Our top choices for TIFF 2010:
Loading ... | Cinematical - Here at the Toronto Film Festival, I had a chance to sit down with Joe Wright, one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. For the last two years I’ve been saying good things to everyone I know about his most recent film, a loose and lively adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride & Prejudice, and now I’ll be able to change the subject to the joys of his new picture, an adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. If you’re at TIFF like me, don’t miss out on an opportunity to catch a screening of Atonement — it’s the best film I’ve come across at this year’s fest, and it’s sure to be a tough competitor come Oscar time. During our conversation, Joe and I talked about his unique directing style, which among other things utilizes stream-of-consciousness techniques, and we talked about the challenge of adapting a novel that was shortlisted for every book prize imaginable. Joe and I started by talking for a few about what we’ve seen so far at the festival — he recommends Control — but eventually I hit the button and got us down to business… [Full Story] |
Archive for 2007
TIFF Interview: I’m Not There Director Todd Haynes – Cinematical
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007
Cinematical - I walked directly from the delayed press screening of I’m Not There, the new film from director Todd Haynes (Safe, Far From Heaven) to our interview. It didn’t feel like enough time — and also like you couldn’t possibly prepare enough to take on the layers and levels and tricks and treats of Haynes’s sprawling, fractured take on the life and times of Bob Dylan. Haynes spoke with Cinematical about finding truth through myth, pop and politics and which Bob Dylan songs he can, in fact, still listen to after capturing six different iterations of one man… [Full Story]
TIFF Watch: ‘Man from Plains’ Wins Three Awards at Venice – Cinematical
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Cinematical - Jimmy Carter may not have gotten a lot of respect when he was president — maybe the fact that he was called “Jimmy” had something to do with it — but he’s enjoyed a resurgence in recent years as his humanitarian efforts have reminded Americans what they liked about him in the first place. He’s not a great politician, but he’s an honest, good-hearted man with noble intentions.
And now filmmaker Jonathan Demme (Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense, Neil Young: Heart of Gold) has scored with a documentary about him, called Man from Plains. Now playing at the Toronto International Film Festival, it was at the Venice fest, too, where it picked up three prizes last weekend… [Full Story]
In Two New Films, Ball & McCarthy Examine America; Both Titles Acquired Today at TIFF – indieWIRE
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
indieWIRE - Among the new American narrative films stirring talk at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9/11 are two high-profile, provocative independent titles — backed by powerhouse producers — that have secured U.S. distribution today here at the festival: Alan Ball’s “Nothing is Private” and Tom McCarthy’s “The Visitor.” Ball’s “Six Feet Under” fame stirred anticipation for his feature directing debut and McCarthy’s success with 2003’s “The Station Agent” created substantial interest in his new movie. Tonight (Tuesday) in Canada, Warner Independent Pictures closed a deal for Ball’s “Private” (adding that they are in final negotiations to partner with Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment on a deal that includes North American rights and multiple other territories). Meanwhile, early this morning, McCarthy’s film scored a North American pact with new distribution outfit, Overture Films.”… [Full Story]
Knightley has high praise for Quebec director Girard at Toronto … – The Canadian Press
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Jam! ShowbizThe Canadian Press, TORONTO - Keira Knightley has high praise for Quebec director Francois Girard.
“He’s a wonderful, wonderful director. He’s incredibly calm and he has a real vision of what he wants to do,” the rail-thin actress said Tuesday during an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“He had some fantastic producers and a fantastic camera crew who were, I think, predominantly French-Canadian.”
Girard, whose acclaimed resume includes “Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould” and “The Red Violin,” directed Knightley in the lush period drama “Silk,” one of two films the 22-year-old actress is promoting at the festival… [Full Story]
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Bosworth overcomes wardrobe malfunction – Canada.com
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Canada.comCanada.com, Canada - From moderator Elvis Mitchell’s observations about emotional truth versus physical truth to lengthy discussions about the mutual trust between actors and directors, the press conference for The Girl in the Park was about to go down in Toronto International Film Festival history as the dullest one ever – that is, until Kate Bosworth stood up at the end for one last camera call and the back of her dress came undone.
Sigourney Weaver immediately came to the rescue, attempting as fast as she could to do up the errant clasps, but it was to no avail.
Regardless, Bosworth proved a real trooper, staying on to smile for the photographers until she eventually walked off stage, making sure to grasp the persistently cleaved fabric behind her. The actress – who was dressed, at least most of the time, in a black silk dress, matching pumps and bright red lipstick – looked radiant, and could easily win this year’s Best Looking Celebrity in Person award.
Weaver was equally classy, although the neon orange cardigan and translucent nylons weren’t helping… [Full Story]
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TIFF Interview: Ramin Bahrani, Director, ‘Chop Shop’ – Cinematical
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Cinematical - With his second feature film, Chop Shop, director Ramin Bahrani carries on his theme of exploring the “invisible people” of society that he started with his first film, Man Push Cart, which played Sundance (and other fests) in 2006. Where Man Push Cart showed a cross-section of the life of a former Pakistani pop star reduced to selling doughnuts and coffee to busy Manhattanites, in Chop Shop Bahrani shows us the life of a young Latino boy who lives and works in the Iron Triangle district of New York City. Bahrani took time out of pre-prod for his latest film, Solo, to chat with Cinematical by phone about Chop Shop, Man Push Cart, and his unique style of making films… [Full Story]
TORONTO ‘07 DISCOVERY INTERVIEW: Teona Strigar Mitevska: “We filmmakers must be braver and bolder in the films we make.” – indieWIRE
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
indieWIRE - …Fourteen filmmakers were given the opportunity to participate in an e-mail interview, and each was sent the same questions. Director Teona Strugar Mitevska is at Toronto with her feature film, “I Am From Titov Veles,” which TIFF describes as offering “rare insights into the experiences of Balkan women who want something better than the lives they’ve been given.”… [Full Story]
Overture nabs ‘The Visitor’ – Variety
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Variety - ”The Visitor,” Tom McCarthy’s beguiling but bedeviling drama about immigration and midlife loss, has found a distributor. In the wee small hours Tuesday, word came from one of the point people on the film that Overture Films had prevailed in spirited bidding that kicked off not long after the pic’s Friday preem.
Details were still emerging and a formal announcement was expected later Tuesday, but the pickup reps an artier turn for the Liberty Media-owned distrib. Overture had recently made headlines by grabbing genre fare like the Robert De Niro-Al Pacino cop thriller “Righteous Kill.”
“The Visitor,” a low-key, warm-hearted drama, reps a marketing challenge but also a plum buy (depending on the price, of course) given its status as the best-received pic without distribution in Toronto… [Full Story]
Ang Lee cuts ‘Lust’ for China – Variety
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Variety - Golden Lion winner “Lust, Caution” will be trimmed of 30 of its steamiest and most violent minutes for Chinese auds, sparking renewed calls for the introduction of a film classification system.
The original runs to two hours and 36 minutes, but up to half an hour would be cut to make the film “relatively clean” for Chinese auds, helmer Ang Lee told Chinese media.
The spy actioner features explicit sex scenes involving a young woman, played by Tang Wei, and Hong Kong star Tony Leung Chiu-wai. U.S. censors have slapped an NC-17 label on the movie.
In Hong Kong, a Chinese Special Administrative Region where the pic is to be given a wide 50-print release by Edko Films on Sept. 26, “Lust” is also likely to be sliced. “We are still waiting for the advice of the ratings board,” said an Edko source. “But it seems pretty clear that we are heading for cuts in order to qualify for a III rating.”… [Full Story]
TIFF Interview: I’m Not There Director Todd Haynes – Cinematical
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 | Cinematical - I walked directly from the delayed press screening of I’m Not There, the new film from director Todd Haynes (Safe, Far From Heaven) to our interview. It didn’t feel like enough time — and also like you couldn’t possibly prepare enough to take on the layers and levels and tricks and treats of Haynes’s sprawling, fractured take on the life and times of Bob Dylan. Haynes spoke with Cinematical about finding truth through myth, pop and politics and which Bob Dylan songs he can, in fact, still listen to after capturing six different iterations of one man… [Full Story] |
TIFF Watch: ‘Man from Plains’ Wins Three Awards at Venice – Cinematical
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | Cinematical - Jimmy Carter may not have gotten a lot of respect when he was president — maybe the fact that he was called “Jimmy” had something to do with it — but he’s enjoyed a resurgence in recent years as his humanitarian efforts have reminded Americans what they liked about him in the first place. He’s not a great politician, but he’s an honest, good-hearted man with noble intentions. |
In Two New Films, Ball & McCarthy Examine America; Both Titles Acquired Today at TIFF – indieWIRE
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | indieWIRE - Among the new American narrative films stirring talk at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9/11 are two high-profile, provocative independent titles — backed by powerhouse producers — that have secured U.S. distribution today here at the festival: Alan Ball’s “Nothing is Private” and Tom McCarthy’s “The Visitor.” Ball’s “Six Feet Under” fame stirred anticipation for his feature directing debut and McCarthy’s success with 2003’s “The Station Agent” created substantial interest in his new movie. Tonight (Tuesday) in Canada, Warner Independent Pictures closed a deal for Ball’s “Private” (adding that they are in final negotiations to partner with Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment on a deal that includes North American rights and multiple other territories). Meanwhile, early this morning, McCarthy’s film scored a North American pact with new distribution outfit, Overture Films.”… [Full Story] |
Knightley has high praise for Quebec director Girard at Toronto … – The Canadian Press
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007Jam! Showbiz | The Canadian Press, TORONTO - Keira Knightley has high praise for Quebec director Francois Girard. Related Articles |
Bosworth overcomes wardrobe malfunction – Canada.com
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007Canada.com | Canada.com, Canada - From moderator Elvis Mitchell’s observations about emotional truth versus physical truth to lengthy discussions about the mutual trust between actors and directors, the press conference for The Girl in the Park was about to go down in Toronto International Film Festival history as the dullest one ever – that is, until Kate Bosworth stood up at the end for one last camera call and the back of her dress came undone. Related Articles |
TIFF Interview: Ramin Bahrani, Director, ‘Chop Shop’ – Cinematical
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | Cinematical - With his second feature film, Chop Shop, director Ramin Bahrani carries on his theme of exploring the “invisible people” of society that he started with his first film, Man Push Cart, which played Sundance (and other fests) in 2006. Where Man Push Cart showed a cross-section of the life of a former Pakistani pop star reduced to selling doughnuts and coffee to busy Manhattanites, in Chop Shop Bahrani shows us the life of a young Latino boy who lives and works in the Iron Triangle district of New York City. Bahrani took time out of pre-prod for his latest film, Solo, to chat with Cinematical by phone about Chop Shop, Man Push Cart, and his unique style of making films… [Full Story] |
TORONTO ‘07 DISCOVERY INTERVIEW: Teona Strigar Mitevska: “We filmmakers must be braver and bolder in the films we make.” – indieWIRE
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | indieWIRE - …Fourteen filmmakers were given the opportunity to participate in an e-mail interview, and each was sent the same questions. Director Teona Strugar Mitevska is at Toronto with her feature film, “I Am From Titov Veles,” which TIFF describes as offering “rare insights into the experiences of Balkan women who want something better than the lives they’ve been given.”… [Full Story] |
Overture nabs ‘The Visitor’ – Variety
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | Variety - ”The Visitor,” Tom McCarthy’s beguiling but bedeviling drama about immigration and midlife loss, has found a distributor. In the wee small hours Tuesday, word came from one of the point people on the film that Overture Films had prevailed in spirited bidding that kicked off not long after the pic’s Friday preem. |
Ang Lee cuts ‘Lust’ for China – Variety
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 | Variety - Golden Lion winner “Lust, Caution” will be trimmed of 30 of its steamiest and most violent minutes for Chinese auds, sparking renewed calls for the introduction of a film classification system. |
