The Science Behind NMN: Exploring the Potential Benefits of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide

Science and Health

The quest for longevity and healthier aging has led scientists to explore the molecular foundations of aging. Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN), a compound that plays a pivotal role in cellular health and metabolism, has become a focus of this quest. As the precursor to the critical coenzyme NAD+, NMN is thought to replenish cellular energy and delay age-related decline. In this article, we delve into what makes this molecule compelling, not just to scientists but also those seeking to maintain their vitality. Keep reading to uncover the intricate science of NMN, NMN benefits, and its potential implications for the future of health and wellness.
(Credit: Intelligent Living)
Understanding the Role of NMN in Cellular Health
Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is more than a mere buzzword in the realm of anti-aging research. It is a naturally occurring compound that acts as a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which is essential for a variety of cellular processes. These processes range from DNA repair to energy production, highlighting the centrality of NMN in maintaining cellular integrity.
The degradation of NAD+ as we age corresponds with a host of age-related conditions, which has driven interest in NMN as a product to bolster NAD+ levels. By shoring up NAD+, NMN supports the cellular machinery that tends to wear down over time. This has positioned NMN as a potential fortress guarding against the onslaught of aging at the cellular frontier.
Moreover, NMN stands out due to its bioavailability and the body’s ability to convert it efficiently into NAD+. Researchers have shown that NMN can be absorbed and utilized by cells without requiring complex transformations, which means it can quickly go to work within our cells. This efficiency is key in the discussion surrounding NMN products and their role in cellular health.
As trials and studies progress, the impact of NMN on biological markers of aging continues to unearth new understanding. A focus on cell vitality and the mechanisms of age-related decline illustrates NMN’s promise in the fight against the inevitable wear and tear of time.

Evaluating the Evidence: NMN in Clinical Research
Clinical research on NMN is a rapidly evolving landscape, with studies ranging from animal models to human clinical trials. The early evidence for benefits sprouted from research in mice, which revealed promising impacts on age-related decline. These studies have been a springboard into broader implications for humans, stimulating excitement about NMN’s translational potential.
However, moving from mouse models to human biology introduces complexity. Human trials conducted thus far have been limited but are necessary to discern NMN’s true potential in our unique physiology. Dose, frequency, and form of administration are among the variables under scrutiny to ensure both efficacy and safety.
Remarkably, some studies have shown that NMN can improve markers of metabolic health, such as insulin sensitivity, in older adults, a promising sign given the prevalence of metabolic disorders with aging. Still, these conclusions are preliminary, and ongoing trials continue to build upon our understanding of NMN’s effects.
(Credit: Intelligent Living)
How NMN Supports NAD+ Production and Longevity
The relationship between NMN and NAD+ is at the heart of the molecule’s claim to fame. NAD+ is vital for the transfer of energy from nutrients to the cell’s powerhouses, the mitochondria. Without adequate NAD+, our cells struggle to generate the energy necessary for survival, let alone optimal function. The replenishment of NAD+ through NMN products has the potential to re-energize flagging cells.
Beneficial as it is, NAD+ levels inevitably decline with age, leading to metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction. This is where NMN steps in, acting as a kind of cellular fuel injector. By adding NMN, we may be able to boost NAD+ levels, countering the natural decline and possibly extending cellular—and, by extension, organismal—healthspan.
Longevity research often circles back to the concept of healthspan, or the period of life spent in good health, rather than just lifespan. NMN’s role in promoting NAD+ production has made it a key molecule of interest for scientists aiming to enhance human healthspan. It’s not about living forever but living healthier for longer, and NMN could be part of that equation.
Overall, NMN stands at the vanguard of longevity research, a compound enveloped in both potential and intrigue. As the scientific community continues to unravel its mysteries, NMN could very well be at the forefront of a new era in health and medicine, one that elegantly intertwines the pursuit of longevity with the grace of aging well.
(Credit: Intelligent Living)
The Future of NMN: Embracing Potential and Possibilities
As we conclude our exploration into the science behind Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN), it becomes clear that this promising compound may redefine our understanding of aging and wellness. The intricate functions of NMN in cellular health, its encouraging early clinical research, and its pivotal role in boosting NAD+ levels underscore a future where age-related decline may not be an unavoidable fate but rather an area ripe for intervention.
The excitement surrounding NMN stems from its potential to extend healthspan and its ability to empower individuals. If the ongoing research validates the profound claims surrounding NMN, we might witness a paradigm shift in the way we approach not only longevity but our overall lifestyle choices as we grow older.
Moreover, the implications of NMN extend beyond individual health; they ripple out into public health discussions, healthcare economics, and societal attitudes toward aging. Our growing understanding of cellular health is poised to spark new innovations, encouraging a wellness-oriented approach that prioritizes vitality instead of simply avoiding illness.
Thus, as we stand at the intersection of science and daily life, it’s crucial to remain informed and engaged. The journey into the potential benefits of NMN is just beginning, and with each study, we are carving pathways toward healthier futures. As scientific inquiry continues to shed light on this remarkable compound, we must remain open-minded, well-researched, and proactive about how we leverage these findings in our everyday lives. After all, in the pursuit of health and longevity, each step taken in knowledge and mindfulness can lead us closer to the vitality we seek.

Business briefs | $29.6 million spent at Redwood National Park in 2023

Business News

Visitors spent $29.6 million at Redwood National ParkA new National Park Service report shows that 409,105 visitors to Redwood National Park in 2023 spent $29.6 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 384 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $37.9 million.
“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a news release. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”
“People come to Redwood to enjoy the solitude of ancient forests and rugged coastline and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Superintendent Steve Mietz. “We’re proud that Redwood supports 384 jobs and generates $37 million in revenue to communities near the park.”
The National Park Service report finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm.
California Main Street conference to meet in Eureka
Commercial district revitalization professionals and community stakeholders from around the state will meet in Eureka for this year’s California Main Street Conference. The three-day event, called “Powering Local Growth,” is Sept. 16-18 at the Wharfinger Building.
“The California Main Street conference is a rare opportunity for Main Street practitioners to network in person and share best practices and strategies to create more vibrant downtowns and commercial districts,” said Amanda Elliott, senior program officer and director of California Main Street, in a prepared statement.
The conference will feature educational sessions on topics that will include housing and real estate development, local tourism, placemaking, entrepreneurship ecosystems, nonprofit board development and legislative advocacy. Presenters from Main Street America include Michael Jarosz, Maggie Gillespie, Jonathan Stone and Erik Reader.
Attendees will also hear from Eureka’s City Manager Miles Slattery, Wil Franklin from the North Coast Small Business Development Center, Leslie Castelano of Ink People Center for the Arts, Vahan Petrossian of the Eureka Cultural Arts District, and Amanda Hickey from the Redwood Region RISE program.
Attendees will also have many opportunities to explore their surroundings via a mural walking tour curated by Eureka Main Street, a happy hour at the Redwood Sky Walk and networking mixer at the Morris Graves Museum of Art.
To learn more and register, go to californiamainstreet.org/conference-2024.
Green Diamond releases sustainability report
The Green Diamond Resource Co. released its second sustainability report looking back at the accomplishments of 2023. The report looks into Green Diamond’s 2.2 million acres of working forests, natural climate solutions, dedicated employees, and community engagement.
“As a company, taking this deeper look at our work in managing forests responsibly, mitigating climate change and contributing to strong communities where we live and work is rewarding,” said Douglas Reed, president of Green Diamond Resource Co. in a prepared statement. “We have a dedicated team that has utilized its expertise to advance forward-looking initiatives, including enrolling thousands of acres in active carbon projects and pursuing work on innovative solutions to support biodiversity, even as we create the long-lived wood products that build our communities and support good-paying careers.”
Green Diamond’s 2023 Sustainability Report highlights include:
• 1.52 million acres managed under federal and state fish and wildlife conservation agreements
• More than 750,000 acres are in active listed carbon projects across five states
• Commemorated 10 years of Forest Stewardship Council certification on Green Diamond’s California Timberlands
• Planted more than 12 million seedlings, including 2,938,273 trees over 9,978 acres of the 100,000-acre 2021 Bootleg Fire scar in Oregon
• 95% of employees reported satisfaction with Green Diamond as a place to work
• Reduction of recordable injury rate by 50% and lost time rate by 12.5%
• $61,000 in student scholarships, marking seven years of the Opportunity Internship and Scholarship program
Read the report at https://www.greendiamond.com/downloads/Green_Diamond_2023_Sustainability_Report.pdf.
Logan Edwards unloads logs from Green Diamond Resource Co. Green Diamond released its second sustainability report this week. (Anna Rogers/Contributed)
Business briefs runs on a regular basis in the Sunday Business section. Submit news about your local business to [email protected] with “business” in the subject line. Submissions may be edited for space, clarity and Associated Press style. 

Extension offers webinar about farm business structure

Business News

SPRINGFIELD – Choosing the right business structure for a farm or ranch business shouldn’t be hard. In the Business Structure Basics Webinar, led by staff from Farm Commons in partnership with the University of Illinois Extension, producers will learn how to apply straightforward decision-making factors to their situations.Participants will walk through the tax advantages and business practices that make the most of their choices. A focus on preventing problems with good governance means that whether you are just starting out or you’ve been on the land for a few decades, this webinar will help you chart the next steps.“We’re pleased to be able to launch this first webinar as part of the Legal Training for Illinois Small Farms Webinar series,” said Grant McCarty, local foods and small farms educator for Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Winnebago counties. “At [the] Illinois Extension, it’s important that we provide this type of educational opportunity that can complement the outreach and resources that we offer year-round, from in-person conferences/programs to expert assistance.”The Business Structure Basics Webinar will be offered via Zoom at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22. This webinar is part of the Legal Training for Illinois Small Farms Webinar Series. Future webinars in the series include Dec. 16: Forming an LLC, March 17: Land Leasing Basics and June 23: Farm Property Insurance.Registration is required to attend. Register online at go.illinois.edu/jsw or call the University of Illinois Extension at 815-235-4125.If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, call 815-235-4125.

Longer trips and less crowding: tips for the eco-conscious traveller

Travel

By Peter Lenaghan and Anders Furze September 8, 2024 — 5.30amNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeClimate change is directly affecting tourists’ holiday plans, as fires, floods and storms disrupt travel plans and threaten lives.Wildfires that hit the Greek holiday isles of Rhodes and Corfu during the last European summer are a case in point.As the fires raged in forests close to towns, thousands of people – many of them holidaymakers from across the globe – gathered their children and possessions and fled by boat or by foot along the islands’ famous beaches.A sign warns tourists of extreme heat in California in July 2024.Credit: APThe wildfires in Greece highlight two related issues: global warming is making many popular holiday destinations less hospitable, just as international tourism wrestles with its own contribution to climate change.“Most other sectors of the economy are trending downwards on their emissions; tourism continues to increase,” says Professor James Higham, an industry expert from Griffith University.According to figures published in 2021, tourism’s share of global emissions is said to be between eight and 10 per cent, but there are hopes the industry can reach net zero by 2050.Embracing greener travelIn the meantime, options are growing for tourists wanting to minimise their environmental impact.Copenhagen made waves earlier this year when it introduced “CopenPay”, a program rewarding tourists for cycling, taking public transport and even gardening in public parks.AdvertisementIn Rome, the Borghetto San Carlo Agricultural Estate has transformed 22 hectares of unused farmland into a sustainable tourism project that educates visitors on sustainable farming.Even package tours are offering greener alternatives – Intrepid Travel’s Albania expedition, for example, was developed with MEET, an ecotourism organisation devoted to protecting vulnerable areas in the Mediterranean.“We’ve seen first-hand how climate change has significantly impacted the sector, altering both the accessibility and appeal of many destinations,” says Brett Mitchell, managing director for Australia and New Zealand at Intrepid Travel.“With more extreme weather occurring as a result of climate change, unfortunately travellers’ itineraries and plans will be increasingly affected.”Lesser-known and emerging destinations are becoming popular for those wanting to avoid overtourism. For tourists wanting to hit the hotspots, travelling in shoulder season means avoiding unsustainable crowds and, with summers only getting hotter, probably more comfortable temperatures than peak season.People cool off at Mondello beach in Palermo, during a heatwave across Italy in 2023.Credit: ReutersRoom to growDespite these green shoots, research shows tourists are still confused about how to be greener travellers. A 2022 study by industry research group Skift found 90 per cent of tourists look for sustainable options when travelling, but 70 per cent reported feeling overwhelmed by the process of becoming a more sustainable traveller.“[Climate change] is altering both the accessibility and appeal of many destinations,” says Intrepid’s Mitchell. “Another knock-on effect of climate change is an increase in [the cost of] travel insurance. While this hasn’t climbed significantly; we expect it to in the coming years.”Griffith University’s James Higham says long-haul air travel for shorter trips will also increasingly be questioned.“Instead of travelling multiple times per year, we should be travelling the long-haul trips for sabbatical leaves, for longer periods of time if we can arrange that,” he said. “It’s flying off to Bali for a birthday weekend that’s burning up the planet.”Four ways you can make a differenceAvoid peak season – You’ll generally find cooler weather, cheaper prices and fewer people.Travel locally  – Rediscovering your own city as a tourist is fun, easy and avoids the harmful carbon emissions of flying.Think about transport – Where practical, public transport and cycling can be greener options for getting around and also enable you to live like a local.Indulge in an eco-resort – Many eco-resorts demonstrate that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.Most Viewed in Environment

Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door wins Golden Lion at Venice film festival

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language movie The Room Next Door, which tackles the hefty themes of euthanasia and the climate crisis, won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice film festival on Saturday.Starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, the film received an 18-minute standing ovation when it premiered at Venice earlier in the week – one of the longest in recent memory.Almodóvar is a darling of the festival circuit and was awarded a lifetime achievement award at Venice in 2019 for his bold, irreverent and often funny Spanish-language features.He also won an Oscar in the best foreign language category for his 1999 film All About My Mother.Now 74, he has decided to try his hand at English, telling reporters that it was like science fiction for him.Speaking before the premiere, he said his movie highlighted the importance of cherishing life, but also made clear that people should be able to die with dignity at a time of their choosing.“It’s a film in favour of euthanasia,” he said, criticising countries such as the US, where so-called “mercy killing” is illegal, unlike his native Spain.While The Room Next Door had been widely tipped to win, the runner-up Silver Lion award was a surprise, going to Italian director Maura Delpero for her slow-paced drama set in the Italian Alps during the second world war – Vermiglio.Australia’s Nicole Kidman won the best actress award for her risque role in the erotic Babygirl, where she plays a hard-nosed CEO, who jeopardises her career and her family by having a toxic affair with a young, manipulative intern.Kidman was in Venice on Saturday, but did not attend the awards ceremony after learning that her mother had died unexpectedly.France’s Vincent Lindon was named best actor for The Quiet Son, a topical, French-language drama about a family torn apart by extreme-right radicalism.The best director award went to American film-maker Brady Corbet for his three-and-a-half-hour-long movie The Brutalist, the epic tale of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor played by Adrien Brody, who seeks to rebuild his life in the US.The festival marks the start of the awards season and regularly throws up big favourites for the Oscars, with eight of the past 12 best director awards at the Oscars going to films that debuted at Venice.The prize for best screenplay went to Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega for I’m Still Here, a film about Brazil’s military dictatorship, while the special jury award went to the abortion drama April, by Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili.Among the movies that left Venice’s Lido island empty-handed were Todd Phillips’s Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the sequel to his original The Joker which claimed the top prize in Venice in 2019.Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, with Daniel Craig playing a gay drug addict, and Pablo Larrain’s Maria Callas biopic Maria, starring Angelina Jolie as the celebrated Greek soprano, also won plaudits from the critics but did not get any awards.The Venice jury this year was headed by French actor Isabelle Huppert.Main award winnersGolden Lion for best picture The Room Next DoorSilver Lion (runner-up prize) VermiglioBest director Brady Corbet for The BrutalistBest actressNicole Kidman for BabygirlBest actor Vincent Lindon for The Quiet SonBest screenplay Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega for I’m Still HereSpecial jury award April by Dea KulumbegashviliBest young actor Paul Kircher for And Their Children After Them

Egypt’s Assistant FM leads delegation at Joint Economic Commission meetings in Washington

Technology

Ambassador Sameh Aboul-Enein, Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for US Affairs, led the Egyptian delegation at the Joint Economic Commission meetings between Egypt and the United States, held in Washington, DC, on September 4 and 5, 2024. Ambassador Moataz Zahran, Egypt’s Ambassador to Washington, also participated in the meetings.The meetings aimed to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries and expand bilateral investment and trade opportunities, building on the long-standing strategic relationship between Egypt and the United States.Discussions focused on opportunities for enhanced partnership in key sectors such as renewable energy, technology, infrastructure, and agriculture, aligned with the new Egyptian government’s economic program.Aboul-Enein emphasised the importance of the meetings for supporting sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries.He highlighted Egypt’s view of the United States as a key partner in its economic development efforts. He further stressed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment exchanges with the United States, promoting Egyptian economic growth, and creating new job opportunities for young people.He stressed the commission’s importance as a platform for developing economic and trade relations that serve the interests of both peoples.Beyond formal sessions, Ambassador Aboul-Enein held meetings with senior US officials, including the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and the Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. Discussions focused on strategic issues of mutual interest, including coordination on regional issues to ensure the stability of the Middle East and enhance cooperation in security and development areas.The Egyptian delegation also met with officials from prominent US institutions, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), to discuss frameworks for cooperation in clean energy, infrastructure, and technology. They also explored opportunities to support digital transformation initiatives and empower youth and women in Egypt.Ambassador Aboul-Enein also held meetings with academics and researchers at the Wilson Center and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to highlight the Egyptian government’s role in regional and international affairs, including the stabilisation of the Middle East and Africa, the role of diplomacy in conflict resolution, and the promotion of sustainable development.

Egypt’s Assistant FM leads delegation at Joint Economic Commission meetings in Washington

Technology

Ambassador Sameh Aboul-Enein, Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for US Affairs, led the Egyptian delegation at the Joint Economic Commission meetings between Egypt and the United States, held in Washington, DC, on September 4 and 5, 2024. Ambassador Moataz Zahran, Egypt’s Ambassador to Washington, also participated in the meetings.The meetings aimed to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries and expand bilateral investment and trade opportunities, building on the long-standing strategic relationship between Egypt and the United States.Discussions focused on opportunities for enhanced partnership in key sectors such as renewable energy, technology, infrastructure, and agriculture, aligned with the new Egyptian government’s economic program.Aboul-Enein emphasised the importance of the meetings for supporting sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries.He highlighted Egypt’s view of the United States as a key partner in its economic development efforts. He further stressed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment exchanges with the United States, promoting Egyptian economic growth, and creating new job opportunities for young people.He stressed the commission’s importance as a platform for developing economic and trade relations that serve the interests of both peoples.Beyond formal sessions, Ambassador Aboul-Enein held meetings with senior US officials, including the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and the Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. Discussions focused on strategic issues of mutual interest, including coordination on regional issues to ensure the stability of the Middle East and enhance cooperation in security and development areas.The Egyptian delegation also met with officials from prominent US institutions, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), to discuss frameworks for cooperation in clean energy, infrastructure, and technology. They also explored opportunities to support digital transformation initiatives and empower youth and women in Egypt.Ambassador Aboul-Enein also held meetings with academics and researchers at the Wilson Center and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to highlight the Egyptian government’s role in regional and international affairs, including the stabilisation of the Middle East and Africa, the role of diplomacy in conflict resolution, and the promotion of sustainable development.

My TIFF 9-Film Experience 2024

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

It’s an exciting time to be in Toronto, and I put a lot of energy into making sure I was in the city for the Toronto International Film Festival, a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. I’m well aware I’m not the biggest movie reviewer like I am in the theatre world, but this fantastic film event brings out that same excited part of my soul, and I’m super excited about what I have lined up. 9 films over 10 days. Sounds like me, if you ask any of my theatre-going friends.

Film # 1: The World Premiere of R.T. Thorne’s “40 Acres“
Canada | 2024 | 113m | English, Cree

In a post-apocalyptic future where food is scarce, the last descendants of a Black family of farmers who settled in Canada after the American Civil War must protect their homestead from an organized militia hell-bent on taking their land.

In a post-apocalyptic future where food is scarce, the last descendants of a Black family of farmers who settled in Canada after the American Civil War must protect their homestead from an organized militia hell-bent on taking their land.
After a series of plagues and wars leaves society in ruins, the Freemans are surviving — even thriving — on a farm in the middle of nowhere… so long as they repel the occasional raiding party. But what good is surviving the end of the world if it means snuffing out your own humanity?
Former soldier Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler) made that choice years ago, believing that isolation was the only way to protect her family. She and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes) fled the collapse along with their children, training them to fight (and, yes, kill). But now Hailey’s eldest Emanuel (Kataem O’Connor) is a young man, and when he meets a young woman (Milcania Diaz-Rojas) in the forest beyond the fence, his need for human contact could place the whole family in jeopardy.
Writer-director R.T. Thorne infuses the dystopian narrative with contemporary relevance and an inescapable historical metaphor, placing Black and Indigenous characters at the centre of a story about people defending their land from those who would kill them for it without a second thought.
Deadwyler is electric as the driven Hailey, whose refusal to consider even the slightest deviation from her shoot-first philosophy is rooted in the fear that she won’t be able to protect her people. And Greyeyes finally gets a role that synthesizes his paradoxical strengths as a charismatic badass and deadpan comic player. But Toronto’s own O’Connor is the real discovery as Emanuel, a young man realizing that he might need to defy his family in order to save it. – NORM WILNER

Film #2: The World Premiere of Janicza Bravo’s “The Listeners“
United Kingdom | 2024 | 82m | English
Rebecca Hall (Resurrection, Christine) stars as Claire, a schoolteacher who begins to hear a sound that no one else around her seems to, in this enigmatic adaptation of author Jordan Tannahill’s novel of the same name, directed by Janicza Bravo (Zola).
Claire (Rebecca Hall, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, TIFF ’17) is perfectly contented, if sometimes slightly underwhelmed, by the tranquil life she leads. As an English teacher with a loving husband (Prasanna Puwanarajah, The Crown, Patrick Melrose) and daughter, Claire’s life holds few surprises. When she suddenly begins hearing a low, persistent humming sound — which, it appears, no one else around her can hear or account for — Claire begins to withdraw into herself, suddenly knocked off-balance by the bizarre shift in her life.
In her search for answers, Claire comes to learn that her student Kyle (Ollie West, The Sparrow) can also hear the sound. They embark on a tentative, faltering journey together, leading them towards a neighbourhood support group led by a mysterious but compelling couple, and away from their own respective families. As Claire and Kyle each navigate their own experiences of the sound, and its impact on their lives, they begin to unravel its meaning — is it a hoax? A curse? A gift?
Director Janicza Bravo (Zola, Poker Face, Mrs. America) deftly manages the complexities and doubts that come with Claire and Kyle’s explorations. Canadian author and playwright Jordan Tannahill adapts his own bestselling novel, and brings to vivid life this haunting story of isolation, faith, mysticism, and longing. The effects of this heady mixture stay with you long after the screen has gone dark — like a persistent, low hum that you can’t quite get out of your head. – GEOFF MACNAUGHTON

Film #3: The Canadian Premiere of Andrea Arnold’s “Bird“
United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Germany | 2024 | 119m | English
Andrea Arnold returns to the Festival with a story about a distracted father (Barry Keoghan) and his lonely and imaginative 12-year-old daughter, Bailey (Nykiya Adams), who must seek attention (and adventure) elsewhere.
Twelve-year-old Bailey (played by charismatic newcomer Nykiya Adams) lives with her father Bug (a devoted but emotionally chaotic Barry Keoghan) in a graffiti-strewn tenement. When Bug informs her that he’ll be marrying his new girlfriend soon, Bailey is furious and hurt, for what will become of her? Her mother lives with a violent, cruel man, and while Bug sports a ferocious love for his daughter, he can be oblivious to the needs of a fledgling teenage girl.
As she often does, Bailey retreats to the open fields on the outskirts of her hometown to seek comfort. It is here she is most herself, with an uncanny ability to communicate with animals and experience nature in a profound way. It is on one of these walks that Bailey has a mysterious, yet deeply meaningful, encounter that helps her when she must force a confrontation with her mother’s vicious partner.
This latest film from renowned English filmmaker Andrea Arnold is a compelling, ultimately joyous story that tackles themes of identity, sexism, loneliness, and class struggle. The director’s empathy and skill at showing us beauty despite dire circumstances elevates Bird beyond its roots. Add to that a crystalline thread of magic realism and the result is an ode to the wondrous transition from childhood to adolescence. – JANE SCHOETTLE

Film #4: The World Premiere of Scott Beck & Bryan Woods’ “Heretic“
United States of America | 2024 | 110m | English
Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East, this fiendishly irreverent chamber horror from writer-director duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the celebrated scenarists behind A Quiet Place) considers how an innocent chat about theology can go terribly awry.
Deliciously dark and frequently hilarious, this chamber horror from writer-director duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the celebrated scenarists behind A Quiet Place) considers how an innocent chat about theology can go terribly awry. Starring Hugh Grant in a brilliantly against-type performance, Heretic is a fiendishly irreverent tale of battling convictions.
Sister Paxton (Chloe East, TIFF ’22’s The Fabelmans) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher (Prospect) are cheerfully going about their mission to spread good news about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Working down a list of doors to knock on, they arrive at the quiet suburban house of Mr. Reed (Grant), who seems not only polite and hospitable but also genuinely fascinated by the history and teachings of Mormonism.
In fact, Mr. Reed is quite knowledgeable about all the world’s major religions and is eager to discuss them with the women. Perhaps too eager. With the rain coming down outside and Mr. Reed’s wife making pie in the next room, the setting is utterly cozy. The only thing that could spoil it would be if Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes wanted to leave.
Half the fun of Heretic is waiting to see where it leads you next. Beck and Woods take the familiar and turn it on its head, while their characters ask serious questions about the role of faith and piety in a world rendered incomprehensible by chaos and violence. It’s a chilling, provocative thrill ride, and it showcases Grant’s immense talents. – ROBYN CITIZEN

Film #5: The North American Premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer“
Italy, United States of America | 2024 | 135m | English
Brilliant, audacious author, meet brilliant, audacious director: it takes risk to translate the work of William S. Burroughs for the screen, but Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino’s (Call Me by Your Name, TIFF ’17) spin on the Beat legend’s autobiographical novel matches its source material in vulnerability and taboo-smashing adventurousness. Starring Daniel Craig (Knives Out, TIFF ’19) and featuring supporting turns from Jason Schwartzman (Quiz Lady, TIFF ’23) and Oscar nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Queer is a hallucinogenic odyssey bathed in desire.
Lee (Craig) mingles with the expatriate set in postwar Mexico City, wandering its streets, frequenting its gay bars, and ingesting whatever illicit substances are available. He is a consummate raconteur who has no trouble finding an audience, but he is also a desperately lonely, middle-aged addict with an alarming fondness for guns. Early in Queer, Lee sets his sights on a journey to the Amazon in search of the potentially telepathic ayahuasca — and he wants handsome young bi-curious Oklahoman Allerton (Drew Starkey, The Hate U Give, TIFF ’18) to accompany him. Their travels will yield a string of unexpected encounters and provide Lee with sobering lessons in what Burroughs dubbed “the algebra of need.”
Adapted by Justin Kuritzkes (who wrote Guadagnino’s Challengers), Queer is both faithful to the book and a radical re-imagining. Period detail is offset by anachronistic musical choices, while an eerie epilogue alludes to the real-life tragedy that prompted Burroughs’ writing career. Through it all, Craig makes Lee his own, creating a fully lived-in protagonist whose unruly obsessions lead to something akin to enlightenment. – ANITA LEE

Film #6: The World Premiere of Samir Oliveros’ “The Luckiest Man in America“
United States of America | 2024 | 90m | English
Featuring Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell), Walton Goggins, and David Strathairn, this stranger-than-fiction drama resurrects a hugely popular 1980s game show and the “luckiest man in America” who broke it.
This stranger-than-fiction drama resurrects a hugely popular 1980s game show and the “luckiest man in America” who broke it. Directed by Samir Oliveros (Bad Lucky Goat) and featuring performances from Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell), Walton Goggins, and David Strathairn, The Luckiest Man in America illuminates a forgotten turning point in television history, when a network executive took a gamble and inadvertently made an obsessive eccentric into a folk hero.
Michael Larson (Hauser) shouldn’t even be there. An unemployed ice cream truck driver from Lebanon, Ohio, Michael only made it into auditions for Press Your Luck because he stole someone else’s appointment. The show’s casting director (an excellent Shamier Anderson) thinks Michael is a creep, but co-creator Bill Carruthers (Strathairn) likes Michael’s chutzpah and sees him as a Middle-American everyman the audience can cheer for — the dark horse is in.
Michael fumbles through the first several minutes of play, but once host Peter Tomarken (Goggins) moves onto the second “spin” section of Press Your Luck, where contestants try to get a randomly lit electronic game board to stop on a winning tile, Michael suddenly can’t lose. In fact, he quickly breaks the show’s record — before breaking its savings account. Is Michael cheating? Or does he understand something about Press Your Luck that no one has seen before?
Written by Oliveros and Maggie Briggs (TIFF ’22’s Joyland), the film ushers us behind the scenes of Press Your Luck’s most infamous episode and speculates on Larson’s motives. With his unruly mane and beard, and his thrift-store blazer and khaki shorts, Hauser’s Michael is the embodiment of nerdy desperation, a man who’s banked everything on the chance to win the American Dream as millions watch. – ROBYN CITIZEN

Film #7: The World Premiere of Fleur Fortuné’s “The Assessment“
United Kingdom, Germany, United States of America | 2024 | 114m | English
Set in a future world destroyed by climate change, a couple must pass an assessment before they are allowed to have a child in this sci-fi thriller starring Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Olsen.

In the future depicted in The Assessment, everyone gets to live a calm life but the government maintains a strict control of resources. As part of that, and to ensure the world doesn’t become overpopulated, it decides who can and can’t have children.
Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) are nervous about their application to become parents, but they have everything going for them. They live in a peaceful, secluded home where Aaryan has a studio for his genetic research and Mia maintains a greenhouse as part of her work as a botanical scientist. The two are assigned an assessor named Virginia (Alicia Vikander), who comes to evaluate them in their home over seven days.
Virginia asks them invasive and awkward questions about everything from how they first met to how often they have sex. But this is just the beginning as Virginia puts Mia and Aaryan through simulations of the potential horrors children can inflict on their parents. As the tests become increasingly abstract and confounding, the right answers seem less obvious and the assessment foments a rift between the couple.
This debut from director Fleur Fortuné is striking for its precise control of story, performance, and production design. Olsen and Patel capture the psychological turmoil of two people having their lives forensically examined, while Vikander gives an exceptional performance that’s surprising all the way to the end. – ROBYN CITIZEN

Film #8: The Canadian Premiere of Alfonso Cuarón’s “Disclaimer“
United Kingdom | 2024 | 134m | English, Italian
Five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón adapts Renée Knight’s novel into a seven-part psychological thriller about a journalist, played by Cate Blanchett, who is threatened with the exposure of her darkest secret.
In Disclaimer, celebrated journalist Catherine Ravenscroft — played by two-time Academy Award winner and TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award recipient Cate Blanchett — has made a career out of exposing the transgressions of others. One day, she receives a mysterious book in the mail. Reading it, she soon realizes the novel’s protagonist is based on her younger self, and the plot reveals her deepest, darkest secret.
Who sent it? What do they want? And how will Catherine protect her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen), her son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and her own reputation if others connect the novel to her past? These are the questions Alfonso Cuarón explores in his seven-part psychological thriller adapted from Renée Knight’s 2015 novel of the same name. In his first foray into serialized storytelling, Cuarón takes full advantage of the format, jumping from past to present, exploring how perceptions, even flawed ones, can be unwavering, and how love can obscure truth.

Matching Blanchett’s brilliance is Kevin Kline, who plays Stephen Brigstocke, one of many characters wrestling with the implications of the mysterious book. Rounding out the incredible cast is Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George, and Hoyeon, all at their absolute best. The moral trajectory of their characters and the complexity of the narrative illustrate the best aspects of a 21st-century novel. Luckily, it’s also in the meticulous hands of one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers. – GEOFF MACNAUGHTON

Film #9: The World Premiere of Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch“
United States of America | 2024 | 98m | English
An overworked stay-at-home mom (Amy Adams) tries to catch a break, any break, while caring for her rambunctious toddler. Also, she might be turning into a dog.
Based on the bestselling 2021 novel of the same name, director Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me, TIFF ’21) has created a profoundly original exploration of motherhood and identity, destined to be one of the most talked-about films of the year.
Amy Adams plays Mother, a former city-dwelling artist and curator who chooses to stay home (now a suburban home) with her toddler son as her husband travels frequently for business. She loves her son deeply, but that does not prevent her from feeling isolated and exhausted. How did her life become a numbing grind of diaper changes and cutting bananas into little pieces?
Still unstrung from an extremely unsuccessful attempt to connect with other mothers at the library’s Baby Book Time, and unable to keep her emotions bottled up inside any longer, Mother begins to see and hear things in the night that beckon to her. Soon, something primal and feral rises up within her, allowing her to unleash — and return to — her inner power and identity.
Scoot McNairy plays Mother’s Husband, a relatable, sensitive man struggling with his own challenges around parenthood. But make no mistake, this is Adams’ film. It is her fearless, unselfconscious, and fiercely intelligent performance that makes Nightbitch such a memorable experience. Heller weaves drama, comedy, and significant elements of magic realism into an audacious and important film, examining those aspects of motherhood — both dark and darkly humorous — of which we rarely speak. – JANE SCHOETTLE