So many thanks to so many people!

We have so many people to thank for all the help, advice, encouragement, and support we've received this year!

Last year (2008), while standing in-line to pick-up our ticket order form, we were fortunate to meet someone from the TBDC, who suggested we contact MouthMedia to revise our website design. They provided us with a new logo, business cards, and a much needed update to the look & feel of TOfilmfest.ca (originally written in 2005).

Their efforts helped us increase the number of daily visitors to our website by 3-4 times, for the fourth consecutive year! This attracted the support of a couple local venues and suppliers, and meant we could give something back to those who visited us!

So a very sincere thank you to all those who visited TOfilmfest.ca, came out to our events, or offered their support!

Hope to see you all again next year!
TOfilmfest

PS. we wanted to personally thank all those who made this year our biggest/best yet: Richard + Jason, Greg, Erik, Lara, Sean + Vince, Adam, Chris, Elton + Dave, Melissa, Cathy, Kelly + Andy, Jamie, Sudha + Peter + Jennifer, Jonathan, Daniella + Cameron, Colin, Nicole + Pearl + Ahmad, John, Blaine, Oliver, Niv, Philip + Richard, Ian, Trevor, Vivian + Jeff, James, Richard, Ray, Eric + Chris, Nikki, Julie, Brandon, Megan, Rachel + everyone who emailed/Twittered/blogged/linked to us!
THANK YOU!

Sat.19.Sep: After-fest event tonight, you're invited!

Did you pay for your own film festival tickets?
Did you stand in-line to pick-up/exchange/redeem those tickets?
Are you tired of reading about "insider" parties that exclude you?


You are invited to an after-fest party!

A party for the rest of us... who aren't industry/VIP/celebrities — just fans of the biggest public film festival in the world!
(...and don't fans deserve a red-carpet/velvet-rope event, too? ;-)

So tonight, Saturday September 19th, after...

• the official wrap-party at Yonge-Dundas Square (9pm, FREE/no tickets), and
• the People's Choice screening (FREE tickets at 7pm, Elgin Theatre)
  

join us at...

Just Desserts
555 Yonge Street at Wellesley
Martini lounge/bar + dessert cafe
for...

• $6 pints (20 oz.) of Sleeman Cream Ale, Blanche de Chambly, Okanagan Springs 1516 Bavarian Lager, or Sapporo - keep the glass, compliments of The Sleeman brewery!
• $7 martinis (2 oz.) in six varieties: Absolut vodka martini, Cosmopolitan, Mangolicious, Orange reality, Chocolate pear, and Sabbsitini + a complimentary glass from Absolut vodka!
• $8 wines by-the-glass from Wyndham Estate — featuring highly-rated Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia
  

...but most of all, come out to grab a bite, raise a glass, and celebrate the films and film-makers of the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival!

We'd love to see you there...
Drop by if you can!
Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Sat. Sept. 19: Celebrate closing-night with a martini!

We're very pleased to announce that Absolut has joined us in raising a glass to the film festival, the fest fans, and all the films — as well, all those who visited TOfilmfest.ca this year!

So this Saturday, Sept.19th at 10pm, join us at...

• Just Desserts
  555 Yonge Street at Wellesley
  Martini lounge/bar + dessert cafe

...for $7 (2 oz.) martini specials!

• Absolut vodka martini
• Cosmopolitan
  
• Mangolicious
  
• Orange reality
• Chocolate pear
• Sabbsitini
  

...with a complimentary glass from Absolut vodka!




















Hope you can join us!
#TOfilmfest

PS. no cover charge, and everyone is welcome!

Sat. Sept. 19: Raise a glass after the wrap-up!

After the official closing night party at Yonge-Dundas Square, drop by...

Just Desserts lounge/bar/cafe
555 Yonge Street at Wellesley

...and join us about 10pm — with Wyndham Estate — to raise a glass to the fest, fans, and films!

Featured wines by the glass — join us if you can, everyone is welcome!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS.

• no cover charge...
• no VIP guest list...
• no line-up...

;-)

Sat. Sept. 19: Raise a pint on closing night!

This Saturday, September 19th at 10pm, Sleeman will be joining us to raise a glass to the film festival, all the fest fans and films — and all those who visited TOfilmfest.ca this year!

So, after the official wrap-party at Yonge-Dundas Square (9pm, FREE/no tickets), and the People's Choice screening (FREE tickets at 7pm, Elgin Theatre),
join us at...

• Just Desserts
  555 Yonge Street at Wellesley
  Martini lounge/bar + dessert cafe

for a pint (20 oz.) of...

• Sleeman Cream Ale
• Blanche de Chambly
• Okanagan Springs 1516 Bavarian Lager
• Sapporo

...and keep the glass, compliments of The Sleeman brewery!

Hope you can join us!
#TOfilmfest

PS. There's no cover charge, and everyone is welcome!

Sat. Sept. 19: Cheers to the fest, fans and films!

This Saturday, September 19th at 10pm, we'll be raising a glass to the film festival, the fest fans, the films... — and all those who visited TOfilmfest.ca this year! — so join us, if you can!

Just Desserts, 555 Yonge Street at Wellesley
Martini lounge/bar + dessert café

There's no cover charge, and everyone is welcome!

Hope to see you there,
Cheers!
#TOfilmfest

Sat. Sept. 19: After the official wrap-party at Yonge-Dundas Square...

On Saturday, September 19th — after the official wrap-party at Yonge-Dundas Square (FREE), and the People's Choice Award Winner screening (also FREE) — we're planning to meet-up with other film-fest fans at a 'dessert bar & martini lounge.' So if you don't have a Midnight Madness movie on closing night, and want to join us, just visit this blog for more details soon!

Here are some snapshots of the venue...



More details to be posted here, at TOfilmfest.ca/BLOG — but it'll be FREE (no-cover), there will be drink specials, and food, and everyone is invited! (– no celebs expected, just film-fest fans!)

Hope to see you there!
#TOfilmfest

PS. just fyi, there's also a FREE Surprise Screening tomorrow... Saturday, September 12, 6pm-7:40pm. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come/first served basis 2 hours before the screening, at 4pm.

Drop by 225 Queen West, during the fest...

For the ten days of the film fest,

• The Original Motorcycle Café
  225 Queen Street West, just west of University Ave
  located between the festival box-office at Nathan Phillips Square, and the Scotiabank theatre at Richmond & John (2 blocks from each)
  

will be offering daily specials...

• Monday — 45 cent wings
• Tuesday — half-price appetizers
• Wednesday — 45 cent wings
• Thursday — steak + fries for $12.99 get 2nd one for 1 cent!
• Friday — half-price fish & chips
• Saturday — $4 burger + fries
• Sunday — $9.99 prime rib dinner
  

and a weekend brunch special...

• buy any brunch item, and get the 2nd one for 1 cent, from 10am-3pm (weekend only)
  

plus enjoy...

• Steam Whistle premium lager for $4 (tax incl.)
  

So if you're at the box-office, or traveling between the Scotiabank and the AMC Yonge-Dundas, drop by for a bite or a beer!

Cheers,
TOfilmfest

PS. if you've not had a chance to drop by yet, here are a couple snapshots...

City to City/Tel Aviv protest clarified

June 23rd, the Toronto International Film Festival announced the launch of the City to City: Tel Aviv.

August 27th, John Greyson announced the withdrawal of his film COVERED from the festival, in protest against the City-to-City Spotlight on Tel Aviv.

August 28th, the co-director of the festival, Cameron Bailey responded to the film's withdrawal.

August 31st, in a review of A HISTORY OF ISRAELI CINEMA, Michael Guillen provided an examination of the issue.

September 2nd, The Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation was published. (As noted in the Toronto Star, it was endorsed by more than 60 people, including prominent members of the Jewish community such as author/activist Naomi Klein, Judy Rebick, and Israel filmmaker Udi Aloni.)

TOfilmfest contacted Cameron Bailey, co-director of the festival, because we felt that his statement —

"John writes that his protest isn’t against the films or filmmakers we have chosen, but against the spotlight itself. By that reasoning, no films programmed within this series would have met his approval, no matter what they contained."

— did not properly represent John Greyson's position.

We greatly appreciate that Mr. Bailey took the time to reply to us, and took our point, but he reiterated "that any films in a series called City to City: Tel Aviv would have met the same reaction." [Emphasis on any provided by Mr. Bailey.]

We disagreed. So, TOfilmfest contacted Mr. Greyson to finally clarify the matter.

Q: If 5 of the 10 films in the program were Palestinian/Arab film-makers, would you have had any objections to the City To City program on Tel Aviv?

A: "I hesitate to play the numbers/percentage game — but as I've said, there could have been a spotlight on Tel Aviv, featuring significant and diverse Palestinian voices, that truly captured the complexity of this very contested city."

Q: Do I have this correct? — if the festival canceled the City To City spotlight on Tel Aviv, and dispersed those same 10 films into other programs, you would have no objection to any of those films?

A: "Exactly — the point of the protest is the spotlight, not the films."

We hope that sharing this information will lead to a better understanding of the positions on either side of the issue — and we very much look forward to the "public forum that will bring leading filmmakers and thinkers from Tel Aviv and Toronto into debate" that was announced in the original press release for the program.

Regards,
#TOfilmfest

PS. here's a thoughtful article by Moti Rieber – rabbi, writer, activist...

PPS. He first thought the protest was 'destructive grandstanding', but now Roger Ebert has changed his mind, and now says that the festival "should never have agreed to be used like this."

PPPS. For the duration of TIFF, John Greyson has made his film COVERED available online.

Peter Howell's CHASING THE BUZZ '09

We're very happy to be invited by Peter Howell, movie critic for the Toronto Star, to be part of his 9th annual Chasing the Buzz poll — a panel of 25 critics/programmers/film-buffs name the 3 films they are most looking forward to.

Here are our top 3 picks:

1. Antichrist: "See the film that won the first anti-award from Cannes' ecumenical jury Thursday night at 9pm, then talk to director Lars von Trier, via video conference from Denmark, Friday morning at 9am."
   
   
   
2. Enter the Void: "Gaspar Noé, the stylish and audacious director of Seul Contre Tous and Irréversible, brings a cinematic trip about a low-level drug dealer and his sister... which garnered very mixed reviews."
   
   
3. The Hole: "Kudos to Colin Geddes for bringing the festival's first 3-D presentation with Joe Dante's new work, shot in Canada using Paradise FX — the same technology used earlier this year in the remake of the Canadian slasher, My Bloody Valentine."
   

Here is the complete list of all 56 of the most anticipated movies of the festival:

1. My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (4 votes)
   
2. Up in the Air (4 votes)
   
   
3. Antichrist (3 votes; our pick)
4. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (3 votes)
5. Leslie, My Name is Evil (3 votes)
6. The Road (3 votes)
   
   
7. Bright Star (2 votes)
   
8. Hadewijch (2 votes)
9. Life During Wartime (2 votes)
10. A Serious Man (2 votes)
11. Whip It (2 votes)
    
    
12. Agora
13. The Art of the Steal
14. Baarìa
15. BAND
16. Beautiful Kate
17. Bran Nue Dae
18. Broken Embraces
19. Capitalism: A Love Story
20. Chloe
21. Collapse
22. The Disappearance of Alice Creed
23. Enter the Void (our pick)
24. Excited
25. Face
26. The Hole (our pick)
27. How to Fold a Flag
28. Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel
29. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
30. The Informant!
31. The Invention of Lying
32. Last Ride
33. Leaves of Grass
34. Let Each One Go Where They May
35. Mao's Last Dancer
36. The Men Who Stare at Goats
37. Moloch Tropical
38. The Most Dangerous Man in America
39. Mother and Child
40. Mr. Nobody
41. Ondine
42. Police, Adjective
43. Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
44. Road, Movie
45. Same Same but Different
46. Symbol
47. The Time That Remains
48. To Die Like a Man
49. A Town Called Panic
50. Trash Humpers
51. The Trotsky
52. Turtle: The Incredible Journey
53. Valhalla Rising
54. The Vintner's Luck
55. White Material
56. Women Without Men
    

Cheers!
#TOfilmfest

PS. btw, here are the 25 contributors:

1. Steve Almond, Parabola.ca
2. Gail Anthony, film buff/executive assistant
3. Barry Avrich, filmmaker and ad executive
4. Cameron Bailey, TIFF co-director
5. Christopher Bales, Crunchy Squirrel Goes to Toronto
6. James Berardinelli, ReelViews.net
7. Noah Cowan, Bell Lightbox
8. TOfilmfest.ca — that's us! ;-)
9. Gabrielle Free, CTV
10. Alex Ganetakos, TV writer/producer
11. Andréa Grau, TIFF media coordinator
12. Piers Handling, TIFF director and CEO
13. Charles Johnston, writer, film buff
14. Robert Koehler, Variety /CinemaScope
15. Eric Kohn, IndieWIRE /TheWrap
16. Carla MacDonald, Our Lady of Perpetual Hell
17. Michèle Maheux, TIFF managing director
18. David Poland, MCN
19. B. Ruby Rich, BRubyRich
    
20. James Rocchi, RocchiReport
21. Kristopher Tapley, In Contention
22. Anne Thompson, ThompsonOnHollywood
23. Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere
24. Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today
25. Ray Yick, TIFFReviews

PPS. if you're curious about previous picks, you can also read Peter Howell's TIFF's must-see films from 2008, and TIFF '07: The Buzz from two years ago...

Thurs. Sept. 3rd: Pick up tickets + join us for brunch/lunch/dinner!

Advanced ticket packages, will be available for pick up on Thursday, September 3rd at the film festival box-office (Nathan Phillips Square/City Hall).
Once you've got your tickets, head over to join other film festival fans at:

• The Original Motorcycle Café
  225 Queen Street West, just west of University Ave
  just a couple blocks from the festival box-office/Nathan Phillips Square
• anytime after 10am

for brunch...

• "2 for 1" brunch special (open at 10am)

or for lunch/dinner...

• $4 burger + fries (all-day)
• "2 for 1" steak + fries (7 oz. striploin, after 5pm)

plus enjoy...

• Steam Whistle premium lager for $4 (tax incl.)

See you all there!
#TOfilmfest

Picking up your tickets on Thurs, Sept. 3rd

Advanced ticket packages (dropped off Monday, August 31st), will be available for pick up on Thursday, September 3rd.

If you're at the box-office, join other film fest fans at...

• The Original Motorcycle Café
  225 Queen Street West, just west of University Ave
  just a couple blocks from the festival box-office/Nathan Phillips Square
• anytime 10am 'till 2am!

for...

• "2 for 1" brunch special (open at 10am)
• $4 burger + fries (all-day)
• "2 for 1" steak + fries (dinner)
• plus Steam Whistle premium lager for $4 (tax incl.)
  

We hope to see you there!
#TOfilmfest

PS. If you didn't get all your first choices, hit the ticket exchange line on Thursday, September 3rd — before single-tickets go on sale the next day!
(...then join us for a beer to celebrate... ;-)

Film-festival merchandise

The Toronto International Film Festival sells official merchandise at their box office, at Nathan Phillips Square (10am-7pm). Here are some of the items for sale:

• $20 mug
• $25 ball-cap
• $30 t-shirt
• $60 hoodie

This year, we printed some of our own t-shirts for friends & family, and we have more for anyone who may be interested:

• $15 t-shirt/unisex (white or blue)
• $20 scoop-neck shirt (white)
• $30 full-zip hoodie (blue)
  

If you're picking up tickets on Thursday, September 3rd, we'll be at 225 Queen St. West — just a couple blocks from the festival box-office/Nathan Phillips Square — and we have some sizes/colours available.Pick the best of the fest!
TOfilmfest

Picking up your tickets on Thursday, September 3rd?

If you're picking up your tickets on Thursday, September 3rd...
— drop by for a bite (or a beer) with other film fest fans!

• Join us
• Thursday, September 3rd
• 225 Queen St. West
• anytime 10am - 2am!
  
  
• there will be $4 food & drink specials all day,
  for film festival ticket-holders!
  
  
• just a couple blocks from the festival box-office/Nathan Phillips Square!
  

See you there!
#TOfilmfest

Short Cuts Canada final additions to our list

There are 370 films now at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition of 41 Short Cuts Canada entries for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

• Short Cuts Canada Programme 1
• Short Cuts Canada Programme 2
• Short Cuts Canada Programme 3
• Short Cuts Canada Programme 4
• Short Cuts Canada Programme 5
  

7 of the short films screen with other features:

• 5 Dysfunctional People in a Car
• with A Gun to the Head
• Big Head
• with Year of the Carnivore
• Found
• with Reel Injun
• A Hindu's Indictment of Heaven
• with MachoTailDrop
• Léger Problème
• with The Wild Hunt
• On a Lonely Drive
• with Passenger Side
• Vive la Rose
• with Crackie

Pick the best of the fest!
#TOfilmfest

Twenty-four Contemporary World Cinema films added

There are almost 330 films now at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition tonight of 24 more Contemporary World Cinema features for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. 25 Carat Patxi Amezcua, Spain
2. Adrift Bui Thac Chuyen, Vietnam
3. Ajami Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, Israel/Germany
4. At the End of Daybreak Ho Yuhang, Hong Kong, China
5. Backyard Carlos Carrera, Mexico
6. Balibo Robert Connolly, Australia
7. Bran Nue Dae Rachel Perkins, Australia
8. Castaway on the Moon Lee Hey-jun, South Korea
9. Cell 211 Daniel Monzon, Spain/France
10. Deliver Us from Evil Ole Bornedal, Denmark
11. Dogtooth Yorgos Lanthimos, Greece
12. The Double Hour Giuseppe Capotondi, Italy
13. Help Gone Mad Boris Khlebnikov, Russia
14. I Am Not Your Friend György Pálfi, Hungary
15. If I Knew What You Said Mike Sandejas, Philippines
16. Jean Charles Henrique Goldman, United Kingdom/Brazil
17. The Last Days of Emma Blank Alex van Warmerdam, Netherlands
18. My Year Without Sex Sarah Watt, Australia
19. Le Père de mes Enfants Mia Hansen-Løve, France/Germany
20. Prince of Tears Yonfan, Taiwan/Hong Kong, China
21. Same Same but Different Detlev Buck, Germany
22. The Search Wan Ma Cai Dan, China
23. Tales from the Golden Age Cristian Mungiu, Romania
24. V.O.S. Cesc Gay, Spain
    

Pick the best of the fest!
#TOfilmfest

Special Presentation, Vanguard and 2 Sprockets added

There are 303 films, and feature presentations, now at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement today of 4 new films for the Special Presentations, Vanguard, and Sprockets Family Zone programs, at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

• Special Presentations
• Mr. Nobody Jaco Van Dormael, France/Germany/Canada/Belgium
• Vanguard
• She, A Chinese Xiaolu Guo, United Kingdom/France/Germany
• Sprockets Family Zone
• Timetrip: The Curse of the Viking Witch Mogens Hagedorn, Denmark
• Under the Mountain Jonathan King, New Zealand
  

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Five new films for 2009 Discovery

Over 300 films, and feature presentations, now listed at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement today of 5 new additions to the Discovery program for 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. Crab Trap Oscar Ruiz Navia, Colombia/France
2. Mall Girls Katarzyna Roslaniec, Poland
3. The Man Beyond the Bridge Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, India
4. Nora Alla Kovgan and David Hinton, USA/United Kingdom/Mozambique
5. Saint Louis Blues Dyana Gaye, France/Senegal
   

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Eleven more Masters for 2009

There are almost 300 films, and feature presentations, listed at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement today of 11 new additions to the Masters program for 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. Antichrist Lars von Trier, Denmark/Sweden/France/Italy
2. Carmel Amos Gitaï, Israel/France/Italy
3. Honeymoons Goran Paskaljevic, Serbia/Albania/Italy
4. Hotel Atlântico Suzana Amaral, Brazil
5. Melody for a Street Organ Kira Muratova, Ukraine
6. Le Refuge François Ozon, France
7. Vincere Marco Bellocchio, Italy
8. Vision Margarethe von Trotta, Germany
9. White Material Claire Denis, France
10. The White Ribbon Michael Haneke, Germany/Austria/France/Italy
11. The Window Buddhadeb Dasgupta, India
    

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. these 11 new additions join the 4 previously announced films, in the Masters program:

1. Air Doll, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2. La Donation, Bernard Émond
3. Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl, Manoel de Oliveira
4. Les Herbes Folles, Alain Resnais

Five Maverick presentations for 2009

There are now 283 films and feature presentations listed at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition of the Maverick program line-up at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. An Afternoon with Chris Rock
• interview to highlight his new documentary, Good Hair
2. In Conversation with... Michael Caine
• discussion will include his latest film, Harry Brown
3. Peter Berg presents Kings Ransom
• about Wayne Gretzky’s move from Canada to Los Angeles
4. Barry Levinson presents The Band That Wouldn't Die
• about the Baltimore Colts Marching Band
5. Frederick Wiseman presents La Danse – Le Ballet de l’Opera de Paris
• about the Paris Opera Ballet
  

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. further update to our database-server trouble from this afternoon:
our web-host claims it was "the first datacenter power issue we have ever experienced" ... so hopefully, we won't see another...

Four Dialogues: Talking With Pictures for 2009

Over 280 features now in the TOfilmfest film list — with the addition of 4 new presentations in the Dialogues: Talking With Pictures program at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. Wake in Fright ("Outback") by Ted Kotcheff — presented by Ted Kotcheff
2. The White Sheik by Federico Fellini — presented by Neil Jordan
3. It’s a Gift by Norman McLeod with W.C. Fields — presented by Joe Dante
4. Sweetie by Jane Campion — presented by Sook-Yin Lee
   

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. three of the presenters have films at this year's festival:

1. The Hole, Joe Dante
2. Year of the Carnivore, Sook-Yin Lee
3. Ondine, Neil Jordan

Five Docs Added to the 2009 festival schedule

Almost 280 feature presentations now in the TOfilmfest list — with the announcement today of 5 more films for the Real to Reel program at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

1. Ahead of Time Bob Richman, USA
2. Once Upon a Time Proletarian: 12 Tales of a Country Guo Xiaolu, China
3. Stolen Violeta Ayala and Dan Fallshaw, Australia
4. The Sunshine Boy Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Iceland
5. Waking Sleeping Beauty Don Hahn, USA
   

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. these 5 new additions join the 17 previously announced documentaries:

1. The Art of the Steal - Don Argott
2. Bassidji - Mehran Tamadon
3. Cleanflix - Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi
4. Collapse - Chris Smith
5. Colony - Carter Gunn and Ross McDonnell
6. Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould - Michèle Hozer and Peter Raymont
7. Google Baby - Zippi Brand Frank
8. How to Fold a Flag - Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
9. L'Enfer de Henri-Georges Clouzot - Serge Bromberg and Ruxandra Medrea
10. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers - Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
11. Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands - Peter Mettler
12. Presumed Guilty - Roberto Hernández and Geoffrey Smith
13. Reel Injun Neil Diamond
14. Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags - Marc Levin
15. Snowblind - Vikram Jayanti
16. The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls - Leanne Pooley
17. Videocracy - Erik Gandini

Yonge-Dundas Square Free Outdoor Programming for 2009

Over 270 entries now in the TOfilmfest list — with the addition of over 30 free outdoor presentations at Yonge-Dundas Square.

1. Thursday, Sept. 10 (Opening Night)
• 12:00PM - Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man [2005]
• 3:00PM - Steamboat Bill Jr. [1928]
• 7:00PM - Opening Night Gala Live from Roy Thomson Hall
  for Creation
• 9:00PM - Opening Night Concert: DJ Champion


2. Friday, Sept. 11
• 12:00PM - Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing [2006]
• 3:00PM - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea [1916]
• 4:00PM - Showcase for Suck ft. Stars of the Film
• 9:00PM - Ziggy Stardust [1973]


3. Saturday, Sept. 12
• 12:00PM - The Harder They Come [1972]
• 2:00PM - tiff.kids Zone
• 4:00PM - Showcase for Precious ft. Sapphire
• 6:00PM - Showcase for Survival Of The Dead Zombie Walk
  + Special Presentation: George A. Romero citizen of Toronto, Canada
  + event concludes with Night of the Living Dead [1968]


4. Sunday, Sept. 13
• 12:00PM - Woodstock [1970]
• 4:00PM - Showcase for Whip It
  ft. Stars of the Film & The Toronto Roller Derby League
• 9:00PM - Showcase for Untouchable Girls
  ft. The Topp Twins


5. Monday, Sept. 14
• 12:00PM - Stop Making Sense [1984]
• 3:00PM - The Busher [1919]
• 9:00PM - North American Premiere - The Neill Young Trunk Show
  ft. Neill Young


6. Tuesday, Sept. 15
• 12:00PM - Sweet Toronto [1969]
• 3:00PM - Robin Hood [1922]
• 7:00PM - Showcase for Hipsters - Swing Dance Lessons
  + 9:00PM - Concert: The Kings of Swing


7. Wednesday, Sept. 16
• 12:00PM - The Last Waltz [1978]
• 3:00PM - Tillie's Punctured Romance [1914]


8. Thursday, Sept. 17
• 12:00PM - U2: Rattle & Hum [1988]
• 3:00PM - It [1927]
• 9:00PM - Future Projections BAND ft. Deerhoof


9. Friday, Sept. 18
• 12:00PM - Don't Look Back [1967]
• 3:00PM - Grandma's Boy [1922]
• 6:00PM - American Masters + Live In Concert: Joan Baez


10. Saturday, Sept. 19 (Closing Night)
• 12:00PM - Madonna, Truth Or Dare [1991]
• 3:00PM - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea [1916]
• 7:00PM - World Premiere - Copyright Criminals
• 9:00PM - Wrap Party Eclectic Method with Clyde Stubblefield
  (Future Projections)

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. in Ontario, the Film Classification Act makes festival screenings exempt from classification by the Ontario Film Review Board, provided audiences are restricted to 18 years of age or older (no infants or toddlers); however, some films have been reviewed and classified by the OFRB as suitable for those under 18; view films by classification here.

Fifteen Future Projections for 2009

Almost 250 entries in the TOfilmfest list now — with the inclusion of 15 cinematic art presentations in the Future Projections program:

1. Backstory/Cinema Museum, Mark Lewis
2. BAND, Adam Pendleton
3. Civilization, Marco Brambilla
4. Eclectic Method, Jonny Wilson, Ian Edgar and Geoff Gamlen
5. Green Porno: Scandalous Sea, Isabella Rossellini
6. Green Porno: Bon Appétit, Isabella Rossellini
7. Imaginary Lovers, Don McKellar
8. In a City, Mark Lewis
9. The Origins of Factum, Candice Breitz
10. Phantoms of Nabua, Apichatpong Weerasethakula
11. Picture Start, Christopher Doyle
12. The Shape of Things, Oliver Pietsch
13. Speak City, Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak
14. This Transition Will Never End #6, Jeremy Shaw
15. A Vicious Undertow, Jesper Just
    

The third edition of Future Projections will have its opening reception on Sunday, September 13 from 2-4pm at the Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West).

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. did you know you can quickly look up all the free events at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival?

Twelve Special Presentations added to 2009 film list

Now over 240 films listed at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition today of 12 more Special Presentations for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. Baaria Giuseppe Tornatore, Italy
2. L’Affaire Farewell Christian Carion, France
3. The Joneses Derrick Borte, USA
4. Les Derniers Jours du Monde France/Spain/Taiwan, Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu
5. My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done Werner Herzog, USA
6. The Road John Hillcoat, USA
7. Road, Movie Dev Benegal, India/USA
8. A Single Man Tom Ford, USA
9. The Traveller Ahmed Maher, Egypt/Italy
10. The Waiting City Claire McCarthy, Australia
11. Wheat He Ping, China
12. Youth in Revolt Miguel Arteta, USA
    

Thanks to all those who started following our film-list updates @TIFFlist on Twitter, or subscribing to our full film-list at TOfilmfest.ca/rss — if you're on Twitter, follow our film-fest tweets @TOfilmfest too!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. did you know that...

the official apps.facebook.com/torontofilmfestival will access

• your Profile information,
• your photos,
• your friends' information,
• and other content ?

...if you're on Facebook, become a fan of TOfilmfest on Facebook to get updates — and still retain your privacy...

Seven Galas added to 2009 line-up

Now almost 240 films listed at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement today of 7 more Gala Presentations for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

1. Agora Alejandro Amenábar, Spain
2. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Jan Kounen, France
3. I, Don Giovanni Carlos Saura, Austria/Italy/Spain
4. Love and Other Impossible Pursuits Don Roos, USA
5. The Men Who Stare at Goats Grant Heslov, USA
6. Mother and Child Rodrigo Garcia, USA
7. Phantom Pain Matthias Emcke, Germany
   

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

PS. just fyi...

• visit our blog website at TOfilmfest.ca/BLOG with your web-browser
• or, subscribe to our blog at TOfilmfest.ca/BLOG with your news-reader!

— and recently, we just added...

• our full film-list feed for newsreader subscription at TOfilmfest.ca/rss
• or, just get the latest updates to our film-list at Twitter.com/TIFFlist
  

Inaugural City To City program for 2009

Now over 210 films at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement today of 10 more for the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival:

• City To City (showcasing Tel Aviv, Israel for 2009)

1. Bena Niv Klainer
2. Big Dig (1969) Efraim Kishon
3. Big Eyes (1974) Uri Zohar
4. The Bubble (2006) Eytan Fox
5. A History of Israeli Cinema, Part 1 Raphaël Nadjari
6. A History of Israeli Cinema, Part 2 Raphaël Nadjari
7. Jaffa Keren Yedaya
8. Kirot Danny Lerner
9. Life According to Agfa Assi Dayan
10. Phobidilia Yoav Paz and Doron Paz

Tel Aviv is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2009.

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Eleven more Contemporary World Cinema for 2009

Now over 200 films at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition of 11 more for the 2009 Contemporary World Cinema program:

1. Beyond the Circle Golam Rabbany Biplob, Bangladesh
   dir. Swopnodanay (On the Wings of Dreams) from TIFF'07
   
2. Blessed Ana Kokkinos, Australia
   dir. The Book of Revelation from TIFF'06
3. Down for Life Alan Jacobs, USA
4. Giulia Doesn’t Date at Night Giuseppe Piccioni, Italy
   dir. Luce dei miei occhi (Light of My Eyes)
5. Heiran Shalizeh Arefpour, Iran
6. The House of Branching Love Mika Kaurismäki, Finland
7. Rabia Sebastián Cordero, Spain/Colombia
8. Sawasdee Bangkok Wisit Sasanatieng, Aditya Assarat, Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Thailand
9. Shameless Jan Hrebejk, Czech Republic
10. Slovenian Girl Damjan Kozole Slovenia/Germany/Serbia/Croatia
11. Tanner Hall Francesca Gregorini and Tatiana von Furstenberg, USA
    

Pick the best of the fest!
#TOfilmfest

Seven more Visions for 2009

Over 190 films at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement yesterday of 7 additions to the 2009 Visions program:

1. Between Two Worlds Vimukthi Jayasundara
   
   • won the Camera d'Or at Cannes in 2005 for La Terre Abandonnée (The Forsaken Land)
     
2. Gaia Jason Lehel
   
3. Hiroshima Pablo Stoll
   
   • Won the Prix du Regard Original at Cannes in 2004 for Whisky
     
4. I Am Love Luca Guadagnino (with Tilda Swinton)
   
5. Lebanon Samuel Maoz
   
6. To the Sea Pedro González-Rubio
   
   • directed Toro Negro (Black Bull; about a bull-fighter)
     and made Nacido Sin (Born Without) with Eva Norvind
     
7. Trash Humpers Harmony Korine
   
   • writer of Kids and Ken Park, director of Gummo, and recently Mister Lonely

(Btw, if you're wondering about the difference between the Visions and Vanguard programs: Visions films tend to be more experimental with the audio-visual form of cinema, whereas it's usually edgier content that gets a film into the Vanguard program.)

Cheers!
#TOfilmfest

Six Canada First! for 2009 added to our film list

Now 185 films at TOfilmfest.ca — including 6 more 2009 Canada First! features, added today...

1. Crackie Sherry White
2. MachoTailDrop Corey Adams & Alex Craig
3. Year of the Carnivore Sook-Yin Lee
4. Hungry Hills Rob King (based on novel by George Ryga)
5. All Fall Down Philip Hoffman
6. The Wild Hunt Alexandre Franchi
   

...tough to find any reviews/ratings on them, but we did manage to find some images, links, and a few video-clips! — don't forget you can browse by director, or look for a cast member... — and all directors and cast members are linked to their filmographies at IMDb, too!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Canadian Galas and Special Presentations added to 2009 line-up

Almost 180 films now at TOfilmfest.ca — with the addition of another ten 2009 Canadian features features, that were added today...

• Gala Presentations


1. Chloe Atom Egoyan
2. Cooking with Stella Dilip Mehta
3. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Terry Gilliam

• Special Presentations


1. Cairo Time Ruba Nadda
2. Defendor Peter Stebbings
3. Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel Brigitte Berman
4. J’ai Tué Ma Mère Xavier Dolan
5. The Trotsky Jacob Tierney

• Canadian Open Vault

1. William Beaudine’s Sparrows
2. Atom Egoyan’s The Adjuster

...some have screened elsewhere already — Quebec, United Kingdom — so a few have review ratings, but most have a trailer/video-clip, and all have images/links...

Pick the best of the fest!
#TOfilmfest

P.S. The Young Victoria will be the closing Gala, at the Toronto International Film Festival, on September 19th...

Canadian films & docs added to 2009 line-up

Now over 160 films at TOfilmfest.ca — with the announcement of 13 more 2009 Canadian features today — here they are, with links to their details...

• Carcasses Denis Côté
• Leslie, My Name Is Evil Reginald Harkema
• Glenn Gould: The Inner Life Peter Raymont and Michele Hozer
• Petropolis (Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands) Peter Mettler
• Reel Injun Neil Diamond
• A Gun to the Head Blaine Thurier
• Cole Carl Bessai
• Excited Bruce Sweeney
• High Life Gary Yates
• Passenger Side Matthew Bissonnette
• Suck Robert Stefaniuk
• La Donation Bernard Émond
• A Shine of Rainbows Vic Sarin
  

...about half of them have movie-trailers/video clips — a few have already been reviewed/star-rated — and most have images, and more information...

You can always see all the Canadian films at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, or browse films by...

• any country or language...
  
• look for a director, or cast member...
  
• or just look at the latest announcements...
• or the highest review-rated films so far!

— all the info you need to pick the best of the fest!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

2009 Canadian films to be announced today

The Canadian film line-up will be announced later this afternoon, at an official Toronto International Film Festival press conference.

In the meantime, Martin Knelman at the Toronto Star put together a list of some anticipated Canadian titles including:

• Atom Egoyan's Chloë, a remake of the French film Nathalie produced by Ivan Reitman,
• What's Cooking, Stella? from Don McKellar and Lisa Ray directed by Dilip Mehta (co-written by sister, Deepa Mehta), and
• Mr. Nobody starring Sarah Polley (a Belgium/Telefilm Canada co-production).

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

TOfilmfest.ca 2009 Film List is now live!

Although we have a lot more in store for the website, we've put up a complete list — all 155 films announced so far — at TOfilmfest.ca — along with...

• over 200 star-rated reviews,
• over 200 video-clips to watch, and
• another 500+ links to official sites, picture galleries, and more!

— everything you need to help you, pick the best of the fest!

More features will be added to our site before everyone has to make their picks at the end of the month — so please check back often!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Phantoms of Nabua in 2009 Future Projections

Presented as part of the 2009 Future Projections program:

• Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s 10 minute short single-channel installation Phantoms of Nabua -- a segment from his multi-platform project "Primitive"

Phantoms of Nabua was filmed in Nabua, northeastern Thailand.
It will be presented at MOCCA, according to Slate.

Jeremy Heilman of MovieMartyr has posted a review of Phantoms of Nabua, and had this to say:

"Just under eleven minutes long, but likely to tower artistically over most of this year’s full-length features..."

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (another segment) is also being presented as part of Wavelengths 4: Une Catastrophe.

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

2009 Midnight Madness line-up announced on Twitter

Before official press release was posted, all 10 films coming to the 2009 Midnight Madness program were announced by programmer Colin Geddes, on Twitter!

1. Opening Night! JENNIFER'S BODY written by diablocody (JUNO)
2. From directors of UNDEAD, the last film to play the Uptown comes DAYBREAKERS!
3. George A. Romero's new zombie film - SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD!
   Did you know he now calls Toronto home?
4. We snagged [REC] 2! Run + see the first film!
5. From the creator of Conan, SOLOMON KANE!
6. Hot Aussie Horror! Bloody prom! Director Sean Byrne's debut - THE LOVED ONES
7. Hitoshi Matsumoto dir of DAINIPPONJIN back w SYMBOL - the ultimate WTF flic!
8. Tony Jaa will crack your skull in ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING
9. BITCH SLAP! Hot blooded women fight to uncover some booty in desert!
10. Crazed French stop motion animation A TOWN CALLED PANIC!
    

Kudos to Colin Geddes for making TIFF the first major film-festival to have line-up announcements shared live via Twitter!

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest

Midnight Madness 2009 hint collection

Colin Geddes, programmer of Midnight Madness, has been dropping hints about the 2009 line-up...

Posted at Twitter.com/MmadnessTIFF :

• Here is a pic from the editing room where I saw one of the films for this years line-up

• Here is a still from the film by a 1st time dir in Midnight Madness!
  

• Here is a behind the scenes photo with the director on set from a film in this years MM!
  

• Imagine seeing THIS on the big screen at the Ryerson!!!

• The title character of this film made his debut in 1928 in Weird Tales magazine!

• Here is a photo of one of the lead characters in one of this years films! + it's a returning director!
  

• The title character of this film had his look ripped off by Hugh Jackman in VAN HELSING!
• One film in the MM line-up is a sequel that takes place 15 exactly minutes after the first one ended!
• One of the MM world premieres stars someone from Season Two of TWIN PEAKS!
• One film in this year’s MM line-up was directed by identical twins! How creepy is that?!
• Another film features femme-tastic fisticuffs that where choreographed by the subject of a doc from TIFF 2004
  
• Like last year's film THE BURROWERS, I have picked an unusual film with Cowboys, Indians and strange creatures
  
• Trying to plan project that would result in Yonge & Dundas Square being covered in blood
• I just got an email from a director in MM09 - an action packed film about demons + redemption!

Thanks to Colin for the heads-up!

The official 2009 Midnight Madness line-up will be announced later today.

Cheers,
#TOfilmfest