Toronto 2009

Abstract

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2009 HIGHLIGHTS There was no missing the withered appearance of Toronto's biggest film event this year, an inevitability that had been consuming it like a malignant tumour due to sustained economic famine. The cardinal symptoms were there for all to see: screening cutbacks, less-than-full houses, and sluggish industry business. Nevertheless, TIFF's choice of Tel Aviv for its inaugural 'City to City' program precipitated a spectacular publicity coup for itself when both detractors and supporters battled defensively - to the point of making international headlines. No particular theme or region stood out in this year's relatively tame line-up, although several thrillers provided welcome escapism: Accident (Soi Cheang, Hong Kong 2009) On paper, Soi Cheang's Accident sounds intriguing: the unity between four assassins specializing in disguising murders as accidents takes a hit when their latest job misfires and their ringleader (Louis Koo, dressed to kill) suspects he...