Past, present, and future collide when Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) home from their high school reunion, in this touching and masterful film by director Michel Franco.

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Special Presentations

Memory

Michel Franco

Silvia (Jessica Chastain) works at a public home in New York City for adults struggling with mental health conditions. She leads a simple and structured life: her daughter, her job, her AA meetings. She meets Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) in the worst circumstances, after he has creepily followed her home from their high school reunion party and she finds him dripping wet and freezing outside her door the next morning. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past.

The story was shot by frequent collaborator Yves Cape with the natural austerity that has come to define most of writer-director Michel Franco’s ouvre, as does his ability to not shy away from thorny issues on screen but instead explore the often painful vulnerability they contain. Dealing with complex themes of identity and trust, the loss of self, and the pervasiveness of hope, Franco (New Order, TIFF ’20; Sundown, TIFF ’21) and his experienced leads go for broke without ever overwhelming the audience.

The film’s finely attuned supporting cast including Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie, Unbelievable) and Josh Charles (The Good Wife) help take the story to an unexpected and unforgettable place. In this touching and profound piece, memory — often thought to be the foundation of who we are — does not define the limits of what it means to be human.

DIANA CADAVID

Official Selection, 2023 Toronto International Film Festival

Content advisory: sexual content, mature themes

Screenings

Sun Sep 10

Scotiabank 1

P & I
Tue Sep 12

Royal Alexandra Theatre

Premium
Thu Sep 14

Scotiabank 10

Regular
Fri Sep 15

Scotiabank 1

P & I
Fri Sep 15

Scotiabank 4

Regular