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TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2002 (ARTICLE III) Send This Review to a Friend
The ability of the Toronto International Film Festival to attract celebrities was amply apparent in the 2002 edition, the event's 27th. Widespread international press coverage, enthusiastic audiences and a festive atmosphere contribute to an overall feeling that Toronto is a great place for screening and promoting a film. Press conferences abound, and journalists and critics are hard pressed to decide which to attend.
Sophia Loren proved anew to be the epitome of class and glamour. She still looks great, and what's also important is that she has exquisite bearing and charm. At her press conference, held shortly before her 68th birthday to promote "Between Strangers," the film directed by her son Edoardo Ponti, she insisted that she doesn’t see herself as a star but just wants to be a good actress and do her job. From someone else that might have sounded like dissembling. From Loren, it seemed sincere.
Wendy Crewson, one of the cast members, said: "When Sophia comes on the set, there's a hush. She respects the entire crew and inspires confidence on the set." Commented Loren: "They never told me that!" Mira Sorvino, also in the film, was the picture of youthful beauty. But on a platform with Loren, even young beauty can't compete with La Loren's aura when it comes to grabbing the attention of the press corps.
At a luncheon given by Unifrance U.S.A, the French Film Office, in honor of the French contingent to the festival, I had a chance to chat with the gorgeous Juliette Binoche, who carves out new territory for herself with her comedy performance in "Jet Lag." Seemingly relaxed and very direct, she flashed a big smile when asked whether she was pleased with the way "Jet Lag" turned out. "Yes, I'm very happy," she enthused and expressed delight at the opportunity for a different type of role.
I had seen Binoche on the stage in New York when she starred in a revival of the play "Betrayal." It was a subtle performance that gained strength as she went along, and we talked about that too.
"I was nervous at first but gradually felt more confidence," she said of her Broadway venture, explaining the trajectory of the interpretation. "I started quietly and Liev's [her co-star, Liev Schreiber] character was very strong, but by the end of the play I was the strong one."
Danièle Thompson, director of "Jet Lag," also had reason to be pleased. She had just made a deal for U.S. distribution with Miramax. I asked if she got a good one. "I did," she said with a look of saisfaction. She expressed confidence that Miramax would get behind the film and do a good job of distributing it.
Denzel Washington had an important presence at the festival, not only for his role as an actor, but for his work as a director of "Antwone Fisher," a powerful story about an African-American man (Fisher), played beautifully by handsome Derek Luke, who had to surmount emotional problems that climaxed when he was in the Navy. "The last thing I wanted to do was to bring attention to myself," Washington said of his direction at a press conference for the film. "I tried to keep it simple." He acknowledged that the hardest part was acting in addition to being the director. Washington plays the Navy psychiatrist who helps Fisher overcome his problems. The real-life Fisher wrote the screenplay.
As for learning to direct, Washington said, "I've worked with the best of directors over 20 years. One surprise was that I didn't realize how much I knew."
Salma Hayek not only is a beautiful woman who brought glamour to the festival, but at the press conference for the film "Frida," in which she stars as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, she flashed wit, intelligence and confidence. She smiled often, looking almost like a painting herself. "I had been working on this project for six years," she said. "I'd seen that other people wanted to do the film," she noted, but told how she had persevered until it became a reality. Hayek is co-producer with Sarah Green.
Julie Taymor, the director, stressed that the movie was a very personal interpretation of Kahlo's life and work. "What I hope I brought to the film was going from an objective view to a subjective view." Often at festival press conferences silly questions are asked as well as intelligent, probing ones. When someone asked how Hayek felt wearing heavy eyebrows for the film, she queried, "I don't understand the question." The questioner added, "Did it make you feel more intelligent?" Hayek replied, "No, it made me feel more hairy." After a big laugh, she then suggested the questioner put on some heavy eyebrows and noted gently that perhaps they might make him feel more intelligent.
Among the many other notables, to name a few, who attended in connection with their films were Nick Nolte, director Michael Moore, Dennis Quaid, Willem Dafoe, Anthony LaPaglia, Sigourney Weaver, Catherine Deneuve, Brian De Palma and Michael Caine.
In addition to the film screenings, retrospectives, press conferences and parties the festival featured various other events, such as the Maverick Filmmaker session held by Digi-Flicks in conjunction with the Rogers Industry Centre. There was much focus generally this year on the development of digital filmmaking, which is gaining in practice and looks to be a major part of the future of cinema. Robert Duvall presided at one seminar, and others in the Maverick Filmmakers sessions included Michael Moore and Brian DePalma. Telefilm Canada hosted a seminar, "Can you Digi-It?"
The Toronto Festival is known as a festival that doesn't have a competition for awards. Yet in reality numerous awards are announced at the annual wrap-up luncheon, this year held at the Four Seasons Hotel. Festival audiences vote on the AGF People's Choice Award, which this year went to Niki Caro's "Whale Rider," a New Zealand film. Runners up were Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" and Gurinder Chadha's "Bend It Like Beckham.
The international press corps, about 750 this year, votes for the Volkswagen Discovery Award, given to "The Magdalene Sisters," Peter Mullan's film exposing the horrible conditions of young women in Ireland sent to a convent to do harsh work as punishment for perceived immorality. The Citytv Award for the Best Canadian First Feature Film went to Wiebke von Carolsfeld's "Marion Bridge." The Toronto-City Award for best Canadian Feature Film went to "Spider," directed by David Cronenberg. There were various other festival-geared awards. Incidentally, an extremely useful reference book is published by the festival each year. "Toronto International Film Festival 2002" (424 pages) contains detailed descriptions of the approximately 350 films presented.
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