TIFF-The Judge

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced yesterday that David Dobkin’s The Judge will open the 2014 Festival on Thursday, September 4. From Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, the Big Kid Pictures/Team Downey production stars Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shepard and Billy Bob Thornton.

Big city lawyer Hank Palmer (Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his estranged father (Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth, and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.

“The stars aligned and we are thrilled to announce that we will kick off the Festival with The Judge,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO, TIFF. “David Dobkin has delivered a moving, textured story about family, duty and the way we remember our past. We couldn’t have asked for a better start to this year’s event.”

“I brought my first film, Clay Pigeons, to Toronto, so 15 years later to actually be on opening night with The Judge is incredibly special and thrilling,” Dobkin stated. “The Festival audiences are terrific, and I know I speak for everyone involved in the film when I say we are so pleased to be unveiling it there.”

“We always want to deliver for our audience and we can’t think of a better way than kicking things off with The Judge,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director for the Toronto International Film Festival. “Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall are terrific in the film, and David Dobkin guides the entire cast to rich, satisfying performances.”

Sue Kroll, President Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, said, “We are so proud to be taking The Judge to TIFF, and honored to be in the opening night slot. The film is truly deserving and we believe the always-discerning audience in Toronto will appreciate it as much as we do.”

The Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4-14, 2014.

Purchase Festival ticket packages online 24 hours a day at tiff.net/festival, by phone from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET daily at 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433, or visit the Gupta Box Office at TIFF Bell Lightbox, in person from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET daily at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Reitman Square, 350 King Street West, until August 20. TIFF prefers Visa.

Published by Courtney Small

The founder of Cinema Axis, Courtney is a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic who can frequently be heard discussing film as co-host of Frameline on Radio Regent. Courtney has contributed to several publications including Leonard Maltin, That Shelf, POV Magazine, In the Seats, Black Girl Nerds, and Comix Asylum. He has appeared on ET Canada and Hollywood Suite's Cinema A to Z. Courtney celebrates diversity in cinema as host of the Changing Reels podcast and is a member of the Toronto Film Critics Association, the Online Film Critics Society, and the African American Film Critics Association. He is also a Golden Globes International Voter.

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3 Comments

    1. Make it one of your bucket list items! I think everyone should experience TIFF once in their life, even if it is only to see one film. While TIFF is the biggest festival here, Toronto is a movie lovers city. There are so many different film festivals throughout the year that you are bound to discover a new film or two that knocks your socks off.

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