Canadian producer Cher Hawrysh doesn’t exclusively work on historical dramas, but this weekend, she makes her return to TIFF with the first of two captivating films on her roster that are set to make waves. 

Making its world premiere at the festival on Sunday, Nuremberg chronicles the pivotal trials in the aftermath of WWII that would eventually bring Nazi high commanders to justice. Starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, and Michael Shannon, the gripping historical drama from writer-director James Vanderbilt is already generating awards buzz. 

“It’s really, in my eyes, the best homecoming I could imagine possible,” Hawrysh says. “To have this film of such a calibre and such importance unspool at TIFF is very exciting.” 

Crowe stars as Nazi commander Hermann Göring, while Malek takes on the role of army psychologist Dr. Kelley, tasked with evaluating the captives. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson (Shannon) oversees the trials, working with Kelley to gain Göring’s trust, in hopes that he reveals his true nature to the world. Hawrysh wasn’t previously familiar with the psychological war that unfolds between the three men, but was instantly drawn to Vanderbilt’s captivating screenplay. 

“The way that Jamie told the story through the script is extremely compelling. This, of course, is very serious subject matter, but he has a brilliant way of weaving in some moments of levity that don’t at all feel forced, but allow the audience a moment to exhale,” Hawrysh says.

Courtesy of TIFF

Now based in L.A., the Canadian-born producer has a long track record in the industry. Hawrysh began her career in Canadian radio and TV news before shifting to documentary, producing and editing titles that tackled issues like the AIDS pandemic in East Africa and modern slavery. She quickly established a reputation for socially engaged storytelling through her work on the award-winning documentaries Scared Sacred and Fierce Light, both produced with support from the NFB.

Hawrysh eventually transitioned to narrative storytelling, which brought her to her current role as EVP of Production at Walden Media, where she’s produced projects like Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club and Apple TV+’s Manhunt. 

“I’ve always been drawn to stories of our human experience that haven’t been told before, and move audiences in a way that’s not just the entertainment of having watched something beautiful unfolding on the screen, but also causes a new thought or a new perspective, or even conversation and dialogue.” 

Her next project that will leave audiences talking is Billion Dollar Spy, which Hawrysh describes as “an old-school spy film.” Russell Crowe is once again at the centre of this historical drama, this time as Adolf Tolkachev, a Russian engineer whose daring contact with the CIA ultimately changes the entire course of the Cold War. 

“It’s a little piece of history that unless you’re deep into this aspect of the Cold War, you might not know about,” Hawrysh says. As lead producer on the project, Hawrysh led international budgeting and scouting across central and eastern Europe, eventually basing the film in Budapest. She also established a female-driven creative team around director Amma Asante—even dubbing the film’s single-purpose production company “Seven Sisters”—after the name of an apartment building where Tolkachev lived in Moscow. 

For Hawrysh, one of the biggest shifts she’s seen for women in film throughout her career is that there is more room at the table—especially in creative and leadership roles. “We’re not just seen as facilitators. There’s really more willingness for decision-making and equality,” Hawrysh says. “I really have a deep commitment to opening the door and inviting other women to the table so that we can continue to develop as creatives and decision makers.”

While Hawrysh is experienced in both the creative and logistical aspects of producing, she notes that there are many different kinds of producers, all with different roles that are instrumental in bringing a project to life. “It sounds a little cliché, but in many ways, it takes a village,” Hawrysh says. “There’s so much to be overseeing and guiding, it’s really about being a compass as well as an engine for getting the film to where it’s going smoothly.”

For Hawrysh, the next step in that process is watching it all unfold on the big screen. With Nuremberg’s premiere at TIFF just around the corner, Hawrysh will be making her return to the festival 20 years after graduating from the Canadian Film Centre’s Producer Residency Program—this time, with one of her most impactful films to date.  

“It was a real honour to be a part of something that I see as really, really important,” Hawrysh says. “It has all those elements—the amazing cast, the story, and the accessibility with such a serious subject matter that James Vanderbilt was able to bring to it. It changed me as a producer.” 

Nuremberg premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7.