The FFHSH with 3 films in Toronto

23.08.2017 | Programme for Toronto International Film Festival announced

Three FFHSH-funded productions are taking part in North America's most important film festival. The drama "The Swan" and the documentary "The Legend of the Ugly King" will celebrate their world premieres in Canada. In the "Special Presentations" series, Fatih Akin continues his successful festival career with "Into the Fate".

WithThe Swan Hamburg-based Executive Producer Verena Gräfe-Höft has realised another international co-production following the three successful Antboy films with Denmark. It is the first film from her company Junafilm with partners from Iceland and Estonia (Vintage Pictures and Kopli Kinokompanii). The world premiere of The Swan will take place in the festival's Discovery series, in which exciting first and second feature films by up-and-coming filmmakers are shown. The drama by Icelandic Director Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir is about 9-year-old Sól, who is supposed to spend the summer on a remote farm in Iceland in order to "grow up". There she experiences a family drama that will change her forever. The film celebrates its European and German premiere at this year's Filmfest Hamburg.

The legend of the ugly king is a documentary about the well-known Kurdish Director Yilmaz Güney, who won the Palme d'Or in Cannes in 1982 with his film YOL. The young German-Turkish filmmaker Hüseyin Tabak embarks on a research trip to the places where Güney spent his time and life. "The Legend of the Ugly King" celebrates its world premiere in the "TIFF Docs" series. The film was produced by mîtosfilm in co-production with Aichholzer Filmproduktion and Marangoz Film.

Fatih Akin's thrillerInto the fate is screening at the Toronto Film Festival in the "Special Presentations" section - a series reserved for outstanding films by important Directors. In "Into the Fate", internationally renowned actress Diane Kruger plays Katja, a young mother who loses her husband and son in a bomb attack. The police catch two suspects: a young neo-Nazi couple. Katja wants justice - there is no alternative for her. Kruger was honoured as best actress for her role at the Cannes Film Festival. The film was realised by Akin's production company bombero international in co-production with Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany, Macassar Productions, Pathé and corazón international. Most of the filming took place in Hamburg. "Into the Fate" will be released in German cinemas on 23 November 2017.

About the TIFF: The 42nd edition of the Toronto International Film Festival will take place from 7 to 17 September 2017. Founded in 1976, the festival is one of the world's most popular film events with over 300 films, 400,000 viewers and over 5,000 trade visitors and is considered a barometer for the upcoming Oscars. Further information about the festival: www.tiff.net