Rebel Wilson's directorial debut to close Toronto International Film Festival
Jul 16, 2024
Los Angeles [US], July 16 : Rebel Wilson's directorial debut 'The Deb' has been selected as the closing film of this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
On the other hand, director David Gordon Green's 'Nutcrackers' will be the opening night film at the 49th edition, as per Variety.
'The Deb' is an original musical comedy about two teenage cousins who search to find dates to the Debutante Ball in a small Australian town.
Speaking of 'Nutcrackers', it follows a straight-laced, work-obsessed man who suddenly becomes the caregiver for his orphaned nephews.
"This year's Festival is shaping up to be a star-studded event with highly anticipated films that reflect the world around us with humour and empathy, like our opening and closing Night selections, 'Nutcrackers' and 'The Deb,'" said Anita Lee, chief programming officer of TIFF. "TIFF aims to showcase both returning and first-time directors to the Festival on a big stage, and we are excited for fans to experience these two films -- and the many diverse works premiering in between."
Wilson has been embroiled in a legal battle over "The Deb." Producers last week sued the actor for defamation after Wilson alleged they embezzled funds and sabotaged her film from premiering at TIFF.
In an Instagram post, Wilson accused the producers of "bad behavior" and trying to "bury" the movie, saying "It got selected for closing night of the Toronto Film Festival, which is like the best platform to be a first-time female director. It's huge. It's massive. So to have the joy of the movie being selected is one thing. But then to have the business partners that are involved in that movie turn around and say, 'No, the movie can't premiere,' is just beyond devastating."
TIFF will run from September 5 to September 15.
