Deantè Gray, an Adjunct Professor in Texas Southern University’s School of Communication, will present his feature directorial debut film, VOICES, at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film will have its International Premiere in TIFF’s Discovery program. The festival runs September 10 to 20, 2026.
TIFF is one of the most influential film festivals in the world and a major launching point for awards campaigns and distribution deals. Its Discovery program is built to identify filmmakers early in their careers, and past selections include early work from Christopher Nolan, Alfonso Cuarón, and Elegance Bratton.
In the festival’s official program notes, TIFF programmer Peter Kuplowsky calls VOICES “a bona fide marvel of indie ingenuity,” praising Gray’s resourceful direction and the film’s standout performances and music. VOICES is also an Official Selection in the U.S. Narrative Feature category at the 30th anniversary American Black Film Festival, and its TIFF selection has drawn coverage from Deadline and Billboard Canada. A TIFF Discovery selection for a debut feature is a rare achievement and serves as proof for current and future students in the School of Communication that the path from a Houston classroom to an international premiere is real and attainable.
The film is set in 1967 Detroit, a stone’s throw from Motown Records, VOICES follows a soft-spoken hotel bellhop who dreams of becoming a soul star. When a rising soul duo’s career is suddenly cut short hours before their big break, he and his two closest friends make a reckless choice to step into the spotlight in their place and soon learn that borrowed fame comes at a deadly price. The film blends an original soul soundtrack with a crime thriller’s tension, exploring ambition, identity, loyalty, and the cost of chasing a dream.
“Taking VOICES from the American Black Film Festival in Miami to the Toronto International Film Festival is humbling for a kid from Houston, Texas,” said Gray. “I tell my students every day that the stories in your mind and in your heart have no bounds, and they can literally take you around the world. That’s why we push them to explore.”
The film was written and produced by Sam Buckner III and Charlie T. Savage, with original music composed by Buckner alongside Marcus Shaky and Kev Keys.
Public Screenings All screenings at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (times Eastern)
- Monday, September 14, 3:00 PM (International Premiere)
- Tuesday, September 15, 9:40 PM
- Sunday, September 20, 4:30 PM
