2005 Toronto International Film Festival

I am sad to say that, because of my upcoming trip to Hong Kong (more on that later), I will be out of town for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Every year, the TIFF continues to amaze me, showcasing some of the best films in the world and drawing out a significant number of celebrities, all the while showcasing local talent and accommodating the ardent film goers in this city. The TIFF is truly a film festival for the people, avoiding a lot of the elitism that comes across in other festivals around the world.

This year’s list of films to be featured is quite impressive, but it is truly impossible to see them all. So here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to give you a list of the films that I would have gone to see had I been in town. What I’m asking is that you grab tickets to one or two of them, and then let me know what I missed. Simple? I thought so. Here goes:

Water (Deepa Mehta)
Deepa Mehta’s Fire and Earth were both wondrous in their own ways, so it is no surprise that Water will be showcased in the festival’s opening night gala. Despite the problems she had to go through to get this story filmed, her final installment in the elements trilogy is sure to be a gem.

Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee)
How can you not enjoy a story about two cowboys in love? What’s even better is that those two cowboys are played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, the script is based on a short story by Annie Proulx, and the film is directed by Ang Lee.

A History of Violence (David Cronenberg)
This film, in short, is a psychological thriller featuring the biggest names in Hollywood, directed by a Canadian; not just any Canadian, but David Cronenberg. His films are gorgeous, and his vision is warped. The screenplay is based on a graphic novel, so expect violence, but also expect astounding visuals.

These Girls (John Hazlett)
Remember Amanda Walsh from MuchMusic? Well, after showing some promise on the Toronto improv circuit and some good guest appearances on Smallville, she makes her big screen debut starring aside David Boreanaz.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (Tommy Lee Jones)
I’ll be honest: after Water, this film is my most anticipated screening at the festival. We all know Tommy Lee Jones can act, but from what the buzz is saying, his directorial debut isn’t so bad at all. In fact, Jones paints a picture of West Texas so compelling, you may just want to move to Odessa. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.

Black Sun (Gary Tarn)
Gary Tarn is better known as a composer rather than a director, so at least you know that this film is going to be aurally pleasing. The premise of blindness is compelling, and this film is drawing support from acclaimed director Alfonso Cuaron, so expect the unexpected.

Where the Truth Lies (Atom Egoyan)
Two things to expect from Atom Egoyan: intense sexuality and an unpredictable plot. Another two things to expect from this film: tons of plot twists and as stellar cast including Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth. Egoyan’s Canadian too, so go support the home team.

L’Enfant (Jean Pierre and Luc Dardenne)
The fact that this film picked up the Palme d’Or at Cannes should be reason enough to go watch it, but the other two biggest reasons are right up there on the first line: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. If those names don’t ring a bell, go watch Rosetta and Le Fils, and then go watch this. Masters at work, indeed.

Le Temps Qui Reste (Francois Ozon)
Ozon’s Sous le sable was a wonderful opening for this trilogy, but I will admit that ever since Huit femmes, I can’t seem to get enough of Ozon. Watch this for an expected brilliant performance by French film diva Jeanne Moreau, but I warn you, Ozon is addictive.

The Wayward Cloud (Ming-liang Tsai)
I’ll reserve this film to those who are familiar with Tsai’s work. If you’re not, you’re probably going to be taken aback by the lack of dialogue, the weird musical numbers, and generally odd subject matter. However, any Tsai fan will tell you that this is all part of his charm.

06/05: The Sixth of May (Theo van Gogh)
Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was killed in 2002, largely for similar reasons that van Gogh was slain in 2004. Ironically, van Gogh’s final film was a drama about Fortuyn’s murder, but encompasses the bitter political scene where religious and secular Dutch society are at conflict. Worth seeing even if only to say that one watched this controversial director’s last hurrah.

Beed-e Majnoon (Majid Majidi)
Rang-e-khoda stands as being the most poignant and powerful movie of this decade, and with the power of Children of Heaven and Baran, it’s clear that Majidi is not only one of Iran’s best directors, but one of the world’s best filmmakers in general. His films are crafted like pieces of masterful art on canvas, and The Willow Tree (Beed-e Majnoon) is rumoured to be his best film yet.

Manderlay (Lars von Trier)
There were those that hated Dogville, and those that loved it. I’m firmly in the second camp, so I’m extremely excited by von Trier’s new installment in his trilogy. Bryce Dallas Howard takes over the lead role from Nicole Kidman, and the script is perhaps even more scathing and controversial than Dogville’s. Of course, von Trier will push his audience’s buttons, but that’s why his films are so much fun to watch.

The Myth (Stanley Tong)
As much as you hated Rumble in the Bronx, it’s hard to argue that the Hong Kong film icon Stanley Tong is anything but a visionary director. In this film, he tells a fable that not only reaches out to audiences by being in four languages, but by being visually compelling as well.

Corpse Bride (Burton, Johnson)
Have you seen The Nightmare Before Christmas? If you have, there is absolutely no reason why you miss this film. Of course, you can always wait until it comes out at your local megaplex in a few months, but what’s the fun in that?

Yes, I know that’s a whole lot of movies, but can you blame me? This is but a sample of everything I really want to see. So do me a favor and get to the TIFF and watch some movies. Fuel the economy, encourage the flourishing of cinema culture, and have some fun while you’re at it. And then fill me in on what I missed.

Black People Loot?

By now, everyone must have been caught up in the uproar that was fueled by this photo capture of Yahoo News, showing people in New Orleans scrounging for food through the floods. The caption of the black man characterizes his actions as “looting,” while the caption for the white people charactizes their actions as “finding.” Needless to say, people have got their panties in a bunch over the apparently racist characterization.

However, the first thing to notice is that the captions are from two different news agencies. Though there may be still an underlying unconscious racial bias, unless there is proof that both the AFP and the AP both consistently portray black people as ‘looters’ and white people as ‘finders’, it is hard to compare the reports by both agencies and logically deduce that there is systematic racism going on.

I think the bigger issue here is one of socio-economic advantage, rather than race (though I will admit that race is intrinsically tied to socio-economic status). It is important to note that the evacuation of New Orleans was dependant on those who had the means: you needed to have a car, have the money to purchase gas and supplies, and also needed to have adequate arrangements outside the city. Of course, this would mean that those left in the city would be the marginalized segment of society. Why wasn’t anything done to prevent such a situation? (The New York Times has a great infographic of the devastation broken down by median household income.)

Katya brought up a good point: is it looting if the products will never be sold and are essential for survival? It reminds me a little of the scene of the mob in Saramago’s Blindness, where people in desperation clamored for food in grocery stores they could not see: in New Orleans, with grocery stores submerged, it only makes sense for people to take what they can in order to get through the next few days.

If you’re going to leave people behind in your city as a natural disaster hits it, then don’t be surprised if they have to take extreme measures to ensure their survival. Katya’s right, both the AP and the AFP got it wrong: they are not looters or finders — they are survivors.

Update: Excellent article at Slate by Jack Shafer about Katrina, Race, Class, and the Media. Much better than reading the above post.