Stories of Black triumph take center stage at Toronto International Film Festival

TORONTO — Themes of triumph and resilience starred at the Toronto International FIlm Festival earlier this month as it showcased a parade of compelling works by Black creatives. “The Fire Inside” and “Unstoppable” were two films that personified those themes. Both motion pictures draw inspiration from people in the real world who triumphed over seemingly insurmountable challenges. A sign for the Toronto International Film Festival is pictured on King Street on the opening day of the festival, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Toronto. Photo credit: Chris Pizzello, The Associated Press “The Fire Inside” is the real-life story of boxer and mixed martial artist Claressa “T-Rex” Shields as she trained for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Ryan Destiny stars as Claressa Shields, and Brian Tyree Henry plays Jason Crutchfield, Shields’ trainer. This is the feature directorial debut by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison, with Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins penning the screenplay. What makes this story so unique and important is that the community doesn’t get many movies about young Black girls from lower-class neighborhoods overcoming adversity.& Actress Destiny is rising to fame in real life through her role in the Fox show “Star,” and she delivers a career-defining performance as Shields. The...