TIFF DAY 7 and 8

This post is from two days ago...sorry for the delay!
Day 9 and best of TIFF coming tomorrow.

TIFF DAY 7

This morning has been blocked off for meetings, so no movies. I missed nothing of interest other than Black Sheep, reviews of which have been split – love or hate, those are your choices.

Meeting 1: Major League Baseball Advanced Media
Sutton Place, 9AM

I showed up to the zoo catching my breath because I thought I’d be late, to see the animals out in full force. Apple’s (that’s the name I’m giving to the guy I met, from NYC) assistant was kind enough to call and let me know he was going to be late. Thankfully, now I had a minute to try and collect my thoughts before pitching a project that I don’t know anything about.

Well, maybe that’s not totally fair…story goes, Baseball’s first year at the festival, and they’d like to get a sense of what’s out there. So they send out a blanket email asking those with ‘sports themed’ projects to give them a call. So I did, regarding a show idea my friend Jody and I goofed around with – and nothing more. No real development whatsoever save for a decent and comical premise. And now I’m pitching it.

Apple sat down amongst the mayhem and got right to the chase. He was a very quiet talker, and I found myself continuously asking ‘pardon?’ and ‘excuse me’ and finally ‘huh’…but eventually, I had to just nod and smile with most of what he said, because a) the room was deafening and b) he was whispering.

Anyhow, long story short, I was nervous around the pitch but got the basic essence out, to a seemingly interested response. I learned a bunch about MLBAM, about what they’re looking at for the future, and what they’re looking for. He asked me to send him a treatment for the pilot of 'Franchise Player' – which isn’t a no, so I’ll take that as a positive. I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but this show could never be made in Canada and these guys have their Abercrombie boxers lined with benjamins. So I’ll flush out a series from this and see where it goes.

Final Note: Don’t let someone try to make you do business in the Sutton Place lobby during the film festival, unless you’re a seasoned pro.

Meeting 2: Decode Entertainment
King St. East, 12:30PM

V.A. has wanted to set up this meeting for some time now, so I was excited when she called me (I was stumbling through a Club Monaco fitting room cursing my lack of exercise) last week to let me know. She mentioned that there was some question on their part as to whether I was actually interested in working for their demographic, or just looking for a gig.

Valid question. And frankly, glad they asked it. Truth is, I’d love to write a show for 8-14 year olds. I think it would be an absolute blast. And while I’m not going to get into a tirade on the importance of values in children’s programming, I would get a real lift from writing a kick-ass mystery/detective/adventure show aimed at the ‘imagination’ age that teaches them to make good decisions. I’ve got young brothers, 11 and 12. It would be fantastic to work on something they could watch with their buddies.

And I think the meeting went very well. I instantly enjoyed my Meetor (if I’m the Meetee) and felt the conversation was relaxed and casual. I would say that by the end of my meeting, I knew much more about exactly what they’re looking for. So, it was valuable.

It felt good to get out from the theatre and the Varsity for the morning. But that’s where I head off to now...

Only, it’s a bit of a dull day of programming. All through the hallways, people consult their little industry guides with a disappointed eyebrow furrow as they try to decipher which film they’ve never heard of to see. We settled on the…

ZIDANE: UN PORTRAIT DU XXIEME SIECLE

I should have known. It says right there in the synopsis: “This film does not so much reveal Zidane as observe him…”. Okay, so you’re telling me I’m not going to learn anything, I’m just going to watch a soccer game…an old soccer game…and old, uninteresting soccer game…oh, I don’t even get to watch the game? I get to get right up close to an aging midfielder who’s never played with his teammates before, doesn’t score, or get kicked out? Damn.

He’d better do a bicycle kick! Something!

Someone set up 17 35mm cameras to film Zidane’s first game playing for Real Madrid. All you do is watch him saunter around, spit on the pitch, and feign injury. I walked out.

TIFF DAY 7

I had high hopes for this day. Itching for something inspired.

PENELOPE
I found it. I’ve heard many call this fairy tale a boring cliché, a 'rip-off Tim Burton', but fuck them. Personally, I loved the first 50 minutes of this film. I needed something full of Technicolor whimsy, something with the built-in ‘smile’ of Big Fish. The first sequence hooked me, right there. Director Mark Palansky and his production design team did a beautiful job. The only thing I wasn’t sold on was the prosthetic pig nose – but because Palansky chose to shoot Ricci in ECU over and over again, it was destined for scrutiny.

The wheels kind of fell off towards the end, but I don’t really care. It was fun to watch - a great way to start off the day. And James McAvoy, the actor who charmed my pants off in The Last King of Scotland, was again fantastic. I can't say enough about him. I tell you, this Scot is a wonderful young actor – his stock is rising.

Reese Witherspoon was cute in a supporting role, but let’s face it, as Ali puts it, “she’s always cute”.

I left the theatre all chipper and cheerio, and then promptly discover my friend A.J. hated it. Go figure. That’s the magic of movies.

AFTER THE WEDDING

I was told this film was one of the best of the festival, and it did not disappoint. I’m not a crier in movies, but I was damn close in this one.

This poignant Danish (in Europe, moron) film, about being faced with a horrible decision with no good outcome, was powerful and moving in a way American cinema's been lacking for some time. Think Sophie’s Choice. Shawshank. For some, Schindler’s List. For others, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (bogus, indeed).

Performances all around the board were believeable without being melodramatic, and Rolf Lassgård in particular showed a raw sense of humanity with his portrayal of a billionaire who’s faced with something beyond his control.

Patrons drowned the credits in applause. Deserved applause.

After such a heavy film, I decided to see a 2 ½ hr. abortion documentary to lift my spirits.

LAKE OF FIRE

Any film that takes 15 years to make shouldn’t be allowed to run over 2 hours. Otherwise, we’ll end up with more and more 4 hr. Spike Lee Opus’ in years to come. And then it’s only a matter of time before Michael Moore’s damning indictment of the American porn industry requires you bring a pillow and jammies (and Lubriderm).

Two reasons I went to this film:
1. Director Tony Kaye (American History X) was so meticulous in his research, it took him 15 years to make.

2. I feel like this is the type of subject I don’t know enough about but should. The abortion debate is very much a window into what is fragmenting the American people into volatile camps that breed like lemmings and threaten USA’s position atop the pecking order.

The film is not for a casual viewer. It’s packed full of interviews presenting both arguments, and has some very graphic moments. I had to look away, once when they showed an aborted fetus, and once while showing an actual abortion. It’s heavy stuff, hard to watch. But you definitely get a clear sense of what is driving both sides. I, for one, didn’t know that God played such a mammoth role in this whole mess. And the religious right and Islamic militants share a disturbing number of commonalities.

I feel like I need to go home and take a long, hot shower. I’m speechless.


NOTE: I tried to go see the public Short Cuts screening tonight, but the rush line didn’t deliver, so I went to Hemmingway’s with Mike and Tess to wait for those who got into the films to resurface. Man, that bar is packed with chumps! Only during the festival, maybe?

Tomorrow is the last day of the festival – where they pack all the Canadian films. Looking forward to getting back to real life, doing some more writing, eating well, etc.