Johnnie To, Ang Lee and Francois Ozon highlight this year’s TIFF slate of Special presentations. Here’s a rundown of the latest straight from the TIFF press office:
ANGEL François Ozon, France/UK/Belgium
England, 1905. Angel Deverell is a gifted young writer who dreams of success, fame and love. But what will happen if all her dreams come true? From acclaimed filmmaker François Ozon, ANGEL stars Romola Garai, Lucy Russel, Michael Fassbender, Sam Neill and Charlotte Rampling.
CHACUN SON CINÉMA Various, France
The Toronto International Film Festival is honoured to be showing this Cannes Film Festival favourite. More than 30 of the most distinguished contemporary filmmakers – including Canadians David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan as well as David Lynch, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Roman Polanski, Gus Van Sant, Lars von Trier, and Wong Kar Wai – celebrate the 60th anniversary of Cannes with short films inspired by the cinephile’s place of worship: the movie theatre.
CHAOTIC ANA Julio Medem, Spain
Ana’s existence seems to be a continuation of the lives of other young women, all of whom died tragically at the age of 22. Doomed to a chaotic fate, Ana must co-exist with these young women as they continue to live on in the abyss of her unconscious memory. From filmmaker Julio Medem (SEX AND LUCIA), the film stars Manuela Vellés, Bebe, Charlotte Rampling, Asier Newman and Nicolas Cazalé.
LOVE COMES LATELY Jan Schütte, Germany/Austria/USA
Though approaching his 80s, Max shows no signs of slowing down. He pursues his love life – both real and imagined – with youthful vigour, thereby risking his relationship to Reisel, the woman he loves but neglects. Based on the stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer, LOVE COMES LATELY is a film about real and imagined longings, the never ending dream of love, and the power of fiction. Starring Otto Tausig, Rhea Perlman, Tovah Feldshuh and Barbara Hershey.
LUST, CAUTION Ang Lee, Taiwan
Following his Academy Award™ win for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Ang Lee returns with an erotic espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai, in which a young woman (Tang Wei) gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure (Tony Leung, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE). Also starring Chui Wai, Joan Chen and Wang Leehom.
MAD DETECTIVE Johnnie To and Wai Ka Fai, Hong Kong
A missing police pistol is connected to a series of recent heists and murders. Its owner, Wong, vanished while pursuing suspects in the mountains, yet his partner, Chi-Wai, miraculously returned unharmed. Hotshot inspector Ho (Andy On) is in charge of the investigation, but Ho knows his only chance of cracking the case lies in enlisting the help of Bun (Lau Ching Wan), the reclusive yet gifted mad detective.
MONGOL Sergei Bodrov, Germany/Kazakhstan/Mongolia/Russia
Commanding and celebrated Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano stars as the historic icon Genghis Khan. Directed by Sergei Bodrov (Prisoner of the Mountains, The Nomad), MONGOL is the epic story of a young Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become the legendary conqueror and father of Mongolia.
PERSEPOLIS Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, France
Based on the graphic novels by co-director Marjane Satrapi, this animated film – winner of the Cannes Jury Prize for 2007 – tells of a young girl coming of age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and features the vocal talents of Catherine Deneuve and Chiara Mastroianni.
RECLAIM YOUR BRAIN Hans Weingartner, Germany/Austria
In the latest feature from acclaimed filmmaker Hans Weingartner (THE EDUKATORS), TV producer Rainer (Moritz Bleibtreu) is always high on cocaine and, as a result, develops shows of the most stupid and vulgar nature, exploiting anyone and anything for the sake of ratings. After being forced to realize the errors of his ways, Rainer decides to change his life, embarking on a guerrilla campaign against the entertainment industry.
SHADOWS Milcho Manchevski, Republic of Macedonia
Although hospital physician Lucky seems to have it all – a beautiful wife, lovely child, good job – he is always struggling to live up to the expectations of others while living in the shadow of his hotshot physician mother. But after he is involved in a car crash and mysteriously saved from certain death, Lucky’s life dramatically begins to change.
THE SUN ALSO RISES Jiang Wen, China
Shot in the terraced hills of China’s Yunnan province and the sweeping plains of the Gobi Desert, the film juggles several timelines, offering insight into the mysterious forces that make people cross paths and, without realizing it, shape each other’s destinies. Director Jiang Wen (DEVILS ON THE DOORSTEP) stars alongside Joan Chen, Anthony Wong and Jaycee Chan.
