It seems the fighter jets scared the last of the sunshine out of the sky over the long weekend as September arrived. A different kind of orange glow will soon be illuminating the city in the form of Toronto International Film Festvial. Strangely enough at least three movies from the festival have screened over the past few weeks. Treating it’s volunteers like stars, those donating their time were treated to a taste of French Canadian super sperm in Starbuck, Brad Pitt’s Money Ball dropped to an advance audience as well as cancer comedy 50/50. This will be my third year at the festival as it turns thirty-six. I’m constantly surprised as TIFF continues to to grow & evolve with the public involvement adding such an unique attribute to an A-list film market. I stopped by to check out the remnants of the sleepy line for tickets at the festival box office on Saturday where people camped out overnight to secure a seat at the must see gala events. It’s not quite what the long weekend was designed for but a handy day addition to repay a dozing debt to the sandman.
I thought I’d flash back to 2010 with a look at Ingrid Veninger’s Modra from the festival last year before we are thrust forward in to TIFF ’11 where we will meet her new offering - i am a good person / i am a bad person. Modra really sums up what summer should be about, exploring yourself & somewhere, tasting a new landscape & glimpsing love for that first time. Lina (Hallie Switzer) leaves Toronto behind for a vacation to visit extended family in the titular Slovakian town. In a reverse Juliet action she ends a relationship from a window sill balcony before heading away with a spontaneous replacement found in Leco (Alexander Gammal). Your friends at home aren’t necessarily your friends away as their hosts assume they are boy & girlfriend to one another as they experience the fresh emotions of being seventeen, mimicked by the beauty & confusion found in the streets of Europe. Real life relatives appear in the film as a natural warmth is brought to the screen with Veninger directing her daughter & extended family. Most powerfully touching are the scenes visiting an Aunt so advanced in years but acutely wise & accurate in perceiving circumstances of the heart. It made me miss my friends, laughing & traveling from city to city. Be brave go somewhere with someone who wants to take a chance.
I’m all set to go on another more grown up journey with i am a good person / i am a bad person, taking place in Toronto, Berlin, Bradford & Paris. With a buzz growing the world premiere is on our doorstep in TIFF at the AMC Yonge Dundas Square Sat. Sept. 10th 7:15PM, followed by a second & third chance at TIFF Bell Lightbox Tues. Sept. 13th (12:30PM )& Sat. Sept. 17th (8:45PM)
Seeing how today is the start of TIFF we’ve added a contest to make the day even more exciting, enter below!
