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.

S

…

“Yes, women are stronger than us. They face more directly the problems that confront them, and for that reason they are much more spectacular to talk about. I don’t know why I am more interested in women, because I don’t go to any psychiatrists, and I don’t want to know why.”

— Pedro Almodóvar

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…

S

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…

S

L’Arbre…

This was written during a night of insomnia… not so long ago…

I want to be that tree;
as green as its own spring leaves;
as hale as the green fists in the sky;
and as heavy as your gaze,
which ennobles my dreams
in your saneness thoughts.

I want to be the tree on which
you carve your fullest heart.

S