TIFF07 - Another year of reports?
Hi everyone!
The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off it’s 32nd edition tonight, and it started quite well for me…
…it’s just that I don’t know of it I am going to write it up this year.
I have more tickets than ever - 48 - as I have a pass this year. (I have gone with a day pass and coupons in the past.) With that load I am not sure I will get it all written up, at least not to the length of previous years reports.
Meanwhile, I’ll try to be quick about today’s shows:
I started with the Festival Gala opener, FUGITIVE PIECES. It was preceded by such glowing opening remarks from fesitval directors, and the film’s producer, and its director, it all led me to expect one of the greatest films ever shown at the festival… and this story of a Jewish, Polish boy rescued during World War II by a Greek archeologist was quite good, and moved me occasionally, but I dunno…when director Jeremy Podeswa told us in all sincerity that not one single member of the cast could have been replaced, well, one expected the greatest performances ever captured on film. Everyone is good mind you, with particular kudos reserved for Rade Sherbedgia. (Look him up.) While PIECES is not an out-and-out manipulative tear-jerker, I am still thinking about whether I am satisfied with some of the film’s overtly melodramatic turns.
Better, and completely believable however, was a great animated film called PERSEPOLIS, the story of a young Iranian girl growing up during the overthrow of the Shah and her subsequent flight to Vienna once the hardline Islamic regime took over Iran. A french language picture, this film, based on the graphic novel of the same name, and co-directed by the book’s author, whose life story the film is based on, was very moving, often laugh-out-loud funny, and wonderfully animated. If this film were to be released in North America this year, and thus qualify for an Academy Award nomination, it would easily deserve to beat out Ratatouille for the prize. Here’s hoping for a local release: PERSEPOLIS is a great film.
Finally, if you are not interested in getting any potential reports from me this year, please let me know, and I’ll remove your email address from the list of recipients. Thanks!