Buddhadev, Rituparno to premiere latest films at Toronto

Toronto, Sep 5 (UNI) Four renowned Indian directors: Buddhadev Dasgupta and Rituparno Ghosh from Kolkata, Santosh Sivan from Chennai, and Adoor Gopalakrishnan from Kerala have been invited to premiere their latest films in Toronto Film Festival which raises its curtains on September 6.

Add to that list, two NRI directors: Mira Nair with her 4 HIV/AIDS shorts shot in India, and Shekhar Kapoor unspooling his sequel to "Elizabeth." The big population of Indian origin in this Canadian metro, along with the others, could thus have its eyeful of desi products. As the icing on the cake, Big B too is expected here.

During its 10-day run upto September 15, Toronto would be showing 349 films from 55 countries. These include 271 features, 4 of what are termed by the Festival authorities as "mid-length", and 74 short-films. The selection was made out of over 4000 entries received. As is the trend in most big fests, Toronto sets great store by new directors: as many as 71 features (out of the 271) are by first-timers.

Toronto fest does not have a Competition section. Thus it works extra hard to make it a truly international meet, as also to get as many new films as possible for hosting their World, International (i.e., outside their own country), or North American premieres. As many as 101 feature films (out of 271+4) are having their world-premiere at Toronto this year.

In making its selections for the various categories, Toronto tries to strike a balance between the main cine-producing centres of the world, while also encouraging cinema from the smaller countries. In a nod to the big film-industry south of its borders, it has given enough space to Hollywood movies. In fact, as the noted industry-journal "Hollywood Reporter" pointed out, this year's Festival would see "the most American-friendly line up in years".

For example, under the "Special Presentations" category, 28 out of the selected 50 films are U.S.-productions.

The U.S. films include Paul Schrader's "The Walker"(veteran Lauren Bacall, William Defoe, Kristin Scott-Thomas), which is a murder mystery set in the backdrop of Washington DC's political chakravyuha. The maverick American director, Woody Allen would release his latest, "Cassandra's Dream" (Ewan McGregor, Colin Farell), a tale of two brothers whose lives get entangled, with tragic results.

Then, there is Michael ("Fahrenheit 9/11") Moore, the controversial but successful U.S. docu-maker whose previous effort, "Sicko" (about the ills of the US healthcare system) had seen light of the day at Cannes filmfest last May. His latest, "Captain Mike Across America," set around US Presidential elections of 2004, would be released during the Toronto fest. If Moore himself turns up for the occasion, as he well may, the Festival could see a bit of oral fireworks as he usually takes it out on his country's Establishment.

He would be on sure grounds, as anti-US feelings are never too hard to find in Canada.

In seeking European films for Toronto fest, France gets the pride of place : not surprising, as Canada is a bilingual (English-French) country. The French entries include Francois ("Swimming Pool") Ozon's period movie, "Angel" (Charlotte Rampling, Sam Neill), Alain Corneau's "Le Deuxieme Souffle", and "Persepolis" which is an animated film. As a nod to the newly-emerging cinema from Rumania, Toronto is also showing "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days", which had won the Golden Palm at Cannes Film Festival this year.

The British film-industry, going through a happy phase these days, would be represented, among other films, by Ken Loach's "It's A Free World". Even Lord Richard ("Gandhi") Attenborough, now 84, has made a film after a gap of 8 years, and would release it here. It is titled "Closing The Ring", starring two veteran actors, Christopher ("Sound Of Music") Plummer and Shirley MacLaine, and is billed as a romantic tale of lost love. Also in the list is Kenneth Branagh's "Sleuth", starring Michael Caine and Jude Law, the remake of a 1972 movie which had also starred Caine but in the parallel role.

The selection of Asian films presents a rainbow that stretches to embrace many big and small Cinemas of the continent. So much so, that even a film each by filmmakers from Pakistan and Bangladesh finds a place. The usual suspects, China, Japan, and South Korea are there, but without any discernible tilt by the Festival for either of them. Notable among their films is newcomer Alexi Tan's "Blood Brothers", about Shanghai of the '30s. Also, the latest film of the prolific film-director from Korea, Im Kwon-Taek: titled "Beyond The Years", it is the 100th film by the 71-year old Im.

Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" is a WW-II spy tale based in China. It reportedly has enough explicit sex and violence scenes to almost rule it out from the Indian screens: even USA has given it an NC-17 rating. Lee had major success with his last film, "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), which had won the best-film Oscar in USA, the Golden Lion in Venice, and over 80 awards round the world. The trade buzz, however is that "Lust, Caution", as a cinematic work, is nowhere near that film.

UNI