The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today announced more projects that will feature in its 2010 event. The festival’s line-up will include screenings of several Irish productions and co-productions including Tom Hall’s ‘Sensation’; Jerzy Skolimowski’s ‘Essential Killing’; Juanita Wilson's 'As If I Am Not There; Dome Karukoski's ‘Lapland Odyssey’ (which will enjoy its world premiere at the event) and the previously announced feature documentary, ‘The Pipe’ from Risteard O'Domhnall.
As part of TIFF’s Contemporary World Cinema Programme, Tom Hall (Wide Open Spaces) will see his latest feature, ‘Sensation’ receive its international premiere. The film details the relationship between Tipperary farmer Donal Duggan, played by Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and a veteran Kiwi escort, played by Luanne Gordon (King Kong). They begin as client and call girl, evolve into something like lovers, then business partners and finally co-defendants. Katie Holly, producer of Sensation has voiced her joy at the film being chosen to screen telling IFTN: "We are absolutely thrilled that 'Sensation' has been selected for Toronto International Film Festival. We have heard nothing but good things about the Toronto audience and cannot wait to screen the film there. All credit and thanks to Tom Hall for writing a terrific script which he also directed, Domhnall Gleeson who gives a truly outstanding performance, the rest of our terrific cast and crew and particularly to the Irish Film Board and the Rotterdam Media Fund, without whom the film would not have been realised."
‘Lapland Odyssey’ will also screen as part of the Contemporary World Cinema Programme. The Irish/Finnish/Swedish co-production is from Ireland’s Ripple World Pictures, Finland’s Helsinki Filmi Oy and Sweden’s Anagram Produktion company. The feature, directed by Dome Karukoski (Forbidden Fruit) is a comedic and romantic road movie will receive its world premiere at the event.
The Contemporary World Cinema programme annually looks to provide audiences with a snapshot of trends in global cinema. The projects screening this year come from China, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Finland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and many places in between.
TIFF further announced ten new films that are to be presented as part of the Masters programme. Jerzy Skolimowski ‘s ‘Essential Killing’ will be shown as part of this group which aims to deliver to audiences the latest projects from the world’s greatest filmmakers. 13 titles have been announced to date.
‘Essential Killing’, co-produced by Irish outfit Element Pictures, is a provocative thriller that tells the story of an Afghan man, played by Vincent Gallo (Arizona Dream) who is captured by American forces in Kabul, who finds himself transported to a nameless European country.
Junaita Wilson's feature debut, 'As If I Am Not There' will screen in the Discovery section of the festival. The Bosnian war drama, adapted from a book by Slavenka Drakulic, follows the story of Samira, a young teacher who finds her life turned on its head the day a young soldier walks uninvited into her kitchen and she is sent to a concentration camp. Produced by James Flynn (King Arthur) and Nathalie Lichtenthaler (Cowboys and Angels) for Octagon Films and Wide Eye Films.
The above Irish titles will be joined by previously announced Irish documentary ‘The Pipe’ which is to screen as part of the festival’s Real to Reel section.
The guest list for the 35th Toronto International Film Festival includes many of the world’s most celebrated directors and actors. Those visiting include Clint Eastwood, Danny Boyle, Robert Redford, Werner Herzog, Michael Winterbottom, Errol Morris, and Guillaume Canet alongside many other directors and actors including Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Hilary Swank, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, Edward Norton and Aamir Khan.
The festival is also hoping to welcome Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Rachel Weisz, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Catherine Keener and Jeon Do-Yeon; Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, Om Puri, Josh Hartnett, Michael Sheen, Ryan Reynolds, Mickey Rourke, Keanu Reeves, Vincent Cassel, Paul Giamatti, Bill Murray, Bob Hoskins, Steve Coogan, Woody Harrelson, Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell amongst others. Documentary and Mavericks participants attending this year include: David Suzuki, Michael Moore, Bill Gates and Bruce Springsteen.
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended non-competitive film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The festival and lasts for ten days and usually screens between 300 and 400 films. The 2009 event saw an attendance number of approximately 287,000.
For a list of all films thus far announced to screen at the 2010 event visit tiff.net
