Spotlight on Emerson Films at TIFF
Two distinct films written and directed by Emerson alumni will have their world premieres at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), alongside more than a dozen films starring, produced by, or otherwise created with Emersonians.
Growth of the Soil, written and directed by Hans Petter Moland ’78, is an adaptation of Nobel Prize-winning writer Knut Hamsun’s 1917 opus about a Norwegian farmer’s struggles. Everybody Wants to F*** Me is a dark comedy about modern dating, starring Taron Egerton and written and directed by Jonathan Schey ’15.
Both are premiering in the Special Presentations program of TIFF, which runs September 10-20. For the first time, Emerson is hosting a special alumni event alongside the festival. Toronto area Emersonians and those in town for TIFF can network and reconnect on Saturday, September 12, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT, at the King Street JOEY (20 King Street West).
Emerson’s own Jennifer Coolidge ’85, LHD ’25 stars in Girl Group, about a former girl group star (Rebel Wilson) who coaches a group competing to open for a K-pop band. Chloe Kerwin ’19 plays Elizabeth in The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, Tim Blake Nelson’s film about a teacher (Amanda Seyfried) who takes a job at a maximum-security prison and falls for an incarcerated man (Scott McNairy). Both will screen in the Gala Presentations program.
Kevin McKeon ’07 produced, and Thomas Pettinelli ’13 co-executive produced The Housewife, starring Naomi Watts as the wife of a possible Nazi officer in post-war Queens.
Four alumni had a hand in how The Only Living Pickpocket in New York looks and feels: Sasha Grossman ’09 was makeup department head, Kyra Boselli ’16, was art department coordinator, Kaili Corcoran ’16 was set decoration buyer, and Cara Conaway ’18, was second second assistant director. The film stars John Turturro as a pickpocket sent to retrieve a stolen object. Conaway also was second second AD on Josephine, the story of a girl who witnesses a sexual assault.
Another quartet of Emersonians worked on Love of Your Life, a character study starring Margaret Qualley. Jessie Henderson ’04 produced, Ian Watermeier ’99 was unit production manager (New Orleans), Mary-Ling Gregory ’17 was set dresser, and Malachi Bibel ’01 was key rigging grip.
And Warner Bros. co-chair and co-CEO Pam Abdy ’95 will deliver the TIFF Market keynote.
Other Emersonian work at TIFF includes:
Gala Presentations
Heidi Hartwig ’99 was gallery photographer on Atonement.
Andrew Korner ’01 was chief lighting technician, and Jessica Aichs ’00 was assistant location manager for Babies.
Hunter Lydon ’12 did extras casting for Misty Green.
Special Presentations
James LeSage ’04 was editor on The Julia Set.
Ric Schnupp ’09 was re-recording mixer and supervising sound editor on Clarissa.
Paul Santagarda ’08 was a visual effects artist (Pretend VFX) on Alpha Gang.
Stephen Coleman ‘08 was second second assistant director on The Debut.
Andrew Naugle ’15 was lamp operator on I Play Rocky.
Discovery
Katie Fleming ’09 was art director on Magazine.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know at alumni@emerson.edu!
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