Toronto film festival group announces annual list of top 10 Canadian films
TORONTO (CP) – The top 10 Canadian films of 2004, as chosen by an independent panel of 10 industry experts, is an eclectic list of titles from new and old filmmakers, in English and French, features and documentaries, animation and experimental.
As announced Tuesday night by the Toronto International Film Festival Group, the titles are:
Childstar: Don McKellar’s bittersweet comedy about an American sitcom star who is shipped off to Canada to make a film.
Elles Etaient Cinq: Directed by Ghyslaine Cote. A woman is forced to confront long-buried memories when she sees a man who resembles someone from her past.
I, Claudia: Chris Abraham’s film version of Kristen Thompson’s play about a pre-teen dealing with her father’s remarriage.
It’s All Gone Pete Tong: Michael Dowse’s comedy about a legendary and flamboyant DJ who disappears from the music scene after suffering a hearing disorder.
La Peau Blanche: Daniel Roby was producer and director of this story about a man who falls in love with a woman with extremely pale skin. Based on the Joel Champetier novel.
Ryan: Chris Landreth’s digitally animated short for the National Film Board about troubled filmmaker colleague Ryan Larkin.
Saint Ralph: Michael McGowan’s story of a boy who decides to run in the Boston Marathon in a quest on behalf of his dying mother.
ScaredSacred: A search for exceptional survivors, from the toxic wastelands of Bhopal to 9/11 ground zero in New York City. Directed by Velcrow Ripper.
Shake Hands With the Devil: Peter Raymont’s documentary about Romeo Dallaire and the Canadian general’s journey back to Rwanda and the source of his genocide trauma.
What Remains of Us: A documentary by Francois Prevost and Hugo Latulippe about a young refugee in Quebec who returns to her native Tibet with a message from the Dalai Lama.
“The spectrum and scope of films on the list shows a new energy and continued vibrance within the Canadian film industry,” said Piers Handling, director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival Group. “Our established filmmakers on the list display an impressive range and cinematic vision in their work.”
The list was unveiled at a Tuesday night reception hosted by director Guy Maddin and actor Arsinee Khanjian. All 10 titles will be screened at Cinematheque Ontario from Jan. 28 to Feb. 5, complete with panel discussions and Q-As.
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