The Festival Daily
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TheFestivalDaily THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 PUBLISHED BY THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL® WWW.BELL.CA/FILMFEST DAY Akerman Italian goes cinema’s slapstick, new day, 8 page 3 page 2 Festival Frames BY CAITLIN STAROWICZ ith never a dull mo- ment, the past week Whas been a whirlwind of events for actors, filmmakers and producers from all corners of the world. PHOTO BY KATIA TAYLOR Sunday’s Directors Dinner at Bistro 990 played host to (above, left to right) writer-pro- ducer J.W. Galuchovsky and John Waters, director of the hi- lariously lewd A Dirty Shame. PHOTO BY SEAN JACQUEMAIN Director Velcrow Ripper fields questions during the Q & A following the world premiere of his film ScaredSacred at the ROM Theatre on Tuesday. The film, which received production assistance from the National Film Board and Vision TV, has already attracted attention from several distributors and sales agents. ScaredSacred will also screen at the Vancouver International Film Festival at the end of September, where it will be the first feature documentary to open the Canadian Images programme. PHOTO BY KATIA TAYLOR Monday saw (above, left to Dasgupta’s everyday people dream big right) Jacques Bensimon, com- missioner and chairman of the Meanwhile, Paresh’s driver Chapal (Ra- “Instead, he has an elliptical, poetic ap- National Film Board, Festival Di- BY ALLAN TONG jesh Sharma) dreams of making it rich in proach to film which is rare and beautiful.” rector Piers Handling, Pierre Per- fter shooting in India’s poor hinter- Dubai. In the course of their journeys, they The film’s overall atmosphere and rault’s widow Yolande Perrault lands, legendary director Bud- pick up Ameena (Rimi Sen), a pregnant evocative visuals, courtesy of cinematog- and David Clandfield, author of Adhadeb Dasgupta could have Muslim girl fleeing Gujarat in northwest- rapher Venu, are surreal and painterly. “Pierre Perrault and the Poetic changed the title of his latest film from ern India, where her husband was killed “Ninety percent of the film was shot at 26 Documentary,” at the book’s Chased by Dreams to “Chased by in Hindu-Muslim clashes. Ameena is to 28 frames [per second] instead of 24 launch at the NFB Mediatheque. Crowds.” “All the time, we were chased trying to return to her homeland of frames,” explains Dasgupta. “For the first by mobs of thousands,” he recalls. “We Bangladesh to give birth to her child. time, I [shot] a film entirely outdoors, de- were not spared even while shooting se- “Paresh, Chapal and Ameena are three pending on the available source light.” quences that needed absolute silence.” of the commoners we meet every day in The beauty of Dasgupta’s cinema is to Dasgupta’s experience parallels that of India, who carry their dreams under their dig beneath the surface of story and char- his characters, who journey across wings,” Dasgupta explains. “The theme of acter and discover hidden truths. Based on wartorn India in pursuit of their dreams the film is what happens to these three dif- everyday Indian people, the director’s Buddhadeb Dasgupta but are robbed and chased by strangers. ferent dreams.” characters lead harsh, difficult lives. Das- Dasgupta himself was dogged by two body these concerns. Paresh (Prosenjit) is Chased by Dreams is rich in Dasgupta’s gupta lends voice to their aspirations. “In forces in conceptualizing his film. “The re- a government employee who goes from trademark allegory and poetry. These the periphery of this reality, I have seen ality [of] my country has failed to meet the one village to another showing 16mm come easily to Dasgupta, a celebrated poet eyes ready to make a journey beyond it,” PHOTO BY KATIA TAYLOR dreams and aspirations of its people,” he films about birth control. The rural folk and novelist who is considered by many to he says. “It has always been an inspiration Just around the corner at the explains from India. “The country is still despise him for this, and he is often run be India’s greatest living director. for my poetry and cinema.” ChumCity building on Friday, marred by ethnic and religious violence, out of town with his projector. However, “His films don’t play by genre codes, fol- the Citytv party hosted a wealth and a social system which has failed to en- he falls in love with the image of a girl in low boy-meets-girl scenarios or include CHASED BY DREAMS of Canadian talent, including lighten the marginalized people.” one of these films and dreams of finding musical numbers,” explains Festival inter- Sept. 16, 9:45pm, Isabel Bader Theatre (above, left to right) actor-produc- Dasgupta’s three main characters em- her one day. national programmer Steve Gravestock. Sept. 18, 7:15pm, Cumberland 2 er Ingrid Verninger, actor Charles Officer, director Anais Granofsky and actor Julian Richings of The Toronto stands tall with art over commerce Limb Salesman. tant artistic films still get made (the Festi- Rwanda. Or Oliver Hirschbiegel, whose BY RONALD OCKHUYSEN val’s programme book can drive one mad IN FOCUS Downfall gives us an insightful look inside ne of the highlights of the Toronto with its bevy of interesting titles), but op- the head of Adolf Hitler. International Film Festival is stand- portunities to screen these films are be- in the picture. But this does not mean that This brings me back to the lineups Oing in line. No, I’m not joking. Of coming ever fewer. The emphasis on fi- filmmakers and policymakers should not Toronto. Why do I feel so comfortable in course, I also feel privileged to walk in and nancial success too often pushes better loudly protest against politicians who these queues? The answer is clear: waiting out of theatres with ease, my press badge films into a small corner where they are think that art films can do without any sup- for a film in Toronto is about experiencing around my neck. But when I am back in left to wallow in anonymity. port, that films for small audiences make art. This is a place where people talk about Amsterdam, I always long for the moments Meanwhile, the power of the big studios no sense because it’s difficult for them to movies without mentioning box-office fig- PHOTO BY KATIA TAYLOR in line at public screenings in Toronto. grows and grows. They know better than recoup their costs, or that making a film is ures. In this happy community, we em- On Monday night, the Planet This strange melancholy has a simple anyone how to market a product. Each like making butter or shoes. brace Goran Paskaljevic’s Midwinter Africa party saw the likes of reason: the people. Festivalgoers in Toron- blockbuster is presented as a unique event Every minute, we are overloaded with Night’s Dream because the acting and cin- (above, left to right) actor Ellie to are unbelievable. Do you know another which you simply must experience. Sell- images. It is becoming increasingly vital in ematography are at such an exceptionally Downs, Crash director Paul Hag- place on earth where complete strangers ing films is all about a mood, a style, a con- our society to question the stream of mean- high level. Did the filmmaker make it on gis and costume designer An- start talking about the newest Godard, the stant search for kicks; it is not about con- ings communicated by these images. A virtually no money? The people in the toinette Messan get together at work of Pablo Trapero, or about a Dutch tent or taste. In the arts (the phrase itself filmmaker can do that. Film does not aim lines don’t care. They’re here to see the the Courthouse. film they like (and which I have not seen)? has a stodgy air), as in the rest of the world, to copy reality, as television does. We all many great films they can’t see anywhere Do you know any other place where peo- hype is king. know what reality looks like. What we else, and for that I applaud them. ple ask you to watch their bag while they It seems hopeless to resist this develop- don’t know, and what we look for in art, is buy you a cup of coffee? ment. We film buffs have to accept the diffi- insight on how to deal with it. A good film- Film critic Ronald Ockhuysen is a member of the edito- The huge success and importance of the culties faced by an independent exhibitor maker helps us get a grip on reality, as does rial staff of the Dutch daily newspaper “De Volk- Festival has a lot to do with the position of who would like to book a small film for an Terry George when he portrays a brave skrant.” He also hosts a film programme on the Dutch the art film in our society. So many impor- extended run simply because he believes man’s stand against genocide in Hotel public broadcaster VPRO. Today’s STAGE BEAUTY VENTO DI TERRA THE YEAR OF THE YAO TWO GREAT SHEEP 9:30AM 1PM 6PM 9PM available tickets RYERSON PARAMOUNT 4 RYERSON VARSITY 5 PHOTO BY SEAN JACQUEMAIN The following night was the as of 4pm Wednesday, September 15th PLANET AFRICA SHORTS LES VOITURES D’EAU CINEVARDAPHOTO BRODEUSES 12 NOON 2:30PM 6PM 9:30PM Icelandic Directors party at Bistro ROM JACKMAN HALL VARSITY 8 VARSITY 6 990 with (above, left to right) Gu- morning screenings A GOOD WOMAN SCAREDSACRED ACAPULCO GOLD CHASED BY DREAMS drun Thorhannesdottir, actor 8:45am to 11:59am 12:30PM 3PM 9PM 9:45PM Róbert Douglas and Erlendur afternoon screenings RYERSON ROM ROM ISABEL BADER THEATRE Eiriksson, director of the quirky 12:00pm to 5:01pm THE BROOD DEAD MAN’S SHOES INNOCENT VOICES ZEBRAMAN documentary Small Mall.