Well, tomorrow is the day the festival guide comes out. Going to pick it up, then meet a friend a try to decide what films to see this year. Last year we seemed to see a preponderance of Asian films. This year, we've decided to try to spread our films across genres and countries. My friend wants to see an animated film, a documentary, a drama, a comedy, etc., while I want to see something Canadian, something French-Canadian, something English, something French, something Scandanvian, and something Asian. And probably something South African since that's the theme this year. And maybe something based strictly on its picture in the festival guide. I remember two pictures distinctly from last year's guide: one for the Story of the Weeping Camel, and one for a Turkish film that had an incredibily sharp picture. Didn't end up seeing either one, though; maybe we'll take a chance this year. :-)
Monday, August 30, 2004
Picking up the Guide
Friday, August 13, 2004
Festivals Past...
I was thinking back to some of the movies I had seen and enjoyed at past festivals. Can't remember if it was in 2001 or 2002, but one I enjoyed was Marion Bridge, starring Molly Parker and Rebecca Jenkins. Set on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, it told a tale of three sisters coming to terms with a dark secret in their past that tore their family apart. Serious and dramatic, with just a hint of humour to keep the film from becoming completely bleak. I stuck around after the movie for the Q&A with the director, Wiebke von Carolsfeld, who had previous been more of a film editor. Think she had just finished putting together the final print days before the festival started. The Q&A sessions are usually pretty interesting, but they can get uncomfortable if no one in the audience can think of a good question; the session for the French movie My Wife is an Actress (which has been playing on TMN the last couple of months) was like that.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Shark warning at T.O. filmfest
From Canoe.ca, Shark Tale to screen at the festival:
Shark warning at T.O. filmfest
I always tend to avoid seeing any movie that I know will have a commerical release, and concentrate on stuff I know I'll never be able to see in a theatre (maybe on IFC if I'm lucky). Then again, you can't beat the galas for celebrity-spotting. Did see Julia Stiles a few years back when her film The Business of Strangers was at the fest, and Sissy Spacek for In the Bedroom.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Bell - The Toronto International Film Festival
Below is a link to the online ordering page for passes and coupon books:
Toronto International Film Festival - Order Online
Monday, July 19, 2004
Intro
Well, after trying to figure out what I could possibly create a blog for, I decided to keep track of my experiences at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival. Maybe it will help others, and maybe I'll get some good tips on movies to check out this year...
I've been going to the festival for the last three years or so. Every year I try to see more films than the year before. This year, a friend and I are both taking a week off of work to try to see 10 or so films. Not quite ready to try the 50-movie festival pass this year. :-)
Just placed an order today for a 10-coupon book plus a programme guide. Now just have to wait until the end of August to start selecting films. Last year, we ended up seeing a few too many Asian films; going to try to spread them out geographically a little more this year.
