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{{short description|2008 film festival edition}}
The '''2008 [[Toronto International Film Festival]]''', (TIFF) was held in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. This 33rd annual festival was from [[September 4]] to [[September 13]], [[2008]]. The opening night gala was the WWI romantic epic ''[[Passchendaele (film)|Passchendaele]]'' from Canadian director [[Paul Gross]].<ref name="OpenVar">[http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988985 "Toronto unveils Canadian selection" Variety, By Brendan Kelly July 15, 2008]</ref>
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox Film Festival
| name = 2008 Toronto International Film Festival
| image = 2008 Toronto International Film Festival poster.jpg
| caption = Festival poster
| host = Toronto International Film Festival Group
| number = 312 films
| opening = ''[[Passchendaele (film)|Passchendaele]]''
| closing =
| location = [[Toronto]], Canada
| language = English
| date = {{Start date|2008|09|04}}–{{End date|2008|09|13}}
| website = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20080918014646/http://tiff08.ca/default2.aspx}}
}}

The '''2008 Toronto International Film Festival''' (TIFF) was held in [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada. This 33rd annual festival was from September 4 to September 13, 2008. The opening night gala was the World War I romantic epic ''[[Passchendaele (film)|Passchendaele]]'' from Canadian director [[Paul Gross]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tiff.net/pdfs/TIFF2008AnnualReport.pdf|title=2008 Toronto International Film Festival Annual report|access-date=October 11, 2013|archive-date=May 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507164431/http://tiff.net/pdfs/TIFF2008AnnualReport.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="OpenVar">[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988985 Brendan Kelly, Variety: "Toronto unveils Canadian selection" (July 15, 2008)] Retrieved July 11, 2012</ref>


==About the 2008 Festival==
==About the 2008 Festival==
Festival is heavy on Canadian fare as well as featuring prominent indie films and worldwide and/or North American debuts including: ''[[Adoration (film)|Adoration]]'' directed by Canada's own [[Atom Egoyan]], ''[[Appaloosa (film)|Appaloosa]]'' the second film from [[Ed Harris]] (who directed ''[[Pollock (film)|Pollock]]''), ''[[Blindness (film)|Blindness]]'' from screenwriter-director, [[Fernando Meirelles]], Iraq war thriller ''[[The Hurt Locker]]'' directed by [[Kathryn Bigelow]], and veteran filmmaker [[Barbet Schroeder]]'s ''Inju, la bete dans l'ombre''.<ref name="Lee">[http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988411 "Toronto believes in Lee's 'Miracle'" Variety, by Jennie Punter, Jul. 2, 2008]</ref><ref name="Destiny">[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1450600220080814 "Toronto film festival finds its Destiny" Aug 14, 2008 Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]</ref><ref name="TorontoAdds">[http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/toronto-adds-premieres-for-che-porno-bloom-synecdoche/ "Toronto Adds Premieres for 'Che', 'Porno', 'Bloom', 'Synecdoche', Others" Cinematical, by William Goss, Aug 13th 2008]</ref> Scheduled is ''[[The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond]]'' (directed by Jodie Markell), based on a "rediscovered" [[Tennessee Williams]] screenplay. TIFF screened 312 films from 64 countries. These include 249 features, most of which were North American and/or world premieres.<ref name="DanceCard">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i11533547aab0683e3b14f1a93a107cc9 "Toronto's dance card complete Sept. 4-13 festival includes 249 features" By Etan Vlessing, Hollywood Reporter, Aug 19, 2008]</ref>
The 2008 festival was heavy on Canadian fare as well as featuring prominent indie films and worldwide as well as North American debuts including: ''[[Adoration (2008 film)|Adoration]]'' directed by Canada's own [[Atom Egoyan]], ''[[Appaloosa (film)|Appaloosa]]'' the second film from [[Ed Harris]] (who directed ''[[Pollock (film)|Pollock]]''), ''[[Blindness (2008 film)|Blindness]]'' from screenwriter-director, [[Fernando Meirelles]], Iraq war thriller ''[[The Hurt Locker]]'' directed by [[Kathryn Bigelow]], and veteran filmmaker [[Barbet Schroeder]]'s ''[[Inju, la bête dans l'ombre]]''.<ref name="Lee">{{Cite web |url=https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988411 |title="Toronto believes in Lee's 'Miracle'" Variety, by Jennie Punter, Jul. 2, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922141511/http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988411 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Destiny">{{Cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1450600220080814 |title="Toronto film festival finds its Destiny" Aug 14, 2008 Reuters/Hollywood Reporter |access-date=June 30, 2017 |archive-date=November 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121164314/https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1450600220080814 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="TorontoAdds">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/toronto-adds-premieres-for-che-porno-bloom-synecdoche/ |title="Toronto Adds Premieres for 'Che', 'Porno', 'Bloom', 'Synecdoche', Others" Cinematical, by William Goss, Aug 13th 2008 |access-date=August 15, 2008 |archive-date=August 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814224625/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/13/toronto-adds-premieres-for-che-porno-bloom-synecdoche/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Scheduled is ''[[The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond]]'' (directed by [[Jodie Markell]]), based on a "rediscovered" [[Tennessee Williams]] screenplay. TIFF screened 312 films from 64 countries. These include 249 features, most of which were North American and/or world premieres.<ref name="DanceCard">{{Cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i11533547aab0683e3b14f1a93a107cc9 |title="Toronto's dance card complete Sept. 4–13 festival includes 249 features" By Etan Vlessing, Hollywood Reporter, Aug 19, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922222025/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i11533547aab0683e3b14f1a93a107cc9 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


[[Neil Burger]] (director of ''[[The Illusionist]]'') world premiered ''[[The Lucky Ones (film)|The Lucky Ones]]'' a character study of U.S. soldiers on an unplanned road trip, starring [[Tim Robbins]].<ref name="DanceCard"/><ref name="Celebretants">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990766.html?categoryId=19&cs=1 Variety "Toronto Film Festival unveils lineup Event boasts 500-plus guest list", by Jennie Punter, Aug. 19, 2008]</ref>
[[Neil Burger]] (director of ''[[The Illusionist (2006 film)|The Illusionist]]'') world premiered ''[[The Lucky Ones (film)|The Lucky Ones]]'' a character study of U.S. soldiers on an unplanned road trip, starring [[Tim Robbins]].<ref name="DanceCard"/><ref name="Celebretants">{{Cite web |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990766.html?categoryId=19&cs=1 |title=Variety "Toronto Film Festival unveils lineup Event boasts 500-plus guest list", by Jennie Punter, Aug. 19, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924023205/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990766.html?categoryId=19&cs=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>


Also featured was be ''[[Me and Orson Welles]]'' helmed by American "slacker" [[Richard Linklater]], the [[Spike Lee]]-directed WWII film, ''[[Miracle at St. Anna]]'' as well as the [[Jonathan Demme]] directed film ''[[Rachel Getting Married]]''. Other festival highlights are screenwriter [[Charlie Kaufman]]'s first film, ''[[Synecdoche, New York (film)|Synecdoche, New York]]'', a slice of experimental filmmaker [[James Benning (film director)|James Benning]]'s Americana ''[[RR (film)|RR]]'' was featured in the "Wavelengths" avant-garde showcase, the four-hour-long [[Stephen Soderbergh]] epic ''[[Che (film)|Che]]'' (playing in two parts), as well as ''[[The Wrestler (2009 film)|The Wrestler]]'' lensed by [[Darren Aronofsky]]. The Brits are also well represented with ''[[Happy-Go-Lucky]]'' directed by [[Mike Leigh]] and ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' directed by [[Danny Boyle]].<ref name="Lee"/><ref name="Destiny"/><ref name="TorontoAdds"/>
Also featured was ''[[Me and Orson Welles]]'' helmed by American "slacker" [[Richard Linklater]], the [[Spike Lee]]-directed World War II film, ''[[Miracle at St. Anna]]'' as well as the [[Jonathan Demme]] directed film ''[[Rachel Getting Married]]''. Other festival highlights are screenwriter [[Charlie Kaufman]]'s first film, ''[[Synecdoche, New York (film)|Synecdoche, New York]]'', a slice of experimental filmmaker [[James Benning (film director)|James Benning]]'s Americana ''[[RR (film)|RR]]'' was featured in the "Wavelengths" avant-garde showcase, the four-hour-long [[Steven Soderbergh]] epic ''[[Che (2008 film)|Che]]'' (playing in two parts), as well as ''[[The Wrestler (2008 film)|The Wrestler]]'' lensed by [[Darren Aronofsky]]. The Brits are also well represented with ''[[Happy-Go-Lucky (2008 film)|Happy-Go-Lucky]]'' directed by [[Mike Leigh]] and ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' directed by [[Danny Boyle]].<ref name="Lee"/><ref name="Destiny"/><ref name="TorontoAdds"/>


Despite showing fewer films than last year, among the 249 features, 116 are premieres and 61 are first features.<ref name="DanceCard"/><ref name="Reuters819">[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1928499520080819 "Toronto film festival promises lighter touch" Reuters, Aug 19, 2008]</ref> Films from as many as 64 countries were screened, with more than 340,000 admissions expected.<ref name="Reuters819"/>
Despite showing fewer films than last year, among the 249 features, 116 are premieres and 61 are first features.<ref name="DanceCard"/><ref name="Reuters819">{{Cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1928499520080819 |title="Toronto film festival promises lighter touch" Reuters, Aug 19, 2008 |access-date=June 30, 2017 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120221152/https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1928499520080819 |url-status=live }}</ref> Films from as many as 64 countries were screened, with more than 340,000 admissions expected.<ref name="Reuters819"/>


"Canadian Open Vault", which always highlights a restored Canadian film, focused on [[Quebec]] filmmaker [[Francois Girard]]'s ''[[32 Short Films About Glenn Gould]]'' made in 1993.<ref name="OpenVar"/>
"Canadian Open Vault", which always highlights a restored Canadian film, focused on [[Quebec]] filmmaker [[François Girard]]'s ''[[32 Short Films About Glenn Gould]]'' made in 1993.<ref name="OpenVar"/>


Actors [[Brad Pitt]], [[Edward Norton]], [[Benicio Del Toro]], [[Ethan Hawke]], [[Laura Linney]] and film directors [[Julian Schnabel]], [[Kathryn Bigelow]] and [[Steven Soderbergh]] are among the celebs the festival has invited on its 500-plus guest list, thus completing its lineup.<ref name="Celebretants"/>
Actors [[Brad Pitt]], [[Edward Norton]], [[Benicio del Toro]], [[Ethan Hawke]], [[Laura Linney]] and film directors [[Julian Schnabel]], [[Kathryn Bigelow]] and [[Steven Soderbergh]] are among the celebs the festival has invited on its 500-plus guest list, thus completing its lineup.<ref name="Celebretants"/>


The festival closed on [[September 13]], [[2008]] with the North American premiere of ''[[Stone of Destiny (film)|Stone of Destiny]]'' written and directed by [[Charles Martin Smith]], the true story of four [[Glasgow, Scotland|Glasgow]] university students who try to restore the 300-pound [[Stone of Scone|Stone of Destiny]] to its rightful Scotish home.<ref name="Twenty">[http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117990479 "Toronto fest adds 20 films to lineup" Variety, by Anne Thompson, Aug. 13, 2008]</ref>
The festival closed on September 13, 2008 with the North American premiere of ''[[Stone of Destiny (film)|Stone of Destiny]]'' written and directed by [[Charles Martin Smith]], the true story of four [[Glasgow, Scotland|Glasgow]] university students who try to restore the 300-pound [[Stone of Scone]] to its rightful Scottish home.<ref name="Twenty">{{Cite web |url=https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117990479 |title="Toronto fest adds 20 films to lineup" Variety, by Anne Thompson, Aug. 13, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924023706/http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117990479 |url-status=live }}</ref>


With the film "Fifty dead men walking", Rose McGowan expressed support for the cause of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with the reports of her comments being released into the media on September 11, 2008. After starring in Fifty Dead Men Walking, she was quoted as saying "I imagine had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100% have been in the IRA. My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it." Her comments were attacked by the original author Martin McCartlend. McCartland had general objections against the film, but approved of an out of court settlement, believed to be in the region of £20.000 (35.000 USD in summer 2008).
With the film ''[[Fifty Dead Men Walking]]'', [[Rose McGowan]] expressed support for the cause of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with the reports of her comments being released into the media on September 11, 2008. After starring in ''[[Fifty Dead Men Walking]]'', she was quoted as saying "I imagine had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100% have been in the IRA. My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it." Her comments were attacked by the original author Martin McCartlend. McCartland had general objections against the film, but approved of an out of court settlement, believed to be in the region of £20,000 (US$35,000 in summer 2008).

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Award<ref>[http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/movies/awards-put-the-wrap-on-toronto-film-festival-410334/ "Awards put the wrap on Toronto Film Festival"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017194148/http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/movies/awards-put-the-wrap-on-toronto-film-festival-410334/ |date=October 17, 2012 }}. ''post-gazette'', October 10, 2013.</ref>
! Film
! Director
|-
| People's Choice Award
| ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]''
| [[Danny Boyle]]
|-
| People's Choice Award First Runner Up
| ''[[More Than a Game]]''
| Kristopher Belman
|-
| People's Choice Award Second Runner Up
| ''[[The Stoning of Soraya M.]]''
| [[Cyrus Nowrasteh]]
|-
| Discovery Award
| ''[[Hunger (2008 film)|Hunger]]''
| [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]
|-
| Best Canadian Feature Film
| ''[[Lost Song (film)|Lost Song]]''
| [[Rodrigue Jean]]
|-
| Best Canadian Feature Film – Special Jury Citation
| ''[[Adoration (2008 film)|Adoration]]''
| [[Atom Egoyan]]
|-
| Best Canadian First Feature Film
| ''[[Before Tomorrow]] (Le Jour avant le lendemain)''
| [[Madeline Ivalu]] & [[Marie-Hélène Cousineau]]
|-
| Best Canadian First Feature Film – Special Jury Citation
| ''[[Borderline (2008 film)|Borderline]]''
| [[Lyne Charlebois]]
|-
| Best Canadian Short Film
| ''[[Block B (film)|Block B]]''
| [[Chris Chong Chan Fui]]
|-
| Best Canadian Short Film – Special Jury Citation
| ''[[Next Floor]]''
| [[Denis Villeneuve]]
|-
| [[FIPRESCI]] Discovery
| ''[[Lymelife]]''
| [[Derick Martini]]
|-
| FIPRESCI Special Presentations
| ''[[Disgrace (2008 film)|Disgrace]]''
| [[Steve Jacobs]]
|}


==North American premieres==
==North American premieres==
* ''Aide-toi et le ciel t'aidera'' directed by [[François Dupeyron]] (France)
* ''[[Aide-toi et le ciel t'aidera]]'' by [[François Dupeyron]]
* ''[[Adoration (film)|Adoration]]'' directed by [[Atom Egoyan]] (Canada)
* ''[[Adoration (2008 film)|Adoration]]'' by [[Atom Egoyan]]
* ''[[Appaloosa (film)|Appaloosa]]'' directed by [[Ed Harris]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Appaloosa (film)|Appaloosa]]'' by [[Ed Harris]]
* ''Un Barrage center le pacifique'' directed by [[Rithy Panh]]
* ''[[Un Barrage center le pacifique]]'' by [[Rithy Panh]]
* ''[[Blindness (film)|Blindness]]'' directed by [[Fernando Meirelles]] (Brazil/Japan/Canada coprod.)
* ''[[Blindness (2008 film)|Blindness]]'' by [[Fernando Meirelles]]
* ''[[The Brothers Bloom]]'' directed by [[Rian Johnson]]
* ''[[The Brothers Bloom]]'' by [[Rian Johnson]]
* ''[[A Christmas Tale|Un conte de Noël]]'' directed by [[Arnaud Desplechin]]
* ''[[A Christmas Tale|Un conte de Noël]]'' by [[Arnaud Desplechin]]
* ''Disgrace'' directed by [[Steve Jacobs]]
* ''[[Disgrace (2008 film)|Disgrace]]'' by [[Steve Jacobs]]
* ''[[Il Divo (film)|Il Divo]]'' directed by [[Paolo Sorrentino]]
* ''[[Il Divo (film)|Il Divo]]'' by [[Paolo Sorrentino]]
* ''[[The Duchess (film)|The Duchess]]'' directed by [[Saul Dibb]]
* ''[[The Duchess (film)|The Duchess]]'' by [[Saul Dibb]]
* ''[[Easy Virtue (2009 film)|Easy Virtue]]'' directed by Stephen Elliot (U.S./U.K.)
* ''[[Easy Virtue (2009 film)|Easy Virtue]]'' by [[Stephen Elliott (director)|Stephen Elliott]]
* ''[[Fifty Dead Men Walking]]'' directed by Kari Skogland (Canada)
* ''[[Fifty Dead Men Walking]]'' by [[Kari Skogland]]
* ''[[Genova (film)|Genova]]'' directed by [[Michael Winterbottom]]
* ''[[Food, Inc.]]'' by [[Robert Kenner]]
* ''[[Gomorra (film)|Gomorrah]]'' directed by [[Matteo Garrone]]
* ''[[Genova (2008 film)|Genova]]'' by [[Michael Winterbottom]]
* ''[[Good (film)|Good]]'' directed by Vincente Amorim
* ''[[Gomorra (film)|Gomorrah]]'' by [[Matteo Garrone]]
* ''[[The Good, the Bad, the Weird]]'' directed by [[Kim Jee-woon]] (South Korea)
* ''[[Good (film)|Good]]'' by [[Vincente Amorim]]
* ''[[Heaven on Earth (film)|Heaven on Earth]]'' directed by [[Deepa Mehta]] (Canada)
* ''[[The Good, the Bad, the Weird]]'' by [[Kim Jee-woon]]
* ''[[The Hurt Locker]]'' directed by [[Kathryn Bigelow]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Heaven on Earth (2008 film)|Heaven on Earth]]'' by [[Deepa Mehta]]
* ''[[The Hurt Locker]]'' by [[Kathryn Bigelow]]
* ''Is There Anybody There?'' directed by [[John Crowley (director)|John Crowley]]
* ''[[Is anybody there|Is There Anybody There?]]'' by [[John Crowley (director)|John Crowley]]
* ''It's Not Me'' directed by [[Philippe Falardeau]] (Canada)
* ''[[It's Not Me, I Swear!]] (C'est pas moi, je le jure!)'' by [[Philippe Falardeau]]
* ''[[The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond]]'' directed by Jodie Markell
* ''[[The Lucky Ones (film)|The Lucky Ones]]'' directed by [[Neil Burger]]
* ''[[The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond]]'' by [[Jodie Markell]]
* ''[[Management (film)|Management]]'' directed by [[Stephen Belber]]
* ''[[The Lucky Ones (film)|The Lucky Ones]]'' by [[Neil Burger]]
* ''[[Me and Orson Welles]]'' directed by [[Richard Linklater]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Management (film)|Management]]'' by [[Stephen Belber]]
* ''[[Miracle at St. Anna]]'' directed by [[Spike Lee]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Me and Orson Welles]]'' by [[Richard Linklater]]
* ''[[Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist]]'' directed by Peter Sollet
* ''[[Miracle at St. Anna]]'' by [[Spike Lee]]
* ''[[O' Horten]]'' directed by [[Bent Hamer]] (Norway)
* ''[[Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist]]'' by [[Peter Sollett]]
* ''One Week'' directed by Michael McGowan (Canada)
* ''[[O' Horten]]'' by [[Bent Hamer]]
* ''[[The Other Man (2008 film)|The Other Man]]'' directed by [[Richard Eyre]]
* ''[[One Week (2008 film)|One Week]]'' by [[Michael McGowan (director)|Michael McGowan]]
* ''[[The Other Man (2008 film)|The Other Man]]'' by [[Richard Eyre]]
* ''Pedro'' directed by Nicholas Oceano
* ''[[Pride and Glory (film)|Pride and Glory]]'' directed by [[Gavin O'Connor (director)|Gavin O'Connor]]
* ''[[Pedro (film)|Pedro]]'' by [[Nicholas Oceano]]
* ''[[Pride and Glory (film)|Pride and Glory]]'' by [[Gavin O'Connor (director)|Gavin O'Connor]]
* ''[[Rachel Getting Married]]'' directed by [[Jonathan Demme]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Rachel Getting Married]]'' by [[Jonathan Demme]]
* ''[[The Secret Life of Bees (film)|The Secret Life of Bees]]'' directed by [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]
* ''[[The Secret Life of Bees (film)|The Secret Life of Bees]]'' by [[Gina Prince-Bythewood]]
* ''[[Stone of Destiny (film)|Stone of Destiny]]'' directed by [[Charles Martin Smith]]
* ''[[Stone of Destiny (film)|Stone of Destiny]]'' by [[Charles Martin Smith]]
* ''[[Synecdoche, New York (film)|Synecdoche, New York]]'' directed by [[Charlie Kaufman]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Synecdoche, New York (film)|Synecdoche, New York]]'' by [[Charlie Kaufman]]
* ''[[The Wrestler (2009 film)|The Wrestler]]'' directed by [[Darren Aronofsky]] (U.S.)
* ''[[The Wrestler (2008 film)|The Wrestler]]'' by [[Darren Aronofsky]]
* ''[[Zack and Miri Make a Porno]]'' directed by [[Kevin Smith]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Zack and Miri Make a Porno]]'' by [[Kevin Smith]]


===Special presentations===
==Special presentations==
* ''Ashes of Time Redux'' directed by [[Wong Kar Wai]]
* ''[[Ashes of Time Redux]]'' by [[Wong Kar-wai]]
* ''Empty Nest'' directed by [[Daniel Burman]]
* ''[[Empty Nest (film)|Empty Nest]]'' by [[Daniel Burman]]
* ''Every Little Step'' directed by James Stern and Adam Del Deo
* ''[[Every Little Step]]'' by [[James D. Stern|James Stern]] and [[Adam Del Deo]]
* ''La Fille de Monaco'' directed by [[Anne Fontaine (filmmaker)|Anne Fontaine]] (France)
* ''[[La Fille de Monaco]]'' by [[Anne Fontaine (filmmaker)|Anne Fontaine]]
* ''[[Kanchivaram]]'' directed by [[Priyadarshan]] (India-Tamil)
* ''[[Kanchivaram]]'' by [[Priyadarshan]]
* ''[[Ghost Town (film)|Ghost Town]]'' directed by [[David Koepp]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Ghost Town (2008 film)|Ghost Town]]'' by [[David Koepp]]
* ''[[Happy-Go-Lucky]]'' directed by [[Mike Leigh]]
* ''[[Happy-Go-Lucky (2008 film)|Happy-Go-Lucky]]'' by [[Mike Leigh]]
* ''[[I've Loved You So Long]]'' directed by [[Philippe Claudel]] (France)
* ''[[I've Loved You So Long]]'' by [[Philippe Claudel]]
* ''[[New York, I Love You]]'' (a compilation of short films from 12 directors) including [[Natalie Portman]], [[Allen Hughes]], and [[Mira Nair]]
* ''[[New York, I Love You]]''
* ''[[Religulous]]'' directed by [[Larry Charles]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Religulous]]'' by [[Larry Charles]]
* ''[[RocknRolla]]'' directed by [[Guy Ritchie]]
* ''[[RocknRolla]]'' by [[Guy Ritchie]]
* ''[[Waltz with Bashir]]'' directed by [[Ari Folman]]
* ''[[Unspoken (2008 film)|Unspoken]]'' by [[Fien Troch]]
* ''[[Waltz with Bashir]]'' by [[Ari Folman]]


==Other films to be screened==
==Other films to be screened==
* ''$9.99'' directed by Tatia Rosenthal
* ''[[$9.99]]'' by [[Tatia Rosenthal]]
* ''[[Burn After Reading]]'' by [[Coen brothers]]
* ''Before Tomorrow'' directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu (Canada)
* ''[[Burn After Reading]]'' directed by [[Coen brothers|Ethan Coen and Joel Coen]]
* ''[[Che (2008 film)|Che]]'' by [[Steven Soderbergh]]
* ''[[Che (film)|Che]]'' (in two pieces) directed by [[Stephen Soderbergh]] (U.S.)
* ''[[Entre les murs|The Class]]'' by [[Laurent Cantet]]
* ''[[Entre les murs|The Class]]'' directed by [[Laurent Cantet]]
* ''[[Daytime Drinking]]'' by Young-seok Noh
* ''Cooper's Camera'' directed by Warren Sonada (Canada)
* ''[[Dean Spanley]]'' by [[Toa Fraser]]
* ''[[Gigantic (film)|Gigantic]]'' by [[Matt Aselton]]
* ''Daytime Drinking'' directed by Young-seok Noh (Korea)
* ''[[Dean Spanley]]'' directed by [[Toa Fraser]]
* ''[[Hunger (2008 film)|Hunger]]'' by [[Steve McQueen (director)|Steve McQueen]]
* ''[[Inju: The Beast in the Shadow|Inju, la bête dans l'ombre]]'' by [[Barbet Schroeder]]
* ''[[Edison and Leo]]'' directed by [[Neil Burns]] (Canada)
* ''[[Gigantic (film)|Gigantic]]'' directed by Matt Aselton
* ''[[Last Stop 174]]'' by [[Bruno Barreto]]
* ''[[Hunger (2008 film)|Hunger]]'' directed by [[Steve McQueen (artist)|Steve McQueen]]
* ''[[Lovely, Still]]'' by [[Nik Fackler]]
* ''[[Lymelife]]'' by [[Derick Martini]] and [[Steve Martini]]
* ''[[Inju: The Beast in the Shadow|Inju, la bete dans l'ombre]]'' directed by [[Barbet Schroeder]]
* ''[[Nothing but the Truth (2008 American film)|Nothing But the Truth]]'' by [[Rod Lurie]]
* ''Last Stop 174'' directed by [[Bruno Barreto]] (Brazil)
* ''[[Public Enemy No. One]]'' by [[Jean-François Richet]]
* ''Lovely, Still'' directed by Nik Fackler
* ''[[Singh Is Kinng]]'' by [[Anees Bazmee]]
* ''[[Lymelife]]'' directed by Derick Martini and Steve Martini
* ''[[Nothing But the Truth (2008 film)|Nothing But the Truth]]'' directed by [[Rod Lurie]]
* ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' by [[Danny Boyle]]
* ''[[Snow (2008 film)|Snow]]'' by [[Aida Begić]]
* ''Public Enemy No. One'' directed by Jean-Francois Richet
* ''[[The Stoning of Soraya M.]]'' by [[Cyrus Nowrasteh]]
* ''Real Time'' directed by Randall Cole (Canada)
* ''[[Singh Is Kinng]]'' directed by [[Anees Bazmee]]
* ''[[Tulpan]]'' by [[Sergey Dvortsevoy]]
* ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'' directed by [[Danny Boyle]] (U.K.)
* ''[[Who Do You Love? (2008 film)|Who Do You Love?]]'' by [[Jerry Zaks]]
* ''[[What Doesn't Kill You (film)|What Doesn't Kill You]]'' by [[Brian Goodman]]
* ''Snow'' directed by Aida Begić
* ''[[The Stoning of Soraya M.]]'' directed by [[Cyrus Nowrasteh]]
* ''[[Anonyma – Eine Frau in Berlin]]'' by [[Max Färberböck]]
* ''[[A Year in Winter]]'' by [[Caroline Link]]
* ''Tulpan'' directed by Sergey Dvortsevoy
* ''[[Who Do You Love?]]'' directed by [[Jerry Zaks]]
* ''[[What Doesn't Kill You]]'' directed by [[Brian Goodman]]
* ''Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin (A Woman in Berlin)'' directed by [[Max Färberböck]] (Germany)
* ''A Year in Winter'' directed by [[Caroline Link]]


===Masters program===
==Masters program==
* ''[[24 City]]'' directed by [[Jia Zhangke]]
* ''[[24 City]]'' by [[Jia Zhangke]]
* ''[[Adam Resurrected (film)|Adam Resurrected]]'' directed by [[Paul Schrader]]
* ''[[Adam Resurrected (film)|Adam Resurrected]]'' by [[Paul Schrader]]
* ''[[Everlasting Moments]]'' directed by [[Jan Troell]]
* ''[[Everlasting Moments]]'' by [[Jan Troell]]
* ''Four Nights With Anna'' directed by [[Jerzy Skolimowski]]
* ''[[Four Nights With Anna]]'' by [[Jerzy Skolimowski]]
* ''[[Of Time and the City]]'' directed by [[Terence Davies]] (U.K.)
* ''[[Of Time and the City]]'' by [[Terence Davies]]
* ''[[Le Silence de Lorna]]'' directed by [[Jean-Pierre Dardenne]] and [[Luc Dardenne]] (U.K.)
* ''[[Lorna's Silence]]'' by [[Dardenne brothers]]
* ''[[Three Monkeys]]'' directed by [[Nuri Bilge Ceylan]] (Turkey)
* ''[[Three Monkeys (film)|Three Monkeys]]'' by [[Nuri Bilge Ceylan]]
* ''[[Tokyo Sonata]]'' directed by [[Kiyoshi Kurosawa]]
* ''[[Tokyo Sonata]]'' by [[Kiyoshi Kurosawa]]


===Vanguard and visions===
==Vanguard and visions==
* ''[[Afterwards]]'' directed by [[Gilles Bourdos]]
* ''[[Afterwards (2008 film)|Afterwards]]'' by [[Gilles Bourdos]]
* ''[[Uncertainty (film)|Uncertainty]]'' directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
* ''[[Uncertainty (film)|Uncertainty]]'' by [[Scott McGehee]] and [[David Siegel (screenwriter)|David Siegel]]
* ''[[Universalove]]'' directed by Thomas Woschitz (Austria)
* ''[[Universalove]]'' by [[Thomas Woschitz]]
* ''[[Charleston & Vendetta|Tears For Sale]]'' directed by Uros Stojanovic (Serbia)
* ''[[Charleston & Vendetta|Tears For Sale]]'' by [[Uroš Stojanović]]
* Vinyan directed by Fabrice du Welz
* ''[[Vinyan]]'' by [[Fabrice du Welz]]


===Midnight Madness===
==Midnight Madness==
* ''Acolytes'' directed by Jon Hewitt
* ''[[Acolytes]]'' by [[Jon Hewitt]]
* ''[[The Burrowers]]'' directed by J.T. Petty
* ''[[The Burrowers]]'' by [[J. T. Petty]]
* ''[[Chocolate (2008 film)|Chocolate]]'' directed by [[Prachya Pinkaew]] (Thailand)
* ''[[Chocolate (2008 film)|Chocolate]]'' by [[Prachya Pinkaew]]
* ''Deadgirl'' directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel (U.S.)
* ''[[Deadgirl]]'' by [[Marcel Sarmiento]] and [[Gadi Harel]]
* ''[[Detroit Metal City]] directed by Toshio Lee
* ''[[Detroit Metal City]]'' by [[Toshio Lee]]
* ''Eden Log'' directed by Franck Vestiel
* ''[[Eden Log]]'' by [[Franck Vestiel]]
* ''[[JCVD]]'' directed by Mabrouk El Mechri
* ''[[JCVD]]'' by [[Mabrouk El Mechri]]
* ''[[Martyrs (film)|Martyrs]]'' directed by Pascal Laugier
* ''[[Martyrs (2008 film)|Martyrs]]'' by [[Pascal Laugier]]
* ''[[Not Quite Hollywood]]'' directed by Mark Hartley (Australia)
* ''[[Not Quite Hollywood]]'' by [[Mark Hartley]]
* ''[[Sexykiller]]'' directed by Miguel Marti
* ''[[Sexykiller]]'' by [[Miguel Marti]]
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultra8.ca/content2/mmhistory.html|title=History of the Toronto International Film Festival's MIDNIGHT MADNESS Programme|access-date=October 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019173241/http://www.ultra8.ca/content2/mmhistory.html|archive-date=2013-10-19|url-status=dead}}</ref>


===Sprockets (family fare)===
==Sprockets (family fare)==
* ''[[Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)|Bridge to Terabithia]]'' directed by [[Gábor Csupó]] (Germany)
* ''[[Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)|Bridge to Terabithia]]'' by [[Gábor Csupó]]
* ''[[Disco Worms]]'' by [[Thomas Borch Nielsen]]
* ''Krabat'' directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner
* ''[[Krabat (film)|Krabat]]'' by [[Marco Kreuzpaintner]]
* ''Mia et le Migou'' directed by Remy Girerd
* ''[[The Secret of Moonacre]]'' directed by [[Gábor Csupó]]
* ''[[Mia and the Migoo]] (Mia et le Migou)'' by [[Jacques-Rémy Girerd]]
* ''[[The Secret of Moonacre]]'' by [[Gábor Csupó]]
* ''Sunshine Barry & the Disco Worms'' directed by Thomas Borch Nielsen


==Wavelengths (avant-garde showcase)==
==Wavelengths (avant-garde showcase)==
* ''Derrière moi'' directed by Rafael Ouellet (Canada)
* ''[[Behind Me (film)|Behind Me]] (Derrière moi)'' by [[Rafaël Ouellet]]
* ''Le Genou d'Artemide'' directed by [[Jean-Marie Straub]]
* ''[[Le Genou d'Artemide]]'' by [[Jean-Marie Straub]]
* ''Pontypool'' directed by [[Bruce McDonald]]
* ''[[Pontypool (film)|Pontypool]]'' by [[Bruce McDonald (director)|Bruce McDonald]]
* ''[[RR (film)|RR]]'' directed by [[James Benning (film director)|James Benning]] (U.S.)
* ''[[RR (film)|RR]]'' by [[James Benning (film director)|James Benning]]
* ''The Secret History of the Dividing Line'' (part of series) directed by [[David Gatten]]
* ''[[The Secret History of the Dividing Line]]'' by [[David Gatten]]
* ''When It Was Blue'' directed by Jennifer Reeves
* ''[[When It Was Blue]]'' by [[Jennifer Reeves]]
* ''[[Winter (2007 film)|Winter]]'' by [[Nathaniel Dorsky]]
* ''Sarabande'' by [[Nathaniel Dorsky]]
* ''[[Horizontal Boundaries]]'' by [[Pat O' Neill]]
* ''Dig'' by [[Robert Todd (filmmaker)|Robert Todd]]
* ''[[Garden/ing]]'' by [[Eriko Sonoda]]
* ''[[Black and White Trypps Number Three]]'' by [[Ben Russell (filmmaker)|Ben Russell]]
* ''[[Public Domain]]'' by [[Jim Jennings (filmmaker)|Jim Jennings]]
* ''[[Optra Field III-VI]]'' by [[T. Marie]]
* ''[[Refraction Series]]'' by [[Chris Gehman]]
* ''[[Suspension (film)|Suspension]] '' by [[Vanessa O' Neill]]


==Contemporary world cinema==
==Contemporary world cinema==
* ''33 Scenes From Life'' directed by Malgosia Szumowska (Poland)
* ''[[33 Scenes From Life]]'' by [[Małgorzata Szumowska]]
* ''[[Five Dollars a Day]]'' directed by [[Nigel Cole]]
* ''[[Five Dollars a Day]]'' by [[Nigel Cole]]
* ''Acne'' directed by Frederica Veiroj
* ''[[Acne (2008 film)|Acne]]'' by [[Federico Veiroj]]
* ''The Country Teacher'' directed by [[Bohdan Sláma]] (Czech Republic/Germany/France)
* ''[[The Country Teacher]]'' by [[Bohdan Sláma]]
* ''Delta'' directed by Kornel Mundruczo
* ''[[Delta (2008 film)|Delta]]'' by [[Kornél Mundruczó]]
* ''Un ete sans point ni coup sur'' directed by [[Francis Leclerc]] (Canada)
* ''[[Fear Me Not]]'' by [[Kristian Levring]]
* ''Fear Me Not'' directed by [[Kristian Levring]]
* ''[[Flame & Citron]]'' by [[Ole Christian Madsen]]
* ''[[Flame & Citron]]'' directed by Ole Christian Madsen
* ''[[El Greco (2007 film)|El Greco]]'' by [[Yannis Smaragdis]]
* ''[[El Greco (2007 film)|El Greco]]'' directed by [[Yannis Smaragdis]]
* ''[[Knitting (film)|Knitting]]'' by [[Yin Lichuan]]
* ''[[L'Heure d'été]]'' directed by [[Olivier Assayas]]
* ''[[Linha de Passe]]'' by [[Walter Salles]] and [[Daniela Thomas]]
* ''[[Knitting (film)|Knitting]]'' directed by [[Yin Lichuan]]
* ''[[Lion's Den (2008 film)|Lion's Den]]'' by [[Pablo Trapero]]
* ''[[Lost Song (film)|Lost Song]]'' by [[Rodrigue Jean]]
* ''[[Linha de Passe]]'' directed [[Walter Salles]] and [[Daniela Thomas]] (Brazil)
* ''[[Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's]] (Maman est chez le coiffeur)'' by [[Léa Pool]]
* ''Lion's Den'' directed by [[Pablo Trapero]]
* ''[[Middle of Nowhere (2008 film)|Middle of Nowhere]]'' by [[John Stockwell (actor)|John Stockwell]]
* ''Lost Song'' directed by Rodrigue Jean
* ''[[Mothers & Daughters (2008 film)|Mothers & Daughters]]'' by [[Carl Bessai]]
* ''Maman est chez le coiffeur'' directed by [[Lea Pool]] (Canada)
* ''[[Middle of Nowhere (film)|Middle of Nowhere]]'' directed by [[John Stockwell (actor)|John Stockwell]]
* ''[[My Mother, My Bride and I]]'' by [[Hans Steinbichler]]
* ''[[The Narrows (2008 film)|The Narrows]]'' by [[François Velle]]
* ''Mothers & Daughters'' directed by Carl Bessai
* ''[[A No-Hit No-Run Summer]] (Un été sans point ni coup sûr)'' by [[Francis Leclerc]]
* ''My Mother, My Bride and I'' directed by Hans Steinbichler
* ''[[The Narrows (2008 film)|The Narrows]]'' directed by Francois Velle
* ''[[Patrik, Age 1.5]]'' by [[Ella Lemhagen]]
* ''[[Patrik, Age 1.5]]'' directed by Ella Lemhagen
* ''[[Pandora's Box (2008 film)|Pandora's Box]]'' by [[Yeşim Ustaoğlu]]
* ''[[Restless (2008 film)|Restless]]'' by [[Amos Kollek]]
* ''Pandora's Box'' directed by Yeşim Ustaoğlu
* ''Restless'' directed by [[Amos Kollek]]
* ''[[Revanche (film)|Revanche]]'' by [[Götz Spielmann]]
* ''Revanche'' directed by [[Götz Spielmann]]
* ''[[Skin (2008 film)|Skin]]'' by [[Anthony Fabian]]
* ''[[Summer Hours]] (L'Heure d'été)'' by [[Olivier Assayas]]
* ''Skin'' directed by Anthony Fabian
* ''Teza'' directed by [[Haile Gerima]]
* ''[[Teza (film)|Teza]]'' by [[Haile Gerima]]
* ''Three Wise Men'' directed by [[Mika Kaurismaki]]
* ''[[Three Wise Men]]'' by [[Mika Kaurismäki]]
* ''Toronto Stories'' (four part anthology) directed by David Weaver, [[Sudz Sutherland]], Aaron Woodley and [[Sook-Yin Lee]] (Canada)
* ''[[Toronto Stories]]'' by [[David Weaver]], [[Sudz Sutherland]], [[Aaron Woodley]] and [[Sook-Yin Lee]]
* ''Two-Legged Horse'' directed by [[Samira Makhmalbaf]]
* ''[[Two-Legged Horse]]'' by [[Samira Makhmalbaf]]
* ''[[White Night Wedding]]'' directed by [[Baltasar Kormakur]]
* ''[[White Night Wedding]]'' by [[Baltasar Kormákur]]


==Canada first==
==Canada First==
*''[[Before Tomorrow]] (Le jour avant le lendemain)'' by [[Marie-Hélène Cousineau]] and [[Madeline Ivalu]]
*''Borderline'' directed by Lyne Charlebois
*''[[Borderline (2008 film)|Borderline]]'' by [[Lyne Charlebois]]
*''[[Control Alt Delete (film)|Control Alt Delete]]'' by Cameron Labine
*''[[Coopers' Camera]]'' by [[Warren P. Sonoda]]
*''[[Down to the Dirt]]'' by [[Justin Simms]]
*''[[Edison and Leo]]'' by Neil Burns
*''[[Nurse.Fighter.Boy]]'' by [[Charles Officer]]
*''Only'' by [[Ingrid Veninger]] and Simon Reynolds
*''[[Real Time (film)|Real Time]]'' by [[Randall Cole]]
*''When Life Was Good'' by Terry Miles

==Short Cuts Canada==
*''106'' by Candice Day
*''The Amendment'' by Kevin Papatie
*''[[Beyond the Walls (2008 film)|Beyond the Walls]] (La Battue)'' by [[Guy Édoin]]
*''Forty Men for the Yukon'' by Tony Massil
*''[[Green Door (film)|Green Door]]'' by [[Semi Chellas]]
*''Hers at Last'' by Helen Lee
*''How Are You?'' by [[Susan Coyne]] and [[Martha Burns]]
*''[[Next Floor]]'' by [[Denis Villeneuve]]
*''[[Passages (2008 film)|Passages]]'' by [[Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre]]
*''Pat's First Kiss'' by [[Pat Mills (director)|Pat Mills]]
*''Pudge'' by Annie Bradley
*''Spoiled'' by [[Sherry White]]
*''The Workout'' by [[Sami Khan (filmmaker)|Sami Khan]]


==The Real to Reel (docu program)==
==The Real to Reel (docu program)==
* ''Blind Loves'' directed by Juraj Lehotsky
* ''[[Blind Loves]]'' by [[Juraj Lehotsky]]
* ''[[Examined Life]]'' directed by [[Astra Taylor]]
* ''[[Examined Life]]'' by [[Astra Taylor]]
* ''La memoire des anges'' directed by Luc Bourdon
* ''[[The Memories of Angels]] (La mémoire des anges)'' by [[Luc Bourdon (filmmaker)|Luc Bourdon]]
* ''Paris, Not France'' directed by Adria Petty
* ''[[Paris, Not France]]'' by [[Adria Petty]]
* ''[[The Real Shaolin]]'' directed by [[Alexander Sebastien Lee]]
* ''[[The Real Shaolin]]'' by [[Alexander Sebastien Lee]]
* ''Under Rich Earth'' directed by Malcolm Rogge
* ''[[Under Rich Earth]]'' by [[Malcolm Rogge]]
* ''7915 KM'' directed by Nikolaus Geyrhalter
* ''[[7915 KM]]'' by [[Nikolaus Geyrhalter]]

==Canada's Top Ten==
TIFF's annual [[Canada's Top Ten]] list, its national critics and festival programmers poll of the ten best feature and short films of the year, was released in December 2008.<ref name=cinematheque>"TIFF's Top Ten". ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', December 17, 2008.</ref>

===Feature films===
*''[[Adoration (2008 film)|Adoration]]'' — [[Atom Egoyan]]
*''[[Before Tomorrow]] (Le jour avant le lendemain)'' — [[Marie-Hélène Cousineau]], [[Madeline Ivalu]]
*''[[Fifty Dead Men Walking]]'' — [[Kari Skogland]]
*''[[Heaven on Earth (2008 film)|Heaven on Earth]]'' — [[Deepa Mehta]]
*''[[It's Not Me, I Swear!]] (C'est pas moi, je le jure)'' — [[Philippe Falardeau]]
*''[[Lost Song (film)|Lost Song]]'' — [[Rodrigue Jean]]
*''[[Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's]] (Maman est chez le coiffeur)'' — [[Léa Pool]]
*''[[The Memories of Angels]] (La Memoire des anges)'' — [[Luc Bourdon (filmmaker)|Luc Bourdon]]
*''[[The Necessities of Life]] (Ce qu'il faut pour vivre)'' — [[Benoît Pilon]]
*''[[Pontypool (film)|Pontypool]]'' — [[Bruce McDonald (director)|Bruce McDonald]]

===Short films===
*''[[Beyond the Walls (2008 film)|Beyond the Walls]] (La Battue)'' — [[Guy Édoin]]
*''[[Block B (film)|Block B]]'' — [[Chris Chong Chan Fui]]
*''[[Drux Flux]]'' — [[Theodore Ushev]]
*''[[Ghosts and Gravel Roads]]'' — [[Mike Rollo]]
*''[[Green Door (film)|Green Door]]'' — [[Semi Chellas]]
*''[[My Name Is Victor Gazon]] (Mon nom est Victor Gazon)'' — [[Patrick Gazé]]
*''[[Next Floor]]'' — [[Denis Villeneuve]]
*''[[Nikamowin (Song)]]'' — [[Kevin Lee Burton]]
*''[[Passages (2008 film)|Passages]]'' — [[Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre]]
*''[[Princess Margaret Blvd.]]'' — [[Kazik Radwanski]]


==References==
==References==
Line 191: Line 323:


==External links==
==External links==
{{commonscat|2008 Toronto International Film Festival}}
{{commons category|2008 Toronto International Film Festival}}
* [http://www.tiff08.ca/filmsandschedules/default.aspx Full List of TIFF 08 Films & Schedules]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080918014713/http://tiff08.ca/press/pressreleases/default.aspx?newsId=596 Official Awards Announcement] (as archived 18 September 2008)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080904082224/http://tiff08.ca/filmsandschedules/filmlist/default.aspx?date=04 Official Film Schedule (ordered by date and time)] (as archived 3 September 2008)
* [http://www.tiffreviews.com TIFFReviews.com] - coverage of TIFF '08 with news, reviews, blogs, photos and videos
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080903112257/http://tiff08.ca/filmsandschedules/filmsearch/default.aspx Complete alphabetical list of TIFF 08 films] (as archived 3 September 2008)
* [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117989377 Variety, Jul. 23, 2008, "Van Damme's JCVD to hit Toronto", (wavelengths, midnight madness, family fare)]
* [http://www.tiffreviews.com TIFFReviews.com] – coverage of TIFF '08 with news, reviews, blogs, photos and videos
* [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117989131 "TIFF slots 'Appaloosa,' 'Other Man'", Variety, By Michael Jones, July 17, 2008]
* [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988985 "Toronto Unveils Canadian selection" Variety, By Brendan Kelly July 15, 2008]
* [https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117989377 Variety, Jul. 23, 2008, "Van Damme's JCVD to hit Toronto", (wavelengths, midnight madness, family fare)]
* [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988730 "Secret Life of Bees' stings Toronto" Variety, Jul. 10, 2008]
* [https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117989131 "TIFF slots 'Appaloosa,' 'Other Man'", Variety, By Michael Jones, July 17, 2008]
* [http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988129 "Cannes winners trot to Toronto: Fest unveils first pics in slate" Variety, by Jennie Punter, Jun. 26, 2008]
* [https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988985 "Toronto Unveils Canadian selection" Variety, By Brendan Kelly July 15, 2008]
* [https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988730 "Secret Life of Bees' stings Toronto" Variety, Jul. 10, 2008]
* [https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=2652&articleid=VR1117988129 "Cannes winners trot to Toronto: Fest unveils first pics in slate" Variety, by Jennie Punter, Jun. 26, 2008]
* [https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000659/2008 2008 Toronto International Film Festival] at [[IMDb]]


{{TIFF}}
{{TIFF}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto International Film Festival}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto International Film Festival 2008}}
[[Category:2008 in Canada]]
[[Category:2008 in Canadian cinema]]
[[Category:Toronto International Film Festival|2008]]
[[Category:Toronto International Film Festival|2008]]
[[Category:2008 film festivals]]
[[Category:2008 film festivals]]
[[Category:2008 in Toronto]]
[[Category:2008 festivals in North America]]
[[Category:September 2008 events in Canada]]

Latest revision as of 12:19, 29 March 2024

2008 Toronto International Film Festival
Festival poster
Opening filmPasschendaele
LocationToronto, Canada
Hosted byToronto International Film Festival Group
No. of films312 films
Festival dateSeptember 4, 2008 (2008-09-04)–September 13, 2008 (2008-09-13)
LanguageEnglish
Websiteweb.archive.org/web/20080918014646/http://tiff08.ca/default2.aspx

The 2008 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This 33rd annual festival was from September 4 to September 13, 2008. The opening night gala was the World War I romantic epic Passchendaele from Canadian director Paul Gross.[1][2]

About the 2008 Festival[edit]

The 2008 festival was heavy on Canadian fare as well as featuring prominent indie films and worldwide as well as North American debuts including: Adoration directed by Canada's own Atom Egoyan, Appaloosa the second film from Ed Harris (who directed Pollock), Blindness from screenwriter-director, Fernando Meirelles, Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and veteran filmmaker Barbet Schroeder's Inju, la bête dans l'ombre.[3][4][5] Scheduled is The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (directed by Jodie Markell), based on a "rediscovered" Tennessee Williams screenplay. TIFF screened 312 films from 64 countries. These include 249 features, most of which were North American and/or world premieres.[6]

Neil Burger (director of The Illusionist) world premiered The Lucky Ones a character study of U.S. soldiers on an unplanned road trip, starring Tim Robbins.[6][7]

Also featured was Me and Orson Welles helmed by American "slacker" Richard Linklater, the Spike Lee-directed World War II film, Miracle at St. Anna as well as the Jonathan Demme directed film Rachel Getting Married. Other festival highlights are screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's first film, Synecdoche, New York, a slice of experimental filmmaker James Benning's Americana RR was featured in the "Wavelengths" avant-garde showcase, the four-hour-long Steven Soderbergh epic Che (playing in two parts), as well as The Wrestler lensed by Darren Aronofsky. The Brits are also well represented with Happy-Go-Lucky directed by Mike Leigh and Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle.[3][4][5]

Despite showing fewer films than last year, among the 249 features, 116 are premieres and 61 are first features.[6][8] Films from as many as 64 countries were screened, with more than 340,000 admissions expected.[8]

"Canadian Open Vault", which always highlights a restored Canadian film, focused on Quebec filmmaker François Girard's 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould made in 1993.[2]

Actors Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Benicio del Toro, Ethan Hawke, Laura Linney and film directors Julian Schnabel, Kathryn Bigelow and Steven Soderbergh are among the celebs the festival has invited on its 500-plus guest list, thus completing its lineup.[7]

The festival closed on September 13, 2008 with the North American premiere of Stone of Destiny written and directed by Charles Martin Smith, the true story of four Glasgow university students who try to restore the 300-pound Stone of Scone to its rightful Scottish home.[9]

With the film Fifty Dead Men Walking, Rose McGowan expressed support for the cause of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with the reports of her comments being released into the media on September 11, 2008. After starring in Fifty Dead Men Walking, she was quoted as saying "I imagine had I grown up in Belfast, I would 100% have been in the IRA. My heart just broke for the cause. Violence is not to be played out daily and provide an answer to problems, but I understand it." Her comments were attacked by the original author Martin McCartlend. McCartland had general objections against the film, but approved of an out of court settlement, believed to be in the region of £20,000 (US$35,000 in summer 2008).

Awards[edit]

Award[10] Film Director
People's Choice Award Slumdog Millionaire Danny Boyle
People's Choice Award First Runner Up More Than a Game Kristopher Belman
People's Choice Award Second Runner Up The Stoning of Soraya M. Cyrus Nowrasteh
Discovery Award Hunger Steve McQueen
Best Canadian Feature Film Lost Song Rodrigue Jean
Best Canadian Feature Film – Special Jury Citation Adoration Atom Egoyan
Best Canadian First Feature Film Before Tomorrow (Le Jour avant le lendemain) Madeline Ivalu & Marie-Hélène Cousineau
Best Canadian First Feature Film – Special Jury Citation Borderline Lyne Charlebois
Best Canadian Short Film Block B Chris Chong Chan Fui
Best Canadian Short Film – Special Jury Citation Next Floor Denis Villeneuve
FIPRESCI Discovery Lymelife Derick Martini
FIPRESCI Special Presentations Disgrace Steve Jacobs

North American premieres[edit]

Special presentations[edit]

Other films to be screened[edit]

Masters program[edit]

Vanguard and visions[edit]

Midnight Madness[edit]

[11]

Sprockets (family fare)[edit]

Wavelengths (avant-garde showcase)[edit]

Contemporary world cinema[edit]

Canada First[edit]

Short Cuts Canada[edit]

The Real to Reel (docu program)[edit]

Canada's Top Ten[edit]

TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list, its national critics and festival programmers poll of the ten best feature and short films of the year, was released in December 2008.[12]

Feature films[edit]

Short films[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2008 Toronto International Film Festival Annual report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on May 7, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Brendan Kelly, Variety: "Toronto unveils Canadian selection" (July 15, 2008) Retrieved July 11, 2012
  3. ^ a b ""Toronto believes in Lee's 'Miracle'" Variety, by Jennie Punter, Jul. 2, 2008". Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  4. ^ a b ""Toronto film festival finds its Destiny" Aug 14, 2008 Reuters/Hollywood Reporter". Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  5. ^ a b ""Toronto Adds Premieres for 'Che', 'Porno', 'Bloom', 'Synecdoche', Others" Cinematical, by William Goss, Aug 13th 2008". Archived from the original on August 14, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c ""Toronto's dance card complete Sept. 4–13 festival includes 249 features" By Etan Vlessing, Hollywood Reporter, Aug 19, 2008". Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Variety "Toronto Film Festival unveils lineup Event boasts 500-plus guest list", by Jennie Punter, Aug. 19, 2008". Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  8. ^ a b ""Toronto film festival promises lighter touch" Reuters, Aug 19, 2008". Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  9. ^ ""Toronto fest adds 20 films to lineup" Variety, by Anne Thompson, Aug. 13, 2008". Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "Awards put the wrap on Toronto Film Festival" Archived October 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. post-gazette, October 10, 2013.
  11. ^ "History of the Toronto International Film Festival's MIDNIGHT MADNESS Programme". Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  12. ^ "TIFF's Top Ten". Vancouver Sun, December 17, 2008.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.
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