The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is just around the corner and the city is gearing up for the annual onslaught of celebrities and fans. Now in its thirty-forth year, TIFF will run from September 10 to September 19, 2009.
Despite having been born in Toronto and living here off and on throughout the years, I had never gone to a TIFF screening until last year. I saw Ghost Town and Easy Virtue and had a great time meeting with the stars of both films. I also happen to work in Yorkville – the upscale village-like area in downtown Toronto which boasts the Four Seasons and Park Hyatt hotels (both favorites of movie stars), several overpriced grocery stories, some fabulous (though occasionaly pretentious and overpriced) restaurants, and many nearby couture and designer stores. Some stars (not Brad Pitt) actually like taking strolls through Yorkville. A friend of mine knows all the paparazzi and limo drivers and we like to walk around the area during lunch and go star sighting. Last year I saw Geoffrey Rush walking in Yonge-Dundas Square. He’s shorter in real life.
Since I live in the city and was lucky enough to get a package for eight straight nights of movies at the Elgin Theatre, I’m going to be bringing you news throughout the festival, as well as posting reviews of the movies that I will be seeing this year. In particular, I’m excited to be seeing the following premieres:
Bright Star– Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw
A Serious Man (the new Cohen brothers movie) – Michael Stuhlbarg (I’m really hoping this movie won’t disappoint me like Burn After Reading did)
Capitalism: A Love Story – Michael Moore
The Invention of Lying– Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Tina Fey (Ricky Gervais is hilarious – enough said)
A lot of other movies have their world premieres or special presentations at TIFF. The following movies are generating a lot of buzz:
- Broken Embraces - Penelope Cruz
- The Informant! - Matt Damon
- The Road - Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron
- Up In the Air - George Clooney, Jason Bateman
- Whip It - Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore
- Dorian Gray - Ben Barnes, Colin Firth (My friend Melodie is so disappointed that we won't be seeing Colin Firth again like we did last year. I think she cried when I told her the news)
- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law
- Love and Other Impossible Pursuits - Natalie Portman, Lisa Kudrow
- Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Mo'nique, Paula Patton (this one has Oscar written all over it, or so I hear)
- The Young Victoria - Emily Blunt, Paul Bettany (this is the closing gala presentation for the festival)
And all of those movies are just the standard US/UK films. There are a hundred other smaller, foreign or indie films on the roster. Go here for a complete list of all films to be screened at TIFF.
So stay tuned for more information about the festival! If you want to learn more about TIFF, check out the official site.
Email me at: clarissa @ tvovermind.com
