This is it .. This is the main reason I put everything I owned in a truck and moved to Toronto. Today is the first day of the 34th Toronto International Film Festival. Aside from Oscar season, this is my favorite time of the year.
Sure, TIFF didn't accredit me for the second year in a row. I'm not bitter. I just found a way around it. The Movie Network and Movie Entertainment are treating me to some films in exchange for writing about my experiences a few times. And Exclaim! just got me rush tickets to eight press screenings. Not to mention, I've already seen six TIFF films in pre-festival screenings and I am working one last angle to maybe get into two or three more films. As it stands right now, I have seen six; I will see four more; and there is a potential for another eight already, making for a total of 18 films. That's more than I've ever seen at TIFF in my past two years coming to the festival combined and they're all free!
I've just come from exchanging my vouchers at the TIFF press office, where I was aided by the lovely Sandra Couet, conveniently right around the corner from my apartment, at the Sutton Place hotel. Here is my tentative TIFF screening list:
AGORA
Directed by Alejandro Amenabar
Starring Rachel Weisz
THE BOYS ARE BACK
Directed by Scott Hicks
Starring Clive Owen
BROKEN EMBRACES
Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Starring Penelope Cruz
CREATION
Directed by Jon Amiel
Starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly
THE DAMNED UNITED
Directed by Tom Hooper
Starring Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall
THE INFORMANT!
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring Matt Damon
LOVE AND OTHER IMPOSSIBLE PURSUITS
Directed by Don Roos
Starring Natalie Portman and Lisa Kudrow
THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
Directed by Grant Heslov
Starring George Clooney and Ewan MacGregor
PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
Directed by Lee Daniels
Starring Gabby Sidibe and Mo'Nique
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE
Directed by Rebecca Miller
Starring Robin Wright Penn and Keanu Reeves
LE REFUGE
Directed by Francois Ozon
Starring Melvil Poupaud
A SERIOUS MAN
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring Michael Stuhlbarg
A SINGLE MAN
Directed by Tom Ford
Starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore
THE UNLOVED
Directed by Samantha Morton
Starring Robert Carlyle
UP IN THE AIR
Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring George Clooney and Jason Bateman
WHIP IT
Directed by Drew Barrymore
Starring Ellen Page and Kristen Wiig
THE YOUNG VICTORIA
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee
Starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Fiend
YOUTH IN REVOLT
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Starring Michael Cera and Michael Cera
Be sure to check Black Sheep often for updates and reviews, beginning with a run down of what I've already seen later to help last minute ticket buyers see if what they're scrounging for is worth the hassle. That will be followed by Black Sheep's look at the opening film of the festival, CREATION ... if I get in to the screening that is. Wish me luck!
And if you are not following Black Sheep Reviews on Twitter, now is the time. I will be Tweeting on TIFF as often as I can figure out how to.
Finally, for those of you lucky enough to be in Toronto, have a fantastic festival!
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