Category Archives: Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF ’09 | My Tehran For Sale

It’s been almost 10 days since the TIFF has been over and lazy me is still writing up reviews. One could even say that perhaps I’ve seen too many movies when it comes to updating my blog!

“My Tehran for Sale” was the last Iranian film I watched at the festival and I truly loved it. For the first time, someone had genuinely showed the contradiction in our society with no pretence or falsity whatsoever, and demonstrated the million differences between what people see from afar and what actually happens in the real lives of the below-thirty generation of youth, comprising almost 70% of the total population. This was the first work of the poet (now director) Granaz Moussavi, who herself was present at the screening and was complimented with several positive comments from the audience in the Q&A session. The cast members did a great job in their respective parts as well.

… and just so you know, I ended the festival by watching “Irène” *again* (as I promised here), which unlike many others (!), I considered a “love-at-first-sight” feature film/documentary.

C’est tout…

TIFF ’09 | Women Without Men

More than 10 years ago, I was introduced to the stunning and unique works of a great photographer, Shirin Neshat, at an exhibition in London. I clearly remember how powerful and inspiring her works were at the time and how surprised I was by her talent and art.

On Saturday, September 19th at the TIFF, I watched her first feature film, for which she received the best direction award at the Venice Film Festival. Although the framing and cinematic shots of the film were truly breathtaking, I would have probably expected to see a better storyline as an adaptation from the book “Women without Men”. However, according to the author of the book, Shahrnush Parsipur, herself present at the Q&A session in the first screenings of the film a week prior, Ms. Neshat changed the story to a certain degree and added some parts to the original. The four characters of the women in the story were really engaging and, in my opinion, could have be displayed in a more powerful way. My overall experience was positive, but I rather consider Ms. Neshat as a great photographer and perhaps not so much a director.

TIFF ’09 | Leaves of Grass

Mmm… Edward Norton is among actors who can easily make me in love with his roles. In “Leaves of Grass“, an indie movie producted in the US, he plays in two roles as twin brothers who appear to dwell in two completely different universes, but at the same time each choose their own ‘language’ to talk about the same subjects in life.

A great story with a beautiful script.

TIFF ’09 | Heiran

“Heiran” was my first Iranian film at the TIFF, which made me really proud. A pure yet sad story about a simple love. The director of “Heiran”, Shalizeh Arefpour, who was also present, showcased a love story between an Iranian teenage girl and an Afghan boy and the consequences thereafter. Another great performance by Baran Kosari, my favorite Iranian actress in her generation and of course the one and only Mr. Khosrow Shakibai (R.I.P.) who was performing his last role and an absolutely brilliant one.

TIFF ’09 | Partir

Déjà vu. Another French movie with Kristin Scott Thomas being actually present again at the same venue, the lovely Winter Garden Theatre. This time, she passed right in front of us in the chicest black dress — a close brush with celebrity, you might say! Last year, I was so thrilled to see her, one of my favorite artists in the movie industry, at the screening of “Il y a longtemps que je t’aime“, which I consider as one of my all-time favorite movies. This year, she appeared again at the screening of “Partir” by director Catherine Corsini.

In “Partir”, Kristin plays the passionate character as mother of two, who falls in love in a dramatic fashion. At times, you may consider her as a cruel mother and a cheating wife, but at the same time, you wish you had the guts she had and to sacrifice everything to make her heart happy.

Once again, Kristin stole the whole movie with her amazing acting. Being bilingual, she mentioned during the Q&A session that she loves working in movies based where she actually lives and luckily has the advantage of being able to accept roles in both English and French. She is probably one of the coolest and the most confident people I have seen, and not just among actresses. She is just so comfortable in her own skin behind and in front of the camera.

What a great TIFF experience!

TIFF ’09 | Chloe

“Chloe“, by the famous Canadian director Atom Egoyan, was the second movie on my list at the TIFF this year. In fact, it was the gala night as well as the world premiere, so I had the privilege to see (though not meet) my favorite redhead, actress Julianne Moore, who sported a beautiful emerald-colored dress on the red carpet. Among the cast and crew were also Mr. Egoyan who made a brief introduction to the film and Amanda Seyfried, who plays the character of Chloe. Too bad Liam Neeson couldn’t make it!

The movie showcases many feelings which can indeed happen in anyone’s life. Suspicion and desire; jealousy and seduction; cheating and love. Reminded me somewhat of another movie in a similar genre, “Fatal Attraction”, which I watched in my teenage years.

“Chloe” was shot in the beautiful city of Toronto (aha!), showing famous landmarks, streets, hotels and cafés. At times I found it distracting to watch a movie in the city you know like the back of your hand.

I wouldn’t necessarily call “Chloe” ‘festival material’, but a great Hollywood suspense-drama.

TIFF ’09 | Irène

What a brilliant way to start off this year’s festival with “Irène.”

A beautiful memoir put into film by the elderly French director, monsieur Alain Cavalier, who used a handheld video camera to shoot his old journals filled with memories of his beautiful wife “Irène”, their deep relationship, while spanning the rooms of the house they were staying at before her sudden death. The random pictures of Irène scattered around the place and the narration of the director with his aged and at times vulnerable voice were truly heartfelt; talking about those hidden images, the forbidden ones and the ones in his own mind as opposed to those frozen in frames. My favorite quote, however, was when he mentioned, if love happens, it’s silly for it to end.

I left the theatre with a strong feeling of satisfaction and anxious to watch it *again* next week to round off my 2009 festival experience with a movie I totally loved.

TIFF ’09 | Green Porno: Scandalous Sea

The famous Italian actress, Isabella Rossellini, was in the city yesterday on behalf of *Green Porno: Scandalous Sea*, an art installation and a series of short films written by and starring the actress that will be on display at the ROM during the TIFF ’09.

Isabella’s voice is featured in the animated film *My Dog Tulip*, which will be also screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Stay tuned for more on the festivities…

TIFF ’09 | September 10 – 19, 2009

OK gang… The TIFF 2009 will be kicking off tomorrow with tons of wicked movies in the house… Once again, Toronto will be experiencing an AHHH-MAZING atmosphere, welcoming the 34rd year of one of the most famous movie festivals in North America… Many stars, including mister heart-throb Matt Damon, George “Handsome Dude” Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, and my favorite Kristin Scott Thomas will be hitting the red carpet over the next week…

I personally have a very special guest, Bob the Great (!), arriving this afternoon all the way from Munich to share his movie-loving experiences with his Torontonian friends… We all have many films on our agendas this year — I’ll be sure to share them with you once I get a chance…

Salute to all the movie lovers out there… Stay tuned for more…

TIFF ’08 | Sept. 4-13, 2008

The Toronto International Film Festival is finally happening… It always seems to me that Toronto has a totally different atmosphere in September when the crowds of film lovers spread around in the city… I also love the experience of setting up your alarm to wake up early in the morning, getting your coffee on your way to the box office, chatting with total strangers in the line-up (mostly about the festival, though random chit-chat does happen too!) and finally picking up your long-anticipated tickets, which are often overpriced but for a good reason! And that, my dear readers, is what this very morning was like for me once again… All for the love of cinema!

I’ll be sharing the films I’m going to watch in the next 10 days…

Stay tuned darlings…