Talented veterans, emerging directors make TIFF's Canadian lineup

Denis Villeneuve, Jennifer Baichwal, Michael Dowse, Robert Lepage and Xavier Dolan are among the celebrated Canadian filmmakers who will introduce new work at September's Toronto International Film Festival.

'We have very committed film artists and they make personal stories. They make stories that mean a lot to them. That's why they get people like Daniel Radcliffe in their movies.' Steve Gravestock, TIFF

Organizers cheered homegrown productions in Toronto Wednesday afternoon, as TIFF chief executive Piers Handling and artistic director Cameron Bailey revealed a lineup of Canadian feature and short films filled with noted veterans as well as some promising emerging moviemakers.

Along with his previously announced, star-studded Hollywood film Prisoners, Oscar-nominated director Villeneuve will also debut the Canadian-Spanish drama Enemy. Jake Gyllenhaal, who also appears in Prisoners, stars in the drama based on Nobel Laureate JosSaramago's tale The Double.

Celebrated documentarian Baichwal reteams with her Manufactured Landscapes collaborator Edward Burtynsky and shares directing credit with the influential photographer on Watermark. The feature documentary, shot in 5K ultra-high definition video, weaves together stories from around the globe about our relationship with water.

Dowse, who recentlyshared in Telefilm's Golden Box Office prizefor his hockey comedy hit Goon, takes a completely different turn with his romantic comedy The F Word, starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan.

Meanwhile, Dolan is bringing his Tom at the Farm to TIFFafter its Venice debut, while Lepage has teamed with Pedro Pires for the urban saga Triptych.

"It's always tough [to choose the Canadian lineup]it's just a wealth of stuff. It's better to have an embarrassment of riches," TIFF Canadian programmer Steve Gravestock told CBC News.

"We have a very strong group of directors. It's a tribute to the system, too to Telefilm, to the councils, to the National Film Board, and really to the dedication of Canadian filmmakers. We have very committed film artists and they make personal stories. They make stories that mean a lot to them. That's why they get people like Daniel Radcliffe in their movies."

Other directing stalwarts debuting films at the festival include: Louise Archambault (Gabrielle), Bruce McDonald (The Husband), Bruce Sweeney (The Dick Knost Show), Bruce LaBruce (Gerontophilia) and Catherine Martin (A Journey).

Emerging directors comprise a new wave

Gia Milani, whosedrama All the Wrong Reasons was one of Glee star Cory Monteith's final films, will see the movie(her feature directorial debut) screen at TIFF.

She's just one of a new wave of emerging directors championed by TIFF's programmers by inclusion in this year's lineup, joining Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls), Chlo Robichaud (Sarah Prefers to Run), Sbastien Pilote (Le Dmantlement), Richie Mehta (Siddharth), Ingrid Veninger (The Animal Project), Terry Miles (Cinemanovels), Wiebke von Carolsfeld (Stay), Seth Scriver and Shayne Ehman (Asphalt Watches).

Some of Canada's top filmmakers were also part of previous announcements and will be bringing their latest to TIFF, including Don McKellar (The Grand Seduction), Jean-Marc Valle (Dallas Buyers Club), Atom Egoyan (Devil's Knot), and Paul Haggis (Third Person), Alanis Obomsawin (Hi-Ho Mistahey!) and Barry Avrich (Filthy Gorgeous).

So far, anticipated titles already announced include star-studded projects such as family drama August: Osage County, biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, space thriller Gravity, period tale Kill Your Darlings and romantic comedy Enough Said, the final film byJames Gandolfini.

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