Author: Pink Asparagus
-
Gentle Monster Review – TIFF 2026
By Namah Gentle Monster is an unfortunate case of squandered potential. The mother-daughter relationship between Seydoux and Deneuve is a contemporary redux of Bergman’s Autumn Sonata. The frigid former maestro chastises her daughter, a tepid pianist who “deconstructs” male pop music at candlelit concerts, for her domestic decisions. For a female artist, the only thing…
-
Tehran, Under the Skin Review – TIFF 2026
BY Maggie Roberts TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WORLD PREMIERE! This society is bipolar. Tehran, Under the Skin is a film full of contradictions. The documentary, directed by Afsaneh Salari, explores the popularity of the plastic surgery industry in contemporary Tehran. The film takes on something similar to a cinéma vérité style; however, the camera is…
-
Bucking Fastard Review – TIFF 2026
By Namah dawdy and fierce sisters jeanie and joanie aren’t of this world. their dismissal isn’t just of modernity but reality itself. my endearment towards their affected speech died down quick— it is static rather than idiosyncratic. the sisters interpret the world in literal ways— they reach for fire and fuel to convey their passion,…
-
Obsession Review – TIFF 2026
By Maggie Roberts WHAT HAVE I DONE! Blood-soaked, inconsolable and surrounded by carnage, Nikki (Inde Navarrette) screams. At the end of the film, she blames herself for the death and destruction around her, even though she was the one who was victimized. Obsession, directed by Curry Barker, follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a comically broad archetype…
-
Ben’Imana Review – TIFF 2026
By Maggie Roberts TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE! Ben’Imana (Dusabejambo) reflects on the atrocities of the 1994 Rawandan Genocide through the eyes of women. The 2026 Caméra d’Or winner follows Vénéranda, a survivor of the genocide, as she organizes reconciliation meetings amongst Rawandan women in her village, formerly classified as Tutsi and Hutu…
-
TIFF 2026 Coverage Incoming!
Stay tuned for some HOT dispatches coming out over the next 10 days! Screenings are chosen by writers so our selection of films will vary but we will centre women-driven/feminist work much as possible. 💗 2026 TIFF coverage will be led by: Sara Abdul Managing Editor of Pink Asparagus/ Artist Maggie Roberts Feminist Scholar/ Film…
-
Films to watch at TIFF26
By Sara Abdul The Toronto International Film Festival’s 2026 schedule is now LIVE! I’ve gone through all 293 films and created a TIFF shortlist of 53 films that correspond to one or more of the following criteria: The list is divided into must-sees (10), want-to-sees (27), and maybes (16). Rather than recreate the list here,…
-
2025 In Review (Films)
Below are some films from 2025 I would recommend. Enjoy! Landmarks (Nuestra tierra) Lucretia Martel’s Landmarks is an atmospheric political documentary about the aftermath of the murder of Argentinian indigenous leader Javier Chocobar. The film takes every opportunity to trace how everyday injustices are caused by capitalism and colonialism. Her interventions on land rights, police…
-
In Conversation with Cecelia Condit
Introduction Cecelia Condit, director of the brilliant musical fairy tale, Possibly in Michigan, is above all a lover of camaraderie among women. When I first became interested in her as an artist, I was so excited about how beautifully she was able to encapsulate some of the most inexplicable horrors of womanhood. In Suburbs of…
Pink Asparagus 