Remembering the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto’s film festival was founded in 1976 and given the name Festival of Festivals. When it had grown to become one of the world’s leading festivals the title seemed to be somewhat immodest. However, the choice of names was very Canadian. The organizers assumed that they wouldn’t be able to get many premieres and that most films would have already been seen at other festivals. American studios were invited to the 1976 festival but stayed home because they didn’t support festivals that promoted films within its “domestic” market, which included Canada.
The following year, according to the Globe and Mail, the biggest star was Happy Days’ Henry Winkler. Times have changed. Visitors to Toronto during this year’s festival will inevitably read or hear the term “star-studded” hundreds of times. Journalists have been invited to attend press conferences given by Brad Pitt, George Clooney and dozens of other studly stars.
As a result, it is easy to forget that the festival has a parallel universe, one that includes films whose stars are household names in countries most North Americans could probably not find on a map. That universe also includes Canadian films whose directors and stars are as obscure to most Canadians as those of the international films.
Tags: brad pitt, journalist