The Best Films From Venice, Telluride, and Toronto 2024: THR Critics' Picks

Venice, Telluride

Brazilian documentary filmmaker Petra Costa explores the dire state of democracy in this eye-opening reveal, delving into the disturbing connections between Christian evangelism and politics. Getting up close and personal with powerful people amid a wave of social and political unrest, she moves between the epic and the intimate, history and the present, to shed light on a phenomenon not only in her home country but around the world. — JORDAN MINTZER

Venice, Toronto

Dea Kulumbegashvili's miraculous feature film centers on a gynecologist-obstetrician (a wonderful Ia Sukhitashvili) who performs secret abortions for desperate women in deepest rural Georgia. As Cristian Mungiu 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 daysthe drama highlights the risks of backstreet resolutions, as well as the shame and expense that prevents one from accessing them. Offsetting the gloom are moments of transcendent beauty. — LESLIE FELPERIN

Venice, Toronto

A stunning Nicole Kidman (winner of the Best Actress award at Venice) leads Halina Reijn’s erotic drama about a middle-aged businesswoman who finds liberation in a game of seduction with a younger intern (Harris Dickinson). Although the setting recalls ’90s sex stalker thrillers, Reijn upends expectations with her brave refusal of judgment and rigid moral codes. It’s wicked, juicy fun. — DAVID ROONEY

Venice, Toronto

Brady Corbet’s polished, novelistic third feature, about a Hungarian Jewish architect who flees to the United States after World War II, is massive in every way. Running three and a half hours and projected in gorgeous 70mm, it explores weighty themes of creativity, the immigrant experience, the insularity of privilege, and the long reach of the past. Leading actor Adrien Brody has rarely been better. — DR

Telluride, Toronto

Adapted from Robert Harris' book, Edward Berger's drama offers a behind-the-scenes look at power as Catholic leaders gather at the Vatican to choose the next pope. Ralph Fiennes is superb as the cardinal who oversees the election and who begins to have doubts about his faith in the wake of recent church scandals. Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini are among the skilled supporting actors in a gripping, timely thriller. — STEPHEN FARBER

Telluride, Toronto

Actress Embeth Davidtz makes her directorial debut with this stunning adaptation of Alexandra Fuller's 2001 memoir, which chronicles a childhood view of the civil war that created the country of Zimbabwe. As the young protagonist Bobo, the daughter of white colonial parents, Lexi Venter gives a surprisingly nuanced and naturalistic performance that recalls Anna Paquin's Oscar-winning performance in The piano. — JAMES CARYN

Venice

Sarah Friedland’s debut feature frames adulthood as its own coming-of-age journey, following an inquisitive octogenarian (Kathleen Chalfant) as she deals with dementia and adjusts to a new assisted-living facility. With a sensitive eye for the details of bodies, the writer-director anchors us in her protagonist’s perspective, finding humor and tenderness in her most vulnerable moments.
— LOVIA GYARKYE

Telluride, Toronto

Scott McGehee and David Siegel's unromantic but touching drama, set in a nuanced New York and adapted from Sigrid Nunez's novel, stars a terrific Naomi Watts as a writer who is not only mourning her best friend (Bill Murray in flashbacks) but also coming to terms with the Great Dane he left behind. It's a wonderfully light-hearted exploration of life, death and friendship. — CJ

Toronto

A complementary piece to his classics Happy and carefree AND Another yearMike Leigh’s poignant, penetrating new drama continues his long-running investigation into the concept of happiness—who gets it, who doesn’t, how and why—through a vivid portrait of psychic pain. Marianne Jean-Baptiste is bone-chillingly ferocious and, at times, bitterly funny as a woman at war with the world, while Michele Austin, who plays her sister, brings much-needed warmth and light. — JON FROSCH

Venice, Toronto

While many films have been made about life under the military dictatorship in Brazil, it is rare that we have one as intimate as Walter Salles's latest. In this adaptation of Marcelo Rubens Paiva's memoirs about his mother's heroism after his father's disappearance, Fernanda Torres portrays the matriarch with extraordinary grace, while her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, plays her touchingly in old age. — DR

Venice

The second part of a thematic trilogy, which follows Sex and previous DreamsNorwegian writer-director Dag Johan Haugerud’s dramatic comedy is a delight: honest, thoughtful, and boldly chatty. Observing dating customs in the app age through the delicately symmetrical arcs of two colleagues, the film makes interesting points about friendship and romance. — LF

Telluride

Hale County This Morning, Tonight Director RaMell Ross makes his narrative debut with a revealing adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel about two boys (Brandon Wilson, Ethan Herisse) incarcerated in a Florida reform school. Cinematographer Jomo Fray provides short bursts of images and editor Nicholas Monsour a staccato rhythm as the film moves between past and present with an eye for the details that shape memories. In its intimacy and care, the drama pushes the boundaries of what it means to represent black people on screen. — LG

Venice

In one of his finest efforts to date, director Kevin Macdonald retraces an eventful year in the life of the former Beatle and recording artist. Remarkable archival footage combined with footage from a 1972 benefit concert creates a documentary that is both tender and galvanizing. Evoking a “you're there” energy, it offers a fresh perspective on a generation's countercultural awakening and a reminder of the hopeful future we once imagined as children. — SHERI LINDEN

Venice, Toronto

Working again with Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, Luca Guadagnino meets William S. Burroughs’s semi-autobiographical novel about American expatriates in postwar Mexico City on its own slippery terms. A psychedelic odyssey about a writer (a gutsy Daniel Craig) bewitched by a fresh-faced young man (Drew Starkey), this is a bold and seductive film, featuring Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s dreamy cinematography and a wistful score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. — DR

Venice, Telluride

Tim Fehlbaum's gripping thriller chronicles how an ABC Sports crew live-broadcast the terrorist attacks at the 1972 Munich Olympics to an entire nation. The way it tackles the tough questions the team faced, along with the powerful performances of Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, and Leonie Benesch, are what make it more than a time capsule. Blending archival footage and re-creations, this is a film about our times and the enduring importance of reporting real news. — JM

This story originally appeared in the September 11 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe.

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