The Toronto International Film Festival gives out major awards to Canadian film: Best Canadian Feature Film and Best Canadian First Feature Film. The 2015 winners got a lot of recognition from winning their awards. The 2016 winners virtually disappeared at the box office. We might get a split decision in 2017.
The Best Canadian Feature Film went to the Quebecois zombie film Les Affamés from Robin Aubert. Zombies might make people forget their fears over subtitles. Then again, as you can see in the trailer above, I couldn't find a trailer that had English subtitles.
The Best Canadian First Feature Film went to Luk' Luk'I, directed by Wayne Wapeemukwa. The documentary showcases 5 Vancouverites on the low rungs on society during the 2010 Winter Olympics. The film was built out of a 2014 short from Wapeemukwa about a full-time mother/part-time sex-worker who goes missing in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
I had to look back to find Luk' Luk'I and barely remembered Les Affamés. They weren't on my obvious radar. Same goes for the 2016 award winners. Neither came close to playing in Windsor and have had little notice since.
The baseball analogy is that the Best Canadian First Feature Film is Rookie of the Year while the Best Canadian Feature Film is the Most Valuable Player. I've seen 7 MVP films since 2007 but only 1 ROY (Sleeping Giant) in that same time frame. I've only seen 3 ROYs on the whole list going back to 1997. That isn't about desire but access.
People pay attention to TIFF and its award winners. But those awards should be meaningful beyond the end of September and the GTA limits.
TIFF 2017 preview
TIFF 2017 Canadian films preview
TIFF CEO Piers Handling was asked about which film might be Canada's submission for the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film. Handling said he didn’t think there was a clear frontrunner. "That's a bit of a mystery this year, I think. It will be a surprise for all of us."
Handling suggested Sadaf Foroughi's Ava, which captured the Discovery program prize. Other contenders were Les Affamés and the Francois Girard historical drama Hochelaga.
The Iranian leads in Ava were banned by Canada immigration authorities from coming into the country to help promote their film.
We have had back-to-back different 3-year patterns on the award. The only thing I know is that this year's entry will start a new pattern.
The Handmaid's Tale, Jean Marc Vallee clean up at 2017 Emmys
Margaret Atwood getting new appreciation thanks to TV revivals
We talk about access to Canadian films coming out of TIFF. Netflix will show a couple of them, though Alias Grace was already destined for Netflix.
Besides a Canadian theatrical release after running in the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, The Tragically Hip final tour documentary Long Time Running will air on CTV on November 12 at 8 pm ET. The documentary film will then run on CraveTV on November 13.
The composite areas in the United States that can receive a CTV signal are significantly smaller than the reach of the CBC.
Those outside Canada will be able to watch Long Time Running on Netflix starting November 26, a nice post-Thanksgiving (U.S.) treat.
The film was the first runner-up for the People’s Choice Documentary Award.
The first 2 episodes of Alias Grace made its debut at 2017 TIFF. The show has a Netflix premiere date set for November 3. The series had to clear the CBC window before airing on Netflix. The CBC debut of the miniseries is on September 25.
"I just realized what TIFF actually stands for: Toronto Is Fucking Fantastic".@IdrisElba, giving the Festival a helpful rebrand. pic.twitter.com/nIRzhfTJG3
— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 13, 2017
The language is a bit rough for some but Idris Elba is one of the coolest famous people on the planet. Toronto may not use that in its branding, but I love the idea of TIFF also representing this sentiment.
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
Piers Handling, the long-time head of the Toronto International Film Festival, will step down after the 2018 festival. Handling has been with the festival since 1982. When he retires, he will have been at the helm for 24 years.
Handling has lots of legacies for his time but I can't help but think of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the gorgeous behemoth of a building on the northwest corner of King Street and John Street. Even if you aren't seeing a film when you visit Toronto, go see the building. There is a bookstore in the lobby devoted to film.
Donald Sutherland uses Cannes to not talk about Canadian identity in film
The legendary Donald Sutherland will receive an honourary Oscar award at the Governors Awards on November 11. Sutherland joins French New Wave director Agnes Varda, writer-director Charles Burnett, and cinematographer Owen Roizman who will also be honoured at that ceremony.
Sutherland, 82, from Saint John, NB, has had an amazing career and is still going strong with his latest film The Leisure Seeker with Oscar-winner Helen Mirren.
Hopefully, the Oscars will make a reference to the honourary Oscars at the traditional telecast next spring.
TIFF Rising Stars
We profiled the 2016 class of TIFF Rising Stars here. Here is the list from all the years.
2011 Sarah Allen, Katie Boland, Sarah Gadon, Keon Mohajeri
2012 Tatiana Maslany, Connor Jessup, Charlotte Sullivan, Charlie Carrick
2013 Megan Park, Johnathan Sousa, Evelyne Brochu, Cara Gee
2014 Shannon Kook, Sophie Desmarais, Alexandre Landry, Julia Sarah Stone
2015 Deragh Campbell, Stephan James, Aliocha Schneider, Karelle Tremblay
2016 Jared Abrahamson, Grace Glowicki, Mylène Mackay, Sophie Nélisse
2017 Daniel Doheny, Mary Galloway, Théodore Pellerin, Ellen Wong
Best Canadian Feature Film
I have seen a few of these films, adding Closet Monster to my list. A very fine choice for 2015.
| Year | Film | Director | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Les Affamés | Robin Aubert | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves |
Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Closet Monster | Stephen Dunn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Felix and Meira | Maxime Giroux | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | When Jews Were Funny | Alan Zweig | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Laurence Anyways | Xavier Dolan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Monsieur Lazhar | Philippe Falardeau | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Incendies | Denis Villeneuve | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Cairo Time | Ruba Nadda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Lost Song | Rodrigue Jean | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | My Winnipeg | Guy Maddin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Manufactured Landscapes | Jennifer Baichwal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | C.R.A.Z.Y. | Jean-Marc Vallée | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | It's All Gone Pete Tong | Michael Dowse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Les Invasions Barbares | Denys Arcand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Spider | David Cronenberg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) | Zacharias Kunuk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Waydowntown | Gary Burns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | The Five Senses | Jeremy Podeswa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Nô | Robert Lepage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | The Sweet Hereafter | Atom Egoyan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Hanging Garden | Thom Fitzgerald | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Long's Day Journey Into The Night | David Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Live Bait | Bruce Sweeney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Exotica | Atom Egoyan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | Kanehsatake: 270 Years Of Resistance | Alanis Obomsawin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Requiem Pour Un Beau Sans-Coeur | Robert Morin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | The Adjuster | Atom Egoyan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | H | Darrell Wasyk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Roadkill | Bruce McDonald | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick | Allan Goldstein | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987 | Family Viewing | Atom Egoyan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | Le Déclin De L'empire Américain | Denys Arcand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985 | Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga Of Hal C. Banks | Donald Brittain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984 | La Femme De L'hôtel | Léa Pool | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Canadian Feature Film (1991-present); Excellence in Canadian Production (1984-1990). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best Canadian First Feature Film
Haven't seen too many of these films: exceptions being Sleeping Giant, Marion Bridge, and Last Night. Some of those titles are quite enticing.
| Year | Film | Director | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Luk' Luk'l | Wayne Wapeemukwa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Old Stone | Johnny Ma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Sleeping Giant | Andrew Cividino | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Bang Bang Baby | Jeffrey St. Jules | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Asphalt Watches | Shayne Ehman, Seth Scriver | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Antiviral | Brandon Cronenberg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blackbird | Jason Buxton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Edwin Boyd | Nathan Morlando | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | The High Cost of Living | Deborah Chow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | The Wild Hunt | Alexandre Franchi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Before Tomorrow | Marie-Hélène Cousineau | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Madeline Piujuq Ivalu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Un Film Sans Fusil Continental | Stéphane Lafleur | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Sur La Trace D'igor Rizzi | Nöel Mitrani | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | The Life And Hard Times Of Guy Terrifico | Louise Archambault, Michael Mabbott | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | La Peau Blanche | Daniel Roby | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Love, Sex and Eating The Bones | Sudz Sutherland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Marion Bridge | Wiebke Von Carolsfeld | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Inertia | Sean Garrity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | La Moitié Gauche Du Frigo | Philippe Falardeau | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Just Watch Me: | Catherine Annau | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trudeau and The 70's Generation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Last Night | Don McKellar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Cube Vincenzo | Natali | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As determined by the Toronto International Film Festival. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
video credit: YouTube/Cine Maldito
Twitter capture: @IdrisElba
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