Toronto – The Toronto International Film Festival® today announced the Canadian features lineup including first-time feature filmmakers Jason Buxton, Brandon Cronenberg, Igor Drljaca and Kate Melville, as well as filmmakers returning to the Festival — including Bruce Sweeney, Sarah Polley, Xavier Dolan, Michael McGowan and Bernard Émond.
“Through comedy, thrills, drama and suspense, films in the lineup present stories of youth and violence, coming of age, the environment, dysfunctional families, sex and celebrity,” said Steve Gravestock, Senior Programmer, TIFF. “From intimate, affecting stories with big impact to films with global scope, the Canadian films in this year’s Festival will move audiences.”
Some of the films announced today will be eligible for the City of Toronto + Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film — given out annually to a Canadian filmmaker — and the SKYY Vodka Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film — presented annually to a Canadian filmmaker for an impressive debut feature. The Canadian awards jury responsible for selecting this year’s winners includes producer and filmmaker Jody Shapiro, CPH PIX Festival Director Jacob Neiiendam, actor and filmmaker Valerie Buhagiar and director, writer and producer Patricia Rozema.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Antiviral Brandon Cronenberg, Canada/USA
North American Premiere
Syd March is an employee at a clinic that sells injections of live viruses harvested from sick celebrities to obsessed fans. When he becomes infected with the disease that plagues superstar Hannah Geist, he must unravel the mystery surrounding her before he suffers the same fate. Starring Caleb Landry Jones and Sarah Gadon.
Inch'Allah Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, Canada
World Premiere
Chloe is a young Canadian obstetrician working in a makeshift clinic within a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank where she treats pregnant women under the supervision of Michael, a French doctor. Facing daily checkpoints and the separation barrier, Chloe is confronted with the conflict and the people it affects. Her encounter with the war draws Chloe into an adventure that's both deeply personal and as large as the land. From the producing team behind Academy Award®-nominated Monsieur Lazhar and Incendies.
Laurence Anyways Xavier Dolan, Canada
Toronto Premiere
In the 1990s, Laurence tells his girlfriend Fred that he wants to become a woman. In spite of the odds — and in spite of each other — they confront the prejudices of their friends, ignore the counsel of their families, and brave the phobias of the society they offend. For ten years, they try to live through this transition, and embark on an epic journey which, unbeknownst to them, may cost Fred and Laurence their love. Starring Suzanne Clément and Melvil Poupaud.
Liverpool Manon Briand, Canada
Toronto Premiere
A coat check attendant in a bar decides to take an unclaimed coat back to its owner, but soon finds herself in the middle of criminal intrigue. A regular of the bar has long harboured a secret love for the attendant — enough to put his life on the line to help her. Starring Stéphanie Lapointe, Charles-Alexandre Dubé and Louis Morissette.
Rebelle Kim Nguyen, Canada
Toronto Premiere
Komona, a 14-year-old girl, tells her unborn child the story of how she became a child soldier. A tale set in Sub-Saharan Africa, Rebelleis also a love story between two young souls caught in a violent yet beautiful and magical world. Starring Rachel Mwanza (winner of Silver Bear for best actress at Berlin International Film Festival), Alain Bastien and Serge Kanyinda.
Still Michael McGowan, Canada
World Premiere
Based on true events and boasting a veteran cast, Still is a heartfelt story about an 89-year-old New Brunswicker (James Cromwell) who faces jail time when the government tries to stop him from building a more suitable house for his wife (Geneviève Bujold), whose health is beginning to fade.
Stories We Tell Sarah Polley, Canada
North American Premiere
In this inspired, genre-twisting film, Academy Award-nominated writer/director Sarah Polley discovers that the truth depends on who’s telling it. Polley is both filmmaker and detective as she investigates the secrets behind a family of storytellers. She playfully interrogates a cast of characters of varying reliability, eliciting refreshingly candid, yet mostly contradictory, answers to the same questions. As each relates their version of the family mythology, present-day recollections shift into nostalgia-tinged glimpses of a lively, fun-loving past and the shadows just beneath. Polley unravels the paradoxes to reveal the essence of family: a messy, intense and loving tangle of contradictions.
DISCOVERY
Blackbird Jason Buxton, Canada
World Premiere
An alienated teenager's online threat ignites fear in a small community, in this disturbing and perceptive look at how our media-fuelled, post-Columbine culture can transform typical teen angst into intimations of murder.
Krivina Igor Drljaca, Canada
World Premiere
Miro, an immigrant from the former Yugoslavia, lives in Toronto. He has a hard time relating to others and he never stays in one place for too long. When he finds out that his pre-war friend Dado, who has been missing for almost two decades, is now wanted for war-era crimes, his life starts to unravel. Upon hearing that Dado still visits Zljebovi, a village on the outskirts of Sarajevo, Miro embarks on a trip to Bosnia to find his friend.
Picture Day Kate Mellville, Canada
World Premiere
Forced to repeat Grade 12, Claire's reputation is sliding from bad-ass to bad joke. At night, she escapes to would-be rock star Jim (aged 33), while at school, she bonds with Henry, a nerdy freshman she used to babysit. Eventually, Claire learns the difference between sex, intimacy and friendship.
Tower Kazik Radwanski, Canada
North American Premiere
Kazik Radwinski's debut feature Tower is about a single and career-less man who lives at home with his parents in Toronto. He wanders alone in search of companionship and suddenly finds himself in an intimate relationship. Irritated by a raccoon that tears up his garbage, he sets out to catch it.
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
Camion Rafaël Ouellet, Canada
Toronto Premiere
After being involved in a road accident causing the death of a woman, truck driver Germain’s world collapses as he feels an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse. His state of mind starts to worry his younger son Samuel, who puts his own janitor job in Montreal on hold to track down his older brother, drifter Alain, in New Brunswick, hoping to head back together to their hometown to give some support to their father.
The Crimes of Mike Recket Bruce Sweeney, Canada
World Premiere
Bruce Sweeney (Last Wedding) returns to the Festival with this neo-noir police procedural — set against the backdrop of economic hard times — about a failed real estate agent (Nicholas Lea) whose recent attempt to turn things around makes him a suspect in a criminal investigation.
Home Again Sudz Sutherland, Canada
World Premiere
Home Again is about three adults raised “foreign” (in the USA, United Kingdom and Canada) from childhood and deported back to their birth country, Jamaica. Back “home” each discovers a different Jamaica from the paradise in vacation ads. We follow these three deportees on a journey for survival that surprisingly is filled with hope.
My Awkward Sexual Adventure Sean Garrity, Canada
World Premiere
To win back his unsatisfied ex-girlfriend, conservative accountant Jordan Abrams enlists the help of Julia — an uninhibited exotic dancer — to guide him on a quest for sexual experience, leading him into a world of strip clubs, sensual massage parlours, crossdressing and S & M.
The Lesser Blessed Anita Doron, Canada
World Premiere
The Lesser Blessed is a powerful coming-of-age story about Larry, a Native teenager balancing his romantic heart with a dark past that threatens to unravel his life.
VANGUARD
I Declare War Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson, Canada
World Premiere
A group of friends play an innocent game of capture the flag in the neighbourhood woods, arming themselves with nothing more than sticks, their imagination and a simple set of rules. One afternoon, the game takes on a more serious tone and the quest for victory pushes the boundaries of friendship, giving the would-be warriors a glimpse of the darker side of human nature.
MASTERS
Tout ce que tu possèdes (All That You Possess) Bernard Émond, Canada
World Premiere
A disgruntled academic refuses a substantial inheritance because the fortune was amassed dishonestly. Soon after, he is reunited with his teenage daughter whose mother he had abandoned when she was pregnant. From the filmmaker responsible for La donation and La neuvaine.
Previously announced in the Masters programme: Peter Mettler’s The End of Time.
TIFF DOCS
Revolution Rob Stewart, Canada
World Premiere
The much anticipated follow-up film from the filmmakers of internationally acclaimed, box office hit Sharkwater, Revolution follows Rob Stewart on an adventure from photographer/filmmaker to environmental activist trying to change the world. Stewart faces danger, conflict and drama in his struggle to find the key to empowering the conservation movement so it can affect change on a global scale.
Canadian films previously announced in the TIFF Docs programme include: Simon Ennis’ Lunarcy!, Jamie Kastner’s The Secret Disco Revolution and Barry Avrich’s Show Stopper: The Theatrical Life of Garth Drabinksy.
Previously announced Canadian features include: Denis Côté’s Bestiaire (Wavelengths), Ruba Nadda’s Inescapable (Gala) and Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children (Gala). The Festival offers the TIFF Choice 5-screening Canadian Pack including features and shorts ($80 for adult, $68 student and senior).
Purchase Festival ticket packages online 24 hours a day at tiff.net/festival, by phone Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET at 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433, or visit the box office in person from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The 37th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 6 to 16, 2012.
100 MUSICIANS, A DANCING COP AND A FRENCH SURREALIST TAKE THE
FESTIVAL’S SHORT CUTS CANADA PROGRAMME TO A NEW LEVEL
The Toronto International Film Festival® is set to present 44 world-class Canadian short films in this year’s Short Cuts Canada programme. With a lineup as diverse in themes and cultures as the country itself, six engaging programmes will represent the styles of both accomplished and emerging directors from across Canada. From strong social statements to deadpan humour, Short Cuts Canada programmers Alex Rogalski and Magali Simard received nearly 700 entries — the most submissions to date for the programme — indicating steady growth in film talent in Canada.
“Programming Short Cuts Canada is more and more challenging each year because of the level to which Canadian filmmakers are elevating the quality of short films,” said Simard. “It is a very exciting time for us as programmers, and the future never looked brighter for Canadian shorts.”
“Films in this year’s programme have global reach and will appeal to audiences worldwide,” said Rogalski. “This year’s films are short in length, but long on impression.”
Films in the Short Cuts Canada programme are eligible for the Award for Best Canadian Short Film. This year's jury includes journalist and author Matthew Hays, journalist Katrina Onstad and filmmaker Reginald Harkema.
100 Musicians Charles Officer, ON, 8’
World Premiere
100 Musicians is a sensual and intimate film. It is a hazy summer night in Kensington market. Sydney and June are in bed, in the afterglow of making love. The tender moment slowly culminates into a social/political quarrel over what they hear on the radio.
A Pretty Funny Story Evan Morgan, ON, 19’
World Premiere
Bored family-man Rick witnesses a neighbour’s embarrassing act and is eager to report the story back to his office chums. The neighbour though, shamed and maniacal, proceeds to threaten and take action against his bully.
American Sisyphus Frieda Luk, ON, 7’
World Premiere
The modern-day Sisyphean sentence is represented here as punishment for gluttony when a dysfunctional family meets over Sunday brunch. A well-designed commentary on an overindulgent society, American Sisyphus addresses a culture’s insatiable consumption.
Asian Gangs Lewis Bennett and Calum MacLeod, ON, 9’
In 1994, Grade 5 student Lewis Bennett got into a schoolyard fight, resulting in a stern warning from his principal “Change your ways, or you’ll end up in an Asian gang.” Seventeen years later, Bennett (still Caucasian) revisits his past to determine if he took a wrong turn along the way.
Aubade (L’Aubade) Carla Susanto, ON, 2’
World Premiere
Engravings from century-old medical textbooks become an animated backdrop to a man’s loving goodbye during his final moments. The fleeting flicker of the monochromatic images resonates with the narrator’s quickening journey as he transitions from one world to another.
Bardo Light Connor Gaston, BC, 11’
World Premiere
Accused of killing his father, a young man claims the television set was the offender. Referring to the yellow light of the hungry ghosts — the light we cannot resist — Bardo Light takes inspiration from the Tibetan Book of the Dead to create the ethereal tale of a modern creation linking all species to another, transcendent world.
Barefoot Danis Goulet, ON, 11’
World Premiere
This coming-of-age tale follows 16-year-old Alyssa, a young Cree girl whose plans to be a mom are challenged by reality. Assured direction and keen insight deliver a powerful depiction of the pressures youth face in isolated communities and their attempts to take control of their lives.
Broken Heart Syndrome Dusty Mancinelli, ON, 16’
World Premiere
After being dumped by his girlfriend while making love, Russ is diagnosed with a rare disease known as BHS (Broken Heart Syndrome). His romance mocked at by a world that never comes to the rescue, Russ needs to find a cure.
Bydlo Patrick Bouchard, QC, 9’
Toronto Premiere
Inspired by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Bydlo is a staggering visual rendering of the lumbering wooden Polish ox-cart picture. Technically complex (Bouchard animates plasteline) and artistically fiery, Bydlo depicts the cycles of life, the power of man and beast, and both the beauty and horror of labour.
CanoeJacked Jonathan Williams, ON, 6’
World Premiere
Two prisoners escape through the woods while being chased by a policeman. They’re in luck: a canoe is left by the waterside, but its owner, a nudist, wants it back. With no plan — and bullets flying in their direction — the trio must find a way out of what they’ve started.
Crackin’ Down Hard Mike Clattenburg, NS, 10’
World Premiere
Pimpin’ ain’t easy. Nowhere is this more true than in the middle of the desert where a young man looking for some meditation and solitary hiking is confronted with a proposition that might be just too hard to resist. Mike Clattenburg’s irreverent sense of humour is showcased in this cautionary and ludicrously funny tale about succumbing to primal urges and the power of suggestion.
The Dancing Cop Kelvin Redvers, BC, 7’
World Premiere
A musical satire tackling the politics of native people in urban centres, The Dancing Cop defies typical social commentary by mirroring the bubbling civic tension between citizens and the powers at play. When a man is wrongly accused of theft and cornered by an overly zealous cop, the latter performs a frighteningly cheery song and dance.
Dear Scavengers Aaron Phelan, ON, 9’
World Premiere
A no-nonsense used-appliance shop owner is forced to contend with a phalanx of tween girls entering his store during a summer camp scavenger hunt. Hrant Alianak’s performance as the anti-social proprietor Hector hits deadpan comedic perfection in this urban tale about generation gaps and bargain-priced stoves.
Frost Jeremy Ball, ON, 13’
World Premiere
An epic sci-fi thriller, Frost follows Nava, a young arctic hunter determined to prove her skills by embarking on a dangerous search for scarce food. At the edge of the known territory, she makes a discovery that will call for her to win the battle in a new world.
The Genius from Quintino Johnny Ma, ON, 14’
North American Premiere
Ricardo is a mechanic in a poor suburb near Rio de Janeiro. Known by locals for his uncanny ability to fix anything, his reputation brings a curious young boy with a broken toy to his doorstep. Confronted by a past he doesn’t remember and a child looking for more than a mechanic, Ricardo realizes there may be limits to what he can repair.
Herd Leader (Chef de meute) Chloe Robichaud, QC, 13’
Canadian Premiere
Clara leads a solitary life, much to the chagrin of her meddling family. Her spinster aunt’s untimely passing leads to Clara’s inheritance of a disobedient pug. Learning to live with man’s best friend might teach her a few new tricks.
H’Mong Sisters Jeff Wong, BC, 14’
World Premiere
Teenage sisters living in the mountainous villages of Vietnam take a western backpacker into their care. Their informal relationship exposes its complexities, as they guide him through a traditional way of life that has been threatened and transformed by economic and colonial forces.
Horrible Things (Les choses horrible) Vincent Biron, QC, 12’
World Premiere
Nothing says “I’m sorry” like a thoughtful present. But for Dede, Carole and Steve, their attempts to make amends and assuage their guilt with gift-giving fall comically short. Winner of the Award for Best Canadian Short Film at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, Vincent Biron blends three thematically linked stories with a keen eye for dark comedy and sympathy for deeply flawed characters.
How to be Deadly Nik Sexton, ON, 16’
North American Premiere
Donnie Dumphy is vulgar, harmless, a hoser, an underdog and a loyal friend; but he’s also broken-hearted. On the eve of St. John’s biggest dirt bike competition of the year, he will live a thousand lives.
I’m Beginning to Miss You Sakay Ottawa, ON, 3’
Toronto Premiere
When Pinaskin Ottawa disappeared from Manawan, Quebec, no one saw him leave. His brother struggles to not lose hope; looking for clues and continuing his search. Stark images of a winter landscape scattered with fragments of human existence emphasize this poetic and chilling tale of loss.
Apart Theodore Ushev, QC, 4’
World Premiere
Poetic and political, Theodore Ushev’s latest animated work cultivates his incredible talent to call for the liberation of imprisoned Iranian filmmakers and to focus attention on the plight of Jafar Panahi. Drawing inspiration from raw footage of the Green Wave uprising to compose densely layered rotoscoped images embedded with Farsi text, the result is a powerful piece of activism that is both personal and profound.
Keep a Modest Head (Ne crâne pas sois modeste) Deco Dawson, MB, 20’
World Premiere
Jean Benoît, the last official member of the French Surrealist group, receives Deco Dawson’s signature visual treatment in this biography that fantastically illustrates Benoît’s formative (and highly sexual) childhood memories. Mixing interviews recorded in Benoît’s Parisian studio with surrealist inspired reenactments, Dawson deconstructs documentary conventions to fittingly eulogize a formidable artist.
Let the Daylight into the Swamp Jeffrey St. Jules, ON, 35’
World Premiere
The St. Judes origins in the lumber camps of northern Ontario lead to a splintered family and a spotted history filled with questions and half answers. With a mix of animation, re-enactments and archival evidence, Jeffrey St. Jules assembles a three-part 3-D documentary collage that explores the consequences of parents who make the difficult decision to give up their children.
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me Stephen Dunn, ON, 14’
World Premiere
Teenage life for Esther Weary includes her well-intentioned grandpa, friends that suck, and a birthday that couldn’t be more depressing if it tried. She’s insecure about her nose, and puberty makes her think she’s dying. Sharp writing and standout performances by Jade Aspros and Gordon Pinsent highlight this modern coming-of-age comedy.
Lingo Bahar Noorizadeh, BC, 13’
World Premiere
A boy mistakenly starts a fire in a residential neighbourhood. His mother, an Afghan immigrant to Canada, is interrogated by the police. Protective of her son and hindered by a language barrier, she has trouble explaining with certainty what happened.
Lost In Motion Ben Shirinian, ON, 2.5’
A dancer freed from costumes, sets and possibly the laws of gravity takes flight in a solo performance, soaring through the air with grace and power. Choreographed and performed by Guillaume Côté, principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, every pirouette and jeté showcases his talent in a way that audiences have never seen.
Malody Philip Barker, ON, 12’
North American Premiere
As a young infirm woman sits at a quiet diner counter, her surroundings become increasingly unstable. The ensuing chaos of her world literally turning upside down triggers an ominous sequence of events.
Model Dylan Reibling, ON, 4’
Part two of Dylan Reibling's Dead Media trilogy, Model is a playful and ultra-designed look at the threat of obsoletion of a meticulous human workforce.
The Near Future (Le futur proche) Sophie Goyette, QC, 18’
Toronto Premiere
Ethereal aerial images of suburban sprawl, expressways and floating horizons frame this impressionistic portrait of Robin, a pilot who finds solace in his daily routines in order to delay the pain of recent news from his family overseas.
Nostradamos Maxence Bradley, QC, 9’
Toronto Premiere
Playing between the lines of documentary and fiction, Nostradamos follows citizens preparing for the end of the world. The city of Amos, Québec stands as the safest place to survive. Made in 72 hours, Nostradamos is a riveting portrait on the variances of human reactions to potential environmental catastrophes.
Old Growth Tess Girard, ON, 5’
World Premiere
In the frigid isolation of winter, an elderly man braves the elements to hew his cord with nothing but an axe and a wheelbarrow. What first appears as a landscape study soon becomes an elegy for nature’s sacrifice to fuel man’s existence.
The Pool Date Patrick Sisam, ON, 7’
World Premiere
Straight, white and Canadian, Nigel (Mike Beaver) is on a sunny vacation in South America. Hanging by a pool surrounded by sexy young people, his physique clashes — but Nigel remains unfazed. When Rio takes his chair (and possibly his cocktail), he is determined to get it back. A quiet territorial battle opens questions of sexual desire and invitation.
Reflexions Martin Thibaudeau, QC, 5’
World Premiere
A graveside funeral service sets the scene for what becomes an increasingly disturbing and fascinating piece of storytelling where looking beyond the surface of things reveals the deceased’s life before death.
Safe Room Elizabeth Lazebnik, ON, 11’
World Premiere
This semi-autobiographical film is about a young woman living in Canada who remembers her experiences of sitting in the safe room with her family in Israel during the Gulf War.
Shit Girls Say Graydon Sheppard and Kyle Humphrey, ON, 2’
World Premiere
Toronto actors, filmmakers and internet phenomenons Graydon Sheppard and Kyle Humphrey premiere their new Shit Girls Say episode on the big screen. Their original film-turned-YouTube sensation produced an onslaught of playful gender and/or culturally specific behaviour “Shit (insert gender+culture) Say” videos from all corners of the world and web.
Struggle (Faillir) Sophie Dupuis, QC, 24’
World Premiere
As Ariane prepares to leave Val-d'Or — and everything else — behind for the big city, her attempts to say goodbye to her brother are complicated by the ever present sexual tension that exists between them.
Sullivan’s Applicant Jeanne Leblanc, QC, 11’
North American Premiere
On her way to a job interview in downtown Montreal, Lucy is bogged down by clogged cars, a nagging mother and a potential life crisis. Yet, amidst the oppressive traffic and pushy city pulse, she makes a connection with a perfect stranger.
The Tape Matt Austin, ON, 5’
World Premiere
When a Toronto man (Julian Richings) digs through his attic for a VHS, he encounters a 21st century problem: how does he play it? If technology is quickly discarded and upgraded, a memory cannot be allowed to get the same treatment.
Their Feast (Waleematehom) Reem Morsi, BC, 20’
World Premiere
Following the Egyptian revolution of 2011, a mother and her children prepare a celebratory meal for the return of the eldest son who is being released from a National Security prison.
Tuesday Fantavious Fritz, ON, 14’
World Premiere
Inspired by a hypothetical grown-up version of Holden Caulfield’s little sister Phoebe, Fantavious Fritz creates a character who is relatable and endearing, while embracing the awkward, irresponsible and defining moments of being a 20-something.
Vive la Canadienne Joe Cobden, QC, 4’
World Premiere
A lovely afternoon stroll in the park becomes a dynamic dancing duel of quick steps and high kicks between burly men and a joyful mademoiselle. With nary a word, and channeling Buster Keaton’s cinematic style, Joe Cobden brings a modern perspective to a classic Canadian folk chanson.
When You Sleep Ashley McKenzie, NS, 12’
World Premiere
An unwanted pregnancy is holding together an unstable teen couple. When You Sleep is an assured, fearless account of youth heading straight for a life where they feel trapped.
With Jeff (Avec Jeff, à moto) Marie-Eve Juste, QC, 14’
North American Premiere
Nyduia is a Haitian Montreal teenager who spends her time going to school, hip-hop dancing, tending to the house and secretly reading poetry. Wanting to shake up her life, she accepts a date invitation from Jeff, a notorious player.
The Worst Day Ever Sophie Jarvis, BC, 11’
World Premiere
Bernard can't quite seem to get it right today. Although he tries his hardest, he never fails to disappoint those around him — causing accidents left, right and centre.
The Festival offers the TIFF Choice 5-screening Canadian Pack including features and shorts ($80 for adult, $68 student and senior). Purchase Festival ticket packages online 24 hours a day at tiff.net/festival, by phone Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET at 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433, or visit the box office in person from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The 37th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 6 to 16, 2012.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WELCOMES THE 2012 PARTICIPANTS OF TALENT LAB, TELEFILM CANADA PITCH THIS! AND PRODUCERS LAB TORONTO
The Toronto International Film Festival® continues to support and champion Canada’s film industry with the return of its highly-revered industry programmes, revealing participants for the 2012 editions of Talent Lab, Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS!, and Producers Lab Toronto. A comprehensive four-day artistic development programme, Talent Lab returns for its ninth year and offers emerging talent the opportunity to learn from the world's best film artists, including two of this year’s governors Jennifer Baichwal and Stephen Woolley. In its 13th year, Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! brings back the competition that gives six teams six minutes each to pitch their dramatic or documentary feature film idea to a jury in front of a live audience with over 200 industry professionals. Created in partnership with European Film Promotion (EFP) and in collaboration with the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), Producers Lab Toronto unites 12 Canadian and 12 European producers for an initiative that galvanizes international co-productions between Europe and Canada.
TALENT LAB
Led by four esteemed governors, Talent Lab guides 25 emerging filmmakers in group discussions focusing on creativity, the artistic process and independent voices. Guests include some of the most famous names in film in attendance at the Festival. Two of this year's governors, who will mentor the participants, include producer Stephen Woolley (Great Expectations, The Crying Game, Interview with a Vampire) and documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal (Manufactured Landscapes, Act of God). Additional governors will be announced in the coming weeks. Talent Lab runs from September 5 to 8.
The 2012 Talent Lab participants are: Aliocha Allard, Deron Albright, Tony Asimakopoulos, Rafael Balulu, Cliff Caines, Simone Rapisarda Casanova, Dane Clark, Heather Dahlstrom, Stuart Elliott, Kevan Funk, Sophie Goyette, Katherine Hazen, Mako Kamitsuna, Sarah Kolasky, Lindsay MacKay, Philipp Mayrhofer, Ashley McKenzie, Chelsea McMullan, Dan Popa, Christoph Rainer, Clarissa Rebouças, Storm Saulter, Ryan Silbert, Manjeet Singh and Jovanka Vuckovic.
Twelve Talent Lab Alumni and three Talent Lab 2012 participants have directed or produced films in the Festival’s Official 2012 Selection:
Alumni
Jonas Chernick — writer, producer and actor — My Awkward Sexual Adventure (Contemporary World Cinema)
Ingrid Veninger — producer — The End of Time (Masters)
Charles Officer — director — 100 Musicians (Short Cuts Canada)
Danis Goulet — director — Barefoot (Short Cuts Canada)
Johnny Ma — director — Genius from Quintino (Short Cuts Canada)
Deco Dawson — director and producer — Keep a Modest Head (Ne crâne pas sois modeste) (Short Cuts Canada)
Catherine Chagnon — producer — Keep a Modest Head (Ne crâne pas sois modeste) (Short Cuts Canada)
Elizabeth Lazebnik — director and producer — Safe Room (Short Cuts Canada)
Jeffrey St. Jules — director — St. Judes (Short Cuts Canada)
Stephen Dunn — director — Life Doesn’t Frighten Me (Short Cuts Canada)
Tess Girard — director and producer — Old Growth (Short Cuts Canada)
Jared Raab — producer — A Pretty Funny Story (Short Cuts Canada)2012 Participants
Manjeet Singh — director and producer — Mumbai’s King (City to City)
Sophie Goyette — director and producer — The Near Future (Le futur proche) (Short Cuts Canada)
Ashley Mackenzie — director — When You Sleep (Short Cuts Canada)
TELEFILM CANADA PITCH THIS!
Hosted by MTV Canada star and actor Dan Levy, Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! takes place on Tuesday, September 11 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. A jury of international industry experts will award the winning team $10,000 from Telefilm Canada to further develop their project.
The 2012 Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! finalists are:
Body Mila Aung‐Thwin and Halima Ouardiri
Clever and passionate, Nico is a young student looking for a summer job. When her brother asks her to fill in at his security company, her life begins to change — she’s agreed to become the bodyguard of Manal, a Saudi princess on vacation in Geneva.
Delirium B Karolina Lewicka and Jon Gustafsson
An arrogant young theatre director gets his first break when he is hired to direct a musical comedy for an amateur theatre group in a small and remote town. The show is a disaster from day one — when the lamb-bearing season causes him to lose his best actors.
Doubles with Slight Pepper Ian Harnarine
In rural Trinidad, Dhani struggles to support himself and his mother by selling doubles (Trinidad’s quintessential street food). Unexpectedly, his estranged father arrives from Canada and convinces Dhani to return with him. In Toronto, Dhani must decide if he will help save his father’s life — despite their strained relationship.
Ivan & Evelyn Sol Friedman
After disembarking from Noah's Ark, two unlikely friends — a bear and a cat — set off on an epic and dangerous adventure through the devastated ruins of old New York, in search of the great Oracle and a better life.
Unwanted Ed Barreveld and Rama Rau
Unwanted looks at cultures that, in the pursuit of sons, purposely practice female feticide and pressure women to bear male offspring, and the threat this poses to society and the human species.
The WBI Annie Bradley, Daniela Saioni, Marilla Wex and Nikki Payne
Emily's a doormat until she notices her fiancé is screwing four other women. When her feeble smack-down devolves into a mash-up of bonding and debauchery, a website to expose cheaters is born: The WBI (Women's Bureau of Information). But when the joke goes viral, will five implausible web titans survive a fox in the henhouse?
PRODUCERS LAB TORONTO
Running September 5 to 8, Producers Lab Toronto takes advantage of the global film industry presence in the city during the Festival to create a platform for the promotion of Producers Lab participants and their projects. Through pitching sessions, roundtable meetings and case studies, 12 European producers and their 12 Canadian counterparts will grow relationships, exchange ideas and discuss concrete co-production opportunities between the two regions.
Producers Lab Toronto is a Canada-Europe co-production and forum delivered through a partnership between the OMDC, EFP and Toronto International Film Festival. Financial support for Producers Lab Toronto is provided by the new European Union MEDIA Mundus programme.
2012 selected producers are:
European
Nicole Gerhards, NiKo Film (Germany)
Tine Grew Pfeiffer, Alphaville Pictures Copenhagen (Denmark)
Peter Hiltunen, Illusion Film & Television (Sweden)
Macdara Kelleher, Fastnet Films (Ireland)
Arnar Knútsson, Filmus Productions (Iceland)
Isona Passola, Massa D'Or Produccions (Spain)
Donato Rotunno, Tarantula Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
Ada Solomon, HiFilm Productions (Romania)
Yorgos Tsourgiannis, Horse Fly Productions (Greece)
Els Vandevorst, N279 Entertainment (The Netherlands)
Fernando Vendrell, david & golias (Portugal)
Dan Wechsler, Bord Cadre films (Switzerland)
Canadian
Daniel Bekerman, Scythia Films
Aisling Chin-Yee, Prospector Films
Svet Doytchinov, Yantra Films
Patricia Fogliato, Enigmatico Films
Lauren Grant, Clique Pictures
Yanick Letourneau, Peripheria Productions
April Mullen, WANGO Films
Anita K. Sharma, Studio Entertatinment
Sarah Timmins, Corvid Pictures
Stephen Traynor, The Film Farm
Rajvinder Uppal, At The End Of The Day Productions
Rayne Zukerman, Zazie Films
FOUR RISING STARS SHINE BRIGHT AT TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
In its ongoing commitment to the development of emerging talent in the Canadian film industry, the Toronto International Film Festival® announced today the four actors selected to participate in this year’s TIFF Rising Stars programme. Now in its second year, the programme immerses four participants in a series of public events and industry meetings during the Festival. This year’s rising stars, Charlie Carrick, Connor Jessup, Tatiana Maslany, and Charlotte Sullivan, will receive intensive professional development with international casting directors, filmmakers, producers and development executives.
“Canada continues to produce top-notch on-screen talent, and we’re proud to offer these four actors an international platform during the Festival,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival. “We are grateful for the support of our longtime public partner in Telefilm Canada, as well as the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and the Canadian Film Centre for having joined forces with us on such an important initiative.”
The Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and the Canadian Film Centre partnered with TIFF on the Rising Stars programme and assisted in the selection process. Jury members included filmmakers Clement Vigo and Michael McGowan; casting director Deirdre Bowen; Executive in Charge of Music & Acting Talent at the CFC, Larissa Giroux; along with Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Charlie Carrick is a British Canadian actor from Newcastle, England. His television credits include recurring roles on V and Tower Prep, as well as guest starring appearances on Flashpoint, Supernatural, Sanctuary and Psych. On stage, Charlie starred in the Canadian premiere of The History Boys at The Arts Club in Vancouver, and returned to the same company to play Jacob Mercer in Salt-Water Moon. Charlie was a 2011 resident of the Canadian Film Centre’s Actors Conservatory. He has recently completed a starring role in Molly Maxwell, directed by Sara St. Onge. Charlie will next be seen in a recurring guest arc on Showtime’s The Borgias.
Connor Jessup is best known for his critically acclaimed performance as Ben Mason in Steven Spielberg’s Falling Skies. Jessup stars in the independent film and Festival 2012 selection Blackbird as Sean Randall: an angry and troubled teenager who finds himself in juvenile detention after being accused and arrested for a crime that he did not commit — forever reshaping his life. Connor is the executive producer of the independent film Amy George, which played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. He also wrote, produced and directed the shorts Something and I Don’t Hurt Anymore!, and wrote and directed the play Pushing Normal — which won an Award of Distinction at the 2010 Sears Drama Festival. Connor is also known for his leading role in the Discovery Kids/TVO series The Saddle Club, in which he played thirteen-year-old computer geek Simon Atherton.
Tatiana Maslany, a Regina-born actor, has amassed an impressive résumé in both film and television. Tatiana won the World Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Breakout Performance at Sundance 2010 for her role — which also garnered a Genie Award nomination — in Grown Up Movie Star. Her recent feature credits include the starring role in Picture Day directed by Kate Melville which will debut at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival; The Vow opposite Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum; Geoffrey Fletcher’s directorial debut Violet and Daisy (opposite Saoirse Ronan and Alexis Bledel), which premiered during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival; and The Entitled with Ray Liotta, Victor Garber and Kevin Zegers. Some of Tatiana’s television credits include the Tandem/Scott Free Production World Without End; her Gemini-nominated performance in the BBC/CBC co-production Nativity; Certain Prey for USA network; as well as Gemini Award-winning performances on Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures for TMN and Flashpoint for CBS and CTV.
Charlotte Sullivan was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She is a Genie Award-nominated actress, who has most notably played Marilyn Monroe in the controversial, Emmy Award-winning series The Kennedys, staring Academy Award®-nominee Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes. She played opposite Academy Award-winner Kathy Bates in the sci-fi miniseries Alice and Academy Awardwinner Peter O’Toole in the film Iron Road. Charlotte’s other film credits include Defendor, staring Academy Award-nominee Woody Harrelson; Smallville; and Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster, which won for Best Canadian First Feature during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. She is currently playing police officer Gail Peck in the third season of the ABC hit series Rookie Blue.
The 37th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 6 to 16, 2012.
Purchase Festival ticket packages online 24 hours a day at tiff.net/festival, by phone Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm ET at 416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433, or by visiting the box office in person from 10am to 10pm ET at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $170 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.
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