‘The Fabelmans’ Review: Steven Spielberg Bares His Soul In His Most Personal Film [TIFF]

TORONTO – Venice, Telluride, and TIFF have pretty much come and gone, and, as such, the Oscar race is slightly more clear than it was just two weeks ago. Sure, there are a number of major players yet to show their wares such as Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” James Cameron’s “Avatar 2,” David O.

Of all the directors making TIFF debuts this year, none are more revered or accomplished than Steven Spielberg. The highest-grossing director of all time normally premieres his films in late fall.

enter our giveaway for a chance to win before the giveaway closes on Sept. 30.Director Tobe Hooper’s film opened in 1982 and scared audiences across the world thanks to Steven Spielberg’s spooky screenplay and Hooper’s tight direction.

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Brendan Fraser fought back tears as “The Whale” received a passionate standing ovation at its Toronto International Film Festival premiere on Sunday. The crowd stood for roughly five minutes until festival organizers quieted the applause to begin a question and answer session with Fraser, director Darren Aronofsky, writer Samuel D. Hunter and cast members Sadie Sink and Ty Simpkins. The reception was one of the strongest yet at this year’s festival, a gathering that has already included the premieres of Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” TIFF was set to be a big festival for Fraser even before “The Whale” screened to huge acclaim. The actor is receiving the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance at the 2022 festival, with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey saying, “Brendan Fraser gives a performance of staggering depth, power, and nuance in ‘The Whale.’ This former Torontonian has been an action star, a screen comic, and a romantic lead. We’re thrilled to welcome him home as the actor behind one of the finest performances of the year.”

Steven Spielberg has described his semi-autobiographical picture The Fabelmans, delving into the teenage experiences that led him into filmmaking, as the most “daunting” project of his six-decade, blockbuster filmmaking career.

My favorite Toronto premiere memory was the one where eventual Best Picture winner Spotlight played to a raucous crowd reaction at the Princess of Wales Theatre, the emotion ratcheted up even further when the Boston Globe journalists who cracked the Catholic Church pedophile scandals took the stage and stood next to the actors who played them onscreen. It has been several years since TIFF has been able to show why this is such a special festival, because of the Covid epidemic and Canada’s protective lockdown of its borders. Last night marked a turning point for TIFF as a preeminent showcase for awards season movies, with the back to back Princess of Wales Theatre world premieres of Netflix’s Rian Johnson-directed Knives Out sequel Glass Onion, followed by the premiere of Amblin/Universal’s Steven Spielberg love letter to his family and a movie camera, The Fabelmans. Both of these films land squarely in the awards conversation.

Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, the director’s semi-autobiographical movie based on his own family and upbringing, has released its official trailer.

Manori Ravindran International Editor Steven Spielberg has said that mining his family history to make “The Fabelmans” was a “very daunting experience” that was at times “very, very hard to get through.” The iconic filmmaker’s latest project world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night to raves from critics and largely favorable reviews. The semi-autobiographical movie, which is already being tipped as an Oscar contender, tells the story of Sam Fabelman, a young boy who falls in love with cinema, but finds himself fighting family turmoil to keep his dream alive. In a so-called press conference on Sunday, that was effectively a Q&A with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey (the festival did not take any questions in the room from the gathered journalists, who had to submit questions almost 24 hours in advance), the “Jaws” director said he thought making the movie “would be a lot easier than it turned out to be because I know the material and I’ve known the characters for my entire life.”

“The Fabelmans” made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, and a new trailer offers a glimpse of the latest film from acclaimed director Steven Spielberg.

Carson Burton Steven Spielberg is taking audiences on an intimate stroll through his childhood in the first trailer for “The Fabelmans.”The semi-autobiographical film follows the formative years of a young man as he discovers a shattering family secret, causing him to use movies as a means to help him see the truth about others and himself. Spielberg based the film on his own early years in Arizona and co-wrote the script with “Lincoln,” “Munich” and “West Side Story” screenwriter Tony Kushner.On Saturday, “The Fabelmans” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, earning a standing ovation in the crowd of movie lovers, who cheered loudly for the Oscar-winning auteur as he made his first appearance at the Canadian gathering. 

Toronto International Film Festival, has been shrouded in secrecy for months. About all we knew going in was that the movie is based on the famed director’s own life, and stars Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen. Running time: 151 minutes.

largely positive reviews, Steven Spielberg has just revealed the first trailer for “The Fabelmans,” a film about his own childhood, his parents and learning to love the movies. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday night, where Spielberg said that you shouldn’t believe the rumors that this movie marks his swan song or his retirement. “The Fabelmans” stars Gabriel LaBelle (“The Predator,” “American Gigolo” series) as 16-year-old aspiring filmmaker by the name Sammy Fabelman alongside his mother played by Michelle Williams and his father played by Paul Dano.

Of all the directors making TIFF debuts this year, none is more revered or accomplished than Steven Spielberg. The highest-grossing director of all time normally premieres his films in late fall, but this year he’s changed tack, with his long-awaited semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans,” set to headline TIFF’s Special Presentations section on September 11.

The Fabelmans is coming!

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic No director has done more to deconstruct the myth of the suburban American family than Steven Spielberg. Dissertations have been written and documentaries made on the subject. And now, at the spry young age of 75, Spielberg himself weighs in on where his preoccupations come from in “The Fabelmans,” a personal account of his upbringing that feels like listening to two and a half hours’ worth of well-polished cocktail-party anecdotes, only better, since he’s gone to the trouble of staging them all for our benefit. Spielberg’s a born storyteller, and these are arguably his most precious stories. From the first movie he saw (“The Greatest Show on Earth”) to memories of meeting filmmaker John Ford on the Paramount lot, this endearing, broadly appealing account of how Spielberg was smitten by the medium — and why the prodigy nearly abandoned picture-making before his career even started — holds the keys to so much of the master’s filmography. More similar to Woody Allen’s autobiographical “Radio Days” than it is to European art films such as “The 400 Blows” and “Amistad” (the more highbrow models other directors typically point to when re-creating their childhoods), “The Fabelmans” invites audiences into the home and headspace of the world’s most beloved living director, an oddly sanitized zone where even the trauma — which includes anti-Semitism, financial disadvantage and divorce — seems to go better with fresh-buttered popcorn.

There is definitely a trend of late for film directors to take a look in thinly disguised cinematic memoirs of their early influences that shaped the artist and person they have become. Kenneth Branagh with Belfast and Paolo Sorrentino with The Hand Of God did it last year. Of course there is Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, others over the years. Sam Mendes, while not drawing a portrait of his younger self revisits the movie palaces of his youth in another 2022 offering, Empire Of Light, which premiered last weekend at Telluride and will also hit the Toronto International Film Festival. TIFF is also where the man I recently described as the GOAT, Steven Spielberg, has chosen to debut his own story where the names have been changed but the story is  clearly his. The Fabelmans basically chronicling his early Jewish family life and infatuation with making movies  had its World Premiere Saturday night, the first of Spielberg’s directed movies ever to premiere at a film festival. This one seems entirely appropriate, and it has been gestating in the director’s head ever since he and his co-writer Tony Kushner started kicking it around during the making of Lincoln over a decade ago. He says he finally made it primarily as a way to bring his late parents Leah and Arnold (to whom the film is dedicated) somehow back to his life. Movies can do that, and no one knows it better than Steven Spielberg.

Every director, it seems, has a deeply personal coming-of-age story to tell, from Francois Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows” to Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” to Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma.” And lately every Toronto International Film Festival has made one of those films a centerpiece of its lineup. Last year, it was Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” which won TIFF’s audience award and went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture; this year, it’s Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” which had its world premiere on Saturday night in the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre.Based on Spielberg’s childhood in New Jersey (briefly), Phoenix (longer) and Northern California (for a stormy stretch in high school), “The Fabelmans” is a sweet look back at a boy who was transfixed by the movies from the moment he saw “The Greatest Show on Earth” in 1952, and who started his own adventures in filmmaking with the help of his dad’s camera and a Lionel train set in the basement.

Clayton Davis Steven Spielberg brought his semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans,” to the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, his first feature ever to debut at TIFF. To say that Spielberg is performing at the top of his game is no hyperbole. This dramatic opus, which pulls at the heartstrings, could bring Spielberg his third directing statuette (after “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan”), and maybe his second for best picture (after “Schindler’s List”). “The Fabelmans” is the story of Sam Fabelman, a young boy who falls in love with cinema, but finds himself fighting family turmoil to keep his dream alive. Spielberg’s direction is the glue that holds “The Fabelmans” together, and the film touches on many of his landmark styles, nodding to “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Saving Private Ryan” and more.

Michelle Williams and Paul Dano are stepping out for the premiere of their new movie at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival!

Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” earned a roaring standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, as the crowd of movie lovers cheered loudly for the Oscar-winning auteur as he made his first appearance at the gathering. “I’m really glad we came to Toronto,” a visibly moved Spielberg said after taking the stage as the credits rolled.  The director said he was inspired by the COVID pandemic to tell his most personal story yet, a look at his early filmmaking efforts, his childhood in Arizona and Northern California, and the dissolution of his family. However, he reassured the crowd at TIFF that this would not serve as his farewell to movies.“This is not because I’m going to retire and this is my swan song,” he said. “Don’t believe any of that.”

somewhere to recuperate, Lindsay heads to her mother’s house in New Orleans, where mom has a boyfriend, uncertain hours and a taste for booze that her daughter doesn’t share. Not suited to sitting at home, Lindsay gets a job cleaning pools, then befriends James (Henry), the owner of a car repair joint and a man whose marriage ended badly some years earlier.Their friendship grows slowly and moves with easy Crescent City rhythms.

Harrison Ford has confirmed Indiana Jones 5 will be his last film in the franchise.The actor appeared during a presentation at Disney’s D23 Expo on Saturday (September 10) to share the trailer from the upcoming film, where he shared the stage with Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, director James Mangold (Logan) and cast member Phoebe Waller-Bridge.Speaking about the film, Ford, who appeared emotional following the trailer, said: “I’m very proud to say that this one is fantastic, and this is one of the reasons,” before pointing to Waller-Bridge.“Indiana Jones movies are about mystery and adventure, but they’re also about heart, and I’m really, really happy that we have a really human story to tell, as well as a movie that will kick your ass.”Harrison Ford getting emotional talking about this Indiana Jones movie. “This one kicks ass!” #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/uvbwTxzcxd— DisneyExaminer is at #D23Expo (@DisneyExaminer) September 10, 2022Harrison Ford & Phoebe Waller-Bridge received a standing ovation as they join director James Mangold on stage at #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/uUZZPOx7yf— Indiana Jones (@IndianaJones) September 10, 2022Ford later stated this would be his final outing as the character, adding: “This is it! I will not fall down for you again.”Indiana Jones 5 is the first instalment not to be directed by Steven Spielberg, who serves as a producer.

“Indiana Jones 5” footage looks incredible.“I saw ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in high school and it’s one of the reasons I became a film director and one of my producers is Steven Spielberg who is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers,” Mangold, who took over directing duties on the film from Spielberg, said onstage. “And Harrison Ford is one of my all-time favorite actors. And my composer is John Williams, one of the all-time great composers.

The major studio romcom is back with a flourish, but it took Billy Eichner and Nicholas Stoller to prove the format still works, even if this time it is two gay men who are the ones who  find love against all odds.

Ariana DeBose is set to voice star in the upcoming animated Disney film Wish, a story inspired by the iconic wishing star from the Disney logo.

Peter Pan, Wendy, and the Lost Boys are on a new adventure in the trailer for Disney’s “Peter Pan & Wendy.”The first look at the upcoming film, which debuted at D23 Expo on Friday, opens with Ever Anderson as Wendy stumbling upon the Lost Boys — who are not all boys. When Wendy points out the discrepancy, she’s met with a sassy, “So?”It isn’t long before Alexander Molony’s Peter Pan appears to whisk Wendy away.

Henry is best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in “Carousel,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and “Violet,” and for playing Aaron Burr in “Hamilton.” He played Roger Bart in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick, Boom” and Jerlamarel opposite Jason Momoa in Apple TV+’s “See.” He is currently appearing on Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into The Woods.”Celebrated EGOT winner Moreno just wrapped production on feature films “Eighty for Brady” with Sally Field, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and “Fast X,” where she plays Vin Diesel’s grandmother. Last year, she co-starred and was an executive producer on Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story.” “Beauty and the Beast,” which was released on November 22, 1991, became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the 1992 Academy Awards, where it won Best Original Song for its self-titled theme song. “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” is produced by Done+Dusted in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere.

Jennifer Yuma editorDisney released the first footage of “Peter Pan & Wendy,” the studio’s upcoming live-action adaptation, exclusively at the D23 Expo on Friday. The film will debut on Disney+ in 2023.The film’s cast, including Ever Anderson as Wendy, Jude Law as Captain Hook and Alyssa Wapanatâhk as Tiger Lily, took the stage for the reveal. “It’s been really amazing to be able to play Wendy,” Anderson said. “Wendy and Peter are equals in this film.”“We got to mine their backstory a little more and try to know their past, when they were friends,” Law added. “It was nice to layer in that understanding of why Hook is so iconic.” The D23 audience got to see the footage in person, which showcased the first looks at the classic characters in a grittier, more realistic take that we’ve seen before. Starring Alexander Molony and Ever as the titular characters, “Peter Pan & Wendy” follows J.M. Barrie’s 1953 classic novel of Peter Pan (Molony), a boy who doesn’t age and the children he whisks away to a magical world of Neverland.

story and I hope that they think we’ve done Roy proud.”

Manori Ravindran International Editor Canada’s Sphere Films has signed a multi-picture deal with A24 that will cover nine of the U.S. studio’s films in the Canadian market. Under the deal, Sphere Films will theatrically release pics including Charlotte Wells’ Cannes breakout “Aftersun,” which is currently screening as part of TIFF, and Ari Aster’s “Disappointment Blvd.” starring Joaquin Phoenix. The latter is believed to be A24’s biggest production to date. The A24 deal comes off the back of Sphere Films’ acquisition of MK2 Mile End in April. Charles Tremblay, former boss of MK2 Mile End and now the president of Sphere Films, said: “We felt that by joining a larger media company like Sphere that would help our chances of being a larger distributor than on our own.”

After three years away, the red carpet has made its return to the Toronto Film Festival. 

Lewis Capaldi revealed on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Tourette's and is receiving treatment, including Botox injections, to combat the condition.

EXCLUSIVE: Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans), Conor Sherry (The Terminal List) and Mika Abdalla (Sex Appeal) will lead the cast of coming-of-age comedy The Snack Shack, which Adam Carter Rehmeier (Dinner in America) wrote and is directing for the collective emerging filmmakers label of MRC Film and T-Street.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Paolo Sorrentino, the Oscar-winning director of “The Great Beauty” and “The Hand of God,” is set to preside over the jury of the Marrakech International Film Festival. The popular fest will make a comeback this year after a pair of editions were canceled due to the pandemic. The upcoming fest will take place Nov. 11-19. Sorrentino’s jury will award the Étoile d’Or to one of 14 feature-length films set to compete at the festival, which aims at showcasing rising filmmakers from around the world. The helmer follows the footsteps of prestigious directors and talents such as Martin Scorsese and Tilda Swinton, who presided over previous years.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The 18th Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 22-Oct. 2) will present its Golden Icon Award to the British actor Ben Kingsley on Sept. 29. Kingsley will present the European premiere of his latest movie “Dalíland,” in which he portrays the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí. In addition, Kingsley will speak about his career in a ZFF Masters. Kingsley has played several iconographic roles in film history: He was the title character in “Gandhi,” Oskar Schindler’s bookkeeper, and has worked with such leading director as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott and Isabel Coixet. “Sir Ben Kingsley is an outstanding and highly versatile character actor who is not only completely absorbed in his roles, but is also able to imbue his characters with a rare human depth,” Christian Jungen, ZFF artistic director, said.