The Toronto International Film Festival has just ended and I thought I’d review some movies for blogUT. But I’m not going to. Why? Well, you’d think a volunteer would have had the chance to see a lot of films, but the truth is I only actually saw one film the entire time. Oh, sure, I saw lots of bits and pieces of films during the “make sure people are not illegally recording the movie” shifts, most of which involved extreme sex or extreme violence, but the actual full-length film I saw was the viewers’ choice.  It was screened at the Elgin on Saturday, and entitled “Precious” (which, come to think of it, involved extreme sex and extreme violence too). It was the film Oprah came into town for. I figured that since it’s coming out in wide release soon, I’ll save you my opinion and you’ll be able to read about Roger Ebert’s thoughts.

So today, fellow blog readers, I’ll instead give you the down low on what it is like to be a volunteer for TIFF. You begin by signing up to volunteer. If you are chosen, you will go for orientation sessions and sign a simple contract which involves you promising not to stalk the famous or becoming star-struck when they arrive. You get one of those ubiquitous totes with little freebies, such as: shaving cream, a Stella Artois glass, coffee and a volunteer shirt. On the shirt is the logo of NBC Universal, the main sponsor, so you become its walking billboard.

When the time comes, you sign up for shifts online. ID is needed at all times when picking up TIFF-related stuff. There have been horror stories in which some people steal volunteer shirts and sneak in repeatedly for free films and, mostly, celebrity-stalking.

There are various theatres you can sign up for, ranging from: Roy Thompson Hall, where all the major premieres and gala screenings are held; Ryerson, famous for midnight madness films; Scotiabank, AMC and Varsity, which handle press and industry screenings or public screenings. First-timers (i.e. me) are mostly allocated the latter three theatres.

So what do you do at a theatre? (more…)

Veteran director Manoel de Oliveira marked his 100th birthday with the adaptation of José Maria de Eça de Queiroz’s short story. It is a fascinating tale set in 18th century Portugal about a young accountant named Macário who, while peering through his office window above his uncle’s cashmere store, instantly falls in love with Luisa who lives in the building next door. He rushes to pursue her only to have his uncle prohibit the relationship and making his employment conditional upon this command. But of course, love must have its way and Macário travels to Cape Verde where he could raise funds to ask for Luisa’s hand. It is unquestionably a romantic premise although with an interesting twist that proves Macário’s efforts to have been in vain.

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With over 300 films playing at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, the likeliness that you’ll find that one gem in the haystack is, well, highly unlikely. You’ll probably see more lacklustre films than anything else, but if you’re lucky enough, you’ll find that one film that’ll make your entire Film Festival experience absolutely unforgettable. So let me tell you, I’ve been lucky enough to find that treasure in Rebecca Miller’s wonderfully woven film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.

Adapted from her own book, director Rebecca Miller chronicles the life of the enigmatic Pippa Lee, played by the always beautiful and never disappointing Robin Wright Penn. But who exactly is Pippa Lee? It’s a question that’s on the minds of everyone…the audience, the characters within the movie, and even Pippa Lee herself. Though at first glance, so seemingly inexplicable and impenetrable, Miller masterfully sheds the various masks Pippa Lee wears, layer by layer allowing the audience to learn more and more about the twists and turns this modern woman’s life has taken.

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