actor Hervé Sogne. Here are those interviews.

Learn more about the making of the film with the full Midnight Madness post-screening Q&A

VAMPIRE CLAY ヴァンパイアクレイ World Premiere Interviews Sôichi Umezawa, Asuka Kurosawa, Tamotsu Kimura

           Tamotsu Kimura, Sôichi Umezawa & Asuka Kurosawa speak with Robert Mitchell

The 2017 Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival closing night film was Sôichi Umezawa's Vampire Clay. Umezawa is a long time special effects artist and his feature film length debut as a writer and director was very much anticipated. The film did not disappoint. The film showcased excellent special effects as well as a nuanced story of what it means to be an artist. Robert Mitchell was at the premiere and here is the resulting interviews.

Friday, August 10, 2018

THE CRESCENT: World Premiere Inteviews Seth A. Smith, Darcy Spidle, Nancy Urich, Danika Vandersteen

      Robert Mitchell speaks with Director Seth A. Smith at the premiere of The Crescent

One of the great aspects of the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival is the ability to showcase very independent films such as the art house horror film The Crescent. The story of the film is summed as, "After an unexpected death in the family, a mother and son struggle to find spiritual healing at a beachfront summer home." The film has exceptional visuals utilizing the art form known as paint marbling. The Crescent succeeds as it creates a slow, escalating dread as mother and son confront the dangers surrounding them. The son in the movie is the child of director Seth Smith and producer Nancy Urich who I spoke with at the world premiere as well as screenwriter Darcy Spidle, actors Danika Vandersteen, Terrance Murray, cinematographer Craig Buckley and production designer Paul Hammond.


Thursday, May 31, 2018

TORONTO TRUE CRIME FILM FESTIVAL: Interview with Founder Lisa Gallagher.




1) This is a great idea for a film festival. How did you come up with the idea to create the Toronto True Crime Film Festival?

It started with my excitement to see My Friend Dahmer at last summer's Fantasia International Film Festival. I was talking with my partner about it—and in general about how the true crime selections of any given film festival are always at the top of my list—on our annual five hour train ride to Montreal when I said, "Somebody should start a festival that's just true crime movies!" Then it all kind of went from there.

                                           ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT (Opening Film)

2) What were you and the rest of the programming team looking for when selecting films to screen? The fest will be screening both documentary and fictionalized films based on true crimes. I was curious as to the decision to include both types of films? 

When selecting films, the programming team was looking to put together a lineup that explored a variety of true crime topics and storytelling techniques. We wanted to make sure we weren't just focusing on violent crimes and serial killers, but also on white collar crimes, human rights violations, and everything else that falls under the crime umbrella. In the same vein, we wanted to make sure we weren't pigeonholing ourselves into being strictly a documentary film festival by showing fictionalized films based on true crimes and hosting symposium events. The true crime genre is made up of more than murder, and we wanted to show that.

                                                              MY NAME IS MYEISHA

3) What are the films that will be showing in this inaugural year?

For our inaugural year, we are are showing the International Premiere of Abducted in Plain Sight and the Canadian Premieres of My Name Is Myeisha, The Stranger, and Hostages, as well as a 15th anniversary screening of Patty Jenkins' Monster. On top of that we have five incredible short films preceding all our features: Maybe If It Were A Nice Room, Traffic Stop, The Sandman, 42 Counts, and Don't Be A Hero.

                                               MONSTER (15th Anniversary Screening)

4) Another great aspect of TTCFF the symposium section.  What are the topics and the speakers that will be participating?

We have three symposium events: "Why Do Women Love True Crime?", "LA Despair: Chasing Death with John Gilmore", and "The Rise Of The Armchair Detective". "Why Do Women Love True Crime?" will be a panel discussion featuring moderator Anne T. Donahue and speakers Keila Woodward, Karen Herland, Catherine Legge, and Rémy Bennett. "LA Despair: Chasing Death with John Gilmore" will be a multimedia presentation from Rémy Bennett. "The Rise Of The Armchair Detective" will be a panel discussion featuring moderator Naben Ruthnum and speakers Joshua Zeman, Christine Pelisek, Kevin Flynn, and Bek and Tyler Allen.

                                                             THE STRANGER

5) This being the first year for the festival, what where some of the challenges of putting together this undertaking? How did the organizing team overcome these challenges?

Oh, gee—what isn't a challenge in the first year of a film festival? Everything has to be done from scratch. Luckily for me, I have a number of friends and colleagues who are passionate about the project and who bring so much skill and knowledge to the table. With them on the team, we have yet to face a challenge we can't overcome.

6) Who are the team of people working behind the scenes on this project?

Besides myself, the TTCFF team consists of Film Programmers Claire Bonduro, Kier-La Janisse (who is also our Symposium Programmer), Steven Landry (who is also our Print Traffic Coordinator), Elizabeth Munro, Gina Rim, and Jeff Wright; Publicist Kaila Hier; Social Media Manager Siân Melton; Front Of House Managers Ali Chappell and Jordan Penny; Box Office Manager Andrea Ziedenberg, Volunteer Coordinator Chris Davies; Guest Coordinator Sara Scott; and the incredible staff at The Royal Cinema and The Monarch Tavern.

                                                        HOSTAGES (Closing Film)

7) How can folks acquire tickets/passes for the films and panel discussions? 15% of ticket sales will be going to charity, what organization(s) is TTCFF supporting?

Our full schedule and ticket information can be found at https://www.torontotruecrimefilmfestival.com/schedule-tickets/. We have several local charities in mind, but are respectful of the fact that not all organizations want to be listed in association with an event that focuses on the concept of true crime as entertainment. That being said, we are so excited to be able to officially and publicly support the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape and the Christie Refugee Welcome Centre.

Monday, May 28, 2018

GRAHAM SKIPPER INTERVIEW SEQUENCE BREAK & DOWNRANGE

               Speaking with Graham Skipper. Midnight Madness at TIFF September 2017

At the premiere of Ryûhei Kitamura's film Downrange we interviewed Graham Skipper a familiar face at Midnight Madness having appeared in the Midnight Madness premieres  of Almost Human and The Mind's Eye. We spoke of the film he wrote and directed Sequence Break as well as his role in Downrange.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

DOWNRANGE: World Premiere Interviews with Ryûhei Kitamura, Kelly Connaire, Rod Hernandez-Farella, Graham Skipper

                  Director Ryûhei Kitamura speaks with Robert Mitchell about Downrange

On Friday September 15th, 2017 the Ryerson Theater home of Midnight Madness at the Toronto Film Festival saw the return of writer & director Ryûhei Kitamura (Versus, Azumi) and his latest film Downrange. The theater was packed and rocking. Robert and Sarah Mitchell were on the red carpet to speak to Mr. Kitamura and the cast.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

JAMES DEAN'S INDIANA: My visit to Fairmount & Marion, Indiana

                                James Dean 1955                      Robert Mitchell 2018
                                Intersection of Main & Washington Streets Fairmount, Indiana

A couple of days ago I decided to make the drive from Bloomington, IN north to Fairmount and Marion, Indiana to walk around the hometown and birthplace of iconic actor James Dean. The drive is about 2 and half hours and took me through Indianapolis. Once north of Indy you are in the flat farmlands that many think of when one thinks of Indiana. I stopped in Fairmount first and The James Dean Gallery. I spent some time there looking through many items, The fence from Rebel Without A Cause is there and many other items, such as many items and photos from James Dean youth, a picture from his high school basketball days is a standout. Here are a selection of my photos.

                The Winslow Farm where James Dean spent his youth in Fairmount, IN.

                                                 The friendly horses at Winslow Farm.

                                                                 Winslow Farm

                                          The James Dean Gallery. Fairmount, Indiana














                       Cleopatra loves to hangout with visitors at The James Dean Gallery.



                     Bust of James Dean at James Dean Memorial Park. Fairmount, Indiana



                                       James Dean Birth Site Memorial. Marion, Indiana




James Dean's Gravesite at Park Cemetery


Saturday, February 10, 2018

REVENGE World Premiere Interviews with Director/Writer Coralie Fargeat & Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz

                        Coralie Fargeat & Matilda Lutz share a laugh with Robert Mitchell

One of the most anticipated films the 2017 Midnight Madness lineup at the Toronto International Film Festival was the feature length film debut of writer & director Coralie Fargeat. The plot of the film revolves around three married men one of the guys Richard (Keven Janssens) takes his mistress on an annual hunting trip. It is a trip that will have irreparable actions and dire consequences. Here is Robert Mitchell's interview with Coralie and Matilda.


Here is the complete Midnight Madness post-screening Q&A