TIFF 26′ Studio – Purgatory “The weight of our choices can hold us & loved ones down”

Talking to the cast of Purgatory at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, we broke down the interesting characters and themes from the film. Lindsay Lanzillotta, Ruby McGurrin, Abby Elliott, John Reynolds and Jack Innanen talked about this family and world where a precocious young girl traverses right and wrong as her family goes through changes.

Shot live at Beso by Patria in Toronto

Interview with Purgatory cast

Story: Set in the early 1980s, the film follows thirteen-year-old Beatrice Gravel (McGurrin), whose comfortable world—family, school, and church—fractures when her mother (Elliott) moves out to “self actualize,” leaving Beatrice and her sister (MacRae) with their devastated father (Reynolds). As Beatrice doubles down on a plan to “fix” her family, she barrels through bullies, friendship blowups, a make-out party, and a kleptomaniac babysitter—forcing her to decide who she wants to be when she can’t get what she wants.