Color of the Ocean: Deeply disturbing but fabulous

Color of the Ocean was a deeply disturbing film set in the Canary Islands about a father and son who arrive there as illegal residents and about the lengths they'll go to achieve a new life.

The film is also about those who help and hinder them, as well as the people they, in turn, touch.

The film leaves many questions unanswered, prompting much discussion by the couple sitting behind me on the Dundas Streetcar.

Overall, a fabulous film!

Tomorrow, back in line in the afternoon.

-- Debra Black

All TIFF'ed out in the second-best row

Second to last lineup for this year's TIFF. I've seen 11 movies in eight days.

With one more tomorrow back here at AMC. Tonight, I'm seeing Colour of the Ocean at a 9 p.m. screening.

People here are patiently waiting munching on pretzels, and emailing or texting on their smartphones. Some chat about movies; others have a glazed, seen-too-many-movies look. A man and woman hug and kiss near the back of the line.

Think I'm movied-TIFFed out.

Plots of movies are all blurring together, as are lineups. Feel like I have spent the past eight days in a never ending, perpetually moving line.

And then suddenly a TIFF volunteer shouts above the din to alert us that it's time to enter the cinema. Finally in and the chaos of finding seats begins. 

"Is that seat free?" asks one fan to other movie goers in the row ahead of me. They say it is. He makes himself at home and sits happily.

"This is the best row " he tells them.

Hmm, if only I'd known. Too late for me to move. Guess I'm stuck in second-best row - just behind the best.

-- Debra Black

Photos: Star photog is TIFFified, TIFF'd OUT and just plain old TIFF'd

TIFF photoblog

This year's installment of TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) is winding up, but my days of endless hours waiting in line to get to the photo pool area of a red carpet, or running from hotel room to hotel room to hotel room for my 30, sometimes allotted, second photo-op, are done. After eight straight days of TIFF, I'm TIFFified, TIFF'd OUT and just plain old TIFF'd.

I'll openly admit it's not one of my favorite annual events, but it does have its moments.

My experience, this year at least, seem to gather a theme. Considering it is a film festival, and one of the most important in the world (at least for the industry and celebrity magazines), music seem to be the current I got caught up in. The fact I had seen 3 of the 4 artists I shot, as a paying fan and not in the photo pit for the customary 3 song limit), was an added bonus.

I jumped from Bono and The Edge, whom I just saw weeks ago at Rogers Centre when they played the rescheduled dates from last year's interrupted 360 tour - it was my virgin U2 show always kicking myself for not having gone in 86 when I had a golden opportunity, to Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) to Pearl Jam to a songwriter I, personally, feel is a musical god, our very own Neil Young.

-Rick Madonik, Staff Photographer

TIFF Photoblog

There continues to be parts of the old "punker" in Johnny Rotten these days. Certainly more subdued, as age is prone to do, but his rebel ways continue as the interview room smells like an ashtray after numerous back-to-back sessions and continual smoking by the musician/Rick Madonik photo

 

Small movies have big impact at TIFF

... and sometimes get bigger in the process. Canadian director Craig Goodwill’s 38-minute short Patch Town, which had its world premiere at the fest, is going to become a full-length feature film, thanks to a deal with Montreal-based Suki Films. Patch Town is a musical version of the age-old question kids ask their parents about where babies come from, starring Lisa Ray (Water, Cooking With Stella) and a very funny Rob Ramsay. Christopher Bond (Evil Dead: The Musical) handled the music.

The story follows a now-grown teen (Ramsay) abandoned after he was “born” in a cabbage-patch Soviet-style factory. Many of those involved from the short will work on the feature, including writers Christopher Bond and Trevor Martin and producers Catherine Gourdier and David Sparkes.

Linda Barnard

50 signatures and counting: Autograph collector still busy TIFFing

Veronica Jennings has had a busy TIFF.

When the Star caught up with the 30-year-old autograph collector earlier in the festival, the Niagara Falls resident had already met Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Viggo Mortensen, Paul Giamatti, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro.

One week later, Jennings is still hitting the premieres, press conferences and anywhere else she thinks a celebrity might be hiding. Reached on her cell Friday, outside Roy Thomson Hall, Jennings provided an update on the autographs and photos she’s gotten with celebrities.

The total? More than 50 people, including: Emile Hirsch, Alexis Bledel, Nicolas Cage, Gene Simmons, Katie Couric, Ewan McGregor, Heather Graham, Kiefer Sutherland, Kathy Griffin, Anna Kendrick, Seth Rogen, Sarah Polley, Gerard Butler, Sarah Silverman, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jordan Knight.

-Wendy Gillis

 

Veronica Jennings/Photo by Wendy Gillis