Toronto 2005

Abstract

30th TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2005 As the Toronto International Film Festival (8-17 September 2005) delights in what some insiders claim is a position second to Cannes, it would make sense to examine the substance of this claim. Industry broadsheets are increasingly enamoured of Toronto, which despite not having an official marketplace, has managed to achieve the desired status as a time-sensitive breeding ground for Hollywood to test market their latest titles. Moreover, to be positioned in the wake of a major continental spectacle like Cannes may present difficulties, since festivals perceived as challenging the European leader are often hard pressed to pay tribute through their own selections. As it happens, this year's Cannes' official victors shown at Toronto were featherweights - a reminder that no jury is beyond bias and that ‘prestigious' awards are sometimes concerned with conferring latent box office success than recognising intelligent merit. The overrated...