Cameron Bailey On TIFF World Premiere Title ‘Mile End Kicks' & Why The Festival Is Now Focused On 'Celebrating Canada'
'But only in the sense that I'm very focused on how Canadian stories speak to the whole world. There is a thriving culture that I think is somewhat unique to Canadian cinema because it is supported by public bodies. Nearly all Canadian cinema is independent cinema, unlike some countries with big commercial industries.'
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Mile End Kicks, the sophomore feature from Toronto native Chandler Levack (I Like Movies), is one of those independently produced titles set to come out of Canada this year, and it was included as a world premiere in this morning's TIFF announcement. Levack joined us on the call with Bailey.
Written and directed by Levack, the film follows a 24-year-old female music critic who moves to Montreal to write a book about Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she becomes intertwined with a struggling indie rock band and decides to become their publicist. Starring are Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria), Jay Baruchel (BlackBerry), Devon Bostick (Oppenheimer), Stanley Simons (The Iron Claw), and Juliette Gariépy (Société distincte).
Bailey tells us that he 'fell in love with the film' after seeing an early, unfinished cut.
'I was a film critic for an alternative weekly paper in Toronto for many years. I never got to live in Montreal like the character in the movie, but I know that world,' Bailey says. 'And Mile End Kicks is telling this incredible story of what it's like to exist as a young woman in that world, which is an alternative cultural world, but still has a lot of hazards for women. That plays out in the film with great insight, humor, and candor.'
Bailey adds that he believes Levack, who for some time worked on the editorial team at TIFF and debuted her first feature, I Like Movies, at the festival in 2022, represents 'the very best of what Canadians can do.'
'I think of the early work of Patricia Rozema and Patricia Rozema, Clement Virgo, and then in Montreal, people like Philippe Falardeau and Denis Villeneuve, those early independent features that really feel like they're immersed in a world, and speak to the experience of young people at that time — Chandler's in that lineage,' Bailey says. 'So I want the world to know about her, and that's why we're giving this film that kind of platform.'
In a similar vein to I Like Movies, a film about a socially awkward teenage cinephile who gets a job at a video store, Mile End Kicks is inspired by Levack's own life experiences.
'I left Blockbuster and became a magazine writer in my early 20s. I wrote for magazines like Spin and Village Voice,' she explains. 'It was tremendously exciting. But looking back at those years, I would think about how all my bosses were men in their 40s, and how maybe there was something weird about that. And maybe the way I was being singled out as special and talented had a deeper meaning to it.'
The film is set against the indie music scene in the titular Mile End neighborhood of Montreal, where acts such as Grimes, Mac DeMarco, and Arcade Fire first found acclaim. Montreal rock band TOPS have recorded two original songs for the film's soundtrack.
'This is a movie that should be of enormous interest to buyers,' Bailey adds. When you look at what's out there, what's succeeding in art house distribution and awards season, it's fresh voices and filmmakers who are connected to where the culture is right now. Mile End Kicks is exactly in line with that.'
Titles also announced this morning as part of TIFF's Official Selection were Alejandro Amenábar's The Captive, Steven Soderbergh's The Christophers, Sung-hyun Byun's Good News, and Nia DaCosta's Hedda. They join the previously announced opening night flick, John Candy: I Like Me.
On the wider TIFF lineup, which will be announced in August, Bailey adds: 'We've been in close conversation with all of our usual partners, the studios, streamers, sales companies, and independent producers. There's no let up it just all depends on what films are available, both in terms of what they present to us and what we end up choosing. Thankfully, we're still seeing some great movies.'TIFF 2025 runs from September 4–14.
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Sign up for CNN's Life, But Greener newsletter. Our limited newsletter series guides you on how to minimize your personal role in the climate crisis — and reduce your eco-anxiety.
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'Our research shows that the equivalent of one garbage truck worth of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every single second,' she said. MacDermaid and Wright are part of a much larger movement grounded in thinking more sustainably about shopping and styling: More people are buying resold items, and runway shows are beginning to feature 'preloved' elements, Lennon added. A special role The Sorry Girls play is in giving individuals the skills and inspiration to start incorporating upcycling into their own lives –– and make it look cool. The sustainability of upcycling comes from both the reduction in buying and saving products from being discarded, said Marco van Hees, lecturer of circular business engineering and senior researcher of urban upcycling at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. 'We're just using things and throwing them away or even burning them –– which is maybe even the worst that you can do,' he said. Trash has overwhelmed cities, and incinerating the refuse can release toxic material into the environment, van Hees said. And recycling products after they have been discarded isn't always the best alternative. 'Recycling costs a lot of energy,' he said. 'You destroy it, basically, you make the value less, and then you're going to do something with it again, which, again costs a lot of energy.' Reducing how often you buy and increasing how long products last also helps mitigate environmental impacts such as overconsumption of raw materials, water usage and runoff of production chemicals, Lennon said. 'We're really working to create a circular economy for fashion, where products are used more, they're made to be made again, and they're made from safe and recycled or renewable input,' she said. That circular economy can include repairing, remaking, reselling and renting items. 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Seeing the personalization, sentiment, work and history behind a piece of furniture or a clothing item can make it more desirable, he said. When it comes to furniture especially, newer things tend to be made to fall apart faster, according to Wright. 'That's why we also say, when you're thinking about redoing a space, look at what you already own and seeing if anything can be upcycled there to work better for you,' Wright said. 'Because those things are probably older and probably better made, and we want to keep them in our life for as long as possible.' Giving a piece you already own or bought secondhand a new life can sound daunting, but starting small can still make a difference, MacDermaid said. For years, MacDermaid has exclusively bought pre-owned clothes, and often a simple trip to a tailor or utilizing basic sewing skills can make the piece feel made for you, she said. You also don't need a complete overhaul to make a piece of furniture feel new. Start by just changing the knobs on a dresser, MacDermaid said. Or you can use peel-and-stick wallpaper or tile to add your style to a bookcase, she added. A good second step is learning how to properly paint a piece of furniture, MacDermaid said. 'As long as you're taking the proper care to do the prep, then that paint job should turn out good, you'll have a smooth finish, and it'll last for a long time,' she said. Don't be afraid to experiment, especially if you can find something simple to work on, like a large picture frame from the thrift store, Wright said. Choosing one tool at a time and learning how to use it effectively can get you far, MacDermaid said. 'We are film students. We're not woodworkers or carpenters, but you start with one tool and then you really learn to love it,' she said. 'And then you add another tool and another tool. Starting with something as simple as an electric sander or a circle saw can get you really far.' Sign up for CNN's Life, But Greener newsletter. Our limited newsletter series guides you on how to minimize your personal role in the climate crisis — and reduce your eco-anxiety.
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'Our research shows that the equivalent of one garbage truck worth of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every single second,' she said. MacDermaid and Wright are part of a much larger movement grounded in thinking more sustainably about shopping and styling: More people are buying resold items, and runway shows are beginning to feature 'preloved' elements, Lennon added. A special role The Sorry Girls play is in giving individuals the skills and inspiration to start incorporating upcycling into their own lives –– and make it look cool. The sustainability of upcycling comes from both the reduction in buying and saving products from being discarded, said Marco van Hees, lecturer of circular business engineering and senior researcher of urban upcycling at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. 'We're just using things and throwing them away or even burning them –– which is maybe even the worst that you can do,' he said. Trash has overwhelmed cities, and incinerating the refuse can release toxic material into the environment, van Hees said. And recycling products after they have been discarded isn't always the best alternative. 'Recycling costs a lot of energy,' he said. 'You destroy it, basically, you make the value less, and then you're going to do something with it again, which, again costs a lot of energy.' Reducing how often you buy and increasing how long products last also helps mitigate environmental impacts such as overconsumption of raw materials, water usage and runoff of production chemicals, Lennon said. 'We're really working to create a circular economy for fashion, where products are used more, they're made to be made again, and they're made from safe and recycled or renewable input,' she said. That circular economy can include repairing, remaking, reselling and renting items. Thrifting, buying and upcycling clothing and interior decor started for The Sorry Girls in college when they were trying to save a buck, MacDermaid said. 'As we've grown up, we realized that actually such a core of who we are is just making sure we're thrifting and buying secondhand,' she added. 'It is equally a sustainable and eco-friendly thing to do as it is good for your wallet.' While The Sorry Girls are saving money and thinking sustainably, they have also found that using what already exists and upcycling has enhanced their designs, Wright said. 'Shopping secondhand really gives you the opportunity to be creative and get pieces that nobody else has, which makes for the most interesting spaces … spaces that feel curated and collected instead of things that look like they just came off the shelf from a big-box store,' she added. Some people are buying into upcycling for the beauty of it first and foremost, van Hees has found in his research. Seeing the personalization, sentiment, work and history behind a piece of furniture or a clothing item can make it more desirable, he said. When it comes to furniture especially, newer things tend to be made to fall apart faster, according to Wright. 'That's why we also say, when you're thinking about redoing a space, look at what you already own and seeing if anything can be upcycled there to work better for you,' Wright said. 'Because those things are probably older and probably better made, and we want to keep them in our life for as long as possible.' Giving a piece you already own or bought secondhand a new life can sound daunting, but starting small can still make a difference, MacDermaid said. For years, MacDermaid has exclusively bought pre-owned clothes, and often a simple trip to a tailor or utilizing basic sewing skills can make the piece feel made for you, she said. You also don't need a complete overhaul to make a piece of furniture feel new. Start by just changing the knobs on a dresser, MacDermaid said. Or you can use peel-and-stick wallpaper or tile to add your style to a bookcase, she added. A good second step is learning how to properly paint a piece of furniture, MacDermaid said. 'As long as you're taking the proper care to do the prep, then that paint job should turn out good, you'll have a smooth finish, and it'll last for a long time,' she said. Don't be afraid to experiment, especially if you can find something simple to work on, like a large picture frame from the thrift store, Wright said. Choosing one tool at a time and learning how to use it effectively can get you far, MacDermaid said. 'We are film students. We're not woodworkers or carpenters, but you start with one tool and then you really learn to love it,' she said. 'And then you add another tool and another tool. Starting with something as simple as an electric sander or a circle saw can get you really far.' Sign up for CNN's Life, But Greener newsletter. Our limited newsletter series guides you on how to minimize your personal role in the climate crisis — and reduce your eco-anxiety.
