The 35th Toronto International Film Festival didn’t give birth to an unstoppable film like “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2008, or see a flame-out like “All the King’s Men” in 2006, or prompt a bidding war for a Oscar contender like “A Single Man” last year.
But this year’s TIFF had its share of triumphs and disappointments, and enough deals to give hope to struggling indie filmmakers. In no particular order, here are 10 key moments and lessons from TIFF ‘10:
“The King’s Speech” shows that it’s for real. Even before it won the People’s Choice Award, Tom Hooper’s drama about King George VI’s reluctant ascension to the British throne had proven its point at Toronto. With an opening-Friday gala whose rapturous reception matched the one it had reportedly received in Telluride, the dramatic, surprisingly funny and intensely emotional film clearly proved that it has what it takes to win over audiences and remain a major player throughout awards season.
Even beyond getting a towering lead performance from Colin Firth and a wry supporting turn by Geoffrey Rush, Hooper shows a light, deft touch, and keeps his film distinctive and quirky enough that it never seems old-fashioned despite a subject matter that could seem a bit dusty. “The King’s Speech” came into Toronto in the top echelon of Oscar contenders, and leaves in the same spot.
Fox Searchlight dominates the chatter with “Black Swan” and “127 Hours.”If “The King’s Speech” got the most admiration, Darren Aronofsky’s grandiose, wonderfully overheated “Black Swan” and Danny Boyle’s imaginative but graphic “127 Hours” were the films that got people talking. Whether it’s the grand guignol fever dream of Aronofsky’s spectacular ballet-set extravaganza or the “Can you sit through it?” questions raised by Boyle’s scene in which James Franco cuts his own arm off, these are the films that kept people buzzing all festival long.
TIFF Bell Lightbox threatens to relocate the festival’s center of gravity. In past years, TIFF headquarters was in the Yorkville section of town – which, conveniently enough, was also where most of the press & industry screenings were held and where the stars all stayed. This year, though, the festival’s sparking new headquarters opened downtown, just two blocks from the multiplex that was used as the new center for P&I screenings.
The result was a fest with a split personality: the stars, studios and PR firms still mostly stayed in Yorkville, which is where the bulk of the interviews and parties took place, but the screenings were downtown. That meant lots of cab rides, or lots of trips on Toronto’s wonderfully efficient subway system; it also led to lots of discussions about whether in future years the studios will relocate themselves and their talent downtown, to make things easier for everybody.
Old-fashioned directors strike back. Aronofsky and Boyle were only the most prominent of many directors whose new films are adventurous and unconventional.
