showbiz

Darwin biopic to kick off TIFF 09

Posted on Tuesday, July 14, 2009
by Andrea Miller - Cineplex Entertainment

Creation

(Photograph: Liam Daniel)

The 2009 Toronto International Film Festival is flaunting convention by choosing a non-Canadian film for its coveted opening slot, instead selecting British drama Creation as the festival’s lead film.

Real-life couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly will play Charles and Emma Darwin in the period drama from director Jon Amiel about Darwin’s controversial and revolutionary theories on evolution at odds with a faith-based society.

Though TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey allowed that the festival’s opening films have traditionally, though not necessarily, been homegrown affairs, he revealed that they fell in love with the British movie and felt that its universal examination of faith versus reason would spark discussion amongst moviegoers.

But no one should panic, according to TIFF co-director and CEO Piers Handling, who was quick to quiet any concern over lack of Canuck representation. “Our commitment to Canadian cinema remains unshaken”, Handling told a packed room of media personnel at Toronto’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. The full list of Canadian films, however, won’t be released until August.

Four Gala Presentations, including Ricky Gervais’ latest comedy The Invention of Lying and period piece Get Low starring Robert Duvall, will see their world premieres at the festival alongside work from revered directors Jane Campion, Steven Soderbergh and Neil Jordan.

Handling and Bailey were coy when it came to confirming what A-list names would be found haunting the tony Yorkville neighbourhood come September but did hint that taking a closer look at the actors starring in both the Gala and Special Presentations was a good place to start.

That means Toronto could expect the likes of Colin Farrell (Ondine), Matt Damon (The Informant!), Eva Green (Cracks) Ben Wishaw (Bright Star) Edward Norton (Leaves of Grass) and Kristin Scott Thomas (Partir) when their films screen at the festival.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 10-19.

--

Galas:

Get Low, Aaron Schneider, USA

The Invention of Lying, Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson, USA

Max Manus, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, Norway/Denmark/Germany

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire Lee Daniels, USA

Special Presentations:

The Boys Are Back, Scott Hicks, Australia/United Kingdom

Bright Star, Jane Campion, United Kingdom/Australia

City of Life and Death, Lu Chuan, China

Cracks, Jordan Scott, Ireland

Hadewijch, Bruno Dumont, France

The Informant!, Steven Soderbergh, USA

Leaves of Grass Tim Blake Nelson, USA

London River, Rachid Bouchareb, United Kingdom/France/Algeria

Mao's Last Dancer, Bruce Beresford, Australia/USA/China

Moloch Tropical, Raoul Peck, Haiti/France

Mother Bong, Joon-ho, South Korea

Ondine, Neil Jordan, Ireland/USA

Partir, Catherine Corsini, France

Scheherazade Tell Me a Story, Yousry Nasrallah, Egypt

Solitary Man, Brian Koppelman and David Levien, USA

Valhalla Rising, Nicolas Winding Refn, Denmark/United Kingdom

Vengeance, Johnnie To, Hong Kong/France

The Vintner's Luck, Niki Caro, New Zealand/France

You need to be logged in to leave a comment.

There are currently no comments.

subscribe to our blog

All Posts

Browse by category

Archive

Tags