TIFF results

Miles Wood diabolik at netvigator.com
Thu Nov 15 01:01:07 EST 2001



Aaron Gerow wrote:

> Almost everyone I talked to was disappointed by the festival. I was sad
> that the Nippon Cinema Now people have basically given up on doing extra
> screenings of new Japanese films, possibly because they've come to
> realize foreign press and festival coordinators have largely stopped
> coming to the TIFF.  The new director of the TIFF seems to promise
> revamping the festival, and so NHK is doing a show on the past and future
> of the festival (to be aired November 10). But the future does not look
> bright from here.

I must confess my visit to the TIFF is prompted mainly by the premiere, in
subtitled form, of the latest Godzilla movie and I was disappointed to miss
out this year...I shall try and catch a Tokyo screening in December (would
anyone recommend the best theatre in which to see it?). But otherwise most
time is spent with the NCN selection, which at least gives visitors a break
from the 9am ticket scramble and the long queues outside theatres....no
wonder overseas visitors tend not to return! Perhaps the festival should take
a look at the HKIFF which always attracts repeat visitors due to its
hospitality, press access to directors/actors ("celebrities" at the TIFF),
easy access to screenings etc.

I notice Mark Schilling was attending Hawaii this year and look fwd to
hearing his report on the festival - not just the films/discussions etc. but
the general atmosphere surrounding it - a tempting one on the calendar were
it not at the same time as Tokyo, and perhaps in 2002 one to mark in ones
diary.

Miles




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