The 32^nd Annual Toronto International Film Festival

September 6-15, 2007

Vera Ke, Associate Editor, The New Pathway Ukrainian Weekly

The Ukrainian community is not especially interested in cinematic festivals, notwithstanding the fact that motion pictures and the film industry are of abiding and universal interest Worldwide.  This industry has given rise to audiences, actors, researchers, critics, writers, composers, the Oscar, and many other distinguished personalities and acknowledgements.  Although the Toronto International Film Festival attracts films from many different countries around the globe, film theorists aren’t interested in focusing on the ethnic origin of the subject matter, nor the reflection of national characteristics of any particular nationality or race.  Rather, they concentrate their work on the development of psychological conflicts, facts and limitations that are common to all peoples. 

Perhaps this approach came about because Hollywood films are the work of producers of diverse nationality, and world cinema is produced on the basis of fundamental Hollywood principles.  In Europe, the viewing public wants to see American films, while in the U.S. and Canada, we await European releases.  In the past, before the fall of the former Soviet Union, the TIFF was attended by a huge delegation from LenFilm, bringing with it many Russian masterpieces.  Today, there are very few Russian films shown, and original Ukrainian films – few, if any.  Thus, in their longing for Ukraine, Ukrainians come to see the Polish, German, Czech, and even Russian films…. One producer and artistic director of the Odessa Film Studio told me that “Ukraine does not provide funding for films.”  That’s right, it doesn’t, because Ukrainians instead direct their income to the erection of memorials, rather than giving life to creative artistic endeavours through which the World might better acquaint itself with Ukraine, its culture and its issues….

Cinema came to life in 1895 through the invention of cinematography by the Lumire Brothers, and their first short film entitled “Workers Leaving the Lumire Factory”, presented to a select audience in the Salon Indien du Grand Caf in Paris.  From this modest, nave, first-ever film developed a global film industry, spanning the generations up to and including the 32^nd Annual Toronto International Film Festival.  This year, the TIFF earned the distinction of best film festival in the world, supported by the Canadian government, influential and generous corporate sponsors, architects, cinematic professionals, and lovers of the cinematic arts, who have also commenced the construction of a Festival Centre. The location: the north-west corner of King and John Streets, near Roy Thompson Hall.  This will be a unique oasis in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District.

However, this year’s TIFF was still run from its traditional site: the offices of the Festival and the Press Centre were in The Sutton Place Hotel.  Journalists visiting from many different countries were lodged in hotels throughout the downtown core, and festival films were shown in various cinemas, although the greatest number of viewers came to the showings at Roy Thompson Hall.  The hub for film industry and media people was the Manulife Centre at 55 Bloor Street West, where they have an 8-cinema complex, along with restaurants, shops, and easy access to the subway.  Most of the films shown will never again return to Toronto.  Among the films I viewed were “Ulzhan” (Germany, France, Kazakhstan), “The Banishment” (Andrei Zviagintsev, Russia), “Michael Clayton” (U.S.A. – Gala), “Mongol” (Sergei Bedrov, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia), “The Girl in the Park” (U.S.A.), “Days and Clouds” (Italy, Switzerland), “Romulus, My Father” (Australia), “Angel” (France, England, Belgium), and “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” (U.S.A.). 

In addition, I viewed another ten films or so that simply weren’t worthy of comment.  However, one film that the public and media found particularly intriguing was called “Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case” (Andrei Nekrasov, Russia).  This film was perhaps the most poorly constructed; it was simply a pasting together of known facts from newspapers and television.  At the end, Litvinenko’s father is shown standing before his son’s grave tearfully acknowledging that before his death, Alexander had embraced the Muslim faith.  Do you know why?  So that there would be no suspicion that Litvinenko was murdered by Chechens, or Iraqis.  However, this did not save the film.  It remained conclusion-less; the viewer was left guessing.  Thankfully, one of the last films I saw as called “Happiness”, a rewarding ending to an always rewarding festival-going experience.

Translated by Ulana Plawuszczak Pidzamecky