The 33rd Toronto International Film Festival, which runs September 4 through 13, 2008, has announced the addition of twenty new films to its special presentations lineup.

Per usual, some of the same films will also be showing at October's New York Film Festival, including Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," starring Mickey Rourke as a broken-down fighter. French sales company Wild Bunch is seeking a North American distrib for the drama.

Both fests will be showing Steven Soderbergh's "Che" (starring Benicio del Toro as the Latin American revolutionary), which divided audiences at Cannes, at its full length. "We get to have our cake and eat it too," said long-time fest programmer Cameron Bailey, who replaced Noah Cowan as fest director this year. "We'll show it the first time as two separate films on two separate nights. People also will get to see it as one back-to-back epic with a 15- minute intermission. You can choose your 'Che.'"

Clint Eastwood's "Changeling," which will be the centerpiece of the New York Film Festival, will not be at Toronto because there was uncertainty about new mother Angelina Jolie's availability to participate in a gala premiere. "We would have loved to have had Clint Eastwood," said Bailey, "but the only way to present the movie in a big way was as a gala with Eastwood and Jolie."

Toronto, but not New York, will screen the Cannes Fest entry from write-turned-director Charlie Kaufman, "Synecdoche, New York," starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theater director who mounts an endlessly unfolding ensemble theater piece inside a warehouse in New York City. Sony Pictures Classics acquired the film last week.

Another theater-set film, Richard Linklater's "Me and Orson Welles," stars young Christian McKay (who played Welles off-Broadway) in the title role. Claire Danes and teen hunk Zac Efron co-star. The Brit pic is expected to be a key sales title.

Balancing out the serious dramas, many of them about "family loss," said Bailey, are "wild comedies taking on taboos and sacred cows in society," such as Kevin Smith's hard-R-rated "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as long-time pal roommates who try to raise cash by making a porn film. The Weinstein Co. will release the comedy stateside October 31.

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment will be seeking a distrib for Stephen Belber's romantic road comedy "Management," starring Jennifer Aniston as a buttoned-down girl pursued by slacker motel clerk Steve Zahn, in his first role as a romantic leading man.

Of the foreign line-up, Bailey and his programmers sifted through strong selections, he said, especially from Latin America, Japan and Germany. French director Barbet Schroeder supplied the thriller "Inju, la bête dans l'ombre," about a crime novelist who visits Japan and finds that fiction becomes indistinguishable from reality. "It's Schroeder's take on Japanese culture," said Bailey. "It's perverse, weird and sexy."

The full Toronto list of 20 special presentations added to the program follows.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Aide-toi le ciel t'aidera
François Dupeyron, France
World Premiere

In his latest film, François Dupeyron (Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran, TIFF 2003) again turns his attention to an underprivileged sector of society, creating a memorable figure of remarkable spirit and tenacity. Sonia (Félicité Wouassi, La Haine), the long-suffering matriarch of the Mousse family, finds her life spiraling out of control on her daughter's wedding day – her eldest son is dabbling with drugs while her husband has gambled away the money for the wedding reception. She is determined, however, that nothing will disrupt this special day.

Un Barrage Contre le Pacifique Rithy Panh
France/Cambodia/Belgium
World Premiere

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Marguerite Duras, Un Barrage Contre le Pacifique is directed by Rithy Panh (S21, La Machine de mort Khmère Rouge, TIFF 2003), who has turned to a classic work French literature to make a film about his native country. The legendary Isabelle Huppert stars as the matriarch of a small land-owning family in 1930s French Indochina (now Cambodia) who try to survive by working on rice fields located dangerously close to the ocean. Driven to fight against both nature and corrupt bureaucrats, she devises an imaginative scheme to build a dam against the sea with the help of the villagers.

The Brothers Bloom
Rian Johnson, USA
World Premiere

The brothers Bloom (Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo) are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last con – showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress (Rachel Weisz) the time of her life with a romantic adventure that carries them around the world. The Brothers Bloom also features Rinko Kikuchi, Maximilian Schell and Robbie Coltrane.

Easy Virtue
Stephan Elliott, UK/USA
World Premiere

Colin Firth, Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ben Barnes star in an adaptation by Stephan Elliott (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) of Noel Coward's wickedly witty play. A young Englishman (John Whittaker), falls madly in love with an older woman – Larita is sexy, glamorous and American. They marry impetuously. When they return to John's family home, his mother Veronica has an instant allergic reaction to her new daughter-in-law but Larita finds an unlikely ally in John's father.

Faubourg 36
Christophe Barratier
France

A dazzling musical from the director of Les Choristes (TIFF 2004), Faubourg 36 is set between December 1935 and July 1936 in a working-class neighbourhood on the northeastern edge of Paris. The springtime election of a left-wing government brings wild new hopes, yet also sees the rise of extremist ideas. Three unemployed stage workers decide to produce a "hit show "and occupy the music hall where they formally worked. The stage is set for a short-lived but wonderful adventure.

Genova
Michael Winterbottom, United Kingdom
World Premiere

Seeking a new life after the sudden death of his wife, Joe (Colin Firth) moves his family to the exotic Italian town of Genova, hoping for a fresh start for himself and his two daughters. His eldest daughter Kelly explores the sexy and dangerous underbelly of this mysterious city, leaving the younger Mary in a world of her own. A poignant tale of love and forgiveness, Genova is directed by Michael Winterbottom (Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, TIFF 2005), and also stars Catherine Keener and Hope Davis.

Is There Anybody There?
John Crowley, United Kingdom
World Premiere

From the director of Boy A, comes a wise and charming story of an unlikely friendship between a scruffy former magician and a little boy with a morbid streak. Ten year-old Edward (Bill Milner) has become increasingly obsessed with death and the afterlife since his parents turned their house into a retirement home. Edward's is a lonely and peculiar existence – until he meets Clarence (Michael Caine) who introduces him to wonders in the here-and-now.

Last Stop 174
Bruno Barreto, Brazil
World Premiere

Director Bruno Barreto expands on the true event at the centre of José Padilha and Felipe Lacerda's hard-hitting documentary Bus 174 (TIFF 2003), telling the story of how a child grows up to become a hostage-taker. Young Sandro lives in the slums of Rio de Janeiro where corruption and violence are the norm. Orphaned, alienated and fearing for his life, Sandro falls into a life of crime from which he may find it impossible to escape.

Management
Stephen Belber, USA
World Premiere

Management is a romantic comedy that chronicles a chance meeting between Mike Cranshaw (Steve Zahn) and Sue Claussen (Jennifer Aniston). When Sue checks into the roadside motel owned by Mike's parents in Arizona, what starts with a bottle of wine "compliments of management" soon evolves into a multi-layered, cross-country journey of two people looking for a sense of purpose. Mike, an aimless dreamer, bets it all on a trip to Sue's workplace in Maryland – only to find that she has no place for him in her carefully ordered life. Buttoned down and obsessed with making a difference in the world, Sue goes back to her yogurt mogul ex-boyfriend Jango (Woody Harrelson), who promises her a chance to head his charity operations. But having found something worth fighting for, Mike pits his hopes against Sue's practicality, and the two embark on a twisted, bumpy, freeing journey to discover that their place in the world just might be together.

Me and Orson Welles
Richard Linklater, United Kingdom
World Premiere

Zac Efron, Claire Daines, Ben Chaplin and Christian McKay star in this entertaining ode to Orson Welles from the director of The School of Rock (TIFF 2003) and Before Sunrise. Seventeen-year-old Richard Samuels (Efron) spends his days dreaming of the bright lights of Broadway. He gets his big break when he happens upon Orson Welles (McKay) and his fledgling Mercury Theatre company. Richard impresses Welles with an impromptu audition and lands a bit part in the Mercury's forthcoming run of Julius Caesar. With Welles's womanizing taking priority over rehearsals, chaos and calamity mark the production from the start. Before long, opening night has arrived and Richard will discover the terrible secrets of show business.

Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle, United Kingdom
World Premiere

From acclaimed director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) comes a story about a kid with nothing, who has everything to lose. Jamal Malik, an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants to be A Millionaire? Arrested on suspicion of cheating, he tells the police the amazing tale of his life on the streets, and of the girl he loved and lost. But what is a kid with no interest in money doing on the show? And how does he know all the answers?

A Woman in Berlin
Max Färberböck, Germany/Poland
World Premiere

Adapted from the international bestseller based on a true story, A Woman in Berlin is directed by Golden Globe nominee Max Färberböck (Aimée & Jaguar). In April 1945, the Red Army invades Berlin; among the chaos, a group of women fall victim to rape in a half-destroyed house. One of them is a former journalist and photographer. In desperation, she decides to find an officer who can protect her. A relationship develops with a Russian officer; soon, what began as an act of self-preservation becomes a complicated and forbidden affair.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Kevin Smith, USA
World Premiere

Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks star in this bawdy tale of love and friendship from Kevin Smith. Lifelong friends and roommates Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) are facing hard times and a mountain of debt. When the electricity and plumbing get cut off, the two seize upon the idea of making a homegrown porno movie for some quick cash, enlisting the help of their friends. The two vow that having sex will not ruin their friendship; but as everyone starts "doing" everyone, what started out as a friendly business proposition turns into something much more.

A Perfect Day
Ferzan Ozpetek, Italy
International Premiere

One year after their separation, the violence that defined Emma and Antonio's marriage returns with ferocious consequences. Meanwhile, Antonio's boss, MP Fioravanti, tries frantically to salvage his political career, unaware that he is destroying his personal life by pushing his young wife to desert him, having already alienated his only son. An adaptation of the novel by Melania Mazzucco, A Perfect Day juxtaposes competing stories of disintegration and personal ruin as a group of characters challenge the cards they have been dealt and try to regain control of their lives – even if it means performing an unspeakable act of betrayal against those they love the most.
More than one option

* (Film) A Perfect Day
* (Tv) A Perfect Day

Séraphine
Martin Provost, France/Belgium
International Premiere

Based on a true story, Séraphine delves into the relationship between naive painter Séraphine Louis (1864–1942) and art collector Wilhelm Uhde. In a little town north of Paris, Séraphine works as a maid for Madame Duphot, who rents an apartment to German art critic and dealer Wilhelm Uhde, an enthusiastic advocate of modern and primitive artists. In her spare time, Séraphine paints, with anything she can find – wine, mud, a mixture of fruits and flowers. When Wilhelm comes across one of her paintings, he is instantly mesmerized and insists that Séraphine show him the rest of her work. So begins a nurturing relationship that will expose Séraphine's work to the world. But as Séraphine paints her most inspired canvas, the power of her work leads her into the realms of madness.

35 Rhums
Claire Denis, France
North American Premiere

The celebrated French filmmaker Claire Denis returns with 35 Rhums, exploring the working underclass of French society. Lionel, a widower, has raised his daughter Josephine on his own. They lead a quiet, comfortable life together, devoted to one another. Their relationship, however, starts to change when Jo befriends a young man and Lionel entertains the attention of a middle-aged woman. Before long, father and daughter find themselves forced to reconcile the past.

The Burning Plain
Guillermo Arriaga, USA
North American Premiere

Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger star in Academy Award-nominee Guillermo Arriaga's directorial debut, a romantic mystery about a one woman's emotional journey to uncover the secret of a past love. Theron plays Sylvia, a beautiful restaurant manager whose cool demeanor masks the sexually charged storm within. When a stranger confronts her with her mysterious past, Sylvia is launched into a journey through space and time that inextricably connects her to three disparate characters, all grappling with their own romantic destinies. Basinger stars as the housewife whose affair puts them all on a collision course with the explosive power of forbidden love.

Che: Part One
Stephen Soderbergh, USA/Spain
North American Premiere

On November 26, 1956, Fidel Castro sails to Cuba with eighty rebels. One of those rebels is Ernesto "Che" Guevara, an Argentine doctor who shares a common goal with Fidel Castro – to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Che proves indispensable as a fighter, and quickly grasps the art of guerrilla warfare. As he throws himself into the struggle, Che is embraced by his comrades and the Cuban people. Che: Part One tracks Che's rise in the Cuban Revolution, from doctor to commander to revolutionary hero.

Che: Part Two
Stephen Soderbergh, USA/Spain
North American Premiere

After the Cuban Revolution, Che is at the height of his fame and power. Then he disappears, re-emerging incognito in Bolivia, where he organizes a small group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits to start the great Latin American Revolution. The story of the Bolivian campaign is a tale of tenacity, sacrifice and idealism, and of guerrilla warfare that ultimately fails, bringing Che to his death. Che: Part Two explores how Che remains a symbol of idealism and heroism that lives in the hearts of people around the world.

Inju, la bête dans l'ombre
Barbet Schroeder, France
North American Premiere

Barbet Schroeder directs this thriller starring Benoît Magimel (La Pianiste) as Fayard, a successful crime novelist. Invited to Japan for the release of his latest book, he encounters Tamao, a geisha who confides to him that one of her former lovers is threatening to kill her. This former lover may well be Shundei Oe, a novelist known for his extremely violent and disturbing books, and whose work Alex has studied extensively. Agreeing to help Tamao, Alex finds himself pitted against a man bent on vengeance and before long, his business trip becomes a bloody quest in which fiction becomes indistinguishable from reality.

Synecdoche, New York
Charlie Kaufman, USA
North American Premiere

Worried about the transience of his life, theatre director Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) leaves his home behind and sets out to construct a massive artistic enterprise. Gathering an ensemble cast into a warehouse in New York City, he hopes to create a work of brutal honesty. He directs them in a celebration of the mundane, instructing each to live out their constructed lives in a growing mockup of the city outside. The years rapidly fold into each other, and Caden buries himself deeper into his masterpiece but the textured tangle of real and theatrical relationships blurs the line between the world of the play and that of Caden's own deteriorating reality. Synecdoche also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Dianne Wiest, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Emily Watson and Hope Davis.

The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky, USA
North American Premiere

Back in the late '80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of die-hard wrestling fans in high-school gyms and community centres. Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans; but when he suffers a heart attack after a match, he is forced into retirement. He begins to evaluate the state of his life but the allure of the spotlight and the passion for his sport threatens to pull him back inside the ring. Directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain, TIFF 2006), The Wrestler also stars Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Judah Friedlander and the Necro Butcher.
More than one option

* (Film) The Fountain
2006 - Hugh Jackman, Darren Aronofsky
* (Film) The Fountain
Janna Kerimtayeva, Yuri Mamin

Flash of Genius
Marc Abraham, USA
Canadian Premiere

Based on the true story of college professor and part-time inventor Robert Kearns' (Greg Kinnear) long battle with the American automobile industry, Flash of Genius tells the tale of one man whose fight to receive recognition for his ingenuity would come at a heavy price. But this determined engineer refused to be silenced, and he took on the corporate titans in a battle that nobody thought he could win. And while paying the toll for refusing to compromise his dignity, this everyday David tried the unthinkable: to bring Goliath to his knees. Flash of Genius also stars Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney and Alan Alda.

An extraordinary impersonation of the American theatrical boy wonder by the young English actor Christian McKay is the indisputable highlight of “Me and Orson Welles,” an agreeable, reasonably convincing imagining of the circumstances surrounding Welles’ legendary staging of “Julius Caesar.”

Honey, they shrank our festival

by Martin Knelman

Rows of close to 1,000 empty seats at the Elgin Theatre (aka Visa Screening Room) at a screening of Che on Friday afternoon told the tale. To put it delicately, contrary to the spin you may hear, 2008 was not one of the best years of our lives at this city's favourite showbiz event.

As usual, there were some terrific movies plus journalists scribbling about them, industry executives buying and selling them, fans squealing for Hollywood stars, endless cocktail parties and numbingly long speeches.

But if I were making a documentary about these 10 days that aspired to shake the world, the title I'd choose would be either The Thrill Is Gone or Honey, They Shrank Our Festival. Veterans whispered that the buzz was subdued, the industry action on automatic pilot. A strong whiff of disenchantment touched festival loyalists.

To be fair, festival programmers did an excellent job of unearthing gems even in a down year for movies. Yet getting through the obstacles to see them was harder than ever.

A major sour note sounded on opening night when many clutching invitations to the gala at Roy Thomson Hall were kept waiting on the sidewalk for close to half an hour – while donors to the festival's capital campaign for its Bell Lightbox project were given preferential treatment. When a TIFF official came out to ask, "Are there any donors in this line?" a veteran Los Angeles journalist quipped, "I'm an organ donor" – and was told that's not the kind of donor that was meant.

Even high-end gold patrons who pay $5,500 a year for their privileges – shelling out more every year and getting less in return – became second-class citizens next to Lightbox donors.

These days TIFF's senior staff and board are increasingly obsessed with their fundraising campaign, but they will be making a huge strategic mistake if they undercut the festival itself by reducing it to a promotional pitch for the building.

How classy is it to allow favoured donors access to the green room, designated as an oasis of calm for stars and special guests – as if having your picture taken with a Hollywood celeb is a perk you get for writing a cheque?

Even more alarmingly, sneaker-wearing cinephiles were antagonized by an ill-conceived marketing change that stymied festival-goers who can't write big cheques. Those who bought coupon books could not exchange their vouchers for any screenings at the Elgin. And the price for attending a movie there was a whopping $40 – even for repeat screenings on weekday mornings.

Result: For the first time in decades, the public rebelled against the festival. People did not see why they should pay big bucks to see a daytime movie, especially with no stars in attendance, when they could see it for one-quarter the price a few weeks or months later.

Upshot: a series of half-empty houses, creating no sweet smell of success. That situation does not go down well with the producers and distributors of those movies.

Any festival is bound to have off years, but this year's glitches should be taken as a wake-up call by TIFF hierarchy and by Toronto, which cannot afford to diminish one of the city's cultural and economic treasures. No matter how great the programming, an operation of this size and importance needs a level of strategic planning, entrepreneurial savvy and visionary public relations notable by their absence over the past two weeks.

The magic of TIFF cannot be taken for granted. The sad decline of the Montreal Film Festival should be taken as a warning of the For Whom the Bell Tolls variety.