Hi everyone!
TIFF 09 Poster
Welcome to the new Possible Worlds blog, where you'll find the inside scoop on everything to do with Sydney's 5th Canadian Film Festival, heading your way August 2nd - 8th 2010.
The program will be revealed on Canada Day (that's July 1st), though I may give readers of the blog a few sneak peaks in advance. As of today about half of the program is locked in. The Cannes Film Festival started last night and most sales agents and distributors are in the South of France, so the second half of the program will take a little longer to take shape.
Every year, my colleagues and I travel to the Toronto International Film Festival (this year will be my 9th visit). We watch every single Canadian feature film in selection and meet with filmmakers, producers and sales agents. Of great help at TIFF is Film Circuit, who is mandated to promote Canadian cinema. Their lovely staff are always keen to introduce us to fresh new local talent.
Often, we track talent for years before we're able to screen a premiere. One of the films we'll be screening in 2010 for example, debuted at TIFF in 2009, a year after we were shown a very rough cut at a private screening (at TIFF 2008), a year after we first met the filmmakers when they flew to Sydney in 2007 to present their previous film at Possible Worlds. It's all about relationships!
We also have a team of scouts around Canada who alert us whenever they hear of an interesting project or see a great film at a local festival. Filmmakers also routinely send us their films for consideration.
There's a common misconception that programmers' jobs is simply to pick the films they like. In fact, programmers are in constant competition for the best titles, and sourcing a good premiere often requires a lot of passion and determination.
This year the program will be a little bigger than in 2009, and incredibly diverse. We're incredibly proud of one film in particular, since it will have its world premiere at Possible Worlds. At the moment we're in the process of inviting filmmakers to attend, thanks to the generous support of two loyal partners, Air Canada and Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.
Karina & Matt partying hard at TIFF 09
We're also busy confirming venues, organizing parties, putting together an education program, recruiting volunteers and designing this year's gorgeous poster. It's fascinating work!
Check this space - as well as our tweets - over the next few weeks as we reveal a few surprises, give you a chance to win some prizes and invite film buffs to contribute to this very blog.
If you haven't done so already, don't forget to take a look at the great Canadian films screening at this year's Sydney Film Festival. We're especially excited about Xavier Dolan's Heartbeats, which comes to Sydney hot off its Cannes debut next week.
Matt Ravier
Artistic Director