Director Spike Lee secured the opening night spot at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival with his latest film, which gives viewers a front row seat to musician David Byrne’s critically acclaimed Broadway show
American Utopia. The first trailer for the musical film has now been released and Lee’s vision promises to deliver an empowering and energizing experience through the music and artistry of Byrne and his band.In the new trailer, Byrne recites a line from activist and author James Baldwin, telling the crowd “I still believe that we can do with this country something that has not been done before.”
Based on Byrne’s 2018 album of the same name,
American Utopia features the British-American musician sharing the stage with a group of musicians from around the world. Dressed in monochrome grey suits, the artists sing, dance, and perform music from Byrne’s album, as well as songs from Byrne’s iconic new wave rock band, The Talking Heads. The new film is Lee’s latest adaptation of a theatrical piece, with the Oscar-winning writer and director previously bringing the plays
Pass Over, Rodney King, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, Passing Strange, A Huey P. Newton Story and
Freak from the stage to the screen.In July, TIFF announced their full lineup for this year’s festival, which will be a hybrid of in-person, drive-in and virtual screenings, conferences and red carpets. Lee and Byrne will
open the festival on September 10. Following its festival screening,
American Utopia will have its TV debut on Crave and HBO on October 17.[video_embed id='1975285']RELATED: Spike Lee is back on the big screen[/video_embed]This year’s festival will feature several changes, including a slimmed down offering of only 50 films and for the first time, the inclusion of miniseries. Mira Nair, who along with Chloé Zhao, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Kate Winslet has been announced as one of the recipients of this year’s
TIFF Tribute Awards, will close out the festival on September 19 with a screening of her six-part BBC miniseries
A Suitable Boy. The series is currently airing in the UK and marks the director’s first project since
Queen of Katwe, which starred Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and Madina Nalwanga.
A Suitable Boy marks a return to Toronto for Nair, who premiered
Queen of Katwe at TIFF in 2016.In addition to
A Suitable Boy, HBO’s miniseries
The Third Day starring Jude Law, Naomie Harris, Emily Watson and Katherine Waterson will also premiere at TIFF before heading to Crave and HBO on September 14.Not only did the first trailer for
American Utopia premiere on Monday, but TIFF organizers also announced that Halle Berry, who is making her
directorial debut at this year’s festival with the gritty and raw fight drama
Bruised, will also participate in a candid conversation as part of the
Toronto Film Festival's In Conversation With... series. Berry will appear virtually on September 11 to discuss
Bruised, which stars the Oscar winner as
MMA fighter Jackie ‘Justice.’On Monday, actor Shelia Atim, who stars alongside Berry in
Bruised, was also announced as one of the recipients of TIFF’s Rising Star Award for her work in the fight film.
Beans’ Rainbow Dickerson,
A Suitable Boy’s Tanya Maniktala, and
Violation’s Madeleine Sims-Fewer will also receive the award. Director Tracey Deer will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award for her debut feature film
Beans, which will premiere on September 13.
[video_embed id='1892356']Before you go: Cameron Bailey reveals how he picks films for the Toronto International Film Festival[/video_embed]
