The 2011 TIFF Season Has Begun

The first important press release of the year was issued back in May, when TIFF announced they will be adding a new venue: the Princess of Wales Theatre at 300 King Street West. TIFF will be "outfitting the Princess of Wales Theatre with a state-of-the-art projection and audio system for both film and digital cinema. We’ll be equipping the venue with the ability to play 35mm, DCP and HDCAM formats." It will be used for red carpet events during the first half of the fest.

But, to me, the TIFF season officially began yesterday yesterday:

Continuing its move southward, TIFF will open a new box office at Metro Hall (225 King Street West) and will no longer hold screenings at the Varsity. (Buy a 40 and pour some out, won't you?) It looks like all of the other venues will be the same as last year, with the Scotiabank again primarily hosting press and industry screenings. I'm glad to see Jackman Hall on the list and am hoping that means Wavelengths will be back there again.


TICKET PACKAGES
There are a few new "please help us fill all those empty seats" ticket packages:

TIFF CHOICE 5-Film Sampler Pack
Selected by TIFF programmers, this new package allows film lovers to experience films from a variety of Festival programmes.

MY CHOICE 20-Film Daytime
Enjoy 20 regular screenings beginning before 5:01 p.m.

Back Half Pack
Festival-goers can save 50 percent off the regular ticket price when they purchase this new 5-ticket pack, valid September 13 through to the end of the Festival.

And it looks like the old student discount has been reclassified for "film lovers 25 and under." Because those filthy-loaded grad students are always working the system.

IMPORTANT DATES

June 20:
TIFF Members can purchase ticket packages using Visa.

July 4:
Visa cardholders can order ticket packages online as of 10 a.m. ET. Visa Screening Room packages on sale.

Beginning July 11:
Ticket packages on sale for Visa, cash and debit purchases as of 10 a.m. ET.

August 23:
Festival Box Office at 225 King St. West opens. The Programme Book, Official Film Schedule and Advance Order Book, for selecting films within My Choice Packs, are available only at the Festival Box Office. The Film Schedule is available online at tiff.net/festival.

Aug 25 to 29:
Single tickets on sale to TIFF Members (based on giving levels).

August 29:
Completed Advance Order Books for My Choice Packs are due by 7 p.m. ET at the Festival Box Office for entry into the Advance Order Draw.

Beginning September 2:
Ticket package pick up and exchange begins.

Beginning September 3:
Single tickets à la carte are available for purchase beginning at 7 a.m. ET from the Festival Box Office, by phone at 416-599-TIFF or 1-888-599-8433, and online at tiff.net/festival (subject to availability).

September 8 to 18:
36th Toronto International Film Festival

Future Projections (2010)

According to a TIFF press release, the Future Projections program has been folded into their "Essential Cinema" exhibit, which will feature four newly-commissioned films, an exhibition, and eleven moving image projects. I'm doing my best to not be cynical about this, but it's hard when the Essential Cinema Top 100 list includes Amelie, Star Wars, Slumdog Millionaire, and Life is Beautiful. The good news is that the Future Projections lineup does include a few films I'm curious to see, including work by Egoyan, Maddin, Michael Snow, Martin Arnold, and Douglas Gordon.

Essential Cinema Exhibition

The Essential Cinema exhibition, which will be located in the TIFF Bell Lightbox, is a collection of "iconic costumes, film stills, posters, music samples and film clips, the exhibition charts these works – all 100 of them – that have played such a key role in defining film culture for more than a century."

Commissioned Films

• 8½ Screens -- Atom Egoyan
• E-100 -- James Andean and François Xavier Saint-Pierre
• Essential Titles -- Barr Gilmore
• Hauntings I and II -- Guy Maddin

Future Projections

• 24 Hour Psycho Back and Forth and To and Fro (2008) -- Douglas Gordon
• Heavenhell (2009) -- Chris Chong Chan Fui + Yasuhiro Morinaga
• In Love for the Mood (2009) -- Ming Wong
• Jeanne (2003) -- Martin Arnold
• Journey to the Moon (2003) -- William Kentridge
• Klatsassin (2006) -- Stan Douglas
• Man With a Movie Camera: The Global Remake (2007-ongoing) -- Perry Bard
• NYman With A Movie Camera (2010) -- Michael Nyman
  
• Otolith III (2009) -- The Otolith Group
• Slidelength (1969-71) -- Michael Snow
• Soft Rains #6: Suburban Horror (part 1) (2003) -- Jennifer and Kevin McCoy
• Workers Leaving the Factory in Eleven Decades (2006) -- Harun Forocki

Opening Night Film Announ . . . zzzzzzzzz

TIFF has announced the opening night film, Score: A Hockey Musical, which, as far as I'm concerned, is notable for two reasons: 1. it's the excuse I needed to start my annual TIFF spreadsheet, and 2. it's the excuse I needed to post this video of Olivia Newton-John looking super hot in 1980:

Thoughts on the final film list?

With the latest round of press releases, we now have the complete list of films. The schedule will go live next Tuesday, which gives us five days to bitch and moan about the omissions (Rivette! Costa! Ade! Cisse!), cheer for the new additions (Denis!), and, hopefully, discover some hidden gems among the long list of premieres and first-time directors.

Most of the people who keep an eye on this site have since moved the discussion to Twitter and Facebook, but if you have thoughts about the lineup, I'd love to hear them. And, please, if anyone can recommend a film that might otherwise be overlooked, share it in the comments.

I'm thinking that with some kind providence from the scheduling gods, I won't have much trouble finding 35-40 good/great films this year.

Releases:

• "Toronto International Film Festival Announces Over 500 Guests For 2009 Event"
• "Returning And New Sponsors & Supporters On Board For The 34th Toronto International Film Festival"
• "Fact Sheet"
• "Final Slate Of Titles Announced For CWC Programme"
• "11 Films Announced For The 2009 Festival's Masters Programme"
• "The 2009 Festival Announces Films To Complete Its Schedule"

Dialogues, Mavericks, and a few more Docs

Five press releases yesterday. I've already updated Dialogues, Mavericks (Frederick Wiseman!), and Real to Reel.

• "Ted Kotcheff, Joe Dante, Neil Jordan And Sook-Yin Lee In Dialogues: Talking With Pictures"
• "The 2009 Festival Spotlights Non-Fiction Through Industry Programming Including A New One Day Doc Conference"
• "Industry Programmes Introduces Master Class With Atom Egoyan And Short Cuts Canada Roundtables, To Join Returning Programmes"
• "The 2009 Festival Announces Mavericks Lineup"
• "New Docs Added To 2009 Festival Schedule"

Additions to Galas and Special Presentations

I've updated the Gala Presentations and Special Presentations lists.

• "The 2009 Festival Adds To Its Lineup Of Galas And Special Presentations"

City to City, Future Projections, and Dundas Events

I've added the City to City program to the master list. It includes a couple classic films, Efraim Kishon's The Big Dig (1969) and Uri Zohar's Big Eyes (1974), along with Keren Yedaya's Jaffa, which got mixed reviews at Cannes, and a new, two-part History of Israeli Cinema by Raphael Nadjari. Of the Future Projections, I'll definitely catch Phantoms of Nabua by Apitchatpong Weersethakul. I've never attended any of the events on Dundas Square but a visit by Neil Young is tempting.

• "The 2009 Festival Announces City To City Lineup"
• "Future Projections Expands Into Public Spaces And Features Major Visual Artists, Free Concerts And Movie Stars"

Canadian Films Announced

I've updated all of the program listings except for Short Cuts Canada, which I don't plan to post. However, I did just notice there's a new 10-minute Guy Maddin short, Night Mayor, included in the program.

• "Canadian Films And Documentaries Announced To Screen In Vanguard, Real To Reel, Contemporary World Cinema, Masters And Sprockets Family Zone"
• "Canada First! Showcases The Best In New Homegrown Talent"
• "Canadian Favourites Return With Galas And Special Presentations"
• "Open Vault Presents Sparrows And The Adjuster"
• "Feisty portrait of Queen Victoria to wrap-up 10 days of movies from around the globe"
• "Thoughtful Documentaries, Powerful Dramas And Cheeky Comedies Among The Highlights Of This Year's Short Cuts Canada"

Six Weeks and Counting

With the unveiling of the Venice lineup, we now know a bit more about what to expect from the next wave of announcements. Presumably, most of the competition films will find their way to Toronto, including new work by Claire Denis, Jacques Rivette, Fatih Akin, and Patrice Chereau. The out of competition lineup also includes interesting names like Fruit Chan, Abel Ferrara, Joe Dante, and Oliver Stone (?). With a total of 71 world premieres, Venice is also spotlighting a lot of names that are new to me. Any recommendations?

A couple other questions:

• Horizons Events includes new films by Herzog, Sokurov, and Wiseman. I assume these are shorts?
• With only six weeks left, does anyone care to predict which Cannes/Venice title(s) won't be at TIFF?

UPDATE: Well that didn't take long. TIFF has announced eight more films, including the Akin and Dante. Also, films by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Jason Reitman.

10 More Films Announced

So here are ten words I never expected to type: I'm really looking forward to the new Nic Cage movie. Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is among the ten Galas and Special Presentations announced today. Also added are films by Michael Moore, the Coens, and Rebecca Miller.

More Special Presentations Announced

TIFF Adds Eight New Films To Its Special Presentations Lineup, including films by Almodovar, Solondz, and Audiard. Here is the complete list of announced Special Presentations.

UPDATE: No releases have been posted yet, but TIFF has also announced a number of additions to the Discovery and Vanguard programs.

UPDATE 2:

• New Vanguard Films Announced For 2009 Festival
• Exciting Works From New Filmmakers Announced For Discovery

Wavelengths, Midnight Madness, and Real-to-Reel Announced

It's safe to assume that most of the TIFF talk today will revolve around the Midnight Madness lineup and the probability of Megan Fox and Diablo Cody showing up to present Jennifer's Body. So is it weird that I'm much more excited by the prospect of seeing Ben Russell's first feature-length film, Let Each One Go Where He May? The Wavelengths program isn't short on names this year: Snow, Gehr, Godard, Apitchatpong, Straub, Farocki, Jennings, . . . Wow.

Press releases:

• TIFF Announces Documentary Lineup
• TIFF Announces Midnight Madness Lineup
• Voices Of Toronto Audiences Heard With New Cadillac People's Choice Awards For Best Doc And Midnight Madness Films

Galas and Special Presentations Announced

This morning, 23 films were added to the Special Presentations and Gala Presentations programs, including the opening film, Creation, directed by Jon Amiel. Here are the press releases:

• TIFF Announces Galas And Special Presentations
• 2009 Festival To Open With World Premiere Of Jon Amiel's Creation

Among the announcements, the biggest and most exciting surprise (to me, at least) is that TIFF will be world premiering Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch.

First 26 films and new City to City Program

Two press releases were posted this morning:

The Toronto International Film Festival Brings Home The Best Of The Festival Circuit
Announcing the first 26 titles, all of which will be having their North American premieres at TIFF. Filmmakers of note include: Hong Sang-soo, Corneliu Porumboiu, Elia Suleiman, Manoel de Oliveira, Alain Resnais, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Tsai Ming-liang, Raya Martin, and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang.

New City To City Programme To Explore Urban Experience Through Screenings And Debate

The Toronto International Film Festival is pleased to announce the launch of City to City, a new annual Festival programme that will explore the evolving urban experience while presenting the best films from and about a selected city. City to City's inaugural spotlight lands on Tel Aviv. The programme will also include a public forum that will bring leading filmmakers and thinkers from Tel Aviv and Toronto into debate. Films selected for this programme will be announced later this summer.

"Cities are, almost by definition, cinematic," says Cameron Bailey, Festival Co-Director. "Films about cities show us what cities have been and what they can become. They show us how to live as urban citizens while also reflecting our fantasies and fears. Last year, the world's urban population hit 50 percent of the planet. By 2025, two-thirds of us will lead urban lives. We need to take a moment to think about what it means to live in these large and growing communities, with increasingly diverse and multicultural populations, and to consider how a city's identity is perpetually in flux. The City to City programme will screen great films set in great cities, allowing us to discover foreign urban environments while also enabling us to think more about our own."

Remainder of Discovery Lineup Announced

No official release on the TIFF site yet, but Variety is announcing 19 additions to the Discovery program.

EDIT: The Discovery press release is up, as is news of additions to Vanguard and Visions.

It's Official: I'm Ready to Go to Toronto

When the alarm went off on Monday morning, I woke up feeling incredibly anxious. I'd been dreaming it was the last day of TIFF and that I had somehow managed to see only six films. Time had slipped by. I'd been busy. I just hadn't gotten around to watching that many movies. It was, I guess, the cinephile's version of the final exam dream -- the one in which you've skipped every lecture and now must ace a test in order to graduate. Joanna pointed at me and laughed when I described my dream as a nightmare.

I assume the dream was a reflection of growing levels of anxiety in my life, generally. Last Thursday we signed a contract on a new house and now have to figure out how to sell this one. I'm hoping to make a job change in the coming weeks. There are other things -- big, life-changing things -- in the works. And so, despite running this site, I'd more or less forgotten about TIFF (and films and hobbies and free time and, too often, sleep) for a couple weeks.

But I'm now ready to go to Toronto. Because today new films by two of my favorite living directors were officially announced (along with 19 other Special Presentations and 1 Closing Night Gala): Claire Denis's 35 Rhums and Richard Linklater's Me and Orson Welles.

Only three more weeks. Anyone getting excited? Any films in particular you're looking forward to?

Spanish language and Asian films added

Two more press releases today, announcing new additions to Contemporary World Cinema, Galas, Masters, Real to Reel, Special Presentations, Vanguard, and Visions. (Click "Films" to see the complete list of announced films.)

New films by Takeshi Kitano and Hirokazu Kore-eda will be welcomed news for a lot of people, but I'm most excited to see confirmation of Albert Serra's Birdsong.

26 Documentaries Added

The latest TIFF press release announces the addition of 26 more documentaries, including the latest film from Agnes Varda. See: Mavericks, Special Presentations, Masters, and Real to Reel.

New Additions to Gala Presentations and Special Presentations

Only five titles added today, including a new film from Jonathan Demme and a Hollywood movie I might be tempted to see: Appaloosa, a western co-written and directed by Ed Harris.

Full Slate of Canadian Films Announced

A whole slue of Canadian titles were announced yesterday, including a new film from Deepa Mehta and Blindness, the latest from Fernando Meirelles (City of God) with a script by Don McKellar. I'm kind of intrigued by the idea of Toronto Stories, an omnibus film featuring four stories shot in the city by Toronto filmmakers, including Sook-Yin Lee.