32nd annual film festival held in Toronto, Canada
The 2007 Toronto International Film Festival was a 32nd annual film festival held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It ran from September 6, 2007 to September 15, 2007. The lineup consisted of 349 films from 55 countries, selected from 4156 submissions. The selection included 275 mid- to feature-length films, of which 234 were premieres, with 71 by first-time directors.
The festival was attended by members of the industry, press and general public. It opened with the world premiere of Jeremy Podeswa's "Fugitive Pieces", a film based on the international bestselling novel by Anne Michaels, and closed with Paolo Barzman's "Emotional Arithmetic".
Film reception.
Critical favourites included "No Country for Old Men", "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" which were equally well received at the Cannes Film Festival, plus the Joy Division biopic "Control" which, along with the eponymously titled documentary on the band, "Joy Division", was picked up by The Weinstein Company. Peter Howell of the Toronto Star named Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" a major Oscar contender. The audience favourite, David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises", won the top prize at the festival. The New York Times pointed out that two previous winners had gone on to win Best Picture Oscars.
Highly discussed but divisive films among the public and critics include comedies "Juno" and "Margot at the Wedding", the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" and Brian De Palma's Iraq War documentary "Redacted". Films expected to stir controversy for their transgressive sexual content, such as Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution", Alan Ball's "Nothing Is Private" and Martin Gero's "Young People Fucking", did divide audiences but without fanfare. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Across the Universe both won their share of supporters despite previous reports of shooting delays and director-studio clashes.
Awards.
In addition, film director and historian Peter Bogdanovich was awarded the International Federation of Film Archives Award for his contribution towards film preservation. The award was presented at a screening of Jean Renoir's "Grand Illusion" (1937) which Bogdanovich selected to illustrate the importance of film restoration.
Programmes.
Canada First!
The Canada First! programme features first or second time Canadian film directors and established Canadian filmmakers who have not previously appeared in the festival. Eight films were selected to appear in the festival. Stéphane Lafleur's directorial debut "Continental, a Film Without Guns" won the Citytv Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film and a CDN$15 000 bursary.
Canadian Open Vault.
The Canadian Open Vault programme features a recently restored and iconic Canadian film. Quebec-based filmmaker Francis Mankiewicz's "Good Riddance" was selected. The film has previously won eight Genie Awards and appeared on every Canada's Ten Best film survey.
Canadian Retrospective.
The Canadian Retrospective programme features a section of films representing an aspect of the history of Canadian cinema. It was the seventh year the festival has held the retrospective. Influential Québécois filmmaker Michel Brault was spotlighted through nine films he directed or shot. He has been credited for his visual style and creating some of the most important films to come from Quebec. In conjunction, the Toronto International Film Festival Group published a book on Brault, "Cinema as History: Michel Brault and Modern Quebec" by Andre Loiselle.
Contemporary World Cinema.
The Contemporary World Cinema programme features films from around the world. It included premieres and prize-winning films from other festivals. Sixty-two films were selected, including eight from Canada.
Dialogues: Talking With Pictures.
The Dialogues: Talking With Pictures series features a selection of classic films which are chosen and introduced by well-known directors or artists who have found a given film influential or pivotal throughout the course of their own career. Eight films were selected between nine filmmakers and artists.
Discovery.
The Discovery programme features the work of new film directors from around the world. Fourteen films were selected. Israel Cárdenas and Laura Amelia Guzmán's feature debut "Cochochi" won the DIESEL Discovery Award and a CDN$10 000 bursary. The International Federation of Film Critics returned to the festival for the 16th year and awarded Rodrigo Plá's "La Zona" the FIPRESCI Prize.
Doc Talks.
The Doc Talk series features discussions with various documentary filmmakers on topics such as the future of the medium and their work and its subject matter. Clips from their new and upcoming documentaries are screened. The series was opened to the public for the first time. Topics included biography films, Michel Brault, war and democracy.
Future Projections.
The Future Projections programme features non-theatrical installations in various mediums. This marked the programme's inaugural run. Nine installations were curated by the Toronto International Film Festival Group and other Torontonian cultural institutions. Admission was free for all exhibitions, with the exception of the exhibit at the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery which was free only to Festival passholders.
Gala Presentations.
Gala Presentations spotlights prestige films of Canadian, American and foreign-language origins in equal measure. They are often world or North American premieres and are screened at the Roy Thomson Hall. Twenty films were selected. David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" received the Cadillac People's Choice Award.
Masters.
The Masters programme features films by world-renowned filmmakers. Twenty films were selected.
Mavericks.
Mavericks features discussions with film industry and other professionals. Four events were held on a variety of socio-political topics. Former President of the United States Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter discussed their activist work after his presidential term. Comedians Bill Maher and Larry Charles tackled religion. Mira Nair brought together three other Indian filmmakers who covered HIV/AIDS and screened four new short films on the subject. Finally, the conflict in Sudan was discussed by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, and a panel of filmmakers.
Canada's Top Ten.
TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list, its national critics and festival programmers poll of the ten best feature and short films of the year, was released in December 2007. For the first time, separate lists of feature and short films were announced.
References.
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