Toronto International Film Festival

By Larry Anklewicz

Friday, August 25, 2006

Festival Time Just Around the Corner

What do Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, Pierce Brosnan, Reese Witherspoon and Tom Hanks have in common? All of them are expected to attend this years edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

In addition, you can also expect to see Alan Rickman, Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Danny Glover, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Liam Neeson, Rachel Weisz, Robin Wright Penn, Russell Crowe, Sandra Bullock, Sean Penn and hundreds of other stars and wanna be stars.

Toronto has become a magnet for film producers, directors and actors and the Toronto International Film Festival has become one of the biggest and most important film festivals in the world.

This years Festival runs from September 7 to September 16 and will screen some 352 films from 61 countries. This total includes 261 feature length films, 91% of which are world, international or North American premieres.

The Toronto International Film Festival attracts the attention of the entire world film industry and the fact that it is screening some 37 Canadian feature films and 60 Canadian shorts, will give Canadian filmmakers a huge amount of exposure for their work. And with all the guests, buyers, distributors and agents in attendance, many of these local films will get international deals that will expose them to audiences around the world.

But with so many films, how does a lowly reviewer get to see them all? We dont! It is physically impossible to see all the films screened by the Toronto International Film Festival. Although we receive Festival accreditation, and we are allowed to see films without an admission price, the job does become overwhelming at times.

To help us out, many studios have special press screenings that begin about three weeks before the Festival gets under way. In addition, the Festival itself holds special press and trade screenings during the two weeks preceding the Festival. As a result, we get a bit of a jump on the public. And once the Festival begins, TIFF runs all the films for press and trade people at least once.

So in reality, there are two festivals going on at the same time--one for the public and a separate one for press and people in the trade.

Still, it is impossible to see everything. Usually Im happy to catch 30-40 films each year, and even that can be a struggle. With press conferences, interviews, parties and such, the Festival can become quite a grind. And we also have to find time to write about it.

So what are the highlights expected to be this year? The Gala screenings are certain to provide some of these.

The Festival opens with a Canadian film, The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, an intimate family drama that is also a powerful story of cultures colliding after the first Europeans come into contact with the Inuit population of North America.

Other Galas include the new Pedro Almodovar film, Volver, and the Ridley Scott film A Good Year. TIFF will also be premiering Christopher Guests new film For Your Consideration.

Anthony Minghella will be bringing his new work, Breaking and Entering, and Emilio Estevez directed one of the Galas, Bobby.

TIFF is also presenting its first ever Bollywood Gala with Never Say Goodbye, and Sarah Polley returns to the directors chair with Away From Her.

Theres much more, Watch for our next installment for more news and some comments about specific films.