The Toronto International Film Festival isn’t only about the big event in September. No, they have a home in Toronto (the TIFF Bell Lightbox) where they host regular movie-related events and film programmes.TIFF Happenings takes a look at some of the cool things they’re doing for the coming week.
Cinéfranco Shorts Programme (March 24 and 25 at 11 a.m.)
While there are many great features screening at the 15th Annual Cinéfranco Film Festival (running until April 1 at the Lightbox), this weekend packs in two special days of shorts programming. On Saturday the selection varies from a piece set in the future where the audience can switch the actors in a movie as it plays (Apersona, 10 mins.) to a film about an aging alcoholic searching for hope (Patsy, 13 mins). Sunday’s programme has an amusing little film called Beep Beep (5 mins) as well as the more bizarre Mandala My Love (10 mins.), which is about a scientist conducting an experiment in his kitchen along with his only friend — a giant African snail. For more on the Cinéfranco film festival, visit cinefranco.com.
Adaptation (Saturday, March 24 at 10 p.m.)
Nic Cage was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in Spike Jonze’s Adaptation, which sees him playing twin brothers attempting to adapt a novel into a screenplay. It’s a great flick and well worth seeing with a crowd of people on the big screen.
The Lusty Men (Sunday, March 25 at 1 p.m.)
TIFF’s Director and CEO Piers Handling introduces this screening of Nicholas Ray’s The Lusty Men, the story of a bronco rider getting on in years (Robert Mitchum) who joins forces with a young couple (Arthur Kennedy and Susan Hayward) in order to go out with a bang. Great film that is sure to be even better after Handling’s insight into it.
Elizabeth Loftus on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m.)
Fans of Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are in for a treat this week as University of California – Irvine professor Elizabeth Loftus will be digging in and explaining the workings of memory after the screening. If the movie doesn’t blow your mind first, Loftus just might.
The JUNOS at TIFF: Canadian Music on Film (Thursday, March 29 at 7 p.m.)
TIFF and the JUNOS join forces for this event where Matt Wells of MuchMoreMusic will be highlighting the nominees for the Music DVD of the Year JUNO award as well as presenting the award to the winner. A portion of the proceeds from the tickets to this event will go to MusiCounts, a charity that helps keep music programmes in schools across Canada.
For more info on all TIFF Happenings, visit tiff.net.
Top image: A scene from Adaptation. Courtesy TIFF.
