Oscar voters highly appreciate a good drama, but at the Toronto International Film Festival, dramas were less prominent on screen and more of an issue behind the scenes. The festival, known as a significant step towards movie awards, opened with the film "Creation" seeking a US distributor. Many films at the festival lacked distribution, including notable titles such as "Chloe" and "Dorian Gray." Due to audience preferences for escapism and comedies during the recession, distributors are focusing on those genres, leaving serious dramas struggling to secure distribution. According to industry insiders, enthusiasts of quality dramas still exist and the genre itself is not dead. They believe that the problem lies more in marketing and cost rather than creative content. Despite this, creating successful films like "No Country for Old Men" from 2007, which won an Oscar for best film, is challenging. Director Jon Amiel, known for "Creation" which depicts Charles Darwin's struggles with evolution in the 1850s, referred to "drama" as the new undesirable term in Hollywood. He mentioned that even indie distributors are not interested in purchasing movies about deceased, bald Englishmen. Many American films are not being seen by American audiences, as evidenced by the declining box office numbers. Two successful films in the art house market this summer were "The Hurt Locker," which earned $12 million, and "(500) Days of Summer," which earned roughly $29 million. According to entertainment attorney Steven Beer, dramas are considered risky in today's market due to a conservative attitude. Despite challenges in the industry, experts believe that dramas can still attract audiences and generate profits. The key lies in creating a suitable production and marketing strategy that aligns with the current state of the movie industry. Effective marketing often involves grassroots campaigns that cater to specific demographics, such as fans of science and period pieces for films like "Creation." Additionally, production costs need to be reduced to accommodate the decreasing box office revenue and DVD sales, which have been impacted by competition from other forms of entertainment. Despite the difficulties, dramas have always been and will continue to be a challenging but potentially rewarding genre in the film industry. Tom Ortenberg, president of theatrical films at The Weinstein Co., stated that in a challenging economic climate, there is a need for models to change. David Poland, an industry watcher at MovieCityNews.com, pointed out that the decrease in DVD sales has made distributors hesitant to support expensive dramas. Despite this, there is still a demand for the genre. Distributors are now more selective when considering dramas, making it difficult for another breakout film like "Slumdog" at Toronto 2009. Tom Bernard, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, noted that buyers at Toronto are now more cautious than in the past.