Any one going to TIFF other than GoBlue and myself? She and I are looking forward to seeing Fish Tank among others.

Today, several galas & special presentations were announced that got the old ticker racing.

07/14/2009 - Toronto International Film Festival ®

Toronto – The Toronto International Film Festival is pleased to announce the addition of three Gala Presentations and nineteen Special Presentations to the programming lineup for this year’s Festival, running September 10 to 19. Included are works from critically acclaimed filmmakers Jane Campion, Lu Chuan, Raoul Peck, Steven Soderbergh and Johnnie To featuring on-screen performances by Mariah Carey, Abbie Cornish, Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Ricky Gervais, Eva Green, Johnny Hallyday, Lenny Kravitz, Sergi López, Mo'Nique, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Clive Owen, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sissy Spacek and Ben Whishaw.


Ticket packages for the Festival are now available for purchase by cash, debit or Visa†. Purchase online at tiff.net/thefestival, by phone at 416-968-FILM or 1-877-968-FILM (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed weekends and holidays) or in person at the Festival Box Office at Nathan Phillips Square (Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week), located at 100 Queen Street West, in the white tent, west side of the square.


Galas


Get Low Aaron Schneider, USA
World Premiere
Inspired by the true story of Felix “Bush” Breazeale, this stately frontier drama stars Robert Duvall as a backwoods eccentric who stages his own funeral—while still alive. Ten thousand people arrive to hear him speak and to learn why this local legend exiled himself 40 years ago to the foothills of Eastern Tennessee. Set in the early 1930s, Get Low is a story of mystery and discovery that speaks of timeless things. Can we know who we are? Should we judge anyone? Is there redemption for those of us lost in the dark catacombs of our past? Also starring Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek and Lucas Black.

The Invention of Lying Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson, USA
World Premiere
From Ricky Gervais, the award-winning creator and star of the original BBC series The Office and HBO’s Extras, comes the new romantic comedy The Invention of Lying, which takes place in an alternate reality where lying—even the concept of a lie—does not even exist. Everyone—from politicians to advertisers to the man and woman on the street—speaks the truth and nothing but the truth with no thought of the consequences. But when a down-on-his-luck loser named Mark suddenly develops the ability to lie, he finds that dishonesty has its rewards. In a world where every word is assumed to be the absolute truth, Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune. But lies have a way of spreading, and he begins to realize that things are getting out of control when some of his tallest tales are being taken as, well, gospel. With the entire world now hanging on his every word, there is only one thing Mark has not been able to lie his way into: the heart of the woman he loves.

Max Manus Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, Norway/Denmark/Germany
North American Premiere
The film is based on the true story of Norway’s most colourful resistance fighter Max Manus, and follows him from the outbreak of World War II until the summer of peace in 1945. After fighting against the Russians during the Winter War in Finland, Max returns to a German-occupied Norway. He joins the active resistance movement, and becomes one of the most important members of the so-called “Oslo Gang”, famous for their spectacular raids against German ships in Oslo harbour.

Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire Lee Daniels, USA
Canadian Premiere
Lee Daniels’s Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome. Set in 1987 Harlem, it is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones, an illiterate African-American teenager who is pregnant for the second time by her absent father and abused by a poisonously angry mother. Despite her experiences, Precious has a latent understanding that other possibilities exist for her, and jumps at the chance to enroll in an alternative school. There she encounters Ms. Rain, a teacher who will start her on a journey from pain and powerlessness to self-respect and determination. The film stars Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introduces Gabourey Sidibe.

Special Presentations

The Boys Are Back Scott Hicks, Australia/United Kingdom
World Premiere
Based on the memoir by Simon Carr, Scott Hicks (Shine) directs The Boys Are Back, inspired by the poignant, comic and uplifting true story of a man who must suddenly raise his two sons alone. After the untimely passing of his second wife, the ill-prepared Joe (Clive Owen), who is dealing with his own loss, is confronted with the daily challenges of parenthood while coping with his young son Artie’s expressions of grief. They are soon joined by Harry, Joe’s teenage son from his first marriage, who brings his own personal “baggage” into the mix. Also starring Laura Fraser and Emma Booth.

Bright Star Jane Campion, United Kingdom/Australia
North American Premiere
A drama based on the secret love affair between 23-year-old English poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and the girl next door, Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), an outspoken student of fashion. Intensely and helplessly absorbed in each other, they rode a wave of romantic obsession that deepened as their troubles mounted. Only Keats’s illness and untimely death proved insurmountable.

City of Life and Death Lu Chuan, China
International Premiere
From acclaimed director Lu Chuan comes a devastating and controversial epic film based on the most atrocious holocaust in Chinese history, the Nanjing Massacre. The story unfolds as the Japanese take over the city in 1937 and everyone is struggling to survive in a city where death is easier than life. Starring Liu Ye and Gao Yuanyuan.

Cracks Jordan Scott, Ireland
World Premiere
In an austere and remote girls’ boarding school, the most elite clique of girls are the illustrious members of the school’s diving team. As they compete for the attention of their glamorous teacher (Eva Green), the arrival of a beautiful Spanish girl disrupts the delicate social balance. In an attempt to put differences aside, a secret midnight party takes place that will change their lives forever.

Hadewijch Bruno Dumont, France
World Premiere
Hadewijch is a religious novice whose ecstatic, blind faith leads to her expulsion from a convent. Returning to her former life, Hadewijch reverts to being Céline, a Parisienne and daughter of a diplomat. However, her passion for God, rage and encounters with Khaled and Nassir soon lead her down a dangerous path.

The Informant! Steven Soderbergh, USA
North American Premiere
Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon), a rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), suddenly turns whistleblower. Exposing his company’s multinational price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre imagines himself as a kind of de facto secret agent. Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn’t been quite forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre’s ever-changing account frustrates the agents and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre’s rambling imagination. Based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history.

Leaves of Grass Tim Blake Nelson, USA
World Premiere
Bill Kincaid, an Ivy League classics professor, returns to rural Oklahoma to bury his dangerously brilliant identical twin brother who had remained in their native state to grow hydroponic pot. Leaves of Grass is a fast-paced comic film that contrasts two distinct approaches to life. Featuring Edward Norton in the role of each twin.

London River Rachid Bouchareb, United Kingdom/France/Algeria
North American Premiere
This intimate drama tells the story of two people, a Muslim man and a Christian woman, who are immediately affected by the July 2005 London bombings. Both of them are drawn to the British capital when their children go missing on the day of the attacks. Putting aside their cultural differences, they will give each other the strength to continue the search for their children and maintain their faith.

Mao's Last Dancer Bruce Beresford, Australia/USA/China
World Premiere
Adapted from his internationally best-selling memoir, the film tells the true story of Li Cunxin, a Chinese-trained ballet dancer. Plucked from his childhood village, subjected to years of vigorous training and threatened during the Cultural Revolution, Cunxin decides to leave China at great risk to himself and those he loves, for an uncertain future.

Moloch Tropical Raoul Peck, Haiti/France
World Premiere
A democratically elected “President” and his closest collaborators are getting ready for a state celebration. But in the morning of the event, he wakes up to find the country inflamed and the streets in turmoil. Despite the situation, the President does not want to face reality and refuses to resign. Overwhelmed, he plunges into a deep mental confusion as the events unfold. Set in a castle in the clouds, Moloch Tropical is a Shakespearian, behind-the-scenes depiction of the end of power.

Mother Bong Joon-ho, South Korea
North American Premiere
A unique noir thriller that digs into the secrecy surrounding a terrible murder and the mystery of a mother’s primal love for her son. The films of director Bong Joon-ho regularly, and brilliantly, break with convention, thanks to an imagination that is not confined to the accepted parameters of humour, suspense or horror – Mother is no exception.

Ondine Neil Jordan, Ireland/USA
World Premiere
A lyrical, modern fairy tale that tells the story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell), an Irish fisherman whose life is transformed when he catches a beautiful and mysterious woman (Alicja Bachleda) in his nets. His daughter Annie (Alison Barry) comes to believe that the woman is a magical creature, while Syracuse falls helplessly in love. However, like all fairy tales, enchantment and darkness go hand in hand.

Partir Catherine Corsini, France
International Premiere
Suzanne (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a well-to-do married woman and mother in the south of France. Her idle bourgeois lifestyle gets her down and she decides to go back to work as a physiotherapist. Her husband agrees to fix-up a consulting room for her in their backyard. When Suzanne and the man (Sergi López) hired to do the building meet, the mutual attraction is sudden and violent. Suzanne decides to give up everything and live this all-engulfing passion to the fullest.

Scheherazade Tell Me a Story Yousry Nasrallah, Egypt
North American Premiere
Hebba is the host of a successful political talk show in present-day Cairo. Karim, her husband, is deputy editor-in-chief of a governmentowned newspaper. When Party big shots imply his wife is meddling with opposition politics, Karim convinces her to start a series of talk shows around issues involving women. Hebba knows, of course, that women’s issues are political. But she could not imagine to what extent, and the tension eventually leads to the break-up of her marriage.

Solitary Man Brian Koppelman and David Levien, USA
World Premiere
Ben Kalmen (Michael Douglas) is feeling his age, but you wouldn’t know it from the company he keeps. A former mogul with a chain of car dealerships, until legal troubles knocked him out of business, Ben now keeps a grip on the world through his relationships with women – many women. The cast also includes Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Mary Louise Parker and Jenna Fischer.

Valhalla Rising Nicolas Winding Refn, Denmark/United Kingdom
World Premiere
It is 1000 AD. For years, One Eye, a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the Norse chieftain Barde. Aided by Are, a boy slave, One Eye slays his captor and together he and Are escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. On their flight, One Eye and Are board a Viking vessel, but the ship is soon engulfed by an endless fog that clears only as the crew sights an unknown land. As the new world reveals its secrets and the Vikings confront their terrible and bloody fate, One Eye discovers his true self.

Vengeance Johnnie To, Hong Kong/France
North American Premiere
A father comes to Hong Kong to avenge his daughter, whose family was murdered. Officially, he’s a French chef. Twenty years ago, he was a killer. Vengeance is a moody, noir-ish tour-de-force, starring French pop icon Johnny Hallyday.

The Vintner's Luck Niki Caro, New Zealand/France
World Premiere
Set in early 19th century France The Vintner's Luck tells the compelling tale of Sobran Jodeau, an ambitious young peasant winemaker and the three loves of his life—his beautiful and passionate wife Celeste, the proudly intellectual baroness Aurora de Valday and Xas, an angel who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Sobran. A fantastical creature with wings that smell of snow, Xas turns out to be an unconventional mentor. Under his guidance Sobran is forced to fathom the nature of love and belief and in the process, grapples with the sensual, the sacred and the profane—all in pursuit of the perfect vintage.


There's some quite good directors here and Precious and Get Low look interesting.

Speaking of Get Low, the starry cast of Robert Duvall, Sissy and Bill have 13 oscar nominations between them! In fact Robert is only one of 13 actors to get at least 6 oscar noms and Sissy is one of only 9 actresses to get at least 6 leading oscar noms. I do hope Sissy is there - I love her! Many of her flics have played at the festival over the years incl 'night mother and Hard Promises which closed the festival several decades back. I finally got to see her for In the Bedroom which played Sept 9th 2001, just a few hours before 9-11 when all hell broke loose. Tuck Everlasting played the next year, but Siss wasn`t there, but she was there in all her glory for North Country in 2005 when 3 best actress oscar winners (Charlize and Frances McDormand) walked the red carpet, the most I`ve seen in one small space. Sissy and Francy were in jeans and flats looking tiny and like they just got off the farm, while Charlize was in pumps, looking amazonian, all glittery and glam in a short mini. Twas quite amusing. I can hardly wait!

ETHELCHARLES, one day I am going to make it to the TIFF, and when I do, all I request is that I get to go to a movie with you! What a treat.

In the meantime, I look forward to your reports from the festival. Every year, it helps me know what to look for as films trickle into Phoenix. Plus, they are ALWAYS a great read! I'm sure this year will be no exception...

They've made a huge exception in making Precios a gala - these are almost always world premieres.

The festival as a rule has never, ever had a film that played Sundance, New Directors/New Films in New York and Cannes play yet again at Toronto. To then make it a gala shows a number of things:

1) Toronto's wanting to be seen as a crucial part of its Oscar push
2) Enormous commitment from Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry to promote it there
3) A huge interest on Lionsgate's part in reinforcing the previous festival's positioning of this as anything but a for-black-audience's only film

Lionsgate was originally a Canadian company (and run from Toronto). It has evolved, and now is LA based, but it still has strong Canadian involvement - and that might have helped as well in this being included.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

quote:

Originally posted by seanflynn:
They've made a huge exception in making Push a gala - these are almost always world premieres.

The festival as a rule has never, ever had a film that played Sundance, New Directors/New Films in New York and Cannes play yet again at Toronto. To then make it a gala shows a number of things:

1) Toronto's wanting to be seen as a crucial part of its Oscar push
2) Enormous commitment from Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry to promote it there
3) A huge interest on Lionsgate's part in reinforcing the previous festival's positioning of this as anything but a for-black-audience's only film

Lionsgate was originally a Canadian company (and run from Toronto). It has evolved, and now is LA based, but it still has strong Canadian involvement - and that might have helped as well in this being included.

I was talking about Ethel's reports from Toronto being a great read, and I'm sure this year would not be an exception. So even though it's a stretch to relate your information, it's still really interesting, and of course, very relevant to previous discussions about this film's Oscar potential.

Something else to look for in this year's reports.

Thanks Smileynate - your kinds words will inspire me to write, even if bone weary from all the glamor!

Sean, fascinating tidbit about Precious. That's it's playing in so many high profile festivals does speak volumes doesn't it.

I recall In the Bedroom playing at Sundance and winning an acting award for Sissy and Tom, but not playing again at a major festival until Toronto.

Ethel, what it speaks most to is Toronto's unfortunate making its positioning in influencing the Oscar race its raison d'etre. This has nothing to with Precious' quality - it could be the greatest film ever made and I'd say the same thing.

It's an unfortunate development. Over the last few years, the emphasis on Oscar films has hurt, not helped, the other films premiering in the festival. It's a very regrettable devolopment.

There's no mention on the list of the Opening Night film, which is also very interesting. It's "Creation", a biopic about Charles Darwin starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Conelly, directed by Jon Amiel. What's interesting is that it's not a Canadian film. Isn't that a break with tradition? I can't remember a TIFF opener that didn't have some sort of Canadian connection.

Stevie - you are correct that this is unprecedented.

It also thought it was strange that they had not yet announced the opener - they usually do right after Cannes.

Perhaps they were hoping Atom Egoyan's new film would be ready (obviously there could have been delays depending on how much they had to readjust Liam Nesson's schedule after his wife's death), and it ultimately was not ready.

Opening night at Toronto, like most major festivals, is also closely related to a producer and/or distributor willing to help pay for the party (always an expensive item). With the economy in full tilt collapse (less so in Canada than the US, but the effects are beginning to show), it is possible no Canadian film was in a position to do so.

Creation was co-produced by Icon, Mel Gibson's company for what it's worth. They have money.

Are you two rascals playing with my mind? I thought the opening film is Creation. Maybe there aren't any Cdn films good enuff to open the festival.

As for influencing Oscar, this seems in good part because of its well timed Sept slot, just before the oscar type films get released. I thought TIFF didn't shown best pic in the past decade several times incl 2000 thru to 2006 - Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Chicago, Lord of the Rings. No Country was 1st shown at Cannes. Slumdog played at Telluride before Toronto. So in fact no best pictures this decade have had world premieres at Toronto to my knowledge.

Toronto was a better festival when it the media attention wasn't focused on the Oscars, but rather discovering new films, particularly those without distributors yet.

It now has become one where the media attention is drawn mostly to the Oscars. Reporters sent there are told by their editors to focus on those films, and do interviews with their cast/crew. They take fewer chances on other films; the buzz for the Oscar films drowns out much of the buzz for other films.

People like Tom O'Neill (who is right to go, and right to report on the Oscar impact) didn't for the most part go until a few years ago. Now that seems to be the center of what gets Toronto attention, and it is hurting specialized film bigtime when more than ever it needs Toronto to be focused on discovery.

Slumdog might have premiered at Telluride, but without Toronto, it would not have won best picture- that's what got the ball rolling. BM's buzz started domestically there. Crash of course premiered there. It seemed significant (and worrisome for a moment) when The Departed did not show there.

I find it all very sad.

I'm excited for the Dumont!

I wanted to wait until Madame Ethel created this TIFF thread before I toss in my two cents. I for one can't wait to meet EthelCharles in T.O., as I've been going there for six years, I too have enjoyed her reports from the festival. She's doing me a HUGE favor this year in light of my recent employment layoff and it's just a miracle that I can even continue to plan to attend.

In any event, re: Precious, when I saw it listed as a Gala presentation, I did roll my eyes as I'm not a Queen Oprah fan of the past couple years and my 'tude against the woman has tainted my appreciation on any worthy project that she touches. I'm surprised that TIFF is the THIRD festival to premiere this film and it stinks of Oscar pimpage that doesn't sit well with me. I too am getting worried over TIFF's developing arrogance that it alone will usher in the Oscar season, whatever happened to just showcasing hallmark films that really, really need an impressive and international audience to see films that would otherwise not get noticed in the Oscar glut of Oct-Dec? Hey, but whatever Queen O wants, Queen O gets.

Ok, anyway, like Miss Ethel said, we are soooooooooooooo going to see 'Fish Tank', but I'm also very interested in 'Creation'. I don't know if I'll be in town opening night, I usually just do Friday-Sunday, but I MAY consider adding a day or two onto my TIFF schedule to accommodate my viewing of this film. To continue my fancying of Irish blokes, I want to see Colin Farrell's 'Ondine, and I want to check out 'The Informant!'

There are whispers that 'Anti-Christ' can make a showing, and I still have my fingers crossed for 'The Road'.

I'll be happy to provide festival updates too. SeanFlynn, will you be attending TIFF?

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It looks like they might be setting up Duvall to be a O'Toole or possibly a Jenkins-style contender this year.

Its interesting in the scope of the Oscar race but yeah, anything that calls itself a "film festival" shouldn't exist for the sole purpose of creating an Oscar hype machine.

If TIFF's positioning itself as Ms. Oscar, she doesn't appear to be doing to great a job of it.

Slumdog was the only best pic nominated this year to play at the festival.

The Wrestler was the only pic with a best actor & supp actress nom to play.

Rachel Getting Married was the only pic with a best actress nom to play.

No supp actor noms came from pics playing at festival.

Toronto's great downtown movie infrastructure (incl the brand spanking new AMC coliseum style multiplex... much like you'd see in the burbs but smack dab in the center of a downtown Times Square type setting) incl several large single screen theatres means the festival can play 300+ titles over its 8 days from morn to night... so the festival actually has a range of big budget star driven fall prestige pics to independents to a wide range of foreign language film. Tho clearly having the A list American stars there creates lots of excitement and buzz.

So regrettably, to keep up with the jones as it were, I'll slap on my Harry Winston on lender jewels to be dripping in diamonds and model the latest couture gowns from the runways of Europe as suitable for an empress dowager approaching her twilight years.

GoBlue, haul out those feathered boas & black ****tail dresses so we can stand pretty on those red carpets girl!

There is no question that having nominees and winners emerge is the key issue.

But Slumdog last year alone means that Toronto's role in the Oscar universe is huge (and again, without the Toronto success, I doubt it would have won best picture).

Yet even Slumdog - which was an ideal gala possibility - didn't become one because it wasn't a world premiere.

The very next year, huge seachange - the multiple-festival shown Precious is.

It is the number of wannabe Oscar contenders that show there, and the focus on them, that is important. I count at least 15 films from last year - and 6 in the galas (not talking FL films or docs, which also get launched) related to serious Oscar hopes. Not all made it of course, but that was where much of the media attention went.

Toronto is a wonderful festival; it's a great city to visit; it is my favorite (although not the best - Cannes is) festival. Anyone thinking of going should. My point is that a film like The Hurt Locker - which years ago would have gotten far more attention - doesn't so much these days because it had no distributor yet last year, thus wasn't an Oscar contender, thus didn't play on the media's attention the way it would before the festival became so overloaded with Oscar hopefuls and the attendant hooplah.

I know highersup at the festival; they are very conflicted over this. It does make the festival more commercially successful (the media circus brings in a lot more dollars to the city, and that is one of the festival's legitimate goals). But they are also frustrated that more and more films without distributors are losing out in attention.

Precious being there - which is for one reason only, Oscar positioning - will mean some other film(s) will get less attention. And again, that bothers me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

If Slumdog HADN'T won the Audience Award at Toronto, I really doubt it would have gotten out of the UK film awards zone (LFCC, BIFA, BAFTA & Evening Standard).

The audience favorite award per se was nice, but not the crucial thing (how this is awarded is never announced - whether it is an average of responses, or weighted by volume - most festivals like to keep some freedom to determine who gets the award). It was the actual audience response and word of mouth that was the most important thing.

I think the North American acceptance of the film via that award gave American critics groups and awards bodies a feeling of 'license' to vote for this film, which had no stars, a relatively low budget and an eastern setting (one that has always seemed kind of alien to Westerners).

WHich brings me to another question... what is it with Americans that makes them snub/ignore/undervalue Asian cinema & Asian performances? For example, if a film like "Lust, Caution" (even though it was directed by Ang Lee) was made in Europe (of course this is impossible given the historical aspects of the film, but just transplant the same story to a WWII setting and retain the "quality" - speech marks inserted for babypook's consideration), it would get multiple Oscar noms and Tang would have been nominated - same with the film "Secret Sunshine" - if it had been French, German, Italian or Spanish or maybe even Mexican or Brazilian, then Jeon would have been a shoe-in for a Best Actress nom, regardless of being foreign. This is pretending that these films both got wide releases or successful limited releases. I think that racism towards Asian people is still not taboo, whereas even bring up the topic of race with a black person and you will get immediately charged with 'racism'.

The Toronto audience award doesn't affect US critics groups votes - there has never been any evidence of that. In any event, it SM didn't win best film from any of the three that have legitimacy and influence.

Lust/Caution would have been discounted irrespective of whaty country it came from. It was laughable in its faux-seriousness and the cold clinical way it approached sex. It sort of made me glad Ang Lee didn't have any sex scenes in BM.

Very few FL films get major Oscar nominations, and those that do usually come either by being very middle-brow or being given to people who have an established track record. Both work against most Asian filmmakers.

Speaking of snubbing/ignoring/undervaluing national cinemas, I do note that you have an almost total disdain for the greatest national cinema of all - American, particularly pre-1970. Maybe when you have time to see more of these films and understand their artistic importance you'll revise your opinions.

Your idea of greatness has always been my idea of vapid, "faux-serious" and uninspired, so I think I'll steer clear. thanks.

By the way, the French and the Japanese pretty much owned the standard of "quality film" pre-1970. Masterpieces did come out of America in the first half of the century, most definitely, but I would hesitate to call America's the "greatest national cinema" during that time.