The Aeronauts

This dazzling adventure starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones — who earned an Oscar and Oscar nomination, respectively, for their performances in TIFF '14's The Theory of Everything — whisks us back to 19th-century England, where a scientist and pilot make history by ascending to unprecedented heights.

London, 1862. Spectators gather excitedly at the balloon launch site while meteorologist James Glaisher (Redmayne) anxiously waits for pilot Amelia Wren (Jones) to make what proves to be a flamboyant entrance. A young man of science desperate to be taken seriously, Glaisher has little patience for Wren's theatrics, while Wren understands that showmanship attracts funding. Their flight will serve the dual purpose of breaking the French record for altitude and helping Glaisher collect data to forward his controversial theories of weather prediction. As the duo get higher, the air gets thinner and colder, and difficult decisions must be made that could mean the difference between life and death.

Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Tom Harper — last at the Festival with Wild Rose in 2018 — The Aeronauts is at once a derring do-filled spectacle, placing its heroes between heaven and Earth, and an intimate drama, allowing us to witness a friendship bloom within the confines of Glaisher and Wren's basket. With beautifully detailed performances from Redmayne and Jones, and superb support from Yesterday star Himesh Patel and screen legend Tom Courtenay, this is a story about sharing a bold dream, and trusting another to get you back home.