Chinonye Chukwu’s “Clemency” To Screen At Toronto International Film Festival

Nigerian-American Filmmaker, Chinonye Chukwu, is set to screen her latest feature film, “Clemency” at the forthcoming 2019 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The movie recently premiered at the Sundance International Film Festival and won the “US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize”, making the Nigerian-American filmmaker the first black woman to earn Sundance’s highest prize. Shortly after its Sundance showcase, the film which also stars Aldis Hodge and Daniel Brooks, was picked up by US distribution giant, Neon, nabbing an award-friendly December release date.

“Clemency” is a hard-hitting drama that follows a prison warden, Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard), who confronts her own psychological demons, as she develops an emotional connection to the death row inmate she is scheduled to execute. With a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, the Sundance prize and its inclusion at TIFF, “Clemency” tends to have high chances of getting some serious Oscar love – making it the first Nigerian-directed film to do so.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – screens more than 300 films from over 60 countries, and draws in an estimated 400,000 attendees annually. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential film festivals in the world.

The TIFF 2019 edition will run from September 5 to September 15.

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