Toronto International Film Festival 2024: THE ASSESSMENT & EMILIA PÉREZ

Tackling the science fiction and musical genres, respectively, The Assessment and Emilia Pérez are films that brim of creative energy. Both films also demonstrate the versatility of a festival like TIFF, which is always inclusive of all genres and subgenres of cinema.

The Assessment (Fleur Fortuné)

As a highly dramatic science fiction film, it doesn’t get much better than this. Fleur Fortuné’s The Assessment packs in just the right amount of intrigue and world-building, and does the rare feat of also being an outright character drama anchored by truly astonishing performances. A must-see for those longing for thoughtful science-fiction storytelling.

Set in a world that’s ravaged by overpopulation, couples must go through a rigorous selection process in order to be awarded the right to bear children. This process involves an assessor living with said couple for seven straight days, before being given a verdict at the end of the evaluation period. Being two highly productive citizens, Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) are hopeful their bid to start a family will be successful. They meet their assessor, Virginia (Alicia Vikander), who proves to be a divisive figure in what is ultimately a challenging process.

As a science fiction film, The Assessment is captivating in its storytelling, creating a world that feels assured and fully realized. Everything from Magnus Jønck’s crisp cinematography to Jan Houllevigue’s radiant set design is brimming with confidence and fits perfectly within the film’s quiet and ominous tone. Fortuné proves to be an assured filmmaker, never letting go of the gas pedal as the film constantly ups it ante until it climatic third act.

Olsen and Vikander are also at the top of their game as their characters become fully engulfed in this contentious battle of wits, with Patel holding his own as well. The mystery behind Virginia’s tactics and intentions are portrayed with fiery intensity, which is matched by Mia’s own evolving temperament as the assessment progresses. Under less capable hands, these characterizations would most certainly lose some of its nuance, resulting in a much more straight forward film. The fact that The Assessment feels like a character study with dramatic intentions, set in a science fiction world, is all thanks to these grand performances.

The film does end off by expanding the world it creates even further, which does feel slightly out of place given how contained and assured the storytelling is up until this point. It’s doubtful that The Assessment is building up to a sequel, which leaves viewers with a sense of longing, knowing there is so much more that now remains unanswered. On the other hand, this might also just be a testament to Fortuné’s elaborate filmmaking, resulting in something truly wondrous. Simply put, who wouldn’t want more of something this good?

Emilia Pérez (Jacques Audiard)

Emilia Pérez is far from your typical musical, and is perhaps one of the most creatively charged examples of storytelling for this storied genre of cinema. Jacques Audiard has such dynamic range as a filmmaker, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else creating a musical quite like this.

Zoe Saldaña stars as Rita Moro Castro, a disgruntled attorney tasked with helping Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), a murderous Mexican kingpin, transition from man to woman. Plotting a staged murder, Manitas’ wife (Selena Gomez) and kids are relocated, and he becomes Emilia Pérez. As Emilia, she’s finally able to live a full and true life, falling in love with Epifanía (Adriana Paz), while trying to rewrite her past sins.

Best known for its four actresses sharing the Best Actress award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, it’s Saldaña who clearly shines the brightest. Serving as the film’s moral compass, her dramatic intensity anchors the narrative, while her singing and dancing seems is bathed with the same level of fervour. Being actively involved in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Avatar films has, to some degree, relegated Saldaña as a highly commercialized performer, even though she’s clearly much more than that. Seeing her as a potential player this awards season is much deserved. Gomez, who continues to expand her filmography, is also unapologetically bold in what is clearly her most challenging role to date. As a collective, the performers craft a convincing narrative about acceptance and love, all wrapped in the sobering reality of one’s inescapable past.

Surprisingly, the musical numbers in Emilia Pérez aren’t actually particularly memorable on first viewing, but the thematic and emotional gestures created by the music is what stands out. For such an intricate narrative, Clément Ducol and Camille (who also received accolades at Cannes) have somehow created pieces that match the story’s constantly evolving feverish intensity. It encompasses everything from opera to pop, and complimented by the film’s kinetic dance choreography and crisp cinematography (by Paul Guilhaume). The end result is a film that bathes in its own dramatic energy.

It’s rare when a filmmaker is able to find ingenuity in something that is as storied as the musical, but leave it to Audiard to do exactly that. Emilia Pérez is a vibrant cinematic experience that excites and invigorates in the best ways possible.