by Fung Lee
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EI's local correspondent for the 2002 Toronto Film Festival
Fung, her sketchbook, and her trusty bike |
I am a local Torontonian. I live only a 15 minute bicycle ride away from the 'hub' of the Toronto International Film Festival. This is my first official experience partaking in the TIFF. I am excited, a little nervous, but mostly honoured to have the opportunity to attend the festival in its 27th year, amidst an obvious 'community' of film artists and actors.
I am the Toronto representative for Einsiders.com. Equipped with notepad and sketchbook, my method is somewhat discreet, intuitive, and honest (just like a good Torontonian).
--Fung
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I am undoubtedly a 'virgin TIFF press screener.'
The first day the Press Office opens I decided to challenge time by attempting to get my movie vouchers before
the office closes at 8pm. I reach the Four Seasons Hotel, 3rd Floor, at exactly 8:05pm. Yep, the office is closed.
So, sweaty, exasperated and disappointed, I crawled back to my bicycle thrown beside the hotel driveway
amidst a flurry of limos and silver sports cars.
I feel the buzz of the TIFF already. A group of teenage girls are waiting anxiously outside of the Four Seasons
driveway, cameras in hand. I also notice as I walk through Yorkville (the epicenter of the TIFF): the patios are
full, people are sitting along the edges of Cumberland Park, and there is a deluge of scurrying press. There
is an obvious excited energy in the air.
I will come back tomorrow, before I see my first pick, Neil Jordan's The Good Thief.
Those wacky "filmies" |
I am undoubtedly still a 'virgin TIFF press screener.'
I arrived at the Press Office at 5pm -2 hours ahead of time to see The Good Thief. There are a lot of press
people milling about, always scurrying. I am cool and swift. I show my press letter and photo i.d., grab my
sealed envelope containing the vouchers for Einsiders.com, and pick up the press brochures and schedule.
I reached the theatre at 6pm -1 hour ahead of time only to find out that I need to get my tickets 'signed'.
Several people quickly pass by, flashing their Press passes hung around their necks. They are on their way to
see Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her.
It must be fate. Hurrying back to the Press Office (to get my 'authorized signature') I exchange elevators
in the Four Seasons lobby with…James Spader! He is looking a little disheveled, with thick black-rimmed architecture
glasses (which I soon discover are also film-people glasses) holding a duffle bag. I might have froze, standing
in the centre of the open doors, gaping. Should I have told him that I once liked a guy simply because he looked like him
(it's the truth)? Spader is in town to promote Steven Shainberg's new movie Secretary.
I head back to the theatre, again through a blur of scurrying 'filmies' (what I am calling anyone involved in the TIFF,
perhaps including myself).
After The Good Thief, I am back at Lettieri Cafe in Yorkville for a latte. The press brochure says that most of the
'people' will arrive over the weekend. I waited an hour and left.
Neil Jordan starring Nick Nolte and Tcheky Karyo
(9 out of 10)
adapted from Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob Le Flambeur;
about an aging ex-thief, Bob (played by Nick Nolte) with an addiction to hard drugs and gambling who discovers that the only way to beat his losing streak is to go clean; however, his realization of near poverty inspires a renewed sense of his old ways, and is tempted into a last heist;
I thought this was going to be like Sexy Beast -was I proven wrong;
the setting is absolutely southern coastal France, with its modern high-rise buildings, North African influences and ocean landscapes; during the opening credits, the film opens up with colours vivid and romantic, and undoubtedly European cool;
despite Bob's weaknesses to drugs, gambling and the seedy establishments he frequents, he is deeply compassionate; he meets a teenage girl, Anne (played wonderfully by Leelee Sobieski look-alike Nutsa Kukhianidze) and manages to save her from beginning a misleading life of prostitution; despite her independent illusion, she is immediately taken by this gesture and finds herself deeply attracted to Bob;
Bob is smooth, clever, and full of wit; he seems inherently unafraid (because he has nothing to lose? Because he's crazy? Because he's a genius?) and manages to develop a devoted group of friends: a young man, a compatriot thief, a bevy of unusual 'hoods' (the most unusual of whom is a transvestite-muscle builder), a Russian technician mastermind, and Roger, his long-time police predator (played by Tcheky Karyo);
Bob is surrounded by a series of character foils, the best of which is Roger: Bob and Roger's relationship is hilarious; while Roger undeniably admits to chasing Bob (determined to discover any sudden relapse into his criminal past), Bob reacts with parallel sincerity and respect, responding to Roger's 'concern'; their dialogues are witty and quick, Roger always seemingly charmed by the end of Bob's obvious white lies and scenarios about his mother and 'going clean';
there is a brief cameo by Ralph Fiennes as a sleazy art dealer;
excellent soundtrack of Leonard Cohen, Bono, and Arab-techno lending to some emotionally pivotal scenes;
an extremely intelligent movie, stylish camera angles, excellent writing and acting (the cast is incredible -in particular Nolte, Karyo and Kukhianidze);
I just made it into the 8:30am Press Screening for Julie Taymor's Frida. I squeeze myself into a seat in the
very last row in the dead end of the aisle up the stairs (despite the very bad feng shui).
After Frida (see review) and some lunch in Chinatown, I returned to the theatre to line-up for Paul Schrader's Auto Focus.
I didn't get in. They added another screening at 9pm which overlaps with my other pick, Todd Haynes' Far from Heaven. I had
several hours to make my decision…
Having a large part of my day free, I decide to pass by the Four Seasons Hotel around 3pm where I had seen some star
gazers waiting at the foot of the driveway. This time, I inquired. One mother-chaperone to the group of giggly girls
told me that they had spotted Pierce Brosnan (promoting Bruce Beresford's Evelyn) and Sharon Stone (who is in town
filming a Disney movie). I decided to wait with the fans, despite the 32 degree heat
(89.6 degrees fahrenheit for you non-metric system types) and scorching sun (it's a tough job…). Press Conferences
were going on within the hotel all day.
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Fashionless Bai Ling and an excited Kyra Sedgewick
(Sketches by Fung Lee) |
The super-brief spottings included Selma Blair (from within a tinted car), that-kid-from-Almost Famous (he's no kid anymore),
Mena Suvari (jumped into the car), Banh Li (see sketch -interesting outfit, no one knew who she was due to her huge sunglasses),
and Philip Seymour Hoffman (only his back -but I'm sure it was him). I was ready to leave, disappointed with these lightning
quick spottings, then Michael Moore approached (see photo). Not even 5 minutes later, Kyra Sedgewick (who looked stunning in
a tan coloured swingy-skirt outfit) bounced right passed all of us. The polite Canadians that we were, we all silently
gaped and stared, somewhat surprised that she had passed from right behind us. Next, Dennis Quaid approached,
I spotted him immediately in which case the mother-chaperone screamed 'DENNIS!'. He beckoned for us to approach him, and everyone did.
He was very gracious. A local reporter asked him what his favourite part of Toronto was and he said, sounding exhausted,
'My hotel room.'
Leaving on a high, I return to my bicycle locked up behind the hotel. Fiddling with my bike-lock, who should
cross the street towards me but William Defoe. He was walking briskly, in a dark green suit, unbuttoned,
with fashionably flippy hair. I did a double-take and watched him walk by, he looked over at me and I,
bubbling from within, shot him my biggest smile, at which he charmingly smiled right back at me. ME!
I shared a 'moment' with William Defoe and I was in love. Fate had decided for me that I was seeing Auto Focus (review coming soon).
Note: the accompanying sketches are from memory images due to my failure to reach for my camera. This is my rather accurate
portrayal of whom I spotted.
Around noon, I made it to the latest of the Danish Dogme series: Open Hearts (see review). After the movie
I idled about Yorkville area quietly observing all the filmies rushing by.
3pm: I returned to the Four Seasons driveway and inquire as to whom people have seen. I was told that
Leelee Sobieski was shopping at Club Monaco. An older gentleman earlier spotted Jessica Alba and then asked me who she was.
Others had seen Mickey Rourke, Whoopi Goldberg, and Dustin Hoffman 'just walking by'. I waited, hearing a rumour that Heath
Ledger was staying there. Ten minutes after hearing the rumour, a mob of security guards, fans and reporters followed Ledger
to a side entrance of the hotel. I blinked and he was gone. Impatient, I decided to retrieve my bicycle and go. My bicycle is
a close-encounter-celeb-magnet because Dustin Hoffman walked by, mobbed by a small group of fans. He seemed polite enough
despite being visibly irritated and rushing into the hotel.
I left the hotel at 4pm to ensure seating at 8 Femmes/8 Women (which has been receiving rave reviews by the local
entertainment guides -see review). Overhearing some filmies, I heard that Far From Heaven has been touted as the best of
the Festival (the Gala screening is tonite). After the movie, I literally exited the theatre only to line-up to enter the
same theatre for David Cronenberg's Spider (also receiving a lot of local hype -see review).
PART 2: (reviews of Friday, Auto Focus, Open Hearts)
PART 3: (reviews of 8 femmes/8 Women, Spider)
PART 4: (Leonard & I, reviews of Phone Booth, Max)
PART 5: (Chicken Poets, Closing Night Gala)
Fung Lee
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thousands victims left homeless with critical necessities. By making a financial gift to Hurricane 2005 Relief, the Red
Cross can provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.
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